December 28, 2002
Namaste Noble Fitness Warriors!...
"Don't tell me what you are �going to do� or �what should be�.
Tell me what you've done and what is."
- coach ilg
�
i have always thought we - as individuals - have a responsibility to bare our souls to that which rings true to our heart.
i have always felt we should follow that truth with faith and determination, to see where it leads us.
i have always sensed that whatever we love to experience (or HAVE to experience) is a spiritual portal to our Higher Source. it could be anything really...for me, it was the unlikely combination of uniting the dance between several outdoor and extreme sports and living with chronic spinal pain from a mountaineering injury. but it could be whatever turns you on or challenges you; from sewing to serving tables, from trying to lose weight to juggling, surfing, or jogging. but for that which we love doing (or have to cope with) to become a genuine Spiritual Vehicle for us, we must persevere not just with it, but THROUGH it! like a warrior. warriors do not run around battlefields. they run THROUGH them! it doesn�t matter to a warrior what occupies the battlefield; dragons, enemies, or monsters. it�s all the same to the warrior. it must be gone through. in our own lives, we must be brave warriors too, brave enough to keep on climbing Higher through the disenchanting, scary, boring, or depressing periods.
i have always chosen to use my short life here to search for that 'great perhaps'. i don�t care if i ever reach the highest levels of Samadhi, but it's fun in the attempt and i've found no wealth richer than not submitting to obstacles and attaining a high degree of health. i�ve found no paycheck more profound than one earned serving others, be it through example, words, teaching, or just being present with people without judgment or pressure. some people complain to me of not getting enough for their job, but few have realized that everyone is getting paid just to practice Awareness in their breath, posture, and presence.
May your own life experience - and the joys and challenges in it - benefit from this most recent batch of correspondence from students of Wholistic Fitness and High Performance Yoga, across the country...
DIRECT LINES is really, really quite magic.
don�t you think?
for twenty years, these messages of Light and Love have spilled forth from spiritual fitness warriors...
just like you...
which is why...
I bow to you,
coach ilg
creator/Wholistic Fitness
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Dear Coach Ilg -
You have been a source of inspiration and amazement to me during the last twelve years. We met once in Santa Fe at Club International, I think that I was fifteen years old at the time. My Mother introduced us. She happened into meeting you not long before that and was impressed by your spirit. She has always had very good instincts about people and an authentic heart. At that time my family was struggling with a lot of pain. I took to solitary and outdoor sports/activities, and spent a lot of time on them. My family did not really understand my preoccupation because sports and the outdoors had not been part of their lives. My Mother was trying to be part of my life, and would naturally try to learn about my interests. I mention this because you were able to articulate some of your passion in a way that helped her understand mine. This was the start of my awareness and growing appreciation of you.
I read your book, and saw you running on the Windsor Trail above Santa Fe, and doing pullups at the Pagosa Springs Recreation Center, and nordic ski racing over in Durango, but I never did approach you beyond a greeting. I was however, often happening into your footprints and being reminded of, and distantly following your legacy. We moved through very similar geographic circles and activities, so every so often I would hear something about your adventures or your coaching. I remember the first Wholistic Fitness newsletters, and seeing new books and articles, and reading your heartwarming and inspirational reflections as WF took to the web.
It has been delightful to watch your success from the sidelines. You have been a beautiful example to me. I have always felt great resonance with the sentiment that immersion in nature and pushing of the physical body can be intensely spiritual and profound experiances.
I am writing you to let you know these things and to ask for your help. I am in a desperate place in my life and I do not know what to do. I have to force myself to do what has always been very natural before, pushing myself just to get outside. The joy of training is gone.
I feel like I am at a critical place in my life. I am aware of tremendous grief and and lack hope. I am rationally aware of the positive, but it is no longer visceral. It is time to do some healing. Life won't let me move on without that.
I have made efforts at recovering from negative emotional patterns with only marginal success. I have tried the paradigms of psychiatry and psychology, and to some extent, have had those treatments most of my life. I beleive that there are different paths to increased awareness and peace for different people at different times, none inherently better or worse, just more or less timely or relevant. I believe that it is my time for a new approach for me. My heart moved me to tell you these things and I am trusting that there is a reason for that. I do not know if WF is the path I belong on right now, but I do know that I have learned a lot from you, and feel that you are a kindred spirit. I am looking for some guidance and I wonder if it is here.
