zenator

One of the great things about yoga is that you don’t need to invest in a bunch of equipment to reap its benefits. As long as you have a yoga mat and some stretchy clothes, and you’re good to go. And yet there is one yoga prop I wish I could magically disperse to every [...]

Relaxation

Get up, get going, and thoroughly enjoy the process of achievement. Remember why you must, and get it done.

Relaxation

Green mobile app developer 3rdWhale will be the first mobile app developer to join 1% For the Planet, a “growing global movement of 1,202 companies that donate 1% of their sales to a network of 1,781 environmental organizations worldwide.” And they want your help deciding where their money will go! On June [...]

Relaxation

Some of the most common ab workouts can do your body more harm than good. Yoga expert Jill Miller shares three abdominal exercises that tighten your core while keeping your muscles safe.

Relaxation

There comes a time in any mother’s trajectory when she can clearly look back and see when she lost her mind. My moment of insanity occurred last week. My six-year-old and I were enjoying a lovely morning outside — me poking around in my garden while she, bug bucket in hand, sought out toads or [...]

With your imagination, create beautiful possibilities. Then know the joy and fulfillment of making those possibilities real.

Relaxation

Relaxation

There is no limit to what you can accomplish when you put your effort and commitment into it. Now is the time to make the commitment and to begin the effort.

Relaxation

Whatever has slowed you down can provide you with a way to move more effectively forward. Quickly get back up, and feel the new strength you've gained.

About.com Pilates Guide Marguerite Ogle has put together a very thorough look at three versions of plank from a Pilates perspective. The poses she explains are: plank, side plank, and...

Yoga

Comfortable and environmentally-sustainable fabric choices for hot yoga clothing.

When I think of a yoga retreat my mind fills with visions of yoga classes on a beach, vegetarian meals, and daily massages in an exotic locale. But you don't have to go to an exotic place to have a yoga retreat--there are likely tons of studios close by. Go to a new one every day, take from as many different teachers as you can and instead of a pricey summer yoga retreat, you can have something more like a "yoga adventure." In fact, the yoga adventure trip may be this summer's trend in the yoga community.The writers of YoYoYogis (a blog at yoyoyogi.com) are spending their summer exploring 100 different yoga studio in 100 days. They're visiting studios from all over the West Coast, but Seattle to San Diego and blogging about their experiences along the way.Meanwhile, the folks at YogaMates are trying out 50 studios in 50 days and will be tracking their progress through video blogs.I wonder if anyone is taking a yoga adventure on the East Coast, then we'd have a nice well-rounded idea of the yoga scene across the country. Have you ever gone on a yoga adventure? 

Yoga

Open any yoga magazine and you'll find page after page of ads for teacher training programs. Use this list to decide which one is right for you.

This September will mark the first official National Yoga Month designated by the Department of Health & Human Services. National Yoga Month was developed to raise awareness of yoga's health benefits and provide people with guidance and tools to improve their well-being. Organizers are calling on the yoga community, particularly yoga teachers and studios, to help through hosting events and offering free classes and donation classes that help support the cause. See www.yogamonth.org for more information.Are any of you planning to participate?

An interesting blog post over at Yoga Journal just caught my attention. It deals with the ethics of romantic relationships between yoga teachers and their students. On the one hand,...

Have you tried yoga as part of your attempt to lose weight? Did it work or not? Share your story about yoga and weight loss, whether positive or negative....

Shoulderstand is all about alignment, alignment, alignment. Sure, you could say that about any yoga pose (and I do), but it's particularly important here since incorrect alignment can put too...

In this overview from the book by Harold W. Becker, Internal Power, Seven Doorways to Self Discovery, we find ourselves in a Grand Hallway with seven doorways representing our potential.

Meditation

Our "Sit-a-Long with Jundo" daily Zazen netcast is MOVING TO BELIEFNET.COM, the large and widely respected spiritual community on the web. STARTING FROM TODAY, please sit with us at the following link:http://blog.beliefnet.com/treeleafzen/What does the move mean? Well, nothing really!All will be the same format, same Zazen, same Universe, same Timeless Wisdom and Compassion, same Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path, same Shakyamuni "The Boss Man" Buddha, same Master Dogen & All the Ancestors ... (same ol' silly Jundo) ... same "Just Sitting" Shikantaza ...... only the address is changing!Truly, All is Constantly Changing ... and this is a very good change! The move will allow access to better resources for the netcast, plus aid greatly in carrying out our original purpose .... namely, to provide Zazen sittings, instruction, Retreats, discussion, interaction with a teacher, and all other activities of a Zen Buddhist sangha ... all fully online for Zen practitioners who cannot easily commute to a Zen Center due to health concerns, living in remote areas, or childcare and family needs.So, I hope that you will join us for Zazen as always ... just there instead of here. After all, as I asked on our very first "Sit-a-Long with Jundo", way back when ...Where are you at the instant all thoughts of "here" and "there" are dropped from mind?Gassho and Much Gratitude to All!

