From a series of posts sent to our Meditation 30Day Challenge group.
Hello!
I have to confess, June got the better of me. By Saturday, the 30-day Challenge had come down to a Day 30 Challenge: I was bound and determined to meditate that day. As fate and scheduling would have it, though, I spent the morning well into the afternoon working on business, then the evening was devoted to the production and performance of our latest belly dance extravaganza. Still, I was determined that when I got home...alas, when I got home, I fell asleep. So did June come to an end.
Sunday I spent up in Michigan, picking black raspberries. We picked 10 quarts worth, between 3 of us. By the end, I was thoroughly scratched, sunburned, and serene. If you have ever spent hours gleaning fruit from bushes, you may have known the joy of one-pointed focus as I did. It was a marvelous day, but despite my best intentions, I never made it to the cushion.
At first I felt that I'd let all of you down. Today, I have a different perspective. I would like to continue the challenge: It's a brand-new month, with 30 days left in it. I will keep the Yahoo! group up and running, and continue to send out periodic missives. How do you feel? Would you like to keep this going?
Monday, July 2, 2007
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Meditation Challenge: Day 26
One of a series of messages sent to those participating in our 30Day Meditation Challenge. This was sent just after midnight, June 27.
Well, I must apologize for my absence. I didn't fall off the face of the earth, but I did fall off my own wagon in terms of sending you messages every day. The weather, both internal and external, has been tempestuous. All part of everyday life, of course. I remind myself, by reminding you, that we practice meditation in order to be practiced in meeting life where we find it. Some days are harder than others. Some days we are too tired, or angry, or just plain sorry for ourselves to make it to the cushion.--though we may know that those are the days we most need to sit, quiet our mind, witness ourselves.
I hope that your practice is going well. Whether you have sat as many days as you meant to or not, I hope that this challenge is teaching you something--some things--about yourself and your own mind.
Here's a quote:
"This method of synchronizing your mind and body is training you to be very simple and to feel that you are not special, but ordinary, extra-ordinary. You sit simply, as a warrior, and out of that, a sense of individual dignity arises. You are sitting on the earth and you realize that this earth deserves you and you deserve this earth. You are there--fully, personally, genuinely."
-Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior, Chogyam Trungpa
Talk to you soon!
Well, I must apologize for my absence. I didn't fall off the face of the earth, but I did fall off my own wagon in terms of sending you messages every day. The weather, both internal and external, has been tempestuous. All part of everyday life, of course. I remind myself, by reminding you, that we practice meditation in order to be practiced in meeting life where we find it. Some days are harder than others. Some days we are too tired, or angry, or just plain sorry for ourselves to make it to the cushion.--though we may know that those are the days we most need to sit, quiet our mind, witness ourselves.
I hope that your practice is going well. Whether you have sat as many days as you meant to or not, I hope that this challenge is teaching you something--some things--about yourself and your own mind.
Here's a quote:
"This method of synchronizing your mind and body is training you to be very simple and to feel that you are not special, but ordinary, extra-ordinary. You sit simply, as a warrior, and out of that, a sense of individual dignity arises. You are sitting on the earth and you realize that this earth deserves you and you deserve this earth. You are there--fully, personally, genuinely."
-Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior, Chogyam Trungpa
Talk to you soon!
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Meditation Challenge: Day 19
From a series of messages sent to our 30Day Meditation Challenge group. I sent this one just after midnight, June 20
We are nearly 2/3 of the way through this challenge. I myself have been finding this commitment to be...well...challenging to keep. I've meditated most days, but certainly not all. I've talked to a few of you who are also struggling. The important thing, of course, is to persevere. I do wonder if there is anyone out there who has managed to make it to the cushion every single day. Don't be shy; speak up and let us know! We could all use a little positive modeling, I think.
Lately I've been thinking about this: whenever I get to a place where I think I have some of the big things figured out--life, love, Right Livelihood, etc.--life comes along and provides me with a new challenge or two. (To be honest, it feels more like a smackdown, most of the time). Now, I know full well that the challenges are part of the journey, and perhaps the most important part. But still I find myself asking "Why? Why me, why now, when I'm trying so hard to live well?"
Here's a short, sweet answer for you, courtesy of Hildegard of Bingen, a cloistered Bavarian nun of the 12th century.
"Holy persons draw to themselves all that is earthly."
Yep. There's no point in making this journey unless you're ready to come back to earth and use what you have learned.
I leave you with one more quote from Hildegard:
"Where do we begin? Begin with the heart."
Amen, sister.
Talk to you soon!
--Both quotes from Meditations with Hildegard of Bingen, translated and illustrated by Gabriele Uhlein, OSF
We are nearly 2/3 of the way through this challenge. I myself have been finding this commitment to be...well...challenging to keep. I've meditated most days, but certainly not all. I've talked to a few of you who are also struggling. The important thing, of course, is to persevere. I do wonder if there is anyone out there who has managed to make it to the cushion every single day. Don't be shy; speak up and let us know! We could all use a little positive modeling, I think.
Lately I've been thinking about this: whenever I get to a place where I think I have some of the big things figured out--life, love, Right Livelihood, etc.--life comes along and provides me with a new challenge or two. (To be honest, it feels more like a smackdown, most of the time). Now, I know full well that the challenges are part of the journey, and perhaps the most important part. But still I find myself asking "Why? Why me, why now, when I'm trying so hard to live well?"
Here's a short, sweet answer for you, courtesy of Hildegard of Bingen, a cloistered Bavarian nun of the 12th century.
"Holy persons draw to themselves all that is earthly."
Yep. There's no point in making this journey unless you're ready to come back to earth and use what you have learned.
I leave you with one more quote from Hildegard:
"Where do we begin? Begin with the heart."
Amen, sister.
Talk to you soon!
--Both quotes from Meditations with Hildegard of Bingen, translated and illustrated by Gabriele Uhlein, OSF
Monday, June 18, 2007
Meditation Challenge: Day 18
From a series of messages sent to the participants in our 30-Day Meditation Challenge. I sent this one today, June 18.
Can it really be Day 18? Well, yes, it is, though it is early yet, so for me it feels as if this is Day 17's entry. (As I did my usual late-night meditation last night, but decided to write to you this morning).
This was a weekend full of challenges, and I often found it difficult to make time for myself, my thoughts, my inner space, my meditation time. Suffice it to say that the weekend began with a wake and ended with a busted refrigerator, and you'll get an idea of how I'm feeling today. As I did my other Monday-morning work, I've been searching for a decent quote for you. I've been searching, believe it or not, since 8:30 a.m.
3 hours later, here is a little bit of inspiration that doesn't deal directly with meditation, but with the vicissitudes of life that our practice helps us to live through.
"Periods of darkness, times in the forest and the underworld, are times when we are in the cauldron, more aware than during ordinary times of the necessity and possibility of regeneration and healing, in the place of surrender and choice.
To be vulnerable and fallible, to have a shadow and a soul, to make our way through life determining who we become by the choices we make, is what we do here. Over and over again, it seems to me, life comes along and says, "Choose!"...These are the decisions that shape our lives, which ultimately are soul journeys."
--Jean Shinoda Bolen, Crossing to Avalon, 1994
Enjoy the journey.
Can it really be Day 18? Well, yes, it is, though it is early yet, so for me it feels as if this is Day 17's entry. (As I did my usual late-night meditation last night, but decided to write to you this morning).
This was a weekend full of challenges, and I often found it difficult to make time for myself, my thoughts, my inner space, my meditation time. Suffice it to say that the weekend began with a wake and ended with a busted refrigerator, and you'll get an idea of how I'm feeling today. As I did my other Monday-morning work, I've been searching for a decent quote for you. I've been searching, believe it or not, since 8:30 a.m.
3 hours later, here is a little bit of inspiration that doesn't deal directly with meditation, but with the vicissitudes of life that our practice helps us to live through.
"Periods of darkness, times in the forest and the underworld, are times when we are in the cauldron, more aware than during ordinary times of the necessity and possibility of regeneration and healing, in the place of surrender and choice.
To be vulnerable and fallible, to have a shadow and a soul, to make our way through life determining who we become by the choices we make, is what we do here. Over and over again, it seems to me, life comes along and says, "Choose!"...These are the decisions that shape our lives, which ultimately are soul journeys."
--Jean Shinoda Bolen, Crossing to Avalon, 1994
Enjoy the journey.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Meditation Challenge: Day 14
Another from a series of messages sent out to participants in our 30-Day Meditation Challenge. I sent this one on June 14.
Two weeks in, how is everyone doing?I'll keep it brief tonight. Here are two short and simple quotes for you, both from Charlotte Joko Beck's wonderful book Everyday Zen: Life and Work.
"If you are new to practice it's important to realize that simply to sit on that cushion for fifteen minutes is a victory. Just to sit with that much composure, just to sit there, is fine."
"Each moment, as it is, is complete and full in itself. Seeing this, no matter what arises in each moment, we can let it be. Right now, what is your moment? Happiness? Anxiety? Pleasure? Discouragement? Up and down we go, but each moment is exactly what each moment is. Our practice, our aspiration, is to be that moment and let it be what it is. If you are afraid, just be fear, and right there you are fearless."
Enjoy your moment!
Two weeks in, how is everyone doing?I'll keep it brief tonight. Here are two short and simple quotes for you, both from Charlotte Joko Beck's wonderful book Everyday Zen: Life and Work.
"If you are new to practice it's important to realize that simply to sit on that cushion for fifteen minutes is a victory. Just to sit with that much composure, just to sit there, is fine."
