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Such delightful signs on the path… humor always helps.

“Your time is limited, don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living the result of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other opinions drown your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

– Steve Jobs

DOGma? DOG-MA? What’s that?
always silly and goofy play on words…
Making an imprint on the sand which will be washed away with the next wave … that next wave crashing onto the vast sandy beach:) Let’s just lose ourselves in our silly play. Downward Dog? Upward Dog?

It’s Year of the Monkey…
Been too busy making Japanese New Year foods for the family, even though I am not even doing the annual Osechi, an elaborate traditional New Year foods in a jewel box like lacquered bento-likr boxes “Ojyubako” stacked to three. The above is an example and our’s was far from the elaborate 3-5 layered bento boxes. In fact, I am still making the black beans (traditional new year dish) … found the needed rusted nail… (you simmer with rusted nail for the glossy deep black shine…who knew? Rust is good? It’s the Iron – The ancient wisdom:)

For the busy modern families, Osechi is something you can special order at Nijiya or pre-order from some Japanese restaurants and catering companies – BUT you can make some of the dishes yourself. Making them yourself, in my case will mean, not being able to fit in any yoga so … it’s a trade-off for special occasions. Sometimes all you can manage is a home practice and that’s when I am grateful that I am a pretty well trained instructor (I say this with humility). I can instruct myself, being my own teacher, being more fully aware of my needs and what I can do to relieve the discomforts to prevent the worst (which I have experienced) from reoccurring. It does take discipline and I do prefer the group class where I am simply led and allowed to just feel with fresh discovery … but sometimes “this” will do. It’s enough. Just following my inner-guru at times when I am not afforded the luxury to learn from those teachers I admire so much.

Setting intentions which will manifest into an affirmation that carries throughout the whole year of just for that moment, that day.
Will share at our weekly classes or message over at wagayoga@gmail.com
to go over your very own with the practice that fits your particular needs.

***** Confession for the New Year’s Eve morning ****************

* To help with ringing in the new year, broke down my resolve to cook and went to a special yoga workshop with M-san. Will share soon – it’s about taming the fire while still harnessing the energy for balance of all elements. I love learning from this acupuncturist, practicing Qui-Gong and Yoga – all combined and fused into a teaching I also intent to explore more deeply. I believe in the benefits of each discipline. It’s about … HARMONY. That is my intention for 2016 as I tune out the discord.

Yoga came to Japan about 1000 years ago – brought by a Japanese monk named Kukai, who also brought many teachings from China as he was a seeker not afraid to journey far to learn and attain knowledge. The great early civilizations are all from regions near the river banks – Egypt, Mesopotamia/Persia, Indus River, China … Japan is pretty much covered with rivers but being an island country of little size, its petit civilizations is dismissed vis a vis greater regions of the world but … there’s evidence that there was very early indigenous culture that dates back as far back – What Kukai learned in China, he brought back to Japan, his teachings blended and merged with already existing native indigenous “ways”, to produce a unique interpretation of “yoga” and Buddhism. That original yoga in Japan may have been a bit of fusion. Nevertheless a method, albeit different from the today’s fitness oriented yoga – with the same intention to bring about the harmony of body-mind-spirit, to access that tranquil state of effortless being – “nothingness” said to rid of all human suffering. Very wishful.

That’s my intention.

Being in America, a cultural and racial melting pot, many residents here are … arrivals from somewhere else. Certainly, there are some blue blooded “Americans” (The Kennedys?)from generations ago, the more the well established mainstream status-quo residents but … there are many immigrants, on both ends of and in-between the economic scales who identify more with their native “home” or their “old” country. What often happens is how many of us may feel this odd sense of disconnect as much as we try to assimilate and fit in. At times, the feeling is best described by words of a friend I empathized with. The other day as she described where she grew up and where her families now resided, then she uttered these words:

“What am I doing here?”

She too appeared to be pondering that question – what am I doing here? Do we each feel that way sometimes – maybe even if you were born and raised in America – maybe just maybe, even if you were one of the Kennedy’s or a Rockefeller? Maybe we all ask that question – What am I doing HERE? What is the purpose and meaning of me being HERE? Why here; if not there? Why?

Like a dandelion puff that floats and travels, we germinate our seeds to take root … no longer a transplant. Your home is where you designate it to be, with one-pointed focused intention. Your home is really … within. You belong.