Chi-elements

One of the main reasons mom's give for not exercising is that they don't have time. I get it! I'm a mom of 3 myself and how we have the time to do anything is beyond me. However, with a little creativity you can accomplish a lot. Here are 4 quick tips for you!   1) Make it short and sweet . If you focus on a HIIT style of workout (High Intensity Interval Training - where you train at 90% effort i.e. where talking is difficult), you can get a bigger bang for your buck. Current research says we can get away with as little as 4 mins of this type of exercising and still reap major benefits. I like to put on the TABATA app (20 secs of exercise, 10 secs rest for 4 mins) and depending on how that day is going for me I'll do anywhere from 4 - 12 mins (so 1 - 3 tabatas). Furthermore, my little one is very entertained by the app counting down every time. Here's a link to the one I like to use: tabatatimer   2) Use your child in the exercises , but ensure you maintain go...

All body/mind techniques incorporate the use of breath with movement. In addition to the numerous physiological benefits that breathing techniques bring you - improves blood circulation, increase the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the cells of the body, calms the nervous system – it is all the mental benefits that you shouldn’t underestimate. What benefits would these be? It is the easiest and best way to bring yourself into the present moment. By doing so, you can refocus your mind, reduce your stress and act from a centered place. It is a great mediation technique and I would encourage you to practice it regularly. Here is an easy technique to try at home (ideally before you go to bed or when you get up in the morning): • Sit in a quiet place and close your eyes if that’s comfortable for you • Begin to breath and count how long it takes for you to inhale and how long to exhale • Next, try to make your inhales equal to your exhales: i.e. if it takes you 6 counts to inhale, make s...

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.” Teddy Roosevelt Best is the man who tries and fails than to never have dared to live his dreams for fear of failing. At least the former has lived. Do not be afraid of what others might think or say of you, you are the one that is daring to live greatly.

In chapters 2/3 of "The New Earth" by Eckhart Tolle we learn about the ego. As he explains it, the ego is a false sense of self based on forms (identification with things). The egoic mind is completely conditioned by the past in: 1) Content: conditioned by your environment, surroundings, culture (jobs, etc...) 2) Structure: identification with things (the ego seeks things to identify with - no matter what it is as a form of self validation) Wanting is more important to the ego than having. Anytime you feel superior or inferior to others it is always the ego! Interestingly, Tolle explains that what we react to in another we strengthen in ourselves. In other words, the force of your reaction is a good indication to you of what you might need to work on in yourself. So how do we start to become more satisfied with who we are and what we have? By stopping the illusion of seeking fulfillment in the future and/or past. The thing that is of prime importance in our lives is the prese...

As you may have noticed through following my Pilates classes, there is a systematic and sequential order to the exercises – even if we add some new things from class to class. This is one of the key things that makes Classical Pilates different from other mainstream Pilates classes and it isn’t without reason. Joseph Pilates intended the method to be a “movement system” linked with a specific purpose to help develop flow, endurance and stamina. When you continuously repeat exercises what you are doing is called patterning (working on sending impulses from the brain, through to the central nervous system, and then to the muscles). When you pattern the transmission of impulses from the brain to the muscles by repeating exercises over and over, the brain starts to improve its ability to recruit more muscles and you get stronger each time. The added bonus is that this same ability you acquire during class transfers over to day to day life, helping you recruit your core muscles to support y...

Many mom’s will agree that bringing a new life into this world is one of the most remarkable experiences a woman ever gets to go through. With the many joys also come many challenges. The multi tasking that a woman thought she mastered certainly gets challenged to whole new levels. The new routine, the change in pace, the 24 hour care for someone other than you, can put a lot of strain on a new mom, both physically and mentally. Post-Natal Yoga is the perfect way to get your body and mind back into shape after giving birth. It is a gentle, yet effective, way to strengthen your body, correct posture imbalances and alleviate stress. Postures will help work on strengthening the abdominals, lower back, and pelvic floor, while helping reduce tension in the upper back/shoulders, neck and opening the chest. Breath work will help you reconnect you with the present moment, allowing you to feel calmer, more relaxed and gain a new sense of control and inner harmony. Qualities that any new mom w...

Now lets look at the second lecture I attended on Day 3 - The 4 Stages of Healing by T.K.V. Desikachar. Desikachar has a way of lecturing that is very practical and down to earth. His talks are always full of lively examples, which clearly illustrate the goal of the lecture. In this particular one, we went over some of the objectives that Patanjali puts forth in the Yoga Sutra. Patanjali basically says: You are in trouble, identify your trouble, have a long term goal, and you will be liberated. Though Desikachar is quick to point out that it is not always so simple. The 4 stages are as follows: What are the symptoms? What is the cause? What are the goals? Pacify or Purify or both? Find the means that will serve (solution) We need to remember though that Improvement is gradual - it is a step by step process. When you see improvement, then you begin to make changes to the means (the solution). Never forgetting that FAITH is a powerful healing tool. So part of the means should always inc...

