Iain R.I.P.

For the past 8 years (John) Iain Maitland has been our faithful, fantastic, reliable and most amusing driver between Houston IAH airport and Soma Ranch.

Curiously along the way Iain became a sweet friend. We had a fun "banter", quick blasts of "Hellos, Goodbyes, catch ups and Hugs" and chilled coco-colas were always waiting for him in the (secret) fridge.

With a heavy heart, and a well of gratitude beyond the tears, I'm sad to announce Iain has died (peacefully at home, which was his desire/request).

Until very recently Iain was his usual unique sweet self, picking up passengers and bringing a sparkle to my day.

Iain will be missed. We celebrate him, his life and how he touched ours.

Everything happened fast, his family had flown in from Ireland to be with him, and were able to speak with him before he passed.

We'll be sure to pass on information about arrangements as plans progress.

October 1st CuppA

Here at Soma Ranch we've been getting together on the 1st Monday of the month for several years now.

Soma Ranch sets up coffees, teas, cups, plates etc.

Spontaneously participants bring "snacks" (fruit, cake, muffins, cookies).

Each person has an opportunity to introduce themselves and share something (brag, giggle, gratitude, ask for help or prayer request...)

Together we raise funds for our annual fundraiser St Jude dropping some cash in the pot before we depart.

Thank you Cece, Peggy, Cathey, Marie, Kelly Marie, Deana and Chris. lovely to relax on the deck, touch base, laugh, share and support.

Welcome back Deana, Emily you were missed.

We raised $34 towards our annual fundraiser St Jude

#StJude, #stjudeschildrensresearchhospital #StJudeHeroes

https://www.somaranch.com/jude

Simple Cleansing Remedy

Broccoli water has become my “standard” for many wellness situations:

  • when I need to reset after eating/drinking more food/sugar than usual

  • when I am running a fever

  • when I have an upset stomach

  • when I have tooth ache

  • when I have an infection

  • when I want to loose some weight

How to make Broccoli Water:

  1. Boil a big clump (or bag) of broccoli in plenty of water (big pan) for 15+ minutes

  2. Add pinch of sea sale

  3. Option: add coconut oil

  4. Option: add a splash of apple cider vinegar

  5. Drain broccoli and save the broth

  6. Enjoy sips of the broccoli water warm, or keep cool on hand in the fridge.

When going through a deep healing (whether physical, mental, emotional or spiritually) I often make a big batch, keep it warm on the stove and draw a mug about once an hour.

Having broccoli water on hand in the fridge is great for

  • using as vegetable broth

  • a quick go to when craving sugar

  • simply needing a nourishing, reset, moment

Cabana Construction

Yes! Joe is constructing again! What was the massage house is now converted into a lovely pool house, a private dwelling for a guest with private bathroom and fabulous views!

What pool house is complete without a cabana! We’re constructing shade on both sides to help keep the little house cool, reduce how often the building needs to be repainted and to provide enjoyable spaces in the shade.

Happy October

What a delight to have windows open, with neither heat nor AC on! We’re all loving the shift in season here at Soma Ranch. Texas weather at its best! Even Cha Cha, the smallest most special donkey, is frolicking around with joy.

This weekend our class focus is “Joy of Movement” (it’s our birth right!) the first principle of Nia and the thread that runs through everything.

The 30 Days, 30 Classes “Trick and Treats” wellness Challenge begins today. We have a solid group of 50+ people from around the globe who have been taking classes all year, and 13 new participants registered this month. There’s room for you! The door, and our arms, are wide open. Would you like to join us for October?

Nia and Yoga Faith Classes continue to grow at Soma Ranch. Welcome back Kay and Diana who both signed up for another year unlimited at Soma Ranch.

Thank you Chris Disser who has lead the Yoga Faith Classes for years. She’s taking a sabbatical to focus on her health and Helen is stepping into cover the 8:45am Monday and Thursday classes this month. Like the Nia 10am classes these are offered hybrid; you can attend in person, online via zoom or with a 48HR recording.

The Deb Kern Deep Diver Retreat was a healing nourishing success. Thank you Deb for moving to Montgomery! we love collaborating with you.

This month is a most popular month, with our annual Nia Blue Oct 6-12 , Nia Retreat Week, the return of Fire Fly Yoga Retreat and Embodied Authentic Healing retreat.

Here’s a summary of upcoming events at Soma Ranch with more details included below.

We love how Nia In PERSON Trainings are filling up, registration is open for Nia Green Nov 11 - 16 next month (5 people registered so far). The Nia White belt in January already has 3 people registered!

Hope you are stepping into October, enjoying the shift of the seasons, with something joyful in your heart and something to “tickle your toes” (help you giggle) and pumpkin something!…

Love

Helen + Joe

 

Soma Faith pause

Thank you everyone who has attended SomaFaith classes and contributed to our Soma fundraiser, we raised more than $500 for St. Jude.

Deb Kern and I have loved providing SomaFaith on Sundays. The program has grown wonderfully and an amazing group of women have come together and taken the classes, in Person, Online via zoom and through the 24HR recording.

We’re taking a pause for this last quarter to reassess how and when to offer this program. Walking our talk we realize how important it is to have a day off from teaching each week. If you’d like to receive more information and to be on our “SomaFaith” news list please email helen@somaranch.com.

Helen is stepping in to lead the 8:45am Monday and Thursday YogaFaith classes this month. Classes are Hybrid: In person and Online via Zoom. Let us know if you’d like to join the class.

Thank you Chris Disser who has been a fabulous Yoga Faith teacher. She has lead the class for years, building an intimate very special group of women who show up extremely consistently. Chris is taking a sabbatical to focus on a personal, and very important, matter.

Beautiful Retreat

Congratulations Dr Deb Kern on another beautiful retreat here at Soma Ranch. The delightful details (like specially personalized oils, special guest speakers, fabulous skin brushes and glorious flower head bands) contributed to this being a most nourishing and pleasurable time.

This is the first “Retreat Series” we’ve hosted at Soma Ranch, with this retreat being the 2nd of 3 over a span of 6 months.

For more information and to sign up for the Deep Dive with Dr Deb Kern program in 2023 contact Dr. Deb Kern.

For more information about attending or hosting a retreat at Soma Ranch contact helen@somaranch.com.

Monday Cuppa October 3

THIS MONTH WE MEET ON MONDAY October 3.

Yes! our “Monthly Monday Coffee” connections are WONDERFUL…

Every month, (most often) the first Monday, we meet up after 10am Nia class to connect, enjoy a cuppa and have a grand time.

Coffee, tea, kombucha, snacks and time to hang, get to know each other better, help and support.

This is one of our community events where 100% donations collected go towards St Jude, our Soma Selected” charity of choice.

Our goal is to raise $8000 for St. Jude. We collect donations at our monthly “Monday Coffee Connection”, Soma Faith classes and Special Events throughout the year.

On Monday entertain 8:45am YogaFaith, 10am Nia Class, then connect with our lovely community with coffee, teas and snacks. We hope you can join us.

We have a great time listening to each other’s thoughts, challenges and successes. We provide support and offer prayers.

Consider enjoying a “triple play” with

  • 8:45am YogaFaith

  • 10:00am Nia

  • 11:00am 1st Monday Cuppa

Thank you to all the incredible 73 people who donated to our 2021 campaign.

We exceeded our $5000 goal and raised $8150 for St Jude!

October 30 day Challenge

 

We’re days away from our next 30 day challenge. Would you like to join the “Tricks and Treats” 30 day challenge?:

https://www.somaranch.com/booking/nia-challenge

When you sign up for the October 30 day challenge by September 29th you can bring a friend for FREE!

Receive 30 classes that include: 30 mins, 60 mins, Nia, Nia 5 Stages, Feldenkrais, Special Dr Deb Kern class.

Program includes Support, Coaching, Education, Community, Connection and lots of laughs along the way.

All for $99.

