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Beautiful People Beautiful Places Beautiful Rituals Healthy Food

Tending to the Fire at Shinobeau’s

Relieved to hear I don’t have arthritis or anything serious per my MD but my wrists and my left foot are hurting me – my left foot was run over by a truck couple years ago (freak accident) so of course if I over use it, as I have been in this training, I start getting that odd pain … so re-revisted Judith Hanson Lasator’s anatomy book, especially about wrists and I think I figured out what might help alleviate this pain. Lucky, that I get to also ask Richard Rosen tomorrow – he is sure to have an insightful answer, I have faith. In fact, yoga has been so therapeutic, and really, far more interesting than seeing a physical therapist as the whole practice of yoga engages your mind. I am not bored while the same movement in regular stretching or pilates class – or repetition in physical therapy can be so dull…Now, if we could only make all this into a choreographed dance for joy:)

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Here’s an OMG moment: I’ve always felt that arthritis (aka inflammation of connective tissue aspects of cartilage and bone) were related to our digestions.

– Bo Forbes

Well, actually, in Eastern medicine, it’s common knowledge as the belly, “HARA” or the “tanden” is central to our health; whereas the heart is not just an organ with four chambers that pumps blood but something more – if it means heart = “kokoro”, then it’s more than just a physical pump but … what we refer to as …mind, soul, spirit, love, truth … it’s an astral energy field as in Anahata chakra – as Shiva Rea says, we need to “tend to our fire” there. It’s kindled when you tend to it … I don’t know how I moved up from talking about the belly/digestion to the heart:)

Ah, I know – it’s because my heart warmed when I was informed that the proceeds from the following Lunar New Year’s gathering were all donated to a non-profit organization that helps radiation exposed kids in Fukushima …to give those kids gift of clean air and water – by allowing them to escape the dangers of radiation for even brief periods by inviting them to US with host families…the amount was probably nominal but it’s from that HEART:) It’s kindness and that comes from the … HEART.

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Lunar cycle … revisited.
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Vegetarian sushi, miso soup, salad and … healthy spread to warm our hearts and … bellies:)
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5 elements in macrobiotic cooking…
Macrobiotic cooking is not necessarily vegetarian nor vegan, but goes by the principal Shinobeau san shares.*For details, check out Kushi Institute.
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Shinobeau’s Vegan cheesecake with fresh strawberry sauce – she does not use any sugar but it’s “berry” sweeeettt:)
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My amazing Healing Foods Chef, Shinobeau hosted a lovely ritual to celebrate the Lunar New Year and New Moon with Jan Cerone, crystal bowls musician, as a special guest for the auspicious occasion. Jan’s crystal bowls emit vibrations that echo within us like…soft rain… then rushing sounds of the waterfall … and you just feel so refreshed listening to the sounds… perfect way to usher in the new year. As usual Shinobeau prepared all vegan feast. Shinobeau hails from Japan with so much knowledge and training in the food preparation that heals – she has hosted detox sessions throughout the year and unlike what it sounds – “detox” – it’s just joy to “detox” with her cuisine that she prepares – you do not feel deprived at all. Wish she was nearby, but visiting her place in the woods, to me is pure delight. I treat it as a mini-retreat.

Thank you both for a beautiful New Moon/New Year celebration. I feel so blessed for the opportunity to clear out the stagnant energy in my nadis and revive my chakras throughout my body. Here’s Jan’s site* if you are interested in the magical sounds of the crystal bowls:) Just letting out a big sigh… it’s magical. An honor to be in the same circle as these other goddesses who graced that space that day in the misty forest.

(* I myself just visited Jan’s site – surprised at the extent of her activities – I had no idea.
Apparently a former registered nurse, a vocalist, and a mother to a Reiki master studying in Japan, her life experience is immeasurable.)

