Category: Healthy Living

Categories
Beautiful Places Healthy Living

California is … THE destination

Wish …

With all the bad news in the last week, feel like just checking out … in order to come back to feel that refueled anger again as a catalyst to make a positive change.  Love to retreat away into a Zen space to slush out and empty our minds – and refill with positive thoughts and constructive ideas – but we have to do something to change … Why so many haters?  Why so much violence? If we knew that you are I and I are you – that we are one, we cannot harm others because we see ourselves in “others” unless of course, one hates his very own being and existence.  Very sad.  Let’s hope for sanity and love to make the actual changes to protect us – to give us security – otherwise, it can be any one of us next  – it’s that random and unpredictable – fastest solution ?  it’s definitely not treating mental health – that’s the long and winding complicated method – the fastest solution?  It’s the guns.  Let’s not argue over little technicalities to muddle the water and confuse weak minds –  it’s not the gun but the person who hold it, who kill – of course we know that – BUT it is that gun used as a tool and instrument of harm and thus, logic and reason and intelligence and fine examples of success elsewhere should follow and prevail … but somehow, due to insanity, it doesn’t here.   Okay, so if there are no guns, the crazies and haters will still resort to violence – maybe swing a knife or swords or  whatever – but the damage is more contained.  It’s not the magnitude of massive and speedy harm so hard to guard against.

In a civilized world, in a civilized communities where we have peace officers and democracy, we don’t need private citizens whether sane or insane with guns.  Okay, I understand about the “rights” of responsible gun owners BUT what about the rights of innocent responsible citizens to live without fear?  Why does the rights and freedom of minority group of people to own weapons of harm has to “trump” over rights and freedom of majority of people who want to live without fear – to have THAT FREEDOM and RIGHT to be able to:

  • Have school aged children feel safe and secure at places of learning;
  • Live free of fear in going Back-to-School or any shopping at Walmart;
  • Live free of fear going to outdoor concerts;
  • Live free of fear going to bars, clubs;
  • Live free from fear supporting local street fairs & festivals such as Garlic Festival;
  • Live free of fear going … ANYWHERE in this country supposedly at peace, where terrorists are all outsiders on the outside and not within, not among us.  NOT. There has to be mutual trust and respect that unites people to live in peace and harmony.  In Japan, only ones with guns would be someone associated with organized crime or security and peace officers.  There’s no need to carry or possess weapons unless of course we live a war zone –  Or do we?  Why should we fear going to outdoor concerts or town fairs or … even to just that local Walmart.  What’s next?  The library? The hospital? I thought this country revered FREEDOM  – do we place more value of freedom to bear arms over freedom to gather and celebrate or even just shop for back to school supplies without fears – freedom to live without fears  … that’s the wish for everyone I know.  So what is happening?

It’s a beautiful place – California.  I hope all things we consider beautiful – such as LIFE – is protected as precious and justice and reason prevails.

Tat Tvam Asi

“Thou art that,” (That thou art, That art thou, You are that, or That you are, or You’re it)

And you know, it’s that yogic philosophy that can save us – to those who must possess and arm themselves … it’s just a false sense of security and strength … possessions do not give you security … just let go. LET GO.  If you are able to let go, then you are truly courageous and strong.  Burdens will lift off your shoulders and you will know how it feels to truly be … free.

Categories
Healthy Activities

“Stamatis Moraitis”

It’s magical when we see the rainbow colors of that aura … I am honored to see them in Savasana where I sense and feel the practitioners’ energy fields expand  layer by layer to what might be called  “radiance”.  With self-care, our circuitry, our aura is restored.

a page out of Niroga Yoga Therapist “Cardiovascular Health” module …

***

Our family went to see “The Farewell” at Kabuki in SF.  Highly recommended.