Lovely Birthday Celebration

Thank you everybody who came out to celebrate Soma’s birthday. What a grand time we had. Thanks to Pat Greer, with https://www.patgreerskitchen.com/ we enjoyed the infamous raw carrot cake with cashew frosting! and thanks to Mimi we achieved balance with her chocolate brownie raspberry whipping cream yummy extravaganza.

Shelley drove in from New Orleans, Megan from Houston, Michelle (who provided foot detox in every training for almost a decade) returned, Peggy and Cynthia drove up from the Woodlands

Sensuous as Healing class focus

Dr. Deb Kern is back at Soma Ranch this weekend with her special Deep Dive Devis Retreat. These women are on a glorious 6 month deep transformative process program, with this being the 2nd of 3 retreats.

When you are under the ‘spell of the sensuous,’ all 75 trillion of your cells relax and expand, they actually radiate energy like the sun.
— David Abram, author of “The Spell of the Sensuous,”

Our 5 Stages 8:45am class and Nia classic 10am are focusing on Sensuous as Healing. You’re welcome to join us online for either class. Or entertain a luxurious double scoop! The 5 stages class is a luxurious 1 hour preparation where we go deep into the focus, experience the concepts in our body then energize what we’ve learned and explored through the Nia classic class at 10am. When you sign up for a class you are automatically sent the Zoom links for class. The links are the same each week.

Congratulations Nia 5 Stages Graduates

Congratulations Nia 5 Stages Graduates, 4 ladies who didn’t know each other came together and truly connected magic. 2 ladies came curious about Nia and wanting to learn more, they hadn’t even experienced the 5 stages class before. 2 ladies returned to Soma for their next step. Everybody had a wonderful, healing, nourishing very special time. Megan, Michelle and Peggy joined us on retreat.

An added bonus (the idea was cooked up during our Soma Birthday Celebration) was our Lake House Neighbor and friend Mimi who offered to take all trainees and retreaters out on a sunrise boat trip with the option to “surf”. Thanks Mimi! the girls had a BLAST.


October Nia Blue Belt Training Retreat

We’re looking forward to our annual Soma October Nia Blue Belt training retreat. With women from around the country coming together to co- created magic. We will dance, explored learn, share AND LAUGH a lot! A lovely reminder of how, when we stay light, engaged and curious, deep work and self discovery can evolve, with minimum frustration/pain and maximum fascination/pleasure.

Here’s some photos and descriptions of what to expect at a Nia Training retreat at Soma Ranch:

The first night is filled with joy, comfort and relaxation: Sitting around the Soma Dining Room table on the first night, hearing where folks are from and learning a little more about each other, is a lovely way to get to know each other.

The studio “community social” room (fondly called the LOVE room) lends itself well to some of the Nia Blue Belt Sessions (like the Power of 2 ~ Communication).

The studio “dance” room (fondly called the JOY room) bring wonderful light, awesome sound and sparkling sprung birch wood floor.

During the week we play with a “color of the day”, fun to feel connection and take great photos!

As Joe says “people eat with their eyes” we had some lovely food as art, the newly constructed dock on the pond was enjoyed. As was a wonderful circle around the fire evening.

The newly constructed Pavilion, over the back deck, continues through its first season to be a big success. From dawn to past dusk, with our comfy outdoor furniture, there were many meaningful conversations and great giggles experienced. Lovely memories created as we enjoy the breeze, perfect temperature and beautiful nature sounds, undercover outdoors.

We love how we can “sparkle” a Nia Training experience with excursions, special events and the opportunity to connect with the herd (our precious rescued horses and donkeys)

Hopefully (weather permitting) Joe can take us out for a sunrise, moonset boat ride, on Lake Conroe.

The moon light is amazing from the pool area at Soma Ranch.

We enjoy conversations around the dining table, Nia in the pool and HYBRID (simultaneous in person and online) Nia Classes.

Teaching “Fun Friday” (where the class brings the moves, I, Helen, bring the moves and together we co-create magical experience) is always extra special with all the Nia Blue Belt participants dancing with me in the studio!

Our Graduation lunch party is fun with Joe creating food with the Nia and Soma Ranch logo, sparkling (non alcoholic) fizzy bubbly in our “wedding flutes”.

