Hi Reader,
I’ve heard from more than one person recently: “My cup is already pretty empty, and summer is just starting.”
Yikes! Spring can sneakily drain us fast, especially if we aren’t taking the necessary time to res{e}t regularly. And honestly? Even if we are, we can still have rhythms of feeling pretty depleted.
Summer isn’t as slow and spacious as perhaps it was in the 80’s and 90’s… Back before we were uber connected in every possible way, but somehow more disconnected, too.
Did we even talk about “connection” back then? Was it even a thing? Or were we just living it without needing to name it? Content in the true meaningful connections we made when the time was right, rather than thinking it all needed to be instantaneous connection?
It’s as if there’s not a moment to breathe at times because of all the pings, apps, and constant digital chatter in front of us these days. And that lack of space often leads to disconnect – from ourselves, and eventually, others too.
Whether it’s your calendar, your kids, your job, or your own inner expectations, summer can take a lot out of you before it’s even fully underway, leaving you feeling scattered and drained.
When you enter a season already depleted, everything feels more challenging… heavier. More reactivity, less patience. More “putting out fires,” less peace. Just “getting through” life, rather than really living.
It’s not silly to crave that simpler, slower pace we once knew – when we maybe did trust the timing of things a bit more, and enjoy the backyard afternoon and evening pauses to connect with family and friends with presence and without constantly looking at devices.
But here’s the truth: you can still have it.
Meaningful pauses are still available to you, you just have to choose them. It takes intention and a commitment to showing up for yourself.
It’s not selfish to pause before the summer demands more of you.
It’s strategic.
It’s wise.
It’s necessary.
When you pause and invest in time to refill your cup, at something like the Solstice Rhythms Retreat, you’re not just pressing pause.
You’re creating a turning point.
Even if you’ve attended a Rhythms Retreat before, and you’ve started slipping into old patterns or empty rhythms again… this is your chance to reset. Again. As many times as it takes.
Practice makes permanence.
It’s the small things often that help your body and nervous system remember: we can do life differently.
You’ll leave this retreat with more than just peace in the moment.
You’ll feel clearer, steadier, and more anchored to the version of you that isn’t just surviving summer…
…but actually living it with breath, intention, and capacity.
You don’t need another survival strategy.
You need a reset.
So if your cup feels empty or near empty now, imagine how much fuller and more connected life could feel by simply choosing to pause.
To put down your phone.
To reconnect before summer’s in full swing.
Will you join me at the Summer Solstice Celebration of Rhythms Retreat this year? There’s still time to register and I (and the other guides who’ll be leading you) can’t wait to hold space for your body and soul to pause.
This is your refill moment.
Claim it.
Cheers,
Cathy
☀️May God’s goodness and light be with me today and always; and may others experience this goodness and light through me.
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WANT TO JOIN US FOR CLASS OR WORK WITH ME?
Register for studio classes here.
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Studio Classes:
MONDAY, JUNE 9 – Restorative/Yin Practice
5:30 PM • All levels welcome
A restorative class with longer held postures & mindful breathing to build stress resiliency & bring balance to your fast-paced life.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11 – Yoga + Breath Work
9:00 AM • All Levels Welcome
Active, flow-based practice based on Sun + Moon Salutations. Intentional breath work practices included.
THURSDAY, JUNE 12 – The Weekly Breath Reset
8:30 AM • 30-minute virtual breath work
Harness the power of your breath to start your day with a focused, energized calm.
Group & Individual Sessions:
AT YOUR CONVENIENCE – Personalized Group Stress Resilience Training
TBD • Your location, virtual, or at the studio
In these sessions I guide groups through practical, embodied practices—like breath work, mindfulness, gentle movement, and/or emotional awareness—to build stress resilience. Each session offers simple, effective tools to help participants reset, regulate, and respond with greater calm and clarity in everyday life.
Reply back to this email to schedule your in-person or virtual session today!
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Special Events:
FRIDAY, JUN 20 – Solstice Celebration of Rhythms Retreat
6:00 – 9:00 PM • Pawesome Acres, 1020 Nevada St., Knoxville
Step away from the hustle & into nature’s rhythm with this evening retreat designed to help naturally caffeinated souls slow down, release, and reset. You’ll experience yoga, sound healing, cacao, creative expression and more – all while enjoying nourishing refreshments on a beautiful property.
Leave feeling lighter, clearer, and more connected to yourself and the season ahead.
Space is limited – register now.
SAURDAY, JUL 12 – Sunrise Yoga with MCCD
8:00 AM • Cordova Park • All levels welcome
Join us for a grounding morning yoga practice. While the sun may already be shining, this class invites you to greet the day with mindful movement & breath… helping you steady yourself amidst the height of summer’s expansive energy.
Fee: $20
Learn more and register here.
Kids & Family Events:
JULY 23- 25 – Let’s Go Camping Kids Yoga Camp
TK – 2nd Grade • 3rd – 5th Grade
A restorative class with longer held postures & mindful breathing to build stress resiliency & bring balance to your fast-paced life.
Register your child(ren) here.
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What’s new with Cultivate Health Harmony Happiness
Why Countries (and Bodies) Need Each Other to Survive
What happens when nations and nervous systems choose isolation over cooperation
When we cut off from others and try to do life by ourselves, it actually triggers the stress response to occur within the body. When this happens, breathing, circulation, and digestion all have the potential to be disrupted because of a little, or not so little, thing called the vagus nerve.
The vagus nerve is known as the “wandering” nerve as it meanders through the body touching and regulating most of the organs for breathing, circulation and digestion.
This means it plays a crucial role in maintaining balance within the body.
It determines whether we are in a calm, socially engaged state… or not. And if we are not, we are living in a state of fear or dis-ease.
Your body knows what politicians don’t: isolation triggers stress, connection creates resilience. The vagus nerve science that explains why going solo – personally or nationally – always backfires.
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What’s Cultivating Health Harmony Happiness in My wLife…
Peonies.
Peonies are my favorite flower, I’ve come to realize.
I love the look and the smell of these big, bold beauties. So much so that I wanted to bottle the smell.
So I went down the rabbit hole of trying to do so. None of the recipes I tried worked quite as well as I’d hoped, but in the process, I did learn to make a beautifully scented rose water, which I’ll be sharing at the upcoming Summer Solstice Rhythms Retreat. 🌹
