Flying Lessons

The first time that I saw Jet Lis film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (in a little theatre in Boulder, Colorado) I wept, fairly continuously, for about the first thirty minutes, and after that sat enraptured, amazed & deeply grateful for the beauty, power & truth that I felt being emanated from the film. Two days later I returned, for my second viewing. By the third time (all week-day matinees: cheaper & less crowded), the theatre clerks & I exchanged amused glances of recognition. By about the fifth time I was definitely feeling sheepish, if not downright embarrassed, by what I imagined was being perceived as clearly-addictive behavior. But I didnt care! I saw the film, over the course of about a month, no fewer than seven times. Each viewing revealed some new wonder, some previously-unnoticed level of meaning, or just an exquisite detail, that my eyes, ears & heart hungrily consumed.

And what was the cause, in this film (and later also in the re-made Hero) for my tears & rapture? For drawing someone who doesnt even really watch many movies, back like this, again & again, almost magnetically? Its a bit hard to articulate, though what I can say is that there was something being portrayed ~ in both of these films ~ with which I resonated so deeply, that at a soul- & cell-level I recognized, which so rarely, in this culture, is portrayed. It felt like coming home. Particularly powerful for me were the fight scenes: not for the conflict that was being enacted (I actually have an aversion to violence, per se), but rather for the fluidity & lightness ~ the Mastery of physical movement ~ that was being so beautifully demonstrated. Some who I spoke to about the film considered these scenes merely fanciful, a kind of science fiction that perhaps had been taken to an extreme ... but for me those scenes were ~ at long last ~ portraying a reality, something the very fibers of my being understood to be not only a possible, but also in many ways a preferable way of being-in-a-human-body. There was and is a knowing that: Yes ~ Flying is possible!

Now this love affair with movement-as-flight, with enlightenment expressed as human form & movement, has been with me for a while: As a child I adored the graceful connections between Terry Bradshaw & Lynn Swann; Later, Michael Jordan became my all-time hero. Then it was Bruce Lee. On a number of occasions Ive felt my life to be transformed by the performance of dancers: Mikhail Baryshnikov (who I saw in person for the first time when he was in his fifties, and stunning!), David Parsons (whose magical piece Caught still resonates inside of me), diego Pinon (a Butoh Master, whose sensual & organic explorations of human movement opened within me whole new realms of possibility re: intimacy & empowered vulnerability). Each year that Ive lived in Boulder Ive watched the world-class runners in the Bolder Boulder 10k race, and noticed how the winners (in recent years, Kenyans) most often have broken through their intense effort into a level of ease, of rapture, of something clearly beyond the physical ... In the realm of yoga asana, Richard Freeman has expressed this same level of power, grace & fluidity. Among the Tibetan Lamas that Ive encountered, it has been Mingyur Rinpoche whose light-filled physical presence has inspired this same level of appreciation for the kind of intelligence (genius, really) that can be manifest through & as a human body. To all of these beings (and countless others whove accomplished something similar): a deep bow of gratitude.

So how does this happen? This appearance and/or experience of flight? This transformation of a seemingly-dense human body into something capable of such magical displays?

As a starting-point for this exploration, it might be useful to learn a bit about the principles of fluid mechanics which create the aerodynamic force of lift in an airplane ... for perhaps the key to our own flight as yoga or qigong practitioners lies in the emulation of these physical characteristics. First, know that air, just like water, is ~ in terms of the (Newtonian) physical & mathematical principles to which it adheres ~ considered to be a fluid. Know also that lift can only be generated when a fluid is in motion. So, for instance, a wing must be passing through the air or the air must be moving around a stationary wing (or both) in order for lift to happen.