Wonderful parting photos with everybody wearing their Soma Ranch T Shirts

Private room
from $318.00
Semi-Private
from $318.00
Shared Dorm
from $212.00

Happy 13th Birthday Soma

Soma Ranch will be 13 years old on September 9, 2022.

This is a most special extended weekend celebration at Soma Ranch, we would LOVE you to join us, there are ONLINE and IN PERSON options - and there will be cake!

Choose to...

1. retreat for 2, 3 or 4 nights
2. add on the Nia 5 stages training
3. or drop in for a class or special event (ONLINE or In PERSON)

 
Nia 5 Stages Special Weekend
from $150.00

This is a most special extended weekend celebration at Soma Ranch, we hope you can join us.

As a guest staying at Soma Ranch,

As a Nia Trainee, enjoy all of the above, and the Nia 5 Stages training. No pre-requisites to attend the course.

Click HERE for SCHEDULE and information about Celebration and special events.

Soma Birthday + Events
from $15.00

Come celebrate Soma’s 14th Birthday and/or enjoy a class, retreat or Nia 5 Stages training.

Please click HERE for more information about a Soma Retreat or 5 Stages Training

Soma Birthday Celebration

Important things.. we need to know how big of a cake to order for our Saturday Birthday Celebration. Please let us know ASAP if you intend to attend. No need to bring anything other than a smile, and a towel if you’d like to jump in the pool! We’re providing water, ice-tea, chips n dip and CAKE!

Thank you in advance for leaving your dogs and other pets at home :-) Enjoy our donkeys & horses while you’re here ;-)

Monday Cuppa September 12

THIS MONTH WE MEET ON MONDAY September 12.

Yes! our “Monthly Monday Coffee” connections are WONDERFUL…

Every month, (most often) the first Monday, we meet up after 10am Nia class to connect, enjoy a cuppa and have a grand time.

Coffee, tea, kombucha, snacks and time to hang, get to know each other better, help and support.

This is one of our community events where 100% donations collected go towards St Jude, our Soma Selected” charity of choice.

Our goal is to raise $8000 for St. Jude. We collect donations at our monthly “Monday Coffee Connection”, Soma Faith classes and Special Events throughout the year.

On Monday entertain 8:45am YogaFaith, 10am Nia Class, then connect with our lovely community with coffee, teas and snacks. We hope you can join us.

We have a great time listening to each other’s thoughts, challenges and successes. We provide support and offer prayers.

Consider enjoying a “triple play” with

  • 8:45am YogaFaith

  • 10:00am Nia

  • 11:00am 1st Monday Cuppa

Thank you to all the incredible 73 people who donated to our 2021 campaign.

We exceeded our $5000 goal and raised $8150 for St Jude!

New Beginnings

Happy September!

We hope all is well and vibrant with you. The month has begun with a lot of activity and some great results over here at Soma Ranch, and it’s only September 2!

We (Joe and Helen) are full time moved into Soma Ranch.

This weekend “home at the ranch” we will unpack and organize to figure out how blend contents of 2 homes and combine 2 lovely, connected yet separate, things: our personal and professional lives;

  1. the loves and passions of our Private Life: Helen + Joe, our family and the life we live.

  2. the needs and demands of our Professional Life: Soma Ranch, as a retreat center.

 

With next weekend being the 13th birthday of Soma Ranch (yes! she’s becoming a teenager!)

We are full on focused on being prepared and ready for celebrations. This is a wonderful time for us to get together, we hope you can join us.

Choices include;

from $15.00
 

Thank you everyone who’s signed up for the September 30 days of Movement and Health

We have a beautiful group of people, some who have sustained this practice since January 2021, some who have returned and 9 new participants.

This week’s Thursday Sept 1 “it’s a new beginning” class was a wonderful celebration between local participants in the studio and folks around the globe on the “wall of smiles” via Zoom.

There’s still time to join us if you’d like.

Helen is teaching Saturday 8:45am Nia 5 Stages and 10:00am Classic Nia. Step into the new month with the Joy of Movement.