On April 21st, 2008 my partner gave birth to our son. As you might imagine, the experience was profound in many ways - some expected ways, and some not. Prior to the big day, we felt that we had prepared as much as one can prepare for such an experience: we took childbirth prep classes, we read book after book about the possibility of this or that happening, we watched movies on birth, and we educated ourselves in whatever other ways we could. One of the movies that we watched was the newly released 'The Business of Being Born'. In it, the trend of commercializing the birth process is looked at closely and critically. If you do ever intend to have a child, I highly recommend watching this film. In addition to this movie's supportive information, our plans from the beginning of pregnancy were to have a natural, unmedicated birth experience. In our efforts to have a natural childbirth, we selected a hospital setting that supported the model of midwifery - a hospital that recognizes the value of having a highly educated attendant, and if all things run smoothly, also recognizes that a 'medical doctor' is not necessary to the birth experience itself. It seemed immediately as if all of our best intentions were met with resistance and fear, both of which were apparently being disguised as 'safety and care'. Who would argue with 'safety and care'? We did, and we're so very glad we did. Let me explain further. We arrived at Labor and Delivery and were admitted to our room. Part of what makes a childbirth 'natural' is that there are minimal interventions; that is, the birth process is honored as a sacred and natural process, and that unless there are unexpected complications, it is allowed to proceed on its own schedule, to its own natural rhythm. Our initial examination was anything but natural. We expected the nurse to give my partner an examination that determined how dilated her cervix was, as the contractions were coming quite rapidly. Instead what happened was the nurse reached so far into my partner that the baby's bag of waters ruptured. Whether or not rupturing the bag of waters was intended by the 'caregiver' is truly beside the point - this act was executed with little communication, and poorly done to say the least.Yes, the bag of waters does need to rupture eventually, but nature knows this and it happens in its own time. This first experience was in some ways the 'signal marker' of things to come, a signal that speaks to the mind's desire to 'control' experiences it fears. At nearly every turn in our process of birth, we felt as if we were fending off the fear of the hospital staff.     One would think that they were the ones who knew how things went, that they would know how to remain patient and calm based on their extensive experience with birth. They were not experienced in the natural process of birth, but instead they were experienced and educated in the 'systems' of surgery, fear, control, and intervention.Is there a time to intervene? Of course there is: when the mother or child's well-being is truly in danger. Our staff seemed to think that pregnancy and birth were inherently dangerous - they are not; they are natural.Labor progressed somewhat slowly for my partner, and as this hospital was also a 'birthing center', we requested that she be able to soak in a birthing tub to help her relax. After repeated requests for 'the tub', three hours later it was brought. It was no more than the size of a garbage can and we didn't end up using it - but what took three hours? An hour maybe. We weren't asking them to build a swimming pool. Early on in our visit to Labor and Delivery we were asked to sign a release form. Normal, right? But on the form it said 'vaginal birth, possible cesarian'. What? We've nearly just arrived and they were already 'making space' for a cesarian - 'just in case' they said. We refused to sign the release and had them rewrite it to say 'vaginal birth' only. Truly, it felt like once we held our ground in this way, the staff backed off quite a bit. But who knows to call off the hounds in this way - we did, because we did our homework ahead of time.Once we truly established our firm commitment to letting nature takes it course, the staff changed completely; they relaxed a bit, but more importantly they gave us the space we needed to give birth. Why would the staff not give someone the space to give birth in the first place? Good question. Perhaps for efficiency's sake, or for economic reasons. Again, I highly recommend the 'The Business of Being Born' as a starting place to begin educating yourself about birth in hospitals, but to also learn about what is viewed as 'health' in the westernized world. What is health? Health is our natural state. Yes, imbalances do occur, but our body's wisdom acts naturally to bring us back into balance. This view of health is not widely recognized in western culture, as in western culture there is a model of pathology, one of 'treating disease' rather than promoting and supporting each being's natural health. Ask yourself: do you believe that you have all of the necessary tools to live a fully realized and healthy life? Or, do you think that somewhere there are people called 'experts' that are necessary to your happiness? Yes, people who are skilled in certain things are needed when complications arise - but not unless they do actually arise. If complications do not arise, then why intervene? Women - do you believe that you can have a natural, unmedicated childbirth? Or has western culture convinced women that the pain of labor is 'too much' for them to handle, or that their bodies can't do it for some reason? Women - ask yourself honestly, 'Can I give birth?'. And if for some reason you doubt that you can, ask yourself where you think that doubt came from. In conclusion: Overall our birth experience was incredible and joyous, and truly every staff member was kind and loving beyond belief (it was the automated system that seemed unkind). We thank gratefully our doctor and nurses, and all of the after-care staff for supporting us to have the birth that we wanted. We have a beautiful, healthy son. In some ways the discussion I've proposed is one of 'ends and means'. Most people might say that as long as the baby is born, who really cares how it happens. But the process does matter: a baby that goes through the vaginal canal is 'squeezed' (literally and figuratively) into this world - it is a right of passage; the mother's body during natural childbirth is lucid, responsive, awake - and this is what facilitates the post-birth bonding that seems to be 'mysteriously' disappearing in the western world. Perhaps nothing is more controversial nor more natural than birth; all the more reason to look deeply within yourself to discover the real truth. Please watch 'The Business of Being Born'. I welcome your comments on this topic. Thank you.

