Choose Your Word of the Year!

Good morning friends and Happy New Year! I hope everyone is doing well and enjoyed the holiday season! December was a nice sebattical month for me as I traveled to Whistler Canada to ski and to Zanzibar | Mauritius | Dubai to kick off my aunt/bff's 5 Trips to 50! It was an exciting month celebrating my anniversary, my birthday, my daughter's birthday and Jesus' birthday!

As we enter into a new season, I wanted to share my personal process for a "Word of the Year". Goals and resolutions are great, however having an intentional word for the year has been so powerful in my life! I've added a visual to this post, but it's really simple. Find inspiration and stay aware. Whether it's the Bible, a book of quotes, or something else. Inspiration is everywhere. I find that quieting the mind helps so my soul can begin to speak. I began to journal or write down word that come up and give them time to resonate. The one for the year will keep appearing! Once it feels right, if I didn't find the word in scripture, I began to read my Bible and see if the word is illuminated anywhere in the passages I'm reading. IT.ALWAYS.DOES! It's amazing, but it always shows up, every single year!

My word for this year is Compassionate Heart (yes, I'm aware that's 2 words!) and has SEVERAL biblical scriptures to keep me anchored. I choose Ezekiel 36:26 - 27 to start this year.

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.” ‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭36‬:‭26‬-‭27‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

I pray that you will take a moment to reflect on your goals and resolutions and align a word with them! It's been so fulfilling to see my Word springs forth in every area of my life and I pray the same for you! Share your word of the year in the comments below!

Blessed to be a blessing,

Vicie

Back to Bali!

Hello friends!! CFYC is going Back to Bali in 2023! This will be my 3rd trip to Bali and it just gets sweeter every single time! Why would I travel halfway around the world to visit the beach?! It's the PEOPLE and secondarily, the culture! The people are so loving and warm. There was one massage therapist that did a massage for me in 2017, and when I returned in 2019, she remembered that I had a small baby named Cam and that he should've been almost four by then! From that point on, I've said that Bali is the place for self care and to get loved on! Yes, the flight is long, but it's an opportunity to SLEEP and add in a side trip to a layover destination! This time it's Dubai for me and my niece (and anyone else who wants to join us!).

I'm excited to explore a different side of the island (previously anchored in Seminyak) in a 11,000 square foot villa, reserved exclusively for the Charlotte Family Yoga community! There will be plenty of opportunity to explore or take a pause. Explore the beach or an ancient rice paddy, Soak in the sun at the pool or enjoy meditation under a palm tree. There's an itinerary, but you can customize the adventure! Here's what included in this retreat:

• Daily meditation and a variety of yoga practices

• Delicious meals

• 3 Mini -Workshops

• 45 Minute Welcome Massage for those that book before December 31, 2022!

• Three Excursions around Bali to experience the culture, traditions, coffee, and beaches of Bali!

• Travel to/from airport (DPS)

• CFYC Swag Bag

• Time outdoors to reflect and disconnect

Renew your mind, along with your commitment to your practice and yourself with twice daily yoga practices (breath work, physical practice, and meditation) with spectacular ocean and pool views in Kecamatan Kuta Utara, Bali, Indonesia. We will take intentional moments to reflect on nature and the beautiful scenery all around us... and adventure awaits through various options for memorable excursions. Included in your trip is our travel together and wander in Ubud, Indonesia, home of the famous "Yoga Barn" and Bali's art and culture capital. Ubud is the ultimate place to enjoy various traditional performances, from the notorious Kecak fire dance to local youths practicing their gamelan in the town hall. Rejuvenate your mind, body and spirit with amazing spa options, offered right in your room or anywhere on the 11,000 square meter property. The luxurious, lush and remote location allows you the opportunity to reconnect with your inner peace through self reflection and inquiry. All meals are included as our personal chef resides on the property, along with a driver, security, and care takers.

Private Rooms (5) - $2,800 Shared Rooms (6) - $1,850 ​ Non-Refundable Deposit - $500 with monthly payments available through April 2023.

Questions? Feel free to reach out to me directly with any questions!

Communion with God

Super long post because I’m feeling all the feels this week 🚨

For the month of May, the studio leaned into an intention of “Surrender”. I had an opportunity to digest, study, and share what and how surrender shows up in my life. I’m continually fascinated with how, when you choose an intention, the word, phrase or mantra is illuminated all around you! The Bible scripture Romans 12:12 in The Passion Translation is resonating in my Spirit this week…

The ultimate act surrender in my life is communion with the great creator of this universe. I thought it would be important to define “Commune”: to converse or talk together, usually with profound intensity, intimacy, etc.; interchange thoughts or feelings. My daily communion practice is usually: awaken, allow gratitude to fill my lips and heart for another day, read my Bible devotion, and spend a few moments communing with God aka prayer. There is such an intense and sweet feeling of knowing that the Creator of this universe cares for me and knows the number of hairs on my head! I talk with Him and He speaks softly to my tender heart.

When I’m in constant communion with God, my days are brighter, my outlook on life is healthier and my heart is softer towards other humans with whom I’m traversing this life.

But…when I heard about the shooting this week. My day grew darker. My heart was broken (again….) and I began down this spiral of WHY?!? God can you help me find a reason why?! What is happening to the people in this world!!? These are CHILDREN! Anger, frustration, sadness and hopefulness filled my space. Then I prayed. Not only for my emotional state, but for the parents and community in Uvalde, for my children and their teachers as they went back to school the next day like nothing happened, for the federal and state leaders of this country, for those that are heartbroken, lonely and without hope, for those that may be experiencing mental illness, for those that have hate rooted deep in their hearts. Pouring out my heart to God allowed me a sense of peace and allowed me to let go everything I was internalizing.

After prayer, a call to action. Unfortunately, change won’t come the top down. I feel as though change will be a grassroots effort. So in prayer, I asked what can we tangibly do to support a sense of community?

1. Love on our community of teachers. At @charlottefamilyyoga we have consistently had days and months where our local teachers could attend in studio or virtual classes for free (usually Thursdays when both owners were on the schedule).

2. Send support to Uvalde. We are a small business JUST making it over the financial hurdle of going through a global pandemic. But we have resources, so let’s send them. I immediately reached out to my business partner and said, let’s share this healing practice of yoga, mindfulness and meditation. She immediately agreed and we set up a way for the community to give in addition to a donation of $500 of mats and props from Charlotte Family Yoga and Yoga Girls Tribe.

3. Create and record a workshop for educators and teachers to learn how to share the practice of yoga and mindfulness in their classrooms, without upsetting parents because we used the word “yoga”. New workshop coming in August 💜💜

4. Continue to pray. Prayer works. Prayer is my lifeline. Continue to surrender my thoughts and plans for His glory.

I feel a little more hopeful, putting my feet to the fire, stepping in with action, and surrendering to what is, what was, and what will be. Allowing myself time to grieve, but also remembering that God is still God. Communion with him during perilous times keeps me hopeful that one day, a change will come. Praying for you, as you pray for me 💜