Thank You for everything that you have done.
- B.C.
Dear BC -
i thank YOU for choosing to be brave enough to bare your soul. you and i belong to the same spiritual tribe. you are indeed h(om)e. like many along the WF and HP yoga Path, you realized that outdoor sports and/or fitness training came into your life to satisfy an inner education and yearning that was missing.
the challenges you are experiencing is the Universe testing your sincerity and capability to go Higher in this lifetime. you traveling the proverbial, "dark night of the soul." you are to witness this stage of your life, feel it fully, but do not attach to any egoic drama or depression as you move through this phase. don�t get caught up in the i-need-more-Therapy circuit. few of us need to 'heal'.
most of us need to grow.
you can achieve whatever you believe, this is true.
but 'belief' is a mental function and is not grounded in spiritual warriorism.
you must learn to replace 'belief' with 'faith'
for faith to be true, strong, and reliable it must be tested in the daily chapels of hard fitness workouts, yoga, meditation, and nutrition. with faith and determination replacing your 'belief'
you will Arise ever Higher!
there are many options for you to use this wonderful spiritual opportunity. 'crisis' is nothing more than the 'shaking' of the Divine rattle...like a shaman's rattle, crisis is meant to stir us up...get us into action...create a molecular state of agitation so that change can more easily occur. do you understand?
i say, JUMP! DIVE into this spiritually ripe environment! perhaps in other lifetimes you reached this very same point...but you stayed stuck..rutted...depressed...caught in the ego.
but this lifetime, you have followed in some of my Mountain Yogi footsteps across the spine of the Rocky Mountains. this time you have felt the relentless bliss of snow driven wind against your frozen face and the setting of the Santa Fe sun into a sea of rosy liquid gold. this time, you wrote me.
this time, you are ready to Rise Higher.
i am Here Now. my humble Temple of transpersonal fitness training is ready to train you, teach you how to make optimal use of this great chance for Higher Journeying!
i am proud of you for writing me ... i shall forward you a Training Application so we can begin.
- coach ilg
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Congratulations to MARK FEATHERMAN of Lancaster, PA who recently earned his WF STUDENT INKA training under Teacher Sheader!
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Coach: how do i use two CALLI tea bags per kettle and get about three kettle fulls from those two teabags? DO I brew a kettle with the two tea bags, and then dilute my cups?
Mark
Student Mark -
...here is how i MAXIMIZE Calli Beverage intake from SUNRIDER:
1) COMMIT TO A PURE CALLI KETTLE: do not use this kettle for anything else but brewing Calli Tea. very important.
2) bring a full kettle of water to boil.
3) turn down the heat to LOW. NEVER place Calli teabags into boiling water! this damages the properties of some of the more fragile herbs! herbs are human too, you know!!
4) place 2 Calli Teabags into the kettle and close and let it steep FOR AT LEAST 10 MINUTES! very important.
5) now you have a FRESH pot of Calli...
to EXTEND the number of cups do the following. BUT for most POTENT healing and health benefits; drink the full fresh pot of Calli without doing the following.
6) TO EXTEND the number of cups per fresh pot of Calli...pour off 2 cups of Calli from the kettle. refill the kettle and let steep for AT LEAST 15 minutes to over 24 hours! you now have another full pot of Calli to access and enjoy!
7) after drinking down the entire pot...be sure to tear open and put the used Calli teabags into houseplants (or onto aching or injured muscles!).
(Note; if you are also a devoted Calli Night fan like Kathy and i, then buy another kettle just for Calli Night...this way, during the day, the two different beverages can 'steep' independently from each other)
8) to really understand the intensity of integrity and the high standard of concentration, purity, and formulation of SUNRIDER products such as Calli, be SURE to order the COMPANY PROFILE booklet with your next order. it convincingly demonstrates the superior quality of the best whole foods on the planet! it's item # is:
#574101
coach ilg
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Dear Coach,
Thank you for sharing in DIRECT LINES. I learn a great deal about how much i need to learn when you share what is going on with 'others'. I am intrigued how it oh so often relates to something that i am dealing with in the moment. Impeccable timing.
