Compassion is an Art

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Compassion is an Art

We celebrate the beautiful creation of art, music, and dance.
But a sacred art that lives in each of us is often neglected and dismissed.

I choose to live life as a creative expression of celebration.
I am committed not to getting a finished product, but to being a human being willing to keep learning, growing, and revealing the light of my True Self.

This is a practice.
A daily practice.

Life is a blessing, renewed with each breath of our collective consciousness.
No matter what suffering we encounter, we are free and empowered to deepen our own wondrous art of breathing.

Breathe through your pain.
Breathe peace back into your soul.
Breathe your dreams into being.

Your breath is an affirmation to your living system that it is alive, safe, strong, able.
It brings you into union with your soul.

These past few weeks, I was reminded of my human nature to forget that practice.

I, too, need reminders to come back—
to connect with something other than the noise around me.

I notice this most when I wake in the middle of the night.
The mind begins overthinking… doing… trying to seek balance in an unbalanced world.

I believe I can think my way into peace…
and then I remember—it doesn’t work that way.

The thinking mind only knows what it has already known.
It is linked to memory and story, often pulling me into future chaos.

Worry is my red flag that I am not HERE.

I can’t change the outer world through frustration
or through an overwhelming attachment to a desired outcome.

Sometimes, the way out is in.

Three women meditating with hands at heart in a quiet Downers Grove yoga studio

I shift from thinking to feeling the breath.
I move into the uncertainty and sit in not knowing.

To enter into the wound of heartbreak.
To sit in vulnerability.

And something begins to shift.

A quality of ease arises.
I begin to let go of the gripping, dense armor.

Softness meets the harsh edges.

I sit.
I sit some more.

And when I notice the mind spinning again,
I simply allow it to move through.

I release the need to fix.
And I return to the inner sound:

Be HERE.

Stillness is not the goal of meditation.
But it is welcomed when the mind can rest in the sensation of the breath.

The quality of this is ease.
Peaceful, effortless ease.

Each Sunday, I offer a meditation of compassionate loving as a shared practice.

To be held in a sacred space together.
To breathe into the creation of this expressive art—
the art of living in love.

Together, we set the intention to allow this love to ripple outward
as a positive action in the world.

We sit together in gratitude for the breath.

One breath at a time.
One moment at a time.

There is so much healing in this simple, divine act.

Your soul’s oxygen is Love.


With love,
Laura Jane

What happens when you stop trying to figure it out—and simply breathe?
If something arises for you, you’re welcome to share it below—
or simply hold it quietly for yourself.

If you feel the need to slow down,
to sit, to breathe, to return—
you are always welcome.

 

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Reflections from Laura Jane: A Return to Belonging

Reflections from Laura Jane: A Return to Belonging

Community has always been my deepest intention in creating Yoga Among Friends.

Each month, I set a calendar not just to fill classes—but to inspire curiosity, courage, and a willingness to explore the many ways yoga can heal.

What often feels unfamiliar is not the practice itself, but the invitation to slow down… to listen… to become present enough to hear the quiet voice within.

In a world filled with noise, we begin by remembering what it feels like to belong—to ourselves, and to one another.


The Practice of Becoming Still

There is a quiet shift that happens when we step away from the outer noise and begin to listen inward.

To be present. To feel. To soften into the moment.

It takes a sense of safety to allow this unfolding. A willingness to pause long enough for the body to release what it has been holding.

Like ice beginning to melt in the warmth of the sun, something within us begins to soften.

What was once frozen begins to move… to flow… to rise.

Water becomes vapor, returning to the sky, only to fall again as rain—reminding us that life is always moving, always renewing, always beginning again.

 
 
Students practicing tree pose together in a welcoming yoga class in Downers Grove

A moment of balance, shared.

 
 

Choosing Love Over Fear

I have made a quiet commitment within myself.

To not feed the mind of fear.

Instead, I ask:

How can I serve today as a messenger of love?

Life is not without hardship. There is always something stirring beneath the surface in each of us.

And yet, the beauty of being alive is the ability to feel—even in the midst of sorrow.

There is a deep trust that the light we are seeking already lives within us. And sometimes, all we need is a space where that light can be felt again.


Why Yoga Among Friends Exists

The word that has been guiding me lately is neighboring.

It brings me back to why I created Yoga Among Friends in the first place.

When I left Los Angeles after the riots and the earthquake, I was searching for something deeper than success. I longed for community. For connection. For a place where I could continue to grow—not just professionally, but as a human being.

So I created a space to gather.

Not just for those who walk through the doors—but for myself as well.

A place to belong. A place to practice. A place to be.


Yoga for the Whole Being

Over the years, I’ve watched yoga evolve.

More and more, we are beginning to understand that yoga is not just physical. It is mental. Emotional. Spiritual.

It is a way of returning to ourselves.

A way of bringing the wandering mind into stillness.

A way of finding steadiness in a world that often feels like it is moving too fast.

Yoga Among Friends is a space that supports the unseen parts of ourselves—the places that need nourishment, compassion, and care.

A space where you are not defined by age, experience, or identity.

A space where you are simply welcome.


A Place to Begin (Again and Again)

Trust that our classes are for everyone.

Whether a class is called beginner, vinyasa, fundamentals, or yoga for stress—it is always a place to begin.

There may be moments of not knowing. Of uncertainty.

And that is part of the practice.

To step into something new.
To be willing.
To stay open.

Coming into Yoga Among Friends is stepping into a space of shared intention.

A place where we soften the grip of tension.
Where we breathe.
Where we feel.

