Cheryl Thomas, RYT
www.cherylthomas.com yoga@cherylthomas.com 415-308-3377 |
Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah
Do you find yourself jabbering on and on about nothing? Do you exaggerate in order to entertain others? Do you try to impress others with your "smarts" by talking about things you have limited knowledge, but wish you did?
Right Speech clocks in a No. 3 on the Buddha's Eightfold Path. There are 4 virtues of Right Speech(1) and the final one is refraining from frivolous talk or gossip. Take a look at the time between when a thought comes up and when it's out the mouth. Pretty short, huh. A short distance between brain and mouth is OK if you're explaining quantum physics to a class of students-no problem. But,when you're with your buddies and you're catching up on the latest gossip in Mayberry, then increasing the time between the unkind/unnecessary thought and the boca is a good thing in order to avoiding frivolous or unnecessary talk.
It all comes down to intention (as does everything). Sharon Salzberg, Insight Meditation teacher, suggests that we imagine a time when we've felt the need to gossip. At first neither act on the desire nor push it away, but rather sit with the feeling, wait. Think "will saying what I have the urge to say right now really serve my goals in relationship with this person and in my life?" If the answer is "yes," go ahead, but if the answer is "no," you haven't said anything to that point so there's a gain to staying quiet. The key here, I think, is to take that moment (the gap) to evaluate your intention for what may be frivolous talk or gossip.
I've tried to notice when I'm just jabbering. If I truly become aware of my speech and avoid useless chatter/gossip, I don't talk very much. And, for me that feels odd. For extroverts, talking (with our hands) is what we do. I found myself uncomfortable being silent. But why? Reminds me of the Pulp Fiction scene where Uma and John are in the diner sitting across from one another:
Uma says: Don't you hate that? John: What? Uma: Uncomfortable silences. Why do we feel it's necessary to yak about bullshit in order to be comfortable? John: I don't know. That's a good question. Uma: That's when you know you've found somebody special. When you can just shut the f*%@ up for a minute and comfortably enjoy the silence. So, try (and it's not easy) to notice what's arising in the mind before you speak, the intention of the thought and the ensuing value in speaking. It may make you feel awkward at first and others may wonder what's wrong with you, but check it out. It's a good practice to do to begin to be more mindful of your speech. Let me know how it goes. (1) Abstain from (i) falsehood (speak the truth) (ii) slander or tale-bearing (iii) harsh words
**Article recycled (again)
Want to read some of my previous articles? You can do it here. Enjoy.
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Today, May 4th, I'll be subbing Beth's Intro to Ashtanga class at 10:30. Those of you curious about what the whole Ashtanga-thing is, come on over and we'll work through some of the most accessible positions. Peter Lowell's afterwards.
AND, Tony Briggs joins the stellar faculty at Westside Yoga Studio starting this Wednesday at 9:15. We are lucky to have Mr. Brigg's reputation in Sebastopol. Thanks, Westside.
I love that Devorah Blum at Yoga Studio Ganesha is offering a very gentle yoga class for elderly people using chairs, the wall and props on Friday afternoons, 12:45-1:30PM. She can be reached by phone, (707)824-1198 or by email, devorah@sonic.net.
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.
Get boatloads 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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 Always Self-Improving? Note to self: You're perfect just the way your are or, as Suzuki Roshi put it: "All of you are perfect just as you are and you could use a little improvement". But truly, we can get obsessed by constantly being critical of ourselves (and others). Read Elephant Journal's article: 5-ways to Stop Being a Self-Improvement Junkie. |
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Clusterf*&%
Who needs stinkin' stop signs, traffic circles, stripes. This is messed up. From the amazing site, Kottke.org.
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Love, but not Always Marriage
Older folk are finding that marriage is not necessary for a variety of reasons, one of them being money. Read the NYT article, Welcoming Love at an Older Age, but Not Necessarily Marriage here.
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 The Dream Team
Interesting interview in this month's Tricycle about with 6 dedicated practitioners about to embark on a 3 year retreat. Interesting, it's not their first. Many having elderly parents, they were asked what they'd do if a parent were sick or died.
Here's a bit of the intro:
We used to say that the first three-year retreat was like being put through the washer-heavy-soil program-and the second was like being hung out to dry. Scrubbing out the stains using Vajrayana enzymes; billowing and bleaching under the equanimous sun of blessing.
Here's the article. |
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Using Language to Guide Yoga Students
Amy Matthews and Leslie Kaminoff chat about how yoga teachers use language with instructions, but need to be careful to let your student have the experience, which may be contrary to the instructor's. Video to the right.
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 What is Yoga?
There is no lack of commentary about traditional yoga versus the mutations that seem to populate the various class schedules, like Gaia Flow, power yoga or Bikram yoga. Here's an excerpt from an interview with Sharath Jois, director of the Sri K. Pattabhi Jois Yoga Institute:
What is your opinion about newly developed types of yoga, like Bikram or power yoga?
- They are not authentic; they are not based on parampara, a linear tradition. In Bhagavad Gita and Yoga Sutras you can read about yoga, it is nothing new, nothing we have created today. You cannot make up your own kind of yoga and say: this is my yoga. Yoga has been spread from guru to guru, from supreme teachers to students. To teach yoga you need to study for many years with a good teacher. Today yoga has become fashion; people make up their own yoga and put their name on it. This is very bad. To heat up a room to make you sweat before you start your practice has no point - you might as well go sit in a sauna. To learn only asanas does not mean that you get real knowledge of yoga. Nobody teaches the breathing technique like Sri K Pattabhi Jois has done with Ashtanga Yoga. Nobody teaches the vinyasa, to synchronize your breathing with your movement, and you don't get any scientific effect from just doing asana with no vinyasa, it's just exercise, that's all.
Thanks, Richard Koman, for the link. Here's the entire article.
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 Hah!! Yoga Business Cards People's creativity always baffles me, in a good way. Check out these wildly imaginative business cards, especially the yoga/fitness ones. |
Daily Dharma - Tricycle Magazine
April 24, 2014
For The Practice
You practice the piano not in order to perform but for the sake of practicing the piano. With music, you don't practice and then one day become a concert pianist. You are that. Practice is as much an expression of that as of practice itself. [Read the article here.]
--Philip Glass, "First Lesson, Best Lesson"
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Be Happy on Fridays!
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!
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Schedule of Upcoming Classes
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Week of May 4, 2014
Sunday (Beth's Class)
10:30 - 12:00
Westside Yoga Studio
Ashtanga Basics
Monday
8:30 - 9:45
Sebastopol
Private
Tuesday
4 - 5:00 p.m.
Healdsburg
Private
Thursday
8:45 - 9:45
Graton Community Club, Graton
Gentle Flow - All Levels
4-5:00 p.m.
Healdsburg
Private
Friday (Ann Austin's class)
9:15-10:45
Yoga Studio Ganesha
Intermediate Yoga
4:30 - 6:00 Westside Yoga Studio Happy Hour Vinyasa
Saturday
9:00 - 10:30
YogaOne, Petaluma
All Levels Flow
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Week of May 11, 2014
Monday
8:30- 9:45
Sebastopol
Private
11:30 - 1:00 (Ginny's class)
Westside Yoga Studio
Level 1/2
Tuesday
4 - 5:00 p.m.
Healdsburg
Private
Thursday
8:45 - 9:45
Graton Community Club, Graton
Gentle Flow - All Levels
4-5:00 p.m.
Healdsburg
Private
Friday
4:30 - 6:00
Westside Yoga Studio Happy Hour Vinyasa
Saturday
9:00 - 10:30
YogaOne, Petaluma
All Levels Flow
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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
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