Below please find my suggestions regarding class attire, a special request and a handout for your review.
Click here for an invitation to be swept away on a magic carpet ride and/or please visit the ‘shop‘ where you’ll find a 30-page history booklet you might find of interest?!
Q: I have questions about the Ceremonial Systrum™, where can I learn more?
Please see Ceremonial Systrum™ FAQ :: Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do you have online lessons that I can practice with at home?
Yes!! Please see VIDEOS-On-DEMAND
Q: What should I wear to class?
Suggested class attire & extras:
- Comfortable clothing that’s suitable for stretching and dancing ~ for example, a long sleeve T-shirt and yoga pants, preferably no jeans or fitted pants, and-typically, I suggest soft sole flexible shoes or slippers, NO sneakers.
HOWEVER, please NOTE: West End Yoga Studio does not allow shoes in the studio. - A scarf tied around your hips is welcome and encouraged (but not required), and preferably one that jingles! You can find a nice selection of at this website: click here.
- Yoga Mat & Strap: We will be doing ending stretches on the floor so you might want to bring along a mat & strap (either a yoga strap or a soft belt (approx. 3-4″ wide x 2-1/2 to 3 ft long); however you are welcome to sit in a chair to stretch as well.
Q: Do I need to wear a mask?
- PLEASE WEAR A MASK when attending my class in person. This a request on my part, and by the way, Northampton Community College, one of the venues where I offer classes, has posted on their website:
COVID infections continue to pose a health issue to all members of our college community and region. As a result, NCC is strongly recommending individuals (faculty, staff, students, visitors) voluntarily wear face masks indoors in all NCC buildings.
Right up to the present several friends and members of their families have become sick with COVID and I know several people of various ages who are seriously struggling with Long Covid ~ including, sadly, my very own beloved 36-year old son; therefore, I remain committed to mask-wearing… Thank you for your consideration in honoring this request and to take Covid seriously ~ do everything you can to protect yourself and those with whom you interact
.
Certainly, I hope circumstances will shift one day soon where mask wearing will go by the wayside but I don’t anticipate that will transpire as soon as we may want… Time will tell.
PS: Also, for your consideration, please read and/or listen to the following links:
Scientific American, founded in 1845 is the oldest continuously published magazine in the United States and has published articles by more than 200 Nobel Prize winners. FEB 6 2024 article: Rampant COVID Poses New Challenges in the Fifth Year of the Pandemic ~ “We’re still in a pandemic,” says a lead COVID official with the World Health Organization
May 2023 interview with the (former, due to the closure of this office ) White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha , in which he says “…we are at about 150 deaths a day right now. I think that is a number that is too high.” And when asked about the threat that COVID poses in Spring of 2023, he replied, “It’s still a real problem. I mean, people often ask me, you know, is this now like the flu? And I’m like, no, it’s like COVID. It is a different virus. Flu has a very specific seasonality to it. That’s not what we see yet with COVID. Even at 150 deaths a day, which is way below where it was – even if today is the new standard, that’s 50,000 deaths a year. I think that should be unacceptable to us. So I see COVID as an ongoing threat, a real challenge to the health and well-being of the American people.“
I encourage everyone to read this “Layers of Protection” made available at the People’s CDC* website.
*The People’s CDC is a coalition of public health practitioners, scientists, healthcare workers, educators, advocates and people from all walks of life working to reduce the harmful impacts of COVID-19, who provide guidance and policy recommendations to governments and the public on COVID-19, disseminating evidence-based updates that are grounded in equity, public health principles, and the latest scientific literature.
Q: Where can I find a veil?
- Over the years I have recommended a woman named Nahari who is in New Mexico and has lovely silk veils but it appears her website inventory is out of stock. As of August 2023 It appears she is only selling via Amazon but I’m also providing her contact page.. It doesn’t look like she has anything less than 45″ wide so you might just have to go with that (or email her with an inquiry if she might have any 35″ wide available?!?)…
FYI, 108″ = 3 yd veil and 137″ = a veil just under 4 yd and as I mentioned in class yesterday I recommend something greater than 3 yards; therefore, I recommend the 137″ but if you love, love, love the colors of one that’s 108″ I can show you some “tricks” to make that work just fine..
BTW, here’s a LOVELY video on the magic of moving with a silk veil as narrated by NAHARI
Silk care: naharisilks.com/silk-care