Where we remember that healing is possible.


An Invitation to Explore

This practice is not about perfection.

It is about presence.

It is about choosing—again and again—to move toward connection instead of isolation, toward compassion instead of fear.

We are here to support that journey.

At Yoga Among Friends in Downers Grove, we offer classes and workshops that support both physical and emotional wellbeing.

Explore our weekly classes

View upcoming workshops and gatherings


Looking Ahead: Retreats & Adventure

I am deeply committed to continuing these adventures of the soul.

In the coming weeks, I will be sharing our 2027 retreats—opportunities to step beyond what is familiar and into something expansive.

In January 2027, we will journey to Patagonia—exploring the beauty of nature while deepening our yoga practice and connection to sustainable living.

And in March 2027, we will return to Jamaica—our beloved Good Hope—after a year of recovery and renewal following last fall’s hurricane.

These journeys remind us of something essential:

We are connected.
To the Earth.
To each other.
To something much greater than ourselves.


This is why we practice.


Thank you for being part of this community.

For showing up.
For being willing.
For continuing to explore what it means to live, feel, and belong.

We look forward to practicing with you.

With love,
Laura Jane


What does belonging feel like for you right now? You’re welcome to share in the comments below—your experience may support someone else on a similar path.

When Rest Feels Hard: Restorative Yoga for Deep Rest in Downers Grove

When Rest Feels Hard: Restorative Yoga for Deep Rest in Downers Grove

There is a quiet kind of tiredness that can arrive this time of year.

Not always the kind that sleep alone can fix, but the kind that settles deeper—within the nervous system, the body, and the mind.

As winter shifts into spring, many people feel this subtle in-between state. You may be craving more energy, yet still feeling depleted, restless, or not fully restored.

If you’ve been feeling this, you’re not alone.

At Yoga Among Friends in Downers Grove, we often see this seasonal transition reflected in the body and breath—a quiet call not for more effort, but for deeper rest.

Sometimes rest begins with something very simple—like putting your legs up the wall and allowing the body to soften.

Why Rest Can Feel Difficult Right Now

This in-between season asks something different of us.

Not more doing, but more awareness.
Not more output, but more listening.

A gentle question begins to emerge:

What would it feel like to rest, even now?

Not when everything is finished.
Not when life feels fully in order.
But right here, in the midst of it.

 
 

How Restorative Yoga Supports the Nervous System and Better Sleep

Rest is not always easy.

For many people, slowing down can feel unfamiliar—even uncomfortable. The body may still be holding tension, and the mind may resist stillness.

This is where practices like restorative yoga and Yoga Nidra become especially meaningful.

Restorative yoga is a gentle, supported practice designed to calm the nervous system and help the body rest deeply.

Rather than asking you to push or perform, these practices support the body in releasing naturally.

Through supported postures, breath awareness, and guided rest:

  • the nervous system begins to regulate

  • the breath deepens without effort

  • the body shifts from stress to restoration

You may begin to notice:

• your thoughts soften
• your body feels supported
• your breath becomes steady and calm

This is not doing less.
This is allowing more.


Simple Ways to Practice Rest in Daily Life

Rest does not have to be complicated.

Small moments throughout the day can begin to restore balance:

  • pausing for a few breaths before starting the car

  • stepping away between tasks instead of pushing through

  • lying down for even five minutes without needing to earn it

These small practices support better sleep, reduced stress, and a more regulated nervous system over time.

Restorative Yoga & Yoga Nidra in Downers Grove

If you are looking for ways to support deep rest, better sleep, and nervous system balance, you are warmly invited to explore restorative yoga and Yoga Nidra at Yoga Among Friends in Downers Grove.

These practices are designed to help you:

  • release physical tension

  • calm the mind

  • improve sleep quality

  • reconnect with a sense of ease

Whether you are new to yoga or returning to your practice, rest is always available to you.



A Gentle Way to Support Better Sleep

These are not complicated—but they are powerful when practiced consistently.

Students in restorative yoga using bolsters and blankets for deep relaxation in a studio class

If rest has felt out of reach, you may also be noticing it in your sleep.

Difficulty falling asleep.
Waking in the night.
Or simply not feeling restored, even after a full night in bed.

Sleep is deeply connected to the state of the nervous system.
When the body remains in a subtle state of doing, even rest can feel just out of reach.

This is where intentional practices can help.

Simple, supportive movements.
Breath practices that signal safety to the body.
Moments of guided rest that allow the mind to soften.

These are not complicated—but they are powerful when practiced consistently.

If you’ve been longing for deeper, more consistent rest,
our upcoming Yoga for Better Sleep 3-session series offers a gentle, supportive way to explore these practices.

Over three weeks, you’ll be guided through simple tools you can return to at home—helping your body remember how to settle, unwind, and restore.

It begins this Thursday, March 26, and you are welcome exactly as you are.

Frequently Asked Questions




A Space to Rest, Restore, and Sleep More Deeply

If you feel called to explore rest more deeply, you are warmly invited into practices designed to support this gentle return.

Whether you’re looking to unwind at the end of the week, improve your sleep, or simply create space to pause, these offerings are here to support you.

Explore gentle opportunities for rest and renewal:

Candlelight Restorative Yoga & Yoga Nidra

Yoga for Better Sleep (3-Week Series – Begins This Week)

Sunday Reflection (Weekly)


What does rest look like for you right now? Even noticing the question is a beginning.

You’re welcome to share in the comments below—your experience may support someone else on a similar path.