Souls Ajar

As featured in this years Jewels of Elul (http://letmypeoplesing.com/jewels/
Elul 1: Souls Ajar by Raychel Kubby Adler


“The soul should always stand ajar, ready to welcome the ecstatic experience.”
~ Emily Dickinson

An inviting tap on the empty chair next to me was enough. Jackie turned to her husband at their otherwise empty table, nodded yes, and got up to join us. At my request, the eight people at our auction table inched their chairs closer and our friends slid comfortably into place. Later I got an email from Jackie saying, “Thank you for welcoming us to your table. It made all the difference for our night.”

The week before, I witnessed a similar gesture at my daughter’s new dance class. Though Marley’s skill set made her more than ready for this troupe, and even though she had known many of these girls before, she was intimidated knowing the troupe had been dancing together for three years. Marley hung back saying, “I’ll just watch,” when one girl, usually shy and withdrawn, stepped out of the glob of girls.

“Come on Marley. You learn routines so fast.” That was it. Marley shot me a look, shrugged her shoulders, and found a space alongside the others.

This is the art of welcoming: being open as well as extending invitations. Welcoming brings ease – makes people feel wanted and accepted. It allows us to sanctify a moment, cherish a relationship, receive and embrace. I was intrigued when Morah Shoshy, my 1st grade Sunday school teacher, told us that shalom meant hello, good bye and peace. As a verb, it goes even further to suggest safety or completeness. We welcome to make whole. May you welcome the taste of the fruits of summer. Invite someone new to your next celebration. Open your heart big and wide to acknowledge all that is before you.


Raychel Kubby Adler is a writer, wellness and fitness coach, mom, and breast cancer previvor. www.choicepointwellness.com

The Heart of Welcoming

This months issue of The Vine features another of my stories - this time thinking about the ways in which we can welcome. I welcome you to read about it here: http://davisfood.coop/repository/1/607/dfcnews_9_13_low_res.pdf

Great news for the future of genetic health!

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Breaking-News--Supreme-Court-Strikes-Down-Gene-Patents.html?soid=1110212526883&aid=0Gr7J3Xw6UA

Davis Music Revolution

 

I describe myself as a juggler. Dabbling is my thing. I really enjoy having multiple projects, roles and responsibilities at the same time. Indeed, I wear many hats: mom, wellness coach, wife, spinning instructor, writer, business owner, outreach volunteer, friend. One of my favorite roles at the moment is as a member of the Davis Life Music Collective. It is great to be part of a community brought together by a deep love for music, art, culture, and our great town of Davis, CA.

My story about the DLMC and Davis Music Fest we are helping to host June 22 & 23 (please note the date is incorrect in the PDF version) is featured this month in The Vine. The whole article is great, but if you are just wanting to get to my story, scroll to page 8. And thanks to Rik Keller Photography for the amazing shots.

June Issue of The Vine featuring the Davis Live Music Collective

Getting Techy With It

I have to admit, it feels really cool to say, "I have an app." Yep, it's true, though my kids might tell you something different, I am hip to today's trends. After 14 years of teaching spinning I feel like I have finally arrived. Whether you live in New Jersey, Costa Rica, or right here in Davis, just go to your iphone, type in "irideinside" and there you will find me and two other great instructors, spinning away on a bike, and encouraging you to join the fun for 45 minutes, 1 hour or even 90 minutes of great rides.

Even if spinning brings up thoughts of wool or your last night of too much drinking - you might still find a way to enjoy this great tool. Use it at home on a stationary bike or trainer, while traveling, or if you get sold out of your regular spin class. Just don't take this ride outside - remember the name is irideINSIDE!

And even if you don't want to use this app for working out, the playlists alone are worth checking out.

Thanks to Jamima Wolk and her JammyCo business for this great opportunity and wonderful product.

To celebrate the launch of irideinside we are having a launch party tomorrow, Sunday, March 17th, from 4-6 pm at the U.S. Bicycle Hall of Fame

The app, usually a great bargain at $4.99 will be available at the best price ever at the event tomorrow--free!

Sorry, the app is not yet available outside of the US or for androids but those are coming soon.


Download the app on Itunes here

From Itunes:
Take your indoor cycling class to go with iRideInside, an app that provides you with “ready-made” as well as “customizable” workouts so that you can get in a great ride anywhere you want and for any amount of time. Choose from a selection of experienced instructors that ride right along with you and push you harder than you ever thought you could go. Whether you are a beginner just wanting to get in shape or an avid cyclist looking to stay fit, iRideInside is the app for you.

Features:

- Video clips of instructors demonstrating the workout.

- Full audio of each instructor’s workout.

- Choose the music playlist provided by the instructor or create one from your iTunes library.

- Choose ready-made workouts or customize your own.

- Customize what icons are displayed on the screen, including total elapsed time, rate of perceived exertion (RPE), and cadence.

- On-screen display includes total workout time as well as a countdown timer for each section.

- Expert information on bike fit, hand positions, equipment, nutrition, stretching, etc.

Patient Experience Contact Tool

If you want to help people learn first hand about surgical options and surgeons please take 60 seconds to fill out your info:

FORCE (Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered): Patient Experience Contact Tool

Genetics specific research

Hi folks: I have explained before the urgent need to fund research into the specific factors of genetically related breast and ovarian cancer... for my children and perhaps your own, take a minute to read a bit more about why FORCE has set up a research fund specifically dedicated to this important issue:

FORCE - Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered