tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35630408868747196712024-03-20T08:13:21.250-04:00Daily Yoga PracticeBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05413199845932901845noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563040886874719671.post-60579253662292205392014-03-19T20:50:00.001-04:002014-03-21T10:32:11.867-04:00Would you rather be a Chocolatier or a Hammer Wielder?<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Our Education Has Misled Us.</span></b><br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="s5">Most traditional education co</span><span class="s5">mes as information to memorize</span><span class="s5"> in</span><span class="s5">order to regurgitate it later. We work to understand</span><span class="s5"> books, articles, </span><span class="s5">and </span><span class="s5">a theory</span><span class="s5">. Later, we do our best to prove we’re right in our beliefs</span><span class="s5">.</span></span></span><br />
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<span class="s6" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Why would this ever be a problem?</span> </span></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="s5">Because we are seldom left time to consider IF the information is actually </span><span class="s5">plausible, we skip a step</span><span class="s5">. IF and only IF</span><span class="s5"> there </span><span class="s5">is a reasonable premise, </span><span class="s5">learning the material</span><span class="s5"> is justifiable.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span class="s5" style="font-weight: bold;">Good </span><span class="s5" style="font-weight: bold;">With</span><span class="s5" style="font-weight: bold;"> Hammers.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="s5">If we want to be good with a hammer, we visit a Hammer Master. This expert shares with us their "Secrets Of Hammer Wielding™". </span><span class="s5">How hard to hammer</span><span class="s5">, </span><span class="s5">how </span><span class="s5">quickly and which special hammer to use.</span><span class="s5"> Taking a course on hammer</span><span class="s5">ing</span><span class="s5"> assumes that you plan to use it on nails or some similarly yielding inert substance. The premise is that nails need a hammer in order to move them forward. The premise assumes there is no other way.</span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="rg_i" data-sz="f" name="qeW4BMchFMLDAM:" 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" 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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, a chocolate hammer</td></tr>
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<span class="s5" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"></span></span><br /><span class="s5" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"></span></span></div>
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<span class="s5" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Chocolate Feels Good.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="s5">When we have our first taste of chocolate it is a</span><span class="s5"> transcendent </span><span class="s5">experience.</span><span class="s5"> </span><span class="s5">The texture on the tongue;</span><span class="s5"> the sweet</span><span class="s5">ness</span><span class="s5">. The warm, melting aroma with pretty foil wrappers peeling back. </span><span class="s5">But w</span><span class="s5">e can be thrown back</span><span class="s5"> a variety of ways;</span><span class="s5"> </span><span class="s5">to</span><span class="s5"> Easter, or Mom, or that fancy shop in Paris with the most delicious coffee. </span><span class="s5">Or, we might have </span><span class="s5">ha</span><span class="s5">d an allergic reaction to it. In short, t</span><span class="s5">he past matters. A master chocolate maker must take into account the person who will experience the chocolate. A premise could be that the experience can't negate the past.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s5" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">People Are Not Nails.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="s5">Far too many of us are busy trying to memorize another Hammer Wielding™ technique. Collecting hammer after hammer and constantly looking for new nails to hammer. If you work with </span><span class="s5">people as a Yoga teacher, </span><span class="s5">PhysioTherapist</span><span class="s5">, Massage Therapist, or other type of therapist you have to work really hard to remember this.</span><span class="s5"> </span><span class="s5">Our educational history has prepared </span><span class="s5">us to want to work hard and become</span><span class="s5"> Hammer Wielders PhD not</span><span class="s5"> Chocolatiers. Since working with Humans is an experiential interaction, there is a history to consider, and without considering the premise we are working with we may be Hammering when we should be noticing. </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s5" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="s5" style="font-weight: bold;">“</span><span class="s6" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">When I employ Simple Contact nothing sustains me, guides me, and it offers my patients a place to go that they should find helpful and relieving. Learn what you need to know, then try doing nothing yourself.</span><span class="s5" style="font-weight: bold;">” - Barrett Dorko</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="s5" style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="s5" style="font-weight: bold;">For Therapists </span><span class="s5" style="font-weight: bold;">In</span><span class="s5" style="font-weight: bold;"> Hamilton</span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="s4" style="margin-right: 23px;">
<span class="s5" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">There is an opportunity to re-examine what you have learned and why you have learned it. Barrett Dorko is teaching a workshop in Hamilton for anyone that is interested in working with people who struggle with pain. It is not a "What to do" workshop, those are for Hammer Wielders. Barrett will talk about the experience and context you construct as you become a Chocolatier.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><u><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px;">Simple Contact - Manually Managing People in Pain </span></span></u><u><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong>Date and time: </strong>May 10-11, 8am-4pm</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong>Location:</strong> Performance Physio, 50 Dundurn Street South, Hamilton, ON. L8P 4W3</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong>Instructor:</strong> Barrett Dorko, PT</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong>Cost:</strong> $350 </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong>Simple Contact</strong> is two things; an understanding of
how painful problems occur and a method of managing them manually in a
manner that is synchronous with that understanding. Ideomotion is a
movement inherent to life that both expresses us and keeps us
comfortable.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong>Contact: </strong>Jake Tumber, PT <a href="http://www.physiotherapy.ca/mrm/bulkmail/link.aspx?id=102598&pid=26251" target="_blank">jaketumber@icloud.com</a> <a href="tel:%28905%29%20912%207127" target="_blank" value="+19059127127">(905) 912 7127</a></span>Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05413199845932901845noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563040886874719671.post-29255351097859197292013-03-23T14:15:00.002-04:002014-11-22T14:21:08.530-05:00Top 10 things you should expect when visiting any Therapist for pain.This list is 10 things that I feel any patient in pain should
expect (possibly demand) when they visit a Therapist of any kind for
help relieving their pain.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>1) <span style="font-size: large;">T<span style="font-size: large;">heir </span>a</span>ttention</b></span>
<br />
If you are being treated by a professional who claims they can help you
with your pain expect them to be paying careful attention to you. You
are presenting expert evidence of your current experience and situation. This has nothing to do necessarily with
the long story you tell about your pain to the many
people who are not really interested in listening. This has to do with
someone who is directing their caring attention towards you and noticing
cues that you might not even realize you're demonstrating. According to the IASP definition, <a href="http://www.iasp-pain.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Pain_Definitions#Pain" target="_blank">Pain</a> is
a sensory AND emotional experience. To resolve pain you need help sometimes from
another person. A therapeutic relationship serves many more complex purposes than that of a mechanic working on your car at a garage. If they don't make a solid and consistent attempt at understanding you they can't help you.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>2) <span style="font-size: large;">Some e</span>ducation</b></span><br />
The field of pain science has improved so much in the last couple decades. We
all need to learn <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4b8oB757DKc" target="_blank">updated explanations</a> for what is going on when we are in pain. Knowledge is power. And in this case knowledge is pain
liberating. Learning <a href="http://www.barrettdorko.com/articles/origins_of_pain.htm" target="_blank">what pain is</a> and why we have pain experiences actually can go a long
way towards the resolution of pain. In some cases, just <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwd-wLdIHjs" target="_blank">learning why we hurt</a> can resolve the pain! <a href="http://www.lifeisnow.ca/pip/" target="_blank">Neil Pearson</a> offers some great stories and explanations in his 3 part series on Overcoming Pain. <a href="http://www.canadianpaincoalition.ca/media/video/overcome_pain/part_1/" target="_blank">Part1</a>, <a href="http://www.canadianpaincoalition.ca/media/video/overcome_pain/part_2/" target="_blank">Part 2</a>, and <a href="http://www.canadianpaincoalition.ca/media/video/overcome_pain/part_3/" target="_blank">Part 3</a>. A good Therapist should help you understand this better<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>3) <span style="font-size: large;">A</span> <span style="font-size: large;">time <span style="font-size: large;">f</span>rame</span></b></span><br />
<br />
Any decent Therapist should have made some positive impact on your pain within
10 visits. Treating pain should not be like renting an apartment. You're
not signing up for a 1 to 5 year lease with options for renewal. Unless
you're recovering from a recent injury or major trauma (and even then really) there should be
some expectation on your part that what your Therapist does is working or at least having an effect. I hear of people who continue to visit their Therapist of choice for <u><i><b>years</b></i></u> because it has been argued that they need the treatment to prevent pain from recurring. This is garbage. These Therapists are building additions on their house and taking trips to Bermuda because of the fear that they have instilled in you.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">4) Atmosphere</span></b><br />
It all matters. A clean organized room that is separate from others. An
absence of distractions especially from other therapists treating patients. The context of the room is an input to your nervous system, it
does not need to be a resort spa [although that wouldn't hurt in the
least] but the focus should be on reducing the disruptive input to your
nervous system. i.e. calming. Now professionals like <a href="http://www.themanualtherapist.com/2012/02/guest-post-all-about-pain-by-dr-joe.html" target="_blank">Joe Brence</a> suggests that patients may come to a Therapist with an <i>expectation</i> that therapy happens in a gym like environment and that it will probably be hard work. A Therapist may offer things to a patient because of these expectations. Keep in mind that this is part of the context of the input, and it is possible that some of your expectations will need to change. If in doubt, ask your Therapist about this and especially inform them if the environment feels distracting, overstimulating, or otherwise unnerving. A good Therapist will adapt.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>5) Empowerment</b></span><br />
The inner locus of control is fundamental to the patient / Therapist relationship. At the end of each encounter you should feel
more in control and have a greater understanding of the importance of
your role. I wrote this in the last 10 but it bears repeating. If you are becoming more dependent on your Therapist to "save you" or "fix you" something is wrong with the way the therapeutic relationship is going. At first you will be handing yourself over to a professional, but by the end (or hopefully very near the beginning) they will be putting you right back in the drivers seat.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>6) Honesty <span style="font-size: large;">and</span> comfort with uncertainty.</b></span><br />
Sometimes it is beyond a Therapist's knowledge level. Consider that your Therapist does not need to be an answer machine. Instead invite them to
be a co-conspirator. Someone with some technical knowledge and skills
willing to team up with your extensive experience in being you. Together, the two of you can problem solve, goal set, and scheme your way to overthrowing
pains reign over your life. Some Therapists are afraid to be uncertain.
Even when they are wrong they deflect it by saying you were the problem.
This is nonsense! You need them to assist you in taking your inner locus of
control to the street and kick some pain ass!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>7) Encouragement to find movement</b></span><br />
There is a great saying "motion is lotion". However, sometimes a Therapist will get locked into a prescriptive set of movements that they
think are the cure-all for every condition. Movement is good, exercise is
good, but we're not entirely sure why some of it works. <a href="http://forwardmotionpt.com/wordpress/?tag=cory-blickenstaff" target="_blank">Cory Blickenstaff</a> advocates novel
movements and has a number of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-hlWgH3_0NU" target="_blank">interesting videos</a> that show how you can
use novel movements and a very basic knowledge of the nervous system to
feed your brain new information. This new information can cause your nervous system to form a new, pain-free, opinion of the state of your body. Check out his <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/ForwardMotionPT" target="_blank">whole series</a> on YouTube.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>8) An allergic reaction to pseudoscience</b></span><br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phrenology" target="_blank">Phrenology</a> was really in vogue in the 1800's. Back in those days neuroscience
was a complete mystery and many Phrenologists thought they were practicing the
cutting edge of science. But once Phrenology, and many
others foolish notions [like Homeopathy] were proven wrong it was time to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhGuXCuDb1U" target="_blank">move on</a>.
Unfortunately, even though some of these old, outdated therapies have been
<a href="http://edzardernst.com/2013/02/is-homeopathy-value-for-money/" target="_blank">thoroughly discredited</a>, they <a href="http://www.homeopathy.ca/" target="_blank">still exist</a>. Luckily, people like Edzard Ernst (an MD and former Homeopath) are working to remedy this. It is reasonable to understand
that the Therapist who has invested many hours and many dollars
learning a particular method or modality will have a hard time letting
go. Hey, they can keep the business cards but ditch the explanatory model OK? If a Therapist's primary concern is with helping
patients get better it should not matter. We have all moved on from the <a href="http://skepdic.com/toothfairyscience.html" target="_blank">Tooth Fairy</a> and Santa Clause. Sure it hurt to grow, and we lost the money and presents, but hey, we're all grown up now.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>9) <span style="font-size: large;">A</span> passion for learning</b></span><br />
It is also reasonable to ask your Therapist what latest <a href="http://noinotes.wordpress.com/2013/02/01/blackberry-thumb/" target="_blank">article</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Explain-Pain-David-S-Butler/dp/097509100X" target="_blank">book</a>, or <a href="http://noijam.com/" target="_blank">blog post</a> they read regarding pain or
therapy. Do they read from a variety of sources? Or do they cling to one
particular guru who they've learned all their masterful techniques
from. There is no one person that understands it all. There are many
people and <a href="http://www.bodyinmind.org/" target="_blank">organizations</a> today doing truly awesome research. A Therapist who is not
interesting in at least improving their understanding in some way
probably hasn't read anything decent in the last few years or more.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>10) A willingness to treat pain</b></span><br />
<a href="http://www.barrettdorko.com/" target="_blank">Barrett Dorko</a> has a great saying "if the primary complaint is pain, the
treatment of pain should be primary". If you visit a therapist because
of pain in your shoulder and they spend all of their time trying to
increase your range of motion, improve your <a href="http://www.bettermovement.org/2010/back-pain-myths-posture-core-strength-bulging-discs/" target="_blank">core strength</a>, or something silly like
balancing the difference in your<a href="https://www.painscience.com/articles/structuralism.php" target="_blank"> leg lengths</a>, run. Pain is a reasonable
thing to treat first and if any exercise or movement activity is
prescribed it should be in reference to lessening the pain experience.
Pain is just not treated well and soon enough. Do not tolerate a Therapist who ignores it, have them address the pain or get out of
there.
<br />
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Pain is a really complex experience. Going into just any corner store for some good ole therapy is not going to help you get better. Learn everything you can and demand quality care from the people who earn their living from it.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);">
</div>
<br />
*Side note all of the people referenced in this article have tons of credentials. I didn't post the alphabet after their name but you can easily look that up.<br />
<br />
<div>
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05413199845932901845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563040886874719671.post-34302944891662095542013-03-02T15:04:00.000-05:002014-11-22T14:22:47.405-05:0010 things I wish my Doctor had told me about pain!<a href="http://healthaware.ca/jake-tumber-physiotherapist-hamilton-ontario-24623317043d">Jake Tumber</a>, PT asked me what things I know now about pain that I wish I was told in 2002 when I visited my Family Doctor after a minor car accident. I decided to get it down on a list here:<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1) <b>You are probably not damaged!</b></span><br />
Despite all the impact demolition derby drivers sustain, they have ultra low incidence of chronic whiplash and persistent neck pain. It has nothing to do with the forces (they get blind sided too) but everything to do with the meaning and context of what happens.
<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/15827919/">This study</a> may not be the most robust (Retrospective). But it does pose a pretty challenging question to some base assumptions. Physical damage is a poor predictor of how much pain you will experience.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">2) <b>Move it or <span style="font-size: large;">l</span>ose it!</b></span><br />
If you treat your body like it is fragile and damaged, it will become more so. There is a something called <a href="http://thebrain.mcgill.ca/flash/i/i_07/i_07_cl/i_07_cl_tra/i_07_cl_tra.html" target="_blank">Hebb's Rule</a> after Donald Hebb which states "Cells that fire together wire together". What this means in this case is that if you move less, you will lose some of those capacities to move. That sounds kind of dire but of course this happens over time. And time is pernicious when it comes to chronic pain. If you allow yourself to act fragile and breakable you will slowly, physically and mentally, change to support that belief over time. You are much more robust then you realize and with a little creativity you can find something that you <i><b>can </b></i>do. This makes all the difference in the world.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">3) <b>Banish <span style="font-size: large;">f</span>ear!</b></span><br />
Being afraid of the pain getting worse makes you fearful of movement. Along with point 2) this kind of attitude can lead to <a href="http://www.bodyinmind.org/catastrophizing-depression-chronic-fatigue-syndrome/">catastrophising,</a> depression, and more fear. All these may cause you to stop exercising or challenging yourself which creates self perpetuating loops that slowly paint you in a corner. This is why "letting pain be your guide" is not helpful to your recovery.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">4) <b>Pay <span style="font-size: large;">a</span>ttention!</b></span><br />
Blasting past the pain and ignoring flare ups will piss off the nervous system. And nobody's happy if the NS isn't happy. Diane Jacob's talks about the "<a href="http://humanantigravitysuit.blogspot.ca/2012/02/new-treatment-encounter-v.html">Critter Brain</a>", Todd Hargrove mentions the "<a href="http://www.bettermovement.org/2012/treat-your-client-like-a-wild-animal/">Wild Animal</a>". They are talking about that older part of you that is constantly monitoring threat and mounting defensive responses if it deems it necessary. Treat your newly sensitized nervous system like a wild animal or ancient critter brain that you are attempting to tame and soothe by building trust.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">5) <b>Exercise and <span style="font-size: large;">m</span>ove for the general benefit!</b></span><br />
You can't <a href="https://www.painscience.com/articles/stretching.php">stretch out</a> the pain. And strengthening only indirectly affects pain, most likely because exercise and movement are so helpful in general. So forget about weak muscles and asymmetry, if you walked in the room and didn't fall over your <a href="http://www.craigliebenson.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/sdarticle.pdf">core strength</a> is just fine. Paul Ingraham started me on a wild journey a few years ago with that first stretching article, his <a href="https://www.painscience.com/" target="_blank">site</a> is well worth a visit.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">6) <b>No <span style="font-size: large;">t</span>herapist should increase your pain!</b></span><br />
If you ever have any therapist that increases your pain during therapy and implies that it is somehow good for you. Punch them and get out of there. (I'm talking to ART people especially here.) Increasing your pain through therapy can heighten the sensitivity of your nervous system which is the exact opposite of what therapy should be going for. Sometimes the best thing a therapist can do is <a href="http://www.barrettdorko.com/articles/do_nothing.htm" target="_blank">Do Nothing</a> as Barret Dorko writes.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">7) <b>Looking inside isn't going to help!</b></span><br />
Getting any imaging done should be an absolutely last resort. Unless there is a serious red flag, chances are any findings on<a href="http://www.bodyinmind.org/spinal-mri-and-back-pain/" target="_blank"> MRI's, X-rays</a> etc will just cause you to worry about something unnecessarily. Many people have no pain and would have plenty of abnormal imaging findings.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">8) <b>Your <span style="font-size: large;">b</span>rain is <span style="font-size: large;">k</span>ing (or <span style="font-size: large;">q</span>ueen) of it all!</b></span><br />
Your brain is in complete control of the pain experience. Pain is produced as a pain experience just like hunger and thirst. Only with pain it is similar to a car alarm that has been set on high sensitivity. Sometimes the alarm may go off because a strong wind has just blown or some car stereo bass shook the windows as it went by. With pain, there doesn't have to be anything wrong for the experience to occur, it can be simply because the sensitivity is up to high. This one is the most vexing because it feels so real. And it often feels like your pain has a distinct location. You would swear under oath that something is wrong "right there". But our brain can be <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCQbygjG0RU">tricked very easily</a>, I mean <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiTz2i4VHFw&feature=share&list=PLrtNAIiIpLfGqU5XoaPaHACfiHOlqhmrQ" target="_blank">very very easily</a>. You can't trust your experience.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">9) <b>Your <span style="font-size: large;">b</span>rain can get cranky!</b></span><br />
Your brain extends throughout your entire body. 72kms. All nervous tissues have their own blood supply and can get very cranky if they are not well fed. This is where you may need the help of a competent therapist. And the earlier the better. A proper therapist will always help you regain your <a href="http://stress.about.com/od/psychologicalconditions/ht/locus.htm" target="_blank">inner locus of control</a>, they will never attempt to be the "healer" or the "guru" with special knowledge that only they understand leaving you dependent on them for recovery.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">10) <b>Quacks are after your money!</b></span><br />
Finally, here is a quick list of money wasting therapies. Craniosacral Therapy (CST), Ultrasound, Myofascial Release (MFR) <a href="http://skepdic.com/acupuncture.html" target="_blank">Acupuncture</a>, Cupping, Moxibustion, Ayurveda, <a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/james_randi.html">Homeopathy</a>, Naturopathy, most Pathy's, reiki, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emily_Rosa">Therapeutic Touch</a>, energy work (of any kind), TENS, Chiropractors that believe in <a href="http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/chiropractic-vertebral-subluxations-science-vs-pseudoscience/">Subluxation Theory</a>, traction devices, most anything that buzzes, whirs, bleeps, or rumbles, magnetic anything, copper bracelets, quite a lot of surgeries, any instruments that are used to scrape the skin in some way (especially aggressively), or any treatment that approaches the body as some dumb lump of meat that has no super sensitive tissue permeating every square millimetre of it.<br />
<br />
Knowing this stuff 11 years ago would have put me on quite a different (and less money wasting) track than the one I ended up traveling so I hope it gives someone who is starting out now a leg up. I would love to hear from your experiences if you'd share them below.
Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05413199845932901845noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563040886874719671.post-8672264959345147352012-10-28T13:25:00.000-04:002014-11-22T14:24:29.670-05:00Pain vs 1,600lbsHauling 1600 lbs of shingles up on a roof, nailing them down, after having ripped the same amount off and taking it to the dump is not what I would ever suggestion to someone else with Chronic Pain.<br />
<br />
It probably would have been easier to just call the roofing company 2 years ago when I started doing this job in 3 stages, but when the first quote came in at $10,000 I thought I have got to be able to do this cheaper than that. Actually, my plan was that I was going to complete the roof in just 2 stages. However the first time caught me so much by surprise and I was brought crashing back to reality when I found out how hard roofing really was. I had done a bit before in my 20's but memory has a tendency of taking away pain and replacing it with a sense of pride or a badge of honour.<br />
<br />
The pain in my neck, shoulder and hip had seemed to take a sharper tinge over the last few years. I am not sure why, it may be that the larger load of stress at work and other challenges, plus having succumbed to the erroneous belief that the injury was getting worse and that I should avoid certain movements just in case I wore the joints down to bone on bone or something terrible and scary like that.<br />
This belief had become deeply implanted in me and my plastic mind had shifted with this false information.<br />
<br />
So over the last 2 years I have been able to learn an incredible amount about Persistent Pain and Pain Science through a website called <a href="http://www.somasimple.com/" target="_blank">SomaSimple</a> and through other great sites like <a href="http://bodyinmind.org/" target="_blank">BIM</a>, <a href="https://www.painscience.com/" target="_blank">PainScience</a>, <a href="http://www.bboyscience.com/" target="_blank">BBoyScience</a>, and <a href="http://www.bettermovement.org/" target="_blank">BetterMovement</a>. Learning about the discoveries that modern Neuroscience has made and what this has taught us about the experience of pain has not only given me a better understanding of "why" my body hurts, but also why, after 10 years of this, it is so difficult to change.<br />
<br />
The last time I was up on the roof, or phase 2, was 1 1/2 years ago. Springtime 2011. I was only starting to get into the Pain Science reading and the cognitive shift that is required to "get" what the new information meant in the day to day reality had not taken hold yet. So that job was a real killer. It took weeks for my shoulder and back to calm down and the normal day to day pain experience had been stepped up a couple notches from that. My right wrist had also added this numbness and pain in the carpal tunnel area that was terribly frustrating and distressing.<br />
<br />
This time I am more prepared. I hope. I had started some preparation in the early summer. Some of it was not successful, perhaps my goal of being pain free enough to get up on the roof was a foolish one, but conditioning is definitely a big help. Working hard to build endurance and stamina with whatever movements I could do in a non threatening way with weights if possible.<br />
<br />
I know I could have prepared more and planned it better. But getting through with what I had while working 50 hours a week and running a Yoga Studio with my wife, I was happy that I had done anything at all.<br />
<br />
Day 1) Friday. Surprisingly the first day of stripping has gone right according to my 3 day plan. I have a bare wood roof after peeling off the old shingles. Lucky for me my brother-in-law offered to pick the shingles up off of the ground and load the truck while I tore them up and tossed them down. A huge help, seriously. The rain has been threatening all afternoon and forecasts for tonight so lucky for me again, my neighbour has offered some nice big tarps and just jumped up on the roof to help me cover up.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH2Q4-Mv52pnwo8xGeE-sJYMVzNUiueBw1nhjB9ubU1jNKpgp9yT1FSa3WsM-WyE92C_Wb8vzJrzthVq5ZE5rEoJGUd-H_A4OMnW5qJIuEoC1XYOzfGXGrg4jVVm464fY9Jz1Dvgivfxvi/s1600/photo+%281%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="2" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH2Q4-Mv52pnwo8xGeE-sJYMVzNUiueBw1nhjB9ubU1jNKpgp9yT1FSa3WsM-WyE92C_Wb8vzJrzthVq5ZE5rEoJGUd-H_A4OMnW5qJIuEoC1XYOzfGXGrg4jVVm464fY9Jz1Dvgivfxvi/s320/photo+(1).JPG" height="240" style="cursor: move;" title="Shingles Stripped" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roof Stripped. Yes this is an old roof.<br />
1851 to be exact.Some of these boards<br />
are 24" x 1" x 14 ft. Not found at<br />
Home Depot.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Day 2). Saturday. Things are not going as well. The shingles I used in the first phase have a class action law suit against them right now so Home Depot no longer carries them. Of course I don't know there is a class action law suit yet so I have hunted them down at a Rona. Again, lucky for me they do not have Two Tone Black in stock, if I want them I will have to drive to Erin Mills, no thanks, something at Home Depot will have to look close enough. Put that job off until tomorrow and just take the plywood and other items back today. I have a limited window of time to get all of my plywood cut and on the roof with the help of my neighbour. I had decided that cutting plywood is not my forte, nor do I want to attempt to carry 4ft x 8ft sheets of plywood up on a roof by myself. As it turns out, 1/4" plywood doesn't weigh much and I could have done that as well if I had to.<br />
<br />
Day 3) Sunday. Now 2 things will slow down this whole process. 1) Squirrels had gotten into the attic a few years ago and apparently this was the section of roof that they had gnawed down to tooth picks. Some wood replacement is required. 2) I have two chimneys on this section of the roof. One of them is no longer connected to any fireplace, and when my shovel peeled the shingles underneath I thought the whole chimney would topple over. I think this one will have to come down.<br />
<br />
Day 4) Monday. The chimney came apart surprisingly easy and reinforcing the area with some 2 x 4's didn't take much, fixing the section that the squirrels had modified also was not that difficult.But due to all this messing around we are now into Monday and I have a big project shipping out at work that I should be present for. So half day of work lost.<br />
<br />
Day 5) Tuesday. I have a seminar to attend this morning, lose another half day. And now this cold I seemed to have caught is really kicking in.<br />
<table cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPSUffe6iAd8skrisuY7noLqikfEnURedHXl8EfVgviVe9tcIccuNbgkweYy-SXcYBaMOfyZbbqTnx6gHZn2bq9Pop1GKUiXQq7bv7XPBPBt9yueGi0OCyKvZiXtSWyLGzgVThvhZI9zIa/s1600/photo+%283%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="2" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPSUffe6iAd8skrisuY7noLqikfEnURedHXl8EfVgviVe9tcIccuNbgkweYy-SXcYBaMOfyZbbqTnx6gHZn2bq9Pop1GKUiXQq7bv7XPBPBt9yueGi0OCyKvZiXtSWyLGzgVThvhZI9zIa/s320/photo+(3).JPG" height="320" style="cursor: move;" title="Plywood Laid" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Added some thin 1/4" plywood<br />
on top to stop the shingles from<br />
wrinkling due to the old wood <br />
planks expanding and<br />
contracting with the weather.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Day 6) Wednesday. Rain is in the forecast so I think this will be an off day to hopefully recoup.<br />
<br />
Day 7) Thursday. This work is bloody hard. All the conditioning I did manage completely neglected the hands and feet. Standing at odd angles for long stretches of time has my calves and ankles screaming murder and constantly grabbing, pulling, beating, and hammering has made my hands feel a little like hamburger. Each morning I spend some time just moving things around slowly and doing some simple warm ups and Yoga to make the work easier. Who am I kidding, it doesn't make any of this easier but it is at least a way of dialing the threats to my system down again. Today was my birthday and I have made a solemn oath that I will not entertain the idea of roofing a house again in this lifetime. There were some other prayers mixed in that one but I'll save my self respect and not share those.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig_rwbyUqDtbOQHmrAcEemCCpZEAjXB8JKCsk-INIrUpSCUyIAna6rnyx2APNl_id4hlGcxPHrRS9L9csea7Di-aUj3cxjfXdL_zazSMpZh0JXCfTVQVnTN-Y-onOX9nJz_2UvQdjCgKlZ/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="2" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig_rwbyUqDtbOQHmrAcEemCCpZEAjXB8JKCsk-INIrUpSCUyIAna6rnyx2APNl_id4hlGcxPHrRS9L9csea7Di-aUj3cxjfXdL_zazSMpZh0JXCfTVQVnTN-Y-onOX9nJz_2UvQdjCgKlZ/s1600/photo.JPG" height="320" style="cursor: move;" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On left side is the old shingles,<br />
on the right side is the new<br />
shingles. More or less.<br />
Can you spot<br />
the difference?<br />
I don't care if you can.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Day 8) Friday. I am leaving for a week on Sunday to install a piece of equipment in South Carolina. There is no way I can take today off of work so the roof will have to wait until tomorrow. This is cutting it much closer than I had planned. We are already entering 8 days on a 3 day project. Yesterday went OK. At least shingles are getting laid down now. I have been bringing bundles up in sets that I have divided up over the whole project. Making sure to not get too wiped out doing it all at once which may cause me to move poorly due to being over tired. Perhaps that explains why this longer period of time has been good. I have gotten a little work hardened and did not have to move too much at one time.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Day 9) Saturday, I have to move fast today. No time for stopping, less breaks. Full out and get this done. Out of nails. For crying out loud, a trip to Home Depot steals an hour and a half. Today I have felt the stress of the project most. Knowing I have an immovable deadline and it is threaten rain at points today.
