If as you slept tonight a miracle happened and your life was changed in exactly the ways you would like things to change, how would you know?
I would wake up with sense of ease and lightness
I would be free of doubt, guilt and fear
I would laugh and cry with ease knowing that each and both come and go and equally make the life fun to live
I would have quiet mind
I would have strong will
I would do without procrastination
I would believe that superheros exist
I would look back and have no regrets
I would be focused on now and make it worthwile
How would you know?
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Friday, July 14, 2006
Wisdom of chain letters
Sometimes I am just in mood to read them, sometimes I ignore them, mostly they sit in my inbox until I have nothing to do and then I take a peak. There have been so many in past 10 years that I almost perfected sense in knowing which one is worth reading and which one is not. I used to pass them on, especially ones that indicated somebody needed help. They would use tricky words like: "Don't be lazy, push that button, that's all that it costs you" until I got a reply back from a friend saying: Did you know that this one is spam? with link provided which clearly stated so. Since then I make sure I type title of the message in search engine and fair enough often it appears that contents are invitation of some idle mind that wants to get email addresses - lonely soul. To help other people not waste time - check the credibility of chain letters before you decide to forward it. :D
I have to admit - some of chain letters I save and cherish - like this one, dated 20th October 2004. It's been two years since I read it and today it came my way - from me to you. If the author happens to read my blog, please know that you made my day then and now. Thanks!
ENJOY THE JOURNEY
Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get old is when we're kids?
If you're less than 10 years old, you're so excited about aging that you think in fractions.
"How old are you?" "I'm four and a half!" You're never thirty-six and a half You're four and a half, going on five!
That's the key.
You get into your teens, now they can't hold you back. You jump to the next number, or even a few ahead.
"How old are you?" "I'm gonna be 16!" You could be 13, but hey, you're gonna be 16! And then the greatest day of your life . . . you become 21. Even the words sound like a ceremony . . . YOU BECOME 21. YESSSS!!!
But then you turn 30. Oooohh, what happened there? Makes you sound like bad milk! . He TURNED; we had to throw him out There's no fun now, you're Just a sour-dumpling.
What's wrong?
What's changed?
You BECOME 21, you TURN 30, then you're PUSHING 40.
Whoa! Put on the brakes, it's all slipping away. Before you know it, you REACH 50 and your dreams are gone.
But wait!!! You MAKE it to 60. You didn't think you would!
So you BECOME 21, TURN 30, PUSH 40, REACH 50 and MAKE it to 60.
You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70!After that it's a day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday!
You get into your 80s and every day is a complete cycle; you HIT lunch; you TURN 4:30; you REACH bedtime.
And it doesn't end there. Into the 90s, you
start going backwards; "I Was JUST 92."
Then a strange thing happens. If you make it over 100, you become a little kid again. "I'm 100 and a half!"
May you all make it to a healthy 100 and a half!!
HOW TO STAY YOUNG
1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the
doctors worry about them. That is why you pay " them " .
2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.
3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. " An idle mind is the devil's workshop." And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.
4. Enjoy the simple things.
5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.
6. The tears happen.. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person who with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.
7. Surround yourself with what you love. Whether it's family pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.
8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.
9 Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county; to a foreign country but NOT to where the guilt is.
10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.
AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.
I have to admit - some of chain letters I save and cherish - like this one, dated 20th October 2004. It's been two years since I read it and today it came my way - from me to you. If the author happens to read my blog, please know that you made my day then and now. Thanks!
ENJOY THE JOURNEY
Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get old is when we're kids?
If you're less than 10 years old, you're so excited about aging that you think in fractions.
"How old are you?" "I'm four and a half!" You're never thirty-six and a half You're four and a half, going on five!
That's the key.
You get into your teens, now they can't hold you back. You jump to the next number, or even a few ahead.
"How old are you?" "I'm gonna be 16!" You could be 13, but hey, you're gonna be 16! And then the greatest day of your life . . . you become 21. Even the words sound like a ceremony . . . YOU BECOME 21. YESSSS!!!
But then you turn 30. Oooohh, what happened there? Makes you sound like bad milk! . He TURNED; we had to throw him out There's no fun now, you're Just a sour-dumpling.
What's wrong?
What's changed?
You BECOME 21, you TURN 30, then you're PUSHING 40.
Whoa! Put on the brakes, it's all slipping away. Before you know it, you REACH 50 and your dreams are gone.
But wait!!! You MAKE it to 60. You didn't think you would!
So you BECOME 21, TURN 30, PUSH 40, REACH 50 and MAKE it to 60.
You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70!After that it's a day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday!
You get into your 80s and every day is a complete cycle; you HIT lunch; you TURN 4:30; you REACH bedtime.
And it doesn't end there. Into the 90s, you
start going backwards; "I Was JUST 92."
Then a strange thing happens. If you make it over 100, you become a little kid again. "I'm 100 and a half!"
May you all make it to a healthy 100 and a half!!
HOW TO STAY YOUNG
1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the
doctors worry about them. That is why you pay " them " .
