Over the last 8 weeks of our “new normal,” I’ve experienced a full range of emotions. We are in an unprecedented time, and the discomfort many of us have felt during the pandemic can be accurately described as a form of grief over the world having changed.

“The loss of normalcy; the fear of economic toll; the loss of connection. This is hitting us and we’re grieving. Collectively. We are not used to this kind of collective grief in the air…We’re also feeling anticipatory grief…that feeling we get about what the future holds when we’re uncertain.”

-David Kessler, Grief Expert

I’ve been through the some of the stages of grief and back again in no particular order: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance…and the idea of hope, possibility, and finding a sense of meaning.

Maybe you’ve felt some of this this, too. And whatever you are experiencing is OK. The truth is, we are all doing the very best we can to care for ourselves and our families, children, partners, friends, and communities during this time.

And when the way feels too obscured by the fog of overwhelm, it’s ok to ask for help. We can turn to guides who help us light the way. That may be a therapist or a coach. It may be a friend or a partner that simply says, “I see you.” And it may be someone who can hold space for us through beautiful, supportive self care and wellness practices.

We often think of “self care” as a bubble bath, a piece of dark chocolate, or unwinding with a glass of wine at the end of the day. Or “wellness” as drinking a smoothie in the morning and squeezing in a yoga class in the midst of a busy schedule. I’ve experienced the sense of comfort that can often come from these small pleasures, especially during this time. But if we stop there, we’re settling for a band-aid that only temporarily eases our anxiety on the surface.

What I mean when I talk about “wellness” or “self care,” is something like a series of rituals that nourish on a deeper level – practices we create in our lives as sustainable habits that build a kind of emotional infrastructure when it feels like the world is sinking. It’s what I like to call “Soul Care.”

Soul Care requires us to dive a bit deeper and investigate the root of our unease. It requires radical personal responsibility for our own wellness. It’s not a quick fix. It often gets messier before it gets easier. It may uncover feelings in our body or emotional landscape we didn’t anticipate and don’t immediately understand. But done with deep compassion for ourselves, it’s the most loving thing we can do to nurture ourselves on the path towards true wellness of the spirit and a life of flourishing.

My friend Taylor, founder of Inner Workout, and one of the amazing individuals featured below, has been in the conversation around defining self care for several years now. Focusing on ways to “listen, respond, and access all of the layers of your being” is what inspired her to start her wellness company.

Today I’m sharing my favorite virtual wellness offerings that have been deeply nourishing to me in this time. Each of the individuals and studios I’ve curated below have been instrumental in my life and are truly magical humans. Some of them are friends and colleagues; many of them are my teachers. They offer rituals to soothe the spirit, tools for building resilience, practices for mindfulness, reminders of self love, experiments in embodiment, invitations into presence, exhortations to own my experience, and guidance in Soul Care. They are deeply skilled in their healing arts and are able to hold space for an entire spectrum of experiences.

(My list is not exhaustive and does not detail the full scope of modalities I’ve explored in the past 18 months on my “healing journey,” nor all of the beautiful humans who have become teachers and guides to me. If it flows, I will share some more about that in a follow up post. I don’t receive anything from “promoting” these services other than deep joy in connecting those I care about with people and practices I believe in. Finally, I have also listed my own sacred sound offerings as part of these services because this work has deeply impacted my own life. As with each of those featured, this is merely an invitation to respond to if it resonates.)

TL;DR: Below I’m sharing my favorite Virtual Wellness offerings as a form of Soul Care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you try one of these classes or offerings and love it, let me know! I’d be so grateful to hear about your experience.

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Studios & Wellness Centers

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Additionally, here are some yoga & meditation studios that have been deeply impactful in my life. These are also in alphabetical order, with the exception of Sat Nam, whom I’ve listed first, and for whom I have the deepest gratitude for their support in my spiritual and soul care journey. Sat Nam has become a haven to me in Chicago, and it is through Karampal and the other wonderful humans in the community that I’ve had the opportunity to meet many others who have guided me on my path.

Many of these studios and the practitioners they support are facing financial challenges outside of their control due to COVID-19 restrictions. If you find their offerings helpful in your Soul Care practice, please consider becoming a monthly member or contributing a little extra if you can spare it.

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Sat Nam Yoga // @satnamyogachicago

Sat Nam is a place to be you, to develop your spiritual strength and experience the joy of your True being. Our shared home studio is a safe space for every human being to be honored in studying themselves through the science and technology of Yoga, Meditation and the Healing Arts.