Imagine, if you will, that you are at a semi-fast-food style restaurant that provides complimentary internet, on a Wednesday afternoon, just around lunch time. In real life, a place like this is full of people rushing through their lunches, staff members running back and forth refilling napkin dispensers, ice for the soda machines, etc., and many other people operating at various levels of fast moving energy. Looking around, your eyes stop at a table full of papers, books, a computer, phone, and the ubiquitous cup of coffee or maybe tea. And sitting at the table is a woman, brows furrowed, typing furiously, with a very serious look on her head. A few minutes go by and when you look in her direction again you find her sitting with her eyes closed. As you watch her doing nothing for a few minutes, you wonder why she is just sitting there doing nothing when according to all the stuff on her table, she obviously has so much work to do. (More) Source: The Examiner

Meditation

In this Season of Peace on Earth, Goodwill to all Mankind ...... endless violence in the 'Holy Land' ...Press on arrow for 'play'NOTE: IF YOU ARE HAVING TROUBLE TO SEE THE SCREEN OR START BUTTON,PLEASE UPDATE FLASH. SEE HERE

This article is about a recent occurrence in my life and culture that bewilders me. For a couple of years now my partner and I have been leaving birdseed in a flower box outside of our apartment's backside windows. From time to time we have had anywhere from a few visiting birds to what I would consider as many as 10+ resident ones. Mostly doves and smaller chickadee type birds, but recently we have had the occasional pigeon. Well, last night I received a phone call from my landlord saying that he had received a complaint from the neighbor, and that our beloved birds have been leaving droppings on the neighbor's deck; I can understand (sort of) the neighbor's concern. After telling me of the neighbor's complaint, and then asking me if I in fact was feeding the birds out of the window box, there was then a long pause on the other end of the phone... I said 'yes, and is there anything else?' The landlord then went on to say that 'feeding wild birds is illegal' and he made it seem as if this was a clear matter of fact that I should know fully about, and that my feeding the birds could only be occurring 'under cover', as if such a thing were something someone should be hiding. What? So, my partner and I decided to do some research on our own to see what foolishness our society was up to now. We did discover that feeding wild birds in public areas in San Francisco is technically against the law, but from what we found there was no compelling statements about the illegality of feeding birds in one's own back yard. The landlord intends to come over today with the 'proof' of his statements. Truly, for me the issue at hand is indeed both the birds, but is also not. All of nature is on trial, and the disconnection that westerners feel with regards to it is blatantly evident and out of balance. Regardless of the droppings on the deck (perhaps one could be grateful to have a deck that might have the occasional droppings?), what has our culture come to that feeding birds is even potentially considered illegal? In any setting? And, whose time is so very wrought with confusion that this sort of 'stand' seems like a good use of one's life and time? Yes, I am sad for the suffering that our neighbor's ignorance has brought them, and that this issue seems important enough to them to say something - but much of the world is at war, and bird poop is the call to action?For me feeding the birds and other simple pleasures are the things that make life truly worth living. These things are even more central to cultivating freedom than all of the various mindfulness practices I've learned, than my life's closest friends, and even more central to life than my home. For without nature and its care and nourishment, these other various things cease to exist - nature is essence, it is essential; and this is exactly what our culture seems to be blind to. I can live without practices, friends, even a home - albeit a sad life indeed, but the one thing that I cannot live without is life - nature herself. This seems so very obvious to me; am I the one confused? In San Francisco, the 'champion' of mindfulness in the United States, I find this most disturbing. It's not as if there were five hundred birds clawing at the neighbors window. Perhaps he or she might even consider the birds a welcome guest, seeing the benefits of their occasional company largely outweighing any cleaning inconvenience that may arise?I welcome your comments on this post, as I am at a bit of a loss with our culture (What defines our culture, what characteristics does it have?) - will it take away even the most basic of our innate qualities and caring? In the past I've chosen to be less of an activist and more of a teacher/practitioner, but what now to do? What would you do?

Meditation

For a very long time we have been under the influence of a masculine dominated energy. As a result, this highly focused willpower has built and created out of balance by ignoring the inherent feminine energy.

This article is about different tips and techniques on how to give a great foot massage. Everyone loves to get a great foot massage. We are on our feet all day long, and there is nothing that feels better than someone soothing away the day's aches and pains through your feet.

Massage and Massage Therapy

Are you interested in Shiatsu Thai Massage for you or your studio? Here is the information that you need to be successful.

Massage and Massage Therapy

There’s no getting around aging but you can do it well with the following tips from Real Simple: Taking Care of Your Brain What aging can bring: Forgetfulness, decline in mental agility, risk of Alzheimer’s disease. What the research shows: “Doing things that hit both the left and right sides of the brain, like word puzzles plus mazes [...]

