Cheryl Thomas, RYT

www.cherylthomas.com

yoga@cherylthomas.com

415-308-3377

Have a Hallelujah Holiday

I wish you all a holiday season that brings you just what you want (and need). For some of us, it's a few days off work where we can get extra sleep, stay in bed with our organic, low fat eggnog and our unopened, can't-wait-to-read book. For others it's crowded parking lots, long Santa lists and cookies and turkeys to bake (and baste).

A couple of year ago I ran this same article with a video of the folks in Quinhagak, Alaska, doing an amazingly creative, innocent and shear fun video of Hal-Leh-Lu-Jah. It's above. But, sniffing around, I found that some library kids and adults from Barra de Potosi, Mexico, who responded with their own great video. It's here.

Whatever your holiday looks like, I hope you will take a few moments to remind yourself to be grateful for all that you have and find a bit that you can give to others. Maybe you've got a lot and maybe you've got a little. It makes no difference. Sometimes a well-placed smile or touch on a shoulder can be a huge present for someone. Perhaps you laugh at Uncle Harry's jokes when everyone else smirks. Also, not too much booze either alone, at your office party or the big family gathering. Although it can be a welcomed social lubricant it can creep up to a "did I really say that" and an equally nasty next day.

Why not change it up a bit this holiday season. Are you always uber-responsible getting all your presents purchased, wrapped, and to the post office ahead of time? Why not drop some of the responsibility for just a moment. How does that feel? Did the earth stop on its axis? Slow down a bit.

Or, are you a bit sluggish, feeling the effects of the turkey stuffing and sweet potato pie from Thanksgiving? Does this time of the year bring on a bit of melancolia and not in a good way? Change things up, get off the couch, take a brisk hike in the Armstrong Redwoods. Call up your local giving organization and volunteer your time. Really, you'll feel better.

If you're traveling, drive safely and slowly and be extra kind to the people that work at the airport. If you're going to be a guest, take a handful of flowers or a good smelling bar of soap like Three Sister Apothecary's Gravenstein Apple & Clove Soothing Bar Soap from Sebastopol . Are you hosting others? Let them do the dishes and bring some of the food. You don't have to do it all. Are you staying home? Ah, enjoy a warm chai latte or whiskey spiked egg-nog along with your favorite book. Regardless of what you're doing, receive with grace and give with generosity.

Recycled from 12/11 with edits and updating.

Want to read some of my previous articles? You can do it here. Enjoy.

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Yoga Classes make awesome holiday gifts!

I'm thrilled to be back at Yoga on Center in Healdsburg. I'll be teaching Tuesday and Thursday at Noon while Alese is travelling. Tuesday's class will be gentle and Thursday will be a yin yoga/restorative combo. Double Yum!

On January 5, Maria Alfaro is offering Healing with Neurogenic Yoga at YogaOne Petaluma. It's based on Dr. David Berceli's technique of Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises™ (TRE). It's on my calendar.

In the works.....New Yoga/Wellness Center coming to Petaluma. More details to come.

NEW YEARS DAY - At the reasonable hour of 2:00, Anne O'Brien will be holding her annual donation ($30-$100) class in support of The Art of Yoga Project and Headstand. Yoga One Petaluma, 1/1/14! Following is New Years Day yoga with Shy!

More Tony Briggs. New 5-week Advanced Studies session begins on 1/2 from 2-4 at Alive Yoga. This is serious fun. There are pre-reqs to join. Info at tonybriggsyoga.com.

Winter WonderYoga - Join Jeannie Gartin as she leads a SNOWSHOE & YOGA retreat on February 10-23 in Truckee. That's 4 days and 3 nights of Adventure, Friends, Relaxation and Community. Find out more here.

It's HAPPY HOUR time on Fridays with me at Westside Yoga. I teach from 4:30 - 6:00. It's vigorous vinyasa flow yoga followed by 15 minutes of much deserved rest.

Your Mexico Connection is with Carmela Carlyle offering iRest, Slow Hatha with Yoga Nidra Meditation two evenings a week, under a soaring two-story palapa just one block from the ocean. It's in Sayulita!

Did you see it? On the upper right of this page. You betcha. It's a Follow Me on Twitter link. Do. It'll be fun to connect with you a bit more often.

My weekly schedule is below (scroll down or click here!). Or, you can always go to my website and click on the always up-to-date calendar to find where I might be.

