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Sunday, March 7, 2010 LOOK, BUT DON'T TOUCH! Driving home from teaching Qigong in Encinitas, I was surprised and captivated by the moon. Not quite full anymore, I was still astounded by the way it largely loomed in the horizon. My first instinct? To pull over, take out my camera, and capture the image so I can keep it for longer than that moment. As I was getting ready to do just that, The Beatles spoke to me (the band, not the insects): "Let it be," they said. So I took another look at the moon and understood - sometimes moments are not meant to be captured but just appreciated for their presence. "Admiration without possession" is this week's epiphany. My task: to live every day allowing everything and everyone around me to become beautiful exhibits in this grand museum of life; and hopefully acquire nothing else except gratitude and richness in my soul. A QUESTION FOR YOU: Is there anything in your life that you admire and love, yet not possess? Ever entertain the idea that the appreciation is the prize? |
Saturday, February 27, 2010 WHO ARE YOU CALLING SOFT-BOILED?!? On a recent visit, Kai recommended that I incorporate more eggs into my diet in order to strengthen my kidney yin. "But not just any eggs," he said, "they must be soft-boiled!" (If you want to know why, go see Kai. He'll explain this and a whole lot more!) I was eager to try this at home. I mean, how hard can it be? (There's a pun here that you'll get in a moment. I'd apologize, but I won't mean it.) This was the start of a very humbling experience: I failed several times at soft-boiled egg making! I won't bore you with details (or if you like that sort of thing, read below for my Diary of a Soft-Boiled Flunkie), but let's just say that I didn't enjoy a bona fide soft-boiled egg until over a week after said visit. So as I sat down in from of my ooey-gooey yolk goodness, I had an epiphany: softness is "harder" to accomplish in so many aspects of life. Here's my partial list: * Acting. My acting professor at HB Studios in New York said that crying, hysterically laughing, anger, violence are so easy to pull off, it's almost cheating. Conveying (by really feeling) the emotions of joy, embarrassment, contentment and the like, and dry comedy are the hardest to pull off. Why, you ask? Well, the latter list is more subdued, therefore requiring sincere intention rather than the physical action of the former list. * Walking. Go ahead and walk. Now go slower, taking 5 seconds for each step. I just tried this exercise going to the post office and it's a very trying one. Aside from getting weird stares from hung-over PB residents, my body's inclination is to walk at a brisk pace. * Giving vs. Receiving. According to the Bible, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." (Acts 20:35) Okay, I'm all for sharing. But most people I know have trouble receiving one thing or another, especially love. I still have trouble receiving assistance from others, in fear that they want something in return (you can take the girl out of New York, but you can't take New York out of the girl). * Head vs. Heart. I don't know about you, but this is a challenge for me. I feel that I have to consciously direct the energy from my head to my heart so that I can move through life through my heart space and stop overthinking. |
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We can't really help it, we were all born into a world that is primarily in the Yang/creative energy. This isn't all bad. For one thing, the technology bringing you this newsletter is a part of this creation. What we need is balance: to be as connected to our Yin/receptive energy as we are to our Yang/creative energy. So how do we do this? Well the Universe gave us the perfect ally: the Moon. Lunar energy is brimming with Yin energy and it's all there for us to absorb into our consciousness. At moonrise, practice meditation, pray, journal or do whatever it is that connects you with your inner self. This will cultivate your Yin, receiving and moving the energy into your unconscious self. This Sunday, February 28th, we have a unique opportunity: the moon becomes full at 8:38am. At 3:00pm, we will gather together to harness the energy of our breath, use it to achieve a state of wellness and create within ourselves a deep meditation in the venue of the Full Moon. At 6:12pm, the moon rises, so you're more than welcome to walk to the bay with me and bask in nature's yin. Click on the flier to register. |
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DIARY OF A SOFT-BOILED FLUNKIE Saturday, February 5th: Visit Kai in Santa Cruz. He advises me on diet, suggesting incorporating soft-boiled eggs to strengthen my kidney yin. Monday, February 8th: Go to Trader Joe's to buy a dozen organic eggs. Hurry home and boiled my first pair of eggs. A watched pot indeed never boils. Decided to unpack while waiting for water to boil. Five minutes later, I returned and eagerly rescued my eggs from their boiling cauldron. Yolk is hard. Dang it! Pondered boiling two more eggs, but thought consuming four eggs might be way too extreme. Tuesday, February 9th: Took the whole day to console and convince myself by repeating mantra: "I am not an abject failure. I can be one with the egg." Wednesday, February 10th: Decided to give it