<br />
<table cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbLcK7suAoM3mPXNCnatALFsmPzCO8Yz4Cw6jqmOcOrDv8aRiNYFKQRuKhKKgW1PiXuSDIgOhaD0iawuSO0uvaIiwFechbSQXaFEf7k322O-W4qa4yWLEPnPcT6S1O_xME4qPYRAut4Djg/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="2" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbLcK7suAoM3mPXNCnatALFsmPzCO8Yz4Cw6jqmOcOrDv8aRiNYFKQRuKhKKgW1PiXuSDIgOhaD0iawuSO0uvaIiwFechbSQXaFEf7k322O-W4qa4yWLEPnPcT6S1O_xME4qPYRAut4Djg/s320/photo.JPG" height="320" style="cursor: move;" title="Shingles Hauling." unselectable="on" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Each bundle weighs 75lbs.<br />
This part really kicked my ass.<br />
But I hauled almost all<br />
of the bundles up on my<br />
problem shoulder.<br />
22 trips, 1,600 lbs - not bad,<br />
and the pain didn't<br />
increase at all.<br />
How is this possible?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I have had to work hard to keep breathing as calmly as possible to prevent the stress from building. It is helpful that this is a physical project. Being able to work hard helps dissipate a lot of that stress. Nevertheless, my goal to end this project without increasing pain will need me to keep myself calm.<br />
<br />
Somehow I manage to get to the point where I am putting the capping shingles on by 5:30pm. I have to cut each shingle into three pieces and angle them so that they lie neatly across the top. I am actually getting good at this part. The first time I did this in phase 1 I used about 2 - 3 times as many shingles as I should have and I cut the angle incorrectly so some pieces were peaking out that shouldn't have. But as I do this now I hear thunder in the distance. Being on your roof in a thunderstorm, I have heard, is not advisable. How close is it? I keep moving faster to get each cap in place. Another quiet rumble off in the distance. Faster, faster, but keep calm. The sun is going down now making this even more interesting. I manage to get all the caps on and take a picture for proof to show Mark Hollis in New Zealand. But I am still not done.I have to seal all the gaps and vents and chimney.<br />
<br />
Conclusion:<br />
This is a pretty self indulgent article, I'll admit that. And most of the time I am just writing about the project. But I hope there is some take away points I can leave here and that someone will get something out of this somewhere.<br />
<table cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDs-NYNYVeX6M4LAC15xOPEJLd-OqU0IPv7zGcKYF9X5WSbLACiw8CHBQNzoIv_UVaCte5MPFl1f7MxaKk43ORTI1kcF_XwHLVrDbvjfYbjTHXPLa6ouw5T8oDH7qePD74xeMyrAqh5CWf/s1600/photo+%282%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="2" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDs-NYNYVeX6M4LAC15xOPEJLd-OqU0IPv7zGcKYF9X5WSbLACiw8CHBQNzoIv_UVaCte5MPFl1f7MxaKk43ORTI1kcF_XwHLVrDbvjfYbjTHXPLa6ouw5T8oDH7qePD74xeMyrAqh5CWf/s320/photo+(2).JPG" height="320" style="cursor: move;" title="All Shingled" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A thing of beauty. Even if<br />
I do say so myself. I sure<br />
do have that capping down.<br />
But don't ask for a quote,<br />
I'm too expensive :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<ul>
<li>If I had listened to the sensations in my Neck, Shoulder, and Hip I would never have planned to do this project. But I have learned that how they feel does not necessarily tell me whether they are capable or not.<br /><b> Pain is not an accurate indication of how much you should or can move</b>.</li>
<li>Preparation makes everything better but we also live in a complex, shifting and challenging world. <br /><b>Don't wait for everything to be perfect to get started. Prepare as much as you can and then get going.</b></li>
<li>In the middle of this project, and incidentally in the middle of the other 2 phases, I wanted to quit or give up a lot. I had the voice telling me "this is too hard", "you won't finish in time" and "this is really going to cause you to suffer later". I had to ignore that voice a lot without ignoring every voice. <br /><b>When it is really hard just focus on the next little step you have to do.</b></li>
<li>Plan out your risks, learn as much about your strengths and weaknesses as you can and have back up plans whenever possible. I wore a safety harness, I had access to help if I needed it, and I wasn't working alone, someone was within earshot. <br /><b>Safety first.</b></li>
<li><b> </b>When things were getting really hard I remembered to breath deeper, to acknowledge that some of the thoughts I was having were not accurate I had to refocus my attention to what was really going on. <br /><b>Don't believe everything you think.</b></li>
<li>Finally<b> </b>after the project was over and I was on the plane Sunday and the rest of the week. I noticed that I did not have any increase in pain. In fact it had actually lessened a bit. <br /><b>Understanding pain and why we hurt can actually make</b> <b>a huge difference</b>.</li>
</ul>
Oh and I really have to tip my hat to roofers everywhere. They earn every cent they get paid. Also, my wife, who absolutely hates cooking, did me the biggest favour all week and prepared all kinds of meals and coffee, helped a ton with ground clean up and warm hugs at the end of each night. She worked equally as hard as me and as always "<i>it takes two to tango</i>"Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05413199845932901845noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563040886874719671.post-2669759218758811072012-06-11T21:41:00.000-04:002012-06-11T21:45:17.265-04:00Doug The Great and Participation HouseA few years ago I really wanted to be a professional speaker. I had been listening to people like Les Brown, Jim Rohn, Tony Robbins, Steven Covey and of course Zig Ziglar to name a few. Sandy and I went to courses and live lectures and I even had the idea of speaking more in my mind when I joined the Rotary club. It is something I would still like to do more of but it is on hold for a little while longer.<br />
<br />
When we were learning about the art of speaking we found miles of information. How to prepare material, how to look and dress, the importance of humour and eye contact etc. etc. so when we went to the Jaycees event back in 2002 (boy that is back a bit) we were prepared to critique the 2 speakers of the evening.<br />
<br />
So as a side note, I have told this story a few times but the problem is that memory is a very slippery and unreliable thing. I have probably changed some elements and details over the years of telling it. But the important point of this story is I don't remember <i>anything</i> about the first speaker. Not his name, not the topic, nothing.<br />
<br />
However, I will never forget <a href="http://www.dougthegreat.com/index.htm">Doug Hunt</a> or the "Doug The Great" as he is billed.<br />
<br />
It wasn't because Mr. 1st Speaker (we'll call him that) was poorly prepared. No, he was polished, he made excellent eye contact, opened with humour, and by all accounts was very good <i>technically</i> but<br />
a) his message didn't move us, <br />
b) I am not too sure if it moved him, and<br />
c) it was missing that life's purpose.<br />
Doug on the other hand, didn't make eye contact for more than a few seconds. He kept looking at the ceiling for some reason. He bounced around in the beginning, lost his place, and didn't seem to have any plan for how to begin. But boy did he have a purpose. And it wasn't to be a great speaker. <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.abwheelchairsport.ca/clientuploads/Sledge%20hockey%20pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="161" src="http://www.abwheelchairsport.ca/clientuploads/Sledge%20hockey%20pic.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sledge Hockey is not for sissies</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Doug didn't spend much time talking about how he earned his <a href="http://www.dougthegreat.com/Achievements.htm">2 Guinness World Records</a> for stilt walking but of course I still remember that. What he did spend a lot of time talking about was his experiences at <a href="http://www.participationhousebrantford.org/html/volunteer.shtml">Participation House</a> in Brantford, Ontario.
Participation House is a community living arrangement for Physically Disabled Adults. The goal is to help the residents live an active and integrated life. To Participate if you will. And the founders had this foresight in <i>1978</i> which is truly astounding.
One story in particular that Doug told was about <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sledge_hockey" target="_blank">Sledge Hockey</a>. If you haven't watched Sledge Hockey, don't let the fact that these players are sitting down mislead you. They are out for blood just like any other Canadian on ice.<br />
<br />
The residents at Participation House (P.H) learned about some disabled people who were playing sledge hockey somehow and thought "Hey, if they can do it, we can do it". Doug and the others at P.H were always looking for activities and this seemed perfect so the group set to work. They first acquired the equipment, got some ice time, arranged for training, skills development, all the things you need if you want to become a first rate Sledge Hockey team. They set up matches to play each other and learned all the rules getting quite good at their new sport. So of course now is the time to up the ante. An annual tournament was held in Toronto, and teams from all over would come to compete. It was a perfect place for them to show off their skill, bring home the title, and reign as champions. The dreams were starting and I am sure fame and fortune were among the minds of some.<br />
<br />
So after all the weeks of grueling training and preparation, their turn to compete came. They took to the ice against their opponents in the first qualifying match and it was a slaughter. It wasn't even close. The score ran up so high that there probably should have been a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercy_rule" target="_blank">mercy rule</a> called. They lost that badly. Yes, <i>they lost</i>!!!!!<br />
<br />
After the game Doug was afraid to go into the dressing room. He knew that all the hopes and dreams of the players were now shattered and that he would have to spend time helping them pick up the pieces. He knew how hard it would be to face the fact that they really weren't that good at sledge hockey at all and should probably retire to avoid further embarrassment. <br />
<br />
As he prepared to enter the dressing room he heard something unusual. Shouting, yelling, and......<i>laughing</i>? Yes laughing. The players were cheering and celebrating as Doug walked in. Dumfounded he listened to them regale each other with stories of the trouncing they just received. After all the hard work and preparation Doug was at a loss to understand or explain what he was hearing. Why were they so happy?<br />
<br />
So this is the big take home lesson. I mean, when we heard the answer the room was completely quiet. That sound when something truly profound has been told and everyone in the room has been transported by hearing it.<br />
<br />
The dreams of fame and fortune were in the minds of Doug, the helpers, and the trainers, not the players. For the residents of P.H one of the things that they didn't get a chance to do very much was participate. Even when they did get that chance it was usually choreographed and controlled so that no one would get their feelings hurt and every one would get to be a winner. What they had <i>never, ever</i> had a chance to do in their life was <b>lose.</b> To give it their best shot, to prepare and compete and fall completely flat on their face. And to the players this was a revelation. This was glorious. They finally had something real and they were ecstatic. <br />
<br />
If there is ever a single lesson I would like to remember it is this. Being able to participate in life, being able to fail, and to lose is something not to take for granted. It is not something to whine about. As hard as it is, remembering that being here and present and having this experience of life is precious and fleeting. And I hope to relish it and savour it before it is gone.<br />
<br />Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05413199845932901845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563040886874719671.post-7688042695877317922011-10-17T12:40:00.001-04:002014-04-13T12:04:04.686-04:00Understanding PainDiane Jacobs of <a href="http://www.somasimple.com/" target="_blank">SomaSimple</a> tipped me off to this great little video that helps explain pain in under 5 minutes.<br />
<br />
It is well worth reviewing a couple of times if you have persistent pain that has never been explained to you in a clear and concise way.<br />
It was never explained to me. I had to search and dig for almost 10 years to find out what pain really was.<br />
<br />