Most of the lift in an airplane is generated by its wings, and specifically by the way air flows around wings of a particular shape. What we notice about most airplane wings is that, when viewed edge-on, their upper surfaces are curved (convex) and their lower surfaces are flatter. As air moves around a wing of this shape, the air that goes over the curved upper surface undergoes two important changes: (1) it is reduced in pressure (by the centrifugal force of flowing across the curved surface); and (2) it is accelerated downward (as it leaves the trailing edge of the wing). The wing is then forced into the region of reduced air pressure above the upper surface of the wing by the higher air pressure beneath the wing; and the downward acceleration of the air at the trailing edge also forces the wing upward. Since lift is dependant on the motion of the air, it increases as the speed of the air increases. Lift also increases, to a point, as the angle that the wing makes with the airflow increases (past a certain point, however, an increased angle will cause the wing to suddenly lose its lifting ability).

So how, in the context of a physical practice such as yoga asana or qigong, might we emulate the qualities that give lift to an airplane? Lets explore ... Creating or energizing physical structures which have the same shape as an airplane wing is something we certainly can play with: If I extend my arms out from my shoulders, like wings, I can cup my palms slightly, away from the floor, and at the same time deepen my armpits, while allowing my shoulders, biceps & the top part of my hands to feel puffed upward. In this way Ive created a shape similar to the shape of an airplane wing. And as it turns out, there are many other places in my body where Im able to create suction-cup-like structures, which will act to generate lift in this same way, when met with flow: the soles of my feet; my pelvic floor, my thoracic diaphragm, & the roof of my mouth, to name just a few.

Now that Ive created these structures which have the potential to give me lift when met with a flow of air, the next question becomes: how do I create a flow of air? I could, of course, go outside in a high wind, and see what happens ... But as yoga practitioners we like at least at times to practice indoors, and at all times for the practice to be moving in the direction of being internal, of being something that doesnt depend too heavily on external conditions. Luckily, our pranic bodies, like air and water, operate in many ways like fluids. Whats even more fortunate is that we can utilize the basic yoga/qigong principle prana follows citta (qi follows mind/intention) to create the high wind (high vibration) conditions that will ~ in combination with our wing-like structures ~ give us lift (transform matter into light, structure into flow). To do this, I simply imagine that Im facing a high wind (or standing waist-high in a fast-moving creek, facing up-stream) ... Its as simple as that. Then tilt your wings (and all those little suction-cups) slightly upward (into the on-coming wind or water), feel the upper surfaces of your body being drawn into the low-pressure areas above you, and feel yourself becoming lighter: little by little (or perhaps all at once) taking flight! (At this level of practice, what youll also discover is that remaining heavy in your heels, sitting-bones & coccyx actually supports the feeling of lightness of the body as a whole, particularly along its central axis ... Its kind of a paradox!)

So thats a way of working in the direction of flying which takes as starting-points: (1) our conventionally-perceived bodies (a collection of muscles, bones, organs, etc.); as well as (2) our habitual identification with our bodies (I am my body so what it means for me to fly is for this physical body to do more-or-less what an airplane does). And this can be an interesting and useful exploration.

What can also be interesting is to begin by challenging these basic assumptions, for instance by thinking: To the extent that Im currently perceiving my body as something solid, to this extent Im still caught in wrong views, in delusion. (And creating my yoga practice on the foundation of these wrong views is the equivalent, say, of building a philosophical argument upon a set of faulty axioms/assumptions.) What might happen if I begin instead with the assumption (adopt the view) that my body is of the nature of light, color & sound (like a rainbow)? Or that my body is of the nature of space, like the sky itself (am I then always already flying)? That instead of being continuous through time, my body is being created anew in each second (pulsing in & out of existence)? Or wondering: If the belief that I am this body is the basis of all suffering, and I somehow now let go of or at least soften around that belief ... If I am no longer identified with this physical body, then what might it mean for me to fly? (Who or what is it thats flying, if not this physical body?) I dont have the answers to any of these questions, but do feel very curious ...

