Cheryl Thomas, RYT
www.cherylthomas.com yoga@cherylthomas.com 415-308-3377 |
I am not out of a job, at least not yet. With all of the online yoga offerings, it would seems that teachers may become semi-obsolete. But not so. People want to show up, shoulder-to-shoulder with their fellow beings. Even movie theaters are thriving even regardless of the onslaught of the home "systems" and projectors (I just got one).
Yoga is not like the gym where everyone is independently lugs weights overhead and pulls on bars or ropes or whatever. In yoga we move and breath in unison, struggling together in the last few seconds in a deep Warrior 2 or finding stillness and peace in the much deserved savasana. In class we have a teacher imparting wisdom, keeping students' safe and pacing the class like a skillful conductor.
As we discussed last week in Pt 1., it's not always possible to make it to class or to study with senior teachers. Online yoga offerings brings classes and teachers to you in the sweet comfort of your own nag champa scented space. Adding to last week's list, here are some more:
Judith Hanson Lasater - I'm a student of Ms. Lasater. If she's speaking, I'm listen and taking notes.I just finished a 20 hour course in Experiential Anatomy. She and her lovely daughter, Elizabeth, are offering an online course, Teaching Yoga (intro video here), and Living Your Yoga audio course (intro video here). Judith Lasater is also a frequent contributor to YogaUOnline. Find more her offerings at www.lasater.yoga and judithhansonlaster.com.
Jai Uttal - Grammy-nominated singer and "a pioneer in the world music community with his eclectic East-meets-West sound", I went all the way to Guatamala to study with Jai Uttal. Now you you can have him all to yourself!Jai Uttal is offering a 4 week online course. At the end of the course, Mr. Uttal says you'll be able to: - Sing a simple kirtan, with or without instrumental accompaniment.
- Create a personal Bhakti practice at home.
- Experience the joy and nectar of repeating God's names.
- Have a basic understanding of the Hindu text 'Ramayana."
Leslie Kaminoff - You've seen his videos on my site many times. He's founder of The Breathing Project in New York and is inspired by the tradition of T.K.V. Desikachar. I love his theme for 2016: Asanas Don't Have Alignment - People Have Alignment.(!!). Here's a taste of Mr. Kaminoff: Building an Asana, What Comes First? Along with Amy Matthews he offers online yoga and anatomy training at his site yogaanatomy.org. I'm guessing he also "embodies New York values".
There's more, of course. I hate to leave out so many out, but this list should get you started.
Want to read some of my past articles?. They're archived right here. Enjoy.
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 I will be teaching Senior/Chair yoga this month at the Sebastopol Senior Center. If you are or know a senior that wants to do gentle movement to keep limber and stay strong, come and join us. It's from 11:15 - Noon on Thursdays.
Friends for Free in February at POST Wellness in Petaluma. Bring a friend, practice for free!
Get Upside Down with Barbara at Yoga on Center on Saturday, February 27th, 2:00-5:00pm. She'll explain proper technique and alignment in inversions, so that you may approach them in your practice in a safe, intelligent and constructive way.
Johnny Smith is back at Westside Yoga Studio in Sebastopol. This is stellar news to all of the local and not-so-local ashtangis. See Johnny's Mysore and Led schedule and marvel over Westside's new site right here.
Recently back from Pune, India, Ginny Taminia is offering a Valentines Day workshop inspired by the teachings of the Iyengar family. Open to all levels curious about Iyengar Yoga, she'll offer a variety of poses leading up to chest openers- observing our habitual patterns, and addressing them with discernment, courage and contentment! It's selling out. Questions?: ginnyrobinson@yahoo.com. Register: http://riverbedyoga.com/.
Tony Briggs and Liz Levy will pair up and offer Anatomy & Yoga Therapeutics starting in February. These two topics from these seasoned and brilliant teachers are a must for not just teachers, but students alike. Go to Westside's site for info.
We're lucky to have Judith Lasater in Northern California. She's offering a small group, Advanced Restorative Yoga series on 4 Wednesdays in March in Marin. I'm signed up!! Go here for more info.
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.
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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Stretching Before or After Exercise
"We know that stretching before exercise tends to be counterproductive because in loosening muscles, it also temporarily weakens them. But whether you should stretch at other times - after exercise, for instance, or first thing in the morning or just before bed - is murkier, in part because studies of stretching have not been standardized."
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 A Drug for Heroin Overdoses
This article may confirm your opinion or change your mind about rescuing victims of heroin overdoses. Naloxone now available at CVS, according to the article and should be made more accessible to those that need it. I learned a lot. You can too. It's right here from Refinery29.
"There's been a fear that if we give people who use drugs wider access to naloxone, they're just going to use more drugs - that it will be a safety net," says Roxanne Saucier, a researcher and analyst with the Open Society Foundations, "but there's evidence to show that's not the case."
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Shoulder Alignment in Chaturanga
Oh, the never ending instruction of shoulder alignment in Chaturanga Dandasana, also known as the shoulder-shredding pose. From YogaU Online, Natasha Rizopoulos demonstrates a simple trick for ensuring proper alignment of the shoulders in Chaturanga. Here's the link.
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 When to Exercise to Lose Weight
"There is some evidence that working out on a completely empty stomach - or, as scientists call this woozy, weehours condition, "in a fasted state" - prompts the body to burn more fat and potentially stave off weight gain, compared to exercising at other times." |
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Schedule of Upcoming Classes
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Class Schedule - Week of February 7, 2016
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Tuesday
5:00 - 6:00
Private, Healdsburg
Wednesday
Yoga Studio Ganesha, Sebastopol
Restorative Yoga
Thursday
8:45 - 9:45
Graton Community Club
All Levels
11:15 - Noon Sebastopol Senior Center
Senior Yoga 5:00 - 6:00
Private, Healdsburg
Saturday
All Levels Flow
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Wednesday
5:15 - 6:45
Yoga Studio Ganesha, Sebastopol
Restorative Yoga
5:00 - 6:00
Healdsburg, Private
Thursday 8:45 - 9:45
All Levels, Graton
11:15 - 12;00 Senior Yoga Seb Senior Center
Saturday 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.
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
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