Last week, I had the opportunity to experience Kenichi Iijima’s Shin-Mon method at a workshop prior to a lovely vegan luncheon prepared by Y-san. Will cover a bit more in the Japanese blog perhaps… when I find the time.
He, among other notable Japanese healers will be presenting at the Body Conference this weekend in San Francisco … if it were not for the 2 classes I am teaching Sunday, I would love to attend. Luckily, there are few Japanese Bay Area students who I am sure will be happy to share their teachings.
Sometimes, in Western yoga perhaps, students forget that they are a student, not a client. You are not there for a facial or a massage therapy – you are there to learn to find ways to unite body, mind and spirit – and the aura you emit tells a story of … various conditions of imbalance. When a student becomes a client more than a student, what then occurs, is a great loss to the student as the teacher will only do what’s popular but not necessarily good for that student. I know this method does not work with many Western students who value “personal space” or “boundaries” … “touching” is sensitive and a cause for an alarm especially for those dealing with anxieties …trying to find security and peace of mind. I know how it feels too. But it may be exactly what’s needed – the touch to ease, comfort or undo, unblock. It is unfortunate that teachers are too scared to touch for fear of being seen as being too “aggressive” – The way Rendo sensei goes about getting this student to reach her goal may appear “aggressive” and may get slapped with a lawsuit in America but … there’s mutual trust where that student entrusts the teacher to know what’s needed; and then there’s teacher reading the student’s body to know what she needs and is capable of – he knows where she’s stuck and how to unblock the blockages and untie the knots… he can see the workings of the body and the unseen energy. He shows that there are blockages and obstructions within that can be aided with proper touch – at least, that is what I learned from my teacher. Like in all relationships, it’s about trust and … communication.
I guess that’s why group classes can be challenging at times. Everyone is different. What one student seeks and appreciates is not another student’s cup of tea. We are each unique and more complex. Playing it safe and conservative …for a one size fits all kind of class. sigh.
Yesterday morning I had to get up at 5am to sub a 6am class… Vinyasa flow class. It was still dark out there with constellations in the sky – I saw Orion clearly as it was close to the horizon. I got in the car and sped off to the highway which is usually heavy with traffic but … at that time, no traffic – while still amazed by the number of cars already on the lanes. As I yawned and rubbed my eyes, I thought – who would be crazy enough to show up at 6pm for yoga- this is WAAAAYYYY too early if you are NOT a full time yogi. God, maybe noone will show up and I get to go home and crawl under covers and go back to zzz for mere one hour or so – what could be better !? Wondering if this is a waste of my precious morning time which is usually a battleground of preparations.
Turns out there are warriors ready for the practice at 6am, before sunrise. All ladies … starting the morning early, no doubt, with the mindset to get things done to “free up more time”. I know how we think because I think that too. After the class, an attractive (they all are of course, as they practice yoga:) student comes over and says, “are you still teaching Restorative at …?” Turns out she has been at the local studio I teach restorative style yoga. Then she said, “when I saw you, I thought we might GET TO do more restorative type yoga but you didn’t …”. She said it almost wistfully – we both laughed. Note the choice of word selection “get to” as though restorative is more a rare treat… You know, you “get to” eat dessert; you “get to” play; you “get to” take time off … We “get to” do yoga:) Yes, the ultimate – we GET TO do yoga questioning if we deserve it – after all – it all goes back to feeling of adequacy …I mean, we can’t restore ourselves to our brilliance when we have so much on our plate; so much to accomplish or else, we feel bad about ourselves. Why? Why not get the sparkles back in your eyes and allow few trillion cells within our body to … just be nourished. Why not take care of ourselves at all levels?
So much for getting type-casted:) You select one type or one style of yoga because of your particular needs as certain style of yoga resonates – and people think that’s all I do … wish I was that simple – but we are all more complex – our needs are multi-layered. I do vinyasa flow as well while not the favorite style to teach. Which is ironic as I practice it in the morning myself- so it should be something I should love to teach, no? I see the flow classes as more a fitness class (as I should) and since I didn’t get into yoga for that reason, I do it for my own physical workout but for teaching ? I guess I am a little odd in that I prefer the softer tender sessions with emphasis on “healing” and “therapeutics”. Because, after all, that’s what I was drawn to yoga for and then eventually felt the need to spread. What draws me to yoga is not so much what each asana (pose) do for me, but rather, for me, the attraction was ultimately, what does the whole system (asana, pranayama, meditation) do for my mind? My emotions? My feelings? If it’s about the body and just general endorphin release to “get happy” (nothing wrong with that – we all need it), then I will just take a walk, play tennis, climb a mountain, swim, go to a zumba class or dance or ? … so … vinyasa flow yoga to me is a well developed “drill” that works as a moving meditation. I have gone through so many drills, I guess I just want to find tranquility – just want to “bathe in the waters” of cathartic relief, washing away toxins and impurities. Great thing about yoga is that you can choose the style and the level for your intensity dial based on how you feel that day. You can turn it up; you can turn it down. I could make it hard and sweaty – or I can go slower and methodical. THE ORIGINAL store #1 in Kitsilano … very Berkeley, Telegraph-ish feel…unlike the more corporate sleek stores in downtown Vancouver.
