Random Thoughts XII: What is Holistic Health?

Recently, someone asked me "what is holistic health?" and "is it right for everyone?" Of course, I gave her a general answer but I feel it's important for me to give an official and specific answer.

Let's look up the word "holistic" in the dictionary:

holistic

Main Entry:

ho·lis·tic

Pronunciation:

\hō-ˈlis-tik\

Function:

adjective

Date:

1926

1 : of or relating to holism
2 : relating to or concerned with wholes or with complete systems rather than with the analysis of, treatment of, or dissection into parts <holistic medicine attempts to treat both the mind and the body> <holistic ecology views humans and the environment as a single system>

— ho·lis·ti·cal·ly \-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

So "holistic health" would look at the complete system of the body rather than the analysis of the dissection of its parts. To holistically heal someone (or yourself), you will have to look at you ailment from the mental, physical and spiritual "systems" instead of just from one aspect (usually the physical).

Yoga is an example of a holistic way of healing. Yoga incorporates mental, physical, and spiritual health so that you can become a better human being by Self-Realization. Asana deals with the physical, meditation deals with the mental, and pranayama deals with the breath. When the breath is extended or controlled, the mind and the body are one. The mind is calm and the body is nourished with oxygen. This opens the door for spiritual healing.

You don't have to do Yoga to have holistic health. Holistic health only maintains that you treat the complete systems - the mind, body, and soul - to achieve and maintain health. It doesn't make sense that your dietary habits are on point but you're stressed out and feel like you have no true purpose in the world. Stress is the underlying reason for 85% of all dis-eases we are faced with today.

There are numerous ways to heal the physical body and various ways to treat and eliminate mental dis-stress. People choose a number of faiths to connect with their soul and the Divine spirit within. The unfortunate thing is that most people don't do these things at the same time. They may start to workout but because of that, it takes away time to go to church or spend time with family. They may eat right but neglect their mind by continuing to deal with negative energies and decisions that bring them down, mentally and spiritually.

Holistic health is a good choice for everyone. Wellness is being well. Completely and fully.

My job, as a health counselor and owner of this blog,  is to help you figure out which processes of healing is right for you. The end result is that you are bathing in the fountain of wellness.

It's time to enjoy being Whole.

Before I go, I'm going to mix up Matt Stokes' Health Tips a little bit. I'm going to add #5 to the Health Sidebar and #4 to this one. When you read it, I think you'll understand why :

#4

Primary Food

Food comes in two different forms.

-  Secondary Food is what we traditionally think of as food.

-  Primary Food is a combination of all of the other things that keep us going (healthy relationships, physical activity, desired career, spirituality, etc, etc,).

It is important to pay attention to both of these food groups. They are irrevocably linked.

If we are not balanced in one of them, we won’t be balanced in the other one. 

Next time you attempt to incorporate better eating habits, make sure you don’t forget to pay attention to the primary foods you are lacking as well.

 Courtesy of

Until next time...stay strong, stay healthy, and fight dis-ease!

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Random Thoughts VIII: Chakras 1 and 2

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This random thought is not one of full explanation. There are going to be many terms and concepts you may not understand. The purpose of this random thought is to share what I experienced in Yoga Teacher Training the other day. For more information about chakras, please click here.

On Monday, we learned more about chakras and Kundalini in Yoga Teacher Training. I will let you in on something...I used to be very afraid of Kundalini Yoga and playing with my chakras.The reason was simple: my head would hurt anytime I would try to read books on Kundalini. I have passed Kundalini classes at Yoga conferences and my body would twitch and start to burn in certain areas. I know it's weird. I couldn't explain why and didn't try to...to me, that was a sign to leave it alone.

Since Yoga Teacher Training, I have become more comfortable with the concept of Kundalini and the chakras. I even finished that book that used to make my head hurt everytime I read it. I became so comfortable, that I started to play with clearing my chakras so that the Kundalini energy can start to flow freely within me.

This is the symbol for the root chakra, called Muladhara. Once I found my muladhara bandha, I would activate it with the breath. Tadasana would keep me grounded but I would actually feel grounded once I would activate this bandha.