Sending Light so bright,
it makes the shadows,
a shadow.
cheers,
heikosan
Heiko -
in-deed the miracle of humanity grows ever more magic, more mystic, more profound Real with each passing release of tension from our fibers and with each exhale from rebellion and restriction of mind and body...
our Students teach us
our Neighbors teach us
our Teachers teach us
our Circumstances teach us
our Workouts teach us
toward Love and Higher Light
tis a feeble ilg indeed
who has fallen into your Path of Awakening...
but i am devoted endlessly to you...
namaste,
ilg
December 24, 2002
Feliz Namaste Noble Warriors!
my 'gift' to you for this holiday season is a technique that will hopefully serve you well as you crank off those last minute shopping errands and merge into the turbulence of the holiday...
thank you SOOOOO much for the strength of your Practice!
in-joy the holiday...i'm going skiing...
love, love, love
coach and kathy ilg
wholisticfitness.com
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Beeper Guru: Nature of the Moment
This lifestyle exercise is excellent for yogis who are actively and intentionally blurring the lines between their �regular� daily life and their yoga Practice. This exercise chips away at our addiction to thinking by drawing more �beingness� into our awareness.
Here�s how to do it. Set a watch alarm so that it beeps every fifteen minutes. If not applicable, a computer chime or simple timer can be used.
Upon hearing the beeper, take a moment, pause, and ask yourself these three questions:
1) Am I at peace with my body?
2) Am I at peace with my breath?
3) Am I at peace with this moment?
By repeatedly bringing awareness to these three points, transformation arises. As a result, your body/mind fitness is enhanced.
- i bow to you,
coach ilg
�
Steve Ilg is a licensed USCF Coach, yoga teacher, and top selling book author who used yoga to overcome serious injury and compete in an unprecedented 5 World Championships in 4 different sports. He is the founder of Wholistic Fitness� and High Performance Yoga �. Contact him through
www.wholisticfitness.com
December 20, 2002
"Make your intention
attention."
- coach ilg
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Namaste Noble Warriors!
THANK YOU for reading! DIRECT LINES is now deepening its international following...most DL readers are not formal online Students of Wholistic Fitness but are customers of my books and High Performance Yoga video which continues to make waves across the country. That video is kinda becoming an �underground� classic, especially among athletes! Without being formal online Students of WF, i don�t know how much of our dharmatalk gets through to people, but obviously this forum is keeping a lot of people interested in their personal fitness and that is what is most important to me! so, i thank you for reading and for those of you who ask questions, add comments, and turn on other fitness warriors to www.wholisticfitness.com
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for those of you confused on what the hell Wholistic Fitness is all about? just take a moment and surf through the link: YOUR JOURNEY at wf.com
all my basic Dharma is right there...PARTS 1&2 of my most recent book; THE WINTER ATHLETE is also an exceptional study of WHOLISTIC FITNESS philosophies. My new book won't be released until January of 2004, but don't worry, there is always PLENTY of quality study available for those truly ready to combine their personal growth with their fitness training! My online catalog is full of quality products that ensure such an education of self!
enjoy this Update and come back every couple of days to make sure you don�t miss the Highest Standard of personal fitness and body/mind personal training on the planet!
i bow to you...enjoy!
coach ilg
founder/Wholistic Fitness & High Performance Yoga
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Dear Coach Ilg -
I have attended your Meditation workshops and classes...it�s incredible! I feel completely changed when i do meditate with you. However, I am struggling to begin a personal Meditation practice. How important is it to meditate at the same time every day? How long will it be until I grow so calm and powerful like the way you are in your yoga classes?
Sincerely,
Mike
Dear Student Mike -
First, forget about me. Focus on you...give your mind a picture and a sense of how you desire to be. The body follows the mind. You can achieve whatever your mind concentrates upon time. The more you practice concentration (dharana), the more pure and manageable your mind power becomes. This is why i teach high standard fitness and yoga...why waste time with anything less? i draw students out of their �thinking minds� which hold doubt, hesitation, and outdated models of performance and esteem. By sheer intensity of dharana, all those negative mind qualities are replaced by positives; faith, conviction, determination, and self reliance.