You may have seen the recent commercials promoting high fructose corn syrup (hfcs) as a healthy sweetener when used in moderation. These commercials are an attempt to dispute those recent details about this popular sweetener. Well below are some other details that have surfaced from a recent study showing why hfcs should [...]

There are different massage therapy colleges that offer courses on the different kinds of massage therapy available. These colleges are found in different countries around the world, and the best place to find a list of these colleges is on the internet.

Massage and Massage Therapy

Sleep seems to be one of the things that most people don’t do enough of. Adequate sleep can make an lasting impact on your life and assist you with handling daily stress with much more ease. Writer Gretchen Rubin provided the following effective tips for getting the sleep you need. Good habits for [...]

There are numerous massage therapy schools that can be found the world over. In this day and age, these schools have the ability to conduct their classes at their campuses or through virtual classes online.

Aromatherapy

Copyright © Tony Burfield, May 2009 Update on Melissa Oil You may recall the recent Cropwatch posting to Aromaconnection on a proposed IFRA restriction for Melissa oil, and the non-availability of the relevant evidence in the public domain. Following separate...

A kitchen herb garden provides avid cooks with a resource for fresh aromas, flavors, and colors to incorporate in their dishes.  This same garden can also be used to incorporate beneficial actives into home spa creations.  Fresh facials, hair teas, and tonics can benefit greatly from the addition of fresh herbs.  Here are some uses for both common, and exotic garden herbs. BasilBasil makes an effective cleanser, and can help to tone and rejuvenate the skin.  In hair care, Basil can help eliminate scalp irritation, dandruff, and excess oil.  Try making a water based infusion with fresh basil to take advantage of its properties.  This tonic can be used as a wetting agent in facials, a fresh toner, or a hair rinse.  Fresh Basil can also be mashed and used as a cleanser.Lemon BalmLemon Balm has natural astringent properties which can be helpful in the treatment of oily akin and hair.  Try steeping Lemon Balm leaves in hot water to create an herbal hair rinse, or a fresh facial toner.  This Lemon Balm infusion may also be helpful in the treatment of cold sores.MintFresh Mint leaves can be used to add a cooling, refreshing sensation to many types of home spa recipes.  The leaves can be infused into oil or water, or can be minced, mashed, or used whole.  Water that has been infused with Mint leaves can be added to hair rinses, used as a wetting agent in masks, or as a rinse for summer pedicures.  Try adding the infused oil to scrubs, cleansers, and hair conditioning treatments.  Fresh leaves can be incorporated into fresh scrubs, ubtans, and masks.LavenderA classic skin care ingredient, Lavender can be used a number of ways to take advantage of its antiseptic, balancing, and soothing properties.  Like Mint, Lavender is versatile, and can be infused into oil or water, can be minced, mashed, or used whole, and can also be dried for use in herbal sachets and potpourris. Try using fresh Lavender to create toners, skin tonics, hair rinses, or fresh body scrubs.SageSage is a potent cleanser with strong astringent properties.  It can be used in facial toners and hair rinses to help balance oily skin or scalps.  In hair care, Sage can also help to darken hair, making it a great choice for those with black or brunette hair who are hoping to intensify their look. Ladies MantleThis lesser known herb has been used historically to enhance the appearance of the bust and decolletage.  Traditionally, a tea is made from fresh or dried Ladies Mantle and applied like a toner to the neck, decolletage, and bust on a daily basis.  It is believed that the regular use of a Ladies Mantle tonic could help to increase the appearance of the skin in this area by toning and tightening the area.EyebrightAnother uncommon herb, Eyebright contains a rich amount of Zinc, which can be helpful in repairing skin's tissue.  Eyebright is often used to create herbal facials and eye packs and is believed to help reduce puffiness, and dark circles around the eyes.  Try combining Eyebright or Eyebright tea with fresh cucumber and potato for quick under-eye treatment.YarrowEasily found at most nurseries and garden shops, this lovely, flowering herb has a reputation for its soothing, comforting abilities.  Infused in oil or water, Yarrow makes a wonderful addition to sensitive skin treatments.  Try using Yarrow tea as a wetting agent in simple masks, and as a moisturizing toner.  Yarrow can also help to soothe sensitive scalps, or itchy, irritated skin.  Yarrow can sometimes cause photo-sensitivity, so take care when using Yarrow treatments during the day. ThymeThyme can be very handy when used in hair rinses and tonics due to its ability to help relieve oily scalp and dandruff.  It strong cleansing abilities also make it a good choice for oily and acne prone skin care.  Try adding Thyme to hair rinses and tonics by infusing the herb in water.

Aromatherapy

by Tony Burfield May 2009 Pre-amble It has always been something of a curiosity that IFRA has previously seen fit to prohibit melissa oil (lemon balm oil) which derives from Melissa officinalis L. ssp officinalis, as an ingredient of fragrances....

