Before my Nia class today, I was approached by a gentleman who teaches Tai Chi. He offered to teach my class proper alignment the way he does it for his class. I reviewed it with him. There were a few variations from the way I teach it (from my experience in Yoga and Alexander Technique) and in the way he did it. Interesting.
I let him show the class and continued the focus of Body Alignment. It was a great focus.
I had the thought that it would be interesting to learn at least one new thing everyday. Just think - 365 new things a year!
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
A Rap Poem
I have an email friend. We live 3000 miles from each other. We started emailing back and forth a couple, maybe three years ago. We send poetry to each other. I asked her permission to share this poem on my blog. Here 'tis.
“The Senior Laughing Club” by Kay Weeks
Well, I’m in such a rage
Can’t get it on the page!
Do I pout, NO! Just get it out!
Do you have any doubt
What defines the human race?
Look at my face!
It IS a race, a jealous, competitive
Stampede to the end, to the cliff
This is how it goes:
You gotta be first You gotta be right
You gotta put me down
Shove your food scraps on my plate
Tell me how I feel. Did you finish YOUR meal?
I mean, it’s war here. Let me ask:
Do you have your teeth?
Is your hair gray?
Can you see—well, not me.
Senior is a word
It means NEARLY GONE
Read GENERATIONS, the senior rag.
Sorry Mary McGraw, you’re a good gal—
But it’s all about therapy, fat pants,
Hearing aids, Planning your will,
Keeping your spirits UP for God’s sake…
Nurses, caregivers, PABLUM,
Actually I have total recall, so nix
The Vitamin B 12.
Asking you: All this down stuff.
What you gonna do about it?
I dance, draw, I love someone—well—
OK, we’re supposed to be over all that! Just a cat!
I smell the salt air, and not on my knees or in a chair.
Speaking of which, Yeah!
I know one good fall
Down my steep stairs
And it’s all over!
Let’s review that in case our memories
Are less than clear:
A young friend brought it up the other day:
Hate to demean ya
But what do you think
Sen-ya means?
Benefits, Respect, Leading, Chief, Elder, Superior?
How about elderly person, old folk, old timer
Pensioner, retired person.
Oh, here’s SENIOR EDITOR,
I’ll take that one!
How about sweet? Smell my feet!
It all means we're on our way out.
How you gonna take that? Not lying down, I hope.
Let your frustration, your anger out out out
Dylan Thomas said it best
DO NOT GO GENTLE UNTO THAT GOOD NIGHT!
Up with our spirits, up with our day.
Age is only a word, not in MY vocabulary anyway,
Now, I mean it, HAVE A GOOD DAY.
_________
October 17, 2009
“The Senior Laughing Club” by Kay Weeks
Well, I’m in such a rage
Can’t get it on the page!
Do I pout, NO! Just get it out!
Do you have any doubt
What defines the human race?
Look at my face!
It IS a race, a jealous, competitive
Stampede to the end, to the cliff
This is how it goes:
You gotta be first You gotta be right
You gotta put me down
Shove your food scraps on my plate
Tell me how I feel. Did you finish YOUR meal?
I mean, it’s war here. Let me ask:
Do you have your teeth?
Is your hair gray?
Can you see—well, not me.
Senior is a word
It means NEARLY GONE
Read GENERATIONS, the senior rag.
Sorry Mary McGraw, you’re a good gal—
But it’s all about therapy, fat pants,
Hearing aids, Planning your will,
Keeping your spirits UP for God’s sake…
Nurses, caregivers, PABLUM,
Actually I have total recall, so nix
The Vitamin B 12.
Asking you: All this down stuff.
What you gonna do about it?
I dance, draw, I love someone—well—
OK, we’re supposed to be over all that! Just a cat!
I smell the salt air, and not on my knees or in a chair.
Speaking of which, Yeah!
I know one good fall
Down my steep stairs
And it’s all over!
Let’s review that in case our memories
Are less than clear:
A young friend brought it up the other day:
Hate to demean ya
But what do you think
Sen-ya means?
Benefits, Respect, Leading, Chief, Elder, Superior?
How about elderly person, old folk, old timer
Pensioner, retired person.
Oh, here’s SENIOR EDITOR,
I’ll take that one!
How about sweet? Smell my feet!
It all means we're on our way out.
How you gonna take that? Not lying down, I hope.
Let your frustration, your anger out out out
Dylan Thomas said it best
DO NOT GO GENTLE UNTO THAT GOOD NIGHT!
Up with our spirits, up with our day.
Age is only a word, not in MY vocabulary anyway,
Now, I mean it, HAVE A GOOD DAY.
