| Volume 1, Issue Number 4 | January 1, 2008 |
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Yoga Body and Balance  1709 C Street, Lincoln, NE 68502 402-476-5135 Note change of location! | ||
| I believe in miracles!  It's like my sister said when she saw Jai. . . "From a tadpole to a prince" and I thought "Yes!" It's all a miracle! . . . a miracle he was conceived, a miracle he survived a car accident that totaled our car, a miracle he remained in perfect health through such a quick landing into this world, And a miracle he brought this community together in a way that gave people an opportunity to express in one way or another who they are and how they love.We have been taken care of since the moment the ambulance picked us up from the house until today. It has been beautiful, rewarding, strengthening, touching, inspiring, and we have received the care from all of you with so much gratitude. Sitting back today I am in wonder of truly how we've taken care of one another. Maybe Lincoln doesn't have the gorgeous mountains of Colorado, or the health food stores of California, but Lincoln has the best, most loving, supportive, authentic community we've known. I can't wait to be in the presence of everyone and smile and continue this journey of miracles with you. We are eternally grateful. With great love and a warm hug! (^_^) Tataya Open doors  It was a peaceful and extremely still closing to a strong and magnetic yoga class. The candle glow was warm, and the room was silent when a surprising knock followed by the creak of opening doors cut the silence like sirens in the middle of the night. I had heard Tataya say my name, and surmised she was only talking to Oliva, but as she looked through the doors, the look of fear and emergency on her face told me she needed me and our life was about to change. Baby Jai had begun his preparations days earlier with signs he would be coming, and as I raced to follow Tataya, I realized that the day might be today. Mentally I began to over the to do list I had prepared in case of such an event. Then I looked down and saw red across the floor and Tataya holding her abdomen, Oliva standing by her side looking worried and in a concerned trance. Thinking and feeling became a luxury for me, and a deeper, higher self rose to the surface.Months earlier while in Washington state working, I had received a call from my dear sweetheart questioning our decision to move to California, and then stating "our" decision to stay in Nebraska. Tataya said, "I'm back in Nebraska, and everyone wants us here. I feel supported here; it feels right to be here. I want to be here." Apparently many people were saying that we could open our own studio, and that they would be our family. Ironically that is what we were looking for in California, a family and a community. If you don't know Tataya, let me say, you just can't say "no" to her, so "our" decision was made. A lot of people talk, and say and speak. Not always do people follow up with action. When the night of December 11 came, these people, you people, met words with action. Within a heartbeat (I'm not sure who's because mine had stopped), we had caretakers, Oliva watchers, clothes picker uppers, house cleaners, door lockers, flower givers, food providers, prayer offerers, errand runners, stay-out-of-the-way-ers, etc. You all who had said so much to us, were now doing so much for us. We work hard in every yoga class to provide you with an experience of your true self. I suppose it should have been obvious when you put that together, what you would have is the experience of a true family, a true community, a true circle of people with integrity to their word. Circumstances surrounding Jai's birth gave us a new opportunity to revel in the truth and purity of the human spirit that is revealed when called upon. Once at the hospital, it didn't take long for the decision to be made for a caesarean section. Tataya was loosing too much blood with each contraction, and although Jai was stable, natural childbirth was impossible. It was no struggle to make that decision; my struggle was still to come. I fully entrusted the emergency to a very gifted doctor and staff and no worry or fear about the c-section. The internal battle rose after baby Jai was lifted from a very pale mother. Who do you go to now? Who do you support? Do you feel concerned when your new son has just been born? Do you feel thrilled when your wife's internal organs are exposed on a table in front of you? It was not thinking but being that overcame me. With our strong philosophy of living, we decided I would go to Jai. Already he was wearing an O2 mask, was under bright lights and was being handled by rubber-gloved hands--not what we had planned on. So began many discussions and almost heated debates about antibiotics, vaccines, synthesized vitamin cocktails, petroleum gels, and more of the like. Had someone told me that as a natural health consultant and follower of simple truth, love and divinity within us, I would have to stand my ground with the doctor and director of the neonatal care unit of the hospital, I may not have done as well as I think I did. Once we provided one another with information about our backgrounds, a beautiful dance of modern medicine and natural health ensued.  As the evening progressed, I went back and forth between Tataya and Jai. Even though I sometimes felt in the way of the medical care being given to Jai, I know my presence, touch and decisions were of equal importance in those first few hours of his life. Some of you may know I have been nervous in the anticipation of a son. I felt more confident in rearing a girl to womanhood, than a boy to manhood. Although there may be many reasons for this, I'll spare you the drama. In looking back at that night in the life of our family, I realize my being, my beliefs, my practices were all being tested. I certainly was being tested as a father as never before. I had to separate what I thought, what I believed, and what I knew. I had to. My son and my wife depended on it. Ego, discomfort, insecurity all had to go. Would all the prayers I've offered, intentions I've set, standards I keep, and the angers I've surrendered give me the foundation I needed when I was called upon? You can phrase it anyway you like, but I was one with the Lord that night, and even though the water looked dark and cold at times, we rode out that wave together, and never once did a drop of water come close to extinguishing my flame of eternal fire.The next morning as Jai's breathing had stabilized, Tataya came out of her morphine haze, and we had our moment. Once again I was graciously afforded my feelings and emotions. They still come as I think about how grateful I am to all who had a hand in our fortunes of the night of December 11. This was a Christmas I will not soon forget. It was not the Christmas we planned, not the birth we planned, but that is all more than okay. The gifts of this Christmas will be lasting; they will never wear out, be eaten up, get lost. This year's gifts were of relationships, appreciation, gratefulness, balance, and ultimately no matter our culture, faith or religion, the gift of love and life we all receive moment by moment, breath by breath.  