What I do know is that many of us have had dreams of flying. In my own dreams of this sort, Im almost always flying in/as a body which looks just like my waking-state body. (There are Tibetan dream yoga practices in which we train in transforming our body into many different shapes ... so, for instance, we might choose to assume the form of a bird, or an airplane, to do our flying ... or might transform our body into the body of a particular deity, and simply hover in space in that form, or fly around with our consorts ...) What I notice in these flying dreams is that it is my intention (mind, will) that is the pilot, i.e. its via my thoughts (or mental body) that I choose the course of my flight. And how this takes a certain relaxed focus, which at times is quite precise & effective, and at other times less so. (Sometimes I crash-land.) And then I wake, and think: Ive just been dreaming of flying!

Now there is the story ~ perhaps youve heard it already ~ of the Taoist sage Chuang Tzu, who dreamed he was a butterfly, but then woke to discover again that he was a man. But then he wondered: now is it true that Im a man who has just dreamt that he was a butterfly, or am I really a butterfly who is now dreaming that Im a man?

Just something to consider, as you continue your research & practice of (yogic and/or mechanical) flying ... Om Shanti.

Elizabeth Reninger holds Masters degrees in Sociology & Chinese medicine, is a published poet, and has been exploring yoga - in its Taoist, Buddhist & Hindu varieties - for more than twenty years. Her practice has been inspired by Mingyur Rinpoche, Richard Freeman & Eva Wong. For more yoga-related writing & resources, please visit her website "Alchemy Of The East" at: http://www.writingup.com/blog/elizabeth_reninger

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Lose Weight With Stone-Age Wisdom

You may already know that America spends more than any other country on health care. Almost ten times more.

You may already know that we spend over $3 Billion a year on weight loss programs and products.

But it may surprise you to know that we rank 38th of the top 40 industrialized nations in overall health. Even though we spend the most, we don't have the best. Far from it:

We're fatter, sicker and weaker than just about every other modern country

Obesity and diabetes are being classified as epidemic

Radical procedures like Gastric bypass are becoming more popular

The ultimate irony: even though we spend over $3 billion a year on weight loss programs and products, we spend over $3 billion a year on junk food, too.

The pharmaceutical industry spends billions in research and treatment of Heart Disease, Arthritis, Alzheimer's, Diabetes, Osteoporosis, cancer...but we're still getting sicker and sicker.

Why? Because these aren't diseases that you "catch". Researchers call them the "diseases of Modern Civilization", because they're directly connected to the things we eat. To our modern, so-called Civilized diet. I call them diseases of 'Disconnection'. Because we're disconnected from Nature, disconnected from our Food, and disconnected from Ourselves.

Researchers, historians, nutritionists, scientists--anyone who's studied the natural history of these changes in human health (especially the recent changes)--all agree that the trouble started thousands of years ago with the Agricultural Revolution. That's when we started domesticating animals and plants for food, and using fire and tools to eat new foods that our bodies weren't designed to eat.

The next big shift was the Industrial Revolution, about 100 years ago. As people moved from the country into the cities, they couldn't grow their own food. So the people in the country had to grow food for everyone else. The new machinery made it easier to grow, harvest, process, preserve and transport all that food. Unfortunately, all that technology disconnected us even further from our Original diet, and made us sicker quicker.

Dr. Loren Cordain, Author of The Paleo diet, did most of the pioneering research into the Stone Age eating patterns. He found that over 70% of the calories we eat today were not even available in the Stone Age. Our bodies haven't changed a whole lot since the Stone Age, but our food certainly has. Dr. Cordain calls it a "collision" between our ancient genes and our recently introduced foods. And our bodies can't handle it.

now, 100 years may not seem like it's very recent, but compared to the thousands of years before, it's not really that long. And even in the past ten or twenty years things have changed dramatically, with more and more junk food, fake foods, food replacements. (My favorite: Pasteurized processed cheese food product.)

Whether you call it a Collision or a Disconnection, it's a mess. Our modern advances and technology have ultimately given us the Diseases of Modern Civilization: epidemics of Heart Disease, Arthritis, Alzheimer's, Diabetes, Osteoporosis, cancer.