2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.
3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. " An idle mind is the devil's workshop." And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.
4. Enjoy the simple things.
5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.
6. The tears happen.. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person who with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.
7. Surround yourself with what you love. Whether it's family pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.
8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.
9 Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county; to a foreign country but NOT to where the guilt is.
10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.
AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.
Thursday, July 13, 2006
"Remember, this whole thing started with a mouse" Walt Disney
Scrolling through some of my old files I found a sheet with some interesting facts. After I read them my mind feels like it just finished a game on pinball machine - from one fact to the other until it looses itself in the paradox of black holes.
Enjoy :D
Walt Disney got the idea for Mickey Mouse from watching mice play in a garage, where he was forced to work, because he could not afford to rent an art studio.
More Monopoly money is printed yearly than real money throughout the world
A dentist invented the Electric Chair.
A cockroach can live nine days without its head before it starves to death.
Alfred Hitchcock did not have a belly button. It was eliminated when he was sewn up after surgery.
On average, every chocolate bar contains at least three insect legs.
"Almost" is the longest word in the English language with all the letters in alphabetical order.
"Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson was the first video to air on MTV by a black artist.
"Canada" is an Indian word meaning "Big Village".
The lunula is the half-moon shaped pale area at the bottom of finger nails.
One thousand" contains the letter A, but none of the words from one to nine hundred ninety-nine has an A.
Stewardesses" is the longest word that can be typed with only the left hand.
$203,000,000 is spent on barbed wire each year in the U.S.
1 kg (2.2 pounds) of lemons contain more sugar than 1 kg of strawberries.
11% of the world is left-handed.
25% of a human's bones are in its feet.
259200 people die every day.
3% of all mammals are monogamous
80% of animals on earth are insects.
80% of arrested criminals are male.
By raising your legs slowly and lying on your back, you cannot sink into quicksand.
t takes more calories to eat a piece of celery than the celery has in it to begin with.
85% of men who die of heartattacks during intercourse, are found to have been cheating on their wives.
Charlie Chaplin once won third prize in a Charlie Chaplin look-alike contest.
Chewing gum while peeling onions will keep you from crying.
98% of all murders and rapes are by a close family member or friend of the victim.
Enjoy :D
Walt Disney got the idea for Mickey Mouse from watching mice play in a garage, where he was forced to work, because he could not afford to rent an art studio.
More Monopoly money is printed yearly than real money throughout the world
A dentist invented the Electric Chair.
A cockroach can live nine days without its head before it starves to death.
Alfred Hitchcock did not have a belly button. It was eliminated when he was sewn up after surgery.
On average, every chocolate bar contains at least three insect legs.
"Almost" is the longest word in the English language with all the letters in alphabetical order.
"Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson was the first video to air on MTV by a black artist.
"Canada" is an Indian word meaning "Big Village".
The lunula is the half-moon shaped pale area at the bottom of finger nails.
One thousand" contains the letter A, but none of the words from one to nine hundred ninety-nine has an A.
Stewardesses" is the longest word that can be typed with only the left hand.
$203,000,000 is spent on barbed wire each year in the U.S.
1 kg (2.2 pounds) of lemons contain more sugar than 1 kg of strawberries.
11% of the world is left-handed.
25% of a human's bones are in its feet.
259200 people die every day.
3% of all mammals are monogamous
80% of animals on earth are insects.
80% of arrested criminals are male.
By raising your legs slowly and lying on your back, you cannot sink into quicksand.
t takes more calories to eat a piece of celery than the celery has in it to begin with.
85% of men who die of heartattacks during intercourse, are found to have been cheating on their wives.
Charlie Chaplin once won third prize in a Charlie Chaplin look-alike contest.
Chewing gum while peeling onions will keep you from crying.
98% of all murders and rapes are by a close family member or friend of the victim.
Tricks of menopause
A client complained about hot flashes, swollen legs, lack of energy, insomnia and weight problems. While Liu Shifu massaged her he talked about the principles of Chinese medicine and the flow of energy during the menopause. I am ‘relatively’ nowhere near that time but it was great to gain awareness of what is.