"Each moment, as it is, is complete and full in itself. Seeing this, no matter what arises in each moment, we can let it be. Right now, what is your moment? Happiness? Anxiety? Pleasure? Discouragement? Up and down we go, but each moment is exactly what each moment is. Our practice, our aspiration, is to be that moment and let it be what it is. If you are afraid, just be fear, and right there you are fearless."
Enjoy your moment!
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Meditation Challenge: Day 13
From a series of messages sent to our 30 Day Meditation Challenge group. This one was sent June 13
What a roller-coaster of a week this has been on my end. Our goal of 30 days has sometimes (often) been the only anchor that could drag me to the meditation cushion in the midst of my private turmoil. I've been grateful for that. Though sometimes I think, "Oh no...another 19 days to go. What did I get myself into?"I have a feeling I'm not alone in my feeling. Usually once I've finished meditating for the day, I am grateful to have made it to the cushion, grateful to have kept my commitment. Sometimes not, to be honest; sometimes I feel just as worn out and worn down, just as confused, as I did before I sat. Yet I persevere, my faith in the process undaunted. And knowing that I could never let the rest of you down.
Here is today's quote:
"I can choose, and it is this exercise of volition, an...ancient potential of human behavior, that holds me accountable for the consequences of what I do. I did not set in motion the karmic stream, but it's up to me how I negotiate its currents. I can go with the current, swim against it, or seek a shoreline, but the currents and eddies of the stream are forever shifting and leave me no option but to continually decide what to do. My choices bear upon the stream itself, for it is a mutual stream in which all of creation swims. I can do nothing that will not affect you. You can do nothing that will not affect me. We are awash together, bound in such intricate and binding reciprocity that if anything moves, all moves."
--from "Ten Thousand Mistakes", by Lin Jensen, Shambhala Sun, March 2007
Talk to you...very soon!
What a roller-coaster of a week this has been on my end. Our goal of 30 days has sometimes (often) been the only anchor that could drag me to the meditation cushion in the midst of my private turmoil. I've been grateful for that. Though sometimes I think, "Oh no...another 19 days to go. What did I get myself into?"I have a feeling I'm not alone in my feeling. Usually once I've finished meditating for the day, I am grateful to have made it to the cushion, grateful to have kept my commitment. Sometimes not, to be honest; sometimes I feel just as worn out and worn down, just as confused, as I did before I sat. Yet I persevere, my faith in the process undaunted. And knowing that I could never let the rest of you down.
Here is today's quote:
"I can choose, and it is this exercise of volition, an...ancient potential of human behavior, that holds me accountable for the consequences of what I do. I did not set in motion the karmic stream, but it's up to me how I negotiate its currents. I can go with the current, swim against it, or seek a shoreline, but the currents and eddies of the stream are forever shifting and leave me no option but to continually decide what to do. My choices bear upon the stream itself, for it is a mutual stream in which all of creation swims. I can do nothing that will not affect you. You can do nothing that will not affect me. We are awash together, bound in such intricate and binding reciprocity that if anything moves, all moves."
--from "Ten Thousand Mistakes", by Lin Jensen, Shambhala Sun, March 2007
Talk to you...very soon!
Monday, June 11, 2007
Meditation Challenge: Day 11
Hi again! I went away for the weekend...well, okay, I didn't actually go anywhere, but the days were too full of weekend-type activities for me to find time to write to you. For which I apologize; I was thinking about you. Especially on Saturday, when I completely forgot to meditate and then felt a surge of guilt, because I'd somehow let all of you down...Eventually I got over myself, and thankfully also got over the momentary and childish urge to cover up my missed day. We're all human here, right?
In the original article about the 30-Day Practice Challenge, the interviewer asks the creator of the first challenge, Andrea McQuillin if she ever "cheated". She responds, "No, I haven't cheated. There are days when I haven't practiced." Think about that for a moment. What's the difference between cheating and not doing what you've set out to do? Being honest with yourself and others about it. Saturday was the first day I've missed this month--though I'll tell you, it's nearing 12:30 a.m. as I write this, and I am contemplating not practicing tonight. But you know what? I'm pretty sure I will. Something about my commitment to greeting each of you (almost) every day keeps me on the cushion. Thank you for being here with me. (Even though "here" is somewhere else for each of us...and isn't *that* a subject for contemplation?!)
Enough of my late-night ramblings! Back to our regularly scheduled inspiration. Why do we meditate? Here's one answer:
"To be this close to the moment in which our life is unfolding we need to cultivate a deeper awareness through the development of a meditation practice. Awareness is itself a healing quality. Where awareness is focused the deepest potentials for clarity and balance present themselves. Though what we are aware of may be incessantly changing, awareness itself remains a constant, a luminous spaciousness without beginning or end, without birth or death. It is the essence of life itself. It is what remains when all that is impermanent falls away. It is the deathless."
--from A Year to Live, Stephen Levine, 1997
Talk to you tomorrow!
In the original article about the 30-Day Practice Challenge, the interviewer asks the creator of the first challenge, Andrea McQuillin if she ever "cheated". She responds, "No, I haven't cheated. There are days when I haven't practiced." Think about that for a moment. What's the difference between cheating and not doing what you've set out to do? Being honest with yourself and others about it. Saturday was the first day I've missed this month--though I'll tell you, it's nearing 12:30 a.m. as I write this, and I am contemplating not practicing tonight. But you know what? I'm pretty sure I will. Something about my commitment to greeting each of you (almost) every day keeps me on the cushion. Thank you for being here with me. (Even though "here" is somewhere else for each of us...and isn't *that* a subject for contemplation?!)
Enough of my late-night ramblings! Back to our regularly scheduled inspiration. Why do we meditate? Here's one answer:
"To be this close to the moment in which our life is unfolding we need to cultivate a deeper awareness through the development of a meditation practice. Awareness is itself a healing quality. Where awareness is focused the deepest potentials for clarity and balance present themselves. Though what we are aware of may be incessantly changing, awareness itself remains a constant, a luminous spaciousness without beginning or end, without birth or death. It is the essence of life itself. It is what remains when all that is impermanent falls away. It is the deathless."
--from A Year to Live, Stephen Levine, 1997
Talk to you tomorrow!
Friday, June 8, 2007
Meditation Challenge: Day 8
From daily messages sent out to those participating in our 30Day Meditation Challenge. This went out June 8.
Today we began our second week of practice, our 8th day of challenging ourselves to sit, to practice. Already it's not easy. Here, we have been gradually increasing our sitting time. Tonight we made it to 15 minutes. 15 minutes!!! It can seem so interminable...and yet in many ways, it seems like no more time than the 5 minutes we began with after the Dalai Lama's visit. 15 minutes is long enough to begin to glimpse something, a brief moment of not-thinking, not-planning, not-scheming. I'd say my practice tonight was about...14 minutes, 25 seconds of monkey mind, and 35 seconds of no-mind. Which is 35 seconds more than I'd had all day.
Here's a quote:
"We say: 'Everything comes out of emptiness.' One whole river or one whole mind is emptiness. When we reach this understanding we find the true meaning of our life. When we reach this understanding we can see the beauty of human life. Before we realize this fact, everything that we see is just delusion. Sometimes we overestimate the beauty; sometimes we underestimate or ignore the beauty because our small mind is not in accord with reality."
-from Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Shunryu Suzuki
Talk to you tomorrow!
Today we began our second week of practice, our 8th day of challenging ourselves to sit, to practice. Already it's not easy. Here, we have been gradually increasing our sitting time. Tonight we made it to 15 minutes. 15 minutes!!! It can seem so interminable...and yet in many ways, it seems like no more time than the 5 minutes we began with after the Dalai Lama's visit. 15 minutes is long enough to begin to glimpse something, a brief moment of not-thinking, not-planning, not-scheming. I'd say my practice tonight was about...14 minutes, 25 seconds of monkey mind, and 35 seconds of no-mind. Which is 35 seconds more than I'd had all day.
Here's a quote:
"We say: 'Everything comes out of emptiness.' One whole river or one whole mind is emptiness. When we reach this understanding we find the true meaning of our life. When we reach this understanding we can see the beauty of human life. Before we realize this fact, everything that we see is just delusion. Sometimes we overestimate the beauty; sometimes we underestimate or ignore the beauty because our small mind is not in accord with reality."
-from Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Shunryu Suzuki
Talk to you tomorrow!
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Meditation Challenge: Day 7
Yet another entry written for our group involved in the 30Day Meditation Challenge. Sent out June 7.
I have a cat. He's one of those strange cats who acts more like a dog. We joke that he doesn't quite understand the "cat thing", which dictates aloofness and cool behavior, and instead wants to be included with everything. If left to his own devices, he would follow me around like a puppy, mewling conversationally the whole time. Needless to say, he's right there with me for each meditation session. The first night, he surprised me by coming right up to where I sat--on my meditation cushion, on the floor--and after his meowing elicited no response, stood up on his hindlegs, put one paw on my shoulder, and extended the other to my face, as if to say, "Are you all right?" That was an entirely new move.
Most nights he contents himself with sniffing me (or us, when two of us are sitting), circling our periphery. He'll give a tender nip to my elbow, his usual signal to pay attention. Then he'll leap up to the chair between us, and curl up contentedly, nose tucked under his tail. Cats are supreme meditators.
So I looked for a quote about animals and meditation, but I haven't found one yet. I'll just have to put it in my own words: if you have a pet, you have probably noticed their attraction to meditation. They are drawn to be right next to you as you practice. (I have noticed the same phenomenon with yoga, with rehearsals of both music and dance, and with Shamanic journeying). I believe that animals are drawn to congruency of body and mind, and when we calm our mind, settle into ourselves, and return to the present moment--we are finally in harmony with them.
