Thrive With Cassandra

12/27/2025

Yoga stuff I’m attending and recommend:

🎶 Musical Mantras with Ryan Hader and the Backward Echo Band, Dec 28, House Studio
💪108 Sun Salutations, Dec 31, The Moving Galaxy - Yoga and Mindful Movement
🧘🏼‍♀️ NYD Sit for Peace, Jan 1, The Heart Revival Center for Yoga & Buddhism
🤲 Mantra Sadhana, Jan 4-Feb 22, 8 week virtual program w/Naman in India
🪷 Harmonic Chant - Monthly Community Gathering, Jan 11, Enlightened Living Center
🕉️ New Year Community Chanting, Jan 24, Moving Galaxy
🕺Mantra Music with Shanti & Friends, Jan 25, Living Center

12/25/2025

Thank you to officer Bjelajac and all the first responders who have to work on holidays because emergencies still happen.

Yoga For First Responders exists to help those who see emergencies constantly throughout their life, which is not normal for the human brain. Processing stress, building resilience, and enhancing job performance through nervous system training. Let them know they matter and there are services to support them for the mental and physical sacrifice they make.
🎄💛💛💛💛🎄

Cassandra Bjelajac

12/23/2025

12/23/2025

I used to teach yoga classes at Adventure Rock. Free climbing sessions was a fun perk of the job!

12/21/2025

The main thing that makes something YOGA is controlled, intentional breathing and mindfulness. A cardio vinyasa class, strength-based hatha class, and yin class will teach you to stay clear-headed during a challenge and physically return to a regulated state after stress. A restorative class, gentle class, or nidra class provide practice getting to a regulated state and staying in it for the duration of the session.

All styles (and other activities done with breathwork and mindfulness) process stress out of the body so that you can hear the insights within and respond to situations with wisdom.

 and are in a heightened state of nervous system activation all the time, requiring A LOT more dedicated practice to . But we all need the practice, especially in a fast-paced, tech-based society.

12/12/2025

I can always count on my meditation mentor to offer a mental fitness challenge on New Year’s Day. Excited to start the new year with this 4-hour practice to cultivate peace from the inside out. It’s a journey to listen to yourself, get to know yourself from the inside, and practice being able to sustain a non-reactive presence.

The goal is not to sit for as long as possible. The goal is to train the brain and physiology of the body to be able to
—Stay through challenges
—Know your mind and essence deeply
—Practice hearing and coming to understand thoughts as information, resisting the impulse to react
—And perhaps even enjoy the sacredness of silence

Join us as we sit for peace, sparking insight by beginning the year with sacred stillness. This half-day community sit is devoted to stillness, compassion, and the collective intention of peace. We will alternate between periods of seated meditation and mindful walking, allowing the body to soften and the mind to settle into a steady, grounded rhythm.

Participants may contribute as they wish when reserving their spot. Dress comfortably, arriving on time. We ask that participants stay for the full duration and to note that no late entries will be admitted with the intention to maintain our peaceful container. Facilitated by

12/11/2025

Guess who is teaching the Saturday classes at Mandala Yoga Racine this week! Vinyasa flow style at 8:30 am and Yoga Basics tutorial at 10 am. ALSO SPECIAL EVENT Dec 21: Winter Solstice Sangha. A workshop-ish event that includes pranayama breathwork, asana movement, and dyana meditation all in one session with social connection over tea and treats as well!

Sign up in the MindBody app via the Mandala studio.

12/11/2025

When you train the brain to see a CHALLENGE, not a THREAT, the entire chemical reaction in the body differs. You can activate toward a conscious response…
🫀without the blood vessels constricting (reduce wear and tear on the heart),
🍭🍫without deregulation of blood sugar (carb cravings),
🧠 and without losing energy in the pre-frontal cortex where more advanced decision-making occurs.

Your perception of a situation matters. This is why we practice physical and mental challenges on the yoga mat. 💪

12/09/2025

When someone hurts you, they are not doing it because you are you. They do it because they are them.