For most healing and reviving foods, Shinobeau has catered beautiful and delicious bento boxes and makes amazing food for any gathering
as reflected by her passionate principle in all she cooks up in the kitchen – here’s her contact info.:

Wanowa
“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”
Shinobeau@iCloud.com

Categories
Healthy Food

Indian Dinner in Tokyo

Oddly, despite all that eating I did in Tokyo, I actually lost weight which goes to show how healthy Japanese food is and how portion control is important. I ate Japanese food at every opportunity – sushi, onabe, oden, etc. – at every meal except when my girlfriends took me to (at my request) a delicious Indian restaurant near Tokyo JR station. Indian food in Tokyo is very good and when I told the chef that I was from Silicon Valley and thought his food was better than the Silicon Valley Indian food, he was beaming – and it wasn’t a flattery – it was true. The flavors were delicate and well spiced…(but portions small – the Japanese standard). I am always so impressed with Japanese baked goods and here at Indian eatery as well. Best Nan and dosa…

Last to leave being last to get seated… late dinner is not my thing but:) making exceptions…chefs are waiters are cleaning up so … a hint that it’s time to go.
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authentic chai with shared sweets… petit sizes…
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The place was packed and could not get a reservation until 8:30pm… Here’s the link to the restaurant site – menu in English as well … Click the restaurant name: Dhaba India
Or you can have breakfast, lunch and dinner – all Japanese, everyday:) but so much variety in mega-city, that is, Tokyo:)

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Ganesha greeted us! Felt at home – weird isn’t it? A Japanese coming back from America, at Indian restaurant in hometown, Tokyo and feeling at home?

In case you were beginning to wonder…

“I’m not so weird to me.”

― Haruki Murakami, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle

Categories
Healthy Activities Healthy Living

Happy New Year !

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Chinese and classic Japanese calendar is based on a lunar calendar and therefore,
it’s New Year, an auspicious day.

As we celebrate the New Year, I am just filled with deep sense of gratitude.
So blessed to have kind students – this morning, I had a student who gave me a good feedback to put me back on track- thank you – I don’t drink coffee early in the AM but maybe I should?
and after last Sunday evening class, a lovely student sweetly says something like:

She: “I know I have a name for you in Spanish!”
Me: ?
She: “You are a CURANDERA.”
Me: ??
I do not know Spanish – wish I had studied it – so absolutely – ??? lost.
So, she translates “Curandera” to mean in English … “Healer”… “HEALER“?
Me: me? what?
I am so flattered and honored. Thank you – Arigato – Gracias!

We all need positive reinforcements especially when faced with a dilemma or trying to choose a path.
I don’t think of myself as a healer – that’s just too tremendous a responsibility but I think she read my intentions – that I desire that kind of a magic potion that heals all wounds and pains, I wish I could be a healer and my mind is full of how-to’s to accomplish it and I study the how’s (alternatives to Western medicine) out of that desire. How I wish I had that magic tincture… an elixir… to dispense that remedies all.

I think most people I see as being “spiritual” – not religious but “spiritual” all experienced or faced some significant loss or even death in some ways (that pretty much covers everybody eventually) – if not your own loss (health, innocence, belief system, strength, will – all things material and not) or near death experience, someone or something near or dear to you… and that makes one a bit more aware, call it spiritual – or conscious and AWAKE – as in that sign that says
“Life is Short; but Eternity is Not…” Yes, don’t we know it.

So if appreciation of Life makes me a Curandera, hope we can all, each of us find the Curandera spirit within us.
That is how I hope to serve… for everyone to be empowered to be one’s own Curandera… with a little help from a friend:) dispensing that technique.
We are all, each of us, a “Curandera”. It made me think of a medicine man in Native American culture I once read about and felt an affinity towards…

Native American Shamanism… actually has some parallels to Shinto tradition in Japan… hope it’s okay to say that…anyway,
Thank you again for such a special compliment that humbles and inspires me, Dearest T.

Happy Lunar New Year and enjoy the Oscar party – will miss you but, even a Curandera cannot replace vibes from such a party:-)