Cheryl Thomas, RYT
www.cherylthomas.com
yoga@cherylthomas.com
415-308-3377
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 The Downward Spiral
You're walking on the beach on a beautiful day. You notice you're feeling sad. [Here's where it starts.] You
start thinking "Why am I sad? Everyone else is happy. It's a gorgeous day on the beach and should be happy. What's wrong with me. I hope I'm not heading toward depression
again. Maybe I'm just a sad person and
no one is going to want to be with me. I'll never be happy if I can't even enjoy the sun and the sand . . .
."
So, a feel-it-everyday feeling, sadness in this case, has just spiraled all the way to "I'll never
be happy". How did that happen? It happens because we sometimes over analyze our
feelings--"Why, why me? What's wrong with me? Am I a bad person? No one will every love me. I'm no good." This is called rumination in
psychology-speak. Rumination is
negative self-talk on repeat. It's a thought or obsession over something, such as a
negative emotion or event or a perceived flaw. Rumination is not the same as thoughtful reflection. Rumination leads in circles, usually
downward. For people who suffer from
depression or anxiety, this can be a one-way street to to a depressed or anxious
state.
I think the source of over-thinking our emotions is that we don't feel comfortable with a wide range of feelings, whatever they
are. It's difficult for us to just feel emotions and stop talking in our heads about them--trying to figure them out. What if we accept that it's OK to feel
emotions (even strong ones) without all the blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. It's human nature to feel jealousy when your collegue got the promotion instead of you, anger when the
school called (again) about your daughter missing class (again), elation when
you conquered your new yoga move or whatever. There is no need to make things more or less than they are. Just notice the emotion. Breathe. Enjoy it if it feels good. Know
it will pass if it doesn't.
My teacher, Judith Lasater, suggests starting statements with "It's in my
nature to ___________." It is in our nature to be sad, happy, scared,
joyful, angry, jealous. It is OK. You're perfect just the way you are. Really.
Want to read some of my past emails? Just click here and you'll be taken to my newsletter archive page. Enjoy and as always, please let me know your thoughts!
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Week of May 16, 2010
Tuesday
9:00 - 10:30 ***Donation***
Yoga on Center, Healdsburg
All Levels
6:30 -8:00 p.m. (Private)
UCSF Restorative Yoga for Metabolic Syndrome
San Francisco
Wednesday
5:30 - 6:55 p.m.
Yoga Studio Ganesha, Sebastopol
Vinyasa Flow + Restorative - All Levels
Thursday
8:30 - 9:30 a.m.
Graton Community Center
Gentle Yoga - All Levels
6:30 - 9:30 p.m. (Private)
UCSF Restorative Yoga for Metabolic Syndrome
San Francisco
Week of May 23, 2010
Tuesday
9:00 - 10:30 ***Donation***
Yoga on Center, Healdsburg
All Levels
6:30 -8:00 p.m. (Private)
UCSF Restorative Yoga for Metabolic Syndrome
San Francisco
Wednesday
5:30 - 6:55 p.m.
Yoga Studio Ganesha, Sebastopol
Vinyasa Flow + Restorative - All Levels
Thursday
8:30 - 9:30 a.m.
Graton Community Center
Gentle Yoga - All Levels
6:30 - 9:30 p.m. (Private)
UCSF Restorative Yoga for Metabolic Syndrome
San Francisco
STUDIO WEBSITES
Yoga on Center: www.yogaoncenter.com
Yoga Studio Ganesha: www.yogastudioganesha.com
Westside Yoga Studio: http://www.westsideyogastudio.net
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Hope to see you soon!
Namaste,
Cheryl
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Bulletin Board
Thanks for your Interest! Many of you have asked to read some of the articles from past newsletters and I **finally** figured out how to link them to this newsletter and to my webpage. You can also find the link here. Enjoy!
Pay What you Can
Tuesday's donation class at Yoga on Center continues through May at 9:00 a.m. Join us at a price that works for YOU. This will be an all level, easy to moderate flow class. And, there's the yummiest sticky buns at the Downtown Bakery!
Save your egg carton for me, please. The hens are a-laying and need someplace to put their eggs. You can bring them to class or let me know and I'll pick them up.
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