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Cheryl Thomas, RYT
www.cherylthomas.com yoga@cherylthomas.com 415-308-3377 |
 Hospice Care (Pt 2)
Zen Hospice Project
Speaking of Hospice, and the wonderful work they do providing support to family and the dying, San Francisco is home to the Zen Hospice Project. Founded in 1987, as the AIDs epidemic overwhelmed SF, a Buddhist teacher made it his life's work to bring compassion and mindfulness to end-of-life care. Since then, it's grown from a service to those living on the streets to having it's own 6-bed guesthouse in downtown San Francisco and 30-beds at Laguna Honda Hospital.
It's mission is rooted in Buddhism, but its current director, B.J. Miller, says it goes beyond religion. "A life ending, and pondering one's life ending, is an extraordinarily profound human endeavor that is very much rooted in Buddhism," he said. But "we're interested in humans taking care of humans. We're interested in affecting the culture, and spirituality is a means to that end." Their website says their mission is "easing patients' depression, anxiety, and pain, in addition to prolonging their life. It also helps the volunteers deal with the prospect of their own death. "
I took a hospice training with the Zen Hospice Project some years ago. Loving the Buddhist approach to a sane life, I was intrigued to learn more about their approach to death. I found that most of their training was geared to how "we", the students, felt about death, because you can't help other die peacefully if you've got your own issues with death. I particularly remember one "game" we played. We were each given 16 stickienotes. On each of 4 stickies we wrote what defined us (teacher, mother, etc.). On another 4 we wrote what we loved to do (write, hike, read, etc.). On 4 more we wrote what we loved (spouse, children, animal), and the final 4 things that were important to us. With the 16 stickies in 4 columns, we were asked to remove a stickie from each column, representing things that would be removed from your life. So, maybe you are without your dog, you're no longer a teacher and you can't hike. Sit with it--how does it feel. Then they asked that we eliminate another stickie from each column. Uh oh. Now it's getting serious. Did you just have to choose between one of your children and and your sister? Or, your spouse. Now sit with those feelings. You get the program. Eventually, the facilitator would come around and randomly remove 4 stickies. Holy crap. What does it feel like to no longer be able to hike, read, and cook, and you've lost your dog, your husband and one of your children, and you're no longer a teacher, a clergyman or a nurse. Try sitting with that.
This, I suppose is how it is at the end of life for some folks. The sooner we lose our attachment to to these things, the easier we will be able to deal with their loss. I recently found a handout from the training called the Five Remeberances. I have them on my cork board. Attributed to Thich Nhat Hanh, here they are:
1. I am of the nature to grow old. There is no way to escape growing old.
2. I am of the nature to have ill health. There is no way to escape ill health.
3. I am of the nature to die. There is no way to escape death.
4. All that is dear to me and everyone I love are of the nature to change. There is no way to escape being separated from them.
5. My actions are my only true belongings. I cannot escape the consequences of my actions. My actions are the ground upon which I stand.
Maybe if we become comfortable with the realization that everything changes and that we can hold on to nothing, we will have a greater appreciation for who we are, who we love and who loves us.
Want to read some of my previous articles? You can do it here. Enjoy.
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Did You Know?
The Advanced Studies Teacher Training has started at Yoga by Design in Petaluma. Best of all, you can take individual "modules" from any of the teachers (including me). This is great opportunity to study with some awesome teachers without committing to a full training. More later..........
The much respected and admired, Ann Austin, is travelling with her family until May. Look below for new awesome teachers at Yoga Studio Ganesha. Safe travels, Ann! We'll miss you. Welcome, Anne, Beth and Cindy!
Devi Yoga Center in Sebastopol is the place for TriYoga with Kashi Ananda. But, did you know there are lots of other classes like Prenatal Yoga, Pilates, Light Vinyasa, Dance and Meditation. Go to their website for more info.
Join Anne O'Brien at the San Francisco Iyengar Institute as she co-teaches Surviving and Thriving As a Yoga Teacher on Saturday 2/9/2013 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm.