As far as the �best time� to meditate, Swami Muktibodhananada can help us as he interprets the following from the second chapter of the Hatha Yoga Pradipika:
�The specific times for practice are important in correlation to body rhythms and solar/lunar activities. At these times there is a changeover of body and external energy rhythms, and sushumna nadi {the primary energy channel located within the spine} is more likely to become active.
�Early morning means an hour and a half before sunrise and it is called brahmamuhurta, �the period of Brahma�. At this time the subconscious mind is active and if you are sleeping then, you will most likely be dreaming. It is a time when unconscious experiences are more likely to manifest.
�Evening, around the time of sunset, is called sandhya. Sandhya is the meeting of day and night. It represents the time when ida and pingala {the other two primary energy channels within the subtle body} merge with sushumna in ajna chakra (third eye center). The external influences of the sun setting or the evening commencing affect body rhythms and functions, making it conducive to the merging of pranas in sushumna.�
This is why i always elect to teach yoga or meditation classes during or as near to Sandhya.
- coach ilg
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Steve,
I was reading the woderful thing you say about the WF community on your homepage, and noticed a typo. "One thing remains" shows up as only two words:
One thingremains.
Being nowhere and no one,
student hAnTMAN
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Beautiful New Student hAnTMAN -
(i like that hAnTMAN thing, very good!)
nice try, but alas the Spelling Guru* was not a victor in this case...that spacing error is due to the 'Blogger' as it reconfigures and cross platforms my word processing system onto the website...
my average email/writing includes several thousand words per day.
rarely does the Spelling Guru catch me, but He certainly does now and then! thank you for your attempt to increase my awareness.
and - by the way - "woderful" is spelled,
'wonderful'
i bow to your devoted study,
- coach ilg
*Spelling Guru = The Spelling Guru is an Awareness tool that i created and is used in all online training of WF Students. Whenever i, or a Student, is caught misspelling a word, it is our Practice to compassionately let them know. Paying attention to spelling is the same as paying attention to breath and posture. It�s all about staying present and mindful because in WF, �How you do ANYthing is how you do EVERYthing.�
To me, the equivalent of misspelling a word is the same as slipping off a handhold while rock-climbing...a lapse of concentration (dharana) something that could have very powerful consequences! As WF Warriors, we must do our best to impeccable at anything we give our energy to. Including something as �mundane� as writing. Why? Because, �God hides in the details.�
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Dear Coach -
An odd thing happened this morning. I was biking into work along Lake Michigan into 15+ mph headwinds in a rainstorm and loving every minute of it. Traffic was at a stand still and I was passing everybody and enjoying the sounds of the crashing waves from the Lake. Here's the odd thing, I saw two �Hummers� stuck in traffic.
Do you think it was the guy who wrote into Coach Ilg in Direct Lines?
On a another note, I did my first unassisted pull-up in 26 years last night. Need I say more, or less? I could feel some energetic dams starting to crack, and I'm grateful for your guidance.
Namaste'
Student Mike
(training under WF Coach Sheader)
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Dear Coach Sheader -
I see that you're a cross-country coach. Perhaps, then, you know something about feet and footwear. Sometimes with running the outside of the bottom of my foot hurts, and this can
lead to a gait problem and subsequent soreness with knees and hips. It appears to be an alignment problem of some sort, but it doesn't always happen. I also tend to wear out the outside heels of my shoes quite quickly, something that I recall happened to by Dad, as well. I'm
wondering if this is genetic, poor posture, or the wrong running shoes
(at the present time I have New Balance trail shoes). I also have a
recollection of a discussion with a runner who talked about pronation
and over-pronation, but I can't recall the details or if it is even
related. Any thoughts on this?
- Your Student M
Dear Student M -
It sounds to me like a little over pronation. So yes, get yourself a pair
of good running shoes that account for this and don't let them get too old before the next pair. New Balance is good to be sure. I would find a top running shoe store, not Footlocker or the like. One where top runners go and work. Have them check you out for proper shoes. I like New Balance and Adidas but there are others. Don't get something that over corrects or feels like hiking boots either. The feet need freedom to move. Which brings me to my next point. I have a hunch your are experiencing Plantar fascitis.