Spending all that time, energy and money trying to "cure" these diseases isn't really helping (and I don't believe it will ever help). I believe the answer lies in re-connecting. Re-learning our natural, innate, pre-programmed eating habits--based on lean meat, fresh fruits and vegetables--and feeding our bodies the way they were created/designed to eat.

No, you don't have to live in a cave or kill your own food. It's easy to eat in the Stone Age while you live in the Space Age--if you learn and apply the eating principles of our early ancestors. You'll be able to lose weight, feel great, and re-create your Ideal body from the Inside-Out.

Vince Campbell, D.C.
Madison, GA
Better health, Better energy and a Better life
tools for Eliminating high-Tech stress
http://www.cavemancuisine.com

Ashtanga Yoga Teacher Directory Faqs

Inner Thigh Exercises

I train many women clients, and if there is one thing I have learned, women like to have toned inner thighs! It is a problem area for most women. The muscles of the inner thighs, also called the hip adductors, respond to a very specific exercise routine. It takes about 15 minutes of exercise three times a week to shape the inner thighs. All you need is an exercise mat to get stared. Try these exercises for a few weeks and you will feel more leg power when you walk, run, or swim. after about ten weeks, you will see new definition in your thighs.

Outer Thigh Lift.

Lie on your left side, and prop your upper body nearly upright on your left forearm. With your left leg bent comfortably, extend your right leg at a 45-degree angle in front of you. Slowly raise the right foot about six inches off the floor in a controlled motion. Hold for one count, then slowly lower the foot almost to the floor; start another lift without touching down. Do 10 reps. Then roil onto your right side and repeat. Do 3 sets with each leg. 3 sets of 10 repetitions each is a good starting point. When the routine begins to feel easy in about 3-4 weeks, add a one pound ankle weight.

Inner Thigh Firmer.

Lie on your left side with your head resting on a rolled-up towel to maintain proper alignment of your head, shoulders, and hips. Bend your right leg and rest it on the floor in front of you while extending your left leg straight with the foot. Slowly lift your left leg about six inches. Hold for a moment and then gradually lower the leg, beginning the next lift before your foot touches back down on the floor. After ten lifts, roll onto your right side and repeat. Complete 2 sets of 10 lifts with each leg. 2 sets of 10 repetitions each is a good starting point.

Cable Adductor Machine

This is the machine in the gym that most women gravitate towards! It's the one where you sit with your back pressed into the machine, holding onto any handles and with your legs and feet pressed against the foam pads. Smoothly bring your legs together, hold for a second then return under control to starting position. Some machines will have a combination of settings, allowing the legs to be taken wider, avoid taking your legs out too far, especially for beginners. Aim to keep your legs and back in contact with the machine at all times. It may be useful to warm up your muscles with a lightweight prior to your training weight, as this will not only help prevent injury, but also make sure that the machine is set-up comfortably for you.

Inner Thigh Firmer Using a Stability Ball or Pillow.

Lie on your back on the floor and place a small Swiss Ball or large pillow centrally between your lower legs. Smoothly squeeze the ball or pillow, aiming to apply pressure from both legs, onto the sides of the ball. Hold in the inner phase for 2 - 3 seconds prior to releasing and repeating again. Repeat 10 times. This exercise is usually performed while lying, but can also be performed seated or standing. Complete 2 sets of 10 repetitions. 2 sets of 10 repetitions is a good starting point.

How much exercise Is Enough To Tone The Inner Thighs?

This number guide will help you determine what intensity is right for you.

Let's say that the intensity of the exercise ranges from 1 to 5.

1 - Light exercise, can barely feel the muscle. (this is what you feel in the first 1-3 repetitions)

2 - You can feel the hip muscles working (as you do more repetitions, you become more aware of the tension in the muscles)

3 - Moderate intensity, where you begin feel a 'burn' or 'strain' in the muscle. You have to exert a little to maintain the exercise.