May you all, not only take these gifts, but rather receive them fully this year. Use 2008 to know your love, know your life, to know your life's love and the love of life, and then abundantly offer them as you all have with us these past few weeks. It could be that as you travel down such a glorious path you will find yourself one night very peaceful and extremely still; perhaps after a strong and magnetic yoga practice while you are celebrating your higher self, a surprising knock and creak of the door will cut through the silence and little Jai will pop through and remind you of the role you play in his life and in life itself.Forever grateful and inspired, Your teacher and your student, Thomas Introducing Daya and Flame We are pleased and proud to introduce two well-qualified yoginis to you. During January, Daya and Flame will be teaching some of the classes usually taught by Tataya. Daya will be teaching the 10 a.m. Monday morning classes and every other Wednesday at 10 a.m. Flame will teach the Tuesday and Thursday 9:15 am classes. (See schedule at the bottom of the newsletter.) Daya says, "I am pleased to be helping Thomas and Tataya out during this time of getting to know their new son. It is a wonderful event!" Daya began her study of yoga nine years ago during the New Year's Holiday while teaching English in Japan. From there, she traveled to Rishikesh in the foothills of the Himalyas where she studied at an ashram with a Romanian born swami for some months. She has since also received training at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in Lennox, MA, and training in yoga anatomy and physiology with Mukunda Stiles, the creator of Structural Yoga Therapy. "For about five years I have worked with groups of people over 50 to teach them the basics of yoga and to apply yoga therapeutically to chronic and acute conditions. I have also developed a prenatal yoga class using yoga's deep relaxation principles to prepare women for childbirth." "I suit my style to the people I'm teaching. Welcome to the journey. The moment we step foot on the yoga mat, the unification of yoga begins!" (Sorry, we don't have a photograph of Daya. We know you will welcome her and learn from her.)  Flame says, "I feel it is going to be a wonderful experience working for Thomas and Tataya!" Flame is a self-taught yogini whose journey to yogi traveled the path through dance (modern, ballet, jazz and tap), fitness training and "hard core body building." After 15 years of that, "one day, I walked into my home gym to do my daily weight lifting session and. . . Nothing. The passion I had for weight training was gone. I was completely done."Weeks later, Flame discovered the Yoga Zone on television at 5 a.m. and so began a yoga journey she had wanted to pursue for some time. She used Wai Lana Yoga Lessons on DVD's and studied yoga manuals, practicing for two hours a day for four years. Enthusiasm for yoga led her to begin teaching friends, and later she was invited to teach at the YMCA and did so until all fitness classes were canceled. Having heard about Flame's yoga instruction, we met her at Open Harvest Food Co-Op and began a conversation about our common interest in raw foods. We asked her if she would be interested in subbing for us, and she enthusiastically agreed. "I'm very spiritual and have a tattoo on my face. Symbolically, my tattoo signifies a relationship with The Unconscious which is a scientific, psychological term meaning God. It relates to the Medicine Woman/Shaman who communicates with the Spirit World or The Unconscious for the purpose of getting answers to heal or help people." "I love Vinyasa ('The Flow') yoga. It gives one strength, flexibility, agility, and cardiovascular health. At the end of a Vinyasa session I always feel invigorated and relaxed at the same time. . .a lovely paradox. You'll hear music from around the world in my classes and hmmm. . . you just have to come and find out. *wink*" Book recommendation of the month  eat, pray, love by Elizabeth Gilbert recommended by Lu Milius From the book's cover quoting the Los Angeles Times: "A meditation on love and its many forms--love of food, language, humanity, God, and most meaningful for Gilbert, love of self. . . Gilbert's wry, unfettered account of her extraordinary journey lets even the most cynical reader dare to dream of someday finding God deep in a meditation cave in India, or perhaps, over a transcendent slice of pizza." |
January Schedule 1709 C Street |
| Mon | Tues | Wed | Thurs | Fri | Sat | |
6:00- 7:00 am | Level 2-3 Thomas | Level 2-3 Thomas | ||||
8:30-9:30 am | Level 1 Thomas | |||||
9:15-10:30 am | All Levels Flame | All Levels Flame | ||||
10:00-11:15 am | Level 2-3 Daya | Level 2-3 Daya, Jan 3,17,31 Thomas, Jan 10, 24 | Level 2-3 Thomas | |||
10:15- 11:45 am | All Levels Thomas | |||||
6:00-7:15 pm | Level 2-3 Thomas | Level 2-3 Thomas | Level 2-3 Thomas | Level 2-3 Thomas | ||
7:30-8:30 pm | Level 1 Thomas | Level 1 Thomas |
January Special --Three month unlimited--$240 Unlimited 6 month yoga pass-- $480 (80/month) Monthly unlimited--$90 5 session yoga pass (good for 8 weeks)--$5010 session yoga pass (good for 12 weeks)--$90 Drop-in class--$12 Yoga Private--60 minutes--$55 Yoga Private--75 minutes--$65 Yoga Private--90 minutes--$75 60 minute massage--$60 90 minute massage--$85 | Level 1: First time and basic yoga instruction Level 2: Requires previous experience with basic principles of alignment and breath work Level 3: Incorporates advanced variations All Classes COED |
Copyright 2008 |