On day 3 I attended lectures on the Hip Joint by Judith Hanson Lasater, and The 4 Stages of Healing by T.K.V. Desikachar. On this blog we'll cover the session on the Hip Joint. Hip Joint: The goal of this workshop was to look at ways in which common yoga practice puts stress on the hip joint and try to "unlearn" the mistakes typically taught in classes. The main reason being that hip replacement surgery has grown tremendously, including amongst yoga teachers. It is therefore our duty, as well educated teachers, to ensure we minimize stress and create greater stability in this key joint. The best way to keep the hip joint healthy is to ensure that you include postures that help move the joint in various directions, but never force a position - NO PUSHING!!! As Judith highlighted during the workshop, "the hip joint is a very individual joint. It varies by gender and culture." Due to this fact, it is important to know that a student may never do the "classical...

Today I sat in on T.K.V Desikachar's lectures and practice on meditation and pranayama (breathing technique). I was a real honor because he is my teacher's teacher and it was the first time I saw him live. Both lectures were very interesting presenting ways in which to use both of these techniques in a therapeutic context (given the Yoga as Therapy theme of the conference). My take aways are the following: Meditation: We should not underestimate the power of meditation to heal. Desikachar sited numerous examples of where meditation was used to heal physiological and psychological conditions. We just need to remember that the prerequisite for meditation is asana (posture work), as this prepares and quietens the body. Then you move on to pranayama - reducing your impurities, thereby making you ready for meditation. In meditation you need to be well prepared and have a sustained focus. The focus can be on an object of choice - whether it be a religious deity or something symboli...

This was my first day at the Yoga Journal Conference in Estes Park, Colorado. Both sessions I attended today were given by Gary Kraftsow. Both sessions were very insightful and practical, covering how the main objective of a therapeutic yoga practice is to help individuals manage the symptoms of their disease. In particular, the big take away from this tradition of yoga (also known as the viniyoga of yoga) is that we should never expect people to adapt to the yoga, but rather the yoga needs to adapt to the individual. Along this line, I received a great compliment from a student of mine this past week without her even realizing it. She said to me, "what I really like about this tradition of yoga is that it's the first time I feel like I can do a class and actually do all the postures, and really feel good afterwards." There you go folks, as Gary said, unless we have plans to join the Cirque de Soleil, our day to day yoga practice can definitely borrow more elements from t...

Already in the second aphorism of the Yoga Sutra, Patanjali lays out for us what Yoga is. It literally translates as "The restraint of the modifications of the mind-stuff is Yoga." Yoga is a concentrated effort designed to bring the practitioner to stop identifying with the Ego, thereby eliminating one's false sense of self which is based on forms and identification with things. Through this elimination, the practitioner is better able to realize that he/she is not separate from the true Self (the formless consciousness beyond the Ego - that part of us that cannot be conceptually defined).

The Yoga Sutra (also referred to as Raja Yoga, the Royal Yoga) is the most ancient yoga text written by Sri Patanjali which presents guidelines and practices of Raja Yoga with the goal of bringing people of all faith and traditions to attain self-realization through a step-by-step process based on real life experiences. The text consists of 195 aphorisms divided into four chapters in which Patanjali makes concrete, detailed suggestions to help us be more respectful, resposible and peaceful towards ourselves, each other and the world as a whole. The Yoga Sutra is divided into 3 main themes: Suffering is not caused by outside forces, but rather by our own mental perceptions; the compulsive, conditional thought processes = the Ego. The neverending peace we seek can only be found when we connect with our true identity - the seer/observer (Purusha) is who we really are. We are the formless awareness (not the Ego!). Self-Realization comes with mastering the mind. Various practices are sugges...

Did you know that the skin is the biggest organ of the human body? Furthermore, did you know that whatever you apply tot he skin, 60% of it will make its way into your blood stream? Sadly, we don't all have pharmaceutical degrees and can't always decipher what we are actually putting on our skin. Still, rest assured that after years of researching most products out there which claim to be "natural" and/or "organic" I was shocked with how full of chemicals they all still were. A good rule of thumb is that if you can't understand it (let alone pronounce it :-)), then it's probably not good for you. Knowing these facts, wouldn't you go out of your way to only put the best quality products on your skin? The Organic Pharmacy (www.theorganicpharmacy.com) has an excellent, and very comprehensive, list of chemicals we should avoid, along with the details of their effect on the human body. I would highly recommend printing this out and taking it with you ...