another try. This time, I watched the pot, considering it part of my meditative practice. At the first sign of boiling, I took out the eggs. Did a congratulatory dance. Sat down only to discover that both eggs are undercooked. Ate them anyway (NOT RECOMMENDED!), spent the night repeating the mantra: "I don't have salmonella. I don't have salmonella." Thursday, February 11th: Woke up grateful for not having violent fits of nausea. Considered going vegan. Decided to purposely make hard-boiled egg to complement my salad for lunch, repeating the mantra: "I am at peace with the egg." Friday, February 12th: Over-cooked the eggs again! This time, I decided to do the dishes in close proximity to the stove. I guess I had more dishes than I anticipated. Threw fists in the air while yelling "Suck this Mr. Egg!" I finally realized the real art and beauty of egging a car during Halloween. Saturday, February 13th: Kai comes to visit after spending a day camping with his sister Jill. I invoke my warrior to protect my lover and succeeded in not projecting my feelings of egg-inadequacy. Went to a Tantric Yoga workshop in OB and forgot all about the eggs. Sunday, February 14th: Kai saw clients all day. Had lunch with Mukunda at the parking lot behind the clinic. My soured relationship with eggs finally subsides. Monday, February 15th: In celebration of President's Day, I had some fried eggs. Yolk was runny. :-) Tuesday, February 16th: Decided to incorporate some strategy to my soft-boiled egg production. Set timer on my Palm Pre. Three minutes after initial brisk boil. Nervously took out eggs. Cracked the surface. PERFECT! The whites firm, the yolk bright orange and soft. Repeated congratulatory dance. |
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Sunday, February 21, 2010 I GOT YOUR NOSE! I have a challenge for all of you. I want you to look down at your hands. Now look at your thighs; or even your shoulder. Easy right? Now look at your nose. Aha. How about your ears? And now your eyes. I see. Found it a little challenging? All of us do. Now take a mirror and look at the last three parts again. Easier this time, right? Much like your nose, ears or eyes, there are parts of your emotional self that are hard to see on your own. You either need someone to make a mirror and hold it up for you, or to describe to you what those parts look like from their perspective. These parts can be those we don't really want to see: the parts that judge, that parts that have trust issues, the parts that are materialistic, etc. Or they can be parts that we cannot recognize within ourselves: our inner genius, the part that empathizes and loves deeply, our true beauty. Your next mission should you choose to accept it is this: pay close attention to the parts of you reflected through other people or parts of you revealed directly by conversations with friends and loved ones. Examine these parts in the space of belief that everyone around you has your best interest at heart. You can then choose to act: keep and accept that part of yourself or change and accept yourself without that part. And maybe, just maybe, I'll give you your nose back. |
Sunday, February 14, 2010 I know it's February. I know that it's the start of the New Year, according to the Chinese. So it's only appropriate that I talk about the WOOD energy, right? Yes, it would be. But most of you know that I like inappropriateness, in small doses. So this week's newsletter will focus on the FIRE element as it relates to the HEART. [Space here for grumbling, pronounciations of Valentine-shmalentine, fists up in the air while yelling "Hallmark!"] Feel better? Good. That means you're most likely in your heart space, or at least closer to it. And that's what we all are going to explore together: the ways to get to our heart space by channeling the energy of FIRE. When I think of FIRE in the physical realm, a few properties come to mind: *Heat - I hopefully wouldn't have to explain this one, but if you find yourself confused, please call me and I'll explain. Think roaring fire, hot sun, etc. *Chemistry - Think of gravy mix. (I don't know about you, but I always think of gravy mix) Put the powder in cold or even room temperature water adn even the driest of meatloaves would refuse. Now bring this mixture to a boil by adding fire and holy mashed potatoes! *Propulsion - Now some consipiracy theorists claim that the moodn landing was a hoax; I'd like to believe that those good people actuallly did reach the moon. And tehy did that by means of those rockets, and those rockets were able to blast through the Earth's atmosphere by our friend, the FIRE element. Even my humble Toyota Yaris needs 7,200 sparks per minute to move! So, each time you start your car, you are summoning the FIRE element. What's so important about these properties of the FIRE element, you ask? Well, since the HEART is one of the organs of FIRE, I wanted to focus on these three properties and how they relate to the HEART and your emotions, for in emotions, my friends is where FIRE and the HEART are mirror images of each other. * Heat - Emotions fuel the heart. Ever get red in the face? Most people, at one time or another, have become flushed because of an emotion: anger, embarrassment, lust, excitement are just some examples of states wherein your face can make like a stop sign. And