It also helps explain why Yoga works, and also why it doesn't sometimes. If we start to believe it is the poses or the breathing drill for a count of 10 that produced the magic we have completely missed the mark.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/4b8oB757DKc" width="560"></iframe>Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05413199845932901845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563040886874719671.post-91089280681988255382011-10-13T18:16:00.000-04:002011-10-13T18:16:48.886-04:00Monica Voss on Pranayama vs Breath Awareness<div><div>This video represents one of the reasons that we enjoy Monica Voss so much. She brings the human quality to Yoga that is so quiet, so unassuming, and yet represents where the real power of Yoga lies in our opinion.</div><div> </div><div>Here she talks about the difference between Pranayama and Breath Awareness and how one might choose the most useful approach and include this in a personal practice.</div><div> </div><div><iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/24804132?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&color=00AAA6" webkitallowfullscreen="" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" width="400"></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/24804132">Pranayama: Breathing Exercises</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/torontobodymind">Toronto Body Mind</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</p></div></div>Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05413199845932901845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563040886874719671.post-55868408779036565272011-09-05T18:12:00.001-04:002011-09-05T19:57:35.496-04:00Yoga and NeuroscienceA field that has fascinated me for over a decade is the field of Neuroscience. This field has changed the way we look at almost everything in the last 10 years. Books by the thousands now reference areas of the brain as if talking about items on a supermarket shelf the terms are becoming so common place. It is not unusual for an author to write about neurotransmitters like Dopamine or Serotonin, or areas of the brain like the Amygdala or the Hippocampus when discussing their particular point or topic.<br /><br />So where does that leave Yoga? Well, in fact, right in the middle of it all,... hopefully. Yoga involves humans (<a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/thejewishdream/doggy-yoga-xlj">most times</a>), so it would be impossible, except with some very skillful surgery and advanced electronics, to be practicing Yoga without using your brain.<br /><br />Despite what you may be worried about, you don't need to know or understand any of these terms or concepts when practicing Yoga to get the benefits [it's OK if you do though ;) ]. The research on Yoga and the Brain is just starting to come in such as <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/05/070521145516.htm">Yoga and GABA</a>. Yoga in this study was shown to increase gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels by 27% in participants after their Yoga session and reduced GABA levels have been identified in people with depression and anxiety disorders.<br /><br />There will undoubtedly be much more research coming out in the next decade to help us learn about how to best use the best healthy living Yoga principles and eliminate those that provide very little or no help.<br /><br />This is what is happening to the field of Pain Science. Many treatments such as Physical Therapy and Massage Therapy are radically changing as our understanding of the main role the Brain plays in the experience of pain and suffering. One site in particular that I have come to appreciate above all is www.somasimple.com. A site devoted to deconstructing false Pain and Therapy ideologies.<br /><br />Two major books that have helped catapult this understanding are:<br /><a href="http://www.normandoidge.com/normandoidge/MAIN.html">The Brain that Changes Itself</a> - Norman Doidge<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Phantoms-Brain-Probing-Mysteries-Human/dp/0688172172">Phantoms in the Brain</a> by V.S Ramachandran and Sandra Blakeslee<br /><br />Doidge is a Toronto based Psychiatrist and his book fits easily in my top 5 books of all time. It is highly readable and if you have even the smallest amount of interest in what goes on in your attic you will really enjoy it.<br /><br />Ramachadran is a Neurologist in California and has a number of fascinating videos on <a href="http://youtu.be/t0pwKzTRG5E">Youtube,</a> he is engaging to listen to with his rolling R's and Indian accent making it well worth the time investment.<br /><br />Of course as soon as there is any new technology or scientific discovery hacks and charlatans will come in and try to use it to explain their own particular kook theories. Take the video below for example. There is a genuine lack of use of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occam%27s_razor">Occam's Razor</a> by the proponents of the theory behind SuperBrain Yoga. There is no reason to resort to the convoluted theories that the "experts" in this news program resort to when they explain their experience with SuperBrain Yoga, the fact that people are <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">exercising</span></span> everyday explains it all away. There are so many problems with the evidence they give for the rest of the purported results it is not even worth getting started.<br /><br />It is because of the <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">huge</span></span> amount of this kind of crap in Yoga that I had to learn how to find my way to good sources of information and most importantly <span style="font-style: italic;">how to think</span>. See the links to excellent books on this topic below the video. As well as some of the links on the left side.<br /><br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/UnxcOYVzQTw" allowfullscreen="" width="420" frameborder="0" height="345"></iframe><br /><br />There are literally hundreds of books and websites devoted to skeptical inquiry and critical thinking. 3 of the best books I have read in that area are below although there are many more that could easily have fit on this list.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.theinvisiblegorilla.com/">The Invisible Gorilla</a> -Christopher Chabris and Daniel Simons.<br />If you think you can talk on a cell phone and drive take their world famous Selective Attention test <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJG698U2Mvo&feature=player_embedded#%21">here</a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.ca/People-Believe-Weird-Things-Pseudoscience/dp/0716733870">Why People believe Weird Things</a> - Michael Shermer<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.ca/How-Become-Really-Good-Pain/dp/1616143975">How to become a really good pain in the ass </a>- Christopher DiCarlo<br /><br />I'll write some more on this soon?Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05413199845932901845noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563040886874719671.post-10106000510370580402010-12-09T20:32:00.002-05:002010-12-09T21:17:44.210-05:00Keeping Finances Clear This HolidaysThe other lecturer at the Hamilton Spectator Was Nina Lewin of Catholic Family Services. Nina has a background in the Banking Industry and a BA of Social Work.<br /><br />It is always hard to get up the enthusiasm to speak about things when there are not many people in the audience but Nina was undaunted. Talking about financial matters with people is not an easy task at the best of times. It is not surprising that people may not show up at a lecture that would expose there financial hardships.<br /><br />Nina was an enthusiastic supporter of choosing a realistic financial goal for the holiday season. We do not like to set limits on celebrations because they are by there very nature a time to forget the hardships and struggles of everyday life. However, what most of us continue to ignore is what Nina referred to as "The Holiday Hangover". The one that comes in January and February when the big bills start to roll in.<br /><br />Nina offered her $$Million Dollar Tip$$. First a simple plan for a financially successful holiday season. Following this plan will help you reform your finances in under 1 hour.<br /><br />Step 1 - Write down all of the money that you will receive between now and the last shopping day (the sooner you do this the better)<br /><br />Step 2 - Write down all of the things that you must pay for, the essentials ( this may need to extend past the last shopping day to the next day when more money will come in.)<br /><br />Step 3 - Subtract the amount in Step 2 from the amount in Step 1. The difference is what you can <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">afford</span> to spend on gifts this holiday season.<br /><br />Afford is the key word because in today's day and age it is very easy to pass that amount. And once you pass it by a little bit what will a little more hurt.<br /><br />$$The Million Dollar Tip$$.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Meeting unrealistic expectations is often the source of over spending!</span><br /><br />A key phrase that Nina tries to teach the people who come to see her at her office is...<br />"The size of my gift for you can't match the size of my love for you this year"<br />She suggests that they share this with their loved ones as early as possible.<br /><br />Nina also had some golden ideas that she has used to help prevent over spending.<br /><ul><li>Gift Certificates. - These ideas make it so much easier to budget because a $10 or $20 gift certificate is exactly that and you don't get caught spending more than you planned.</li></ul><ul><li>Redeem Points. - Some people forget that they have been collecting Air Miles or other such points all year. These points can be used to help buy gifts.</li></ul><ul><li>Name Draw. - As families start to grow with children and grandchildren, the amount of gifts needed can expand beyond reason. Try picking names from a hat so that each family member is only buying for one or two people.</li></ul><ul><li>Donations in Their Name. -Similar to Gift Certificates you can choose how much you are going to give and it can go to a worthy cause instead of to some unwanted nick knack that ends up on a shelf.</li></ul><ul><li>Just the Kids. - Instead of buying gifts for all of your siblings, parents etc.. just choose gifts for the young children. This can lighten the load of shopping.</li></ul><ul><li>Give Time. - Nina told the story of her grandparents who were getting on in years and who tended not to cook for themselves as much. She started earlier in the year cooking a little extra with each meal and putting it in the freezer, so come Christmas she would bring over all the extra meals and her grandparents could have great home cooked meals when ever they wanted. These kind of ideas take a little forethought but are often very appreciated.</li></ul>The <a href="http://www.cfshw.com/">Catholic Family Services</a> is located at 447 Main Street in Hamilton. They offer services like the debt reduction and financial help that Nina offers. Nina has a background in the banking industry and offers great advice like the above article. These services are available to anyone regardless of religion or personal beliefs.<br /><br />Also, for people that are experiencing problems with mental illness or have Family, friends, or even neighbours who may be struggling and need help <a href="http://coasthamilton.ca/hamilton.php">COAST</a> (Crisis Outreach and Support Team) is a multidisciplinary team consisting of child and youth crisis workers, mental health workers, nurses, social workers and plain-clothes police officers in the Hamilton and Wentworth region. <span class="topmenu"><span style="font-size:+1;color:#000000;"><strong>Hamilton Crisis Line 24 hours - 905-972-8338<br /><br /></strong></span></span>We only found out about COAST recently and is a very helpful organization when dealing with difficult situations.<br /><br />Have a happy holiday season!Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05413199845932901845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563040886874719671.post-36389410587190558802010-11-28T18:36:00.005-05:002010-11-29T10:33:07.672-05:00Holiday Stress and YogaIn keeping with our new roles as lecture attendees and note takers we have some notes from a recent Lecture we attended at the Hamilton Spectator.<br /><br />Unfortunately the attendance at this excellent lecture was low but it didn't dampen the enthusiasm of the speakers Dr Karen Rowa and Nina Lewin.<br /><br />The first speaker was Dr Karen Rowa Clinical Psychologist for St Josephs HealthCare.<br /><br />Dr Rowa began her lecture by emphasizing that we all experience stress during the holiday season. The difference between those who move through it with grace and those who become broken, bitter and miserable has a lot to do with the strategies we employ.<br /><br />She mentioned several strategies that she expanded upon. Relaxation, Self Talk, Challenging Expectations, Simplifying, and Saying No.<br /><br />Relaxation, well what can we say, she started out by stating that how we breathe will influence our state of mind. Poor, shallow chest breathing increases fatigue, creates headaches, muscle tension and anxiety. During times of heightened stress stop just for a moment and take a deep breath in and let out a long, slow sigh and notice right away how effective breathing can be for relieving stress. Going further, learning to draw deeply into the belly will allow the diaphragm to expand the abdomen. This type of breathing has been proven again and again to counter the effects of stress as well as help deal with the onslaught of issues with a more level head.<br /><br />Negative Self Talk is that running commentary in your head. Most of us have that ongoing voice that is the narrator of our days. But what we may not realize is that the voice has slowly and subtly implanted a negative slant on us and our world. "That was stupid", "I better not screw up the Turkey like I usually do", or "I will never be able to make it, it is just too much". All of these lines keep getting repeated over and over while they wear us down. Dr Rowa suggested that when these thoughts start to spell out doom and gloom try this:<br /><ol><li>Question the story.</li><li>Write down the facts and the evidence.</li><li>Ask "What is the worst that can happen?"</li><li>Try looking at the situation with a different outcome.<br /></li></ol>By shaking up that commentary and exposing it for what it is we can break free from its destructive cycle.<br /><br />Expectations. Things we believe need to happen.<br />Everything needs to be perfect when Mom and Dad visit. I only buy the very best presents for my family. I have to visit everyone over the holidays. There has to be a lot of presents. I can't have a budget at this time of year. Every Christmas Card has to have a personal letter with it. I have to host a Party.<br /><br />It is very important to stare these ideas down and challenge them. Questions like "What is most important here?", "What can I reasonably manage?", "Is something better than nothing?", or "Do I really have to say Yes?". These questions can't be answered with a knee jerk reaction, really look at where you are answering from to ensure that the answer is honest. It can be quite a liberating process.