Technology@#$#@$%

All of a sudden I can't get to other people's blogs. A while ago I was able to click on the person's name when she left a comment and I'd get to her blog(s). Now I'm told it's not available. So how do I become a follower?

It used to be we'd visit, write a letter or call on a telephone to communicate. Now we have Facebook, YouTube, Twitter etc. etc. etc. Oh sure, we can still use the old fashioned ways - I guess.

I'm really aware of when the ego is running the show, opening and closing the curtain.

So today we (Valerie and I) had a meeting with my producer, Areanne. I've written the script for the interview Steve will be conducting to introduce me and The Gentle Way to Fitness. Then I will be demonstrating a bit of it.

Is it Nia? Yes. Is it yoga? Yes. Is it dance? Yes. Is it theater? Yes. Is it qigong? Yes. It's all of these and more and none of these. It's energy manifesting as matter.

So here's the interview:


Introduction:
Steve introduces himself, me and the Subject:The Gentle Way to Fitness©

S: What is it?
The Gentle Way to Fitness© is a journey of the body from loving where you are to getting to where you want to be and loving that. We use movement and music.

S: Is it dance?
In that life is dance – yes. In that the purpose is to perform – no. The purpose of
The Gentle Way to Fitness© is very individual, very personal.

S: Is it exercise?
You could call it that. I hesitate to call it that, because the word “exercise” brings to mind jumping jacks and lifting weights. The Gentle Way to Fitness© focuses on movement that is natural, that could be part of life.

S: Well, I guess the best way to find out about The Gentle Way to Fitness© is to do it.
Yes, it’s like the difference between reading the menu and eating the food.

S: Is The Gentle Way to Fitness© for everyone?
It could be, but I must admit that it started out to be particularly designed to meet the needs of an older population as well as people who have some physical concerns such as obesity and/or other conditions that require a careful use of their bodies.

I understand you teach classes in The Gentle Way to Fitness© and that you are in the process of creating a DVD. How did it come about?
My students asked me to provide a DVD for them that they could watch and work with at home. I recommended some existing DVD’s which they purchased. Although they enjoyed them, they felt that the DVD’s were somewhat challenging for them and requested that I make one that was similar to the classes I teach.

S: What is the philosophy you bring to your classes and that you would bring to a DVD?
In all my teaching, I wish to impart the love and respect for the truly miraculous beings we are – matter created from energy; and that matter is complex, efficient, and absolutely beautiful. We have the capacity to create and recreate our bodies, even our destinies, through our thoughts leading to action. My desire is that I and my students take the miracles we discover in class into every aspect of our lives.

S: What background and training do you bring to this program?
I have always loved to move. As a child and teenager I was heavily involved in sports and took dance lessons and music lessons. In college, I studied dance with one of the original members of the Martha Graham Dance Company. I went on to study many forms of dance and soon found myself teaching, performing and doing choreography. One evening, I was riding to a rehearsal on the back of a motorcycle. We got hit by a car and the tendons and ligaments of my left knee and below were torn. It took a couple of years to heal well enough to walk normally and many more before I could dance almost as easily as I had before the accident. I took up Yoga and once again, found myself teaching it. It seems that whatever I study, I teach. Somehow, whenever I learn something, I can hardly wait to share whatever it is. Nineteen years ago I discovered Nia, a magnificent form of fusion fitness embodying elements from dance arts, martial arts and healing arts. I took all the Nia Trainings including White, Blue, Brown and Black Belts and the 5 Stages of Development. I have been teaching Nia to a wide variety of students for over seven years.

S: Anything else you can think of that is part of The Gentle Way to Fitness©?
Philosophically, I have studied and participated in a variety of spiritual and ethical teachings which I am certain influence my approach. I’ve explored the work of Moshe Feldenkrais and the Alexander Technique. I’ve been practicing qi gong, a Chinese practice that works with energy.

S: Sounds like you have a lot of ingredients in this soup! I won’t even ask you to define all of them!
We can do that another time. Before I forget, I want to say that one of the major trainings of my life is KelmanWorks.

S: What’s that?
In 1980 I met Scott Kelman who was in the process of teaching theater exercises based on mindfulness and body awareness. I studied and performed with Scott in Los Angeles while I lived there and when he moved to Portland, I studied with him here. Scott has passed on and Melanya Helene, a gifted teacher, is continuing the work and adding her own technique. I am also a trained and experienced actress. I’m sure my acting career is helpful in teaching fitness.

