Categories
Anything Cute Beautiful Rituals

Full Blood Moon, Lunar Eclipse

Our Universe is … beautiful and offers so much we can be grateful for.
We just have to stop and notice.
Autumn is a season for reflection upon restoration of your hardware and software. (okay, so I live in Silicon Valley.)
Blood-Moon-Doomsday-Fears-Lunar-Eclipse-2015-Sparks-End-Times-Fears
Haahhh, to be conscious – to feel the energy, not the solar type but the … lunar energy – lunar salutation mixed blend with Mitsu watching in the front yard (who by the way did not start howling at the moon – she’s more of a fox than a wolf.) So powerful to see the light behind the shadows cloaked over the red tinted moon – the shadow is our shadow, our earth blocking the sun’s rays to reflect on the moon …earth’s shadow on the moon – isn’t that just so… awe-inspiring. There’s no need to fear our own shadows – it’s impermanent – let it move in and out until the next … alignment … there’s nothing to fear as there will be another … shift.

I feel restored inside and out now ready for restful evening filled with dreams.

As a side note:
Japanese culture has a tradition of “moon viewing” and as with their culture, there’s always … food associated (as with all cultures probably since it’s kind of a party).
It’s customary to have a full moon viewing in Autumn where sweet cakes such as
“tsukimi dango” may be served.
Japanese moon viewing cakes are … cute:) Usually simple white mochi balls but there are some with golden sweet potato “an” or filling that looks like a “yolk” or a full moon:)

usagicake (image from a Japanese sweets shop in Yokohama …http://store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/gomadaremochi/a4aab7eeb8.html)

dango　credit goes to http://ca-sun.net/ blog

There’s a rabbit association with moon viewing because in the common folklore, family of rabbits supposedly live on the moon, puttering around making mochi… probably a vision seen by a child:) as they have wonderful imagination.

Here’s a bento box for a child … from a mom so into making such cute bento for her kids:

bentocredit to a blog site http://kototkis.exblog.jp/i51/

moonrabit
Free image available at http://www.civillink.net/esozai//img/pics2127.jpg

usagianime
I love this blog… so pretty that it makes me want to go back to Japan. http://kajiyasan2.exblog.jp/

Categories
Yoga

Full Moon this Sunday

meditate

Prior to moon viewing Sunday evening, subbing for Lisa, 90 minutes Restorative Yoga class at Bay Club Redwood Shores in the morning. I was so thrilled to learn of Lisa’s extensive training background:

Lisa Robinson is a graduate of Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco and has taught yoga since 1989. She is a co-owner of the California Yoga Center in Mt. View. To create a safe and enjoyable yoga experience, Lisa focuses on the student’s abilities and needs. She encourages awareness, curiosity and acceptance on and off the mat. Lisa’s B.A. in dance lends to the creative and energetic nature of her classes. Many Iyengar instructors have influenced Lisa’s teachings, and she is currently studying with Manouso Manos. Lisa teaches a private weekly restorative class and other restorative workshops. She is a published pregnant model for Judith Lasater and Elise Miller and a model in Yoga Journal’s 1994 calendar. She also works with people with sports related injuries or surgeries, back problems and pregnant women.

So honored – thanks for entrusting me, Lisa ! We might share some of the same (best) teachers – I got you and your students covered:)

To me, Restorative Yoga is a “Relax & Renew” (a wonderful book by Judith!) style of yoga that gently brings about “restoration” both software and hardware of body, mind, and spirit.

rumiquote

Then teaching restorative again late afternoon, that same Sunday at a lovely indie yoga studio called, Nandi. Do you know what Nandi means? More on this …at another time.

Categories
Healthy Activities Healthy Living

Shin-Mon Method

spoonbend

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.