In addition to classes, there are some really amazing WORKSHOPS coming up: Rewriting your Story : Kundalini Yoga with Kartar Singh, Healing the Heart of the Womb: Embodying the Divine Feminine with Dana Lundin, Mama Meditation with Elizabeth Bogart, Reiki Level 2 Certification with Julie Torkelson, Sat Nam’s Zoombaya Talent Show: Proceeds Benefit I Grow Chicago NFP in response to Covid-19 Crisis

$80 Livestream Membership

$60 Covid19 Care Membership for hospice care, First Responders, Healthcare Professionals, anyone who has lost their job due to the crisis and our beloved 65+ Yogis

$150 Unlimited Membership – Supporter Option

DATE CHANGE: May 30th : A Night of Songs and Ceremony with Sam Bianchini & Madison Rose

Curated in the flow of our normal Cacao gatherings, this evening will begin with soft and healing song invocation, in which you can lie back and receive the gentle yet powerful medicine of music. We will move into sacred songs, woven intermittently with sound healings, collective prayer/meditation, and water blessings.

Cost
$10 Memberships
$15 Admit 1
$20 Household

Register via Sat Nam

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Breathe Fest // @breathefest

Discover Your Purpose. Awaken Our World. We as the BREATHE Community believe every individual has a higher purpose. Alongside Mother Nature we manifest an environment for each individual to discover that higher purpose, write their own story, and achieve their highest potential.

As BREATHE looks forward to one day spreading the impact of our beautiful festival globally, we know that now is the time to widen our community through the use of more regular virtual gatherings. We are excited to continue our initiative, The BREATHE Pulse, to bring you webinars, podcasts, FB and IG Live discussions and online workshops!

Tune into our pulses live in IG by following @BREATHEfest or visiting us at the link above.

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Chaturanga Holistic Fitness // @chaturangafitness

We bring together holistic fitness educators and enthusiasts to dive deeper into transformative conversations, research, and practices so that we can sustain our bodies, reframe painful experiences, and engage whole-heartedly in caring and abundant relationships.

Join our vibrant online sanctuary for classes and abundant community. We are offering a gift economy through May. Please donate what you can to support the instructors and studio.

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Inner Sense Healing Arts // @innersensehealingarts

Inner Sense Healing Arts Collective is a non profit organization focused on fostering self-reflective practices within disempowered populations, in effort to build a restored and engaged community. 

Sliding Scale $12 / $17 / $22 / or pay what you can via PayPal to ishacollective@gmail.com

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Namaskar Yoga

Namaskar Yoga is a friendly studio welcoming students of all levels.
Our classes and workshops build your body, calm your mind and help you live life more fully.

1 Class $20 / 5 Classes $85 / 10 Classes $150 / 20 Classes $260

Workshops as listed online

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SheWolf Sacred // @shewolfsacred : Unleash the Wild Within

SheWolf Sacred is about recalling what is natural, instinctual, + vital within the human experience. Through healing arts, rituals, performance as therapy, + integrative storytelling, our mission is to provide an intersectional approach to empower marginalized communities.
We invite multicultural, BIPOC, LGTBQIA+ individuals, women, + non-binary people to participate in experiences of embodiment + expression that promote resilience within community. Through interdisciplinary artistic practices, our work ranges from ancient rituals to contemporary exchanges. Currently based in Chicago, we envision a global purpose revolution that honors the embodied Divine Feminine.

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Soulfull Veda // @soulfullveda

We work with people who are stressed and frustrated with their lifestyle and want to create balance in their life. Nourish and fill your soul with the foods, self care and lifestyle practices, movement, and meditations that are right for you. We help people like you bring balance to their minds and bodies through things like 1:1 intro consultations, group coaching programs, workshops, eBooks, and our Lightworker Society, an online community for soul seekers.

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tiny space to breathe // @tinyspacetobreathe

connecting to the breath with purpose through yoga, meditation, workshops

we offer daily yoga and meditation classes to help you maintain as regular of a practice as you’d like. to dive deeper and explore more, we also offer workshops and special events that include everything from sound baths and reiki to tarot classes and rituals. we also host a monthly book club focusing on books and zines that span the length of a breath.

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The Yoga Forest // @theyogaforest

The Yoga Forest is a sacred sanctuary with ancient Mayan altars and natural springs that have been protected as a natural reserve in order to honor the land and the heritage of its people. It is a place where you can create space for transformation and self healing. 

We are creating online offerings for you to ground during this time. Donations support the Forest Family Foundation, a Guatemalan non-profit organisation supporting our local indigenous community, and currently focused in food relief for those in at risk categories during covid-19 outbreak.

Patreon funds additionally directly support our Forest Family of Mayan workers to maintain their employment during these uncertain times.

Patreon Members will receive:

• Online Song Ceremony (EACH WEEK)
• Mantra, Medicine Music and Kirtan (audio and video)
• Song Ceremony PDF and Song Study Videos
• Sound Ceremony recordings
• Live streaming of performances, ceremonies and intimate sessions
• Guided Meditations
• Yoga Classes direct from the Forest
• Articles of Yogic Wisdom and Philosophy
• Personal stories and wisdom from the Founders
• Reflections, poetry and musings from the heart