About Cherry Jones
Body
I arrived in San Francisco in 1981, as an immigrant. I was young, curious, adventurous and in love. I also needed a job! I became trained and certified as a massage practitioner. I was introduced to a sensory world of respectful attentive touch which I found quite extraordinary. I apprenticed with my Shiatsu teacher for 2 years, and with her careful mentoring, I soon became a teacher myself. I taught at many Bay Area massage schools, teaching classes in Shiatsu; trauma in the body and respectful, mindful touch. The Bay Area at that time was an amazingly rich, informal melting pot of experiential learning with practitioners of psychology and bodywork sharing knowledge. I was exposed to so many different types of trainings in bodywork, Yoga, Tai Chi, dance, improvisational theatre, psychology and meditation practices. Much of this experimental learning and exploration gave birth to the body/mind healing techniques of Pat Ogden; Peter Levine and Marion Rosen as well as Tapping (on acupressure points) and even EMDR. My teachers taught me how to be in a respectful, listening relationship with another human being; whether with aware touch or sitting in a chair; whether in stillness or movement; silence or conversation.
Heart
As I became more experienced as a somatic therapist, I noticed how the musculature, posture and Nervous system of the body correlated to an expression of emotions, anxieties, moods and stories of past trauma in my clients and in myself. I needed more understanding of the realms of the heart.
I studied psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies and became licensed as a Marriage Family Therapist in 1992. In 2001, I became a single parent by choice, when I adopted my daughter from China. The transition to becoming a parent and attuning to the sensory world of a baby was so familiar. Here was the thread of integration for me, of body, heart and mind. I am now trained in Early Intervention, and I have a National Certification as an adoption specialist. In my consultations with families, individuals and couples I focus on attachment and trauma challenges that inhibit relationship and I encourage healthy patterns of communicating. I teach Infant massage and other newborn care classes at UCSF Medical Center and also in my private practice in California.
Mind
In 1994, as a result of a major loss of a love relationship, I started attending retreats and day longs at Spirit Rock and meditating every day. I volunteered every Monday night for 7 years to listen to the Dharma talks of Jack Kornfield. My loneliness transformed into a comfort with solitude. I attended a training with Jon Kabat Zin in Mindfulness Stress reduction and soon after began teaching the program at a weight loss clinic. Every New Year, for 7 years, I attended a 10 days’ retreat with Toni Packer. I truly believe that the focused mindful attention and daily Metta practice became an intricate part of how I was able to meet and adopt my daughter in May 2001. The three jewels of Buddhism are Buddha (cultivating the Buddha heart and mind) Dharma (listening to the teachings and putting them into practice daily) and Sangha (supportive community). In 2021, I begin again. I am in a 2 years’ training with Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach and a large supportive sangha, to become a Mindfulness teacher. The powerful practices of mindfulness and Metta benefit me and all human beings with whom I come in contact.
Please join me in conversation.
Together we can explore what is important, so you can live your life with more ease and happiness and yes…… Joy