What do you think? I know we have a fair amount of dog lovers out there--and even one dog professional!
And here's a quote for you:
"In many spiritual traditions, sitting meditation is the universal posture used for accessing the human resource of wisdom. In silence, the sitter becomes the fair witness and suspends judgment of the process that is revealed....Sitting meditation teaches people how to wait, listen, and observe what is revealed...[It] teaches us about the art of observation, where ideas and images are released as quickly as they are revealed."
-from The Four-Fold Way: Walking the Paths of the Warrior, Teacher, Healer and Visionary, Angeles Arrien, 1993.
Congratulations on your first week of meditation!
I have a cat. He's one of those strange cats who acts more like a dog. We joke that he doesn't quite understand the "cat thing", which dictates aloofness and cool behavior, and instead wants to be included with everything. If left to his own devices, he would follow me around like a puppy, mewling conversationally the whole time. Needless to say, he's right there with me for each meditation session. The first night, he surprised me by coming right up to where I sat--on my meditation cushion, on the floor--and after his meowing elicited no response, stood up on his hindlegs, put one paw on my shoulder, and extended the other to my face, as if to say, "Are you all right?" That was an entirely new move.
Most nights he contents himself with sniffing me (or us, when two of us are sitting), circling our periphery. He'll give a tender nip to my elbow, his usual signal to pay attention. Then he'll leap up to the chair between us, and curl up contentedly, nose tucked under his tail. Cats are supreme meditators.
So I looked for a quote about animals and meditation, but I haven't found one yet. I'll just have to put it in my own words: if you have a pet, you have probably noticed their attraction to meditation. They are drawn to be right next to you as you practice. (I have noticed the same phenomenon with yoga, with rehearsals of both music and dance, and with Shamanic journeying). I believe that animals are drawn to congruency of body and mind, and when we calm our mind, settle into ourselves, and return to the present moment--we are finally in harmony with them.
What do you think? I know we have a fair amount of dog lovers out there--and even one dog professional!
And here's a quote for you:
"In many spiritual traditions, sitting meditation is the universal posture used for accessing the human resource of wisdom. In silence, the sitter becomes the fair witness and suspends judgment of the process that is revealed....Sitting meditation teaches people how to wait, listen, and observe what is revealed...[It] teaches us about the art of observation, where ideas and images are released as quickly as they are revealed."
-from The Four-Fold Way: Walking the Paths of the Warrior, Teacher, Healer and Visionary, Angeles Arrien, 1993.
Congratulations on your first week of meditation!
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Meditation Challenge, Day 6
Another short and sweet entry at the end of another day...this week has continued to be tempestuous, at least in terms of internal weather. We've had everything from fender-benders to drastic schedule changes to deal with around here. I hope to have time to write more later in the week, but for now, I leave you with a little inspiration:
"By bringing awareness to thought, the practice of meditation helps you get free of your immediate negative reactions, which are fear-based. Instead of being judgmental, you can become inquisitive about other people and take delight in them. You can take them in completely. You can do this even if you still end up not liking them very much."
Susan Piver, "Out of Fear", Shambhala Sun, March 2007
Talk to you tomorrow!
"By bringing awareness to thought, the practice of meditation helps you get free of your immediate negative reactions, which are fear-based. Instead of being judgmental, you can become inquisitive about other people and take delight in them. You can take them in completely. You can do this even if you still end up not liking them very much."
Susan Piver, "Out of Fear", Shambhala Sun, March 2007
Talk to you tomorrow!
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Meditation Challenge: Day 5
Sent to our 30-Day Meditation Challenge, early in the morning of June 6. (But still Day 5 for me).
Technically, it is Day 6 as I write this; just after 1:00 a.m., and I am wrapping up a very long day. I am about to sit myself down for my daily practice, so I will keep this note short and sweet. Here is a poem for you:
Remember
That to have the eyes of an artist,
That can be enough,
The ear of a poet,
That can be enough.
The soul of a human
just pointed
in the direction of the divine,
that can be more than enough.
I tell you this to remind myself.
Every gesture is an act of creation.
Even empty spaces and silence
can be the wings and voices of angels.
---Michele Linfante (though I found it in A Big New Free Happy Unusual Life: Self-expression and Spiritual Practice for Those Who Have Time for Neither, by Nina Wise, a wonderful performance artist and teacher)
Talk to you tomorrow!
Technically, it is Day 6 as I write this; just after 1:00 a.m., and I am wrapping up a very long day. I am about to sit myself down for my daily practice, so I will keep this note short and sweet. Here is a poem for you:
Remember
That to have the eyes of an artist,
That can be enough,
The ear of a poet,
That can be enough.
The soul of a human
just pointed
in the direction of the divine,
that can be more than enough.
I tell you this to remind myself.
Every gesture is an act of creation.
Even empty spaces and silence
can be the wings and voices of angels.
---Michele Linfante (though I found it in A Big New Free Happy Unusual Life: Self-expression and Spiritual Practice for Those Who Have Time for Neither, by Nina Wise, a wonderful performance artist and teacher)
Talk to you tomorrow!
Monday, June 4, 2007
Meditation Challenge: Day 4
Part of a series of messages sent to our 30-Day Meditation Challenge group. Today is Day 4, June 4.
A busy Monday, our first since the challenge began. It was also a gloomy, rainy, tempestuous day, one marked by upsets and challenges for many of the people I talked to. I hope you were able to make time for yourself, and your practice, today.
Personally, my workday began at 8:00 a.m. and is just now wrapping up--9:53 p.m. And that's not counting a rehearsal that I really should squeeze in before finally sitting down to dinner! Do I feel like meditating? Well....er....actually, I do. (I've surprised myself, but I'm really looking forward to sitting tonight). But I would do it even if I didn't feel like it. I don't feel like paying the bills a lot of the time, but I've learned to make myself do it. Or, perhaps a better example, I don't always like rehearsing--but I feel much, much better when I've done it. Even if the rehearsal was grueling, painful, and boring.
That's the strange truth about meditation: it doesn't always feel good. Yet, somehow, it always...feels good. At least in retrospect!
Here is today's inspiration:
"Although meditation may seem like a practice that turns away from the world, it is not a way to avoid problems or difficulty. We meditate partly to have the strength to confront the challenges in our life and world. As you allow your meditation practice to grow, it naturally opens the heart and helps you to connect, feel, and care more deeply for the natural world. With practice, you can allow your own deepening awareness of your interconnectedness with all life to inform how you take action to protect the things you love and hold dear."
--from Awake in the Wild: Mindfulness in Nature as a Path of Self-Discovery, by Mark Coleman, 2006. (Though I found it in the March 2007 issue of Shambhala Sun).
Talk to you tomorrow!
A busy Monday, our first since the challenge began. It was also a gloomy, rainy, tempestuous day, one marked by upsets and challenges for many of the people I talked to. I hope you were able to make time for yourself, and your practice, today.
Personally, my workday began at 8:00 a.m. and is just now wrapping up--9:53 p.m. And that's not counting a rehearsal that I really should squeeze in before finally sitting down to dinner! Do I feel like meditating? Well....er....actually, I do. (I've surprised myself, but I'm really looking forward to sitting tonight). But I would do it even if I didn't feel like it. I don't feel like paying the bills a lot of the time, but I've learned to make myself do it. Or, perhaps a better example, I don't always like rehearsing--but I feel much, much better when I've done it. Even if the rehearsal was grueling, painful, and boring.
That's the strange truth about meditation: it doesn't always feel good. Yet, somehow, it always...feels good. At least in retrospect!
Here is today's inspiration:
"Although meditation may seem like a practice that turns away from the world, it is not a way to avoid problems or difficulty. We meditate partly to have the strength to confront the challenges in our life and world. As you allow your meditation practice to grow, it naturally opens the heart and helps you to connect, feel, and care more deeply for the natural world. With practice, you can allow your own deepening awareness of your interconnectedness with all life to inform how you take action to protect the things you love and hold dear."
--from Awake in the Wild: Mindfulness in Nature as a Path of Self-Discovery, by Mark Coleman, 2006. (Though I found it in the March 2007 issue of Shambhala Sun).
Talk to you tomorrow!
Sunday, June 3, 2007
Meditation Challenge: Day 3
An excerpt from a message sent to the 30-Day Meditation Challenge group today, June 3
Here is today's inspiration:
It takes courage to sit well...We have to be willing to do something that is not easy...As we sit, we find that the primary thing we must work with is our busy, chaotic mind. We are all caught up in frantic thinking and the problem in practice is to begin to bring that thinking into clarity and balance. When the mind becomes clear and balanced and is no longer caught by objects, there can be an opening--and for a second we can realize who we really are.
--from Everyday Zen: Love and Work, Charlotte Joko Beck, 1989
Keep up the good work!
Here is today's inspiration:
It takes courage to sit well...We have to be willing to do something that is not easy...As we sit, we find that the primary thing we must work with is our busy, chaotic mind. We are all caught up in frantic thinking and the problem in practice is to begin to bring that thinking into clarity and balance. When the mind becomes clear and balanced and is no longer caught by objects, there can be an opening--and for a second we can realize who we really are.
--from Everyday Zen: Love and Work, Charlotte Joko Beck, 1989
Keep up the good work!
Meditation Challenge: Day 2
These messages were sent to those participating in a 30-Day Meditation Challenge. I have cross-posted them here for the benefit of anyone and everyone who might be interested.
Sutra 2.46: Sthira-sukham asanam.
The connection to the earth should be steady and joyful.
