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Do you often find yourself spinning in thoughts of what others have that you don't? What you'd love to have in this world? What more or better stuff you can attain? How you could find a better job? The relationship or partner you are searching for? The perfect house or car or lifestyle?
I do. I've also realized that way of thinking causes sickness. It may not be something as obvious as cancer, yet...but it's there...in the subtle. Sometimes it's just a dragging feeling, or depression, anxiety, and a sense of being overwhelmed. Because the focus is on the external, and that focus becomes an obsession, that obsession causes stress, or negative emotions, which then directly affect our health.
The things we desire, what we own, or what we want to own end up owning us. We imprison ourselves in the constant need for more in order to be happy. And it's an endless cycle of discontentment. We are waiting to be happy.
I think of my Qi Gong practice as medicine. Medicine for the body, medicine for the soul. They are interconnected. Sickness in the soul can cause pain and sickness in the body. I use this practice to feed me, to get me out of that loop. Just like an herb or a pill, this medicine is taken regularly, most often it is used daily. Same with the practice.
Its effect grows in value with discipline and repetition, a strong will, steadfastness, and of course LOVE. Love within, for yourself and others.
The focus is on the internal. We spend a lot of time wanting to change our external world. I believe there is an element of destiny in our lives, of fate. So why not focus on what we CAN change. Our reactions, our self-control in different situations, and our discipline in following that conduct. Whether you believe in destiny or not, these elements are still true. We can struggle hard with this or go easy. Life will happen anyway, just as it's supposed to. (Because if it happened, it's supposed to.) Going easy, ultimately allows for an internal freedom far more precious then anything we could pursue on the outside.
Our world seems to constantly pull us to the outside, so we need will power and purpose to continue focusing on the most important things. The things we know will ultimately give us peace, and happiness, resulting in good health.
But How? Not an easy question.
During a recent gathering of people I consider my family, we talked about the following ideas. They were helpful to me. So just in case you may feel the same, I share them with you.
- stay in practice (in my case Pangu Qi Gong and Yoga practice)
- do what you know works for you (Schedule it if you need to)
- notice when your energy is being pulled in a direction that brings stress; redirect it back, gently
- stay open to deeper possibilities for yourself
- surround yourself with like-minded people who share that purpose and desire, who see a profound value in seeking Truth, Kindness, and Beauty
- make it a priority to spend time with them -- just make it happen.
No matter what I tell myself, nothing could matter more.
Namaste,
Anisha
p.s. please scroll all the way down for a yummy Curried Yellow Split Pea and Yam Soup, delicious with a roast chicken :)
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Shine your light even brighter - register for
Pangu Yoga Teacher Training, January 2015 | |
Register by October 31
 Become one of the first students trained to continue the teaching of this inspiring practice.
Pangu Yoga Teacher Training
January 30 to February 1, 2015
Long Life Wellness Center
Cary, North Carolina
Learn more and register!
Deadline for registration and $100 deposit is October 31.
Training group size is limited, so reserve your space early!
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Pangu Yoga - try it, you'll LOVE it!
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Classes and Workshops at Bliss Body Yoga
 Weekly Classes
9:30-11:00 am, Tuesdays
5:30-7:00 pm, Thursdays
Intro Workshops
4:00-6:00 pm, Saturdays,
Oct 11, Nov 15, Dec 13
Bliss Body Yoga
4035 Lake Boone Trail, Suite 111
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Strengthen your Qi, Heart, and Soul!
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Join us for weekly Pangu Shengong - It's FREE
Join Anisha  and Paul for a no-fee Pangu Shengong Moving Form group practice from 10:00 to 11:15 am, Saturdays. More info and the September schedule at Ananda Healing Arts.
Be sure to join our Pangu Yoga & Qi Gong Meetup, The Art of Life Force, to stay up to date on meetings and activities.
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Late Summer: Time for Earth
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5-Element theory holds that the Earth element plays a key role in our ability to 'transform and transport.' This means a desire and an ability to take in food, transform it into a substance that can be used by our body for fuel and nourishment, and then to transport  it throughout our body, energizing, building and replenishing us, and finally to transport the residual waste from our filtering systems and out of our body. If this ability is in any way impaired, we can experience nausea or a lack of interest in food; we can crave sweets as a quick 'up' for a system that is not providing good nourishment to the body; we can have loose stools as the filtering systems of our body are impeded and not properly absorbing needed nutrients and water from the food we consume; and, if we aren't transporting good nutrients throughout our body, then our thinking is muddled and we feel weak in our mind, our spirit and our body. This kind of weakness can lead to poor muscle tone, over-thinking, worry and compulsive tendencies.
Acupuncture, herbal medicine and lifestyle counseling can all benefit a person with weakness in the Earth element. Additionally, changes in diet can be a tremendous boon, allowing one to make positive adjustments that improve health with each meal. Yellow-orange is the color of the Earth element, mildly sweet is its flavor, and its shape is round. Using foods such as sweet potatoes, millet, squashes, quinoa, carrots, peas, garbanzo beans, organic chicken and/or turkey, clarified butter, peaches and apricots can benefit the Earth element. Additionally, using warming spices and herbs has great benefit: Black pepper, ginger, garlic, cinnamon and nutmeg are very good selections.
Curried Yellow Split Pea and Yam Soup
2 cups organic yellow split peas, sorted and rinsed 
1 cup chopped celery hearts
1 large carrot, sliced and quartered
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 yellow squash, sliced and quartered
1 zucchini, chopped in quarters
1 medium yam, chopped in pieces uniform to the carrots and squash
2 cups spinach
4 fresh garlic cloves, minced
3-4 quarts filtered water
3 bay leaves
3 _ teaspoons yellow curry powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 heaping tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/8 teaspoon chili seeds
1 teaspoon onion powder
3 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)
2-3 teaspoons sea salt (or to taste)
Bring to boil and allow to simmer for 2 hours, or until all vegetables are well-cooked and breaking up into soup, and split peas are mushy. Stir often from the bottom to prevent scorching.
This soup will taste wonderful when finished, and even better the next day, as the flavors have more opportunity to mellow together.
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Reminder: September Schedule
|  Ananda Healing Arts will be closed September 1-8, and Anisha will see clients Tuesday through Thursday the remaining three weeks of the month.
Appointment dates are September 9-11, 16-18, 23-25. Our regular schedule will resume September 30.
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It isn't what you have or who you are or where you are or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about it.
~ Dale Carnegie
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