Chakra 1 deals with guilt and anger. It also deals with feelings of being rejected/abandoned in childhood.

As we went through class, my instructor asked us to do Sun Salutations to have a better understanding of our chakras through asana. He came over and corrected me on my downward facing dog.

Now downward facing dog is one of my favorite poses. However, I cannot hold it for too long. I either get embarassed or I get angry. I never told anyone this and kept it to myself because I didn't understand the feeling and why it was there.

During our break, I asked my teacher what was wrong with my down dog. He explained that I hyperextend my back (meaning that my chest goes too low and it bends downwards too far) and because of the massive opening of my chest, I either feel too vulnerable or I would get angry.

How in the hell did he know?!

He walked me through the proper positioning of my chest and further explained what is going on....with me! I never told him any of this stuff but here he is, telling me my life story from one pose! Tears started to stream down my eyes. Before I went to him to inquire about my pose, I was very angry. I was angry that I felt like a loner in my class. Like my peers ignore me while connecting with each other. It's not only YTT that makes me feel that way. I usually feel that way in any situation, with most people from time to time. I didn't know why, and for the most part, I would ignore the feeling or just chalk it up to being an asshole in a past life.

Do not repress your feelings.

My instructor said this to me as I was fighting back the tears. In the past, I would repress and repress. Because of this, when I would get angry, I would blow up like there is no tomorrow. Now, I found myself frustrrated at this "delayed emotional response" that I've been having when faced with issues that calls for certain emotions to be evoked - anger, guilt, fear, passion.

As I went back to my seat and finished class, the tears continued to flow. I didn't fight them nor did I try to analyze them. I was just happy to finally understand something about myself. Like why I always feel this way when I do downward facing dog.

This is the symbol for the 2nd Chakra, the Swadhisthana Chakra. I have a feeling that this chakra is located in the same spot as the Tan T'ien, an area of the abdomen where you breathe from in Tai Chi. When my teacher would correct me on downward facing dog, he would also tell me to engage my abdomen. Not the upper part, but the lower part - in my tan t'ien area.

Chakra 2 deals with sexuality/sensuality (how do we use it?). It also deals with relationships/feelings (mostly one-on-one relationships) and affects the need for position in society, the need to control other people and acceptance.

The first three chakras apparently deals with human emotions. When you talk about "going with your gut" or anything with intuition, you're usually within the realm of the 2nd Chakra.

I no longer have a problem with my sexuality or my sensuality. When I talk about these things, I do not mean my sexual orientation. That has never been questioned. I always had a problem with accepting my femininity. I had a bad childhood and all of these factors played a critical role in my tomboy years. I always knew I was a girl. I just didn't like it. I didn't want to be a girl. I felt like my reproductive organs were a curse and not a blessing. Menstruation was the worst for me...and back then, if I could throw away my feminine energy, I would in a heartbeat.

Flower Essences have helped with that. I am a much softer and gentle feminine creature. I love being a woman and no longer have physical issues with sexual intercourse (I know, TMI...but it needs to be said). I still have problems with my menstrual cycle but compared to 5 years ago, the symptoms I have seem really minor and totally treatable.

So what is my issue then?

Before class was over, I moved from the muladhara bandha to my tan t'ien. I would engage my abdomen and breathe into this area. I haven't done this in a long time. After class was over, visions came into my mind and opened up a door of sorts. I was in the locker room crying. A classmate of mine came over to console me and I told her that I just had a breakthrough:

When I was very young, I had some "girl friends." Everyday, they would play with me for about an hour and then the next thing you know, they would tell me that they're not my friend anymore. They would berate me and make fun of me and right before I start to fight them, they would say, "we're only playing" and play with me again. This would happen at least 4 times a day for many months.

One day, I came home crying. My mom asked me what was wrong and I told her. She told me that the next time they do that to me, tell them "I don't care" and leave. Go and play by yourself and that would never happen again. She was right too. After I did that, the girls kept playing with me and never did that to me again.