Second, from modern Yoga instructor Rodney Yee:
Sit and feel your connectedness to the earth--
your posture rising from the fluidity of your spine--
the ease with which you can balance over your connectedness--
the small finger of your individual existence on the huge body of the planet
Can you let your mind broaden into a much larger consciousness, supported by your contact with the ground?
--from Yoga: the Poetry of the Body, Rodney Yee with Nina Zolotow, 2002
Sit, and be. Rest in the moment. See you tomorrow!
Greetings!
We have reached Day 2. I'm sure by this time (it's a little after 5 p.m. as I write this), many of you have already completed your practice for the day. Some of you are probably like me: I prefer to wait until my work for the day is done, and then sit. It provides a break for my busy mind. Whichever time of day works for you is fine. There is no one right time.
I didn't get around to sitting until nearly midnight last night, and when I finished, the first thing I realized was how tired I was. It didn't take long for that feeling to pass, though, and I felt invigorated. Today I have more mental energy than I've had in a long time. I don't always react that way to meditating, and of course the goal of meditation is not really to emerge as a more productive person. (Though "studies show" that can happen, but we think of it as more of a beneficial side effect). What is the goal? Is there one? Probably not...the aim is, I think, simply to be with ourselves, to slow down and sit awhile. What do you think?
By the way, today or tomorrow I hope to have a Yahoo group set up, whereby those of you who wish can exchange ideas and spur each other on.
Today's inspiration consists of two interlocking ideas from the world of Yoga. Yoga as we think of it, the physical practices, are really just one arm of an eight-limbed philosophy for life. The original purpose of Hatha Yoga (the physical poses) was to prepare the body for sitting meditation.
First, from the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, which collect the guiding thoughts of Yoga:
We have reached Day 2. I'm sure by this time (it's a little after 5 p.m. as I write this), many of you have already completed your practice for the day. Some of you are probably like me: I prefer to wait until my work for the day is done, and then sit. It provides a break for my busy mind. Whichever time of day works for you is fine. There is no one right time.
I didn't get around to sitting until nearly midnight last night, and when I finished, the first thing I realized was how tired I was. It didn't take long for that feeling to pass, though, and I felt invigorated. Today I have more mental energy than I've had in a long time. I don't always react that way to meditating, and of course the goal of meditation is not really to emerge as a more productive person. (Though "studies show" that can happen, but we think of it as more of a beneficial side effect). What is the goal? Is there one? Probably not...the aim is, I think, simply to be with ourselves, to slow down and sit awhile. What do you think?
By the way, today or tomorrow I hope to have a Yahoo group set up, whereby those of you who wish can exchange ideas and spur each other on.
Today's inspiration consists of two interlocking ideas from the world of Yoga. Yoga as we think of it, the physical practices, are really just one arm of an eight-limbed philosophy for life. The original purpose of Hatha Yoga (the physical poses) was to prepare the body for sitting meditation.
First, from the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, which collect the guiding thoughts of Yoga:
Sutra 2.46: Sthira-sukham asanam.
The connection to the earth should be steady and joyful.
Second, from modern Yoga instructor Rodney Yee:
Sit and feel your connectedness to the earth--
your posture rising from the fluidity of your spine--
the ease with which you can balance over your connectedness--
the small finger of your individual existence on the huge body of the planet
Can you let your mind broaden into a much larger consciousness, supported by your contact with the ground?
--from Yoga: the Poetry of the Body, Rodney Yee with Nina Zolotow, 2002
Sit, and be. Rest in the moment. See you tomorrow!
Meditation Challenge: Day 1
This was sent out to our group for the 30-Day Meditation Challenge on June 1. I've cross-posted it here for the benefit of anyone who would like to join in...or is just curious.
Well, I meant to send this out while most of you were still at work, but, alas... So some of you may be on Day 4 by the time you see this message...and if so, congratulations, both of for making it to Day 4 and for staying away from e-mail for the entire weekend! For the rest of us...
We have begun. I know that some of you began already this morning; well done! Others may be planning to begin when you arrive home from work, or before bed. That's fine, too. Just make sure you note the good you are doing for yourself.
I have asked to provide more resources on how to meditate, so I'll be dropping these in as the days pass. To begin with, here are some of my favorite books:
Well, I meant to send this out while most of you were still at work, but, alas... So some of you may be on Day 4 by the time you see this message...and if so, congratulations, both of for making it to Day 4 and for staying away from e-mail for the entire weekend! For the rest of us...
We have begun. I know that some of you began already this morning; well done! Others may be planning to begin when you arrive home from work, or before bed. That's fine, too. Just make sure you note the good you are doing for yourself.
I have asked to provide more resources on how to meditate, so I'll be dropping these in as the days pass. To begin with, here are some of my favorite books:
Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior, Chogyam Trungpa
A Path with Heart, Jack Kornfield
Peace Is Every Step, Thich Nhat Hanh
Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Shunryu Suzuki
Start Where You Are, Pema Chodron
Insight Meditation, Joseph Goldstein
Here's a link to a concise introduction, sent in by one of our Challenge members:
http://health.discovery.com/centers/stress/articles/meditation/meditation_print.html
There is a lot more out there, so there will be much more to come. Please send me the names of any books or websites that *you* find helpful on this journey. For now, I leave you with a bit of inspiration:
Meditation is a practice that can teach us to enter each moment with wisdom, lightness, and a sense of humor. It is an art of opening and letting go, rather than accumulation or struggle. Then, even within our frustrations and difficulties, a remarkable inner sense of support and perspective can grow. Breathing in, "Wow, this experience is interesting, isn't it? Let me take another breath. Ah, this one is difficult, even terrifying, isn't it?" Breathing out, "Ah". It is an amazing process we have entered when we can train our hearts and minds to be open and steady and awake through it all.
--Jack Kornfield, A Path With Heart
Enjoy the process!
Meditation Challenge! The Welcome
This was originally sent out to our 30 Day Meditation Challenge group on May 31. I decided to cross-post those messages for the benefit of anyone who wants to get started on meditating without being bothered by joining a group. (But if you want to join the group, just comment, and I'll add you; you can start whenever you like!)
Welcome to the 30-Day Meditation Challenge. We will begin the official challenge tomorrow, June 1. In the meantime, please let me know if you need any resources or information regarding meditation.
For a successful meditation, the following is necessary: your attention, your patience with yourself, a comfortable place to sit/stand/walk, and time. That's all. Some of us sit on meditation cushions, others sit in chairs, on beds, on sofas, on park benches. Some even lie down for their meditation, while others walk. The important thing is the practice.
I will be offering you quotes and encouragement each day. If enough of you would like, I may start up a Yahoo group so that you could all encourage each other. Do me a favor, and let me know what you think of that idea...I think a group is a great help in keeping one in the challenge, and I know that all of you have valuable experiences to share, but I realize that some of you may wish to maintain your privacy.
That's all for today. Here is a quote for you, taken from the book that inspired me to begin meditating, many years ago:
Our life is an endless journey; it is like a broad highway that extends infinitely into the distance. The practice of meditation provides a vehicle to travel on that road. Our journey consists of constant ups and downs, hope and fear, but it is a good journey. The practice of meditation allows us to experience all the textures of the roadway, which is what the journey is all about. Through the practice of meditation, we begin to find that within ourselves there is no fundamental complaint about anyone or anything at all.
--Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior, Chogyam Trungpa
May your journey be replete with texture!
Welcome to the 30-Day Meditation Challenge. We will begin the official challenge tomorrow, June 1. In the meantime, please let me know if you need any resources or information regarding meditation.
For a successful meditation, the following is necessary: your attention, your patience with yourself, a comfortable place to sit/stand/walk, and time. That's all. Some of us sit on meditation cushions, others sit in chairs, on beds, on sofas, on park benches. Some even lie down for their meditation, while others walk. The important thing is the practice.
I will be offering you quotes and encouragement each day. If enough of you would like, I may start up a Yahoo group so that you could all encourage each other. Do me a favor, and let me know what you think of that idea...I think a group is a great help in keeping one in the challenge, and I know that all of you have valuable experiences to share, but I realize that some of you may wish to maintain your privacy.
That's all for today. Here is a quote for you, taken from the book that inspired me to begin meditating, many years ago:
Our life is an endless journey; it is like a broad highway that extends infinitely into the distance. The practice of meditation provides a vehicle to travel on that road. Our journey consists of constant ups and downs, hope and fear, but it is a good journey. The practice of meditation allows us to experience all the textures of the roadway, which is what the journey is all about. Through the practice of meditation, we begin to find that within ourselves there is no fundamental complaint about anyone or anything at all.
--Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior, Chogyam Trungpa
May your journey be replete with texture!
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
DVD Review: The Masala Bhangra Workout: Volume 1...Funky Style
Sarina Jain, the "Indian Jane Fonda", has created a series of classes that use the beat and moves of Bhangra dancing as an aerobic workout. I originally requested this DVD because of my Belly Dance classes (Bhangra is becoming a very popular addition to the "fusion" aspects of belly dance, and it is awfully fun to watch); but I thought I'd put my experience out there for the general public.
My first thought was: How cool, Sarina Jain is actual size! She is--she's built like an athletic and healthy woman, only as thin as she should be. (I am very tired of seeing bone-and-sinew thinness being touted as the epitome of health. It ain't). She's lovely to look at, all perfect teeth and perfect hair, even during the most strenuous phase of the workout. Since the workout seemed to be one (almost) continuous live staging, that was impressive. Of course, I know the ability to keep one's hair & makeup perfect whilst egging the rest of us on to a sweat is one of the chief requirements for a career as a video exercise instructor. Yet I'm always inordinately impressed by this. (If you've seen the sheer volume of my hair, you'd understand.)