Saffron the common spice used in Indian, Spanish and Italian cuisine (also called the golden spice) has now been found to prevent loss of eye sight in old age, according to a new Australian study. The researchers at the University of L’Aquila in Italy, and Sydney University in Australia, found that eating saffron on a daily [...]

Rich, creamy Mochacchino Butter is a unique blend of Coffee Bean and Cocoa Butter.  It's all natural aroma is absolutely delicious, and it's texture is smooth and moisturizing.  These Massage Melts are the perfect size for single massages. Mochacchino Massage MeltsMakes 8 - 10 Bath MeltsIngredients2 ounces Mochacchino Butter1 tablespoon Jojoba Esters MP702 ounces Babassu Oil8-10 Coffee BeansDirectionsPlace 10 foil cups on a jelly roll pan, or other flat surface and set aside.  In a double boiler, gently melt the Jojoba Esters completely, followed by the Mochacchino Butter and Babassu Oil.  After all of the ingredients have fully melted, stir the mixture well.  Carefully pour the hot mixture into the foil cups.  Allow the Melts to cool for 5 - 10 minutes, or until a firm layer forms on the top.  When the Melts reach this stage, gently press an individual coffee bean into each melt.  Note: This recipe can easily be converted to make Bath Melts instead of Massage Melts. To make Bath Melts, use 2 teaspoons of Jojoba Esters instead of the tablespoon called for in the original recipe.  Also, it would make a nice addition to sift 1-2 tablespoons of Fine Oat Flour into the mixture.To Use: Simply unwrap a single Mochacchino Massage Melt, and warm it between your hands.  The gentle body heat will soften the Melt, turning it into a slick, massage oil.  The Melt can also be warmed directly on the skin of the person being massaged.

The German Cancer-Science Council has just revealed that a substance from the root of a flower could prove beneficial in treatment of Prostate Cancer. Experts at the University of Goettingen, in their laboratory tests, found that ‘tectorigenin’, obtained from the roots of Belamcanda Chinesis, curbed the growth of cancer cells, which was proven in animal cells. [...]

Ginkgo biloba extract —long used in traditional Chinese medicine to fight Alzheimer's disease, macular degeneration, and age-related memory loss—may help ease neuropathic pain, a new study shows. In tests on...

About 70 percent of people undergoing chemotherapy experience severe stomach upset. But taking ginger supplements could help reduce post-chemotherapy nausea, according to a new study. Researchers instructed 644 cancer patients to...

If you really want to focus in on a particular area of your life set up your personal feng shui Success, Health, Relationship and Wisdom directions. It's more specific to you and you'll get faster results.

A high-profile court battle over the huge estate of late Hong Kong tycoon Nina Wang has lifted the lid on the city's obsession with the ancient Chinese energy system of feng shui.From burning money to digging feng shui holes, the case has highlighted the superstitions many in the city are drawn to as they search for success, wealth and happiness.And while the system is often seen in the West as simply a quirky way of arranging furniture, it is taken very seriously here.At the centre of the High Court case is so-called feng shui master Tony Chan, a former bartender whose permanent grin has filled the city's newspapers for weeks.Chan, who says he was Wang's lover as well as her feng shui adviser, is laying claim to the eccentric tycoon's 13 billion US dollar fortune.Chinachem Charitable Foundation, controlled by Wang's siblings, says the will giving Chan the money is a fake.Lawyers for Chinachem argued Chan took advantage of Wang's declining health and seduced her with promises he could use feng shui to get rid of the cancer that would kill her in 2007.They also claimed that Chan had told Wang he could help bring back her kidnapped husband, Teddy, by digging holes on the grounds of her properties and filling them with engraved jade pieces.Her husband has never been found since he was kidnapped for a second time in 1990. He was declared legally dead nine years later.During his week-long stint on the stand, Chan's credentials have been undermined. As a result, the entire practice of feng shui is in the dock.Lee Sing-tong, a veteran master, said the profession should be regulated to prevent people such as Chan from ruining reputations."Chan has destroyed the trust that clients place in us," Lee told AFP.Chan was able to convince high-powered clients, including politicians and businessmen, to pay him huge sums for advice. Wang herself gave him three tranches of 688 million Hong Kong dollars (88.2 million US) shortly before she died.Chan has been pummelled on the stand, conceding that he did not know how to perform some feng shui rituals properly.His advice to clients to burn banknotes to improve their luck originated from his late father -- a retired schoolteacher who, he said, could have given him the idea as a joke.Feng shui -- literally "wind-water" -- is the art of improving the quality of someone's life by enhancing their environment according to the principles of harmony and energy flow.It says that everything in the universe is composed of two opposite yet complementary qualities: yin, which symbolises the passive side of nature, and yang, which represents the active side.It also incorporates five elements or forms of energy: wood, fire, earth, metal and water. The idea is to achieve a balance of these elements.Peter So, one of the city's most prominent masters, said it was a scientific discipline."Feng shui is very straightforward. It has nothing to do with magic or religion," he told AFP."Everything is about calculations and the interaction between people and their environment. Anything on top of that are gimmicks created by the so-called masters to increase their appeal to the clients."The case has also highlighted Hong Kong's fascination with good luck -- lucky phone numbers are much coveted here and few buildings have a fourth floor as the Chinese word "four" sounds like the word for "death."The Bank of China tower, designed by American-Chinese architect I.M. Pei, caused huge controversy when it became part of Hong Kong's famous skyline in the 1990s as its sharp triangular design was said to exert bad feng shui on surrounding buildings.There was even a suggestion that the design was chosen deliberately to channel bad energy towards the then-British governor's residence.Disney employed a feng shui consultant when it built its theme park in the city -- it has since been plagued by bad luck -- and many residents would not dream of moving into a new flat before they had called in an expert.As a result, the field is lucrative. A consultant can charge several thousand Hong Kong dollars to look at a typical 500-square-foot flat, with the best-known masters charging much more.Antony Hindmarsh, of Qi Homes Property Consultants, which offers feng shui advice, said the practice was spreading beyond Chinese people and one Western client had recently sought advice after a "string of bad luck.""More and more Westerners are embracing it. It's definitely gaining popularity," he said.

