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Cheryl Thomas, RYT
www.cherylthomas.com
yoga@cherylthomas.com
415-308-3377 

  

Can you Go There?*

 

You're thinking about a friend and they call you on the phone. Was it a coincidence?  Could be.  You've envisioned your new apartment and as you're driving to work, there it is complete with a For Rent sign in front. Coincidence?  You're confused about leaving your day job.  You want to work with animals, your real passion. You turn the page of the PressDemocrat and the first thing that catches your eye is an article on careers in vet medicine. Coincidence?  Synchronicity?  As The Police said:  "Effect without cause, sub-atomic laws,scientific pause, synchronicity." 

 

Will you allow yourself  to go there?  Is it too scary to think that there might be "something" (consciousness, force, supreme being, higher power, God) that affects or guides our reality?  Is someone in the clouds with a big Rubik's Cube and is continually putting random pieces together.  Is it like Matt Damon's movie, do men in black suits with hats wander around with little lack notebooks, filled with your destiny?   Personally, I find this subject fascinating. 

 

At this point you're thinking, "Whoa, Cheryl, do you really believe that c*$@p?"  No problem, Namaste, and skip to the last paragraph. Curious?  Read on.

 

Not only can stuff happen TO you, maybe you can MAKE stuff happen.  It's called manifestation or visualizing what you want to happen, actually living it in your mind.  Example:  You have a presentation to make at work.  In your mind see yourself before your audience--calm. relaxed and confident.  You imagine they're engaged in your words, taking notes, nodding in agreement. You feel amazingly confident in how enjoyable and comfortable it is to present what you know to others. It's offen referred to as manifestation and you don't need any formal education, buy The Secret or pay some lacquer-haired speaker some ungodly price to learn this. 

 

A close relative of synchronicity and manifestation is Dang Creepy Happenings.  A couple of months ago I had a week where some freaky things occurred.  A Chinese fortune cookie with an encouraging message appeared on the kitchen floor. Where did it come from?  I do not know.  A heavy brass lock fell out of my jeans when I took them out of the drawer. Huh?  A small, crudely painted ceramic bear appeared on my desk.  I turn it over and written on the back is C.T. 3 ½.  Where did it come from?   I'm curious. I like to ponder these things.  I do not have answers.

 

Maybe because I'm in the yoga biz, I hear about these things more than the typical person (OK, all the time).  People feel comfortable confiding that "My deceased mother came to me last night. She held me in her arms and I felt so comforted and safe".  This is not a conversation that happens around the water cooler at your local workplace, right?   I think the inexplicable happens more often than we think but that people just don't talk about it.  Many folks would just not understand.  They'd stare at you for an extra couple of seconds to see if it's a joke and then quickly change the subject.  Speaking of the inexplicable, what about those 11:11 people? 

 

Does any of this sound familiar?  If it doesn't, maybe you're not paying attention.  We've been programmed to ignore what doesn't make sense. Yes, yes, I know, you can't prove it, it's all b.s., hot-tub, pot smoking woohoo.   But, I say start observing.  Find opportunities to look for meaning in random happenings. Begin looking for nuance in everything. You don't have to find an answer or make sense of anything.  Not everything needs to be figured out.  Are you willing?

 

 

*This article is not new. It's made a few appearances over the last couple of years.  And, I know,I missed my self-imposed Sunday morning, 7:15 a.m. deadline this week.   

  

Did you want to read some of my past columns?  You can right here.   

  

Westside yoga Studio
NEW CLASS - Happy Hour Vinyasa - All Levels
Instead of shots of tequila and fried artichoke hearts, spend your Friday happy hour moving and grooving at an all-levels vinyasa flow class.     
 
I am honored and excited to be offered another class at Westside Yoga Studio.   Starting Friday, June 8, from 4:30 - 6:00, we'll end each week with an energtic vinyasa flow class.  Through building heat from the inside, we'll strip out the stress hormones from the day.  A long rest at the end of class will reset our nervous system and prepare us for our weekend.  
 
You'll be done at 6:00!!  That'll leave plenty of time for dinner with friends, a movie or a relaxing evening with your pooch.  Or, maybe a Chia filled Kombucha or that 100% agave margarita!  
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Did You Know 

Don't forget to sign up for the Lotus Feed, featuring Chanting the Yoga Sutra with Ann Austin. It's local, yes, right here in Occidental.  So go.  It's the The Lotus Feed at Taylor Made Farms (thelotusfeed.com).  . . . New Class at Westside Yoga Studio.  I'll be offering a Happy Hour class from 4:00 - 6:30 starting on June 6! . . . Thank you, Richard Koman, for sharing David Garrigues' wonderful words about Ashtanga great, Tim Miller.  

 

Greater Good Logo
Religious People Less Motivated by Compassion than Atheists
 New research suggests "highly religious are less motivated by compassion when helping a stranger than are atheists, agnostics, and less religious people."  Seems odd, right?  In three experiments, researchers found "that compassion consistently drove less religious people to be more generous."   

Interesting.  Read UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center article here. 
How To Use One Paper Towel
 
TedTalks--brilliant.  If you haven't been there, it's worth spending, let's see, a few months perusing their amazing collection of the world's thinkers, doers, knowers, makers, and inspirerors.  One of my latest go-to sites is kottke.org.  Found this on it.  I will never use a paper towelthe same way again:  shake and fold.  Repeat, shake and fold.
TEDxConcordiaUPortland - Joe Smith - How To Use One Paper Towel
TEDxConcordiaUPortland - Joe Smith - How To Use One Paper Towel
Emotionally Intelligent People Are Less Good at Spotting Liars 

On May 18 Science Daily reported this thought-provoking headline. I like to think of myself as somewhat emotionally intelligent and I can also spot a liar. But, I often delude myself, no doubt.  According to SD, research suggests that those who rate themselves as having high emotional intelligence (EI) tend to overestimate their ability to detect deception in others.  "Taken together, these findings suggest that features of emotional intelligence, and the decision-making processes they lead to, may have the paradoxical effect of impairing people's ability to detect deceit."  Read the entire report here.  