4 - Moderate to high intensity, where your hip muscle starts to hurt, and you feel like stopping.

5 - high intensity, where you just can't continue. You need to stop and take a break.

In order to tone the thighs, you need to push to an intensity that falls between 3 and 4. This will vary from person to person. For some individuals, 10 repetitions of an exercise is enough to get to 3, or even 4. This is especially common for beginners, or for those who have resumed exercise after a long break. For other, more conditioned individuals, it is common to get to 3 or 4 after 30-40 repetitions, or after using ankle weights.

For more information about best diets to lose weight, register for free and get full-color exercise routines, diet plans and grocery lists, visit http://www.best-weight-loss-programs.net/, for exercises for women, visit http://www.toningforwomen.com/ and to train with Nitin, visit http://www.phonefitnesstrainer.com/

Basic Yoga Positions Good For The Back

Playing to Win is Different than Playing Not to Lose

Have you ever watched a football game (or any game for that matter) when one team is winning by a large margin, a blowout, but then the opposing team decides that they have nothing to lose? They throw all caution to the wind and start playing with total abandon. By taking bigger chances and going for broke, the team starts to score quicker, taking bigger risks and getting better rewards. This team is playing to win. The other team, who was winning by such a large margin, changes its focus, trying to play cautiously and protect their lead. This is playing not to lose. By the final quarter, the team that is playing to win has caught up to the other team. What seemed impossible a few quarters earlier becomes a reality: they pull off a come-from-behind win.

How did this happen? Fear of losing can take ones eye off a desired goal.

let me give you another example from my own life. When I was just starting out in business I was very aggressive. I was willing to put everything I had on the line to succeed (mind you in those days, it was not much); nevertheless, it was all I had. For each new initiative, I would have to bet the farm on my ideas, and I never hesitated. I was always willing to use my house, my car, my time, anything I had for collateral on my ideas.

As I started to have more success and acquiring a comfortable lifestyle, however, I became less and less willing to risk it. Around 1997, we hit some bumps in the road with one of our major clients, and they decided to put our contract out to bid. I got nervous. If we lost this client, we would be in a vulnerable position. I decided to purchase another business that would potentially replace that income if we lost the major client.

The point to this story is this: I did not want to buy this other company, and I knew it was not a good idea. I was acting out of fear of losing, however, I did it anyway. Instead of focusing on how to win, I was focused on playing not to lose. In the end, that decision turned out to be one of my biggest mistakes. The company I purchased not only lost money for us, but it took three years and many resources away from focusing on what we really wanted.

I am not suggesting that you throw all caution to the wind. But when you approach a decision, it might be worth asking yourself, Are you playing to win or playing not to lose? When youre acting to prevent loss, it takes energy away from acting out of a place of good judgment and moving forward to win.

Quotes:

"The more you seek security, the less of it you have. But the more you seek opportunity,the more likely it is you will achieve the security you desire."-Brian Tracy

"winning is not everything, but wanting to win is." - vince Lombardi

"The goal is to win, but it is the goal that is important, not the winning." - Reiner Knizia

"Focus on where you want to go, not on what you fear."- Anthony Robbins

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One Shoe By Two, A Weight Loss Exercise Program For You

So it's time to start losing weight. Where do you start? The gym? Running? Maybe you don't feel ready for, or interested in either of these - that's fine, no one says you have to. The best weight loss exercise program is the one with which you're the most comfortable. But weight's got to come off somehow. The best place to begin? With a pair of shoes.

walking is a perfect exercise for those just starting into weight loss exercise. Yet even for the long experienced, many continue to walk as a consistent exercise. Why? For such a simple activity, walking yields extraordinary benefits. over a prolonged period, say, an hour, it is approximately equivalent to running for twenty minutes or so. Regardless of the length of a walk, you strengthen and build elasticity in muscles. And in all circumstances, you raise your heart rate, and burn calories. Not so bad for an hour a day.