From what I have heard from my mother before women usually go through the following symptoms during the menopause: body weakens, looses the regulatory system of self cleansing and gets into a shock of irregular changes in temperature. To be sure I searched google and this is what I found as menopause symptoms:
1. Hot flashes, flushes, night sweats and/or cold flashes, clammy feeling
2. Bouts of rapid heart beat
3. Irritability, Mood swings
4. Sudden tears
5. Trouble sleeping through the night (with or without night sweats)
6. Irregular periods; shorter, lighter periods; heavier periods, flooding; phantom periods, shorter cycles, longer cycles
7. Loss of libido
8. Dry vagina
9. Crashing fatigue
10. Anxiety, feeling ill at ease
11. Feelings of dread, apprehension, doom
12.Difficulty concentrating, disorientation, mental confusion
13. Disturbing memory lapses
14.Incontinence, especially upon sneezing, laughing; urge incontinence
15. Itchy, crawly skin
16. Aching, sore joints, muscles and tendons
17. Increased tension in muscles
18. Breast tenderness
19. Headache change: increase or decrease
20. Gastrointestinal distress, indigestion, flatulence, gas pain, nausea
21. Sudden bouts of bloat
22. Depression
23. Exacerbation of existing conditions
24. Increase in allergies
25. Weight gain
26.Hair loss or thinning, head, pubic, or whole body; increase in facial hair
27. Dizziness, light-headedness, episodes of loss of balance
28. Changes in body odor
29. Electric shock sensation under the skin and in the head
30. Tingling in the extremities
31. Gum problems, increased bleeding
32. Burning tongue, burning roof of mouth, bad taste in mouth, change in breath odor
33. Osteoporosis
34. Changes in fingernails: softer, crack or break easier
35. Tinnitus: ringing in ears, bells, 'whooshing' buzzing etc.
My god, no wonder women go through tantrums and no doubt, this awaits me too!
Honestly, after one hour of listening about the principles of change from perspective of Chinese medicine it all makes sense: menopause (the period marked by the natural and permanent cessation of menstruation, occurring usually between the ages of 45 and 55) triggers decreased flow of blood to legs and head (hence flashes: cold when there is reduced blood flow and hot when the blood flow increases). The whole process results in yin-yang imbalance and it takes 6 months to few years for body to adjust to the new life cycle. So families, youngsters and husbands: get ready to provide strong support during this time by easing the tensed mind of your women – soon it will be over.
Women: exercise more, engage yourselves in relaxation activities and be patient with your body – it is time for change.
The best exercise is swimming and walking. Swim 4 times a week and walk as much as you can but do these gently and without force. If you have resources, practice yoga, taichi or any other form of internal martial arts.
Today’s experiment: Speed Exercise
This exercise can be done at home or in a park, wherever you feel comfortable and whenever you have time. One to five minutes twice a day (morning and evening is great). Keep your body straight and gaze into the distance while your mind focuses on your footwork.
Gently and slowly step with one foot at a time and focus on each part of the soles of your feet as they touch the ground. Spread your weight until it is evenly distributed from heel first all the way to your toes.
Do this exercise every day and increase time when possible.
This exercise helps you increase the energy flow through the whole body. It is like cleaning blocked pipes you set intention to gain balance between mind (head) and body (legs) which secures free flow of blood and energy
Keep in mind: if you decide to use hormones your body will learn to adjust its function through external means and later on you will still need to deal with the withdrawal symptoms once you decide to stop using medication. The state you are going through is a natural process so allow it to guide you toward better understanding of your body.
From what I have heard from my mother before women usually go through the following symptoms during the menopause: body weakens, looses the regulatory system of self cleansing and gets into a shock of irregular changes in temperature. To be sure I searched google and this is what I found as menopause symptoms:
1. Hot flashes, flushes, night sweats and/or cold flashes, clammy feeling
2. Bouts of rapid heart beat
3. Irritability, Mood swings
4. Sudden tears
5. Trouble sleeping through the night (with or without night sweats)
6. Irregular periods; shorter, lighter periods; heavier periods, flooding; phantom periods, shorter cycles, longer cycles
7. Loss of libido
8. Dry vagina
9. Crashing fatigue
10. Anxiety, feeling ill at ease
11. Feelings of dread, apprehension, doom
12.Difficulty concentrating, disorientation, mental confusion
13. Disturbing memory lapses
14.Incontinence, especially upon sneezing, laughing; urge incontinence
15. Itchy, crawly skin
16. Aching, sore joints, muscles and tendons
17. Increased tension in muscles
18. Breast tenderness
19. Headache change: increase or decrease
20. Gastrointestinal distress, indigestion, flatulence, gas pain, nausea
21. Sudden bouts of bloat
22. Depression
23. Exacerbation of existing conditions
24. Increase in allergies
25. Weight gain
26.Hair loss or thinning, head, pubic, or whole body; increase in facial hair
27. Dizziness, light-headedness, episodes of loss of balance
28. Changes in body odor
29. Electric shock sensation under the skin and in the head
30. Tingling in the extremities
31. Gum problems, increased bleeding
32. Burning tongue, burning roof of mouth, bad taste in mouth, change in breath odor
33. Osteoporosis
34. Changes in fingernails: softer, crack or break easier
35. Tinnitus: ringing in ears, bells, 'whooshing' buzzing etc.
My god, no wonder women go through tantrums and no doubt, this awaits me too!
Honestly, after one hour of listening about the principles of change from perspective of Chinese medicine it all makes sense: menopause (the period marked by the natural and permanent cessation of menstruation, occurring usually between the ages of 45 and 55) triggers decreased flow of blood to legs and head (hence flashes: cold when there is reduced blood flow and hot when the blood flow increases). The whole process results in yin-yang imbalance and it takes 6 months to few years for body to adjust to the new life cycle. So families, youngsters and husbands: get ready to provide strong support during this time by easing the tensed mind of your women – soon it will be over.