However, it left a samskara in my mind (samskara is an impression left in the mind. The 'total of these impressions becomes the tremendous force which is called “character.”' I realized that because of this experience, I would never feel accepted by anyone. Any little thing - people connecting with each other more than they do with me, a glance, something you said or the tone with which you said it - would make me feel like you don't like me and this scenario would come into my subconscious. My conscious would put the face of whoever is present onto the bodies of those little girls and I would feel like a 6 year old child again. Scared of the pain of rejection and not being accepted when I did nothing wrong. (Folks, my ego loves playing the victim...bear with me). 

What does this have to do with the Chakras, See?

Well, I came to the realization that my breakthrough is a purge. As I understood certain aspects of my root chakra in regards to asana, it opened up the door for me to free up my Swadhisthana Chakra. I finally was able to see a fear, face it and let it go...at least for a moment.

Now does this mean that I will never feel this way again? Nope. I may feel this way a number of times before it is truly purged from me. But this awareness is key for me to properly heal. Now all I need to do is be mindful of it. If I start to feel like I am abandoned or not accepted by my peers for whatever reason, I can always say, "this is based on my samskara and now I must release it."

Release is not an immediate thing. Sometimes it can take a long time to release. Here are some tips to release whatever you are holding onto (emotionally and mentally):

• Recognize your fears and emotions
• acknowlege them
• be compassionate - with yourself and with others
• Forgive. Forgive yourself first and then you can forgive others.
  

If you try these things and you find that you are still having trouble letting go and moving forward with life, then do not be afraid to seek professional help. A therapist or a counselor or a psychiatrist can aid you in letting go of memories and emotions so that you can be more productive with life.

I don't need a psychiatrist to help me with my issues. I've been crazy for too long and am doing very well with figuring out things and healing myself. Continuing my Yoga practice and strengthening it by doing more Grounding Poses (such as Tadasana and the Warrior Series) as well as seated poses and forward bends (such as Janusirshasana and Pachimotanasana) will benefit me. Look at what it's doing for me already!!

If you feel like a Hatha Yoga practice will also be good for you to calm the mind and heal you, then do not forget to include meditation, chanting and pranayama in your practice (a Yogic diet also helps). A well balanced practice leads to a well balanced mind.

Thanks for letting me open my heart and share. Until next time...

stay strong, stay healthy, and fight dis-ease!

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The Essential 4 Series: Breathe Better Methods III

"When the mind is still, it can truly listen to what the body needs to say."

- Jill Satterfield, Vaijra Yoga

My blog talks a lot about Mind-Body-Spirit Wellness. This, after all, is the crux of holistic health. There are many modalities of wellness and holistic health and the one thing that makes them have that mind/body/spirit connection is Meditation. The benefits of meditation are bountiful. Meditation is all about using your mind to practice mindfulness. However, meditation can also be used as medicine - to help aid and alleviate many symptoms of various dis-eases, such as cancer. Meditating is also a great way to incorporate or enhance spiritual practice—when the mind and body are calm, it's easier for your"spirit" and the "universe" to connect with each other in a more metaphysical way.

The art of meditation, which comes in many forms, has been practiced for over 5000 years. Most religions, including Islam, Judaism and Christianity , use concentration meditation,paying attention to a particular object - physical or otherwise, like a repetitive prayer. Examples of this are Mala beads, which are used in Hindu/Buddhist traditions and Rosary Beads, which are used in Christianity.

Every morning, I walk down this small path to reach the subway station so that I can go to work. When I come to this small path, I say this prayer over and over: Give thanks and praise unto the Most High, in the name of his son Jesus Christos. Give thanks and praise unto the Most High, for all things.
 
As I recite this prayer, I pay attention to my words and my posture. I look at the trees and other people as I walk down this path and repeat this prayer. I have been doing this for years and it is only within the past 9 months, that I realized this is a form of concentration meditation. Prior to that time, I would say this prayer while listening to music or talking to someone else. Now, I don't put on the music or talk to anyone.

