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Mind Body Messenger
Issue #30, November 2005
Keeping Up With Heather…
It has been a long month since I last updated you with the Messenger.
It seems I haven’t been on the mat or at my computer much
lately, as I have been occupied with a Thai Yoga Massage course
with the Lotus Palm School in Toronto. It was an amazing course,
and I have already completed my practicum hours and am now beginning
a practice. So, thank you to all of you who volunteered your time
and your bodies to helping me to perfect my technique before heading
out into the world as a practitioner.
So, my update this month is twofold. Firstly, I would like to announce
the addition of Thai Yoga Massage to my list of services offered
for your health and well being. Secondly, I wanted to share with
you perhaps the most personally and professionally beneficial element
that was at the core, or the heart I should say, of the Thai Yoga
Massage course, and this was the concept of Metta. Metta is a Buddhist
term meaning “loving-kindness” or “compassionate-kindness”,
intending that in all that we do, in our thoughts and actions, we
come from a place of unconditional love and compassion.
Metta, along with meditation, forms the foundation of the Thai
Yoga Massage practice, and this is one of the reasons that it is
such a joy to practice. We begin each massage with a brief meditation,
with Metta at the very heart of our meditation and our intent for
the giving of massage. We practice with the word Metta on the lips,
in the mind, and in the energy passed from practitioner to client.
And, we close the session with another brief meditation offering
Metta, peace, harmony and compassion for all. This, along with the
dynamic, dance-like movements of the Thai Yoga Massage makes for
a meditation in movement, and is most relaxing and spiritually beneficial
for both client and practitioner.
I found myself during the week of training being drawn deeper and
deeper into this restful state where Metta formed the framework
for my meditations. I noticed myself feeling more relaxed on a daily
basis, more connected to the people around me whether in class,
on the subway, or in my relationships. I found my body responding
with a groundedness, an openness that I usually only feel after
a yoga class. The difference is that with Metta as a constant intent,
this state now follows me wherever I go.
Thus, I am eternally grateful for the techniques that have been
handed down to me that I can utilize to assist my clients in decreasing
tension, improving health and energy, and experiencing deep relaxation.
But, I am just as grateful for the personal opportunity to reach
a deeper state of connection with all beings, with the breathing,
working, waking meditation of Metta.
For more information on receiving a Thai Yoga Massage, please email.
or call Heather at 416.722.7154.
For more information on becoming a Thai Yoga Massage practitioner,
please visit www.lotuspalm.com.
Namasté and Metta,
Heather.
Thoughts On…
Self-Observation
In order to make progress in any aspect of life, it is essential
to develop your willpower and your personal strength. Often, however,
when you decide to develop your willpower, you may resolve to do
dramatic things, but this can actually cause problems for you, because
if you cannot yet do what you resolve, then you will find that your
strength and your willpower are being damaged rather than developed.
If you sincerely want to develop personal strength and willpower,
you should first learn to keep yourself open and be an observer
of yourself until you observe that your willpower has become dynamic.
Instead of making such dramatic resolutions, simply make yourself
open to observing yourself and decide to experiment in observing
yourself.
by Swami Rama, The Art of Joyful Living
Thai Yoga Massage
Benefit your body, mind, and spirit with this dynamic, meditative,
and deeply relaxing massage method blending Massage, Yoga postures,
Shiatsu, Ayurveda, Breathwork, and Energetic Healing. Enjoy a treatment
in your home today, and take advantage of my special introductory
package for yourself, a group of friends, or give it as the Ultimate
Christmas Gift!
In-Home Thai Yoga Massage
- 60 minute - $60
- 90 minute - $90
Introductory Package:
- Three 90 minute treatments - $225
Gift Certificates available. Introductory Package Price valid
until Dec 25/05. For more information on the experience and benefits
of Thai Yoga Massage please email,
or call Heather at 416.722.7154.
Holiday Workout
The holiday season can be a chaotic time filled with shopping,
decorating, and endless supplies of goodies. To keep your body in
shape check out the Holiday Issue of GLOW magazine for a
6 move ball workout, designed by yours truly, to tone, strengthen,
and streamline your core.
Homeopathy
Homeopathy is a healing art founded on the premise that like cures
like. That’s right. Like cures like. I find it perpetually
perplexing, counter-intuitive, even downright unreasonable. But
for some reason, homeopathy works, and works effectively, efficiently,
and safely. And, this causes me to continue to return to my quest
for the truth about homeopathy. After peppering her with questions
for years now, trying to better grasp the art and science of homeopathy
and how it works, I’ve finally decided to just let the my
good friend Leeann Sykes do the talking when it comes to Homeopathy
and how it can help you to increase health and vitality, and decrease
dis-harmony in the body, mind and emotions. I hope you find this
piece as helpful as I have in de-mystifying homeopathy. H
With so many alternatives in health care, it is important to have
some understanding before embarking on a new health regime. The
holistic approach is now being adapted by all systems of medicine
as we come to the realization that our body is an integrated system
of the physical, mental, emotional, and chemical. To obtain a true
sense of healing, the treatment must consider all aspects of this
system.
Homeopathy is a holistic, alternative medicine that literally uses
the natural healing responses of the body using highly diluted substances.
Remedies are prescribed on the whole person guided by symptoms that
are unique to the individual. This includes tall aspects of our
body including the physical, mental, emotional and chemical. So
now the question is: How does a medicine do this?
Homeopathy needs you to think outside of the “health box”.