Women: exercise more, engage yourselves in relaxation activities and be patient with your body – it is time for change.
The best exercise is swimming and walking. Swim 4 times a week and walk as much as you can but do these gently and without force. If you have resources, practice yoga, taichi or any other form of internal martial arts.
Today’s experiment: Speed Exercise
This exercise can be done at home or in a park, wherever you feel comfortable and whenever you have time. One to five minutes twice a day (morning and evening is great). Keep your body straight and gaze into the distance while your mind focuses on your footwork.
Gently and slowly step with one foot at a time and focus on each part of the soles of your feet as they touch the ground. Spread your weight until it is evenly distributed from heel first all the way to your toes.
Do this exercise every day and increase time when possible.
This exercise helps you increase the energy flow through the whole body. It is like cleaning blocked pipes you set intention to gain balance between mind (head) and body (legs) which secures free flow of blood and energy
Keep in mind: if you decide to use hormones your body will learn to adjust its function through external means and later on you will still need to deal with the withdrawal symptoms once you decide to stop using medication. The state you are going through is a natural process so allow it to guide you toward better understanding of your body.
Monday, July 10, 2006
I wonder what was Shane going to wear on her wedding
The third season finished abruptly - at least as K & I saw it: on DVD, in two days. Sparkles of understanding, identity confirmation and determination to hear about other La La experiences. Inevitably I define myself through various characters: some are similar to me, some are far from similarity and some are intriguing. However one thing I know for sure - I am glad I am with K and that we are talking.
I wonder if it is so obvious to all La La girls that Bette's and Tina's relationship is not working only because they are not expressing how they feel and what they are thinking. Even if one of them tries, the other one withdraws and decides to escape engaging in work, baby or another relationship. Almost certain recipe for termination of a relationship. Another example is Dana. Why did she trap herself in rejection, solitude and poor me drama? She rejected Lara and chose solitude, she didn't invite her friends to be part of her life's major story. If she thought of all of that all the girls could have been acknowledged during the funeral. That was painful to watch - way to go Alice for standing up for the rights.
For those who have friends who are ill, being it breast cancer, aids or even flu - great read is Nancy Kline's book "Time to Think". Real help in understanding how important it is to listen and what kind of support you can offer in various ways. Recently a friend was in the hospital, she just got evacuated back to UK. I had a glimpse of understanding how difficult it is to present ease and lightness to a person that faces critical health condition. Mind races with worries, ears are fuming with information and then this blabber starts coming out, unstoppable blabber. I guess it is a kind of a problem personification, attachment to the experience and fear of "What would I do if I was her?" I guess that is the case with any kind of story, mine too.
Today I am wondering about the cycles I have been through. After over thirty years of living this body I am at this point in life planning K & my wedding. And the point is high point, no doubt. It is as high as a mountain peak that gets you to see over the valley and all other peaks, some smaller some higher, some are lost in the distance but memory keeps bringing them back. I learned a lot climbing those peaks. I found out how to choose a safe path, how to tie knots and secure the harness before I jump into abyss. K is my harness and my safety rope but I also learned that jumping into abyss is not such a thrill after all.
So, looking into the future there is this wedding peak, not so tall but simple event planning peak that is for us personally and we need to know what is it that we both want.
We have few layers of differences, and major sameness: we hope to be relaxed and happy, we want to have fun. How??? What bugs me is what do we wear? T-shirt with a statement? or a gown? Is the whole wedding ceremony just a statement, performance or celebration and ritual? We are still exploring. I know one thing for sure - there won't be official invitations. I used sms, email and phone to invite people. I hope they don't mind. Maybe they will forget? Who will be where? We are getting married first in Canada and then having a wedding ceremony in Beijing. As it happens we also need to decide on the outfit, flower arrangements, who to invite, where to dine in Vancouver too. And then, rings! We don't wear rings! Tattoos are the latest idea.
The clock is ticking, Vancouver August 11th, Beijing September 22nd. Oh, right, I remember now, a friend helped us check the auspicious dates and 11.08.2006. is apparently fantastic! September 22nd however is not. Really bad day, something like 'stay-at-home-and-hide' day. 25th is better, don't ask me why. I am not sure if I want to give in completely to the power of numerology. Maybe the best would be to continue with 22nd September and blame it on the 'not auspicious' day if things go wrong. I think I'd be more relaxed then - it's beyond my control.
Be safe and enjoy the journey
:D
I wonder if it is so obvious to all La La girls that Bette's and Tina's relationship is not working only because they are not expressing how they feel and what they are thinking. Even if one of them tries, the other one withdraws and decides to escape engaging in work, baby or another relationship. Almost certain recipe for termination of a relationship. Another example is Dana. Why did she trap herself in rejection, solitude and poor me drama? She rejected Lara and chose solitude, she didn't invite her friends to be part of her life's major story. If she thought of all of that all the girls could have been acknowledged during the funeral. That was painful to watch - way to go Alice for standing up for the rights.
