Cheryl Thomas, RYT
www.cherylthomas.com yoga@cherylthomas.com 415-308-3377 |
Widening Your Comfort Zone
Remember when a bed was a bed. There were no sleep "systems", belly pillows, memory foam toppers, "European" shams, 1000 thread count, Egyptian cotton, organic sheets. Unless your mattress was on the floor, you had a box spring. You probably had a blanket and a bed spread and unless you lived in Zurich, there was no down in sight. No "550 fill power". You slept just fine (I hope). Not any more. You and your bedmate can have separate "sleep numbers" with the SLEEP NUMBERŪ Innovation Series Limited Edition that "embraces you in soothing luxury with layers of support that conform to your body and cradle every curve for sleep that leaves you rested and renewed". Wow. You'd think we'd be sleeping like babies(1).
Everyone wants to be happy and comfortable. But, our Western ways have afforded us comfort in areas we didn't even know existed. We can have unlimited comfort (for a fee), so dang it, we deserve it. Aren't the advertisers right? The result: More discomfort. Our range of comfort, I'm afraid, is getting narrower and narrower. Ethan Nichtern(2) gives the example of cars that have "quad comfort zones". You can be comfortable riding shotgun at 69 degrees while your backseat buddy is at 71 degrees. Your comfort level is now 69 and now you notice the "discomfort" when you get to 70 or 71 or 72. Instead of having more comfort, we feel more discomfort as the temperature is out of our "range".
I'm not suggesting we run away from comfort. It's OK to have preferences as to what you like and what feels good. But, expand your comfort, rather than rejecting what is uncomfortable. Mr. Nichtern goes on to suggest that we want to increase our zone by getting comfortable in a wider (not more narrow) variety of circumstances. The "insight is if you keep trying to run away from pain or find some existence that's pain free, you're going to fail. You are going to make your comfort zone more and more narrow."
Notice areas in your life where you can widen your zone. Maybe this isn't physical comfort, but comfort with your experiences and interactions. Does the internet/text/email/facebook allow you to avoid face-to-face situations. Instead of having a difficult discussion (or any discussion) with a real person, is it now your default to communicate with via text? Does the TV and another Racer 5 allow you an "out" for dealing with uncomfortable situations?
I'm noticing my comfort zone right now. I'm very comfortable and warm as I sit in bed, computer on lap with a nourishing cup of Immune Broth (a Ceres Project recipe(3)). I wearing toasty Wigwam wool socks from my friend Lori. I'm very happy with my comfort zone. But, it could change.
(1) According to www.sleepmed.md, 20-40% of all adults have insomnia in the course of any year, 1 out of 3 people have insomnia at some point in their lives, over 70 million Americans suffer from disorders of sleep and wakefulness and of those, 60% have a chronic disorder
(2) Founder of the awesome Interdependence Project (www.theidproject.org). Listen to podcast dated 1/12/11 on The Basics of Working with Your Mind. You can find it on iTunes, of course.
(3) http://ceresproject.org/cookbook/index.html
*Recycled with some editing
Want to read some of my past articles?. They're archived right here. Enjoy.
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What a great group we had last Monday at YogaOne in Petaluma. We're doing it again this Monday, (1/12) at 6:10. Join us!!
Amy Charnay's schedule for aerial yoga is on her website with new (lower!) pricing. Have you tried aerial yoga yet?
Alive Yoga is offering a Gentle Yoga Series with Lee Brewster. 4:00 on Mondays. Go to Alive for more info. Westside Yoga Studio brings back Brian Hogencamp for an awesome series of workshops. Check out the website. It's a Level III Intermediate course. If you wonder what that is, email Westside at westsideyogastudio@gmail.com. More Westside, Mirka Kraftsow is offering a series January 24 - Hips, Pelvis & Sacrum January 17 - Neck & Shoulders January 31 - Healing Breath: stimulate & balance the Vital systems. 21 Day Winter Cleanse with Jenn Russo at Yoga on Center. This detox will help us build digestive heat, re-boot metabolism, lose weight, break habits/patterns, feel lighter and see more clearly. Best of all-- You have Support! There are two group meetings, daily email support, yoga and meditation, and an extensive cleansing e-book. Join Iris Lambert for a journey/exploration of the energetic underpinnings of yoga asana. Info's at http://www.irieyoga.com/current-workshops.htmlParmatma offers Yoga for Insomnia at Soul Yoga in Santa Rosa on 1/18, 1:30 - 3:30. Go to rejuvenationtravel.com/classes.htm.Tony Briggs offers at Teachers' Consultation Group/Mentorship Program starting February 4. See his website for details. If you're a yoga teacher, this is a rich opportunity. Many studios (check yours) are running specials for signing up for an annual membership, like SoulYoga in Santa Rosa, offering a one time yearly rate (running only through 1/15/15) of $1008 for 12 months. Banyan Gallagher offers a blog post on teaching yoga at San Quentin State Prison. Yoga Basics with Iris Lambert meets for 7 weeks beginning 1/8. There will be alignment instruction as well as info on chakras, mudras, mantras, invocations and pranayama. See her website for details. Stand Up Paddle Board (SUP) is hot! It's gets people on the water, without getting "in" the water. And, you know, we've been out doing some crazy yoga on the boards, SUP Yoga. Now SeaTrek with Arline Thomas is taking a group to Baja from March 20th-26th. Booking is through Seatrek.
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.
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The Brain on Breathing
Roger Cole is one of my teachers and I've had the good honor of assisting him at his restorative yoga trainings. His credentials are long and impressive. His teaching is based in the Iyengar tradition and woven with his training as a Stanford scientist specializing in sleep and relaxation. Enjoy his video on "Neurophysiological Foundations of Yoga Breathing".
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Funny - How to be Ultra SpiritualI recall that Yoga Journal Online started some funny self-effacing yoga videos featuring the Inappropriate Yoga Guy. There are now lots online, like here and here.
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 Exercise for Strong Bones
Our hunting ancestors had strong bones. As our sedentary lifestyle becomes the norm, our bones are getting weaker. Researchers believe human bone density will continue to decline at an accelerated rate. A bit from the article:"Since the invention of agriculture, new research shows, human bones have grown lighter and far less dense than those of early humans and closely related primates. Researchers believe sedentary lifestyles - made possible by agriculture and technology - are the root cause of human bone degradation over the past 1,000 years. Their findings reinforce the idea that exercise, not diet, is key to preventing fractures and osteoporosis." |
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Schedule of Upcoming Classes
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Week of January 11, 2015
Monday
8:30 - 9:30
Sebastopol, Private
6:10 - 7:25
Yoga One, Petaluma
All Levels Yoga
Tuesday
4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Healdsburg, Private
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Thursday
8:45 - 9:45
Graton Community Club, Graton
Gentle Flow - All Levels 4:00 - 5:00 Healdsburg, Private
Saturday
9:00 - 10:30
YogaOne, Petaluma
All Levels Flow
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Week of January 19, 2015
Tuesday
4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Healdsburg, Private
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Thursday
60 Minutes of Flow, 30 Minutes of Rest 4:00 - 5:00 Healdsburg, Private
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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