<br /><br />Of course when Dr. Rowa came to Lifestyle choices we were pleased to see that she had a great list.<br />Exercise - Proper Diet - Adequate Sleep - Quiet Time - Simple Pleasure - Yoga / Meditation.<br />We spoke to her afterward about the interesting fact that she separated Exercise and Yoga. She said that she always felt that they were not the same thing. Sandy and I both agree with this although it is still a difficult thing to explain. We had discussed this very same thing with seasoned Toronto Yoga teacher <a href="http://www.estheryoga.com/bio.html">Monica Voss</a> and she also found it hard to turn into words. But I digress.<br />Taking some time to do some simple time management, clarify your goals and values, set a realistic plan, and actually follow through with it will make the season much more rewarding.<br /><br />The lecture ended with Some Tips for saying No!<br /><ul><li>Set your boundaries and limits early and honour them.</li><li>Pick your battles carefully.</li><li>Strike while the iron is cool. Saying things in the heat of the moment leads to regret.</li><li>Keep it simple. Say no and don't embellish about why or how.</li><li>Don't over apologize. Respect your own right not to agree.</li><li>Take time to make a decision. If someone asks you to volunteer remember these 5 magic words "I will let you know".</li></ul>The thing with stress is that most things just happen the way they do and we either feel obligated to comply or make up a constant story about how rotten it is. Make sure you examine where these things are coming from. You may still have a wonderful and busy holiday season but by taking some control of it there will still be some of you left in January.<br /><br />I will have to write about Nina's lecture later, I had to examine my expectation to finish this entire blog in one sitting :)Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05413199845932901845noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563040886874719671.post-82285906924328159142010-10-23T15:05:00.006-04:002010-10-24T21:29:39.374-04:00Yoga and Mental HealthLast Friday my wife Sandy (Not Saffron anymore) and I went to a St Josephs Healthcare event entitled "Tackling Depression and Anxiety".<br /><br />It was well attended and had some impressive speakers. Dr. Roberto Sassi, Assistant Professor at McMaster and St Josephs attending psychiatrist, Dr. Valerie Taylor, Assistant Professor at McMaster and Director of the Bariatric Surgery Psychiatry Program, and Dr. Randi McCabe Director of the Anxiety Treatment and Research Centre and Psychologist-in-Chief at St Josephs.<br /><br />Dr. Sassi had a dense presentation outlining the prevalence of Mental Disorders in Children such as Selective Mutism (not speaking), Panic Disorder ( a specific fear episode with no reasonable cause), and Social Anxiety Disorder (being highly anxious in social environments like school or with groups of strange adults). Symptoms become important if they persist for 6 months or more and are distinct from normal life development. For instance children are commonly afraid of storms at certain ages and have panic attacks but this normally subsides over time and is not completely debilitating.<br /><br />What made Dr. Sassi's lecture particularly relevant was the fact that he spoke of such highly beneficial Yoga techniques as Diaphragmatic Breathing, Mental Imagery, and Muscle Relaxation Exercises. We spoke to Dr. Sassi after the lecture and he said the reason Yoga is not seen or labeled in research studies as such is due to the wide variety of elements involved. One teachers Yoga can be so much different from another. Whereas isolating the specific techniques can help identify what is valuable. These techniques are often a successful part of a broader treatment plan including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Education, and in some cases where it is necessary medication.<br /><br />Dr. Taylor started her presentation off with a picture of the "It's a small world" ride at Disneyland. Dr. Taylor told us how the ride had to be closed down recently due to problems in operation. The ride was built in 1969 and is a slow moving boat that travels through a tunnel while the theme "It's a small world afterall..." plays in the background. It seems that lately the maintenance crew had been having problems with the ride getting stuck at various points. The problem? The riders have been getting bigger and weighing the boats down on the tracks they followed. In fact, Disney will have to review all rides built before 2000 within the next 10 years for the very same issue. People getting too big.<br /><br />Dr. Taylor's main talk was about how obesity is linked with mental illness. In particular, some drugs side effects are weight gain. She also noted how people with mental illness tend not to take care of themselves as well, eating less healthier food, and getting little exercise. This is a serious problem as many people stop taking their medication because of the weight gain. Clearly plenty of education needs to make its way to more people. Dr. Taylor was a little unclear on one point she presented. She said that one Tim Horton's muffin would add 3600 calories when eaten every 2 days, or 1/2 a muffin per day. She didn't state whether this was 3600 calories per week or per month. <a href="http://www.timhortons.com/ca/pdf/nutrition-guide-can.pdf">Tim Horton's Nutrition Guide</a> is available online and shows values range from 290 to 430 calories depending on the muffin and there are also big variations in fat and sodium. 3600 calories is equivalent to 1 lb of body weight, so adding a Chocolate Chip muffin with 430 calories would add 3600 calories or 1 lb after 8.4 muffins or 17 days (at a 1/2 muffin per day). This is a simplistic evaluation of nutrition and her point was, I believe, that muffins from Tim Horton's can sneak in a lot of extra calories. Dr. Taylor's lecture had many excellent points relating the metal health, unfortunately she left the event early and we were not able to speak with her afterward.<br /><br />The final speaker was Dr Randi McCabe. Dr. McCabe spoke about the success that she has seen using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help people reduce or overcome their anxiety or panic when properly applied. CBT enjoys a fairly good grounding in scientific research where it has been shown to be successful helping people with a variety of mental issues. One area that CBT doesn't seem to be making a big impact is in Chronic Pain. I pointed this out to Dr. McCabe after her talk but she was quick to add that CBT can help with the persons experience of pain though not necessarily with the pain itself. Chronic pain is a many faced problem and effective treatment may still not result in elimination of pain but by adding coping strategies allows people to live full lives.<br /><br />Dr. McCabe used a case study of how CBT was used to help with Panic Attacks. A patient (a teenage boy) had been having attacks in the classroom and before hockey games. The attacks became so severe that he would skip classes and miss hockey games because of them. The CBT approach helped him to write down Feelings, Thoughts, and Behaviors so as to become more aware of his inner environment. Even though it did not eliminate the attacks, his experience was greatly reduced or nullified because he had a form of control and self knowledge that empowered him.<br /><br />Sessions can take any where from 10 - 20 weeks depending on the complexity of the issue and support available at home. The main issue faced now is that for OHIP covered treatment the waitlist is expanding beyond 7 months. Dr. McCabe has written several books that are now available for people to help themselves at home.<br /><br />All in all the event was a very professional and much needed program. We hope to see more of these events in Hamilton in the future.Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05413199845932901845noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563040886874719671.post-20018171605103923682010-10-14T16:29:00.003-04:002010-10-14T16:29:00.668-04:00Chronic Pain<div>A word about Chronic Pain.</div><br /><div> </div>It seems that today the most important thing for us physically these days (when we are not losing weight) is being pain free.<br /><div> </div>Billions of dollars are spent every year to eliminate pain from all of it's causes.<br /><div>Got a headache? Take Excedrin.</div>Got a back ache? Physiotherapy or Pilates or Yoga will fix that up.<br /><div>Painful divorce? Our Therapists will talk you through it.</div><br /><div> </div>Something is wrong with you today if, with all this help available, you are still in pain. Doesn't it seem that way?<br /><div> </div>I am entrenched in one side of this issue. I have chronic pain. I say chronic because it has been around since a 2002 car accident and it is showing no sign of letting up. I have done the exercises, seen the specialists, even taken the pills. So what do I do with this new friend of mine?<br /><div> </div><br /><div>In the back of my mind there is this little voice saying "There is a solution, keep looking, try harder" and I really believe that voice. The problem has been, what do I do while I am searching / waiting for this solution?</div><br /><div> </div>The pain is stronger sometimes than others, something that is called a pain cycle. As I am writing this now it is in one of the most difficult phases. It is a frustrating, gnawing, withering type of pain. Not so much that I couldn't deal with it for an hour or even a day. But having the history that I have with it, some darkness can start to fall over my thoughts as it works away at me. It has been after me now in this phase for about 48 hours. I know it will start to lower to about half in a week or so. But there is never that release from it. Just less demanding of attention.<br /><div> </div>I can understand the frustration of other pain sufferers. Those who must toil away with no light at the end of the tunnel.<br /><div> </div><br /><div>The important part of conquering pain is feeling like you have some control over it. Some influence. You would never know to look at me that I am in this pain unless you observed me for some time, since I have no choice but to soldier on.</div><br /><div>The sad thing is, I know there are many many people in exactly this same situation. People who have to pay the bills, make dinner, take out the garbage, clean the floor, sometimes work on top of all of that.</div><br /><div> </div>The walking wounded a lawyer said as he told me there was no case for the automobile accident that started this pain.<br /><br />Most people don't like to talk about their pain, mostly because none of us really want to hear about it. And you get tired of restating the same things over and over. But on the other side of the coin you need to have some way to discuss the frustrations with someone who will listen.<br /><br />I plan to write some more about this topic in the coming weeks as a prelude to our upcoming workshop. And it has been too long since I added something to this Blog.Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05413199845932901845noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563040886874719671.post-28101719044000282342010-04-25T17:26:00.001-04:002010-04-26T19:47:27.444-04:00This blog has moved<br /> This blog is now located at http://blog.shavasana.com/.<br /> You will be automatically redirected in 30 seconds, or you may click <a href='http://blog.shavasana.com/'>here</a>.<br /><br /> For feed subscribers, please update your feed subscriptions to<br /> http://blog.shavasana.com/feeds/posts/default.<br /> Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05413199845932901845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563040886874719671.post-58066984716631894972010-04-02T13:43:00.005-04:002010-04-02T13:58:22.282-04:00India Passes Right to Education ActThis has to be one of the most moving things that we have come across.<br /><br />Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh spoke about this massive improvement and the impact it will have, particularly on minorities and young girls who may not get a chance otherwise.<br /><br />Watching this, Saffron and I both had tears in our eyes, we created Malo Certsé 6 years ago after our trip to India with the hopes of making an impact on the education situation of the children there. <br /><br />We will follow this with great anticipation as we watch India reap the benefits of this wonderful act.<br /><br /><br /><embed src="http://www.deccanherald.com/videos/newplayer/flvplayer.swf" FlashVars="config=http://www.deccanherald.com/videos/get_flv_xml.php?id=1320&autoplay=false" quality="high" bgcolor="#000000" width="480" height="360" name="flvplayer" align="middle" allowScriptAccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" allowFullScreen="true"></embed>Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05413199845932901845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563040886874719671.post-15828755885412857692009-07-13T20:33:00.004-04:002009-07-14T16:36:14.456-04:00Downward Dog<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.shavasana.com/Blog/uploaded_images/Adho-Mukha-Svanasana-Downward-dog-707606.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 205px;" src="http://www.shavasana.com/Blog/uploaded_images/Adho-Mukha-Svanasana-Downward-dog-707530.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Downward Dog (adho mukha svanasana) was a posture that I had hated for a long time. I remember Scott Davis (our teacher) would keep Saffron and I in the pose for what seemed like a dogs ages :).<br /><br />Now it is an all around favourite. Some of the things that are so invigorating about this pose were the exact reason it was so formidable back then. We are supporting perhaps 40% of our body weight with our upper body depending on how far our legs are from our hands. This makes for an opportunity to bring good stress to the bones, muscles and joints of the upper body which can help prevent diseases associated with under use of the upper body i.e osteoporosis.