notice that with this comes the sensation of heat. So how we feel can alter our body temperature! Conversely, a specific type of heat can alter our mood, too! The sun, that great big ball of fire, has the ability to life a person's spirits. Every heard of Seasonal Affective Disorder? [SAD... oh those witty scientists!] In a nutshell, it's a mood disorder similar to depression that is caused by teh lack of sunlight, occuring mainly during the wintertime. Now if the lack of sunlight can make you S.A.D., then guess what the communion with the sun can do? Yes, it can induce a state of J.O.Y.! [the best meaning I can come up with was Jump On you, but even I think that's inappropriate, so ignore the futile attempt at an acronym] Is there anyone out there who walked out of their home in the daytime to a beautiful sunny day and said, "Wow, this sunshine is really making me sad!" I'd bet that 99.99% said no. The sun ellicits joy, and joy is the emotional essence of the HEART. So it's what I call the "Victorious Circle:" the more joy you can access from even the smallest parts of your life, the better your chances are at connecting with your heart. The more you connect with your heart, the more joy you are able to feel. * Chemistry - Relationships, with any person (friend, family, colleagues) require a certain amount of "heart heat," or joy, to flourish. My gravy mix can't hang with your water unless there's a common heat that allows us to bond: the same choice in music, fondness for sports, or any activity that creates joy and stimulates the heart center. So even as I continue to build a community around me, I realize that the only way I can create honest relationships is by connecting with people through my heart. * Propulsion - I noticed this first when I would go running: during the times when my heart was heavy, and I am processing deep emotions, it would take all of my energy and willpower to complete the 5 miles. But in joy - it all changes. Suddenly, my body is light and I feel that I'm being pulled forward. I'm channeling that inner kid who just ran for the JOY of running! Then I noticed it with cleaning and doing laundry. And then it reverberated through practically every task I've had to do (and yes, this Newsletter was one of them). Freakin' JOY! That was the big secret! Once again, there's the fire of JOY, easily propelling me from one LOVE-filled moment to another. Hey listen, I'm not saying that I'm the most heart-centered person on the planet. But I am now aware that I must connect more with the energy of FIRE if I am to find balance in my life. And being that we are all awakening from a very water-logged winter, I invite all of you to perate from your HEART in the next week, and share with me some of your stories of JOY. |
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Sunday, January 31 , 2010 BHA: And we're back with the King, the Water Element WE: Please, the "King" label just relates to the leadership qualities that is inherent in all of us. BHA: Can you elaborate on these leadership qualities? WE: Well let's take a look at my relationship with Fire. I control it and put it in balance, but I also allow myself to be stimulated by it. More importantly, I am able to just adapt to it: when I am in the solid form, I just melt into liquid. When I am in the liquid form, I just steam up into gas. And when the cold gas meets the warmth, I just go back to liquid again. So I believe that it is in maintaining my core quality while adapting to changing circumstances that make me a great leader. BHA: Yes, I've definitely heard that you are very changeable. Isn't that a disadvantage? WE: I don't see it as that at all! I have a primary form that people associate me with, but I can also embrace other paths or forms. When life places a huge boulder that blocks my path, I just go around it; so I automatically just look for an opening from which to flow. Oh, and extreme temperatures? No problem! I'm just as happy being liquid as I am being solid or gas. But my favorite form is one not generally recognized by most people: potential energy. When I get absorbed by trees, I am converted into potential energy in the form of oxygen to be released or nutritious fruits and vegetables to be consumed. Then I'm really into the circle of life! BHA: Wow, didn't even realize that! Well we've certainly learned a lot from you in these past two interviews. When do we expect you to grace our presence and make an appearance in our newsletter again? WE: You really should call upon me when you're feeling challenged by your life circumstances. I'm the part of you that finds the flow, even in the most difficult situations. I'm the part of you that realizes your personal power, so you can also call on me when you're feeling any fear at all. Oh, and water is also the element of hearing. So if you want to be a better listener, stick with me, kid. BHA: I sure will, your highness. If you wish to practice calling upon your WATER ELEMENT, join us for Qigong on Mondays from 6:45 - 8:15pm and click here for a WATER ELEMENT meditation. |