Feng Shui

The feng shui element of Northeast is Earth, so the cures you will bring have to be either of the Earth element, or the element that nourishes it (Fire feng shui element nourishes Earth). The life area connected to the Northeast bagua area of your home is called Spiritual Growth and Self-cultivation. It is recommended to always express, at least in some of your Northeast feng shui cures, the energy desired for your personal growth, as well as your reverence for the divine presence in your life. Here is what is appropriate in the missing Northeast bagua area in order to activate and expand it. Read more Tips to Balance the Missing Northeast Area of Your Home Feng Shui Bagua Photo: (c) Austin Stay up to date on feng shui by signing up for Rodika's weekly newsletter or by choosing to become a fan of this blog on Facebook. Need help? Ask your question at the feng shui forum!

The notorious artiste bettered known for severing his pink from his left hand in 1989 and left for Europe brusquely after. He continuous to use performance art to unite against the ignorance of common troubles in China as well as painting with . The exhibition presents five different cycle of work that explore the vital public issues through Sheng’s dramatic imagination of “gorgeous confusion.”2 Gallery is proud to bestow Sheng Qi’s solo show - “Power of the People”. Beijing based dancer Sheng Qi helped found Concept 21, China’s first performance–art group in the 1980s. In 1989, the performer legendary severed his pinky from his left hand and left China for Europe, where he would go onto regulate from London’s prestigious St. Martin’s Academy of Art. After frequent to China, Sheng Qi chronic his performance art, paling against ignorance of very group problems, like China’s require of AIDS awareness. He also began incorporating similes from Chinese media into a new photographic chain: each photo featured a small photo from contacts and family or from the media sited in the singer’s left palm, his pinky prominently absent. A kind of photo within a photo, the gesture also served as a grasp between the artist and viewer, relating Sheng Qi’s delicate older to a state collective memory. After his restore to China, Sheng Qi increasingly twisted to paint, groping public issues, with urbanization, media and the bitter-cute impact of the land’s bygone and upcoming. His hard-beating non-academic painting form, as in his cycle Black and Red, often seems to drip with . His stream solo show demonstrates his most mature and ambitious painterly effort to court, both in provisos of climb and worry matter. Here at F2 Gallery, the artist presents five different series of mechanism that he has developed concurrently over the last three being. The canvases are dripping with paint as several pressing gathering issues are examined in Shenq Qi’s intentionally awkward way. Power of the People both celebrates the Chinese people who constitute the subjects and chief actors of Sheng Qi’s dramatic imagination. The show also highlights the artist’s objective to see the world around him as it truly is – a profoundly superb commotion – as if to say that empty idea is the first footstep to both special and artistic looseness. No related posts.

Feng Shui

Making a few changes, with the wisdom and powers of Feng Shui can make all the difference in the world. No reason to live in a trailer -whether it be a permanent dwelling or a travel, touring recreational holiday vehicle and not have these wonderful benefits to your life as well as the lives of friends and family. Feng Shui.