One purpose of meditation is to "reach a calm state of mind" [1]. When your mind is doing so many things at once, it's hard to keep focused on one thing. In this day and age, even if you can focus on one thing, your concentration is typically not 100%. You're still multi-tasking, in some way, shape or form. "Do I have time to wash dishes, do the laundry, and cook when I get home?" "I gotta pick up the kids when I get home." "I'd rather be at home sleeping." These are only a few of the thoughts that enter your mind as you are "focused" on work or whatever you are currently doing at the moment.

Mindfulness meditation is slightly different from concentration meditation. In mindfulness meditation, one sits "comfortably and silently, centering attention by focusing awareness on an object or process (either the breath, a sound, a mantra, a visualization or exercise)" [1].

The breath is the central focus of mindfulness meditation. The breath or a mantra, (for instance) keeps you "in the present moment." It is not uncommon for your mind to have many thoughts and images while you meditate. As you concentrate on your breath, you are able to let these images or thoughts pass through your "vision," without having any attachment to whatever it is that your mind brings up.

When you first meditate, you may think it's not working. You may think "meditation doesn't calm my mind because my mind seems busier now that I'm meditating!" This may not make sense at first but it makes perfect sense but your new found awareness of how busy the mind truly is is the first step in reaching that calm state. There will be times when your mind will wander and you become attached to whatever thoughts pass through. The way to detach yourself from whatever emotions or feelings may arise with the visions that appear is to focus on the breath. Once you focus on the breath, it's easier to let go of any attachment. Once you can let go of the attachment to whatever emotions arise, you can look at a situation from a different standpoint. You may be better able to understand a situation that troubled you and then better understand yourself!

Meditation was very difficult for me when I first started. I had a difficult childhood. I went through so many things that I became good at repressing my memories. When I first started to meditate, a lot of images came to mind that seemed very foreign. I was scared. "Why are these things coming into my mind?" For a while, I believed that I was a bad person for that thoughts that arose during those first attempts at meditation. Once I started to go to more Yoga classes, especially those that focused on meditation rather than asana, I began to understand that the images that came to my mind were repressed memories. 

My mind wanted me to come to terms with these memories and experiences. At the time, I wasn't ready to face them but as I continued to meditate, I let the memories flow through and I was finally able to confront the events that shaped my childhood. Meditation, for me, opened the door to forgiveness - not only the process of forgiving others, but more importantly, the process of forgiving myself. Meditation is a great way to "let go" of the past and keep what serves and works for you (in the present and future tense).

One of my favorite methods of meditation is walking meditation. Walking meditation is a form of meditation is action [2]. As you meditate, your focus is on walking, breathing, and posture.

Before I continue to talk about walking meditation, I would like to explain the connection between breathing and posture. Even if you are doing a sitting meditation, posture is highly important because if you maintain proper posture, your breathing is at optimal levels. Oxygen can flow through the body and to cells with ease, healing you mentally and physically.

Now that you understand the connection between breath and posture and meditation, you can understand why walking meditation is more intense than any of the sitting or kneeling meditations and prayers. In walking meditation, you are more aware of your body because it is moving. There are so many things to pay attention to and appreciate. The average person may become frustrated with a walking meditation. I know people that have tried it and have complained that there are just "too many distractions." The beauty of walking meditation is becoming aware of not only things outside of us but how our inner selves relate to these external objects - observing how you feel when you look upon something you find beautiful.

I don't agree with those who think that there are 'too many distractions' when doing a walking meditation. Wherever I do my walking meditations, I am amazed and truly appreciate the silence and the noise that comes with nature. I pay attention to the rain drops or the sunshine. I appreciate the wind as it blows through the trees that provide me with oxygen as it takes my carbon dioxide, adding to the cycle of life. All of these things bring more love into my heart. I feel compassion for people as I walk and see them interact in loving ways.

Another reason why I love walking meditation is because I'm not the best at doing Lotus Pose (go figure! ) I can't quite explain it but after 20 minutes, my body wants to get up and move. My breathing helps me focus and relax my mind, yet my body wants to get up and I can't explain why. So...I might as well do a walking meditation! Besides, it never hurts to get some physical exercise while I calm my mind.