Want to incorporate walking into your weight loss exercise program? It's easy - the gym's right outside your door. Just grab a pair of comfortable shoes and find a comfortable pace, but push yourself a bit - enough so that you'll feel "the burn", so to speak, after a fairly short period. Want some more tips? Check these out:

1.) Walk With A Friend

walking in company will make the time just fly by, and be very enjoyable. Even better, an exercise partner helps you stay motivated. If you have a preset meeting time, you won't want to let your friend down - and they'll want to be there for you, too. That way, you can be sure to stick with your weight loss exercise program.

2.) Try A Pedometer

Pedometers are small electronic tools used to count steps. You just clip it to your belt, and it measures the small jolt to your body every time you take a step. If you challenge yourself to walk further each day, you know your successes. In fact, a University of Minnesota study found that pedometers actually encourage you to walk more - and lose more weight. Researchers studied two groups that walked for weight loss, one of which used a pedometer. The group with pedometers walked an average of 2500 more steps a day - or around a 30% increase. Maybe you'd like to feel that motivated, too.

3.) Change Up Your Routes

Actually, walking can be a great opportunity to get to know the area around you. It's a weight loss exercise program that never has to get old. Pick a new route each day, maybe one that goes around your neighborhood one day, or heads off to another section of town or to a trail, if you have the opportunity. Don't make your routine a routine - switch it up and make it fun!

All it takes is the lacing of your shoelaces. Your weight loss exercise program is easier than you though it was, and a lot more accessible. And remember, make it work for yourself. Pick areas you want to go, choose a time you like, and make it happen. Have fun!

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Americas Top Honeymoon Destinations

Have no ideas where to go on your honeymoon? Here are the top honeymoon destinations in America you can consider according to the result of users searches on the internet:

Hawaii Despite the fact that going and spending vacation in Hawaii or honeymoon for that matter, are expensive, it is still the primary choice destination of honeymooner. And who would not dream of spending their honeymoon here. The long white sand beaches, endless velvet waters, perfect weather, natural wonders, world-class hotels, top-notch accommodation, hidden coves, water sports, and inventive cuisine are enough reasons to spend time honeymoon in Hawaii.

New York and Niagara Falls The Big Apple has attracted newlyweds do spend their honeymoon. With plenty of things to do including visiting the Empire State building and the Statue of Liberty, dining at fancy restaurants, shopping, and witnessing other forms of entertainment, New York City is the place to be.

Located almost 500 miles from New York City is the Niagara Falls. The Falls have several sites to offer with affordable amenities. Both Canada and US residents can spend their honeymoon here together with nature.

Florida From the stretch of beaches to the city attractions, the State of Florida has something for everyone. As honeymoon destination, the State offers vibrant beaches of Miami. The Walt disney World in orlando is one of the primary places where honeymooners go. In fact, the Walt disney World works to promote the place as and honeymoon destination with their honeymoon packages that include accommodation on their premier resort-hotels and visits to their 4 unique theme parks. If you want some actions, Florida has Daytona and Cape Kennedy.

Las Vegas The Sin City is another place to set your honeymoon. Hotels and resorts also offer wedding and honeymoon packages suitable for every budget. You can stay at one of the world-class hotels like Bellagio Hotel, Mirage Hotel, Ceasars palace, mgm Grand Hotel, and Wynn Hotel. You can take a visit to downtown Las Vegas, Fremont Street, Fountain show, and dine at some of the fancy restaurants and gamble your money at one of the casinos.

California California packages several attractions suitable for a honeymoon destination. You can either visit one of the top cities of the state like San Francisco, Sacramento, San Diego, and Los Angeles, or spend your days at towns that offer exciting alternative. California has several world-class hotels, fancy restaurants, hundreds of spas, mountain lodges, and long beaches, giving you enough reasons to consider it as your honeymoon destination.

This content is provided by Low Jeremy. It may be used only in its entirety with all links included. For more information on honeymoon & other useful information, please visit http://honeymoon.articlekeep.com.

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