First of all, think of your body in a constant state of health and
healing. We are always in contact with bacteria and virus in our
daily lives. It is part of our human ecosystem and for the most
part, our immune systems keep things running smoothly. When we put
our body under stress in the form of lack of proper nutrition, lack
of sleep, or constant high emotional states, we deplete the immune
system to the point where it can no longer stay in charge of the
healthy state. We then take on the virus as the dominate force and
surrender to our physical reaction to it. This reaction is in the
form of symptoms but, because we are all different, our reactions
to the same virus might be different. Homeopathy looks at the individual’s
symptoms rather then the disease itself.
Symptoms are a way for the body to restore balance. We flush out
infections by fevers, runny noses, sneezing, coughing, and rashes
until the body has regained control of the healthy balance.
With this line of thinking, Homeopathy works in tune with what
the immune system is already doing. A Homeopathic remedy, in essence,
mirrors your illness. It makes the problem “appear”
much bigger then what the immune system initially sought out to
control so the necessary healing agents are dispatched. The immune
system, now at full throttle to bring back the healthy state, doesn’t
have to work as hard since the problem was only magnified by the
remedy. This creates a shorter healing time and a truly natural
response.
This is true also of long standing chronic illnesses. Conditions
can become chronic when we intervene with methods that deny the
natural outward flow of our immune systems. In Homeopathy, this
is called suppression.
A remedy is selected based on the symptoms. A process of interviewing
a person can take up to two hours before a clear picture is formed
for the Homeopath. Often, this interview is healing within itself
as many people have never discussed themselves to such great lengths.
With thousands of remedies to choose from, a Homeopath will select
one that most closely matches the symptoms of the individual and
waits to see the reaction. Remedies are primarily made from plants
or minerals, diluted to eliminate any toxic effects of the substance,
and put into pellet form.
Homeopathy is safe for everyone, in all states of health. Since
all toxic substance is removed from the remedies, they are also
safe for pregnant and newborn. Midwives have been using homeopathy
for decades to reduce complications during labour. There is also
a growing number of veterinarians who are using homeopathy as their
primary mode of treating animals before turning to pharmaceuticals
or surgery.
It is an ideal medicine those who cannot gain a diagnosis through
conventional medicine because the person is treated, not the disease.
To summarize, Homeopathy is a safe form of alternative medicine
that uses a person’s unique symptom picture to prescribe
one remedy of highly diluted substances to cure on the physical,
emotional, mental and chemical levels of our existence.
Leeann Sykes is a Classical Homeopath and Practitioner of the Bowen
Technique. For more information visit: www.newhealth.ca
For more information on Homeopathy may we recommend:
- The Science of Homeopathy - George Vithoulkas
(a scientific approach to the homeopathic principal)
- Discovering Homeopathy: Medicine for the 21st Century - Dana
Ullman
- The Complete Homeopathy Handbook - Miranda Castro
Imagine...
A life in which your spiritual practice and beliefs are in harmony
with your career;
Where personal growth and professional development are one and the
same;
Where you choose your hours, your clients, and your income;
Where you can inspire and be inspired daily.;
A life of balance, peace, opportunity, and a chance to be of service
to your world.
How do I make this dream a reality?
Become a Registered Yoga Instructor, and watch your dreams take
flight before your eyes.
Courses in 2006 in Australia and Canada.
For details visit www.yogatrinity.com or
in Australia call 0405 756 256
Yoga For Mind and Body
Part of an ongoing series offering yoga postures for men, women,
and children to practice at home, school, on the road or in the
office. With special thanks to Ross Pottinger of Wink Photo Design
in Brisbane, Australia for the photos and the support in this project.
And many thanks to Louisa Dick for taking part in the project. Do
check with your health care practitioner before beginning a yoga
practice. Many postures are not suitable for pregnant women, people
with joint replacements, those with hypertension or other medical
conditions. If you have a posture that you would like to see in
this column, I welcome your suggestions. Namaste, H
 To
Begin: Sitting in Dandasana (Staff Pose) with legs extended
and sit bones grounded, draw your right foot up to rest firmly in
the left inner thigh, with heel to perineum. Right hip and knees
should be resting on the ground, thus you may need a blanket or
cushion to support the underside of knee. Draw your right hip back
to square your pelvis to the front edge of your mat, and make whatever
adjustments are necessary to firmly ground the sit bones.
The Pose: Inhale and lift up
through the waist, walking the hands towards the right foot, then
exhale to find a comfortable binding point (either place hands on
sides of calf, clasp hands on bottom of foot, or bind right wrist
with left hand), and then relax your head towards your knee.
To Intensify: Extend through
your right heel and right buttock to lengthen the back of the thigh,
and think of bringing the left kidney in front of the left hip bone
to lengthen both sides of the waist.
To Modify: Prop the hips up
on a folded blanket if sit bones don’t ground or hamstrings/lower
back feel strained. Place a cushion under bent knee to support if
knee doesn’t touch the ground. Use a belt or strap around
the foot of the straight leg to increase the stretch without strain
or tension.
Breathing: Breath into sides and back
of ribs for 5 deep breaths, then switch sides and repeat.
Focus: Your physical gaze should
be rest on the knee. Should you prefer to close your eyes, your
internal gaze may focus on the third eye (point between the eyebrows).
Cautions: Take care not to
strain the lower back. If your hamstrings are tight, or your sit
bones do not rest on the ground, be sure to use a prop. As well,
be sure to make your adjustments from the core of the body, pelvis
and abdomen, rather than reaching with arms, shoulders and head.
Allow the right side of the rib cage to align with the right inner
thigh for good alignment.
Benefits: Improves flexibility
of spine and hips, elongates hamstrings and relieves sciatic tension.
Massages internal organs and supports good digestion. All forward
bends help to bring the self into harmony by moving past resistance
into surrender. Tune out distractions and tune into your inner self
in order to work with the body rather than struggling against the
body. |
