Archive for » March, 2009 «

Zen Shorts… A Perfect Introduction

If we had a neighbor like Stillwater…

A certain favourite among my kids, ranging in age from 4 to 10, and for me as well.  I love reading this to my gang, as much for them as for myself.

Gentle little reminders, shall we say, beautifully illustrated, with regards to generosity, forgiveness, and what defines good fortune.

Stillwater, a new neighbor to three children, gets to know them one by one, by way of a traditional zen story, addressing complex themes simply, accessibly, in a wonderfully zen sort of way.

While my four-year-old may not quite grasp the deeper philosophical undertones, she is entirely engaged by the soothing watercolours and the characters themselves.  The stories told by Stillwater to his young visitors, are each relevant to their individual circumstances and presented in dramatic japanese artwork, offering comical animal characters, lending a wonderful distinction between the magical, serene of the watercolour scenes and Stillwater’s three tales.

Zen Shorts is a unique and wonderful addition to any children’s library and so cleverly introduces the ageless philosophy to our young ones.  I certainly couldn’t have taken it on quite so effectively!

Category: Kids, reading, Spirit  One Comment

The Illusive Third Eye!

thirdeyeI will be the first to admit that I’m a newbie in the practice of meditation.  During the course of my early morning practice, in addition to dodging frantically my monkey mind, one of the techniques I try to employ is that of focusing on my ‘third eye’.

The ‘third eye’ , also referred to as the ‘inner eye’… the seat of intuition.

In yogic, or esoteric, terms the ‘third eye’ leads within towards a higher consciousness.  It is also the sixth chakra, ‘Aagya chakra‘, lying between the eyebrows.

At a recent retreat a young woman broke down near the end of the meditation, and through her tears, orgasmically exclaimed that she’d managed not only to quiet her mind like never before, but in her tranquil focus, was able actually not only to identify her ‘third eye’ but ‘see into it’ and had, in fact, witnessed colours!

Huh?!  How did I manage to miss out on that?  Those of us who had yet to get even close to quieting our minds were intensely intrigued as the whole colour thing was yet just another dimension to meditation of which we were pitifully unaware.

And, upon further discussion it was mentioned that a developed capacity to draw upon the energy, direct one’s focus upon the ‘third eye’ can be attributed to clairvoyance and precognition. Wow!  That was something I wanted to explore!

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Register Now! Urban Zen Yoga Teacher Training and Integrative Therapist Programs

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The Urban Zen Foundation (founded by Donna Karan, www.urbanzen.org) creates, connects, and collaborates to raise awareness and inspire change in the areas of well-being, preserving cultures, and empowering children.

The Well-Being Initiative of the Urban Zen Foundation is committed to changing the current healthcare paradigm to include integrative therapies and promote patient advocacy. Our vision is a healthcare system where the patient is treated, not just the disease… a system where eastern healing techniques, yoga therapy, aromatherapy, and nutrition are used in combination with western medicine in a holistic approach to patient care.

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Look and Feel Younger… Anti-age With Yoga!

Use yoga to stop the clock!

Slow the signs of aging and feel younger with a simple yoga regimen. These are huge claims, but as someone who has had, shall we say, an undulating habit of practice, there’s nothing like the feeling of a body fresh from the mat.  And the various positive effects last throughout the day.  Without a doubt a regular practice has effects that extend far beyond just the hours following….

Eight years ago, when Sharon Gothard Weisman turned 40, backaches, dark undereye circles, forgetfulness, and fatigue made her feel more like 60. In the hope of finding anti-aging relief, Weisman took a yoga class. An hour later, she felt more relaxed than she had in years. She’s been doing yoga three times a week since and says, “I have more energy, strength, and flexibility than most women half my age.”She recently ran into an old high school friend who asked, “Don’t you get older like the rest of us?”

Many women try yoga for stress reduction, but they stick with it because it makes them feel–and look–younger, says Larry Payne, PhD, a yoga director at Loyola Marymount University and coauthor of Yoga Rx. Unlike traditional exercise, yoga blends anti-aging moves that improve circulation, balance, flexibility, and strength with meditative techniques such as deep breathing. “My students call yoga a natural face-lift,” he says. “It cleanses, relaxes, and restores.”
Read more of the advantages of yoga….