S: Please elaborate on how your acting career has contributed to your teaching.
Have you got about an hour? I think it would serve everyone to have acting training. I think of acting training as life training. It includes sharpening your senses, body awareness, empathy, learning how to communicate authentically, being willing to let it all hang out, being willing to take risks, learning to really listen to yourself and others. And of course there are the simple skills one learns – how to project, how to enunciate clearly, how to modulate your voice. We learn how to witness. There’s that space that watches. I’ve been in lots of situations – especially on tour – where I’ve had to adapt and adjust. That ability has held me in good stead as a teacher.

S: In all this background and experience, what would you say is the most important aspect you bring to teaching fitness?
The most important aspect I bring to teaching fitness, especially The Gentle Way to Fitness©, is that I absolutely love what I do.

S: Where is all this taking you? What’s in your future?
I will teach classes and give workshops whenever, wherever and for as long as I’m able and as long as I love doing so. The plan is for me to give a series of classes on this cable station. I’m pretty excited about that. I’m committed to creating at least one DVD. That has been an amazing journey so far. I’m looking for someone to appear who will help me fund it, write a grant, find a sponsor – something.

S: I have a feeling that may happen. Do you mind telling us how old you are?
Well, I’ll tell you that I am the oldest certified Nia teacher and that I was born in January of 1933. You can do the math.

S: You seem pretty healthy. To what do you attribute your fitness?
Well, if I’m going to teach The Gentle Way to Fitness©, I’d best model it. The basic ingredient, as I said at the beginning of this interview, is to bring love, respect and gratitude to everything I think, say and do. I’m not always successful in following my own instructions, but the intention is there and as it is said, “When the intention is clear, the means will appear.”

S: Speaking of modeling, would you like to give us a taste of your classes on cable and ultimately on the DVD?
I’d be glad to. So this is just a taste, not the whole meal.

Up and Down Down Down

Yesterday Steve and I had a "discussion." I won't go into detail 'cause that's not what it is/was about. I'm not even sure WHAT it was about. What I know is that I went into a real tailspin. One of the things I did was to get into the car and drive to an ice-cream parlor, purchase and eat a sundae. Then I went to Powell's and bought a book and a bag of jelly beans, which I consumed. Why am I sharing this information? What occurred as a result of the blast of sugar was that I was awakened during a subsequent troubled sleep with leg cramps - both calves. Triple ouch. So I said in my drama queen way, "Hey God, I asked you to get me out of this vale of tears, off the planet, not beat up on me." Anyhow, I'm still here, again and once again determined to avoid refined sugar!

I'm past the bout of depression/despair. Steve and I are still together.

One of the things that came up and what I want to share in this blog about The Gentle Way to Fitness is that I've decided to take the pressure off myself; be less ambitious. So maybe there will ultimately be a DVD and maybe there won't. Right now I'm only committed to the cable TV show.

I subbed for a Nia class and meditation class again (same one as last week). Both classes increased and the feedback was very positive. I did a chakra meditation - guided the class to investigate the chakras themselves rather than feeding them information about color, sound, etc.

Last week I did Agolo. This week we began with the 7 minute workout (5 Stages for 5 minutes, up and down for 1 minute, laughing for 1 minute). It was a great way to get into a semi-spontaneous routine.

Purpose

It is said - somewhere - that we are here for a purpose. We do not necessarily know what that purpose is. It may be something as small as the smile we flashed at someone and that someone thought better of his or her plan to end it all, or it may be something as dramatic as discovering the cure for cancer. Whatever it is, once we have fulfilled our purpose, it's time for the spirit to move on and the body is disposed of by what we erroneously label as "death."

Last night while I was doing Tarot readings, I sat across from a young man who asked me if I believed in past lives, i.e. reincarnation. His shoulders were held forward and up in a vain attempt to protect his neck. He told me that he couldn't bear to have anyone touch his neck and that he believed that the cause of his fear had to do with a past life in which he'd been hung, strangled or beheaded.

I assured him that one of the movies of another of his many lives may well have had such a scenario, and I told him that it would not happen again. We looked at some cards and talked a bit more. When I'd completed the five-minute reading, my left arm reached across the table and the fingers of my left hand gently touched the right side of his neck. His eyes widened, his shoulders relaxed and he said, "I didn't flinch! That was fine!"

I had no idea that I was going to touch him. It was totally spontaneous. All I felt was agape, and so did he.

