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Offering Private Personal Training and Nutrition Coaching for Mature Adults 55+. Yoga, Meditation and Stress Management Teacher as well. Contact me for details

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Don't Wake Me Up Before You Go Go

My girfriend Cindy is finding out I am NOT an early riser. She tries to entice me with teaching morning classes to no avail. I am not a morning person, never have been and unless I wake up with amnesia one day, never will be. I am really OK with it. I know what I'm missing... breathtaking sunrises, cool morning walks in the infernal summer of Phoenix, a mystical, serene universal quietness. Don't care. Unless I am catching a jetplane to some exotic vacation spot, I see no reason to wake up at 6AM.

Knowing our limitations enables us to find the freedom within them. Dr. Stephen Hawking is an outstanding example of someone with almost complete physical limitations, yet this limitation may be the reason his mind is so brilliant. We all have physical, emotional or personal limitations, some are by choice, some not. Unless it is harming to us or others, maybe we just need to learn to embrace these imperfections and find the joy within that. It is these "blemishes" that mold our personality and character, giving us uniqueness in spirit.
As a yoga teacher I see this in my students of all levels. I ask that they enjoy and find the freedom within a pose, whether it is modified or not "perfect" in their eyes, instead of finding fault or frustration.
Tantra philosophy encourages celebrating life where we are, in the present moment, with all those blemishes, imperfections and limitations.
So, don't call me before 9AM. Now you know.

Friday, April 3, 2009

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.

Monday, March 23, 2009

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.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

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.