For those who have friends who are ill, being it breast cancer, aids or even flu - great read is Nancy Kline's book "Time to Think". Real help in understanding how important it is to listen and what kind of support you can offer in various ways. Recently a friend was in the hospital, she just got evacuated back to UK. I had a glimpse of understanding how difficult it is to present ease and lightness to a person that faces critical health condition. Mind races with worries, ears are fuming with information and then this blabber starts coming out, unstoppable blabber. I guess it is a kind of a problem personification, attachment to the experience and fear of "What would I do if I was her?" I guess that is the case with any kind of story, mine too.
Today I am wondering about the cycles I have been through. After over thirty years of living this body I am at this point in life planning K & my wedding. And the point is high point, no doubt. It is as high as a mountain peak that gets you to see over the valley and all other peaks, some smaller some higher, some are lost in the distance but memory keeps bringing them back. I learned a lot climbing those peaks. I found out how to choose a safe path, how to tie knots and secure the harness before I jump into abyss. K is my harness and my safety rope but I also learned that jumping into abyss is not such a thrill after all.
So, looking into the future there is this wedding peak, not so tall but simple event planning peak that is for us personally and we need to know what is it that we both want.
We have few layers of differences, and major sameness: we hope to be relaxed and happy, we want to have fun. How??? What bugs me is what do we wear? T-shirt with a statement? or a gown? Is the whole wedding ceremony just a statement, performance or celebration and ritual? We are still exploring. I know one thing for sure - there won't be official invitations. I used sms, email and phone to invite people. I hope they don't mind. Maybe they will forget? Who will be where? We are getting married first in Canada and then having a wedding ceremony in Beijing. As it happens we also need to decide on the outfit, flower arrangements, who to invite, where to dine in Vancouver too. And then, rings! We don't wear rings! Tattoos are the latest idea.
The clock is ticking, Vancouver August 11th, Beijing September 22nd. Oh, right, I remember now, a friend helped us check the auspicious dates and 11.08.2006. is apparently fantastic! September 22nd however is not. Really bad day, something like 'stay-at-home-and-hide' day. 25th is better, don't ask me why. I am not sure if I want to give in completely to the power of numerology. Maybe the best would be to continue with 22nd September and blame it on the 'not auspicious' day if things go wrong. I think I'd be more relaxed then - it's beyond my control.
Be safe and enjoy the journey
:D
Doom day in Beijing
Heaven and Earth have connected into a mushy grey blob in Beijing today. Morning practice was cancelled, streets will not dry out completely - not today. I can hardly see what is ahead 1km away. Something is telling me that the weather will not be that much different this summer.
Looking through my window I contemplate if this is how it looked like before ying & yang collided to participate in the world creation. I don't know anymore what belons to pollution, what belongs to global warming, which part of the whole environmental kick gives us the healthy perspective. I don't know anymore if the rain falling is the natural collision of ying & yang spheres or simple cloud busting that is coming from human perspective - to ease the breath and soothe farming land with few extra drops that may come in more handy than pesticides.
Friday, July 07, 2006
Health & Positive Thoughts
I hurt my back, again. What is it that keeps me on track with understanding what my health perserving boundaries are? Each time it happens in exactly the same way - I see something that bothers me and it needs to be lifted: first time, cement bag was on my way; second time, child that was bored and I picked it up to play with it; third time, 15 chairs needed to be mended; fourth time, flower pot was to big for one person to carry. Each time I was there to find out that my back is not as strong as I wanted it to be. Lesson learned - lift weight using my legs!
How long does it take to listen to the body signs and act accordingly? How many time have I ignored what my body was telling me just to be able to induldge a bit more in life temptations - food, drinks or any other available pleasures that modern living abundantly offers?
I find Luisa Hey's work very helpful for this. According to her each physical symptom of illness or injury resides in a negative thinking pattern. The whole concept seems so simple and gives us, cognitive thinkers, full responsibility for everything that happens to us. So, the formula in my case, according to LH is: Back Problems = financial insecurity; the way out of it is to have more abundant thoughts. I know I have a choice to believe that I hurt my back because I was lifting a heavy weight or that I have been having concerns about finances which influenced weakenning of my back and therefore exposed me to an injury. Trully, this year is getting heavy on our budget, we have moved to a more expensive place, so far I have made 2 trips to Europe, 1 to Sri Lanka, there is a wedding ahead of us. Each of the events is a happy thought but I know somewhere deep in my mind a worry resides - will these expenses be replenished soon?
While I have been lying in bed healing my back, I kept encouraging myself to continue having positive thoughts, minimize worry and look at the bright side of the whole picture. Hey, I am getting married, and it will all be ok, and the wedding will be great and we will live happily ever after.
:D
How long does it take to listen to the body signs and act accordingly? How many time have I ignored what my body was telling me just to be able to induldge a bit more in life temptations - food, drinks or any other available pleasures that modern living abundantly offers?
