Soulfood is What We Need Right Now

Feeding the mind through books is a delightful way to relax, escape reality and recharge our batteries. Head to your local library and expand your mind by reading books on self-help, religion and all flavors of philosophy. It is also an opportunity to improve our knowledge of ourselves and divinity by delving into subjects we aren't familiar with. On my night table, I have a translation of the Dhammapada (considered by many to be the cornerstone of Buddhism), "The Creation of Health" by Carolyn Myss, PhD (a book on energy (chi) and how we affect our health through it) and "Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali" translated by B.K.S. Iyengar (the bible of yoga philosophy).
One of the three yogas through which to achieve enlightenment is Jnana Yoga, the yoga of knowledge. Bhakti Yoga, the yoga of devotion, is encompassed in jnana yoga. Followers of organized religion would generally fall into bhakti yoga. The other two are Karma Yoga (discussed in older posts) and Raja Yoga, the yoga of meditation.
Enlightening our soul by exposing it to the light of other religions and philosophy can only widen our understanding of others and encourage unity. There are threads and traces of the Dhammapada and the Yoga Sutras in the Bible. We are more alike than we are different.
Where we banish the darkness of ignorance, the light of knowledge will lead the way.

Run Silent, Run Deep

within your soul. Our spirit requires moments of silence. It is in those quiet spaces that it speaks to us. That inner voice we call intuition, that part deep within us that "knows", just can't compete with cellphones, television, music, traffic,barking dogs and screaming children.
To allow that voice to bubble to the surface, we must be attentive to it, nurture it and give it room to expand. Quiet time is good food for the soul. Take some time to sit outside and close your eyes. Listen to the wind whispering through the trees, the birds chirping and feel the sun warm your face. This quiet time may come in the form of contemplation, a moment where one just enjoys being, not doing. There is a well-known saying in Taoism that is my mantra, Wei Wu Wei, do without doing. So find a quiet place, even if it's your closet, and spend some time listening to your soul.

What the Heck is Qigong?

"Qi what?? Never heard of it." That's a typical response when I mention I teach and practice qigong. Not as well known as its cousin, tai chi, qigong is starting to make inroads in the Western Hemisphere. Over 2,500 years old and practiced by millions of people each day, qigong is centered on opening one's meridians, or channels, and keeping our internal chi (energy) flowing. This is the cornerstone of Chinese medicine. In East Indian medicine, Ayurveda, it revolves around the 7 chakras and prana (energy).
Qigong is best described as training our internal energy. We keep it moving freely and strengthen it to keep us healthy. If you've never "felt" your chi before, it is a life-changing moment. You can never go back after that experience. One begins to understand the undercurrent of life that exists in everything, from plants to places to the universe. The concept that we are all one becomes clear and obvious. Our relationship with ourselves becomes deeper and collaborative.
I am NOT a touchy feely kind of person, everyone who knows me will attest to that. I started qigong with an open mind, but not expecting anything. I came out with a deeper self-awareness and a changed view of the world and how I affect it and fit into it. Your experience may be different. What you receive from qigong will be exactly what you need.
My qigong teaching schedule is as follows: YMCA Scottsdale/PV-Starting April 6th, once a week for 5 wks Mondays 8PM. * Fountain Hills Trufit Studios, check flyer posted on this blog.

Sugar and Spice, and Everything Nice

Well, maybe not the sugar part. A student lent me a book titled "The Raw Food Life Force Energy Diet" by Natalia Rose . No, I am not going raw. I like filet mignon too much. The book did get my wheels turning on nutrition and how I could improve mine. I started cutting out sugar, and although the first couple of days were tough, by the third day I noticed my cravings for the white powdery substance had subsided AND my food cravings evaporated. I made the connection that ingesting sugar was actually increasing my hunger in general! I've lost weight as a side benefit and have more energy to boot.

By sugar I mean corn syrup and artificial sweeteners as well. Cookies, cakes, candy, chocolate (except for 70%+ cacao dark kind), jellies and jams, ice cream...Well, you get the drift. All the tasty sweet stuff. When I do have a craving for something sweet, I reach for naturally dried fruits, 70% min. dark chocolate, nuts and green tea. Sometimes, all of them at once!

Returning our bodies to a more homeostatic level keeps us healthier both physically and emotionally. Try cutting something out of your diet over the next week that is not healthy for you. Be it sugar, alcohol, sodas, designer lattes... pick your poison. Notice the changes in your body as you go through the week. Become an observer of the signals your body sends you, filtering out the negative ones (ex.- craving sugar) and focusing on the positive ones (ex.- more energy). Living a healthier life starts with small changes.