— Urban Ashram —
Sonya Thomlinson has been teaching Yoga since 1998. A Yoga Teacher Training, Meditation and Lifestyle Teacher specializing in Yoga Nidra, Health and Healing as well as Spiritual Awakening.
welcome to the Urban Ashram!
Urban ashram revised-
BRAVE New World
What are your hacks, practices for day to day.
TAB, BRAVE what are your BR
What are your AVE, and how have you got there?
BRAVE is an algorithm, relative to Joe Campbell Hero Journey
Orient them first, watch Finding Joe, Breathe?
Invite explains HJ, and the fork is BR, and the edge is ? dragon, and the Intention is…
What is your story. What did you unconsilsy use for BR, and now, ?
What was your edge? Stopping point,
And when did you see the potential for change? And then new dreams/aspirations
So for them, What are your BR?
Big Guys
Nanak
Sati
Erich?
Paul Singh
Karen Entner
Rob Bell
Little Guys
Tanya
Paul Rossetti
Duke
Bill Eager
Brad Nelson
First, if you would like to write up a simple paragraph about who you are.
Maybe include where you grew up, where you live now, any details that are significant about life for you such as; family history, and parents/siblings/spouses/partners/children. You could mention sports, travel, hobbies, pets, passions. You may also promote yourself, or something you are a part of, or created/creating, basically feel free to 'place your ad here!' if you have one. I am happy to touch on that in the introduction on the podcast as well. Think of this introduction as anything you would like the listeners to know, simply as facts we will have on the intro page to the podcast.
Next, think about the podcast itself. I will have a microphone for you, clipped to your shirt. We will sit opposite each other, in a quiet area, so you feel comfortable sharing your story.
I will invite you to introduce yourself, maybe a short version of the paragraph you wrote- basically an introduction, like you were meeting someone for the first time and giving them a bit of information about yourself. We will have a bit of a dialog, break the ice, chat informally here. Basically creating a connection and a tone for the podcast. We can then begin the formal podcast.
We will then begin the Hero's Journey in your words and story. I will invite you to explain how life was cruising along (relatively speaking!) when you had the Separation occur. The event that caused the shift, the 'fork in the road'. You can take as much time as you need there.
Next, I will invite you to go into the Initiation description and experience- take some time here to describe the challenge you had to go through. Describe how it felt, the people, places and things which were a part of this intense part of the journey.
Finally, you will have a chance to share about the Return. The completion of the journey where you came back into life a little wiser, or experienced, or however the gifts of the journey have shown up for you.
Remember that this doesn't have to have a 'happy ending'. Some journeys are messy and difficult, or some resolution happens much later, but the journey was complete in the moment. Again, the gift for the listeners is hearing your authentic life experience. That might serve them as an inspiration or ideal. Or it may serve them as a relatedness in suffering they have endured or are enduring.
We will end with a dialog summary that I will review back to you of the 3 stages of the journey and you can reiterate any key points. Next we can have a moment to acknowledge the gift of you telling the story itself and how it serves all those listening.
The Urban Ashram project began with a passion to share some of the gifts we received while living in ashrams over the years. There are many of you who seek an ashram/intentional community living experience, but for numerous reasons it is not possible. The Urban Ashram offers wisdom from contemporary seekers, probably not unlike yourself, willing to share what they learned, what they experienced, their best practices, stories, ‘hacks ‘ and more!
This site offers wisdom and teaching obtained from many years of ashram life. All of these experiences gave us immeasurable information and experience as we lived with and learned from some of the finest contemporary teachers of yoga, meditation, health and wellness. Urban Ashram has created a way to offer you the resources to support your exploration and growth on your path. It includes logical steps to inform your personal practice, as well as opportunities to connect and collaborate in community.
you are invited to Join our Community
Finally, we wanted to include the Urban Ashram Podcast. We give you a chance to hear from others who want to share their own experiences, gifts, insights and stories. You will hear from them on the Urban Ashram Podcast.
Why do you need the Urban Ashram?
You will receive access to regular recordings, classes, and exclusive access to our acclaimed Mindful Restoration Yoga Teacher Training content, recorded during the 2020-2021 virtual teaching year. In our Mindful Restoration trainings and teaching we often refer to Joseph Campbell’s transformational model; The Hero’s Journey. The Hero’s Journey includes 3 main components; separation, initiation and return. These 3 components are keys to transformation. An ashram/intentional community typically contains a similar process powerfully experienced as a lifestyle! The separation is the fork in the road- leaving your day to day life at home to join the ashram. Then the work begins in the initiation; facing our issues, building energy and strength to transcend our ingrained patterns and suffering. Then there is the return, returning to the world as a new version of yourself. The Hero of you own life.
Urban Ashram offers the content and materials for your own Hero’s Journey right there in your own home and current life situation. It gives you an opportunity to explore and practice to tools of transformation, join in a community of seekers, and benefit from the wisdom of others. We will provide a plan for your journey. ‘Simple success daily’ is how we invite new seekers to create lasting change on the path of transformation.
Get on the Waitlist
Be the first to hear when the Urban Ashram doors open!
What is included in the Urban Ashram Community?
Urban Ashram Podcasts
Online Yoga, Pranayama, Meditation Classes
Yoga Nidra recordings
Opportunities to authentically connect with other members using our lifestyle and communication skills.
Regular virtual presentations by Mindful Restoration teachers, with Q and A immediately after, and community connection time.
Opportunity to mentor, and to be mentored.
Finally, unique access to our online Yoga Teacher Training content. You will see the same virtual content provided to our recent virtual Yoga Teacher Trainings- Learn about yoga philosophy, yoga lifestyle, chakras and more! Jeff (Harshad) and Sonya (Uchita) deliver this ancient wisdom with contemporary experiences in a powerful, compassionate and engaging way.
Bonus! If you are interested in our 500-Hour (300 technically, after a 200-Hour Basic Certification), the yoga training content within Urban Ashram will serve as an orientation to our Mindful Restoration style, practices and the influence and inspiration of our Kripalu lineage.
Get on the Waitlist
Be the first to hear when the Urban Ashram doors open!
Communication as Community
We need you, now! We are always amazed when we interview someone who is joining our yoga training. They are nervous or insecure about their lifestyle, or lack of yoga training, etc. Yet, when we hear the life story of those individuals, inevitably, we mirror back the power of their life journey. We honor and affirm them, and you! We all need to be heard and accepted just as we are, and when we can do that, it gives others permission to show up authentically as well. Our troubled world needs real mentors. Mentors who live an authentic life that empowers them to support themselves, their families, communities and our world. An authentic community includes a version of the Hero’s Journey represented in an objective, inclusive community. This inclusion has always been a key benefit of ashram life. You are accepted, heard, loved and encouraged just as you are. Acceptance and inclusion is not typical in our 21st Century society and culture. We would encourage you to become part of a new community who embody this new way of being, the Urban Ashram community!
Seeker/Student, Teacher, Mentor, Guide
A student if often a new seeker on the path of personal exploration, that seeker needs a teacher. “When the student is ready, the teacher appears”, while I find that statement to be true, I also know that many seekers want the safety and support of an authentic teacher. Living at an ashram or in an intentional community, or even attending our Yoga Teacher Training all have one special quality-authenticity in communication. Authentic communication is often represented as speaking your truth, and being heard objectively. These authentic communication skills are imbedded in any healthy, contemporary community. You are your word, you are the agreements you adhere to, and the intentions you create within that community. We want to offer the same authentic community opportunities to you. You can participate at a level appropriate for you and your personal development. As you grow and change as a seeker, you then become the perfect teacher, then mentor, or eventually guide. Each of those developmental stages on the path of transformation have unique qualities and abilities gained through experience.
To explain the first stage of transformation I like to give the example of the dog-kicking truck driver. Now let me start with the disclaimer stating- I have no issues with truck drivers (I thought about that career at one point, I love to drive!), nor do I believe they are stereotyped as having any of these qualities. I am speaking to one example. A truck driver who is overweight, tired, has back pain and he/she is moody. They return home from the road trip, grumpy, tired and in pain, and kick the dog.
The truck driver decides is it time to make some lifestyle changes, he knows he is out of balance and unhealthy. He is a seeker of transformation! He then chooses to explore his new lifestyle tools and support (perhaps with community support, or even a teacher?!). He loses some weight, his back feels better, he enjoys driving again, with more energy and a better mood he looks forward to coming home to play with his dog! A lovely story of success.
The Imperfect Teacher
Here is a key point of our Urban Ashram model. Who do you think is the perfect teacher for the dog-kicking truck driver? Yes! The FORMER dog-kicking truck driver. In our experience, the ideal teacher to support someone’s transformation is one who has gone through the transformation themselves. The dog-kicking truck driver might be inspired or educated by a mentor or guide (guru or teacher at a higher level) which can be very important. However, there is an opportunity to hear the tricks, and shortcuts, and ‘hacks’, the sweat, blood and tears from one who has walked the same path. The Urban Ashram needs you to bring your perfect, unique, crazy, wild, awesome self to be there for others, and perhaps to give you opportunities for teaching as well.
Podcasts, Teachiers/Mentors/Guides, Proven Techniques and Teaching, Community and Connection-This is what you have been looking for!
Get on the Waitlist
Be the first to hear when the Urban Ashram doors open!
We hope you join us! Be a member of this new, unique community, and help us build our future. Together we could create something special. We are open to your energy and suggestions! We are open to energy exchange in lieu of paid membership.