The story made us think about family, mortality, how aging is viewed in America (oftentimes dreaded as “terrifying and worse than death” ) vs in most Asian cultures (it’s a season of grace and gratitude, garnering respect and care from the young and …self-acceptance, not resignation).  The film reminds us how the aged are treated and the East-West cultural differences.  As the grandmother of the heroine Billie (played by Awkwafena from Crazy Rich Asians) is diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, the above name came to mind because of an article I read about him who also was diagnosed with the same terminal cancer. Yes, that famous New York Times article titled “The Island Where People Forget to Die”.

Perhaps look up the above Greek name and read the New York Times article. If we can’t all go back to an island of PURITY & DELIGHT – then, we can still engage in DISCIPLINED BUT NATURALLY RHYTHMIC PACED lifestyle that balances HARD WORK with de-compression and relaxation, therapeutic yoga to boost the immune system and invite purification and heart health.  Breathe. Smell the roses along your path:)

 

 

Categories
Healthy Living Yoga

Gentle & Mindful

If your intention for the time set aside to practice yoga is for purification of your energy channels and cultivating gratitude and joy, consider this …

Nothing is so strong as gentleness,

nothing so gentle as real strength.

– St. Francis de Sales

 

Like water, be gentle and strong. Be gentle enough to follow the natural paths of the earth and strong enough to rise up and reshape the world.

-Brenda Peterson

 

– and that “world” referred above does not have to always mean to conquer the world, it can mean that of our inner world to really get to know with loving kindness … using multitude of meditation technique that resonates with you.  Oftentimes in this busy world that prioritizes productivity and efficiency to trump all other virtues,  that inner world is ignored, by-passed over the external validation…that cycle diminishes our immune system, our comfort … ultimately, that kind of life diminishes our energy.  Our energy level in an ideal state is vibrating and pulsating with vibrant energy when you need to really switch to “ON” setting.  So carving out the time and space to re-direct our attention, to re-focus on a journey of self-mastery yoga allows us to embark upon…

First … like with any travel plans, we need an itinerary, a design, a plan within the spontaneity and wonder … at least I do.  Need a discipline.  Because we don’t have so much time to spend hours doing yoga, why not mix Yang style of yoga or some exercise session (predominantly for muscular strength and cardio-vascular health); offset by Yin style of self-care (focus on fascia, expanding the range of motion – i.e., flexibility, internal organs & nervous system health and meditation weaved in); then some moderately active program that’s not extreme that you can stick with over time.  The program can be adjusted to be gentle enough to be consistent with the rest of your activity level so that it’s about long-term supportive and sustaining practice that you can stick with.

Some degree of intensity for some people, sometimes may be needed to wake up the sluggish body and mind; to burn heat for a cardio-workout, muscle strengthening – all good – but something you gradually work up towards … slowly.  Then, set aside this time to be kind and loving towards your body to realize who you really are.  Clearing the cobwebs in the spaces within; cleansing the space so that then we can sharpen our 5-senses to feel  … brainwaves re-calibration and clarity that’s brought on – so precious. So, wait, no rushing, no pushing, no pulling, AND gentle to boot?  That is NOT easy … to move fluidly like water … to flow and recede like waves with utter conviction that such flow & ebb cycles are unchanging and eternal. In a world constant with changes and impermanence, cultivate that equanimity, that knowing, that within all of us is that divinity, that spark, that … light … that’s forever – That kind of gentleness, is my intention.

Yoga Book Club anyone?  Reading them is great but then comes the actual … practice that balances the efforts with … ease.  After all, isn’t that what we are seeking?  To ward off dis-“ease”, to feel at ease, to move with ease, to abide in ease, after all the efforts we make for that “shift” and drop into delicious  … ease.

For me, approaching yoga not so much as just an exercise regimen but more as a centering practice and a fitness and healing modality. A page out of Timothy McCall MD’s “Yoga as Medicine” shows promising evidence on how “gentle” style of yoga fits into whole lifestyle re-evaluation to promote wholesome wellness.  Gentle is not easy.But give it a try.