Category: Beautiful Places

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Beautiful People Beautiful Places Yoga

San Francisco Yoga Journal Conference 2014 – Live!

Bo Forbes profiled:  “Yoga Therapy Today calls Bo  ‘a scholar, healer, and maverick’.  She is known as an innovator who bridges the worlds of yoga, yoga therapy, psychology, and neuroscience. Her workshops, teacher trainings, and yoga therapy trainings marry the yoga and mindfulness traditions with a modern, 21st-century context”.

Bo Forbes got her PhD at age 25 (when she looked 12 she jokes) and now she’s how old? Maybe in her 40’s… But still look to be 25… an ultimate proof of yoga at work.  She has won the endorsements and earned the respect from some of the best of the best teachers – I call masters – around. Here’s a positive feedback on Bo’s book on Restorative Yoga from Judith Hanson Lasater, herself the most well known expert in this field:

“After reading Bo Forbes’ book, I had the paradoxical experience of being excited and eager to get down on the floor and practice a deep relaxation immediately! I attribute this desire equally to Dr. Forbes’ expertise in psychotherapy and to the wisdom she has gained from her own mature yoga practice. While the simplicity of these practices belies their profound power and benefit, how wonderful if we all followed her advice and relaxed deeply every day. Yoga for Emotional Balance gives us a window into this possible and healthy world. Highly recommended for all levels of yoga students.”

Bo’s actual teaching style is therapeutic vinyasa yoga followed by restorative yoga which is what I practice at home!  Her workshop “The Fascial Web: Accessing the Sentient Wisdom of Our Connective Tissue Matrix” was simply fascinating because of my interest in anatomy – and mind/body interdependence… “The Fascial Web is a system of connective tissue that links every cell in our bodies. Far from merely a physical entity, this web is sentient and intelligent. It plays a key role in the health of our nervous system, emotional brain, and pain pathways. Come discuss why fascial health eclipses the importance of muscular health. We’ll learn why neurofascial integration is such an important element of mind-body health and explore the three main interventions that promote neurofascial reintegration. We’ll experience a variety of fascial release techniques to incorporate into our group classes and private yoga sessions.”  So many great teachers at one place one weekend – what a treat for anyone who wants to learn and experience from those teachers whose books you read.  Here’s a the chance for an actual privilege to learn directly from the masters. Great energy, great space, made possible by great yogis and yoginis whose love for yoga is infectious.

What did I learn here this time?

Fascial health eclipses the importance of muscular health & what’s needed for neurofascial reintegration.  

Fascinating stuff I shall share in my class someday:)   First of all – what’s Fascia?  Muscles, connective tissues, joints, ligaments… vertebrae … us humans are to be marveled at… We are made up of  estimated 50-100 trillion cells – and the human brain has approximately 100 billion neurons.  Its a whole cosmic universe within us.

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Anything Cute Beautiful Places Beautiful Things

Donuts & Art

There’s a hidden gem of a gallery at a most unexpected place – a suburban strip mall – is not where you expect to find a wonderful gallery – but there’s a community of artists all over the Bay Area and I applaud a gallery like this that brings eclectic collection into view for more people – it’s not San Francisco SOMA, New York’s SOHO but in Pacifica of all places!  At Oceanic Gallery, Pacifica, a little beach town south of San Francisco known for weekend surfers…

This evening, a local artist, ERIC JOYNER’s collection was featured – His work is whimsical and …funny, as in laughter and joy.  Here’s this artist’s profile:”Eric Joyner has always had an interest in the future and art. After teaching, creating backgrounds for internet cartoons, texture mapping, and other creative endeavors, he made the decision become a gallery artist. One of his rules is to paint only the things he likes, and, having been a collector, he decided to base a series of paintings on the fascinating tin robots, spacemen and space ships made by Japanese toy companies in 1950s & 60s. Joyner’s work is greatly influenced by the Brandywine and ashcan artists and illustrators of the early 1900s.”

Titles of the work following, in order are:

Little Genius – “Look Ma, guess what I painted?”

Jungle Trek – “It’s a jungle out there!”