Three suggestions on this: (1) When you first get up out of bed step right into a pair of shoes with really good comfortable arch support... like Chaco's. This will keep you from further injury of the foot as so many experience when they get up and put bodyweight on stiff feet. (2) After a while take the shoes off and spend as much of the rest of day barefoot as possible, ie Barefoot Yoga as Coach Ilg calls it. Shoes are like casts that make for severe atrophy of the feet and thus weakness. (3) Get a golf ball, set it on the floor with
your foot on top and roll back and forth providing massage... ahh it feels so good. Keep it under your desk, by the sofa, where-ever.
Namaste'
Coach Sheader
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Hello Coach Ilg!
Long time no see...but I will be back to class as soon as I return from Europe. I promise! The HP Yoga sessions are the highlights of my week. p.s.- I really enjoy reading your daily(sort of) journals, when I can not make it to class. Anyways, I just wanted to wish you and your wife,Kathy, a Merry Christmas and very very Happy New Year!!!!
I will see you in the new year!!
Best Wishes,
Maggie
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Coach, thank you so much for this past year and all of your assistance. I look different from the last time we saw each other. Wholistic Fitness has sculpted soma, psyche, and noos. I am glad that I found the Winter Athlete last February (on my birthday!). Looking forward to the next year with you and Teacher Sheader. Talk with you soon - got some new Tele equipment! May your practice be strong and the New Year prosperous.
Namaste,
Student Scott Adams
New Mexico
(training under Coach Sheader)
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December 17, 2002
Namaste Noble Fitness Warriors!
off to go tele skiing...local area just got 6 " last night...
YEAH BABY!!!!!!!!!
cold wind
black ravens
ski edges biting into whistling snow
pine boughs
sky tipped clouds
colliding with infinity...
thus the Dharma rides the chair lift
by my feeble side...
enjoy this update...
and May Your Practice Be Strong and Sincere Today!
i bow to you,
Coach Ilg
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Love your Direct Lines.....
I love your website, and have been really inspired by your writings.
Perfect - thank you!
What you say about LA rings so many bells - this little island isolated in the middle of the Mediterranean breeds superficiality and blatant misuse of resources - Ferraris on a 12 mile long island - it could be a mini LA..... but i love it anyway! (except for the lack of yoga teachers, masters resources.... I even had to get a mat from overseas.....)
Namaste
Francesca,
Malta
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Dear Coach,
As i was reading through DIRECT LINES, i was weeping with connection and joy. How much i have learned about myself, how brave i have been to walk this path, and how grateful i am that YOU were courageous enough to walk into your light. I bow.
heikosan
canada
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Hi Steve:
I've been re-engaging with your work, and thus had occasion this morning to read your journal entry on returning to L.A. I had to laugh out loud at your comments about Hummers, since I own two original Hummers. I was thinking about your comments in the context of your eloquently expressed thoughts on "senseless aggression and domination" in "The Winter Athlete." I read these last night as I was trying out the "Spinach Staple." Good stuff, BTW.
Aggression and domination almost always spring from ideas, beliefs, and perspectives before being realized physically. The difference between how we see things and how they are can always be used to divide us if we allow it. Ultimately, our differences can divide or fascinate; the choice is ours.
-----
I'm often astonished at the different reactions my trucks seem to induce. They range from various universally-understood hand gestures to requests for rides, photographs, and occasionally, marriage. The differences in the reactions from adults and children are fascinating, and wonderfully instructive. As you might imagine, children are almost singularly intrigued while nearly every adult has a judgment that goes well beyond curiosity. Some are outraged, some are jealous, some are ecstatic because they think my trucks are somehow an expression of a shared perspective. The reactions are as various as the people expressing them, but there is one common theme: the exclamation point of opinion almost always precedes the question mark of curiosity.
In the end, they tell me a lot more about themselves than they learn about me. Ironically, in expressing their opinions about my choices, they almost always miss the chance to learn something about their own.
Isn't it a funny world?
All the best!
D
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Yogini Alisha -
RE: Last week's class was awesome. I had been feeling ill all week and couldn't shake it. You said something profound during the asanas that assisted me in letting go of whatever it was. I had a healing and was very grateful to you and your amazing class.
� i am pleased you feel my feeble service helpful!
RE: I spoke with another yogi in the ladies room and we would love to have you make a tape or CD with your words of wisdom on it. It would be great to have one to put on just before drifting off to sleep to put all the good stuff into the subconscious.