Sunday, January 24 , 2010 I have a confession to make. All the rain, thunderstorms, flooding, that was all my fault. My bad! You see, the Universe has been asking me to do this piece on the Water Element, but I've been putting it off, opting instead to work on an entry entitled "If I Re-wrote 'Avatar'." (True story, folks.) So they had to get my attention, flexing its water muscles until, well, until a guy had to kayak on the corner of Mission Boulevard and Pacific Beach Drive. So here it is, my interview with the Water Element. Breakthrough Healing Arts: Wow, five days of non-stop, torrential rain. You certainly know how to make an appearance! Water Element: Well, I must admit, I do get worked up sometimes. I guess it's part of the ebb and flow of life. I have parts that suffer from stagnation too, and sometimes the press are all over that. So I suppose I have to balance it all out with some fierce movement. But all in all, BHA, can I call you that?, okay... all in all, I just favor movement and flow. BHA: You've been called "The Philosopher" and sometimes "The King." Tell us about that. WE: Well those are just silly "Archetypes" that some wiseguy named Carl Jung started. You see, he said that I represent one of the characteristics of the human psyche. The part that strategizes and ponders the bigger questions in life. So much like the "King," I'm the part of you that sees things from a wider perspective, the part of you that you embody when you take 5-steps back, survey the big picture, and act accordingly. Then I depend on the other "Archetypes" to carry out the plan... this of course, all depends on your being in touch with all the different parts of your essence and knowing which of them serve your higher purpose in the moment. BHA: Speaking of other "Archetypes," I hear you have a love/hate relationship with The Fire element... WE: Can we not talk about that? BHA: Well, the people who actually read this newsletter (and you know who you are) are quite curious. What is the deal with you and Fire? WE: We are who we are. When we're both calm, we actually work well together. When I suffer from my "slacker syndrome," sometimes I need a little bit of Fire to rouse up some movement. It's just sometimes, it gets out of hand and has my blood boiling, if you know what I mean. Then I have no choice but to get steamed up. When I have the upper hand, though, I can put a kibosh on Fire's movement, especially when it gets uncontrollable. Listen, we both know that Fire is needed... it's LOVE, for cryin' out loud. But each Archetype has a pendulum that can swing into excess in both directions. So we depend on each other for balance. BHA: Thank you for clearing that up, now I'd like to talk more about your strengths... WE: Listen, I gotta go. I have some business to wrap up in the East Coast. I know you got some "Avatar" bit that you've been wanting to share, but can we finish this conversation for next week's newsletter? BHA: [Grumble] If we must. More on the Water element, in next week's newsletter, folks! |
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BREATH EMPOWERMENT THIS WEEK! Monday, January 25th 6:45 - 8:15pm Tuesday, January 26th 7:30 - 8:30pm Class is only $20, registration strongly recommended |
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Monday, January 18, 2010 Someone I love very dearly called me one day a couple of months ago, distraught. "Irene, I left my bag with my computer and all my important documents somewhere, but I can't seem to recall where. Will you help me track it down?" He was about an hour away from a flight out of town and was obviously stressed out about the situation. My immediate reaction was anger: "How can you lose your bag, with all of your important possessions and not know where you left it?!?!" I didn't express myself though because I was able to step back and recognize that this reaction just didn't make any sense! I mean, it's not like he lost MY bag! So at this point, I invoked the goddess of "walk your talk" and decided to access my knowledge of the archetypes to guide me. We were going over the relationship of the Warrior and the Lover so I decided to check in with these parts of myself. Well my warrior was definitely ready for battle, in full regalia of verbal warfare and energetic bombs, ready to protect the boundaries of my emotions. My lover, however, was there somewhere in the dark recesses of my unconscious, cowering in fear for the consequences of my expression. At that moment, I realized my warrior needed to protect my lover more than anything else! Had I spoken based on my initial emotion, I would have hurt the part of me that loves this person. So my warrior reached out a hand to my lover and said: "Don't worry sister, I got your back!" My lover, fully liberated from all fear, then asked the question: "What does the person I love need at this moment?" (Oh, that's just so typical of someone loving, isn't it?) The answers were comfort, compassion and understanding. And with my warrior's full support, I was able to communicate with the guidance of these emotions rather than the anger I initially felt. And why did I feel anger? Because in the moment of discovery, I felt powerless to change the situation of the one I love. But my warrior did eventually regain that power, not by expressing anger but by protecting the expression of love. PS We got the bag back to its rightful owner, safe and sound, thanks to the manager of Rubio's who called us the next day and told us that the bag and its valuable contents were in his safekeeping. |
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