I find Luisa Hey's work very helpful for this. According to her each physical symptom of illness or injury resides in a negative thinking pattern. The whole concept seems so simple and gives us, cognitive thinkers, full responsibility for everything that happens to us. So, the formula in my case, according to LH is: Back Problems = financial insecurity; the way out of it is to have more abundant thoughts. I know I have a choice to believe that I hurt my back because I was lifting a heavy weight or that I have been having concerns about finances which influenced weakenning of my back and therefore exposed me to an injury. Trully, this year is getting heavy on our budget, we have moved to a more expensive place, so far I have made 2 trips to Europe, 1 to Sri Lanka, there is a wedding ahead of us. Each of the events is a happy thought but I know somewhere deep in my mind a worry resides - will these expenses be replenished soon?
While I have been lying in bed healing my back, I kept encouraging myself to continue having positive thoughts, minimize worry and look at the bright side of the whole picture. Hey, I am getting married, and it will all be ok, and the wedding will be great and we will live happily ever after.
:D
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
From Intent to Action
Yi (Intent) is the base of every creation. Intent (Yi) leads the energy (qi) and once they are in line the flow of wu wei (no action) is achieved.
I unintentionally scratch where it itches, I lift spoon when I am hungry, I pick up a glass when I am thirsty. So does that mean that these actions happen without intention? These simple (seemingly unintentional) actions carry so much in them and just for the fun of it you can break them into long actions – the result is the same but learning is immense.
Today’s experiment:
Choose a simple action you would like to perform: like lifting your arm, scratching your nose or picking up a pen from the table. As you decide on the action, leave it for the end of the experiment and do a relaxation exercise first.
Sit with your feet flat on the floor and focus on each part of your body starting from head, eyes, nose, ears, relax each muscle on your face and around your eyes. Focus on your breath – in and out - and allow your thoughts to come and go without giving them any importance at all.
Relax your neck, shoulders, arms, torso, become aware of your stomach muscles and observe how it raises and falls with each breath.
As you continue scanning your body focus on your spine, relax each vertebrae one by one.
As you relax more and more, move intent to your legs, thighs, knees, calves and toes. Press your toes one by one gently against the floor - from small to the big toe, one foot at the time.
Once you are relaxed bring back your initial intent from the beginning of the experiment: let’s say picking up a pen. Observe the process that you need to go through in order to achieve such a simple outcome: first you have to have an intent, after that you need to will your hand to move and because it is relaxed you will be aware of each muscle moving by one. Imagine signals traveling from your brain to your muscles and how many steps it takes for you to move your arm an inch, two, further away, above the pen… each finger moves with different set of decisions guided by the initial goal to pick up the pen. How many fingers do you use? Will you use your left or right hand? Which hand do you use usually?
Everything that happens follows the same pattern: From Intent to Action. There are also lost intentions, the ones not followed by action. Those are lost ideas and thoughts that created energy waste trapped in the body. Roaming and swirling imprisoned in body cells this energy waste eventually projects itself in form of various injuries, pain or disease. If I could vote on this matter I’d say that no intent is better than lost intent, so if there is anything you planned to do for a long time – break it into small steps and celebrate the accomplishment: by actually doing what you intended to do your mind and body free of the wasted energy and you get to enjoy fruits of your own creation.
After all isn’t that the reason why we are here?
I unintentionally scratch where it itches, I lift spoon when I am hungry, I pick up a glass when I am thirsty. So does that mean that these actions happen without intention? These simple (seemingly unintentional) actions carry so much in them and just for the fun of it you can break them into long actions – the result is the same but learning is immense.
Today’s experiment:
Choose a simple action you would like to perform: like lifting your arm, scratching your nose or picking up a pen from the table. As you decide on the action, leave it for the end of the experiment and do a relaxation exercise first.
Sit with your feet flat on the floor and focus on each part of your body starting from head, eyes, nose, ears, relax each muscle on your face and around your eyes. Focus on your breath – in and out - and allow your thoughts to come and go without giving them any importance at all.
Relax your neck, shoulders, arms, torso, become aware of your stomach muscles and observe how it raises and falls with each breath.
As you continue scanning your body focus on your spine, relax each vertebrae one by one.
As you relax more and more, move intent to your legs, thighs, knees, calves and toes. Press your toes one by one gently against the floor - from small to the big toe, one foot at the time.
Once you are relaxed bring back your initial intent from the beginning of the experiment: let’s say picking up a pen. Observe the process that you need to go through in order to achieve such a simple outcome: first you have to have an intent, after that you need to will your hand to move and because it is relaxed you will be aware of each muscle moving by one. Imagine signals traveling from your brain to your muscles and how many steps it takes for you to move your arm an inch, two, further away, above the pen… each finger moves with different set of decisions guided by the initial goal to pick up the pen. How many fingers do you use? Will you use your left or right hand? Which hand do you use usually?
