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Thank you for visiting my site!
It has been 6 weeks since I closed the studio,
and again, I want to thank all of you who were a part of the
studio as a student, a client, an instructor, practitioner,
a building contractor, a friend, one and all that made Illuminatus
Yoga and Wellness the wonderful place it was during the 3
years we were in business.
What's happened since then? Well, where do I
begin. Both tragedy and happiness.
First, the bad news.
Dana's (my girlfriend's) house burned and we've
been spending the past few weeks helping her get back on her
feet. Yes, she is physically fine, but the fire has taken
an emotional toll on her that she continues to work through.
Thanks to the Red Cross, and kind souls that work with her,
friends of hers, and friends, co-workers, and relatives of
mine, she now has a roof over her head, a place to sleep,
and transportation. Well, her transportation's of the two-wheeled
variety, and we're working on getting her a used car - an
"old beater" that will get her from point A to point
B and will last her for awhile - until she's able to get more
financially stable and get something that'll last her for
the longer term.
She needs a car because - shortly before her
house burned - her car engine blew (threw a rod). So, April
was not a good month for Dana.
How did the fire start? Well, first of all,
it was early morning (around 4:30 on a Monday), and she was
alone in the house. She got up to go to the bathroom and when
she was in the bathroom, heard a loud *pop*. She went down
the hall to the bedroom and saw that where she had left a
candle on her night stand (she had lit a candle that night
and still isn't sure whether or not she put it out) it looked
like it had exploded and wax was aflame on the floor. She
grabbed the comforter from the bed and threw it down to smother
the flames.
This is the important part. The Fire Marshall
said that Dana did what anyone would've and should've done,
grab something to smother the flames. He said that unfortunately,
many comforters have filling that is petroleum-based. Well,
what Dana then saw when she threw the comforter over the flames
was that the comforter went up in flames quickly. She rushed
to the bathroom to get some water to try to douse the flames,
and when she got just half-way back up the hallway, she saw
flames licking up the hallway.
She then - and I am so thankful she did - grabbed
her house phone and went out the door, calling 911. After
she reached them and they said someone would be on their way,
she called me. She was crying, sobbing, completely overwhelmed,
and who wouldn't be? She called 911 again and the phone went
dead in the middle of the call. Her phone line dropped, burned
through from the fire.
Before I could be with her - she and I love
2 hours apart - the Red Cross had come to her aid and was
providing her with emotional and financial assistance. It
has only been a few weeks, but in some ways, it seems like
so long ago and at the same time, just yesterday. Time seems
to warp after events like this. I am so happy that she is
alive and that no one was physically harmed by the fire. The
entire first floor of her house was as close to a total loss
as it could be. The 2nd floor rooms nearly look untouched.
But, though the Fire Marshall ruled it an accident, and that
the structure of the house is still sound, they are going
to tear down the walls and completely rebuild the wiring and
such, as well. I don't know how long it will take to rebuild,
but in the meantime, Dana is renting a very small house in
Darrington.
We were able to salvage some food - we'd gone
grocery shopping the day before and nearly all of the dry
goods were ruined - from the refrigerator and from her floor-standing
freezer. Last weekend we salvaged her washer and dryer and
hooked it up in her current space.
I've never seen that much fire damage in my
entire life. The hardest part for Dana was not the physical
damage, but pictures and items that held sentimental value.
Pictures of her children, of her late father, items from her
childrens' early years. It was so hard for her to go in and
help salvage what we could.
Also amazing to me was seeing the humanity of
so many people. Some were so significant in their eagerness
to help, others signifant in the polar opposite. I'm reminded
of:
Eloquently put by Jeff Bridges' character in
Starman, referring to humankind:
"You are at your best when things are at their worst"
But not quite as brief and concise as Dickens in A Tale of
Two Cities:
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times"
I continue to make trips to Darrington, to shuttle items
from friends, co-workers, and relatives, to help Dana get
back on her feet. She's come a long way from a few weeks ago,
but I will be there to help her and support her for as long
as it takes.
And some good news.
Thanks to Barbara Fromm, who connected me with Ross Hoover
at the Issaquah Community Center. I am starting a yoga class
there! It starts June 8th, every Thursday evening at 7:00
PM.
These are now the classes I'm teaching:
Title: Yoga: Beginning
Location: BCC main campus, room C168
Time: 7:30 - 8:45 PM
Day: Mondays
Signing up: We are mid-way into the quarter
at BCC, but you can register for the next class from this
link.
Title: Beginning Yoga
Location: View Room at the Community Center,
Issaquah
Time: 7:00 - 8:00 PM
Day: Thursdays
Signing up: Come to the class and sign in
to the roster. I won't be able to process credit or debit
cards, but checks and cash will be lovingly accepted.
More details on the locations yet to come! Please watch this
site and your e-mail for updates!
Now, I want to give you all quick links
to make it easy for you to contact other practitioners and
services we had provided at the studio, so you can continue
to work with them:
Acupuncture
Maya Vajra, L.Ac., Acupuncturist
Call 206-300-1530 for an appointment
vajraacupuncture@aol.com
www.vajraacupuncture.com
Counseling
Child/Family/Adult Therapist
Licensed mental health therapist
A certified child mental health specialist
with 12 years experience. Insurances accepted.
Call 425-223-4622 for an appointment or information.
Massage
Helene Baradat, LMP: 206-818-2153
Rita Bojorquez, LMP:206-709-8705
Linda Greenwood, LMP: 425-888-2115
Patricia Perez, LMP: 425-445-7233
Gabrielle Summers, LMP: 253-241-5916
Call for an appointment with the massage
therapist
of your choice! Ask about insurance!
Rates:
30 minutes: $35
60 minutes: $70
90 minutes: $100
Power Kickbox
Lori Morrison
Call 425-888-8555 for information
powerkickbox@yahoo.com
Tribal Belly Dance
Airmid, Tribal Belly Dance
www.redtent.net
Yoga and Pilates
Byron, Denise, and Stefanie
E-mail us for
information
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Studio
closed