Monica Anderson
Monica Anderson started educating eons ago. Movement is life. Understanding how to communicate movement, rhythm, takes a lifetime.
The awe of being human!
Connecting with private clients 30 hours a week for over 15 years, group art and movement classes for over 40 years, 6 years of cultivating new teachers has opened a lifetime of observation and inquiry. Breath is profound. Western and ancient methods of healing are tools. Healing happens naturally when there is a convergence of community, consciousness, relationship, information, respect, joy and hope.
Degrees in Art, Biology, Education, Special Education
Active Certifications include Personal Training, Group Fitness, Pilates, Yoga
Yoga Therapy Years 1 and 2 (Loyola Marymont)
3 year Yoga Therapy Intensive (Samata)
Pilates for Bones (Sherry Betz),
Smartspine (Marie Jose Blum)
Anatomy in Clay™--40 hour intensive with Jon Zahourek
Anatomy in Clay ™-Osteo --40 hour 1 week intensive with Jon Zahourek
Currently in a 6 month Yoga Therapy Intensive in the tradition of Sri Krishnamacharya and Desikachar (Currently committed to the pursuit of this study for the unforeseeable future)
American Bone Health Speaker
The greatest education has been afforded by my family, especially my 3 incredible children, physician husband, and now, a new generation--my grandson AND brilliant business partner Alyson Dobbert, incredible teachers, friends and colleagues. Forever grateful.
1/18/2012 - Monica's Latest Article for La Voz
Happy New Year and Happy Meditation Practice!
Last month I shared with you the comical results of some of my human experiences in searching for THEE meditation practice. This experience included the request to kiss the guru’s feet. Did I? What do you think?
Recap in my humble meditative experiences thus far:
1) Alone time is good.
2) A cushion and a regular space to practice is good.
3) A guide or teacher (not necessarily a guru) is good.
4) Periodic practice with a group is good.
Did I give up at the feet? No. The seeking was not over.
A couple months later, I registered my husband and I in a Buddhist meditation/yoga workshop in San Francisco with Cyndi Lee and David Nichtern. I had taken yoga in New York with Cyndi Lee and her staff every time I visited my daughter in college, which was at least twice a year. I liked her yoga style and her yoga establishment. How opportune! Cyndi was teaching with her Buddhist husband, David, locally. I was sure the coincidences meant I was to give it try--with the hope that this method would be it!
They were wonderful teachers. They broke the steps down so anyone could follow the instructions. It was a lovely experience and I so wanted it to work. We meditated on our individually chosen topics of “work” (mine was the jealousy I felt for my sister). The truth was my mind would wander and then I would say to myself “Mon, bring it back!”. “okay okay I can do this.” Yes, it took practice during the weekend but when the weekend was over, I never did it again. I even wrote on the evaluation of the class, EXCELLENT. My lesson from this meditation experience: keep trying but you must practice. I didn’t continue practicing after the instruction. It could have worked in hindsight but I don’t believe I was ready.
5) Daily practice is “good” (I would say now, “necessary”)
The next item on the meditation check list was Primordial Sound Meditation. I had quite a few friends who swore by this technique. I found a class taught in Santa Rosa at a local healing center. The center had impeccable credentials and distinguished teachers with important letters following their names. Enrolled in another weekend course but it seemed more plausible for me since revered friends in the medical profession recommended this path. Briefly, the teacher explains the physiological process and the benefits. At the end of the lecture, in secrecy, the instructor gave me my very own personal mantra or group of words to repeat silently while sitting upright for 10 minutes at a time working up to hours. The commitment was daily for up to 3 times a day. My mantra were simple sounds I could easily remember. I could do this. This was one pointed focus. This made sense. I could not “clear” my mind to sense the “white noise” because thoughts would always flood my mind. When my mind wandered, all I would have to do was repeat my mantra. It had all of the 5 components that I learned from previous experiences. My failure this time was I could not make the time morning, noon, and night. I could do the night but it was like dieting for me. If could not do it the way it was prescribed, I was a “flunky” that day, so why continue if I missed a session. In a diet, I would just say, “Might as well eat all the cookies I want since I ate first one. I blew it for today. I’ll start tomorrow”. Despite this obstacle, I gave this technique about 3 months and then it trailed off to nothing. Obviously looking back, I was not ready again...but I was getting closer.
Take heart, dear readers, this tale does have a successful and happy “process” (it is not the “ending” by any means!). Next month I will share what is currently working for me. As I reflect on the past experiences, each one of us has a path. Along the path we change and morph and hopefully grow. Some folks will find their way sooner than others. What works for one may not work for another. What worked for us yesterday, may not work for us tomorrow. We all have our unique obstacles and triumphs. For the rest of this month, take 10 deep breaths a day. Look forward to my happy “process” next month.