Everything that happens follows the same pattern: From Intent to Action. There are also lost intentions, the ones not followed by action. Those are lost ideas and thoughts that created energy waste trapped in the body. Roaming and swirling imprisoned in body cells this energy waste eventually projects itself in form of various injuries, pain or disease. If I could vote on this matter I’d say that no intent is better than lost intent, so if there is anything you planned to do for a long time – break it into small steps and celebrate the accomplishment: by actually doing what you intended to do your mind and body free of the wasted energy and you get to enjoy fruits of your own creation.
After all isn’t that the reason why we are here?
Friday, June 23, 2006
Place to Practice
Finding appropriate place for practice is the same like finding a suitable apartment or a house – a place where you feel comfortable and enjoy being there. When you are choosing an apartment or office you probably have set of guidelines that helps you make a final decision: is it central or peripheral, near the road or near a park. For finding a general good place for practice it is important to follow the basic principles:
• Practice outdoors
• Find a place amongst trees and near water
• It is better to practice on a soil rather than concrete
According to Feng Shui, an ancient Chinese wisdom that helps us interpret how we relate to our environment and how our environment influences us everything is made of energy, is interconnected, and is constantly changing. Finding balance with the environment and adjusting the living, working or practicing space according to basic principles of Feng Shui
I personally find practicing in Beijing's Temple of Sun truly an amazing experience. The history of the whole place is filled with energy of Emperors that walked on the same soil, rituals and life style from 400 years ago. As the Temple of Sun persisted in its existence, it now serves as the retreat of thousands of people who come here daily to practice taichi, sing, dance, walk backwards, scream (release energy), rub back against trees, play badminton or play with children.
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Less is More
Less is More
Recently we moved to a 300m2 apartment - amazing condo in central Beijing. Total dream come true: big terrace where our dog can run, beautifully decorated in wood, antique furniture lying graciously around. I loved it the moment I saw it, how couldn't I? One thing that bothered us was if it was too big for only two people and a dog? How do we justify the cost? Can we afford it? It took us three days of talking, reviewing our finances and it wasn't until we heard that there was another couple interested in it that we were closer to making our decision. Is that human or what?
I ask Master Liu about his opinion on many life and work decisions. His daoist perspective helps me find the middle way. The wisdom he speaks is so simple and down to earth that brings calmness in knowing what is right and natural. When I asked about this condo he didn't give any specific answer, he just shrugged his shoulders and asked if it was necessary to move. Of course I had many justifications why it was necessary: we could extend our stay in China, I could move the office to the ground floor, I could organize workshops, I could be happier... So we continued with practice and I walked my bagua circle relaxed while twisting my waist. The feeling of greatness overcame me when I finished. As he asked me how I felt (as he does each time after I walk the circle) I looked at him with unfocused eyes and said: “I feel like that apartment is too small for me now.” We moved in two days later.
Few months and two parties later... People are amazed with the space we live in, a local lifestyle magazine interviewed me and took photos of the space, our families are excited about the upgrade of our living standard and it all seems to be better than it was. I, however, started to experience some unsettledness. I see dirty spots and get annoyed, I am worried that furniture will get damaged, when flowers dry out too quickly I wonder if something is going wrong with the energy of the place. The worry bug entered my mind and eats me gently. So I asked Master Liu again: Why is it so?
He looked at me with a smile and just said: More is Less, Less is More.
It all came back to the same old stuff: the more one has the more she is tied to the human laws and removes herself from the natural laws. Being connected with the simplicity of the nature, Yin and Yang cycles of intertwining growth and decline is the basic natural law. I know I chose the new living space as my natural habitat which created somewhat unnatural feeling of attachment to the possessions. The lesson appears again – success is not measured by how much we have but how happy we are with it. I embrace the consequences of my decision and find ways of providing my spirit as the home of 300m2 condo rather than the other way around. It feels awkward at first but I take small steps – I am human after all.
Copyright 2006 Dalida Turkovic
Recently we moved to a 300m2 apartment - amazing condo in central Beijing. Total dream come true: big terrace where our dog can run, beautifully decorated in wood, antique furniture lying graciously around. I loved it the moment I saw it, how couldn't I? One thing that bothered us was if it was too big for only two people and a dog? How do we justify the cost? Can we afford it? It took us three days of talking, reviewing our finances and it wasn't until we heard that there was another couple interested in it that we were closer to making our decision. Is that human or what?
I ask Master Liu about his opinion on many life and work decisions. His daoist perspective helps me find the middle way. The wisdom he speaks is so simple and down to earth that brings calmness in knowing what is right and natural. When I asked about this condo he didn't give any specific answer, he just shrugged his shoulders and asked if it was necessary to move. Of course I had many justifications why it was necessary: we could extend our stay in China, I could move the office to the ground floor, I could organize workshops, I could be happier... So we continued with practice and I walked my bagua circle relaxed while twisting my waist. The feeling of greatness overcame me when I finished. As he asked me how I felt (as he does each time after I walk the circle) I looked at him with unfocused eyes and said: “I feel like that apartment is too small for me now.” We moved in two days later.