As I mentioned a little bit previously, those that suffer from severe depression or any related illness should NOT meditate, unless given permission by a licensed therapist, doctor, or other valid professional. Even if you suffer from mild depression (as I do from time to time), it's better for you to meditate with a light or your eyes open. The book Yoga as Medicine explains this very well:

Like Pranayama, meditation may not be appropriate (or even possible) for people who are very anxious and depressed. Anyone with clinical depression, a history of schizophrenia, or other serious psychological problems should consult a mental health professional before beginning a meditation practice.

Usually, when you meditate, there is only natural light. Some people like to meditate in the dark - it gives a feeling of complete stillness. However, if you suffer from depression or a similar illness, it's harder to handle what comes to mind. It's not as easy to keep focus and awareness of staying outside of the feelings, emotions, or visions you see. For this reason, it's easier for people in this situation to either meditate with their eyes open, fixated on a particular point for focus OR closing their eyes, but having a bright artificial light behind them so that it still seems like their eyes are open. For a long time, I had to meditate with my eyes open. Now, I can keep my eyes closed for longer periods of time. 

From a medical standpoint, meditation and pranayama are very effective against many dis-eases, including cancer, heart disease and AIDS. At least 80% of all stress sits in your fat cells. This is because the stress hormone, cortisol, increases the urge to eat and "the laying down of fat in the abdomen[4]." According to the book Yoga as Medicine, "Stress hormones not only raise blood pressure/heart rate...it causes your blood to clot easier, which can lead to heart attacks." Your body also carries emotional strains of the past, turning it into physical pain. This is especially true for women and their reproductive organs. Since "meditation and pranayama techniques fight stress by calmin the nervous system, muscles, and emotions," many symptoms caused by major dis-eases such as cancer can be alleviated or dispelled altogether. In the case of women/reproductive system, this is not going to completely cure your PMS but it will help you better cope with symptoms associated with it.

After my initial issues with meditation, I was able to meditate with my eyes closed. I would see the visions, thoughts, memories and let them pass with ease. However, a question kept coming to mind once I was done: What do I do with this information? It's easy to relive moments that appear in your mind and become active in them, letting your mind become a part of that emotion and relinquishing control to them. Remember, this is not the purpose of meditation. It's not the purpose to think about these things after meditating and getting upset, sad, etc. either. Most of us will analyze and process the information (which is neither bad nor good until your perception comes into play) in a positive way by using the information to help them when these situations arise in the future. The art of processing can enable us to gain insight into methods of maintaining this "freedom." Various methods include but aren't limited to: Yoga, prayer, a walking meditation, a Self-Help book/Workshop, or Tai Chi.

Before I go, let's reintroduce you to Matt Stokes' quick tips. Here's #3:

White Rice Vs. Brown Rice

Brown rice is a whole grain and white rice is not. 

Simply put, white rice is brown rice with the two outer layers stripped away. 

We need these layers to slow down the release of sugar into our bloodstream.

When sugar is released quickly into our bloodstream it leads to energy swings (ie: "sugar crashing") and, more seriously, diabetes (type 2).

Obviously, white rice isn’t the only thing leading to these adverse affects.  Anything with a good amount of sugar/corn syrup/sugar substitutes/simple carbohydrate can do this. 

Avoid an overabundance of these things and go with brown rice or whole grains when you can.

Courtesy of

YaaaY! I did it! I'm so proud of myself...and now it's time to start with the next blog, which will definitely be on Tai Chi. So until next time....

stay strong, stay healthy, and fight dis-ease! 