Liz Levy's Yoga Studio, Alive, opened on New Years Day. She's in the center south of town with the Starbucks. You know she a fantastic massage therapist. Contact Liz at shantilife12@gmail.com. Bonus......you'll find Beth Lambert there on Sundays.
Get boat loads of yoga information and lots of free downloads from YogaU online. Really, tons. It's a great resource for teachers and students.
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Daily Dharma - Tricycle Magazine
January 17
Our Highest Intentions
No matter what situation we find ourselves in, we can always set our compass to our highest intentions in the present moment. Perhaps it is nothing more than being in a heated conversation with another person and stopping to take a breath and ask yourself, 'What is my highest intention in this moment?' If you can have enough awareness to take this small step, your heart will give you an answer that will take the conversation in a different, more positive direction.
- Jack Kornfield, "Set the Compass of Your Heart"
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 Plow Pose - Halasana I'm on Leslie Kaminoff's email list and I'm glad I am. Each of his emails has a value tidbit on various yoga poses. He and Amy Matthews are the authors of Yoga Anatomy.
Here's what he has to say about Halasana. "Halasana is very intense flexion for the spine - especially the cervical region - in this weight bearing relationship to gravity. This is why it's more important to maintain the integrity of scapula and cervical/thoracic spine than to get legs the to floor - support the legs if necessary, to protect the neck."
"As in Shoulderstand, keeping the base of the ribcage open allows the diaphragm and abdominal viscera to shift effectively towards the head, so the full benefits of inversion can occur. This can be much more of a challenge in Plow pose, as the hip flexion tends to create more intra abdominal pressure." |
 Like Waldo, Find Momo
Besides my fav, kottke.org, there's thisiscolossal.com. You will always find something awe-inspiring If not, hum, you're taking life way too seriously. Click here to find Momo. From Colossal:
"Ontario-based graphic designer Andrew Knapp noticed that his 4.5 year old border collie, Momo, would always hide when fetching sticks instead of dutifully returning them. After photographing a few of the shots Knapp hatched an idea for a series of urban and rural landscapes with the dog hiding somewhere in the frame. He's a well-camouflaged pup, definitely the 'Where's Waldo' of the internet. You can follow Momo's hide and seek adventures at GoFindMomo.com and on Instagram."
[Can I have this dog?]
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Lotta Changes at Yoga Studio Ganesha 
The Sebastopol yoga scene will not be the same without Ann Austin's vibrant, continually fresh and challenging yoga classes. She and her family are traveling for 3 months. Below is the new schedule. We'll miss you Ann!
Monday (9:15 and 5:30), Wednesday and Friday (9:15) will be taught by the talented Beth Lambert. She will continue to teach in the Ashtanga tradition, levels II/III.
Cindy Sims will be leading beginning yoga on Tuesdays (9:15). Cindy blends the Ashtanga primary series with attention to healthy alignment and personal growth.
We are honored to have the respected and seasoned, Anne O'Brien, taking the Thursday at 9:15 class. She's my teacher and I'm excited to have her so close. You can also find Anne around the North Bay area. See her full schedule at her website.
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 Youth Attitudes About Guns:
Sixty Percent of High School and College Students Consider Gun Ownership in Future
Just when you thought things were headed in the right direction. Science Daily, comes out with this report. From Science Daily: "More specifically, one-third of young people report growing up with a gun in the household. And 36 percent report being "very worried" about gun violence. Yet nearly 40 percent of respondents plan to own a gun when they have their own household, and an additional 20 percent are considering it."
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Be Happy on Friday's
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. On Friday's from 4:30 - 6:00, we'll end each week with an energetic 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!
NOTE- Class will be cancelled on 2/1 due to teacher training at the studio. (About) Once a month thereafter, this class will meet from 5:30 - 7:00 due to scheduled teacher training. Please see either my schedule or Westside's site.
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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.
Every Monday
7:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Westside Yoga, Sebastopol
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Get Your Girlfriends Together
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.
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Schedule of Upcoming Classes
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