Cheryl Thomas, RYT
www.cherylthomas.com yoga@cherylthomas.com 415-308-3377 |
Feet on the Ground
When did we get to be so tender footed that we avoid leaving the house without the protective rubber soles of our Keens or Crocs or Reefs or Jessica Simpsons? Just like the scares about microwave ovens causing cancer and the links between autism and vaccines, was it at one time reported that walking without shoes caused leprosy or hoof-in-mouth? Maybe it was the June Cleaver-like moms who insisted that shoes be worn outside, lest their children seem wild and unkempt. Perhaps it was big-biz with their marketing geniuses who convinced us that shoes were absolutely necessary to avoid the stray broken bottle, dog poop and mystery germs. Hell, most people wear shoes "inside" the house. When did we forget how to walk without shoes?
But really, what's so wrong with wearing shoes? They look good and can definitely pull together an outfit. According to The Barefoot Professor there are some myths to bunk about shoe-wearing.
1. "While shoes may offer some protection against acute injuries, they are responsible for most of our chronic foot injuries, like bunions, Hallux valgus, hammer toe, over-pronation, fallen arches, etc. etc," says The Barefoot Professor.
2. Shoes carry germs and lots of them. Germs love warm, dark, moist places. Hello shoes! They're the leading cause of foot infections. The Barefoot Professor calls them "germ factories". Just give a sniff to your shoes and feet after a long day in shoes.
3. Shoes change your gait, they alter your stride length, weight distribution in your feet and the muscles that help you walk. Heels, forget it. If your body was rigid with a 1 inch heel, you would tip over, but instead the body compensates to keep you upright. With 3-inch heels the pelvis tilts 15 degrees and body weight shifts to the front of the knee. Women suffer from knee osteoathritis 4x more often than men. Back, hip, and knee and foot pain can eventually be traced to your shoes and bad posture.
"Reconnection with the Earth's electrons has been found to promote intriguing physiological changes and subjective reports of well-being. Earthing (or grounding) refers to the discovery of benefits - including better sleep and reduced pain - from walking barefoot outside or sitting, working, or sleeping indoors connected to conductive systems that transfer the Earth's electrons from the ground into the body."
The "emerging scientific research" goes on to suggest that what they call Earthing (or grounding), induces physiological changes including reduced pain, better sleep and a shift from sympathetic (fight-flight) to parasympathetic (rest-digest) and has a blood-thinning effect. Radiant Life Company offers an Earthing Premium Starter Kit that includes an Earthing Pad to use on your bed.
Are you inspired? Are you right now pulling off your Jambus, unlacing your Vans or slipping out of your Nine West pumps to run out the door and make contact with Mother Earth? How does it feel?
Want to read some of my past articles?. They're archived right here. Enjoy.
|
Don't miss this opportunity to study with Jaki Nett on Saturday, Sept 26, 2:30 - 5:30 for
The Pelvic Floor as it Relates to a Healthy Back Another important opportunity to teachers and serious students. Study anatomy with Judith Lasater at Mt. Madonna. Not just any anatomy, but Experiential Anatomy, billed as the The Most Fun Anatomy Course Ever. More info here. Follow Erica Magill in her SF adventures at www.OLiOyoga.com. Along with working with The Art of Yoga Project, she'll be assisting in the Mysore room, which runs Monday-Friday 6:15-9:30 am, and Sundays 8-1030am at ZaZenSF. Congrats, Erica!
Tony Briggs offers a 4-Day Yoga Intensive workshop Sept 24th - 27th. Stellar opportunity for serious students and teachers. Pricing and details at TonyBriggsYoga.com.
Meditation Group Forming at Devi Yoga Center in Sebastopol. Begins 9/16, Wednesdays 7:35 - 8:30. No Charge - Donations. The session is an opportunity to sit in silence, and experience the peace that comes in this stillness. Know about Yoga in Graton? It's hopping! Find 5 classes a week ranging from Gentle to Slow Flow to All Levels, featuring me, Corina Stoicescu and Denise Hammond. Time and places at YogaInGraton.com. Viniyoga Workshops w/AVI co-founder Mirka Kraftsow Healing & Selfcare sessions for summer... Aug. 29th Sat. Sept. 26th 2-5pm $60/drop-in or $55/ WestsideYogaStudio.netRestorative Yoga..........Thanks to your interest in this important practice, I'm adding a permanent Wednesday class. See below for details!!! 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.
|
 Restorative Yoga Continues
Thanks to your interest in this important practice, I'll be offering a permanent class on Wednesdays from 5:15 to 6:45 starting 9/2. The location will be at Yoga Studio Ganesha on the Square in Sebastopol. Pricing - Buy a 4 class pass for $54 ($13.50/class) or 8 classes for $100 or Drop-In of $16. Yoga in Graton students can use your punch card ($10 per class)!!!
|
Emotions, Back Pain and Yoga--There's a Connection
I love being reminded that healing with yoga is simple. It the comes from the linking of the mind, breath with the movement.
Yoga Educator, Leslie Kaminoff, feels that suppressed emotion is linked to suppressed breath and vice versa. Yoga has been found to help with back pain.
Quoting Mr. Kaminoff: "It's because the fact that in yoga, your mind, your breath and the body are asked to do the same thing at the same time in a conscious, integrated way. The vast majority of the benefit. . . comes from the simplest stuff we teach them. . . move the body and the breath together. You start doing that you start becoming more aware of where you're holding."
It's work a watch.
|
The Fuzz Speech
I love to periodically post this important video by goofy Gil Hedley. It shows the connective tissue or fascia on Dr. Hedley's cadaver. Well, we're not dead, yet, but this fuzz stuff gets sticky when it doesn't get moved. So get moving. Come to yoga. Watch the Fuzz Speech. Share it, too.
|
 Yoga Festival Coming to Sebastopol
Sebastopol is the center of the universe when it comes to all things yoga, or that's what we like to think. We have an amazing collection of instructors and studios and NOW, a Yoga Festival: wONEderfest.
There will be sun salutations, open studies and kirtan on Saturday, September 12 from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00. Learn all about it at wONEderFest.com |
S
Schedule of Upcoming Classes
|
|
Class Schedule - Week of August 30, 2015
|
Wednesday (New Location New Time)
5:15 - 6:45
Yoga Studio Ganesha, Sebastopol
Restorative Yoga
Thursday
8:45 - 9:45
Graton Community Club, Graton
Gentle Flow - All Levels
11:15 - Noon
Sebastopol Senior Center
Chair Yoga
5:00 - 6:00
Healdsburg, Private
Saturday
9:00 - 10:30
All Levels Flow
|
|
|
|
|
|
Schedule Week of 8/30
(clickable schedule below)
Wednesday
(New Location
New Time)
5:15 - 6:45
Yoga Studio Ganesha, Sebastopol
Restorative Yoga
Thursday 8:45 - 9:45
Graton Comm Club,
All Levels
11:15 - Noon
Sebastopol Senior Center
Chair Yoga
5:00 - 6:00
Healdsburg, Private
Saturday
9:00 - 10:30
All Levels Flow
|
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.
Quotes I Like
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
"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion."
Dalai Lama
"Everything will be alright in the end. And if it is not alright, it's not yet the end!" The Magnolia Hotel movie
|
|
|