I recently saw an interesting program aired by ABC and hosted by Peter Jennings. In this program, they turn an investigative eye on how the food industry is contributing to making Americans fat. In the US, 2/3rds of the population is overweight, with 1 in 3 being obese. The report poses some interesting questions around the link between US Agricultural policy and how this contributes to people eating bad food. Here are some of the highlights of this program: Agriculture in the US works with subsidies. The government gives out subsidies to grow specific types of crops. According to critics, the government gives out subsidies without considering the health impact. It is clear that if certain types of foods are subsidized more; those are the ones that are being produced on a larger scale. If you look at the USDA food pyramid, meat, sugars and fats are the food groups we should eat the least of. Now get this, these food groups receive 20 times more subsidies than fruits and vegetables! N...

I’ve already added a few posts talking about the harmful effects of microwave radiation emitted by wireless internet connections and mobile phones. We have the group that thinks we can use mobile phones as much as we want and not worry about any adverse effects on our health, and then there’s the group that says that by doing so we are increasing our risk for serious health issues like cancer. Well, I’m sure this is not he last we’ll hear of it. A couple of recent articles captured my attention. One was from Computerworld (18/09/2007) which talked about how frequent cell phone use may slow down brain function. The study cited in this article has been limited to just 300 people conducted by researchers in Australia, England and the Netherlands. While frequent mobile phone users did show a slowing of brain function, the catch was that the “slower function” was still within what is considered to be normal brain functioning. Watch this space though, as these researchers plan to expand th...

On the September 2007 issue of Self magazine, they site some recent research from the Boston University School of Medicine which reveals that regular practice of yoga can boost levels of a neurotransmitter (known as gamma-aminobutyric acid) which helps ward off depression. According to the research, after an hour session, those practicing yoga had a 27 percent increase in this neurotransmitter (apparently a deficit in those with depression) when compared to people who just read quietly. In case you didn't know, yoga is associated with numerous health benefits. Here are a few more for you to consider: Strengthens organ function Improves digestion Helps remove waste products from the body Relieve common aches and pains, particularly in neck/shoulder, upper/lower back and hips/knees Improves lung function Relieves stress Increases strength and flexibility If you haven't already done so, try out a least one yoga session and see for yourself!

Many of you have undoubtedly heard of the health benefits of drinking green tea. Many studies have shown that the greatness of green tea comes from the high level of antioxidants that help protect the body against cancer and heart disease. Interestingly enough, black tea (which in the last few years has been taking a back seat to green tea), appears to have more disease-fighting antioxidants than green, oolong, white or red teas according to findings presented at the recent American Dietetic Association meeting in Honolulu* (*as presented in Self Magazine May 2007 issue). The reasoning seems to stem from a long misconception that the processing removes the antioxidants and that green tea was less processed than black. The important point is that all tea gets the thumbs up from a health point of view. But take note, adding milk to your tea may block the tea’s benefits. The reason is casein – a milk protein which will bind itself to the molecules in tea and inhibit its benefits from bein...

Ensure your home is not too close to the following external sources of EMF emissions: High voltage electrical power lines High voltage electric railway line Satellite dishes or satellite decoders that are not earthed Digital TV receptor Ensure your home is not too close to the following external sources of Microwave emissions: Mobile phone masts (base stations) Radars Local Radio communication services Local broadband services (wireless connections) How to protect your home: It is much more difficult to shield your home from magnetic and microwave fields than electrical ones because they can travel through walls. Nevertheless, there are some options out there. You can use aluminum foil on your walls (this must be heavy duty foil and needs to be earthed in order to be effective) Paint (there are certain paints available in the market place such as "Ecos" that shield against microwave emissions). Screens/nets/headnets/bed canopies: these are great for windows, over your bed an...

Having seen from previous posts how much extensive research is now available showing a clear link between compromised health and exposure to EMF's /Microwaves, I thought it would be helpful to give some guidelines around how to keep your home EMF/Microwave safe. This post will focus on things to look out for inside the home: Microwaves: Mobile phones: use as little as possible and never store it anywhere near your body (i.e. pockets, attached to belt, etc...) Microwave ovens: best option is to not have one, however if it must be used ensure you stay far away from it while it is on. DECT cordless phones: these are even more damaging then mobile phones because they are constantly emitting pulses of microwave radiation (whereas a mobile phone only does so when a call is incoming or outgoing). It is best to replace all cordless phones by regular landlines. If it is not feasible, ensure you keep these phones away from any bedrooms (keep in mind microwaves can travel very easily throug...

Here is the continuation to Powerwatche's defense against the criticisms received. Enjoy! 4. What we measured and how it was measured was "bad science". I believe that the science behind our measurements at the Norwich School was absolutely fine. I had put together what I though was a balanced and interesting PowerPoint presentation for the school pupils which had much of relevance for the GCSE KS4 science curriculum. Apparently, according to Goldacre, it was the teacher who decided that I was not going to be allowed to talk to the class - "I've just had to ask a BBC Panorama film crew not to film in my school or in my class because of the bad science they were trying to carry out". My presentation will soon be available from this website (we are currently attaching an audio track to it so it is more than just slides). Instead the science teacher told them about our "bad science" and showed them the Powerwatch and EMFields websites. According to Go...