The thing I liked best about this DVD? It was only 36 minutes. I'm not being facetious; there are plenty of dance/exercise videos that I have not sat down and worked through, because I have a lot of trouble putting 60 or 90 minutes together to do someone else's workout. So 36 minutes seemed just about perfect to me. The actual workout phase is probably only 30 minutes, from warmup to cooldown. Again, that length seemed just perfect, especially since movement is nonstop for that entire time.
I worked through the video once by myself, and a few nights later, I enlisted my in-home tester to work out with me. I wanted the impressions of a non-dancer as to difficulty level, and he gladly gave them to me.
The program suffered from a common problem in the exercise industry: a lot of moves were thrown at us, and none of them were explained in depth. They were, however, repeated over and over. I found that I caught on to most of the moves by the last repetition, but only because I have experienced many frustrating dance classes (the kind where I am always three steps behind the instructor). My in-home tester was so frustrated by the lack of explanation that he gave in, 3/4 of the way through the workout. Not because he couldn't handle the bouncing and sweating, but because he was completely annoyed.
The workout is almost all bouncing. Not easy on the knees at all, nor the ankles, for that matter. The bouncing gets the heart rate up, and the moves are somewhat challenging mentally, as long as you don't get frustrated by the non-explanation. Jain has a nice patter going as aerobics instructors go--you might find her "hup!" exhortations and counting down annoying, if you aren't used to this sort of thing. She is encouraging to her (unseen) audience, and her backup dancers--2 young women, 2 very young men--are unfailingly enthusiastic. The warmup and cooldown are brief but well-done.
I would recommend this DVD only to those who have a good sense of body mechanics and know their own bodies well enough to stop if something hurts. If you are used to dance classes and aerobics classes, this is a fun and energetic workout, a nice change from the routine. If you love Bollywood, you'll have a ball pretending to be one of the dancers in the big crowd scenes.
If you have any kind of knee problems, I would not recommend this DVD at all. No modifications are offered, and I don't think most of the moves would work for those with joint pain.
If you are a dancer looking to pick up some new moves, this is probably not the video for you. Most of the moves are hybrids of Bhangra, hip-hop, and aerobic bouncing, although the hand movements are different and fun to watch, and the combinations feel more like dancing than aerobic combinations usually do. I must admit, I had a gigantic grin on my face through most of the combinations--something that never happened back in my aerobics-class-attending days.
I am looking forward to working out with some of the other five videos in the Masala Dance stable. If you try this one or any of them, let me know what you think!
I found this video at Netflix.
Sarina Jain, the "Indian Jane Fonda", has created a series of classes that use the beat and moves of Bhangra dancing as an aerobic workout. I originally requested this DVD because of my Belly Dance classes (Bhangra is becoming a very popular addition to the "fusion" aspects of belly dance, and it is awfully fun to watch); but I thought I'd put my experience out there for the general public.
My first thought was: How cool, Sarina Jain is actual size! She is--she's built like an athletic and healthy woman, only as thin as she should be. (I am very tired of seeing bone-and-sinew thinness being touted as the epitome of health. It ain't). She's lovely to look at, all perfect teeth and perfect hair, even during the most strenuous phase of the workout. Since the workout seemed to be one (almost) continuous live staging, that was impressive. Of course, I know the ability to keep one's hair & makeup perfect whilst egging the rest of us on to a sweat is one of the chief requirements for a career as a video exercise instructor. Yet I'm always inordinately impressed by this. (If you've seen the sheer volume of my hair, you'd understand.)
The thing I liked best about this DVD? It was only 36 minutes. I'm not being facetious; there are plenty of dance/exercise videos that I have not sat down and worked through, because I have a lot of trouble putting 60 or 90 minutes together to do someone else's workout. So 36 minutes seemed just about perfect to me. The actual workout phase is probably only 30 minutes, from warmup to cooldown. Again, that length seemed just perfect, especially since movement is nonstop for that entire time.
I worked through the video once by myself, and a few nights later, I enlisted my in-home tester to work out with me. I wanted the impressions of a non-dancer as to difficulty level, and he gladly gave them to me.
The program suffered from a common problem in the exercise industry: a lot of moves were thrown at us, and none of them were explained in depth. They were, however, repeated over and over. I found that I caught on to most of the moves by the last repetition, but only because I have experienced many frustrating dance classes (the kind where I am always three steps behind the instructor). My in-home tester was so frustrated by the lack of explanation that he gave in, 3/4 of the way through the workout. Not because he couldn't handle the bouncing and sweating, but because he was completely annoyed.
The workout is almost all bouncing. Not easy on the knees at all, nor the ankles, for that matter. The bouncing gets the heart rate up, and the moves are somewhat challenging mentally, as long as you don't get frustrated by the non-explanation. Jain has a nice patter going as aerobics instructors go--you might find her "hup!" exhortations and counting down annoying, if you aren't used to this sort of thing. She is encouraging to her (unseen) audience, and her backup dancers--2 young women, 2 very young men--are unfailingly enthusiastic. The warmup and cooldown are brief but well-done.
I would recommend this DVD only to those who have a good sense of body mechanics and know their own bodies well enough to stop if something hurts. If you are used to dance classes and aerobics classes, this is a fun and energetic workout, a nice change from the routine. If you love Bollywood, you'll have a ball pretending to be one of the dancers in the big crowd scenes.
If you have any kind of knee problems, I would not recommend this DVD at all. No modifications are offered, and I don't think most of the moves would work for those with joint pain.
If you are a dancer looking to pick up some new moves, this is probably not the video for you. Most of the moves are hybrids of Bhangra, hip-hop, and aerobic bouncing, although the hand movements are different and fun to watch, and the combinations feel more like dancing than aerobic combinations usually do. I must admit, I had a gigantic grin on my face through most of the combinations--something that never happened back in my aerobics-class-attending days.
I am looking forward to working out with some of the other five videos in the Masala Dance stable. If you try this one or any of them, let me know what you think!
I found this video at Netflix.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
A Lame Excuse for a Post...
...because I just sent out this link to nearly 500 people and I realize I really haven't written much here. I promise I'll be better, and soon. (I know! I'll make it a 30-day Challenge--the 30-day Blog Challenge! Who's with me?)
Anyway, the current Tea of the Week is a brand-new creation. Triple Lemon: Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis), Lemon peel (Citrus limon), and Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus). 100% Organic, of course. It's soothing, thanks to the Lemon Balm; refreshing, thanks to the Lemongrass; and cleansing, thanks to the Lemon peel. It's lemony, but not too lemony!
Teas cheer me up. How about you?
Oh, and another thing, one of these days I'll archive the Stellaria newsletters. I know that there is a way to do it, that we do, indeed, have the technology. I just can't find the instructions just now. But someday (and soon!)
Anyway, the current Tea of the Week is a brand-new creation. Triple Lemon: Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis), Lemon peel (Citrus limon), and Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus). 100% Organic, of course. It's soothing, thanks to the Lemon Balm; refreshing, thanks to the Lemongrass; and cleansing, thanks to the Lemon peel. It's lemony, but not too lemony!
Teas cheer me up. How about you?
Oh, and another thing, one of these days I'll archive the Stellaria newsletters. I know that there is a way to do it, that we do, indeed, have the technology. I just can't find the instructions just now. But someday (and soon!)
Monday, April 30, 2007
The Codex Panic
Ok, Ok. I've heard enough. My mailbox is besieged by near-hysterical, badly edited e-mails from one group, yet most of the groups I trust have been largely silent on the FDA ruling/Codex issue. I know many of you are concerned, mostly due to the aforesaid hysteria traveling quickly by way of Internet.
If you would like to read a well-reasoned, very fair assessment of the situation--including interviews with the FDA scientists, and a multitude of links to other opinions, visit John Weeks at the Integrator Blog.
If you want my take, well, take it with a grain of salt, and make up your own mind. (And this you should do for anyone's opinions, no matter how well-educated and how much you like--or dislike--them.) As far as I can tell, the ruling only states to clarify claims made about supplements & herbs on the same level as claims made for drugs. Put very simply (because this is the level on which it made sense to me): if I claim that the latest Tea-of-the-Week*** here at Stellaria cures cancer, then that tea falls into the category of a drug, and should only be dispensed/prescribed by those with the authority to do that. If I don't make that claim, then anyone can pour, enjoy, recommend the tea. Make sense?
The tea hasn't changed. The idea of who can "prescribe a drug" hasn't changed--and indeed, this is something that is regulated by the individual states, not by the FDA. For instance: I am licensed as a Naturopathic Physician by the State of Oregon. If I were practicing in Oregon, I could prescribe many things, including most common antibiotics. The State of Illinois, where I currently practice, does not license Naturopathic Physicians. Therefore, I may not "prescribe" anything; I make recommendations regarding commonly available food, herbs, and supplements. In this state I have no more access to regulated drugs than the average citizen. The drugs haven't changed, my training hasn't changed; but I work in a State with different laws. By the same token, though Washington and Arizona both license Naturopathic Physicians, there are drugs that Arizona NDs are allowed to prescribe that Washington NDs may not. (By the way, the drugs that a practitioner can work with are collectively known as the "formulary", and the formulary for each state is set by the governing board of the profession in that state. In Oregon, that's the Oregon Board of Naturopathic Examiners--you can read more about them here.)
