In Loving Memory of Talaya Thomas

On June 28, 2021 the world lost Talaya Thomas – an incredible light worker, mom, friend, yoga teacher, fast-as-shit badass runner, adventurer, creator of The Moovment and SoulJour – who worked selflessly for SoulJour starting with our first Global Meditation on Zoom (before Zoom was a thing) on 4.4.2020 until her passing. Talaya was a brilliant connector who shared a big vision in creating a wellness empire transforming as many lives as possible – including all colors and demographics – into a primarily White yoga space. All of the presenters in these Sunday Service Sessions had a direct experience with Talaya in one way or another. She is still in our thoughts, hearts and souls and not a day goes by that we don't hear her saying "You GO GIRL! You do YOU!" We love you the most T and hope that through this Series will be able to better understand the concept of Trust and how it relates to losing a dear sister in her prime and how to navigate being a co-creator of life with T behind the scenes.

Cahuita, Costa Rica. February & May 2021

 

The Significance of the Feather

The most powerful feather meanings include: trust, freedom, wisdom, power, strength, and honor. The feather is a communication from our guardian angels, and represent a bridge between the physical and spiritual realm. Birds fly closest to the heavens and feathers are considered direct communication with the divine – a gift from God. 

Seeing a feather is a signal from your angel that he/she is listening to your prayers and can help you guide the directions you wanted. Trust that you are not alone in this big world. Someone above is watching and ready to help you. 

Here are some other meanings of feathers. Keep your eyes open as you never know when a feather will cross your path!

Crow = balance, skill, and cunning
Falcon = speed, movement, and soul healing
Dove = kindness, love, and gentleness
Bluebird = happiness
Hawk = guardianship and far-sightedness
Owl = wisdom
Raven = creation and knowledge
Turkey = pride, fertility, and abundance
Woodpecker = self-discovery
Wren = protection
Swallow = love and peace
Kingfisher = luck

---

Facilitated by

Ashley Melin, Founder of SoulJour

Ashley Melin has been a freelance graphic designer for 20 years with current clients ranging from Nike, Columbia Sportswear, Starbucks, California School System, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, HEMA Amsterdam. Taking her first yoga class in 1992, she has been a daily practitioner of yoga/meditation ever since, studying extensively with many of the world's best teachers. Since 2007, she has led hundreds of fearless yogis through the magical chaos of India with the goal being to get people out of their comfort zone and living their yoga. As an avid mountain biker, skier, 10 time marathon runner, and big mountain climber (climbing over 25 peaks above 14,000 feet ), she has an intimate understanding of pushing limits – physical, emotional, mental – in order to create change. This concept became the most real when she divorced the man she'd been with half her life. It was during this challenging time that the idea for SoulJour was born and she was able to turn her biggest challenge into her greatest gift.

Our Lineup

Keith Mitchell

Keith Mitchell was an All Pro Linebacker. His NFL career ended when he suffered a spinal contusion in his 7th season making a routine tackle. Through the experience of this paralyzing injury, Keith learned to be a contributor to his own healing and regained all functionality through conscious breathing, meditation, and yoga. Keith’s compelling story of healing trauma through holistic practices have been featured on Dr. Oz, USA Today, People, Sports Illustrated, Fox News, The Huffington Post, Mantra Magazine, Yoga Journal, MindBodyGreen, The Los Angeles Times, Ebony, Essence, NFL Films, LA Yoga.

Sianna Sherman

Sandra Small

Sandra Small is a singer-songwriter & NYC native. Ever since her debut EP release “World Gone Crazy”, in 2006 & her 1st full album release in 2009 “Illusions”, Sandra Small has been writing about the troubles of the world and how to push through to realize one's dreams. In 2013 Sandra recorded her last record with The Smallworld Band. Shortly after that, the lead guitarist in her band passed away, along with 3 other people close to her. It was hard to finish anything at that time. 

Moving forward, It seems that now Sandra has lots to share from that time period. Sandra’s music continues to keeps her on the path of discovery. With each new cycle of life, Sandra opens new doors, discovering the new territories that lie in the depths of her own mind and creativity. Sandra is currently on a solo mission, producing her own recordings and performing live shows with rhythms, and a blanket of sound enhanced with rhythmic melodies, lines, riffs with her loop pedal and heartfelt vocals. 