_________
October 17, 2009
Doing and Reviewing
Carol. Simone and me. Three of us Black Belt Nia teachers teaching a Nia Jam. Three songs each. Afterwards, three of us at a cafe discussing our performances. Feedback. Self-evaluation. VERY helpful and nurturing. We three are a good mix. I am the oldest and softest. My strongest attributes are compassion, imagination and flexibility of body and mind. Carol is spot-on with precision, clear communication and strength. Simone presented lightness and playfulness.
During our discussion, we three reminded ourselves and each other how much we have been given by Nia and those who have embodied it.
Like any good thing, Nia isn't for everybody, but those who are drawn to it, who practice it and those who teach it benefit greatly.
During our discussion, we three reminded ourselves and each other how much we have been given by Nia and those who have embodied it.
Like any good thing, Nia isn't for everybody, but those who are drawn to it, who practice it and those who teach it benefit greatly.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Busy Busy Busy
Rehearsed with my producer and the two women who will be playing the part of yoga students demonstrating the Yoga Gentle Way to Fitness, or Gentle Yoga. One will sit in a chair to demonstrate and the other one will stand and sit on the yoga mat.
During rehearsal, one of the students had a lot to say, many suggestions and directions. The producer, also someone who has done a lot of yoga, gave her suggestions and opinions. Interesting experience for my ego. I believe I was able to accept the situation with C.O.A.L. - Curiosity, Openness, Acceptance and Love. I will be teaching (subbing) a class come Sunday and a couple of the suggestions made may find their way in my presentation. No matter how many years I've studied and practiced yoga, I am always amazed at the variety and complexity available in it. And this is just the Hatha Yoga branch!
Tomorrow I'll be part of a Nia Jam. I'll be doing Traveling, Opal and Downtown from OPAL.
For me, the constant challenge is to avoid comparison where I most often place myself in the position of not as good, attractive, intelligent or appealing as the other. Silly game, n'est-ce-pas? At least I'm at the point where I catch myself playing that game and switch to following the four agreements. "Speak with Impeccability, Take nothing Personally, Assume Nothing, Do Your Best." or some other useful tool. There are so many! Like counting my blessings.
Back to reviewing for tomorrow.
May all who read this be blessed. May all who don't read this be blessed also.
I drop my pebble of love in the pond and watch the ripples expand.
During rehearsal, one of the students had a lot to say, many suggestions and directions. The producer, also someone who has done a lot of yoga, gave her suggestions and opinions. Interesting experience for my ego. I believe I was able to accept the situation with C.O.A.L. - Curiosity, Openness, Acceptance and Love. I will be teaching (subbing) a class come Sunday and a couple of the suggestions made may find their way in my presentation. No matter how many years I've studied and practiced yoga, I am always amazed at the variety and complexity available in it. And this is just the Hatha Yoga branch!
Tomorrow I'll be part of a Nia Jam. I'll be doing Traveling, Opal and Downtown from OPAL.
For me, the constant challenge is to avoid comparison where I most often place myself in the position of not as good, attractive, intelligent or appealing as the other. Silly game, n'est-ce-pas? At least I'm at the point where I catch myself playing that game and switch to following the four agreements. "Speak with Impeccability, Take nothing Personally, Assume Nothing, Do Your Best." or some other useful tool. There are so many! Like counting my blessings.
Back to reviewing for tomorrow.
May all who read this be blessed. May all who don't read this be blessed also.
I drop my pebble of love in the pond and watch the ripples expand.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Where it Stay?
Steve and I have two airline tickets to go to San Diego. We arrive November 1st and leave November 5th. He contacted two friends that live there. One has moved. The other hasn't responded to his phone calls or email. On to couch surfing. They're all so YOUNG. I guess it's a generation thing. We got one response so far. The guy has someone there already.
Anybody reading this who lives in San Diego and would LOVE to have two old codgers with young hearts and minds surf their couch?
I may tap the Nia population.
Did we really do this?
What happened to being practical?
Oh well, one of our attractions to each other 24 years ago is that we are both adventurers. So far we've survived and thrived. As my dad used to say, "Money is round. It comes and goes and rolls and rolls." I have no medical insurance other than Medicaid and no death insurance. (They call it life insurance, a gross misnomer). Sometimes I wonder what will happen to my body when I leave it. I've thought of donating it to a medical school. My son might be very upset about that. We've discussed it briefly and he may want to take care of the vacated shell.
People just hate to talk about death. As far as I'm concerned, it's no big deal. It's like wearing out a pair of shoes - or maybe they're too tight. Putting bodies in boxes in the earth seems like such a waste of space and wood. The Native Americans were so much more ecological.
It's 5:40 AM. I've been awake since 3ish. Think I'll go back to reading Journeyto the Center of Creation by Ilonna Selke.
Anybody reading this who lives in San Diego and would LOVE to have two old codgers with young hearts and minds surf their couch?
I may tap the Nia population.
Did we really do this?