Interesting thing is … if you don’t practice, you will feel it. If you practice, then you don’t notice what the benefit may be because it can be subtle and gradual. It’s not an overnight miracle fix that we all seek. Like with language learning, it takes repetition and daily lessons to acquire the language and … if you don’t use it, you lose it as you struggle to remember that term or the grammar…
The whole premise of yoga is to … eliminate suffering. If eliminating is too ambitious, how about TO REDUCE HUMAN SUFFERING through kindness to self and others.
“kindness”… apparently harder to practice than one would think.
So exhausted from getting up at 5am – I think I need to nap and I don’t feel guilty or weak or “less than” to feel this way. I deserve to unplug – Yes, I GET TO:)
No not Sake as in the inebriated type but …maybe a very very low alcoholic content … fermented and mildly sweet…comfort drink.
I forgotten that earlier this year, I had translated a certain profile and a message from the most celebrated UTube Vegan chef in Japan. (I learned that he’s known there as a “Vegan Prince”:) Yes, miso is an everyday staple and so is tofu but … in a land where only monks are vegetarian, and to even go beyond vegetarian but to become vegan is considered not normal … and where conformity tends to be the norm, to break out to be Vegan is … I imagine, not so easy. So all the more impressed by his determination and will-power to stick with such a “restrictive” diet. Yes, tofu and miso is part of everyday cooking; and monk-diet are prevalent in Japan for that segment – i.e., developed by monks in temple kitchen, known as “Shojin” ryori/cuisine – Shojin cuisine is beautif ul and delicious but being a vegan is out of the ordinary.
In the general mainstream food culture that celebrates “Umami” and “refinement” that includes meat, fish, eggs and dairy, being Vegan would be considered anti-social and maybe even a bit unmanly (again, unless you are a monk)… One might say that he debunks the typical stereotype of a willowy skinny delicate creature by being a … well, regular-guy who appears healthy, athletic, well nourished, well built, NOT fanatical nice guy – By his casual, prolific and charming videos he puts out, he’s become kind of a rising star in the alternative culinary world.
So here’s the message, I feel it was an honor to translate for him, as he gains more and more international audience from his Japanese fan base – Click Here !
He’s updated and renewed this blog site from his personal appearance like this:
I can’t believe there are only 7000 views for this drink as I have always wanted to make my own AMAZAKE – Thank you Ryoya-san, now I know how. In contrast, so reflective of how much we love chocolates and matcha – his How-To Utube videos on Vegan Tofu Cheesecake has nearly 80,000 views and Avocado Chocolate Tart has nearly 90,000 views ! Wow !! Sugoi!
Here’s the more recent, maybe a more sophisticated video of Peaceful Cuisine where he does not make a personal appearance for the English speaking audience as apparently he’s still learning English – I appreciate this instructional video as I always wanted to make my own almond milk … have you ever read the ingredients on a carton of almond milk? There’s so much other stuff other than almonds and water, it’s rather surprising. Here’s what’s in it besides almonds and water: Tricalcium, Phosphate, Sea Salt, Gellan Gum, Dispottassium Phosphate, Xanthan Gum, Sunflower Lecithin, Vitamin A Palmitate, Viatmin D2, D-Plpha Tocopherol (VitaminE)… while the vitamin additives might be nice, do we want all these substance we cannot pronounce in there?
So for pure unadulterated almond milk, we can just make our own on the weekend and save for the week?
So really, he is gradually reaching many many people through peaceful means – What I found amazing is that … he’s not doing this from any gourmet or commercial kitchen but from a small apartment kitchen – see the modest gas burner – which is the impressive part of his efforts in producing this many instructional videos on his own. I don’t know how many videos he’s produced so far, but whether it be the popular ones near 100,000 views or less knows ones with couple of thousands, he’s making a difference – his sharing of his recipes, videos and blog are the true art of expression and persuasion. He isn’t lecturing or judgmental of others to become Vegan or Vegetarian, but he just shows us How. My mother used to say, best way to reach someone’s heart is through their stomach but he puts that into practice.
I don’t want to be a hypocrite here so I will say that I am not vegan nor vegetarian at all times, sometimes breaking the “rules” but maybe 70%. Knowing the hardship, even more, I respect those who make that choice to go 100%. The only self-imposed change I have made in the last 5 years is that I stay away from red meat 100% and stay away from poultry as much as possible – perhaps at about 75% – as well. I guess there’s a word to describe my dietary choice – I am a Pescatarian:) Sorry fish … I love to eat fish …love sushi but here too, try to eat with sustainable fishing in mind…
& I love sunny yellow-colored fluffy omelettes … from eggs made by range-free cage-free chickens. But I was also very impressed with macrobiotic egg which is made from Kabocha – looks and tastes like eggs – delicious and amazed with human ingenuity and will to use creativity where sacrifices no longer is perceived as a sacrifice at all.
Yet, I feel no guilt starting a meal with “itadakimasu” to show how grateful I am for the completely to mostly plant-based sustenance on my plate. Thank you for being allowed the choice on how to feed my body and mind.