Hello Topiary – “Hello Kitty!”

Copies and few originals were on display at this show where the artist came and talked about his art with the slideshow showing some of his past work. It’s fascinating how someone tries at different themes and fails before settling on a theme that sells.  His slideshow “illustrated” an artist’s pursuit and a lesson on how if you keep doing what you love, you will eventually find the answers you are seeking:)  In his case, he loves donuts, he collects robots – merge the two and the formula works.   “Donuts” & “robots” … two icons beloved by many – how can you go wrong?  So whimsical that puts a smile on  your face – wouldn’t you want one in your living space?

Guess who purchased the original painting “Hello Topiary”?

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Beautiful People Beautiful Places Beautiful Rituals

102 year old MD visits SF

Dr. Hinohara, age 102 and one of Japan’s most prominent and beloved physicians, is visiting the Bay Area, and giving a lecture next Sunday, October 13th in San Francisco.  To know something about him, here’s a profile of him from nearly 10 years ago…when he was what you might call just a young spring chicken…age 94 (!).

Dr. Hinohara is a former Chief of Staff and President ofSt. Lukes International Hospital in Tokyo.  He has been practicing there for over 70 years… this doctor never formally retired. To this day, it is said that he makes patient rounds and calls, never using the hospital elevator and on foot, going up and down the stairs.  He is on TV and magazines often and has published countless number of books.  He did have a US media coverage before when only 97 (!) Obviously what’s on everyone’s mind is this: How does he do it? Everyone wants to know his secret – Where does he get his fountain of youth?  What is his secret to long and healthy life…People are so in awe of someone who has lived to 102 and still manages to be healthy in mind and spirit – like those legendary yogis you hear about – only he’s this rather average looking man with a gentle smile and superb intellect – What is the secret?

In one of the talks, he mentions the value of  “jyouzu ni ikiru”.  “jyouzu” means “well done” “smart” or “well” – “ikiru” means to “to live”.  On seminars on living “well” or “smartly”, he has spoken with other experts in the area of aromatherapy, sound/music therapy – and spoke highly of any modality of healing therapies that directly influences our 5-senses. Whether through aroma  – smelling the beautiful scents (nose) or music –  hearing beautiful sounds (ears) and/or sensing the vibrations in the air – in chanting or singing (throat) – all olfactory sensory experiences positively work on our nervous system, thus improving the overall quality of life.

It is a common practice for incense to waft through the air at Japanese temples as you hear the deep calming gongs of the bell vibrating the air – the heart and mind can settle in that tranquility …  At home, it has always been a common practice in honoring the dead family members and ancestors to light an incense and pray in honor of them.  My grandparents home had a family buddhist alter in the dining room corner so my grandmother would casually light an incense in her apron as she busily puttered around back and forth between the kitchen and the dining room.  It was a sacred space but not apart from everyday life, positioned right smack in the heart of the house to bring us good luck.  It served as an amulet or like a talisman, the mini-alter box was symbolic representation of our guardians, our ancestors and the recent deceased, giving the family the strength to withstand hardship and protecting the family from any evil. She may burn an incense and chant or pray in silence – then make an offering of some sake or cake and tea… seasonal fruits…Sometimes the offering may be the favorite cake from a certain bakery, served with some tea… it was etched into the fabric of her regular daily life.

The burning of the incense is used in more formalized meditation setting as well. The incense is lighted at the beginning of your practice, and your meditation is over when the last 1mm of incense burns and falls off into the urn as ashes. I was taught that Japanese “senko” when lighted usually lasts about 30 minutes, perfect for timing your meditation practice.  It was utter tranquility in midst of all the chaotic activities that a family dining room served.

It is noted on this utube video footage that here in US too, aromatherapy has improved the quality of life at this certain hospital…

Thanks to Mari Sensei, the most gracious and knowledgeable aromatherapy teacher in the Bay Area, I am able to experiment and concoct a formula that really alleviates the common health issues of today without resorting to unnatural and unnecessary methods – the beautiful scents from nature can really reduce stress and uplift the spirits, promoting the natural R&R response to take place …Thank you for the lovely scents Mari sensei.