Thank you, Thom

>===== Original Message From Doug Swenson =====
>To Thom Birch,
>
> Thanks for being real - touching many minds with running, Yoga, Music and your friendship. We will all miss you - yet your spirit lives on with all of us forever ( Eternal life ).
>
> Namaste, Doug

Tribute to Thom Birch

(1/18/1954 -11/9/2006)

Thank you for coming. Please join us in celebrating the life of Thom Birch. For those of you who did not know Thom, he was an incredibly gifted athlete, musician, and teacher. His intense enthusiasm for life and his personal charisma touched and enhanced the lives of all who knew him. Thom loved people and was always there for anyone in need.

Growing up in the Bronx, Thom overcame a childhood of constant struggle to become a world class runner. He attended the University of Houston on a full track and field scholarship, becoming the Most Valuable Athlete of his graduating class. After returning to New York in l982, he went on to become an exceptional yoga teacher, touching the lives of tens of thousands of runners and athletes in his classes through the New York Road Runners Club in New York City from l986-2002. He helped to heal and inspire many an injured runner, himself coming back from a career ending injury to regain a national title in 1985. His mental and physical training as a runner always put him a few steps ahead of most everyone else – which helped him to act almost instantaneously and save the lives of three people over the past 20 years – one from choking to death, one from drowning after being carried out to a reef on an ocean current, and the last from burning to death in a blazing car accident.

In the last 5 years, Thom retired from teaching and went on to pursue his first love in life, ---music. Thom has been singing since he was a child and was always singing to his students in yoga classes. He went full time into music with the same dedication that he had devoted to attaining world class status as an athlete, teaching himself the intricacies of lead guitar and practicing for hours and hours a day. He played at many of the clubs and cafes on the East End of Long Island and was scheduled for his 6th show at the famous Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett this December.

Thom touched many lives through his life as a runner, teacher, and musician. His energy lives on in those who knew him, through the many gifts he has given us. We all carry his stories, his energy, his music, and his struggles in our hearts every day.

Beryl greatly appreciates the support from her world family.

Donations

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in the
name of Thomas Edward Birch to:
Autism Speaks, a division of National Alliance
for Autism Research)
or

The Mount Sinai Medical Neurobiological Study
of Brain Disorders at:

The Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and
Bronx VA Medical Center
Psychiatry Research, 4F-33B
Bronx VA Medical Center
130 West Kingsbridge Road
Bronx, NY 10468
(please note Haroutunian:
Neurobiology Research Program in the memo)

(visit the original page at http://www.power-yoga.com)

I will miss you, my brother...

Thom Birch lived his life as a gift to others. Intense, sometimes moody, always passionate about running, yoga, and music, and especially devoted to the love of his life, Beryl.

At teacher training he would tell us stories about his early life, his running career, the injury that ended it, and the yoga practice that gave it new life. He would speak of Beryl, who taught him that yoga practice, with tears of gratitude pouring down his face and had us all in tears ourselves. Then he would tell us about her weakness for dogs (Siberian Huskies in particular) that would have us in stitches...

I shared a SouthWest Air flight to Texas one year on the way to a yoga conference at which they were presenting. The flight attendants had a reputation for rambunctious readings of the safety rules and other shenanigans, and Thom was primed and ready. When they tossed the peanuts down the aisle, he caught 'em and threw them back! He matched them wisecrack for wisecrack, keeping everyone around his seat rolling on the floor (and Beryl pretending to hide in her seat, muttering "I do NOT know this man!" while giggling). And the closer we got to the Lone Star State, the thicker his drawl got....

Thom's approach to teaching yoga was "If it ain't fun, it ain't yoga!"; while so many take themselves so seriously and treat their practice like they're in church, he would break into show tunes, crack jokes, whatever it took to make practice enjoyable - if you don't love what you do, how will you do it for a lifetime? Look for beauty, look for humor, sacredness can be found in the smallest details usually overlooked.

Ultimately, yoga is music made manifest by the physical body. Many yogis find additional benefit through music - nada yoga. Thom lived his dream of making wonderful music (you can find his album on CD Baby) and while we missed his skillful asana teaching, it was worth it to see the look on Beryl's face when she watched Thom sing. His cover of Redemption Song was awesome, his original takes on kirtan chants inspiring.

I will miss you, my brother.

Enjoy life today, tomorrow you may be elsewhere...

Dear Friends,
Thom Birch (1/18/1954 - 11/9/2006)
My greatest teacher, my sweet soulmate and husband, Thom Birch died suddenly and instantly of a massive heartattack in the very early morning of Thursday, November 9. Please take a moment to join me in celebrating his life with all our family and friends. For those of you who were friends and knew Thom, please would you join us over the weekend in playing Thom's CD, playing the music of his mentor and teacher, Carlos Santana, retelling his wonderful stories, and remembering your personal experiences. We wish him joyful travels in his journey to his next lifetime, and we know he will be playing his guitar, singing Amazing Grace, and telling more stories all the way. Please visit our website at www.power-yoga.com for our tribute to Thom and information on services (Nov. 12-13) Please contact lori@power-yoga.com if you need immediate assistance.
Celebrate Impermanence
In love and light
Beryl Bender Birch

e-Sutra: The Worldwide Yoga List: 1938 Video of Sri T. Krishnamacharya Practicing Asana and Bandhas

e-Sutra: The Worldwide Yoga List: 1938 Video of Sri T. Krishnamacharya Practicing Asana and Bandhas