My Heart Chan ( Shaolin Chan) group had our second 1 day retreat on Sunday.  There were some 25 people in attendance. Our senior brother from LA came up. He is 1 of 3 the senior students directed by our Shifu in Taiwan to represent the group here in the states. He was my first contact with the Heart Chan Group. He opened the retreat with a talk on because like a baby again. Not Phyically of course but in our attitude towards life and others, and opening our hearts and minds. Connecting to the world, the universe via our hearts. Not to sectionlize our life like pieces of a pie but to be more like a tree where all sections, parts flow from us like branch’s. Also he spoke on how our practice , our lives are composed of three elements, Body, Mind Spirit. Does this sound familiar or what!?!  remember Sanmai-Ittai… After that we had a 45 min meditation period. That was my first, it was not too bad. It would have been even easier if I had not been having knee pain for the last few days. However I persevered…Yosh! After lunch was my turn, I had been asked to do a section on Motion Chan and Tai Chi. In our Meditation centers n Taiwan there are monks from Shaolin temple who teach Tai Chi and Kung Fu. Being as our Shifu is Asst. Director of Shaolin it is part of the exchange that has been worked out.  I had been thinking how to approach this for the last month, in the time given. I had 45 min now, instead of 15 min. I gave a short lecture on the nature of Chan, Motion and sitting. same coin different faces. or in another form, the Yin and Yang of meditation. We in order to be in balance in life we need to do both in order to keep the harmony of Body, Mind, Spirit, and Yin meditation and a Yang meditation. I also touched on in another form ( point of view) the earth is our body,  man is the mind, chi is the spirit. we need to treat our earth as it is our body, we are the mind of the Universe, chi is our spirit. I do not think I as as clear as I wanted to be, because I was winging it with the lecture. However everyone sad they got it…Yokatta! Next I went to the practical part and introduced Tai Chi walk. explained the benefits, the state of mindfulness and mechanics of it. Some got it right off, others struggled with it. I had them do it in a line around the room and back to their starting point. I thought it went well. Next up was some Tai Chi movements. The opening of Yang 24 and through to grasping birds tail. I did a demo, then had the group follow three or four times with me leading. For the most part they got it. I was surprised in that short amount of time. Afterward many said they were very please with the instruction and some who never thought of doing Tai Chi were now open to the possibility of learning it. All said they felt calmer and more relaxed afterward. Yatta, mission accomplished. After our next break and mediation session I got to speak with JM shxiong about a few varid topics. He gave me some tips on things I could expect as I practiced Chan more. Also some warnings about doing Feng Shui or astrology readings as a job without knowing the proper way to release the negative chi, or karma I would be taking on. We spoke of Merit. TaMo ( Bodhidharma) told the Emperor his acts of buiding temples as such gave him no merit. Yet I heard talk of gaining merit to becoming a Buddha or Bodhisattva.  He explained that helping raise a soul from suffering , taking on their Karma, helping them with their karma, was a way to gain merit. Doing something from the heart purely to help another soul with their suffering. Not from building temples and the like. In the Bible it is said about a rich-man not entering in the kingdom of heaven… There was a lot more things shared and expressed, that I will not put or try to put here. Other than one question that was put to him by another about religion and our Chan practice. The answer given, was we use Buddhist terms to explain concepts, these could also be explained in Christian or Taoist terms. Our practice does not carry the dogma, rules, restriction, worship, formalities that a religion does. Ours is just a practice to enhance of living. One can have any faith and practice Chan, there is no conflict or competition.

Science teaches us that everything is comprised of energy. A goal of feng shui is to get in touch with our environments and create a path of least resistance for the positive flow of chi or energy.

You might be the type of person who likes to plan everything in advance, and no celebration or occasion ever can find you without a great gift! You can find the best Christmas gifts in July and wait many months till presenting that special gift to your friend. I used to be like that, too, but then somehow I became more of a last-minute, spontaneous gift giver. It happened kind of gradually; don't know exactly why and when, it might have something to do with the desire to live a less structured life, I guess. If you are looking for a late or last minute creative gift for the graduate in your family, you might consider a gift that will make it easier for him or her to adjust to the new stage in life. I recommend looking into a gift certificate of a feng shui consultation, especially if your graduate is moving into a new space soon. Investing in as little as 2 hours of a professional feng shui consultation will help create a space with the most supporting energy for your new graduate. The feng shui forum has a growing list of US, Canadian and International feng shui consultants, see if there is one in your area and go for it. Read more Gift Your Graduate with a Feng Shui Consultation Feng Shui Consultants Info at the Forum Photo: Stockbyte / Getty Images Stay up to date on feng shui by signing up for Rodika's weekly newsletter or by choosing to become a fan of this blog on Facebook. Need help? Ask your question at the feng shui forum!

Check out my article in the July issue of American College Of Health Science newsletter! Find it on page 4 How to help children discover the wonders of nature: Growing plants that attract wildlife Subscribe in a reader

Herbal Remedies and Herbs

GUESTS can now SAVE $1500 to $2200 all summer long during ANY WEEK when you bring a friend! Week of May 30–June 6, 2009 through week of August 29–September 5, 2009 Summer is a wonderful season at Rancho La Puerta Fitness Resort & Spa. Now all guests staying one week or longer (Saturday to Saturday) can bring [...]

It's here! It's the blog party! Yipee! We have an amazing collection of writings on all sorts of weedy wonders that herbalists near and far love dearly.Here's the breakdown!Karen Vaughan on Plantain!Dragonlady on dandelionsGreenman rambling on Ground IvyLady Barbara on TeaselField of Tansy on Self HealAquarian Bath on Mulberry!Rosalee of Methow Valley on Yellow Dock!Tales of a kitchen Herbwife on Sorrel and WatercressAbby Artemisa on Garlic MustardGranny Sam on MullienMedicine Woman's Roots on Nettle Seed HarvestingDreamseeds on Cottonwood And my own contribution (brief though it may be) on Sweet Clovers

  I’m a Medicine Woman, Too! by Jesse Wolf Hardin © Hops Press 2009, 8.5×11” Hardcover, 48 pages 35 Full Color Illustrations  ISBN 978-1-892784-31-5 So here it is, folks! The beautiful hardback edition of I’m a Medicine Woman, Too! published by HOPS Press is finally available. Wolf and I put a huge amount of work into this project and I [...]