<br /><br />There are some interesting benefits to the fact that your brain is now essentially lower than your heart which makes this pose technically an inversion posture.<br /><br />What you want to make sure of is that you are not putting excessive stress on the shoulder joint or wrist, particularly at the sides of the neck by the shoulder or in the arm pit. By feeling for openness and softness in the skin you can find the right muscles for making the adjustments comfortable.<br /><br />If the leg muscles slacken, this can drop more weight on the shoulders and wrists, so using the legs to help you lift out of the pose is valuable work.<br /><br />The straight line you see from my hips to my hands is not possible for a small percentage of the population due to certain length of bones. Same goes for heels touching the ground, not everyone is able nor needs to do that. This is why a key instruction in Yoga is not to force.<br /><br />If you can stick with this posture for a few weeks you may learn to love it, it is one of my favourites now.Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05413199845932901845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563040886874719671.post-49234212767959801822009-06-03T07:41:00.005-04:002009-06-03T16:35:10.543-04:00Designers Catching on to Yoga WisdomA German company Festo has finally caught on to what Ancient Yogi's realized thousands of years ago. Study nature to learn the best way to use energy.<br /><br />Ancient Yogi's spent time observing animals and nature to help understand ways of conserving energy while promoting deep connections with the physical body.<br />They learned so much from nature that many of the Yoga postures are named after animals or plants.<br /><br />After years, in technology, of using pushing methodology for generating pneumatic forces Festo has developed a product known as the Fluidic Muscle.<br />Behaving much like a natural muscle these Fluidic Muscles actually contract like an anatomical muscle when air pressure is applied to them.<br /><br />The results are almost artistic as you watch the grace with which realistic movements can now be performed.<br /><br />So how does this apply to Yoga? Well for many, the tried and true method of getting anything done is willpower and sheer effort. You can spot these people in a Yoga class a mile away. They are straining, grunting and sweating. Often making jerky and forced movements to get into the next position.<br /><br />Observing nature can be very valuable. We have <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081219073047.htm">mirror neurons</a> in our brain which help us to learn by observing. By watching the fluid movements of animals it may be possible to incorporate that into our own improvements of grace while floating into Crane pose.<br /><br />Watch these fascinating videos to see how technology is evolving.<br /><br />This video demonstrates the way the Fluidic muscle contracts when activated.<br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8fIIXDG1YA4&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8fIIXDG1YA4&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br /><br />The Manta Ray is known for its efficient use of energy as it floats through the water.<br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-vT-oidWyXE&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-vT-oidWyXE&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Awkward on land, Penguins are incredibly quick and nimble under water.<br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/u8tfES8gImc&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/u8tfES8gImc&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05413199845932901845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563040886874719671.post-25200220817112386542009-04-22T13:27:00.005-04:002009-04-22T15:09:00.691-04:00LongevityIt is interesting to note that the Yoga Master we studied with in India in 2003, K. Pattabhi Jois, was 88 years old at the time and is still active now.<br /><br />His student B.N.S Iyengar, whom we also studied with, was 78 and he is still actively teaching today.<br /><br />Another more famous Yoga Teacher B.K.S Iyengar has just passed 90 active and going strong.<br /><br />Their teacher T. Krishnamcharya, and arguably the biggest single influence in Yoga, lived to over 100 years old.<br /><br />While not a comprehensive study of longevity by any means, living a balanced life and sharing that with others in a supported social environment is a wonderful way to invest our time.<br /><br />Here is an wonderful article about a Yoga teacher who is a living example of <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> 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style=";font-family:";font-size:11;" ><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://manchestertimes.micromediapubs.com/news/2009/0422/front_page/001.html">Yoga at 90</a></span><br /></span></span>Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05413199845932901845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563040886874719671.post-3571421509466985282009-02-23T12:02:00.000-05:002009-02-23T14:59:15.503-05:00Letting Go<p>Letting go is a big concept in Yoga. It is usually termed releasing attachment, non-attachment, or non-grasping (Aparigraha in the Yoga Sutras).<br /></p><p>Most of us have attachments to material or external things and we frequently have them removed from us against our will, resulting in a sense of loss or suffering. When our goals aren't reached. When our children no longer follow our wishes. When our job is lost. Or, the ultimate challenge, the death of a loved one. </p> <p>We really and truly can never HAVE anything, so it is a misconception that attachment is even possible. It is actually impossible. We could even say that we really only borrow our body for a century or so. When we acknowledge how temporary everything is, we can really enjoy what and who we have while they are with us, and we can grieve and move on when they are taken away.</p> <p>When you live fully in your intentions and let go of the results. You can live a life of passion and purpose in a way that isn't devastated by all of the eventual set-backs and obstacles. </p> <p>As teachers, Saffron and I are always discussing the ways that we can make Yoga accessible without imposing our own idea of how things need to be. We all face this difficulty as we seek to bring a positive influence into the lives of others (kids, employees, co-workers, family) without imposing our personal agenda that is often cluttered with our own personal blind spots.</p><p>Non-attachment is not without passion, we can be very passionate about inspiring others. Non-attachment asks us to look at how we "expect" it to turn out.<br /></p> <p>Try letting go of how it is supposed to be. Correct your course, but also correct your map occasionally. That large boulder might not be on your map but it is there now. Why crash against it or rail against it for being there? Walk around and let it go..<br /></p><p>Byron Selorme<br /></p>Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05413199845932901845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563040886874719671.post-12260506422981386532009-01-11T20:00:00.001-05:002009-01-11T20:04:36.362-05:00Oprah, Noprah, and the Anthropic PrincipleI am not going to presume much about what you think or know about this.<br /><br />I would like you to just think about it<br /><br />First review this video.<br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/i0wYxh-akZs&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/i0wYxh-akZs&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Now as you think about this a number of things could come up for you.<br />If you like or respect what Oprah has done, or you believe strongly in a faith or positive thinking this won't be much of a video to shake that.<br /><br />If you don't like or respect Oprah this video may confirm the thought that I am going to ask you to entertain.<br /><br />I am not judging Oprah one way or the other. She has done some great work and some not so great work. Human like the rest of us just a lot more successful at it. In fact, I commend her for the cover of her January 2009 magazine showing us how she has "Fallen off the wagon" in terms of gaining her weight back. This is something I would love to see more of on the magazine racks, we are wrestling with <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">life's</span> challenges, we all have set-backs and not everything works out like we have it planned.<br /><br />I would like to call attention only to the implied theory behind the video. And that is the one that says if we really, really want something, really devote ourselves to it, really pray or surrender or follow any other idealistic wishful thinking available, it will happen for us.<br /><br />So that is why I would like to introduce <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Noprah</span>. I am being a little cute by introducing this person but it is for a purpose.<br /><br />Say <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Noprah</span> has also read this book "The Color Purple", loved it, is telling everyone about it and handing out copies. She has also been called to the interview (I have trouble believing that someone just called Oprah out of the blue without there being some idea in that persons mind that Oprah was seriously thinking about playing this part) and also tried out for the part.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Noprah</span>, of course will have her own story about what happened to her, i.e. the diet camp she may have went to or maybe she felt she was too skinny for the part and has started eating more to fill out for it. When it comes down to selection time, what is the criteria that determines who is more likely to get the part.<br /><br />So "The Secret", being the crappy marketing ploy that it is engaging people in deepening their materialism and consumerism with positive thought and expectancy, tells us that when we really believe something will happen, the "Law of Attraction" will bring it to us.<br /><br />Who gets selected?<br /><br />Well for this article it doesn't matter. Someone always does get selected. The problem is usually that we are only ever hearing from the one Oprah and not the hundreds, or thousands, or millions of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Noprah's</span>.<br />I'm going to link this to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthropic_principal">Anthropic principle</a>. To be perfectly honest it will be a very loose connection but one meant to illustrate a point. As I am using it (and this is my version), the Anthropic principle is an evaluation of the idea that we are particularly special in the universe because we exist where we are and that this is so special that it must be more than just luck.<br />Maybe even meant to be. Everything has come together so perfectly to support us that it is a special gift. This isn't the principle, the principle ask us to consider the vastness of the universe. There are billions upon billions of planets and galaxies that exist (like little <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Noprah's</span>) all vying for the title of Earth. Who would be around to tell the story of success? Only the one whose conditions were met to allow intelligent life to propagate and rise to a level that lets it look at its position in life and think how it must have been meant to be. There would be no ability to do all this if all the needed conditions were not met.<br /><br />There may be a little <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Nearth</span> somewhere out there, the famous <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drake_equation">Drake Equation</a> seeks to discover the probability of it, that is only a few billion years away from sharing a success story. But we are here and now and cognizant of the fact that we are here and now.<br /><br />Oprah likes to believe that it was her wanting it that made it happen, but if Oprah had been Hispanic would that have been a problem? If Oprah lived in Tokyo would that have hindered her chances of being called? Malcolm <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Gladwell's</span> new book "Outliers" discusses the need for conditions to be met before we are going to hear the success stories, answering questions like why are so many NHL hockey players born between January and March? Many of the conditions are well beyond any hoping, wishing, praying, or wanting we could ever do.<br /><br />This has been a particularly long article so I'll finish with this. If you were to give up this wanting and just be You. If the rewards came and went, or didn't come at all. Can you live a life that is whole and complete?<br /><br />What would that look like?<br /><br />ByronBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05413199845932901845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563040886874719671.post-39294734173711094052008-09-29T06:33:00.005-04:002008-09-29T06:33:01.048-04:00Yoga During UncertaintyMaybe you know this already.<br /><br />Saffron (Sandy) used to own, with her brother and sister-in-law Steve and Virginia Selemidis, the "Coach and Lantern" Pub in Ancaster. It was their creation during an economically challenging time period in the early 90's. There was a rental space in the building they owned that had to be filled, no one was making offers.<br /><br />Saffron had the idea, suddenly as usual, to open a British Pub during this hard time. To say this was a risk is not to understand business very well. Most businesses fail within 5 years. Restaurants rarely make it 2 years. This was an incredible risk that the banks wouldn't even make direct eye contact with.<br /><br />The restaurant was a smashing success. There were lines up and down the sidewalk.<br /><br />Why?<br /><br />Well, the three of them were a talented business team, able to work very well together. They learned how to use each of their strengths and minimize each of the weaknesses.<br /><br />They also had made a move that proved to be very beneficial from a business standpoint that they hadn't realized.