This year has been a weird one, but surprisingly, not my worst one. I have lived through years that were far worse than 2020. There may not have been a global pandemic, but I have survived domestic violence, chronic illness, and depression. Not to mention all the years I spent not liking myself, and feeling like a hostage inside my own body.

2020 may not be the worst year you lived through either. You may have had years far worse than this. You may have gone through something where you wish you were forced to stay inside your house for two months because you couldn't deal with seeing people on top of everything else. 

You may have survived trauma, pain, heartache, chronic depression, the loss of a loved one, or the loss of everything you hold dear. You may feel like this is nothin' and you're not worried in the slightest.

Or, you may have had a blessed life up until this point with nothing bad ever really happening. So when confronted with a global pandemic, you may feel exhausted, overwhelmed, terrified, or downright panicked about what's going on.

Whether you have been freaking out about the stress of it all, you've been too depressed to get out of bed, or you've been delighted that it's finally acceptable to introvert and live in your yoga pants, don't feel bad.

This is uncharted territory for us. We are all experiencing a deep energetic shift, and whatever you feel about it right now is absolutely normal. You don't have to explain or justify your feelings to anybody. 

Are you looking for a quarantine activity that's more exciting than rewatching your favorite Netflix show but not as exciting as having a drunk dance party in the kitchen while your neighbours scream through the wall? 

Partner yoga can be a fun way to stay active and engaged with your family or roommates while staying at home. Practising yoga with another person is a joyful activity that can also be a great tool for deepening emotional connection. I can't seem to get my husband to give it a go, but perhaps you will have better luck than me. 

In this article from mindbodygreen here are 6 partner yoga poses you can try at home. All you need is a partner.

Have you channeled your inner Spiderman during lockdown? If so, this yoga class is for you. And if not? This yoga class is for you, too. Yoga For Climbers is a 30 min yoga practice for anyone who wants cultivate more balance, coordination, flexibility and stability. 

One of the things I do is consult with yoga teachers on how to create a digital business. (In fact, I'm working on a book about this very topic!) 

And something I've been seeing more and more is how many yoga studio owners don't want to reopen. 

Yes, you read that right: They want to stay closed. 

Or, at least...they want to stay virtual. And that's because operating a physical yoga studio is really freakin' hard.

In this article from Elephant Journal, Wendy Swanson reflects on her journey as a yoga studio owner, and how things are shifting in light of COVID.

Weekly sessions of yoga may ease depressive symptoms in people with other mental health issues, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis of existing research. 

An article recently published on CNN.com talks about a new analysis, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, which reviewed 19 randomized controlled clinical trials, considered one of the higher-quality methods of research, conducted in the United States, India, Japan, China, Germany and Sweden.

People in the studies had a formal diagnosis of alcohol dependence, depressive and bipolar disorders, a psychosis such as schizophrenia or post-traumatic stress syndrome, called PTSD.

Participants did an average of one to two weekly yoga sessions between 20 and 90 minutes long, in which at least half the session was physical movement.

Results show that yoga helped ease depression symptoms. And for those that it helped, the more yoga sessions a person did each week, the less depressed they became, according to the analysis. 

Before I go, I want to let you know that I am amazed by the feedback I received about the first issue of Sunrise.  When I came up with this idea, I didn't really know what to expect, and -- frankly -- I wasn't expecting very much. I thought I would put the idea out there, and if anyone signed up, that'd be amazing. 

But I didn't expect so many readers, and I certainly didn't expect so many people to respond so favourably to yesterday's email.

So, with that said: thank you so much for being here, and thank you for your support. I am so deeply honoured to be welcomed into your inbox, and I will strive to serve you with honour.