YogaGlamGirl's Weblog

Finding my inner carp

In case you haven't noticed...I've been extremely MIA of late...

Last week was Zazen (sitting meditation) training as well as Sound Healing workshop at Daihonzan Chozen-ji Zen Temple in Honolulu.
This week is family visits and a wedding.
Next week is a week in nature and learning more about animal tracking in California. and then straight to the California coast to celebrate my 31st bday (Happy Bday to all my fellow Aries friends...and to all dragons too).

I got back from one trip on a red-eye yesterday and leave for the next 7am tomorrow. wheeeeeee

In short, I am growing, learning and continuing my path.
My training experience at Chozen-ji was life changing. Here is a quote from their website that explains a little about Zen training there:

Chozen-ji is a Rinzai Zen temple where the martial and cultural arts are integrated with traditional Zen training. Here, entering Zen through the body is emphasized. The student must refine breath, posture, and awareness to cultivate samadhi, a state of complete concentration and relaxation. In samadhi a person transcends dualism, lives fully moment by moment, and is most effective and creative.

While we were there, we focused on developing our Hara...the center of our beings...right below the belly button. We learned how to use our breath to develop a strong hara or stable being. Your kiai or vital force becomes stronger the more you develop your hara. You develop your hara using many different exercises, all of which emphasize posture and breath.

At Chozen-ji there are 3 powerful ceramic pieces in one of the large rooms. All pieces were done by the same person. There is an inscription in front of the 3 that reads: A Carp, Leaps over a Waterfall, Becomes a Dragon. It is based off the Chinese Legend (this from Wikipedia):

In Chinese Mythology, there is said to be a place called Dragon's Gate. Dragon's Gate resides at the top of a waterfall. It is said if a carp can jump over the waterfall from the waters below, it will become a beautiful dragon.

The first piece was done before the woman reached enlightenment. It is labeled "Carp". The second very tall piece is the gate or waterfall. For her, it was during the creation of that piece that she reached enlightenment or samadhi. When looking at the piece you can actually feel the change in her kiai or chi as the change in her self occurred. The final piece is considered the dragon. To some, it may appear quite similar to the first Carp piece. But in truth, the feeling or kiai is so much stronger that you can actually feel a big difference between the 2.

My honey teased me (since I'm a dragon) that as I pursue Zen training I'm looking for my own essence and therefore my "inner carp". I think I'm really just hoping to become more of my self.

On Letting Go and Being Uprooted

Everything Yoga's post on Being Uprooted really strikes a chord with me. It touches on the beauty of a fallen tree and the roots that are exposed from beneath.
This weekend I was in Zen Bodytherapy® training and I experienced Session 4 (both giving and receiving). We were working on the inside of the leg (the sartorius muscle, and many of the attachments of the inner thigh muscles to the pelvis). While I was receiving this work I was feeling highly agitated…wanting the work to be over…feeling pain of my muscles clinging to their tightness, in fear of being uprooted. Finally I let out a yell…letting the pain, rage and fear release from my body. I let my body crumple…easing into sobs of grief and shaking. Lightness and freedom swept over me, I surrendered enough to let myself be uprooted. Let myself go enough to release the rumbling anger, rage and agitation that was consuming me the past week and ½. Let go.
Relief.
I am continually awed by the power of this work. I am a humble practitioner; I am also a student of this work (and likely always will be).

On Feeling Ecstatic...

Nothing can compare
to the joy that I feel
watching clients change
and discover how wonderful
it feels
when their body is free from pain
Un-stuck
for the first time
in a long time

Feeling ecstatic about it. :)
Happy Friday to you!

Yogaglamgirl's Giving FREE Bodytherapy® Sessions

Drumroll, please.... ;)

If you are a female who lives in the Bay Area (anywhere near San Francisco, CA) and you have any kind of physical or emotional pain...I welcome you to come see me for a FREE Zen Bodytherapy® Session. I am offering free sessions to those who contact me between now and 2/22.

