Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Face Your Fears

For today I recommend Dan Millman's "Everyday Enlightenment" as a practical guide not only for enlightenment but foremost for peaceful living. I enjoy every page of it as he guides me through important steps of personal growth from perspective of 12 gateways:

Discover Your Worth

Reclaim Your Will
Energize Your Body
Manage Your Money
Tame Your Mind
Trust Your Intuition
Accept Your Emotions
Face Your Fears
Illuminate Your Shadow
Embrace Your Sexuality
Awaken Your Heart
Serve Your World

As I was contemplating what to share with you today, the book opened on Zones of Fear under gateway Face Your Fears. Conveniently there is a section that gives instruction for face and head massage that you can do alone or with a partner:

Work gently and slowly along all bone surfaces, pressing deeper where tolerable and softer where more sensitive. Smooth forehead from middle to sides. Press your forefinger between the brows and smooth along the bony ridges. Massage temples, cheekbones, around nose, lips, and chin. Work deeply under the jawbones. Massage external ear, twisting and turning. Vigorously rub scalp.

This intensive body work is designed to clear away the residual tensions associated with past and current fears. It does not make fear go away, only the tension that accompanies it. By eliminating the tension, you'll learn to keep your body relaxed and your mind flexible, so that you can act effectively decisively, and courageously in the face of fear.

Fear of Misunderstanding:
Ears, neck area, and mastoid bone

Worries and Wondering:
Forehead from eyebrows to hairline

Anger:
Eyebrow ridges and space between eyebrows


Prejudices and Judgments:

Eye socket ridges and muscle attachments


Shame:

Cheekbones

Fear of External Control:
Nose

Fear of Being Disappointed:
Lines from base of nose to the mouth


Fear of Being Disgusted:

Mouth, lips, and muscles around the mouth


Fear of Inferiority:

Chin

Fear of Revulsion (sights, smells, circumstances):
Jawbone


I bought this statue recently in a store for TCM supplies.
Each 'hole' represents one acupressure point, each character is the name of the AP point.
Each (vertical) line of holes represents a meridian channel that TCM is based on.

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Wheels




These wheels in Tibet are polished by pilgrims' hands who spin them in hopes for their prayers to be answered. There are rows and rows of them, stretching around the temples, in street corners.

I am not sure why I chose this photo today. Maybe it reminds me of the times when I went to Tibet, maybe because one client today contemplated Buddhism instead of Catholicism which triggered talks about religion, maybe because I secretly wished my prayers were answered.

In any case, once upon a time I spun praying wheels in Tibet. The moment was magical.

Monday, June 11, 2007

Out of sight


It was coming in waves - I first heard some people couldn't view their blogs and then panic spread on Wednesday: massive virus attack for whoever was online that day (luckily I have Mac & remained protected). On Thursday I couldn't view my blog anymore. This is no surprise, it happens every year, once or twice, like clearing the closet, getting rid of old clothes.

Good news is that I can access blog, I can edit, I can view my posts. For the time being it is other bloggers that I can't reach. Once again China closes its walls.

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

Conversations With Turkey



It came into my dream
just like that
solemnly standing and waiting
for a whistle
and intriguing response

I give it back
remembering time
when I visited home
Beautiful places
engraved in my memory

Summer on the fields
herding sheep or
observing lady birds
will it fly away?
where will it go?
my mom says
it means guests will come

And then she also showed me a trick:
she whistled and turkey responded
with its funny call.
And no matter how many times
the whistle would blow
turkey was ready
to give away its perspective
I tought at a time
it was the most amazing wonder of the nature

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Where the Hell is Matt

When I saw the title of this email I started recaping how many Matt-guys I know and which one was missing. Truth is, I haven't seen neither one of three I know for a while. I clicked on the link regardless and after watching this amazing video I wished I knew this one. Truly inspiring - check it out on YouTube and his webiste (for outtakes that didn't make it for the final cut)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNF_P281Uu4
http://www.wherethehellismatt.com/

Astra, thanks for sharing!

Monday, June 04, 2007

Before and After

How is it so that
Chinese word




yiqian
which means
before
consists of
Yi
which means
according to
and Qian
which means
forward

while


yihou

means
after
and
consists of
Yi
which means
according to
and Hou
which means
behind