So, back to the FDA ruling: if I claim that my Tea cures cancer, than under the terms of the ruling, I have claimed that this tea is a drug--and therefore access to it should be limited to trained and licensed practitioners. It is my hope that this ruling will stop certain people from making spurious and overblown claims for their products. It is important to remember that this ruling will not change your ability to enjoy good effects from any tea or herb on the market--it will prevent unscrupulous types from offering you medical miracles. (and if it does happen to cure your cancer, well, that would be a wonderful turn of events)
As John Weeks put it, "if the power of the FDA as described in this Guidance document makes you nervous, you had reason to be nervous already."
***By the way, the Tea of the Week is May Flowers, an aromatic and uplifting blend of Red Clover, Red Raspberry leaf, Nettles, Gingko, Gotu kola, Calendula, Chamomile, and Lavender. Come on by and have a cup! (It will not cure cancer, obesity, diabetes, or any prevailing social or physical ill. But it is lovely.)
If you would like to read a well-reasoned, very fair assessment of the situation--including interviews with the FDA scientists, and a multitude of links to other opinions, visit John Weeks at the Integrator Blog.
If you want my take, well, take it with a grain of salt, and make up your own mind. (And this you should do for anyone's opinions, no matter how well-educated and how much you like--or dislike--them.) As far as I can tell, the ruling only states to clarify claims made about supplements & herbs on the same level as claims made for drugs. Put very simply (because this is the level on which it made sense to me): if I claim that the latest Tea-of-the-Week*** here at Stellaria cures cancer, then that tea falls into the category of a drug, and should only be dispensed/prescribed by those with the authority to do that. If I don't make that claim, then anyone can pour, enjoy, recommend the tea. Make sense?
The tea hasn't changed. The idea of who can "prescribe a drug" hasn't changed--and indeed, this is something that is regulated by the individual states, not by the FDA. For instance: I am licensed as a Naturopathic Physician by the State of Oregon. If I were practicing in Oregon, I could prescribe many things, including most common antibiotics. The State of Illinois, where I currently practice, does not license Naturopathic Physicians. Therefore, I may not "prescribe" anything; I make recommendations regarding commonly available food, herbs, and supplements. In this state I have no more access to regulated drugs than the average citizen. The drugs haven't changed, my training hasn't changed; but I work in a State with different laws. By the same token, though Washington and Arizona both license Naturopathic Physicians, there are drugs that Arizona NDs are allowed to prescribe that Washington NDs may not. (By the way, the drugs that a practitioner can work with are collectively known as the "formulary", and the formulary for each state is set by the governing board of the profession in that state. In Oregon, that's the Oregon Board of Naturopathic Examiners--you can read more about them here.)
So, back to the FDA ruling: if I claim that my Tea cures cancer, than under the terms of the ruling, I have claimed that this tea is a drug--and therefore access to it should be limited to trained and licensed practitioners. It is my hope that this ruling will stop certain people from making spurious and overblown claims for their products. It is important to remember that this ruling will not change your ability to enjoy good effects from any tea or herb on the market--it will prevent unscrupulous types from offering you medical miracles. (and if it does happen to cure your cancer, well, that would be a wonderful turn of events)
As John Weeks put it, "if the power of the FDA as described in this Guidance document makes you nervous, you had reason to be nervous already."
***By the way, the Tea of the Week is May Flowers, an aromatic and uplifting blend of Red Clover, Red Raspberry leaf, Nettles, Gingko, Gotu kola, Calendula, Chamomile, and Lavender. Come on by and have a cup! (It will not cure cancer, obesity, diabetes, or any prevailing social or physical ill. But it is lovely.)
Friday, April 13, 2007
Book Review: Arthritis Rx, Vijay Vad, MD
Books on natural and noninvasive medicine abound. Since I like to read, and since I have not yet written a book of my own, I thought I'd review some of the books that come across my desk--usually by way of my local library. We'll start off with:
Arthritis Rx: A Cutting-Edge Program for a Pain-Free Life, by Vijay Vad, M.D. Gotham Books: NY, 2006.
The author is a specialist in "minimally invasive arthritis therapies" at Manhattan's Hospital for Special Surgery. He also works as a physician for the PGA golf tour and the ATP tennis tour. Impressive credentials.
Grain of salt: I am wary of the term "minimally invasive", as it can have a range of meanings. Dr. Vad's specialty is the use of hyalan injections to lubricate arthritic joints. Hyalan is a synthetic version of the body's own hyaluronic acid, a component of joint lubrication. On the scale of invasiveness, not too high, especially compared with joint replacements.
Second grain of salt: I don't believe that doctors who practice at surgical hospitals are the best references on noninvasive therapies. Doctors with surgery at their disposal are inclined to use it. That has been my experience, anyway.
Third grain of salt: each time I pick up a book purporting to discuss integrative therapies, I check the index for references to Naturopathic Medicine. This book had none. The author does discuss osteopathy, chiropractic, massage therapy, and acupuncture, and in quite reasoned tones, which did make me feel better about his view of "alternative" medicine.
The book begins with an anecdote about Dr. Vad's grandfather, who dealt with 2 decades of arthritis through daily use of ginger, a daily yoga practice, and daily walks. This is the inspiration for the book. Grandfather Vad was a native of India; I don't know where Dr. Vad grew up, but I am impressed by doctors who go through conventional medical training without losing respect for traditional medicine.
The meat of the book consists of dietary guidelines, supplement recommendations, and exercises for maintaining mobility and flexibility and diminishing pain from osteoarthritis. Reference is made to the inflammatory arthritides (Rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and so on), but the book really deals with the more common osteoarthritis, once considered an unavoidable part of aging.
Nutritional guidance consists of encouraging an anti-inflammatory diet--in this case, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, & fish--and cautioning against pro-inflammatory foods, defined as red meat, most dairy, and processed foods. Mention is made of food allergies/intolerances and their effect on inflammation. An emphasis on *real*, whole foods (as opposed to food substitutes like green food powders and the like), and the importance of the essential fatty acids. A good introduction to eating for health and healing.
The author next deals with supplements. He focuses on ginger (510 mg per day reduces pain, according to the study he quotes), glucosamine, and chondroitin. Use of the latter two is backed up by reference to the GAIT study** results, refreshingly summarized as "...(this combination) was at least as effective as the anti-inflammatory Celebrex in treating knee arthritis."
**The GAIT study was commonly misrepresented in the media as proving that glucosamine and chondroitin were ineffective, as they showed no significant effect on "mild" knee pain. Of course, these supplements shouldn't be given for mild pain that would resolve, with supportive care, on its own. They are used in cases of chronic inflammation, not as temporary painkillers... But back to the review.
Dr. Vad then surprised me by plugging his own supplement, Zingerflex, a combination of glucosamine, chondroitin, and ginger. He claims it is the only supplement available with this combination. I checked Emerson Ecologics, distributor of professional-grade supplements to many doctor's offices (including mine), and it's true, there was no exactly comparable formula. However, the amounts of ginger recommended (about 1/2 gram) are easy to incorporate into the diet, so is a supplemental ginger really necessary? Quality glucosamine/chondroitin supplements abound.
Still, I can hardly blame Dr. Vad for formulating his own product, as plenty of Naturopathic Docs work with supplement companies. Interestingly, the Zingerflex website makes no mention of the doctor's name, referring simply to a "leading physician researcher", but this may be standard practice for MDs. The product is reasonably priced, approximately $29.99 for a one month supply.
The next part of the book are the exercises, given in 3 series, from mild to strenuous. The author claims that many of his patients have done just fine sticking to the first series, with no need to progress to the others. Looking at the exercises (and I must admit, I did not try the sequences myself), they seem to be well-thought out combinations of Yoga with Pilates variations. Kudos to Dr. Vad for his emphasis on proper breathing during the exercises. I agree with him that controlled breathing is just as important to health as strengthening the muscles, if not more so.
The last part of the book deals with other approaches to healing arthritis, including a well-thought-out synopsis of several integrative therapies. The author balances the conclusions of Evidence-Based Medicine** with his own clinical observations. For instance, though EBM tells us that chiropractic has not yet been shown to be effective for arthritis, Dr. Vad adds that it has been quite effective for the low back pain of several of his patients. Good for you, Dr. Vad!
**Evidence-based medicine can be roughly summarized as the theory that only those interventions which have been tested in approved, double-blind studies and shown to be effective should be recommended to patients. While there is a great deal of logic to this, it ignores the importance of the observations of a learned physician.
The book concludes with a description of future treatments for arthritis, with an emphasis on gene therapy, in which stem cells (from the patient's own body; no need to be alarmed, GWB!) are used to grow new bone or cartilage. Ooooooh, cooool, I thought; and then I remembered something... In my country, the U.S. of A, we are so very good at creating extremely expensive interventions for medical problems. We are not so good at taking care of our citizen's basic medical needs. What would one stem cell procedure to ease one person's knee pain cost? And how many uninsured women could get good prenatal care for that money? Or how many cooking classes for diabetics could we fund?
But that is not Dr. Vad's fault. And he seems to be doing his best to promote the "interventions" of good food, good exercise, and good care to prevent the "need" for such expensive procedures.
Would I recommend this book? With reservations; I believe that the personal guidance of a provider with experience in nutrition, exercise, and herbal medicine is key to success with natural medicine. This book could then provide an adjunct, as it is a nice summary of valuable methods. The exercise and recipe sections alone could prove quite useful.
Until a book on arthritis from the standpoint of Naturopathic Medicine is widely available, Dr. Vad's book will do fine.
Arthritis Rx: A Cutting-Edge Program for a Pain-Free Life, by Vijay Vad, M.D. Gotham Books: NY, 2006.
The author is a specialist in "minimally invasive arthritis therapies" at Manhattan's Hospital for Special Surgery. He also works as a physician for the PGA golf tour and the ATP tennis tour. Impressive credentials.