Herbal Remedies and Herbs

Find out how a True Life Retreat can Nourish Your Soul and Empower your Spirit! Register NOW for the FREE teleseminar! Curious about all these Retreats I’m always talking about? Where we hang out on the river…. or Climb to the lofty peaks… or Create astounding and unique artwork… or Tell stories of our lives that bring us [...]

Normal 0 MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} As both an herbalist and a gardener, I could tell you many stories of weedy wonders that I have come to love, though many a fellow gardener would call them a nuisance, and fight tooth and nail to eradicate them from their garden corner or manicured lawn or gravel. The ever persistent dandelion, reproducing prolifically and spreading its sunny orb everywhere it goes, or the tenacious purslane that grows in the heat of summer, creating a mat of moist and crunchy edible leaves and stems. But today, I’m drawn to tell you of the sweetest smelling weed of summer, Sweet Clover. Sweet clover comes in two varieties, both white and yellow (M. alba and M. officinalis) and they look almost identical save the flower color, and I’ve used them both in exactly the same fashion. The sweet vanilla hay smell is a favorite summer smell, and anyone who has lived in proximity to rural areas with horses fed hay will recognize the sweet smell that fills the air around the sweet clovers. Here in the southwest it favors damp and wet spots along rivers and arroyos, but in other more temperate climates, I’ve seen it growing along the side of the road and in empty lots. Like many members of the legume family ( which sweet clover is a part), it fixes nitrogen in the soil and is a high source of plant protein and nutrients that are used often to nourish livestock, and is fodder for many other wild four legged creatures of the west. Lucky for us, we can take advantage of its sweet smelling nourishing properties as well. I’ve used sweet clover, both white and yellow as a fragrant and potent summer herb for cooking or tea making. The vanilla honey scent comes through just remarkably in dried plant, and can lend a subtle sweetness to anything you add it to. The tea of infused flowers and leaves is mild tasting and sweet, and almost doesn’t even need to be sweetened with anything to taste lovely. I always find the sweet scented tea of melilotus to be uplifting, warming and relaxing, and perfect for brightening up a cloudy day, or transitioning from wakefulness to resting in the evening. A steaming cup of sweet clover tea can bring the warmth and brightness of summer back even in the gloomiest of cold seasons, and is such a wonderful pick me up for the seasonal blues. Aside from its delicious tea properties, one of my very favorite uses for clover is to make a weed pesto! I often mix sweet clover with other milder greens for pesto, as large amounts can be more bitter than sweet. Clover and nettle, clover and spinach, or clover and bee balm all make a delicious combo to dress up salads, baked fish, or for dipping vegetables in. Here is a recipe for sweet clover nettle pesto. http://desertmedicinewoman.blogspot.com/2009/03/nettle-clover-pesto-invigorating-blood.html Finally, I use melilotus species medicinally as well. Sweet clover moves blood and pooling, stagnant fluids, taken internally or used as a poultice. Mastitis responds quite well to the fluid moving properties of sweet clover as a breast poultice or compress. I use the tincture of the freshly dried leaf/flower for all manner of stagnant blood conditions including, but not limited to slow to start, sluggish menses with clots and menstrual cramping, stuck, sluggish liver which isn’t processing blood as efficiently as possible, or generally stuck liver chi. Clover is diffusive and diaphoretic as a hot tea, and helps move energy out from the core to the surface of the skin by both improving blood flow and relaxing tension. Kings American Dispensatory remarks on sweet clover as specific for painful neuralgias (including digestive tract, uterine, ovarian or sciatic pain) as long as there is coldness and lack of circulation associated with the condition. Sweet clover is also a wonderful bitter aromatic digestive remedy, and can be used as a tea or tincture to alleviate gas, bloating, lack of GI secretions, lymphatic congestion. There is a lot of talk and misunderstanding about the clovers in general in regards to coumarin and blood thinning properties. Needless to say, to separate one chemical constituent out of a plant, while ignoring the other associated compounds is ridiculous and reductionist. I’m not going to spend time on the discussion of coumarins in plants in today’s post, but suffice it to say that because of the plants blood moving properties alone (chemical compounds aside) I’d exercise caution when using the plant, tea, or tincture in large quantities with those who are on blood thinners or might be adversely affected by a large movement of blood from one place to another. I generally think of sweet clover as a safe and nutritive weedy herb that grows all over the North American continent, and a delicious food, condiment and medicine.

I just bought shrimp (previously frozen) at the market. How long before I have to cook it? Once it's cooked, how long will it last in the refrigerator?

I just purchased quinoa for the first time and now I am not sure what to do with it. Can you give me some ideas as to how I can prepare it?