Few months and two parties later... People are amazed with the space we live in, a local lifestyle magazine interviewed me and took photos of the space, our families are excited about the upgrade of our living standard and it all seems to be better than it was. I, however, started to experience some unsettledness. I see dirty spots and get annoyed, I am worried that furniture will get damaged, when flowers dry out too quickly I wonder if something is going wrong with the energy of the place. The worry bug entered my mind and eats me gently. So I asked Master Liu again: Why is it so?
He looked at me with a smile and just said: More is Less, Less is More.
It all came back to the same old stuff: the more one has the more she is tied to the human laws and removes herself from the natural laws. Being connected with the simplicity of the nature, Yin and Yang cycles of intertwining growth and decline is the basic natural law. I know I chose the new living space as my natural habitat which created somewhat unnatural feeling of attachment to the possessions. The lesson appears again – success is not measured by how much we have but how happy we are with it. I embrace the consequences of my decision and find ways of providing my spirit as the home of 300m2 condo rather than the other way around. It feels awkward at first but I take small steps – I am human after all.
Copyright 2006 Dalida Turkovic
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Internal Martial Arts and Implications on Daily Living
Flexibility
A lot of people are put off by the idea of martial arts for a simple reason that you need to wake up early and practice outside during winter. In my opinion these are such minor components of the whole practice and if you do get into practicing at dawn and during the winter than you are already into it that much that it doesn’t matter. Your teacher may be flexible enough to assist you in learning whenever it is convenient for you, some teachers take it easy during winter and if you have a spacious apartment you can practice at home. So, first of all martial arts teaches about flexibility. By being flexible I mean physically and mentally because it is all connected and one directs the other.
Calm
Another simple implementation of martial arts in daily living is that you learn how to keep being focused and relaxed while doing strenuous exercise. The practice gets your body to twist in new directions, to use muscles you haven’t used before, to learn what ‘natural posture’ means in terms of martial arts. After a while your body becomes soft outside (for the observer) and hard inside (you experience the flow of qi in your body). Simply, if you manage to keep your body relaxed during strenuous exercise then in daily living you can maintain being relaxed in stressful situations. Needless to mention, daily practice enables you to remain calm and focused despite the circumstances and the environment.
Focus
Many students ask – what do I do with my eyes? Where do I look? Regardless what the practice is – standing, walking, moving – eyes are looking straight but your mind does not register information taken by your eyesight. The gaze is turned internally, observing your muscles, your legs, your hands, scanning every single part of your body with your mind. I used to go to crowded places to train for competitions – the more distraction the better it was. Well, no doubt, I learned how to focus and keep final destination constantly in my mind – perfection of the body posture, allowing the energy to flow freely like cleaning blocked pipes or dirty chimneys. Meridians are fresh, blood circulates to all parts of the body, there are no blockages and as qi starts in your dan tian it swirls through the whole body and is being released into the ground. To reach perfection you first hear about what it is that you are looking for and then step by step focus on each requirement until you get it and lift yourself up to new horizons. I take focus as another insight for daily living.
Patience
Recently I have been translating for Liu Shifu – he has new students who don’t speak much of Chinese and I am amazed (again and again) how much patience he has. Each student is treated in a new way, with new perspective, so much appropriate for their personality. I stopped asking how he does it, each time it is just as if he knows how nature works. Of course, practicing ba gua was helpful for increasing this insight (amongst other things). As I translate I keep rushing ahead, giving my perspective on what is being said, talking about my experience while he sits calmly and waits for me to finish. Never a single comment, never a single request. I look at new students practicing zhang zhuan (standing stance) and keep thinking: they must be bored, there is so much more to it! And yet, I realize – their mind and body are so occupied maintaining the proper standing stance as it looks simple to an observer while the person practicing has busy time thinking of all things that need to be done – usual case with internal martial arts. I learned patience by living in China and I know that patience is part of every journey – accept the fact that beginning is slow and that some things you will do well, some will be hard.
Determination and Discipline
Over the course of 7 years of practice I have learned one thing about internal martial arts – there are times when I enjoy it, when the flow of it is so natural and free, by body wakens and mind empties itself accepting nature as the only guide. As everything else in life, there are also times when I am lazy, I dread waking up in the morning, my body rebels, practice seems boring and I question if there is anything coming out of it. Liu calls these times “guan” (“pass”). Each guan is blocking the way towards new learning, realization and expansion. So there is physical guan, lazy guan, guan of doubt etc. It is our choice to stop and retreat from practice or to continue and see what awaits us behind the obstacle. Usually it is expansion of physical and mental experience: body becomes stronger, mind reaches new horizons. However, it doesn’t mean that if you pass one guan you have finished with that lesson. For me, lazy guan keeps coming back but the time needed to pass it is getting shorter and shorter. Lessons are fulfilling enough for me to realize that determination and discipline is what takes me further towards abundant and balanced living.
With flexibility, calm, focus, patience, determination and discipline I look forward to every new challenge.
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