Dr. Deb Kern is leading the 4th line of the Lord’s prayer on Sunday 5:00pm via zoom. Check out this beautiful expansion of the Lord’s prayer translated by acclaimed Aramaic scholar Dr. Neil Douglas-Klotz.

Birthdays

Here’s at Soma Ranch, we love celebrating birthdays. Recently when hosted Firefly Yoga from Temple, Texas we celebrated a guest’s birthday with Joe’s famous “Tex Mex Fiesta” meal/evening.

Joe draws from his wisdom, and experience of managing the Cafe Adobe Restaurants in Houston, with a twist of Soma Ranch and lots of fun creativity.

For example:

  • quinoa made in the style of Spanish rice

  • grilled veggies with coconut oil and Mexican spices

  • guacamole made fresh from scratch

  • Joe “secret” green avocado sauce

  • red quinoa and chia seed baked chips

  • shredded chicken on the side, for the paleos in the crowd

Wrapped up with Mexican hanging banner flags, pinata donkey, flan and of course birthday cake.

Please let us know when you visit if you’re celebrating a special occasion (birthday, anniversary), we would LOVE to celebrate YOU during your Soma Ranch stay :-)

The next Firefly Yoga retreat is October 21-23, 2022.

Bunk-room accommodations options are still available, Private and Semi-private are SOLD OUT,

Here’s what Kelly (the host) shares about this wonderful retreat…

We’ve rested. We’ve discovered. Now it’s time to THRIVE!

What does it even mean to thrive?

Mirriam-Webster tells us it means to grow vigorously. To flourish. To prosper.

During our three day weekend retreat, we will dig in to what it means for us to thrive. By reflecting on our season of rest, our season of sowing and then focusing on what flourishing looks like for us.

How can we thrive with chaos around us? How can we thrive when circumstances aren’t conducive to flourishing? And how can we thrive when we just don’t feel like it?

Learn how to keep your North Star in front of you even as the seas get rough, so that you can continue moving forward…. or at least not going back….
— Kelly Partyke, Firefly Yoga

Kelly Partyke

(pronounced par-tah-kee) moved from Washington State in 2019 to the Temple Texas area.

She attended her yoga teacher training with Holy Yoga Global and Yoga Teachers College. She loves teaching YogaTrapeze, Holy Yoga and Gentle Vinyasa.

Here at Soma Ranch, we LOVE hosting Kelly and Firefly Yoga. She is as sparkly as her eyes and as warm as her smile. Kelly is radiantly beautiful from the inside out, she holds the space well, leads with compassion and is an inspiration to be around. We recommend Kelly and her retreats highly.

Contact:

fireflyyogaandmovementstudio@gmail.com
254-218-4072

Great day to step into 30 days of Health & Movement

Today is a GREAT day to commit to 30 days of Health & Movement, to step into the new month with support, inspiration and connection with a FABULOUS group of people who aspire to love their bodies, love their lives and have a grand time in the process ;-)

We've have Nia classes, Nia 5 Stages, Special Class with Deb Kern and Feldenkrais with Irene Pasternack.

Folks from all over the world join us on zoom. Including US, UK, Canada, Chile, Romania, Hungary, Germany, Finland.

Fun Fridays are where participants bring music suggestions, Helen improvises the moves and together we co-create magic (it's a BLAST). We alternate between a 52 moves class (where Helen goes through all the Nia Moves in 30 minutes) and complete improv' where Helen creates choreography on the fly.

Wednesdays Irene shares incredible healing wisdom/body awareness with Feldenkrais. AMAZING how much can be achieved, shifted and healed in 30 minutes!

Dr Deb Kern teaches a special class once a month.

Helen teaches 2 x 30 minute classes and 3 x 60 minute classes and 1 x Nia 5 stages class a week.

We open the doors 15 minutes early for chat, conversation and coaching. Helen also stays after class to connect and answer questions both from participants and fellow teachers.

Classes are 8am and 10am (central time), and you receive a 24HR recording of all of the above - i.e. 30 classes.

how could all this be better? if you chose to join us ;-) yes - we'd love to see you.