What happened to being practical?
Oh well, one of our attractions to each other 24 years ago is that we are both adventurers. So far we've survived and thrived. As my dad used to say, "Money is round. It comes and goes and rolls and rolls." I have no medical insurance other than Medicaid and no death insurance. (They call it life insurance, a gross misnomer). Sometimes I wonder what will happen to my body when I leave it. I've thought of donating it to a medical school. My son might be very upset about that. We've discussed it briefly and he may want to take care of the vacated shell.
People just hate to talk about death. As far as I'm concerned, it's no big deal. It's like wearing out a pair of shoes - or maybe they're too tight. Putting bodies in boxes in the earth seems like such a waste of space and wood. The Native Americans were so much more ecological.
It's 5:40 AM. I've been awake since 3ish. Think I'll go back to reading Journeyto the Center of Creation by Ilonna Selke.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Moving right Along
I was reading a couple of other blogs this morning. Blogs take on different roles. Some are entertaining. Others are used as teaching tools. Mine is pretty much a personal journal where I share my thoughts and doings.
Here goes today's blog:
SO much going on! Do I have the energy to take it all in?
I will be auditing Nia Brown Belt this afternoon and all day tomorrow. Nia continues to offer me so much. I am continually grateful to be included in it.
Saw the movie "A Serious Man" last night. Coen brothers. Omigod. It was, as all their movies, BRILLIANT!! The characters were mostly Jewish with all the Jewish "stuff". I wonder if non-Jews would find it as hysterically funny. I also wonder how Orthodox Jews would react to it. Steve and I LOVED it. I want to see it again. Of course, I am a big fan of the Coen brothers, their wacky sensibilities and obvious skill as film makers. Whenever I see a movie, I am impressed by the huge number of people it takes to put it together. It takes a village to raise a child. It takes a city to make a movie. Yes, my desire to be part of a movie gets rekindled when I see the artistry of such a one as we saw last night. The desire does not burn as it has in the past, so I will let the fire subside and satisfy myself with the activities of the day.
Yes, I thought I would be a famous movie star. If I was a famous movie star, would I be writing this blog? And if I did, how would it be? And then, perhaps it would be visited by so many people hungry to be dusted by stardust. Anonimity has its place.
We went out to a farm yesterday to help. Came home with chrysanthemums and mucho green stuff. I made a big pot of soup (with the green stuff, not with the chrysanthemums). C'mon over and help us sup it.
Here goes today's blog:
SO much going on! Do I have the energy to take it all in?
I will be auditing Nia Brown Belt this afternoon and all day tomorrow. Nia continues to offer me so much. I am continually grateful to be included in it.
Saw the movie "A Serious Man" last night. Coen brothers. Omigod. It was, as all their movies, BRILLIANT!! The characters were mostly Jewish with all the Jewish "stuff". I wonder if non-Jews would find it as hysterically funny. I also wonder how Orthodox Jews would react to it. Steve and I LOVED it. I want to see it again. Of course, I am a big fan of the Coen brothers, their wacky sensibilities and obvious skill as film makers. Whenever I see a movie, I am impressed by the huge number of people it takes to put it together. It takes a village to raise a child. It takes a city to make a movie. Yes, my desire to be part of a movie gets rekindled when I see the artistry of such a one as we saw last night. The desire does not burn as it has in the past, so I will let the fire subside and satisfy myself with the activities of the day.
Yes, I thought I would be a famous movie star. If I was a famous movie star, would I be writing this blog? And if I did, how would it be? And then, perhaps it would be visited by so many people hungry to be dusted by stardust. Anonimity has its place.
We went out to a farm yesterday to help. Came home with chrysanthemums and mucho green stuff. I made a big pot of soup (with the green stuff, not with the chrysanthemums). C'mon over and help us sup it.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
John Veltheim and BodyTalk
I am blessed to be taking John Veltheim's weekend seminar entitled FINDING HEALTH - Mapping The Healing Process.
Dr. Veltheim is presenting the most accurate scientific and spiritual information available. I won't go into detail. Once again, one can google the name and get a great deal of information.
I feel as though each day is a universe. All my cells sing with dharmic certainty. So many of the things I experienced intuitively during childhood, young adulthood, middle age and now advanced age have been acknowledged.
BodyTalk is an extremely valuable assistance to health. I highly recommend it!
Namaste,
Kaycheri
Dr. Veltheim is presenting the most accurate scientific and spiritual information available. I won't go into detail. Once again, one can google the name and get a great deal of information.
I feel as though each day is a universe. All my cells sing with dharmic certainty. So many of the things I experienced intuitively during childhood, young adulthood, middle age and now advanced age have been acknowledged.
BodyTalk is an extremely valuable assistance to health. I highly recommend it!
Namaste,
Kaycheri
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