Whether this moment will be permanent, i.e. whether or not he is no longer afraid to have his neck touched, I don't know. I do know there was a moment of healing, a moment of connection, a moment of peace.

And that is enough.

I'm still here. I awoke this morning to discover I haven't completed the contract. If and when I do, I'm ready.

By the way, Jill, I am NOT making a Nia DVD. Only Debbie, Carlos and Jeff can do that. None of us can make a Nia DVD and sell it. We can, however, promote Nia on YouTube etc. In fact we are urged to do so.

I AM in the process - on the journey - to make a DVD. It will be a DVD of THE GENTLE WAY TO FITNESS.

Ups and Downs

Busy day today. My friend Cynthia and I met to coordinate our gig tomorrow night. We are both reading Tarot cards for a fundraiser. We did a three card spread for each other. First card: Special Gift - Second card: Challenge - Third card: the Next Step.

The reading for me: My gift as the three of cups - creativity, flow, love and joy. My signature is, after all, Resonant Dog. Challenge - Two of Swords. Ah yes, my own self-judgment and/or lack of confidence. The next step - the nine of cups: Just do it - fill it up!

Getting ready for the taping on September 4th. I can do this. I WILL do this. I spoke to Jeff and he suggested I write an email to him and Debbie. He wanted me to do a Nia class for cable! I will be bringing Nia in and supporting it, with their permission of course, but this will be what I have to offer, The Gentle Way to Fitness. Am I scared? Oh yes. But I HAVE to do this. Years ago, a drama teacher, who chose her students, asked me why I wanted to be an actress. I answered that I had no choice. She accepted me as her student. Creating The Gentle Way to Fitness feels same way. I seem to have no choice. I'm in the river.

It is suggested to me that I put it out on Craig's list to find a fundraiser. Good idea.

I now have business cards. They arrived today. The website is in progress. And of course I have this blog.

Received the following in my email box.

BANK ACCOUNT
A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably combed and shaved perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready.

As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window. I love it,' he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy. Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait.' 'That doesn't have anything to do with it,' he replied. Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged ... it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. 'It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away.. Just for this time in my life. Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in. So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories! Thank you for your part in filling my Memory Bank. I am still depositing. 'Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.

Business Cards and Other Business

I don't have a web page yet. That should happen soon. In the meantime, with Val Rossi (GWF's Executive Assistant) we designed business cards and will order them from Vista Print - just to get started.

The overnight at Eagle View Bed and Breakfast was everything we wanted it to be. Even though the in-the-bathroom jets didn't work in the tub, the outside jacuzzi made up for it. I was there alone under the stars. The breakfast was vegetarian and lovely - very yin, but so what? We meandered up the coast under clear, sunny skies and actually snoozed on the Pacific City Beach.

I'm subbing for a Nia class tonight. Reviewing Agolo. Haven't taught that one in quite a while. As much as I enjoy mixing it up and creating on the spot, I really really see the value in using the Nia routines the way Debbie and Carlos have designed them. They are both so skillful in the way they speak to the body.

I talked to the new head of the studio, Maria. She was put there from a different position in the office. The dance goes on.

It's happening!

Just opened a new gmail account. GentleWay1@gmail.com. Monday I'll start putting together a website (with assistance of course). Business cards to be created. Don't have the perfect logo yet, but it will manifest.

Pretty soon, I'll be on Cable Access TV.

Steve and I are running away together for an overnight at a sweet bed and breakfast on the Oregon Coast. No computer - no phone. Just trees, water, birds and sun, yes!!

Life is good.

The Gentle Way of Movement Class - Seniors

Today I taught six women. For these very small classes, I am able to check in with each student to see where her energy etc. is and what her intention for today is. The intentions that showed up were: increased flexibility, balance, attention to the shoulder girdle, general energy and decreased mind chatter. We had one new student. Her intention was to see what this class is about and if she would want to continue. Personally, I felt quite balanced and in good energy - no pain or discomfort anywhere. My personal intention was to find new ways to move. All the intentions were met. The new student is very enthusiastic about what we are doing and plans to continue.

The focus of today's class was Touch. I used the word in its broadest sense - actually the kinesthetic aspect. This was a beautiful focus. Very healing. Outer touch. Inner touch. The touch of breath. The touch of sound.

The music combination worked very well. I kept the "steps" simple. The free dance section was lovely.

The Station

"Tucked away in our subconscious is an idyllic vision. We see ourselves on a long trip that spans the continent. We are traveling by train.