Here's some more info about Zentherapy® from one of my FAQs:
Zen Bodytherapy® is a system of Bodytherapy® and somatic education whose goals are to align and balance the structure, function and energy of the body. There are ten sessions of Zen Bodytherapy. In the sessions, the body’s segments are systematically realigned, organized and balanced in relation to themselves and the earth’s field of gravity. Gravity acts upon us every moment of the day, and according to how our bodies are aligned it either assists us or weighs us down. A body that is well vertically aligned within its field has to exert far less effort of its postural muscles and reflexes. Not having to fight gravity to stand vertically helps free us to be just what we are.

History of Zentherapy®
Zentherapy® stems from the teachings of Ida Rolf, Moshe Feldenkrais, Lauren Berry and Raymond Nimmo. The founder of Zentherapy®, William “Dub” Leigh, was a student of these masters as well as Zen Master Tanouye Roshi. Dub created Zentherapy® as a fusion of Rolfing, Feldenkrais, Berry Work, and Zen.

Who Should Receive Zentherapy® Bodywork?
Zentherapy® is an ideal modality for anyone who has a strong interest in creating positive change and vast improvement in phsysical, emotional and spiritual well-being.* People have used Zentherapy® to: heal from physical injury, eliminate pain, remove emotional trauma, reduce depression, improve flexibility and range of motion, improve posture, feel and look younger, lose weight, improve sex life, improve in yoga, and find solutions to chronic problems that no one else seems to be able to help them with. If you are pregnant, you should not receive the work. However, Zentherapy® bodywork can be especially beneficial to women post-childbirth.
*As a practitioner, Rebecca focuses her work with women. If you are a male who is interested in receiving the work please contact Rebecca for referrals to other practitioners in the Bay Area.

Is Zentherapy® a Type of Massage?
No. Work is received on a massage table, but it is not a massage.

How Many Sessions are There?
There are 10 sessions that address each part of the body.

Do I have to do all Ten Sessions?
It is suggested but not required that clients receive all 10 sessions. However, a person can greatly benefit from between 1 and 3 sessions.

How Much Does it Cost?
$130 per session. FREE first session. Each session lasts 1hour (maybe a few minutes more). 10% discount for pre-payment on all 10 sessions.

To Schedule a Session or Inquire Further
Contact me by email.

More On Zentherapy®
To learn more about Zentherapy® or to find out about upcoming trainings, please visit the Zentherapy® website: www.zentherapy.org

I would be delighted to share my skills and work in the spirit of service and healing. Please take me up on this valuable offer.

Namaste,
Rebecca

Yogaglamgirl's Love Hate Relationship with the Big Apple

It's fashion week again, a time that Glam gears up for all the shows in NYC.
I'm here too, though I hardly belong, especially anywhere near the tents. I'm like Anne Hathaway in Devil Wears Prada..a girl who has scoffed at fashion and what it stands for. I immediately think: shallow, fluff, appearance rather than substance, egomaniacs, eating disorders, warped beauty...I want to see and appreciate the art, the design, the creativity but somehow I'm too jaded or too insecure or too agitated to get there. So as soon as I get to New York, my guard is up. I go into judgment mode.
But the truth of the matter is...who cares. I'm the one playing some kind of movie in my mind.

I managed to escape my mind for a few hours by finding my way to the Iyengar Yoga Institute in Chelsea. I took a wonderful class and got back to my body, back to my heart. Stilled my head.
I walked out of the studio seeing everything with beginners eyes. I put my little ipod on, allowing myself a cushion of music surrounding me...moving my body down the sidewalk...I am taller. I see people as people, just like me. Beings with hearts, and hurts just like me...and I feel like dancing. I am full. I am whole. Everything is just as it should be.