Grain of salt: I am wary of the term "minimally invasive", as it can have a range of meanings. Dr. Vad's specialty is the use of hyalan injections to lubricate arthritic joints. Hyalan is a synthetic version of the body's own hyaluronic acid, a component of joint lubrication. On the scale of invasiveness, not too high, especially compared with joint replacements.
Second grain of salt: I don't believe that doctors who practice at surgical hospitals are the best references on noninvasive therapies. Doctors with surgery at their disposal are inclined to use it. That has been my experience, anyway.
Third grain of salt: each time I pick up a book purporting to discuss integrative therapies, I check the index for references to Naturopathic Medicine. This book had none. The author does discuss osteopathy, chiropractic, massage therapy, and acupuncture, and in quite reasoned tones, which did make me feel better about his view of "alternative" medicine.
The book begins with an anecdote about Dr. Vad's grandfather, who dealt with 2 decades of arthritis through daily use of ginger, a daily yoga practice, and daily walks. This is the inspiration for the book. Grandfather Vad was a native of India; I don't know where Dr. Vad grew up, but I am impressed by doctors who go through conventional medical training without losing respect for traditional medicine.
The meat of the book consists of dietary guidelines, supplement recommendations, and exercises for maintaining mobility and flexibility and diminishing pain from osteoarthritis. Reference is made to the inflammatory arthritides (Rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and so on), but the book really deals with the more common osteoarthritis, once considered an unavoidable part of aging.
Nutritional guidance consists of encouraging an anti-inflammatory diet--in this case, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, & fish--and cautioning against pro-inflammatory foods, defined as red meat, most dairy, and processed foods. Mention is made of food allergies/intolerances and their effect on inflammation. An emphasis on *real*, whole foods (as opposed to food substitutes like green food powders and the like), and the importance of the essential fatty acids. A good introduction to eating for health and healing.
The author next deals with supplements. He focuses on ginger (510 mg per day reduces pain, according to the study he quotes), glucosamine, and chondroitin. Use of the latter two is backed up by reference to the GAIT study** results, refreshingly summarized as "...(this combination) was at least as effective as the anti-inflammatory Celebrex in treating knee arthritis."
**The GAIT study was commonly misrepresented in the media as proving that glucosamine and chondroitin were ineffective, as they showed no significant effect on "mild" knee pain. Of course, these supplements shouldn't be given for mild pain that would resolve, with supportive care, on its own. They are used in cases of chronic inflammation, not as temporary painkillers... But back to the review.
Dr. Vad then surprised me by plugging his own supplement, Zingerflex, a combination of glucosamine, chondroitin, and ginger. He claims it is the only supplement available with this combination. I checked Emerson Ecologics, distributor of professional-grade supplements to many doctor's offices (including mine), and it's true, there was no exactly comparable formula. However, the amounts of ginger recommended (about 1/2 gram) are easy to incorporate into the diet, so is a supplemental ginger really necessary? Quality glucosamine/chondroitin supplements abound.
Still, I can hardly blame Dr. Vad for formulating his own product, as plenty of Naturopathic Docs work with supplement companies. Interestingly, the Zingerflex website makes no mention of the doctor's name, referring simply to a "leading physician researcher", but this may be standard practice for MDs. The product is reasonably priced, approximately $29.99 for a one month supply.
The next part of the book are the exercises, given in 3 series, from mild to strenuous. The author claims that many of his patients have done just fine sticking to the first series, with no need to progress to the others. Looking at the exercises (and I must admit, I did not try the sequences myself), they seem to be well-thought out combinations of Yoga with Pilates variations. Kudos to Dr. Vad for his emphasis on proper breathing during the exercises. I agree with him that controlled breathing is just as important to health as strengthening the muscles, if not more so.
The last part of the book deals with other approaches to healing arthritis, including a well-thought-out synopsis of several integrative therapies. The author balances the conclusions of Evidence-Based Medicine** with his own clinical observations. For instance, though EBM tells us that chiropractic has not yet been shown to be effective for arthritis, Dr. Vad adds that it has been quite effective for the low back pain of several of his patients. Good for you, Dr. Vad!
**Evidence-based medicine can be roughly summarized as the theory that only those interventions which have been tested in approved, double-blind studies and shown to be effective should be recommended to patients. While there is a great deal of logic to this, it ignores the importance of the observations of a learned physician.
The book concludes with a description of future treatments for arthritis, with an emphasis on gene therapy, in which stem cells (from the patient's own body; no need to be alarmed, GWB!) are used to grow new bone or cartilage. Ooooooh, cooool, I thought; and then I remembered something... In my country, the U.S. of A, we are so very good at creating extremely expensive interventions for medical problems. We are not so good at taking care of our citizen's basic medical needs. What would one stem cell procedure to ease one person's knee pain cost? And how many uninsured women could get good prenatal care for that money? Or how many cooking classes for diabetics could we fund?
But that is not Dr. Vad's fault. And he seems to be doing his best to promote the "interventions" of good food, good exercise, and good care to prevent the "need" for such expensive procedures.
Would I recommend this book? With reservations; I believe that the personal guidance of a provider with experience in nutrition, exercise, and herbal medicine is key to success with natural medicine. This book could then provide an adjunct, as it is a nice summary of valuable methods. The exercise and recipe sections alone could prove quite useful.
Until a book on arthritis from the standpoint of Naturopathic Medicine is widely available, Dr. Vad's book will do fine.
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Hype
Excuse me while I vent, just a little.
Natural medicine is a business, like any other business; and right now, it's a big, big business. A booming business. An "how-can-I-jump-on-this-bandwagon?" kind of business. There is a daily proliferation of impossible claims and rumored legends of miraculous cures. I try not to apologize too much for this; I know that I am no more responsible for the charlatans who fall under this over-large umbrella of "complementary and alternative medicine" than your hard-working family MD is for the current debacle at the Veteran's Administration. And yet...
In my mail yesterday, I received a large packet of ads for various supplements. (To be fair, this is from the distribution company I work with, and they do not bug me very often--I only get such a packet 4-6 times a year, and many of the things advertised in it are products I recommend and/or use). The star of this particular packet was a product claiming to "produce feelings of fullness and satiety" in my patients--in other words, an appetite suppressant. All-natural, of course, if one puts aside qualms about laboratory manipulation to produce such marvels of nature as "Patented potato protein extract". Yep, it was an appetite suppressant made of potatoes and seaweed. Feel free to laugh.
Now, I know as well as the next person that the "obesity epidemic" is this year's favorite health crisis, and I know that conventional wisdom is that we all eat too much and could all stand to be thinner. (Do I agree with either of these statements? No, I do not). But come on--I spend my days trying to convince people to eat, to eat well, and to eat REAL FOOD. REAL FOOD, not something created on someone's lab bench. In my mind, this does *not* qualify as natural medicine.
Today's mail contained a brochure (sent by a cold-calling salesman) touting a product which claims to foster the growth of stem cells in the adult. Now, leaving aside the question of whether this is even a *good* thing, the lovely brochure never mentioned the ingredients in this miracle supplement OR its price. Hey, salespeople? It's really rather important that you share a detailed ingredient list with those of us who you expect to vouch for your product. This is my reputation that you're putting on the line.
BTW, here's a note for all cold callers: I might be semi-polite with you on the phone (while removing you from the line as swiftly as possible) but I will NOT purchase product from you. I despise cold calls. If you want to show me a new product, send me something that I can read. I like to read, and I can do it at a time convenient for me. And don't worry, I'll recycle your propaganda when I'm through with it.
And here, for your benefit, is the piece of advice I wish I could have plastered on my office wall, or recorded on my office voice mail, for all the times patients want to know about the latest miracle cure: IF IT CURES EVERYTHING, IT'S A LIE. If you see it hyped on the internet, don't waste your money. If someone spends millions of dollars to broadcast an infomercial touting this stuff, don't send them more money. Turn off the infomercial, and get some sleep. We'll talk about realistic solutions in the morning.
And no, I can't cure your cancer. I'm really very sorry about that, I wish I could.
Natural medicine is a business, like any other business; and right now, it's a big, big business. A booming business. An "how-can-I-jump-on-this-bandwagon?" kind of business. There is a daily proliferation of impossible claims and rumored legends of miraculous cures. I try not to apologize too much for this; I know that I am no more responsible for the charlatans who fall under this over-large umbrella of "complementary and alternative medicine" than your hard-working family MD is for the current debacle at the Veteran's Administration. And yet...
In my mail yesterday, I received a large packet of ads for various supplements. (To be fair, this is from the distribution company I work with, and they do not bug me very often--I only get such a packet 4-6 times a year, and many of the things advertised in it are products I recommend and/or use). The star of this particular packet was a product claiming to "produce feelings of fullness and satiety" in my patients--in other words, an appetite suppressant. All-natural, of course, if one puts aside qualms about laboratory manipulation to produce such marvels of nature as "Patented potato protein extract". Yep, it was an appetite suppressant made of potatoes and seaweed. Feel free to laugh.
Now, I know as well as the next person that the "obesity epidemic" is this year's favorite health crisis, and I know that conventional wisdom is that we all eat too much and could all stand to be thinner. (Do I agree with either of these statements? No, I do not). But come on--I spend my days trying to convince people to eat, to eat well, and to eat REAL FOOD. REAL FOOD, not something created on someone's lab bench. In my mind, this does *not* qualify as natural medicine.