References:
[1] Wikipedia. July 15, 2008, http://en.wikipedia/org/wiki/Mediation
[2] Wildmind Buddhist Meditation. July 15, 2008, http://www.wildmind.org/walking/overview
The New Kadampa Tradition - International Buddhist Union. July 15, 2008, http://www.how-to-meditate.org/breathing-meditations.htm
Tim McCall, MD, Yoga as Medicine: The Yogic Prescription for Health and Healing, Bantam Publishing, July 31, 2007, pgs. 68-70, 98, 338

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Movements VI

It's been a while, hasn't it? (ooh wee...I haven't been on here in so long that I just realized that Blogger now has it's own set of smileys - or that can just be from my Firefox plug-in. LOL either way, I'm a happy girl )

It's been 3 months since I did my last draft...on meditation, that still has not been put up yet. I want to thank you for putting up with...what's left of me!

I haven't neglected you and this blog because I am busy (even though I am). I have neglected you and this blog because I am scared. Right now, I'm scared of what the future holds. This is not a negative fear. This is more along the lines of positive terrifying excitement...

There has been no Yoga in the Parks as of late but the weather is still nice and I'm making time to "make time." I am in Yoga Teacher Training right now, which is the most exciting thing for me, as of late.

Another exciting thing I'm dealing with is this fundraiser I'm doing with my Leadership Team. I am proud of be a part of this project to create an "Empowerment Center" in a Domestic Violence Shelter in Brooklyn. Our After Work Benefit is on Oct. 17 (hey better late than never) and for more information (or to donate or buy a raffle ticket) please go to www.LT46for WIN.org

Because I have found the courage to put this blog up, I'm going to do my best to put up that blog on Meditation and continue with my year schedule. This meditation blog is highly important because since going to YTT (at Integral Yoga), I have become more of a fan of meditation.

I am also in the process of changing up my blog - templates, widgets, all that. That also takes a while. Moving things around, prioritizing, and actually getting things done makes me hunger for dark chocolate. I'm still praying that these smileys stay in my blog and I don't have to do the cut/paste thing anymore.

Happy times, happy times!! Your girl is back and smarter than ever!
Can't wait for you to

stay strong, stay healthy, and fight dis-ease!

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Movements V...it's never too late

Yes folks. I'm back again. I have thought about you and my blog everyday, however, thinking isn't the same as DOING! So without further "to do" (you know I gotta put my own spin on words)...here it is:
I hope it's big enough for you to see...I'm doing another Yoga in the Park!! This time, it will be in Brooklyn and there is a $10 suggested donation.

I have so much going on (this is not an excuse, merely a fact) and I have to prioritize. Between this blog, my book, my job(s), my mom, volunteer work, and cleaning my house...well, you get the idea. The blackberry is not enough. I need the Jesus phone to be able to keep up (or at least a long vacation). The vacation won't happen anytime soon (I'm working on that too) but I have been meditating and it helps a lot. You like the segue, don't you?

I went to Summer Spa Day at Integral Yoga yesterday. It was a fantastic event. I did 90 minutes of Yoga, 20 minutes of Meditation, had a great vegetarian lunch, got a facial/body scrub, did some Qi Gong, Reiki, Thai Yoga Massage, and enjoyed a lecture by Dr. Naina Marballi on Ayurveda Beauty and Wellness. It was truly amazing to share and celebrate our "Sacred Feminine Aspect." The rain didn't dampen our spirits...it actually made us more aware and alive because we knew that it washes away the past and the dirt to make way for the new and the present to shine.

It's just too damn bad that my hips are super sore!
I need to work on my right hip more (making it open up) but it's my left hip that is the sorest! It's weird but interesting because it shows me how one side will work to compensate for the other. The left hip is taking all of the soreness for the right hip. I did a lot of work on my right hip yesterday!

Another good thing about yesterday was when I was doing Yoga. Sumatri is the name of our instructor and guide for yesterday's events. She is an amazing teacher. We had a multi-level class and I loved the way she was able to take the simplest poses and "build up" in complexity so even first timers had confidence to do more than they thought they could do.

Now most of you know that I only have time to do Yoga at home (right now). 5 minutes of Sun Salutations and I'm a happy camper! If I can get in a pigeon pose and savasana (corpse pose), then I'm golden. This is no more than 10 minutes, tops. Being that this was my first "class" in months, I decided to try to take the mediocre route. If I could advance in a pose, I would. If I didn't think I could, then I wouldn't.