� i have three wonderful lecture/meditation audio tapes available at my website along with three videos and several books including a book of poetry and my next book due out next January by HYPERION not too mention my daily online journal filled with all sorts of my strangeness.
there is plenty of 'ilg' out there...too much, probably! i bow to the Blessings in your life and your devoted Practice,
namaste,
coach ilg
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Dear Coach Ilg,
Many months ago I wrote a similar note to a well known zen teacher (an All-American in several water sports) who said he needed to eat flesh to sustain his heavy duty workouts. I specifically mentioned you and your accomplishments, attained (I thought) without resorting to killing animals (or even worse having someone else do your bidding).
So the time has come for me to say no to that which I find philosophically unacceptable (I think that is the converse or your apt phrase). Please unsubscribe me from your email list. No doubt I will miss some great stuff, as I have derived a lot of benefit from your writings. But if I don't say no now, when will I.
Sincerely yours,
Andy
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Dear Steve,
I just wanted to thank you for another great class today. The drive home from Yoga class today was so calming and peaceful. I think it is something so incredibly different from any other drive that I ever take. It is one of the true times that I am at peace with myself and my day. I was actually writing you because now that finals are over and I have the time to read for enjoyment and my own intellectual journey I wanted to study Yoga more extensively through literature and explore the spiritual side and philosophy of it. I was wondering if you could recommend any books to start out with. Thank you for you time and consideration
Namaste,
Chris Frost
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Dear Steve -
I really felt great in class last night. I'm opening so much more.
I almost was able to execute side crane!
As I was in asana practice i felt a rush only to find that a friend's mother had awakened from a coma of 7 days. is that spooky or what?
- L
Yogini L -
Not �spooky� at all. it�s quite natural. it is the limited acceptance of what we see as �Reality� that makes certain, completely natural, phenomena arising just seem �spooky�.
you opened onto an etheric portal due to the vibratory 'shake up' created by the intensity of your asana Practice last night...as well as the bodywork and energywork that we have been doing. remember my opening Dharma talk last night about 'different perspectives'...like having 'cable' as opposed to only one channel?
same thing happened to you in class last night. a Gateway opened. you can facilitate such things if desired. this is a beginning sign of your siddhis or yogic powers. not spooky at all. quite scientific and natural to the yogic way of things!
Don�t attach...just Practice Awareness!
love,
ilg
December 14, 2002
�The disciplined mind is your only treasure.�
- coach ilg
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Namaste Noble Fitness Warriors!
i have pulled myself from the high Sierra and am plugged back into LA. The transition is difficult: From a wild and white place of deep, natural integrity to LA where anything of substance, if still existing, must be bolted down, surfed, skated, moved, developed, smoked, snorted, or swallowed.
Sure LA is easy to poke fun at. In LA, the rumor is that anything even remotely resembling personal substance is quickly and guiltlessly replaced by an obsession with appearance. Perhaps, but Her contractions are reflections of our own; they come frequently and must seem absurd to others. For example; LA...the health-and-fitness mecca of the nation also has one doughnut shop for every 7,000 Angelenos...far more than any other U.S. city!
LA: Where local ski areas �don�t need no stinkin� snow�... they just make it (a questionable use of precious water in a drought stricken coastal desert - even to me).
LA...where celebrities do private yoga sessions between Xanax dosages upon $875 Gucci yoga mats and find no philosophical quandary in driving the latest model of Hummer. For the numbers, the tank like Hummers go for $50k and gets (a never-advertised) 10/mpg!
Can you say Patanjali�s Yama Guideline; A-P-A-R-I-G-R-A-H-A ?
LA: Where Beverly Hills plastic surgeons now offer �biceps implants� to complement their client�s facial, breast, buttock, and calf �work�. Thank God...now we can finally use gyms for what they were intended; hitting on hotties.
LA: Where the omnipresent freeway noise near my home carries the unmistakable 9-5 rhythm of individual spirits being crushed, one by one, day after day.
