Embracing Solitude

Loneliness is more about psychic disconnection than physical solitude. To appreciate time alone, most of us need to feel we have a choice—that friends or family are no farther away than a phone call. If not, time alone can be miserable. In fact, it seems that the primal feeling of loneliness has something to do with a genetic instinct that equates safety with physical closeness to a tribe or family. On that prerational level, loneliness can feel like death.

Maybe that's one reason why loneliness, or even the fear of loneliness, can be such a stumbling block on the road to inner growth. Certain journeys cannot be taken unless you're willing to face loneliness, and yet many of us are afraid to do so. Learn to embrace your time alone as a chance to connect with what's truly essential.

http://www.yogajournal.com/wisdom/1922

WOOD: A Homage to the Worst Director

Greetings, my friend.
We are all interested in the future,
for that is where you and I are going to spend the rest of our lives!
And remember, my friend,
future events, such as these, will effect you in the future...

Thus begins Ed Wood's infamous film "Plan 9 From Outer Space", one of the films we'll be camping up in Black Stone Ensemble's all-new 2008 performance project: WOOD! Into the Mind of Edward D. Wood, Jr, Worst Director of All Time!


WOOD is a performance installation–a little bit carnival, a little cabaret–presented through the Resident Artists' Workshop (RAW) program at The Garage (975 Howard St, SF). WOOD features contributions and performances by Black Stone Ensemble (Allison Wyper, Eric Kerr, Liz Saari-Filippone, Bob Webb, Misti Boettiger), with Lisa Manter, Philip T. Nails, Elisabeth Millican (Saturday only), Stacz Sadowski, Kunal Ghevaria and Mick Goldwater.


Witness the shocking truth behind the All-American Ravings of...


WOOD!
Into the Mind of Edward D. Wood, Jr, Worst Director of All Time!

Friday and Saturday April 4-5 Doors @ 8pm
The Garage
975 Howard St. @6th
SF, CA
www.975howard.com
Sliding Scale $15-20

To Stretch or Not to Stretch

As a yoga teacher/practitioner, this article for the ny times opened my eyes in a lot of crooked ways b/c it argues how stretching before sports or activity may not prevent injury or increase performance.


http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/13/health/nutrition/13Best.html?nl=8hlth&emc=hltha4

More Mind Chatter

Wow, it keeps coming! Learning about mind chatter is a never ending thing. all that crap that's in your head--"I should have done that....Why do I do that....What if..."--Where's the emotion?

In class this weekend, we connected our mind chatter with our feelings. Instead of letting the mind take over, we let our emotions take the reigns. It was very intense for a lot of people b/c so much came up. but it was comforting in a sense that we all feel and think the same things. In other words, "I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE!".

The Mind Chatter

I had my first day of class last nite in the Holistic Health Practitioner Program. It was really comforting b/c the other 26 people in the room have the same thoughts as I do. We all have that mind chatter both positive and negative going 24/7. "Will I make the right decision?", "I don't have money to go back to school", "What if...what if...what if....what if...."
We all have this. We discussed various ways on how to channel this, be present with and accept it. A lot of stuff I had heard before and other stuff just made my eyes pop open. but what was also nice was that there was laughter in the room. The fact that we can laugh about it is so important. Laughing at myself (in a nice way) hasn't been easy for me. I would usually just beat myself up if I made a mistake or bad decision. And these things can be sooooo small. I've definitley noticed how "too" seriously I take things. It feels good to loosen up.

I'm very excited for the weekend's classes. I already feel certain changes happening within myself. The mind chatter is even funny and I will learn to laugh at it because it's just me and my experience to the situation at hand. No one else is doing it.

:-)

Clutch-the day after

Wow! What a show! These guys really know how to rock and jam out. I haven't heard much of their newer album which is a little more jazzier--nice touch to the heavy rock & roll. The lead vocalist, Neil Fallon, has such a powerful voice on top of his presence. I like this picture because it's what he basically looks like now (the other pic was taken earlier). He definitely got animated. My hubby was really psyched to see them. The last time he saw them was in Boston 9 years ago when he was in college. He has such fond memories from when he used to listen to them in college with friends. When you hear Clutch, the first thing you really want to do is light up a doobie. But with the amount of smoke in the air last night, I was probably all set.

These guys rock!

Clutch

I'll be seeing the most interesting, innovative band tonite, Clutch. They've been around awhile, but I didn't start listening to them until I met my husband. He's a huge fan! I can't wait to see these guys live, in action. I'll embelish more tomorrow I'm sure.

The 3-week diet challenge

So I've been off wheat, gluten and dairy for the past 3 weeks (not so much with the dairy--it's hard!). I've definitely felt the difference in my digestion and overall mood/energy. But now my appt is pushed back to next week! What I've realized is that if I have a little food with gluten or wheat in it, it doesn't do too much damage. But, this past friday, was a different story. I went to a tasting at a restaurant with coworkers for this company we're having and the majority of everything had wheat in it. The thing I forget about is SAUCES! There are so many sauces out there that have wheat in it and who knows how much. About an hour after eating it, the fogging head set in and lethargia. I couldn't believe it. These reactions only last about 2 hours, but I'm pretty spent afterwards. I drank some Kombucha which fixed me up, but still had to take it easy. I ended up eating salads all weekend....

Yin and Yang Yoga with Paul and Suzee Grilley 2/24-2/25

Yin/Yang Yoga with Paul and Suzee Grilley
I took an amazing workshop in Larkspur, CA this past weekend with Paul and Suzee Grilley. It was on Yin/Yang yoga which takes a taoist approach to yoga. The Yin yoga (which was the total focus) emphasizes the stretching with the ligaments and tendons rather than the muscle and the meridians of the body in chinese medicine. Of course you do get muscles stretched, it's the chi which lies in the connective tissues of the body that is being stimulated. I studied anatomy in my teacher training and then I got a review with Paul. He's so knowledgable in anatomy and yoga. He stressed how our bones are different, not just from each other, but within your own body. How one thigh bone is different from the other one. That being the reason why many people may never reach lotus pose because of these skeletal structures in the body. Yoga studentsteachers may feel like they have to put their body's through this stress to get into a pose that they see in Yoga Journal magazine or in class. I've definitely backed away from this, but when I'm in certain yoga classes, I do feel like I'm over doing it so I back off. This is also what Paul stressed in the workshop. Yin Yoga allows you to back off. The same with Yang which is more vigorous movement like flow. With Yin the poses are held longer and you go more inward.



It was a great workshop and would recommend it to anyone. www.paulgrilley.com.

Changes ahead

I'm super excited about starting school in the Holistic Health Practitioner program at the World School of Massage and Holistic Healing Arts. I start this Wednesday, PLUS my new hours at work start too! I'm going down to 30 hours a week so I can focus on my studies and be able to decompress and relax. I've done school and work full time before and it's just not for me! Now I can go more deeper into my yoga practice and holistic healing.

I'm continuing to teach my Beginning Yoga class on Monday nites in Daly City, but had to get a temporary replacement teacher for my Wednesday nite class. I do hope to teach more in SF one of these days.

Anyway, I like the changes ahead and will take each moment in completely.

:-)