Kiyoshi

Kiyoshi is a visionary-inspirational vocalist, musician, and songwriter, with a deep passion for empowering humanity. He is a purpose driven wordsman whose fusion of upbeat hip-hop, soulful sounds, rhythms and rhymes are rooted in social, spiritual, and political awareness to provoke the world to listen and feel what is true. Blending styles from his Pacific Island and African American lineage, he built his reputation as one of Metro Detroit’s most creative and talented artists. Kiyoshi currently resides in Southern California, where he performs, rap coaches, curates events, and teaches workshops.  He’s performed and collaborated with Beats Antique Orchestra, The Polish Ambassador, Luminaries Crew, Zap Mamma, Aloe Blacc, Xavier Rudd, Mayer Hawthorne, Slum Village and more. 

 

Youmie Jean Francois is a Haitian-born, New York City raised entrepreneur tackling the wellness industry for travelers. She is an avid traveler who speaks 4 languages and has a passion to help people heal from their traumas and remind them of the power they have. She is also a consultant for wellness entrepreneurs. Youmie’s love for traveling began when she was a professional back-up dancer for musicians. During her international tours, she quickly realized she often suffered from lower back pain while taking long flights. She also noticed the level of anxiety that increased among many travelers while waiting for their flight to board, so she decided to do something about it. 

While waiting for her plane to board in Morocco, Youmie had the idea for  “Flex-N-Fly.” Flex-N-Fly is a wellness company that provides stretching/relaxation classes to travelers before they board their international and domestic flights. Flex-N-Fly also offers inflight wellness programs. The company’s first products are “The Flex|Mats.” 

The Flex|Mats are yoga, Pilates, and prayer travel mats created for people on the go. They are perfect for travelers to use at the airport for a quick stretch and meditation routine before their flight but they can be used anywhere. The Flex|Mats are microfiber suede, eco-friendly, free of PVC, and machine washable. They are lightweight enough to fold and throw it in the bag. Flex-N-Fly's goal is to expand the face of wellness and to help ease those who suffer from anxiety before, during, and after their flight.

Tyrone Beverly

Beyond being the Founder and Executive Director of Im’Unique, Tyrone Beverly is a gifted and inspiring yoga instructor, bringing excitement and a higher purpose to every class.

Tyrone is one of the leading advocates for diverse inclusivity in yoga and has been teaching yoga for over 10 years. His extreme passion for equality, human rights, unity, and physical and social health has kickstarted a wellness movement that unites communities and fosters healthy lifestyles across the nation. Both internationally and nationally known, Tyrone has touched global communities by successfully taking his health initiative to locations such as the Ragamuffin Summer Camp in Settlement, Jamaica and Wudang, China.

Beverly’s life work epitomizes his vision of a future with more problem solvers and solution based thinkers, that are equipped to deal with the historical and systematic challenges we face as a society. He reminds us that we all have the power to improve our lives and contribute to positive change.

Nevine Michaan

The founder and creator of Katonah Yoga seamlessly relates her approach to yoga through comparing it to the likes of a musician. She says, “I like to play with the idea that yoga is music, and there are lots of different types of music – but all music is playing with the same notes, the same chords; so how are you going to time it, how are you going to put it all together.”

She says “what’s really powerful is to develop the mind, body, and breath to work together. I think everyone should be self-responsible, to have integrity and to integrate all three”, which is why she has spent much of the past decade developing her Meditation Maps. 

Born in Egypt in 1954, Nevine moved to New York at the age of three. In her early 20’s, while studying history and comparative religion at Vassar College, she discovered meditation. She understood that there is a function, a formality and a fit to the universe and that yoga is a tool, a technique – a practice with repetition which gives us the opportunity to participate in life with intelligence and joy. 

Nevine started a daily practice in NYC with renowned yoga instructor Allan Bateman, in the 1970s and became fully immersed in what would become her life’s work. She began teaching Yoga in 1980, and founded the Katonah Yoga Center in Katonah, New York in 1986.Nevine continues to teach through her studio’s online offerings based out of Bedford Hills, NY.