SIGN UP TODAY AND BRING A FRIEND FOR THE MONTH of September FOR FREE

https://www.somaranch.com/news/2022/september-30-day-challenge

Soma Faith - Lord's Prayer Line 4

Sunday, September 4, 2022, 05:00PM - 06:00 PM ONLINE

We’re continuing our series with Dr Deb Kern, who is guiding us through the Lord’s Prayer one line at a time. All classes are independent, stand alone, experiences. i.e. you don’t have to have taken the previous lines to experience the next. If you would like to experience replay if any previous class all you need do is request a replay. Here’s notes about class:

 
Your one desire then acts with ours,
as in all light, so in
all forms.
Let all wills move together
in your vortex, as stars and planets
swirl through the sky.
Help us love beyond our ideals
and sprout acts of compassion
for all creatures.
As we find your love in ours,
let heaven and nature form
a new creation.
Unite the crowd within
in a vision of passionate purpose:
light mates with form.
Create in me a divine cooperation —
from many selves, one voice,
once action.
Let your heart’s fervent desire
unite heaven and earth
through our harmony.
Your one desire then acts with ours,
as in all light, so in
all forms.
— Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, Nehwey tzevyanach aykanna d’bwashmaya aph b’arha, Original Prayer by Neil Douglas-Klotz

The Lord's Prayer is among Christianity's most beloved teachings, a daily devotion practiced by Christians everywhere. If we could travel back in time to the ancient Holy Land and witness Jesus himself speaking and meditating upon these words, what would we learn?

Using a translation by acclaimed Aramaic scholar, teacher and author Dr. Neil Douglas-Klotz and musical versions from a variety of artists, we’ll allow the language and sound vibrations of the Lord's Prayer in Aramaic to move in and through us as we dance.

Each line of the prayer becomes a focus for class.

June 4: Line 1

July 10: Line 2

August 14: Line 3

September 4: Line 4

October 9: Line 5

November 6: Line 6

December 4: Line 7

January TBD: Line 8

Dr. Deb Kern is a health scientist, visionary teacher and guide. From the rain forest of Costa Rica to the foothills of the Himalayas to the south of India to the jungles of Bali to the shores of Maui to the interior of Mexico, she’s traveled to apprentice with master teachers, shamans, yogis, herbalists and healers.

She’s the the author of Everyday Wellness for Women and Create the Body Your Soul Desires, founder of a healing movement practice called PranaShakti™ Dance and the mom of 2 amazing young men.

Dr. Kern studied Nursing at Vanderbilt University; holds a B.A. and an M.B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin and a Ph.D. in Health Sciences from Texas Woman’s University in Denton, Texas. In addition, she is a Mindful Change Coach, Integral Hatha Yoga Instructor, Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapist, and Transpersonal Energy Healer.

Soma Faith Class
from $5.00

Welcome to Soma Faith 5pm Sunday “Pop Ups” at Soma Ranch. These special Sunday events don’t happen every week. Please email helen@somaranch.com if you’d like to be including in the Soma Faith News List.

SOMA FAITH

Online (Via Zoom), In Person (at Soma Ranch), or via 24HR recording, come Praise, Dance, Worship, Workout, Pray, Connect, Move and Sweat with us!

We're in for a GLORIOUS TIME singing, praising and dancing to Christian music.

All Faiths and Fitness Levels Welcome.

Helen Terry creates all inspiring Christian workout/worship experiences. They combine her passion for Christ, with her love for movement and fitness and Nia.

Helen brings more than 35 years experience with holistic fitness and wellness.

Receive zoom link for class and 24 HR replay by clicking “PURCHASE”

Classes are on a sliding scale, choose your price $5 - $100.

  • Pay for a class

  • Pay for the month

  • Pay as you go

  • Make a one time payment

The choice is yours.

We never want finances to get in the way of your opportunity to connect, move and be moved through our Soma Faith program. We appreciate your support and how you give.

We never want religion to get in the way of your opportunity. All beliefs and faiths are welcome. Helen will pray at the beginning and end of the experience, and the name Jesus will be mentioned. All are welcome.

50% of all funds collected go towards our Soma Charity: St Jude.