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#ODDlight Family Feature: Liza Thoms
Each month we bring a teacher into the #ODDlight and illuminate their interests, practices, and who they are. There is a real person behind those people you see in the studio!
Name: Liza Lucia Stratton Thoms
Nick Name: Lulu, Grizz, Luchita
Hometown: Fairfax, CA up in the SF Bay Area
Favorite Place: Swimming in the ocean/floating in a river or lake or in a hug with someone I love
Favorite color: Green!
What’s your sign? Virgo
Most embarrassing moment? Turning my oddlight questions in sooo late (not a good look for a manager!)
Most empowering moment? I don't know if I have one huge empowering moment but there are a series of little things, telling my first good joke in Spanish, getting off medication for my epilepsy and being seizure free, teaching an english class to 30 adults (public speaking is my nightmare), graduating college, telling my honey I loved him for the first time...
Fun Fact most wouldn’t know about you? My boyfriend taught me to drive in San Francisco and at the ripe age of 26, I got my license.
Fun Fact most wouldn’t know about you? I speak Spanish, it was one of my majors in college and I lived in Queretaro, Mexico for a year.
When you aren’t at the studio where can you be found (favorite past time)? Seeing live music or out on the town with friends.
How do you define yoga? For me, Yoga is about learning to let go and to tune in. It has given me this great tool to examine myself and the world with less judgement.
What brought you to One Down Dog? I had just moved to LA from SF and was looking for some grounding and community in this big city and man oh man did I find what I was looking for!
What is your favorite pose or flow? Why? Warrior 2 because I feel fierce and confident and strong and I love the dance-like transition in and out of this pose. Just typing that made me get up and do one. Yup, my favorite!
Memorable yoga moment? My first tears in savasana. They were tears of gratitude for this heart opening practice.
What is your favorite yogi prop or piece to wear or use? (favorite mala etc) Blocks and Beyond Yoga high waisted pants are my shit!
What special causes or non-profits do you hold dear to your heart? My mom is a mental health specialist at the Homeless Prenatal Program in SF and so it is a place I hold near and dear. Their mission is about empowering people to recognize their strengths and trust in their own capacity to transform their lives in addition to offering various methods of support. I think this is such important messaging.
Are there any links, @names, and #hashtags you would you like us to use in promoting you and your happenings? You know I am not up on the times with this! @_luchitas is trying to keep up on instagram though! Follow me and keep me relevant.
Anything else? (feel free to add literally anything!) I have always been blessed with strong community and grew up surrounded by an enormous family (both immediate and extended) along with lots of people I called "aunts", "uncles" and "cousins" and great friendships. I am full of gratitude for this. Having a workplace with such a sense of community is my dream come true. Finding this studio made me feel at home in LA, I love this place and all the amazing people that make it what it is! Thank you ODD fam.
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