Mind Body Messenger
issue#3 July2003

Keeping Up with Heather…

I wonder about myself sometimes. Occasionally I hear these audacious statements coming out of my mouth, and I wonder… I look in my closet at some of the fashion disasters that I have brought home from the mall, and I wonder… I look down and realize that I ate the whole thing, and I wonder… Who is running the show here? Driving back from yoga class recently, I got caught in rush hour traffic. I was suddenly shifted from a supple, serene yoga goddess, into an anxious and unforgiving driver. Did someone else just take over my body? Do aliens have control of my brain? Maybe I have multiple personalities?

Well, as I have contemplated this conundrum, I have begun to understand that there is more than one voice, more than one “you”, inside of you, as in me. There is a self inside you that tells you to brush your teeth three times a day, get eight hours of sleep a night, and wear a sweater cause it could get chilly. There is a voice in your head that says, “you are tired, you worked so hard today, you should sit on the couch and watch TV tonight and eat pizza. You deserve it.” There is a self that says, “she is just jealous of me, because I am…I have…I am better”. And yet, there is another self that says, “you’re not good enough, your too…your not…you should be more…”. How can such a dichotomy exist?

Dr. Brugh Joy offers some insights in his book “Avalanche” in a chapter entitled “One Body-Many Selves”. Dr. Joy suggests the possibility that, “the basis of the human psyche…both the conscious and the unconscious aspects…may be a collective of selves, independent and autonomous yet interrelating with one another, and mostly unknown to the outer awareness. Just as the body is a collective of well-defined patterns of energy identified as organ systems, the psyche…is a collective of well-defined patterns of forces discerned as selves.”

As I explored this possibility, it became clear to me how I can have an blissful experience of oneness in a yoga class, and then a few hours later look in the mirror and criticize a particular part of my body. Why I eat chocolates after an hour of fitness walking. Or why, after researching and writing about the ethical discipline of non-judgement, I criticize a performer or politician on television. How can this disparity exist within one person? Well, there are different me’s inside of me that have different ways of absorbing, processing, and responding to the world around me. To achieve any kind of success in this world via career, family, relationships, or self-growth, it is essential that we begin to understand that we have more than one identity within ourselves. Once you become conscious of these different selves, you can begin to utilize these selves to achieve the goals of your higher self.

If you would like to experience this in your own inner world, all you have to do is take some time every day to observe your thoughts. On your drive to work, at lunch with friends, during your exercise session, after dinner, and just before bed, observe the voices in your head. Observe the tone and attitude of your thoughts, and where they want to take you. As you simply observe your thoughts, you will begin to see yourself from a different perspective. And, from this perspective, a real picture of what makes you you will be revealed. As you become more aware, you can be far more discerning as to the options that are available in any given moment. Once you can observe, then you can choose which self to give power to. You can decide to team up with the you that wants chocolate cake, or you can empower the you that wants to lose a few kilos to step away from the fridge. You can step up to the microphone even when you are feeling anxious. You can stick to the budget that you wrote. You can stay calm in rush hour traffic. Once you have observed your inner selves, you can choose how you will act, react, and respond to the world within you, and the world outside of you. This step in self-discovery is essential to busting through the barriers in your life to achieving your ultimate goals.

Practice this exercise daily for 21 days, then next month we will discuss what to do with your observations to take this exercise to the next level. If you have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us. I look forward to receiving your feedback from this exercise.

Namaste, Heather

Passages

A selection from “The Metamorphic Technique”
by Gaston St Pierre and Barbara D’Arcy Thompson

“In ancient China it was understood that there is a complex system of energy currents, which circulate in predictable paths or patterns through-out the human body. Picture the body as a 5-pointed star, the head, hands and feet being the 5 points. Join up the points and you will find that there is no beginning, and no end.

