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shefayoga Roosevelt
Our mission: “shefa” means abundance in Hebrew and “to heal” in Arabic; we believe there is enough for everyone and we can all be successful emotionally, spiritually and physically. Believing in abundance leads to an attitude of gratitude which leads to overall happiness. We offer daily heated yoga classes taught by experienced Hot Hatha and Power Vinyasa instructors. Our studio features an infrared heating system and an abundance of natural light. Our classes are suitable for all levels.
UPCOMING EVENTS Check website at ShefaYoga.com for current offerings.
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Leah Zaccaria, Owner 206-729-2561 • info@ShefaYoga.com ShefaYoga.com
Mindful Walking
Meditative Steps for Well-Being
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by Marlaina Donato
he health benefits of walking, such as stress reduction, improved joint mobility, lower blood pressure and increased oxygen, are well known, but walking or hiking with a meditative focus offers some other unexpected perks. Mindful walking that fosters focus on each step can combat depression, anxiety and unhealthy food cravings by boosting neurotransmitters. Studies from the University of Exeter, in England, reveal that chocolate cravings and consumption are reduced after just a 15-minute walk, and a German study found overweight people that walked briskly for 15 minutes had less desire for sugary snacks. A 2016 study in Complementary Therapies in Medicine found that meditative walking for 30 minutes three times a week reduced arterial stiffness and the stress hormone cortisol in a 12-week period. Individuals with Type 2 diabetes also had healthier blood sugar levels. Further, the group that employed mindful walking exhibited significant improvement compared to the control group that engaged in regular, non-meditative walking.
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Seattle
SeattleAwakenings.com
Mindful Me-Time Like seated meditation, meditative walking fosters mind-body awareness that can nourish the spirit. “Some of the world’s greatest artists, like Johann Sebastian Bach and William Blake, were well aware of this, and spent much time on long walks exploring their inner worlds,” says Reino Gevers, of Majorca, Spain. The author of Deep Walking for Body, Mind and Soul, he sees walking meditation as an invitation to tap into the bigger matrix of life. “Deep walking, also pilgrimage walking, is spending time alone in nature to walk off the things that are weighing heavy on your shoulders. These could be hurtful and traumatic