<br />What do people like to do when times get really tough, and when the future looks dicey? If you guessed drink beer, wine, or liquor in excess you win the prize.<br /><br />During times of uncertainty it is much easier to sell people alcohol as a quick fix that dulls the senses and makes it easy to forget the worries of the day, if only for a few hours.<br /><br />After years in this business, Saffron saw some of the lowest sides of people. It really shook her trust of the goodness of people. She saw the dark side all to often.<br /><br />She didn't want it anymore. There had to be a better way to be a part of the community. It was successful, there was money and respect from people but the dark side left such a mark. She wanted to leave a mark of beauty, respect, and love. This is where she turned to Yoga.<br /><br />Yoga comes at uncertainty from a different angle.<br /><br />As things start to get uncertain many of us will be tempted to dull the senses. To close up from the pain. Yoga does not teach us to ignore or hide from fear or pain. It teaches us to be sensitive to it and look at the best ways to work with it, around it or through it if we have to. Maybe there isn't even anything there at all, or at least not the monster we thought it was.<br /><br />As uncertainty sneaks in to your life how do you choose to respond?<br /><br />Do you take care of the things that matter most? Yourself, your family, and your community?<br />The Daily Practice of 7 minutes of Yoga brings you back to yourself where the heart of Yoga really resides.<br /><br />Take this time to reclaim your life, even in uncertainty.Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05413199845932901845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563040886874719671.post-29062905519708466292008-09-27T08:00:00.001-04:002008-09-27T08:00:00.910-04:00America's Next Top ModelI used to be a TV junky.<br /><br />I would watch whatever was on TV when I was home. Most often it was reruns of the Simpsons or other such Sitcoms, lots of nature programs, movies, and a few PBS shows (my particular favourite being Leo Buscaglia's lecture series).<br /><br />Since getting married I have become unplugged. I thoroughly enjoy this fact. The freedom in time alone for other more worthy pursuits has been well worth it.<br /><br />Every once in awhile, I do watch it when I am out visiting family. It sucks me right back in like a vortex. At least now I can reflect on things afterward instead of being hit by program after program.<br /><br />A couple weeks ago I had a chance to watch America's Next Top Model with Tyra Banks. I try to keep an open mind about these things. If you haven't seen the show, a bunch of hopeful models go through the gauntlet to prove that they are worth bringing into the modeling world. I guess it would be like a sport tournament to decide the winner etc.<br /><br />There is one major problem I have with the mentality, let's set aside the drastic things the women do to stay looking like that (eating cotton balls soaked in lemon juice, no calories feel full, brilliant), and that is the way that the winners are to be determined.<br /><br />At the end of the show Tyra said something that bothers me still today. They had selected 14 of the 30 (my numbers may be off) that the show started with. She turned to the ones who had not been picked and said to them "Look at these women, they just wanted it more than you did".<br /><br />This is the most idiotic thing I have heard come out of anybodies mouth.<br /><br />Why?<br /><br />No matter how hard they all try. No matter how beautiful, how poised, how unique, how much they sacrafice, how much they "want" it. There will always 14 on one side and 16 on the other side of the selection process. Even two complete equals in all respects will have some difference between them, and an arbitrary unimportant, impersonal, and ridiculous method will be used to select the "one".<br /><br />If she had said. "I think, in my experience, that these women will sell more products" there would be no viewer ratings though would there but surely there is a ratings grabbing way of saying that? Am I that out of touch?<br /><br />These are impressionable young women who have already, most likely, taken more than a slightly skewed approach to personal development.<br /><br />This is the kind of thinking that truly bothers me. There is far too many things out there tearing people down for not being good enough. Hard work is good, absolutely. But Dylan Armstrong, the Canadian Olympic Athlete who came 4th by 1 cm, shows that hard work and discipline and everything associated with it must be the reward, if there is one. This is what needs reinforcing, the experience.<br /><br />Find joy in what you do, regardless of the outcome.Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05413199845932901845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563040886874719671.post-33826293837569721352008-09-24T18:00:00.000-04:002008-09-25T17:08:45.939-04:00Honesty as a policy?<p>In Yoga, there are the Yamas, or social ethics. The first being Ahimsa (non harming) the second being Satya (truthfullness).<br /></p><p>One of the hardest things I can think of is the act of being totally honest with yourself.</p> <p>I have to admit, I like to delude myself quite often. </p> <p>It works both ways. Thinking I am better, smarter, or cooler than I really am. In other words forgetting that my sole purpose on the earth is to serve others.</p> <p>But that is already written about regularly. </p> <p>Strangely, it is much harder sometimes to be honest about where I are limiting myself. Where I believe I am incapable of something or bound to a label of myself.</p> <p>Take for instance the label of procrastinator. It had become such a belief at times that I truly was that person, until I started to learn who I really was.</p> <p>We create who we are each day. When we truly live in the present moment, now, this breath, we can't be a label. This moment hasn't happened yet. We have never been here before.</p> <p>Take for instance the approach to an arm balance or deep thigh bending posture where we "know" we have weak arms or weak legs or something else like that (even believing we are strong because we always have been). When we approach a pose as we were and not as we are, we rob ourselves. We enter the posture with a predetermined outcome and we will work to satisfy that belief. Neither stretching ourselves to grow nor being compassionate with ourselves when we need nurturing.</p> <p>What this means is that to get the most out of life we have to engage in what we are doing at that moment. See what is possible. Who are we really? If nothing had ever happened before in our life, what would be possible this moment?</p> <p>It is called a Yoga practice because we get a chance to fracture these beliefs every time we come to the mat.</p> <p>I practice as often as I can and reap the benefits in all other areas of my life.</p> <p>Practice yourself and see.<br /></p>Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05413199845932901845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563040886874719671.post-87034258788468351692008-08-31T16:24:00.003-04:002008-08-31T16:42:19.283-04:00Mark WhitwellThis past weekend we had an excellent opportunity to study with Mark Whitwell at the Yoga Festival of Toronto.<br /><br />We have had the good fortune of being able to study the ideas and concepts of Yoga with a variety of teachers from all walks of life and, quite literally, from all corners of the globe.<br /><br />Some experiences are very informative, some bland, some completely distasteful.<br />The trick is to evaluate what is relevant to us and what is not.<br /><br />This is a tricky situation. Sometimes the very work we need to do is the work we least want to do. Or for some of us, we are stern task masters that keep taking the joy out of learning and focus on the strict discipline.<br /><br />Our workshop with Mark was a breath of fresh air. It felt as though we were given the gift of Yoga all over again.<br /><br />Mark has some simple but profound concepts and principles that he put forth in his classes.<br /><br />Things like " Do your Yoga, not just any popular American brand of Yoga, but your Yoga"<br /><br />Or "Yoga is Strength / Receiving, the union of Masculine and Feminine"<br /><br />Or "Yoga is your direct participation in life as Life"<br /><br />He reminded us that Yoga is not about attaining some pose or some distant point or goal. It is about receiving the experience we have right now.<br /><br />What we have been practicing and studying over the years, and what we have taught for that matter, continues to evolve. The time that we spent connecting with the beautiful power of our breath, while peeling away all the rest of the unnecessary baggage, has been one of the most joyful experiences.<br /><br />What is absolutely fascinating is that we can never know exactly how this will affect or change our future. It makes life magical and wondrous.<br /><br />Don't be afraid to experiment with your own experience of personal practice. Not one of us will ever fit into a system. The joy comes our of that direct experience.<br /><br />"Do Your Yoga"<br /><br />Thank you Mark!Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05413199845932901845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563040886874719671.post-71813858168107351432008-08-18T07:00:00.000-04:002008-08-18T07:00:00.837-04:00Non Violence<p>We are taught in Yoga to observe Ahimsa or nonviolence. Great leaders of humanity from all times have also taught these things. Gandhi and Nonviolence are synonymous. So just what is it that they are talking about?</p> <p>When practicing Ahimsa we first need to remember that this is a universal principle. Meaning that we must consider ourselves in our nonviolent behavior. We also must realize that absolutely perfect Ahimsa is not possible. Even a vegetarian must eat living food of some kind or may inadvertently cause another life form to expire. We can also be extremely hard on ourselves and others, expecting everything to change for the better in a moment. This will put us into a conflict at sometime or another. With our self, with someone we are close to, or even a stranger.</p> <p>Gandhi said "We must be the change we want to see in the world". However he also didn't say that this had to happen overnight.</p> <p>Every time I have had an insight surrounding my actions on the Yoga mat or in life there is a period right after where reflection is necessary. Take for example our training as teachers. When something was given to us, whether it was an adjustment or a change in thought pattern, it threw everything we had been investing in out the window. When I had Triangle Posture down, holding my toe and extending fully, I felt accomplished. When I was told that I was doing it wrong and that I was hurting my hip I was taken back. Disillusioned, not wanting to change something that I considered myself good at. At first I wanted to stop practicing it altogether. After all it would be embarrassing if I couldn't demonstrate the full postures to students when I am the teacher and a supposedly advanced practitioner. I wouldn't look perfect.</p> <p>This internal conflict affects my outer world too. If I have these expectations of myself, what do others feel in my presence. The words that aren't spoken. Is it compassion for yourself?</p> <p>Ultimately, we all can choose two ways to process this kind of input. I have learned to take the harder road that creates the growth rather than the easier road to decay. Sometimes I do complain and delay that choice though. I am, however, getting more graceful at it.<br /></p><p>Finding the way to face myself and the world with more and more Ahimsa.</p>Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05413199845932901845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3563040886874719671.post-48671165246740324412008-08-02T13:29:00.001-04:002008-08-04T17:58:41.160-04:00Commitment<p>I don't know why we have to be committed to something for it to really make a difference in our life, I do know that until we make that leap of faith we cannot participate in the world as a complete human being.</p> <p>How do we commit to something that will make our lives better?</p> <p>Why is it so easy not to do the things that are good for us?</p> <p>I have come to believe that we are a meaning making creature. It has to mean something for us to do it. It has to pull for us to make it through the inertia of inactivity. Frankly, the "because it's good for you" line doesn't have much pull. We need to dig deeper than that.</p> <p>It is the "what for?" in our lives that really drives us. Money doesn't drive us. What we can use the money for is what drives us. In the same vane, good health doesn't drive us powerfully to commit. Why do we want to achieve good health? Most of us know or believe that to feel and be healthy is a great place to be. Unfortunately that still isn't enough.</p> <p>Our suggestion to help step up your ability to commit is to consider making the beneficiary someone other than yourself. We all know of parents that will go to great lengths to create the good life for their kids only to fall ill in their later years from neglecting there own health.</p> <p>We must start to realize that the better health we have, the better it will be for our kids because we will be active and vital in their life for a long time. The better it will be for our parents and siblings. The more we will be able to volunteer when we reach that point in our life. Having good health doesn't just affect us. It saves the earth and all the inhabitants because we will have the wherewithal to make a difference.</p> <p>A famous business philosopher Jim <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Rohn</span> says it well. "Take good care of the body, we need it to carry out the wishes of the mind and spirit"</p> <p>Consider what you could do if you had the energy and stamina to make that difference you want to make.</p>Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05413199845932901845noreply@blogger.com0