It is the outward function of these termini-the head, hands and feet – to be in communication with the outside world, and in addition every part of the body is reflected in them, especially the feet which are in contact with the earth; the ground of our being. The feet have been described as “mirrors of the body”. Every constituent of the body has a corresponding reflex area in the toes, the soles, the heels, and the upper surfaces. When the fingers give a massage to the feet, the result is a stimulus, and a predictable reflex action is registered in the corresponding part of the body, restoring balance and circulation and correcting disharmonies.

The toes reflect the head, the brain, the eyes, nose, mouth and sinuses. The soles reflect the internal organs. The upper foot areas reflect the framework of the body. The heels reflect the lower part of the body including the organs of reproduction and elimination. The spine is reflected in the bony ridge on the inner side of both feet, from the first joint of the big toe to the heel bone. The upper corners of the big toe nail reflect the pineal gland and the lower corners of the pituitary gland. A line across the top of the foot from under the inner ankle bone to below the outer ankle indicates the reflex areas of the pelvic girdle.”

When using the Metamorphic Technique massage method on your children, your partner, or friends, you are helping to break down the energetic patterns that create blockages in life. Utilizing this Metamorphic Technique is a great way to bond with a new baby, to spend quality time with a partner, or to help a friend break through the barriers in their life. Remember, within all of us is a competent and powerful healer. To learn more about the Metamorphic Technique, please see our Upcoming Events calendar, or visit www.mind-body-mastery.com.

Walking Tips

Walking is one of the most effective, convenient, and cost-effective methods of exercise. You can walk anywhere, anytime, and with a minimal amount of equipment. For an effective walking exercise program, keep in mind:

• Proper walking shoes are essential. Running or walking shoes are preferred over “cross trainers” or aerobics shoes. Asics, New Balance, Brooks, Saucony, and Reebok are good brands to look for. Your shoes may still look new, but if you have used them 3 times a week for 6 months, you need to retire them to the garden and get a new pair.
• Bring a bottle of water with you. Your body can lose a gallon of water an hour, and it is essential to re-hydrate consistently through your walk.
• Pay attention to your technique. Your heel should strike the ground first, then you will roll through your mid foot, and at the last part of the stride, push off with your toe. To practice proper technique, you can chant heel-toe-heel-toe while you walk.
• Breathe deeply, especially up hills. I like to use a rhythmical breathing pattern that matches my steps-it keeps me motivated and in the ‘zone’.
• Listen to your steps, they should be light and balanced (ie: one foot may sound heavier than the other, or land earlier). If you are “pounding the pavement”, you are pounding your joints. Soften your muscles and joints and try to walk silently.
• Swing your arms at your side, not side to side in front of your body. Your arms pattern your legs, so keep your arms swinging, forward and back strong but relaxed, and your legs will follow.
• “Your exercise is only as beneficial as the posture in which you perform it”, says Matthias Alexander, founder of the Alexander Technique. Keep tall, relax your shoulders, breathe deeply, and feel fluid and elegant in your strides.
• Imagine you have all the time in the world for your walk. Try to walk without thinking of what you have to get done when you get back. Enjoy the moment. This may be your only time of the day that is just for you…enjoy how you feel now…remember how you will feel later not just from walking and getting fit…but from having time to clear your mind and let go….

Benefits of Walking

What you get out of walking is directly related to what you put into it. The more you focus on the present moment, get your body moving, and feel positive about taking the initiative in your health, the more you will experience the many benefits, including:

Physical Benefits: Decreased body fat, increased aerobic capacity, improved bone density, increased muscular endurance, oxidation of the blood, improved circulation, decreased risk of heart disease, stroke and hypertension.

Emotional Benefits: Improved self-esteem, sense of self-efficacy, balanced emotions, decreased anxiety and depression, increased positive self-image.

Mental Benefits: Focussed mind, time to ‘collect your thoughts’, a sense of clarity, reduced mental chatter, stimulated imagination.

Spiritual Benefits: A sense of oneness with your world, a connection with nature, a joy in living.

