Welcome to our annual yoga and emotional well-being issue. I love this time of the year. Although I’m never happy to see summer end, I always welcome the new activities and cooler temperatures September brings. I’m planning one last beach weekend, and then I’ll be ready for fall. This year especially, you can feel new energy emerging as the pace of life begins to quicken.

September is yoga month—the perfect time for us to focus on this heart-centered meditative practice and to highlight the local yoga community. And by serendipity, it’s also the perfect time to celebrate some good news for New York’s yoga studios. While studios have been closed for the past several months due to the coronavirus, Governor Cuomo recently announced that they can reopen with certain restrictions this month. Over the summer, studio owners have had to be resilient and flexible. Many teachers adapted by offering live yoga classes on Zoom, or outdoors with social distancing. To get a better understanding of how the pandemic may be permanently changing the landscape of this unique business, read “The Future of Yoga in Hudson Valley,” on page 32. In the meantime, you can stay up to date with the latest news, workshops, classes and retreats in our special yoga section, starting on page 28, and in our calendar, on pages 42 to 45.

Throughout Hudson Valley, what it takes to do business continues to evolve. Some businesses are closing their doors for good, while others are reinventing themselves. BeWies, a cherished mom-and-daughter natural food market in Armonk, closed on August 21, but with plans to re-emerge, reimagined, in the near future. Read more on page 14. Brooklyn Organic Kitchen has recently opened its doors in Mahopac, four years after owner Sandra Marinelli closed her previous business, Brooklyn Coffee House & Tea Bar. Her new organic and plant-based café has indoor and outdoor seating, takeout, curbside and lakeside pickup to accommodate new restrictions. Read more on page 11. We have plenty of other local news too, starting on page 8.

The pandemic and the need for social distancing are affecting people in different ways. Some have thrived, enjoying the slower pace of a less-busy world. Others are overwhelmed or have struggled with financial, health or emotional issues. The combination of isolation and change can be daunting, and so Kristin Neff offers suggestions for dealing with them in our feature article “Emotional Well-Being in the Pandemic Age,” on page 24. She teaches that mindful awareness and self-compassion—that is, showing yourself kindness in every situation—is the first step toward feeling better.

Along the same lines, research shows that looking for the positives in life makes us happier people. “Happiness Helpers: Five Ways to Be More Positive,” on page 40, lists simple practices anyone can use to cultivate more joy in daily life.

Mood and food affect our health, and keeping our baseline health up is important to staying disease-free. Experts say eating five to seven servings of vegetables and three servings of fruit a day will ward off inflammation and new viral infections. Recommendations for immunity-boosting supplements include melatonin, licorice root extract and Astragalus. To learn more about this proactive approach to well-being, read “Natural Antivirals: Help in Staying Strong and Healthy,” on page 22.

We hope you enjoy this month’s edition!

Be happy and be well~

Marilee