MIDDLETOWN >> Lake County Jazzercise is hosting mindfulness teacher and author JoAnn Saccato, MA for two free Mindfulness for Stress Reduction workshops today, June 19, and Tuesday, June 26.
The workshops are slated from 7-8:30 p.m. at 15642 Armstrong Street, Middletown, and are free and open to the public.
For those unable to attend in person, the workshops are also available online Wednesday, June 20, and Wednesday, June 27, from 7-8:30 p.m. Pre-registration for the online workshop is required.
The ninety-minute workshop includes a definition and brief history of mindfulness, recent scientific findings on the benefits with an emphasis on stress reduction, and simple guided mindfulness exercises. The workshop serves as an introduction to Ms. Saccato’s course, Mindful and Intentional Living: A Five Week Path to Less Stress and More Emotional Freedom. Her forthcoming book, Mindful and Intentional Living: A Path to Peace, Clarity and Freedom, is the foundation for the course.
Mindfulness is a popular health and wellness practice based on purposefully paying kind, non-judgmental attention to direct experience. It is a scientifically proven approach that helps reduce stress and stress-related illnesses, increase focus and attention, decrease incidences of and relapses with depression, reduce anxiety, reduce relapses in addiction, and aids in sleep and digestive disorders. It has also been shown to increase well being, life satisfaction and happiness, as well as improved social relationships.
“Just from taking the free workshop by Ms. Saccato, I have broken my pattern of lying awake in the middle of the night for hours. I learned how to ‘quiet my mind’ so I could easily fall back to sleep,” said Lake County Jazzercise instructor and proprietor, Beth Rudiger.
Ms. Rudiger strongly believes that mindfulness and physical exercise both provide relief from stress and chronic related illnesses. “Stress saps our energy and is a major contributor to heart disease and chronic pain,” said Rudiger. “Time spent on your physicality is an investment toward achieving your own long, functional, happy and healthy life.”
Jazzercise is a combination of aerobic exercise and dance fitness that contributes to cardio health, strength and flexibility. Rudiger and the other instructors at Lake County Jazzercise actively encourage clients to practice mindfulness as they engage their muscles and focus on their intensity during a class.
Participants for the free workshop are invited to wear comfortable clothing and be prepared for gentle movement.
For more information on the workshop and to preregister for the online workshop, visit www.MindfulAndIntentionalLiving.com/events or call JoAnn at 707-350-1719. For more information on Lake County Jazzercise, visit www.lcjazz.com or call Beth at 707-260-2900.