Out the window we think of the passing scene of cars on nearby highways, of children waving at a crossing of cattle grazing on a distant hillside, of smoke pouring from a power plant, of rows upon rows of corn and wheat, of flatlands and valleys, of mountains and rolling hillsides, of city skylines and village halls.

But uppermost in our minds is the final destination. On a certain day on a certain hour we will pull into the station. Bands will be playing and flags waving. Once we get there so many wonderful dreams will come true and the pieces of our lives will fit together like a completed jigsaw puzzle. How restlessly we pace the aisles, damning the minutes for loitering-waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting for the station.
When we reach the station that will be it!!! We cry.
When I am 21! When I buy a new BMW! When I put the last kid through college!
When I pay off the mortgage! When I get a promotion! When I reach the age of retirement! I shall live happily ever after!

Sooner or later we must realize there is no station, no one place to arrive for once and for all. The true joy of life is the trip. The station is only a dream. It constantly outdistances us.
Relish the moment is a good motto, especially when coupled with Psalm 118:24. This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

It isn’t the burdens of today that drive men mad. It is the regret of yesterday and the fear of tomorrow. Regret and fear are twin thieves that rob us of today. So, stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles. Instead, climb more mountains, eat more ice creams, go barefoot more often, swim more rivers, watch more sunsets, laugh more, cry less.

Life must be lived as we go along. The station will come soon enough." -unknown

Home Again

I call Portland, Oregon my home. It's only a temporary place on my true journey to home. My true home is that vast place of no where, no thing.

Catching up on emails and Facebook. A bit underwhelming.

The weather today is delicious. Heat wave has passed and in its wake the sun has become gentle. The air is sweet. It beckons me to dance under the few fleecy clouds.

I will be teaching classes in Nia and Yoga as a "substitute" a few times this month. Interesting word - substitute.

Took a Nia class with Liz Ganz yesterday. Her focus was: smile! It was a marvelous entry into Joy. Liz is a tall, willowy, wand of grace and love. I am in gratitude for being able to attend any class she teaches.

Much to do.

New Mexico

We've been here a week - and what a week it's been. Today is Blue Lunar Eagle. It couldn't be more dualistic (lunar vibration). Much magic. Much manifestation of the impossible becoming possible. AND suffering with Steve. We were in ER for more hours than I can remember - or want to. It's the gout. We weren't sure if it was something else. This attack is a little different. I won't go into the gory - or gouty - details. So he sleeps and sleeps and sleeps. He is doing that in response to the medication given now. Yesterday and the day before, he was doing it in response to his body's own wisdom; but it was a bit scary, so we took him to ER. It was good that we did so, even though we had to wait for about four hours before he was taken to a room. Yes, ER is a busy busy place in Albuquerque, NM. The trip has been much more than what i'm writing about here. Much much more. The Tesla Tech conference was magnificent. i personally made a couple of contacts that might manifest into some VERY useful and exciting pathways.
Even though I brought my Nia togs, I won't be taking any classes. I have been, however, working on my script for video classes and the DVD. Inch by inch - in its own time and its own way. As usual, I read some books while here. My daughter, Helen, is a school librarian. We share the love of books and she has even more of them than Steve and I have. And of course they are all catagorized and arranged.

So, what I want to blog about is this whole illness, wellness, age, life, death mystery. WHY WHY WHY is my husband, a dear, kind, brilliant man, beset with all these dis eases? And WHY WHY WHY did I attract this into my life? We are both following the path to enlightenment (whatever the h_ _ _ that is) to the best of our ability to surrender, to act and to know when to do each. I'm told "why" is a crooked letter and to seek an answer is a dead end, a waste of time.

1. Be impeccable
2. Don't take anything personally
3. Assume nothing
4. Do your best

Plans are made. Plans change. Action. Interaction. Within. Without.

In this moment my stomach is happy. The house is quiet. The two lovely cats are asleep. Steve is asleep. Helen is working (at school). Her male companion, Lester is around and about somewhere doing something. I am writing, listening to my husband's gentle breathing nearby, listening to the air current - it's a slightly different air conditioning system. Steve just woke and asked me if Michelle (Obama) got her household situation worked out. He was dreaming. He said, "I was multi-tasking in my dream." He lapsed into sleep immediately after that information. I 'spose he'll return to his dream or to another.

Am I dreaming? Of course.

Nia is now officially a noun. I, however, am a verb - always moving, always changing. Alive alive oh.

I wander. I wonder as I wander.

Time to check on the rest.

Aloha.