Walking Motivation

• Get a buddy to walk with (someone reliable and local).
• Wear a walk-man and listen to your favourite music or books on tape.
• Make an appointment with yourself to walk; write it in your date book and stick to it.
• Create a checklist, and give yourself a gold star every time you walk.
• Walk in nature…the intrinsic benefits magnify the extrinsic.
• Enjoy yourself…the more you enjoy your exercise program, the more likely you will be to continue it. Smile…it’s infective.
• Put your walking clothes out so they are the first thing you see in the morning.
• Use a heart rate monitor, pedometer or other feedback gadgets to keep focussed.
• Use a mantra, use positive visualization, focus on your goals while you walk.
• Remember why you are walking. How will you benefit? How will you feel during and after your walk?

Upcoming Events

Brisbane, July 2003

Bring a Friend to Yoga! Invite a friend for free to any of Heather’s yoga classes at Active Life Fitness during the month of July. You can pick up your Free Friend Pass at your next class, or contact Heather to arrange a pick up.

Yoga Classes at Bayside Wellbeing Centre will be discontinued after July 24, as the centre is closing. Our last class will take place on July 22. All students are invited to join classes in Hawthorne and Norman Park. We offer our best wishes to Caroline Wilson on her new ventures in healing.

Bioenergetics and Metamorphic Technique

Two unique techniques that will help break the blockages that limit your ability to be vibrantly health and alive. Bioenergetics combines yoga postures, breath-work, and sound to break the blockages in your body that have been developed from birth to the present. Metamorphic is a massage technique that helps to gently release the blockages that formed from conception to birth. Ideal to share with your children, spouse, friends, and healing circle

• Date: July 20, 2003
• Time: 10:00am-2:00pm
• Location: 2/459 Hawthorne Road, Bulimba
• Cost: $80, includes information booklets.

Self Mastery One will be offered in two groups during July/August. What will you experience and learn in Self Mastery? Experience Relaxation, Understand Responsibility, Give yourself Permission to Enjoy Life, Tap into Your Intuition, Overcome your Fears, Become Aware of the Magic around you, and Open your Beliefs to new ideas and new possibilities in a fun and safe environment.

Afternoon Session

• Dates: July 24 to August 14 (Mon & Thurs)
• Time: 10:00am-2:00pm (to be confirmed)
• Location: 2/459 Hawthorne Road, Bulimba
• Cost: $400 ($375 Early Bird, cash only, by July 15)

Evening Session

• Dates: July 23 – August 13 (Mon & Wed)
• Time: 6:30-10:30pm
• Location: 2/459 Hawthorne Road, Bulimba
• Cost: $400 ($375 Early Bird, cash only, by July 15)

Become the ‘author of your reality’ in this experiential course that offers YOU the keys to Self Mastery. For more information please contact heather@yogatrinity.com

Canberra, July 2003

Christopher is in Canberra for the first half of the month to offer several courses, and launch our re-designed website at a free, informal gathering. For more information, please contact Kirstin Johnson at kj999@austarmetro.com.au. Christopher’s itinerary is as follows:

• July 4 Metawhat? Mind Body Mastery Website Launch and Experiential Evening 7:00-9:00pm
• July 5,6/12,13 The Energetic Healing Diploma Program 9:30-5:30.
• July 7-10 Private consultations available.
• July 10: Bioenergetics and Metamorphic Technique Workshop 6:30-10:30pm $80pp

Ontario, Canada, September 2003

An update on our Canadian trip…our courses will be offered in early September. For more information, please contact Judy Scipione, 519 941 4450 or tohawc@bellnet.ca Courses will include:

• Self Mastery 1, Self Mastery 1.5, and Self Mastery 2
• Dreams Workshop
• Personal Magnetism Workshop
• The Energetic Healing Diploma Program
• Bioenergetics and Metamorphic Technique
• Personal Consultations available in Orangeville and Toronto.