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Yoga

He’s all answers with humor…

vitruvianman(from academysacredgeometry.com)

Asked the (burning lol) question – got the answer per Richard Rosen.
Wrist pain flareups – let’s review Adho Mukha Vrksasana, the down-dog (which I was avoiding due to that wrist pain…dolphin pose instead but feels awkward as my arms are shorter and thus my hairline touches the mat…does not feel good to me). Sensed that everyone had that AHhh-Hahh look. I must not have been alone on this issue.

He kindly did not make me do a dog in front of everyone as he said something like, you must be hurting …”so I’m not going to make you do it now” (phew – took pity on me:) but instead asked me to rise. Then, with me standing, he went over the most basic standing posture, tadasana, to expressly make a point about how we have “domes” aligned and stacked in our body… and that extends to our hands and the wrists…there’s a little dome to be cupped- within each palm of your hand – and a (carpals)tunnel running under our wrist. When your forearms are not strong enough and/or if you repeat too many times those key poses in flow classes, repetitive motion stress – pain can surface over time unless your approach is more mindful.

Visualize all this and it was …an “ahhh, haaa” moment – no wonder my wrists hurt – it’s inevitable – causes may be those Chaturanga Dandasanas (plank into push up) and down dogs and/or all the computer keyboard use. Solution?

Respecting the dome within the palm of your hand … rather than pushing with your hands, powering through the motions, rather, let’s LIFT – it’s a pull not a push while it’s common to hear instructors yell “PRESS DOWN & PUSH HARD!” “it’s a power pose; power through it! Press down!” “Push all fingers wide open – let your hands SHINE!” Guess that’s not how Richard gives his cues:) AND Vashistasana is a killer on the wrists too… but I know what to do:) In Vashi, unlike down dog, at least we can stack the joints. (or ice please:)

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I really loved his explanation – that comes from so much logic and years of experience … total understanding over the body structure and architecture – now I see these domes and to make it more interesting, I visualize them as domes of temples:) TEMPLE DOMES to dream up – love it – These curves all over our body, integrity of which we must respect.

Then during his pranayama, I recalled and longed for the way Judith Lasater arranged our hands in such a way in our restorative poses… the placement of our hands… fingers stroked into this certain ease… it’s so easy but effective in harmonizing our frayed nervous system. As with so many cases – kindness and ease wins over force and power. We need both – tenderness and strength/power… but sometimes, we have to treat our body with more kindness.

We can melt away the … tightness, stiffness, compression, soreness, numbness, cramps, tension, constriction, the holds, the STRESS … rid of that tied up in knots feelings that we get sometimes, with each healing breath we take and intentional movements borne from kindness and understanding.

It all emanates from the … heart.

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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

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Observation

We confuse agitation for energy and exhaustion for relaxation.

– Judith Hanson Lasater