Sumatri wasn't trying to hear any of that. "Why don't you try it this way?," she would ask me. My mind would say, "hell to the no lady! This is supposed to be an easy day!" but my breath would lead my body to do the poses with ease. I was amazed...at myself and the class. As I would do a pose, the person next to me would follow my lead. The person on the other side of me would get a little bit bolder in doing the pose. The person across from me would smile and continue to focus on her breath. It was as if I was inspiring them and they were inspiring me and this energy was building up throughout the day. The energy built up but didn't burst. It bloomed and blossomed, like a lotus flower. Did you know I love lotus flowers?

Oh yeah...I forgot one thing to add to my to-do list...RUNNING! I said that by 9/7, I'll be able to run 5K in under 30 minutes. I haven't started practicing yet. But all of that will change as of next week. Today is the first day (of that time...yeah, it's really 'Sacred Feminine' time ) so I'm going to take a break. However, I am going to make it a point to run at least twice a week so I can get my time down. Right now, I run 5K in 34 minutes and I haven't ran in a month.

One more thing...I finished the Master Cleanser a couple of days ago. I lost 8lbs and in 5 days, have only gained back 3lbs. It's tough to gain weight when you don't have time to exercise (yeah my metabolism/weight is funny like that) and your stomach seems to have shrunken because you only took in liquids for 10 days! LOL In the end, I made a lot of silly mistakes that I didn't need to make. I can't be upset though...it will only serve to help you when my book comes out. I don't want you to make the same dipsh*t mistakes I did!

OK, that's it for now. I'm tired of talking about me, me, me and nothing about breathe, breath, breathing! Mediation anyone?

Let me babble on some more before letting you go:

when there is something I need to do that is very important, I have this tendency to avoid it until the last second. This is not a good thing. I need to act with urgency and not desperation. Most human beings are living in "fright or flight" mode (more on this at another time)...with that comes desperation. Everything is in a hurry...not an urgency - knowing that you need to do something soon but pacing yourself to make sure it happens at that time and not a second later but waiting until the last minute and then rushing to get something done half-assed. Don't look at me like I'm crazy. I know you do it too. Especially if you live in NYC? Oh yeah, that's you!

My friend that did my Reiki treatment yesterday (hey Louisya!) told me that my body screamed to her that I needed to rest. She wasn't lying. The Thai Yoga Massage lady said something similar to me, in regards to my right hip being so tight. "You're still holding on to something that the rest of you wants to let go...you need to get some rest so that this last bit of tightness can be finally released." In typical NYC fashion, I told them both to wait until after Sept. 7. Well sorry ladies, we're going to have to wait until Jan. 1. I start Yoga Teacher Training at Integral Yoga Institute on September 8.

Even though I have all this stuff to do, I will take their advice and relax for a couple of days. I'm in another period of transitition (did I mention I also need to clean my house? LMAO) so I think I can fit some relaxation in. I don't want to crash and burn out, like I have done in the past (I am a Pitta-Vata...I burn out easily) and I don't want you to either (regardless of what Ayurvedic constitution you are).

I'm going to meditate for a little bit and then face my fear and type up this blog on Meditation. I still have a schedule to keep and people who like to read....so until next time true believers (yeah Stan Lee...sue me later when I have $)...

stay strong, stay healthy, and fight dis-ease!

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The concepts of Movement & Stillness

Hey All!

As I progress with this blog, I'm going to introduce many concepts to you. These concepts are sometimes completely opposite to one another...or just appear that way. However, once you understand the concepts, you realize that you just had a physics lesson. The opposites attract and complement each other. That is true balance.

Ying and Yang are said to be complete opposites of one another, however they balance each other. Without one, there is no other. You may think that one can survive without the other (it is possible) but the sum of the parts are greater than the parts themselves. Think about this in the back of your mind while I proceed.