Yogaglamgirl Rejuevenates with Thai Massage

I had a fabulous Thai Massage this weekend. The practitioner, Vika Teicher, gently pulled and pushed my muscles~slowly and carefully allowing the muscles of my legs and back to soften and release. One of the things I really appreciated about the work, was the fact that Vika used her whole body (hands, arms, feet, legs and core) to work on me. In Zentherapy we use hands, fingers, knuckles, arms and elbows...but not feet. Her whole body was engaged and involved to create a harmonious flow.
I left feeling open and calm...and surprised at how much water was needed to flush out my body after the work. I must have drank a gallon of water that evening and the next day.
I highly recommend seeing Vika if you're near Oakland, CA...or seeking out a good practitioner near you.

Yogaglamgirl on Feldenkrais Movement Therapy and More

Chris Elms gives a description of The Feldenkrais Method in a recent post from WakeUp Feldenkrais®
There's lots of other yummy stuff on Life on Earth : : : Slow Sonoma and Tai Chi Yoga Health Weight Loss

Yogaglamgirl on Measuring & Quantifying Progress in Health

Over the past several months I have noticed an increase in headaches, fatigue, and lack of resistance to cold temperatures. Family and friends have suggested that I get my thyroid checked, get a lyme’s disease test, and my gut tells me that my meridians may be blocked.

I was thinking that I’d just start doing a parasite cleanse followed by a full digestive cleanse. Then I realized that it is somewhat silly to do a parasite cleanse and full flush of my digestive system when I’m not really sure what the problem is in the first place.
SO, I’m going to first measure my current condition by getting a bunch of lab tests done and a full physical to get a better picture of what’s going on with my health. Once I know where I’m starting from it will be a heck of a lot easier to know what and how to try to heal myself of these things that are affecting my daily quality of life.

An example of how to measure success in healing
In Zentherapy Bodytherapy® we measure success of the 10 sessions by taking before and after pictures. The pictures allow both the client and the practitioner to see the results and changes in the client’s alignment after each session. We look at the lines of the shoulders, hips, and position of the feet and knees. We look at the position of the head, how far forward, how off center. All of these things give a better picture of what work needs to be done on the body and how the body has changed and progressed after each session. This image (below) is often used in Zentherapy® because it shows the line of the body progressing from the figure on the left (head forward, belly sticking out, very curved spine) to the figure on the far right (tall, long body, head aligned over the ankle).

Mixing healing modalities makes success difficult to measure
Many clients have explored different types of structural integration work when they come to see me. I explain that it is important to choose a particular type of work (Zentherapy®, Chiropractic, Cranial Sacral®, Rolfing®, etc) and go through sessions over an extended period of time without receiving other types of work so that you will know exactly whether or not the modality you’ve chosen is helping your body improve.
Makes a lot of sense, doesn’t it?

Yogaglamgirl on Posture and Sitting for Zazen Meditation

I found a very detailed description of how to sit Zazen. It was written in Zazen Posture by Taitaku Pat Phelan. Here are a few quotes that really stand out in to me in my practice of sitting:

Many of the instructions for Zen meditation are directed to the physical details of our posture. The culture that Zen grew out of made much less distinction between the body and mind than our culture does. So, the idea is that by sitting with a straight back, and aligning our spine, and being still physically, this will support our mind in settling and becoming focused. To a great extent in Zen, we practice with our mind indirectly through our body. -Taitaku Pat Phelan

Zentherapy bodywork is more complete with Zazen. The emphasis in both practices is to feel as if the body is being lifted straight up from the top of the head. The rest of the body: neck, shoulders, and down are hanging effortlessly from this point.

For most of us, the back should be upright with a sense of lengthening and extending the spine through the back and neck up through the top of your head, and the top of the head should be parallel to the ceiling, or, if you like, parallel to the sky. Sometimes people find it helpful to imagine or visualize a string coming down from the ceiling that attaches to the top of the back of their head like a puppet, which allows their shoulders and back muscles to relax and hang down from their spine. The point isn't to get the back into a well-aligned position and then go on to forget about it. In zazen we stay present with or connected with our back and spine throughout the period of meditation.-Taitaku Pat Phelan

Here's a great picture of someone sitting from Zen-Road.org