Today's mail contained a brochure (sent by a cold-calling salesman) touting a product which claims to foster the growth of stem cells in the adult. Now, leaving aside the question of whether this is even a *good* thing, the lovely brochure never mentioned the ingredients in this miracle supplement OR its price. Hey, salespeople? It's really rather important that you share a detailed ingredient list with those of us who you expect to vouch for your product. This is my reputation that you're putting on the line.
BTW, here's a note for all cold callers: I might be semi-polite with you on the phone (while removing you from the line as swiftly as possible) but I will NOT purchase product from you. I despise cold calls. If you want to show me a new product, send me something that I can read. I like to read, and I can do it at a time convenient for me. And don't worry, I'll recycle your propaganda when I'm through with it.
And here, for your benefit, is the piece of advice I wish I could have plastered on my office wall, or recorded on my office voice mail, for all the times patients want to know about the latest miracle cure: IF IT CURES EVERYTHING, IT'S A LIE. If you see it hyped on the internet, don't waste your money. If someone spends millions of dollars to broadcast an infomercial touting this stuff, don't send them more money. Turn off the infomercial, and get some sleep. We'll talk about realistic solutions in the morning.
And no, I can't cure your cancer. I'm really very sorry about that, I wish I could.
Thursday, February 1, 2007
The article that was published on ChronicBabe has garnered some attention. I was quite surprised to see myself in honored company at the January 23 edition of Grand Rounds, hosted by Signout. (My article is, appropriately enough, under "Methods"). I was somewhat daunted to find myself the representative of alternative medicine chosen to follow a well-written and well-reasoned critique of the perceived lack of evidence-based standards in alternative and complementary medicine--which you can read here, but soon got over it and cheerily sent the link to everyone I knew. Including colleagues, former classmates, and mentors.
I just discovered that my article is referenced on The Daily Headache, a well-written memoir of living with chronic headaches. I was flattered, especially since this blog is one I flip to when I'm looking for something to read. And I hope it isn't too solipsistic to write a post like this, which consists mainly of references which refer right back here...but I believe that is proper etiquette out here in the blog-o-sphere, yes?
Meanwhile...life and business continue hectic and rich, and I have neglected this blog a bit. A brief sample of the proceedings in the last 2 weeks: a wonderful talk to a lovely Garden Club; lots more snow; the coordination, hosting, performance involved with our monthly Hafla (that's a Belly dance performance/party, in case you didn't know); more prepping of lectures, various and sundry business coordination & marketing duties...and today is the 2nd birthday of my business!
But I promise to post something more meaty soon. After all, I need to live up to this attention!
I just discovered that my article is referenced on The Daily Headache, a well-written memoir of living with chronic headaches. I was flattered, especially since this blog is one I flip to when I'm looking for something to read. And I hope it isn't too solipsistic to write a post like this, which consists mainly of references which refer right back here...but I believe that is proper etiquette out here in the blog-o-sphere, yes?
Meanwhile...life and business continue hectic and rich, and I have neglected this blog a bit. A brief sample of the proceedings in the last 2 weeks: a wonderful talk to a lovely Garden Club; lots more snow; the coordination, hosting, performance involved with our monthly Hafla (that's a Belly dance performance/party, in case you didn't know); more prepping of lectures, various and sundry business coordination & marketing duties...and today is the 2nd birthday of my business!
But I promise to post something more meaty soon. After all, I need to live up to this attention!
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Why is Natural Medicine so Important?
...a Mission Statement of sorts.
I am often asked why I left Oregon and came to Chicago to set up my practice. Why leave a place where Naturopathic Medicine is accepted, licensed, and covered by insurance, to come to the Midwest, where licensure does not exist (yet), and where most people have never heard of my profession? The attitude seems to be that we are a little bit behind the times, here, slow to accept those "woo-woo" types of healing that the New-Age-ridden West Coast is open to.
The answer is fairly simple: I came back to Chicago because it is my home, and I felt Midwesterners deserve and desire the medicine I love. We live in a time and place in which technological medicine is highly developed and widely used; and yet, I doubt any physician of my acquaintance, no matter their philosophy, would claim that the health system in the US is working. Chronic diseases of all kinds are on the rise; too many people live without access to health care. Too few doctors feel fulfillment in their work, as they are pressed to deliver diagnoses in mere minutes spent with the patient. I can't fix the insurance mess in the US, but I can try to fill some of the gaps.
What is missing? Time, for one thing; as an ND, I am trained to spend comparatively vast amounts of time with my patients--60-90 minutes, on average. Time to listen, to understand, to explore the true cause of their illness. Empowerment, for another; I am happiest when my patients find a route to their own healing, taking the recommendations I offer and applying them in their own way to their lives. Common sense, for a third; NDs often say that we practice true preventive medicine, in that a large part of what we do involves detailed guidance in diet, exercise, and stress management--the three supports of good health. Finally, the methods I love best--nutrition, herbal medicine, movement--are sustainable, powerful, and inexpensive.
They combine well with conventional pharmaceuticals, or stand well on their own. I believe my background as a Chicagoan influences the way I practice--where do you think I got the emphasis on common sense, for instance? Right here. The Midwest, by the way, has a long tradition of natural medicine--Dr. Henry Lindlahr operated his highly successful Sanitarium in Elmhurst in the early part of the century (not far from where I was born, actually). Chicago has some of the best conventional medicine in the world; I see no reason why we should be denied the benefits of natural medicine.
I am often asked why I left Oregon and came to Chicago to set up my practice. Why leave a place where Naturopathic Medicine is accepted, licensed, and covered by insurance, to come to the Midwest, where licensure does not exist (yet), and where most people have never heard of my profession? The attitude seems to be that we are a little bit behind the times, here, slow to accept those "woo-woo" types of healing that the New-Age-ridden West Coast is open to.
The answer is fairly simple: I came back to Chicago because it is my home, and I felt Midwesterners deserve and desire the medicine I love. We live in a time and place in which technological medicine is highly developed and widely used; and yet, I doubt any physician of my acquaintance, no matter their philosophy, would claim that the health system in the US is working. Chronic diseases of all kinds are on the rise; too many people live without access to health care. Too few doctors feel fulfillment in their work, as they are pressed to deliver diagnoses in mere minutes spent with the patient. I can't fix the insurance mess in the US, but I can try to fill some of the gaps.
What is missing? Time, for one thing; as an ND, I am trained to spend comparatively vast amounts of time with my patients--60-90 minutes, on average. Time to listen, to understand, to explore the true cause of their illness. Empowerment, for another; I am happiest when my patients find a route to their own healing, taking the recommendations I offer and applying them in their own way to their lives. Common sense, for a third; NDs often say that we practice true preventive medicine, in that a large part of what we do involves detailed guidance in diet, exercise, and stress management--the three supports of good health. Finally, the methods I love best--nutrition, herbal medicine, movement--are sustainable, powerful, and inexpensive.
They combine well with conventional pharmaceuticals, or stand well on their own. I believe my background as a Chicagoan influences the way I practice--where do you think I got the emphasis on common sense, for instance? Right here. The Midwest, by the way, has a long tradition of natural medicine--Dr. Henry Lindlahr operated his highly successful Sanitarium in Elmhurst in the early part of the century (not far from where I was born, actually). Chicago has some of the best conventional medicine in the world; I see no reason why we should be denied the benefits of natural medicine.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Chronic Babe Article...
My short explanation of Naturopathic Medicine has been published here. Please read and comment, and while you're there, treat yourself to some of the other articles as well. ChronicBabe is quite a lovely creation.
Monday, January 15, 2007
Why "Nature Goddess"?
Credit goes to the lovely and talented Rosa, who comes to our center not as my patient, but as my belly dance student (and a wonderful student she is, too!) Rosa called one day to tell me that she would not be at class, as she was sick. Then she remembered the various herbs and formulas she had seen at the center, and wondered if there was anything I could do for her. There was, and later that day, she picked up a formula for herself and her daughter.
I saw her again a week later, at class. She was feeling much better, and as it turned out, had recovered quite quickly from her illness. "We call you the Nature Goddess now," she said, "that stuff really works!"
That stuff *does* work. That's why I do what I do.
There is another goddess I had in mind when I named the blog. Hygeia was the Greek goddess of physical health, and the daughter (in some accounts, the wife) of Asclepius/Asklepios, god of physicians. (Her father, by the way, may have begun life as a mortal man, and been deified later--sort of the ultimate promotion.) The image above is one of my favorites; so calm, so reassuring, so authoritative--don't you feel better already?
I nearly named my center "Hygeia Natural Health", but I found most people didn't quite feel the way I did about the word. The goddess's name has come down to our century as "hygiene", and while the concept is entirely appropriate for Her scope of practice, it denotes bleached sterility to most people. We are as clean as we should be here, but "sterile" is hardly the way I want my patients to think of natural medicine.
To me, natural medicine is alive, growing and changing; which is why it seems so obvious to embody these concepts as goddesses, with their vibrant natures, gorgeous images, and all that their names evoke.
"Hygeia, most revered of the blessed ones among mortals, may I dwell with you for what is left of my life, and may you graciously keep company with me: for any joy in wealth or in children or in a king’s godlike rule over men or in the desires which we hunt with the hidden nets of Aphrodite, any other delight or respite from toils that has been revealed by the gods to men, with you, blessed Hygeia, it flourishes and shines...and without you no man is happy." - Greek Lyric V Ariphron, Frag 813 (from Athenaeus, Scholars at Dinner)
"I swear by Apollo the physician, and Asklepios, and Hygeia, and Panakeia, and all the gods and goddesses, that, according to my ability and judgment, I will keep this Oath and this stipulation ... " - Hippocrates, The Hippocratic Oath
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