 
Restorative Yoga 
I love the response of students to their first or second or hundredth restorative yoga experience.  It's the moment when their nervous system shifts from "yikes!" to "ahhhhhh."  They leave with relaxed shoulders and brightened attitude.  

 

It's easy to forget that the body knows exactly what to do.  The relaxation response is a built in function of our amazing central nervous system.  We just have to let relaxation happen.  I know, it seems impossible sometimes. Thus, the popularity of restorative yoga where we learn to put the body in positions and let it do it's thing.     

 

In these workshops you will be allowed to relax and let go while your body is supported with bolsters and blankets and lots more.  We will do a bit of movement, chat about stress and the relaxation response and then spend 90 minutes in positions that we will hold for 15 to 20 minutes.  This practice is for everyone.   Go ahead and put the dates on your calendar now so you won't forget.  And, while you're at it, invite a friend.

 

Sunday, June 17, 2012**

3:30 - 5:30 p.m. 

BodyWorks in Petaluma  

 

Once at Month -  July 22, Aug 19  

Private Yoga Classes

There are lots of reasons why going to a public yoga class is not always right for you.  Maybe the class times are wrong or the location is inconvenient.  Maybe you're new to yoga and feel intimidated by a public class or you have an injury or condition that requires some individual attention.   Private or small group classes at your location at your chosen time can be the perfect answer.

 

It's fun to get friends together.  Treat your friends to Yoga and Tea rather than Food and Booze.  Inviting friends to come together for a Gentle or Restorative Yoga class is a perfect way to enjoy each other's company and do something good for yourselves.  Many yoga parties end with tea or champagne and some munchies.  Your friends will thank you!

 

Please call on me if I can help you book a private yoga class or answer any questions.  I can be reached at cheryl@cherylthomas.com.

 


Google Calendar
 Click here to jump to my calendar
Schedule of Upcoming Classes  
Week of June 3, 2012

 

Monday
7:30 - 8:30   
Westside Yoga Studio  
Restorative Yoga

 

Wednesday 
5:30 - 6:55 p.m.   
Yoga Studio Ganesha, Sebastopol  
Vinyasa Flow + Restorative - All  

 

Thursday 
8:45 - 9:45  a.m.  
Graton Community Club, Graton    
Gentle Flow - All Levels
 
Friday NEW
4:30 - 6:00 p.m.
Westside Yoga Studio, Sebastopol
Happy Hour Vinyasa - All Levels
 

 

Week of June 10, 2012

 

Monday 
7:30 - 8:30   
Westside Yoga Studio  
Restorative Yoga

 

Wednesday 

5:30 - 6:55 p.m.   
Yoga Studio Ganesha, Sebastopol  
Vinyasa Flow + Restorative - All  

 

Thursday  

8:45 - 9:45  a.m.  

Graton Community Club, Graton    
Gentle Flow - All Levels
 
Friday - NEW
4:30 - 6:00 p.m.
Westside Yoga Studio
Happy Hour Vinyasa Flow - All Levels

 

Yoga Studios
Yoga on Center:  www.yogaoncenter.com 

Yoga Studio Ganesha: www.yogastudioganesha.com 

Westside Yoga Studio: www.westsideyogastudio.net 

Body Works Yoga:  www.bodyworksyoga.com 

Graton's Got Yoga: www.yogaingraton.com 

Sonoma Community:  www.yogacommunity.net   


 











In This Issue
Happy Hour Vinyasa
Did you Know?
Religious People and Compassion
How to Use One Paper Towel
Can You Spot a Liar?
Restorative Yoga !
Private Yoga
List of Classes Online
Week of June 3
Week of June 10
Bulletin Board
Join Our Mailing List

 

Westside Yoga Studio Gets It.  Westside Yoga Studio in Sebastopol gets the importance of balancing the active class with restful, rejuvenating restorative classes.  Find me there on Mondays at 7:30 p.m. for an hour of laying around.  Please come, your nervous system will thank you.  AND just added is a Friday Vinyasa Flow class from 4:30 - 6:00. This class is for everyone, that means you!

 

North Bay Yogies Unite  

Mary Ellen Whitten created North Bay Yoga Happenings newsletter. To sign up, click here. Thanks Mary Ellen for sharing this hilarious video of Shit Yogis say.  While you're there, check out Shit Ashtanga Yogi Say.

 


Work Hard then Rest Hard. 
My Wednesday night class is the perfect combo of a 60 minutes of flow and 30 minutes of restorative yoga.  How sweet it is!

Graton Yogis Info:
Corina adds another class!  Thank you Corina for filling our needs for a Tuesday morning class.  Find her at 9:15 at the Stone Creek Zen Center.  
 
Did you know your class pass (get these from your instructor) are accepted by Corina or me? We make it easy for you to buy one pass and attend any of our four classes offered per week.  
 
We Gratonite Yogis have a place to call our own. It's www.
yogaingraton.com.  There is information about current and new yoga classes offered in Graton.  Don't live in Graton?  No problem.  We want you to come anyway.  
 

"Not to have what we want is stressful; to have what we do not want is stressful."  Buddha