Human beings are either moving or still. Nowadays, especially in New York City, it's very difficult to keep still. Even when you're packed in like sardines on a crowded train, you can't move but you can't keep still either. I like to pat myself on the back because even in the midst of chaos, I can be still within myself, maintaining a certain peace. Too bad the person elbowing me brings my awareness back to the ding dang train! LOL

The concepts of movement and stillness are bound by everything we do. Even when our bodies don't move, our minds are not still. Our souls may be restless. When you move your mouth and sound comes out, that movement is called noise. The opposite of noise is silence. Silence and stillness seem very similar, in this respect.

The reason I want to introduce these concepts to you now are manifold. The good news is that these two concepts have to do with breathing. The bad news is you'll have a lot to read before I get to that point!! LOL

There are many forms of silence: there is the silence between my posts; there is the silence that two people share when engaged in conversation; there is the silence of a quiet room; there is the silence of a quiet mind. I want you to know that even through all of these forms of silence, there is still movement. Some of it can be considered "noise."

Let's talk about the silence between my posts. When I speak about "silence", I'm talking about the amount of time it takes for me to put up a new post. The movements are created and performed by me. My "noise" may be in the form of research, getting my life together, or just trying to figure out how to take the things from my mind and putting them into this blog. You know, the noise of organization. You don't have to see or hear the noise, but it's there. I buzz all of the time. :)

The second reason for the silence between posts is to give readers a chance to take all of the information I have given and try somethings out. Experiment with other concepts and lessons I have provided. If it takes me a month between posts to talk about posture, I can only pray that some of you are taking that month to look at your posture and make the proper decisions in regards to either making it better or maintaining what you have already achieved. It will be the same with any topic I speak on...unless my brain can't hold things anymore and I do 3 posts in one day! It's a very rare feat so don't worry about that. ;)

As a health counselor, I have to learn how to be a good active listener. It doesn't mean that I let you talk all day and I say nothing. Sometimes, people do that and they're not listening. They're just hearing (the function that your ear naturally does when sound enters the inner canal) and not paying attention. Being an active listener means that you are not only hearing, but you are being attentive, and absorbing what is said in the moment. When you actively listen and engage in conversation, sometimes there will still be moments of silence. It's not because there is nothing more to say. You mind is in constant "movement," wondering if you should say more or waiting for the other person to respond.

People say that when there is silence, it means that something needs to be said but you don't know how to say it or are wondering if you should say it at all. If you ever encounter a health counselor and you have this silence, say what you feel. Health counselors love this silence because it gives them time to write their notes. It also gives you time to add or further explain things that may really be helpful in your process and progress.

The silence of a quiet room can be scary at times. You may be still but your mind is moving and other things are moving as well. Your ears are working overtime, since you can now hear paper rustling and such. You can hear bugs moving or an appliance of some sort doing it's electronic magic. You may hear noise from outside and be startled because you don't know where it's coming from.

So what is scarier? The silence in a quiet room or the silence of a quiet mind? When you quiet your mind, you can hear all kinds of "noise," just like in a quiet room. You don't know where these noises are coming from...that voice inside your head...those images you see, even if your eyes are open. The goosebumps you suddenly feel. You can now feel the wind brushing on those baby hairs on your arms. Your other senses pick up all kinds of things your conscious doesn't understand.

Traditional Meditation is the quiet mind in a quiet room. Dang! Double trouble!! Most of us can't stand being alone, much less dealing with quiet. Especially in NYC (yeah we pray for silence but then when we get it, it's like a really bad culture shock). That's why most people don't do it. They can't take all that silence or the stillness of your inner self.

It's ok. Breathing is the tool to help you control your movement and appreciate stillness. Meditation is one of the techniques that uses breathing to heal you.

In my next blog, I will go more in detail about the methods used for good breathing and using the breath to heal on many levels. For now, I've got to get my research on so that I can get you up to latest information.

One more thing. I have homework for you!
Google this name: John Douillard
Take a look at his book, "Body, Mind, and Sport". Once I get my Amazon widget together, I'll have it in my blog so you can buy the book directly. I will also do this with other items I would recommend you buy and try.

Until my next post,
stay strong, stay healthy, and fight dis-ease!

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