It's all about community, right? The multi-talented, Meredith Rom, is gathering women who have you completed a 200-hour yoga certification but need support to begin teaching and miss the camaraderie. Meeting at YogaOne Petaluma beginning in Jan. Go here for more info go to ywys.org or click here.

Get boatloads of yoga information and lots of free downloads from YogaU Online. Really, tons. It's a great resource for teachers and students.

Shop Local, Give Yoga

It goes without saying that supporting your local businesses helps your friends and neighbors. It keeps some of the money circling in the community rather than soaring from Bangladesh to China, then the Philippines and back again.

Give a yoga class(es) to your yogi or wanna-be yogi friend. Whether it is a class series with your favorite teacher or a private or small group class, your friend will say Ah and Om and Yum!

Email me if I can help you book a private or small group yoga class or answer any questions. I'll give you a nice gift certificate to present to your friend. I'm at cheryl@cherylthomas.com.

This is the Time for Gratitude

You know I'm a fan and supporter of Greater Good Science Center (GGSC) They're out of Berkeley and are a science-based..... well, better that they tell you.

Here's an excerpt from their recent email:

"In fact, here at the GGSC, we think that practicing gratitude year-round is the path to a happier and more resilient life. It's not always easy, but Jeremy Adam Smith has some suggestions for how to up your gratitude quotient with six habits of highly grateful people.

"And Robert Emmons, the world's leading scientific expert on gratitude, debunks five myths about gratitude, challenging objections and misconceptions."

Good stuff, don't you think?

Virgin America Safety Video #VXsafetydance

Yay Virgin Airlines

Gotta love Virgin Airlines and their innovative safety video. Six million people watched it without stepping on a plan. It's long, but entertaining for the creativity.

Work-Out Clothes - What Do You Wear?

I don't know what got over me, but some time ago, I became obsessed with yoga mats. I wrote 5 articles on yoga mats, 3 reviews (there are more kinds of yoga mats than you can image), one on un-matting and one on mat etiquette. If you are interested, and I don't blame you if you're not, you can go here and here and here and here and here.

Maybe I'll revisit mats again, but FIRST, let's talk about yoga clothes. Is it Lululemon, Athleta, or Lucy for you? Or, what about Prana or Hard Tail. Is it Target, Old Navy or the Gap? Is it the fit, price, comfort, or material?

It doesn't have to specific to yoga. Maybe it's Pilates or Nia or Acro Yoga or hip-hop at the gym.. .

Email me right here let me know what you wer and why. I'll piece together an article or two (or 3 or 4).

Daily Dharma - Tricycle Magazine

Dec.13, 2013

Cultivating an Open Mind

Zen Master Jizo said that 'not knowing is the most intimate thing.' Not knowing means to be open to all eventualities, to not prejudge a person or situation. If your mind is full of preconceived notions, there is no room for an unbiased view. It is like when your hands are full of objects-you cannot pick up anything new. A closed mind causes separation and suspicion. Like an umbrella, a mind is only useful when it is open. The first step toward maintaining an open mind is to understand the nature of mind or self.

- Gerry Shishin Wick Sensei, "Zen In The Workplace: Approaches To Mindful Management"

Be Happy on Friday's

Instead of shots of tequila and fried artichoke hearts, spend your Friday happy hour moving and grooving at an
most-levels vinyasa flow class.

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!

S
Schedule of Upcoming Classes

Click here to jump to my calendar

Week of December 15, 2013

Tuesday

11:00 -12:00

Healdsburg

[Private]

Thursday

Week of December 22, 2013

Thursday

8:45 - 9:45 a.m.

Graton Community Club, Graton

Gentle Flow - All Levels

Friday

4:30 - 6:00

Westside Yoga Studio

Happy Hour Vinyasa

In This Issue

Hallelujah Holiday

Did you Know?

Shop Local, Give Yoga

This is the Time for Gratitude

Virgin Airlines

Work-Out Clothes

Daily Dharma

Happy Hour Vinyasa

Week of December 15

Week of December 22

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Graton Yogis Info:

Did you know your class pass (get these from your instructor) are accepted by all yoga teachers at Yoga in Graton?

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.

You cannot be lost if you don't care where you are.

Judith Lasater

When people ask me what equipment I use, I tell them my eyes.

Ansel Adams

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

Dalai Lama: "If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion."

"Everything will be alright in the end. And if it is not alright, it's not yet the end!" The Magnolia Hotel movie

If your Food can go bad, it's good for you. If it can't go bad, it's bad for you. Originally pinned by Michael Leaming, Ed.D. onto Fitness, Nutrition & Wellness