Don�t let me mislead you. There are a lot of great things about living in LA. The seafood for one. It is so fresh it�s practically pastry. The perfumed air of year round flowers. The way morning climbs into the marine layer to float sunshine over the glimmering ocean. And, the amazing amount of very good-looking, very fit people. You feel young and sexy just breathing the same ocean air as them. Hec, i maintain my tan just from the glare off all the perfectly white smiles around here!
Sure LA is easy to poke fun at. So is Wholistic Fitness. Perhaps that is why i chose the City of Angels to do my spiritual �big city work�. LA is open minded and free thinking. But anything that is open is also vulnerable to judgmental minds. What�s that line by Bob Dylan, �Don�t criticize what you can�t understand...�
I think about that line every time i hear rap or heavy metal music.
At least in LA, people receive you for you. She won�t try to change you. She accepts you for whatever and whoever you are. Whatever you choose to wear, to drive, to consume, to enjoy, to Practice. It�s all good out here. LA lies in a vortex, like Sedona, Boulder, or Santa Fe. The �Vibe� is different here. Measurable. The wavicles within the circuitry of earth/sky energy is palatable here. It effects in positive ways an inner way of being. LA is like asana made manifest; she wants to open you up. For here, between pavement and palm tree, circumstance and synchronicity dance hand in hand.
Personally, I love LA.
I met my Beloved Angel here.
It�s damn fun living here.
But still, I love high altitude mountains more...
Just hours ago i was gazing into the cirque above Lake George at 9,893� taking a breather from a pre-dawn skate ski workout. I just stood there, on my skis, feeling. Looking. Listening. The frozen lake began to sing as the sun appeared and began to warm the icy bed.
Have you ever stood on your skis, surrounded by glistening snow, to witness just one sunrise? Breath - frozen - clings to your face as eerie cries rise in dolphin like tones from beneath a frozen mountain lake awakening? The opera continues and finds applause by an emerging emerald sky. Long i stood there and fell to meditation.
Here was yoga.
Here was the Union of the Divine and the Personal of which Himalayan Masters speak. Here Prakriti and Atman, Shiva and Shakti display clandestine secrets. No finer temple than these soaring cathedrals of granite domes. No better robes to wear than my skis. No holier water than my sweat used to get here. Here is my pew. The snow covered mountains, my altar before which i pray my glory of breath and sweat.
Too much thinking dilutes power of both prayer and mind. That is the drawback to the City life; she keeps you thinking by so much input. But here, the majesty of Mother Nature distills random thought into a shock of clarity. All cells are firing, full throttle, with life force.
One thing my boyhood wolf, Apache, taught me long, long ago is this: When in the wildness, be still. Listen. Feel.
The more your breath goes out
the more Nature moves in.
As your thoughts take leave
mind becomes still
birds enter
streams mutter
tree limbs lift
winds dance
snowflakes flutter
and
entire mountains shudder
with
Grace and Divinity.
I had to move to the Big City
to climb my Highest Mountain
to hear my deepest Silence.
I had to move to a busy city
to deepen my stillness.
I had to let go of fitness
to gain a Higher fitness.
Where are you moving
to become Whole?
Which edge are you pushing
- right now in your life -
to cultivate your Highest Yoga?
�When the pain of leaving behind what we know outweighs the pain of embracing it, or when the power we face is overwhelming and neither flight nor fight will save us, there may be salvation in sitting still. And if salvation is impossible, then at least before perishing we may gain a clearer vision of where we are. By sitting still I do not mean the paralysis of dread, like that of a rabbit frozen beneath the dive of a hawk. I mean something like reverence, a respectful waiting, a deep attentiveness to forces much greater than our own.�
-Scott Russell Sanders,
from Settling Down, Staying Put: Making a Home in a Restless World.
Stop by DIRECT LINES tomorrow for
Student Updates, Dharmatalk, and much more!
and as always,
may your Practice be strong and sincere today.
i bow to you,
coach ilg
���
December 10, 2002
Namaste Noble Warriors!
First, a beautiful letter with a pretty practical response by me...then a salutation to all of you!...
�Dearest Steve -
Thanks for the beautiful class today. It's sooooo good to be in your
vibration. You're so special. Sorry about my snoring during chivasana
(??Spelling?)....I'm a bit road weary. : - )�
K.A.
*
Dear Student K -
Thank you for the BEAUTIFUL words! Such kindness!
Pretty close on �chivasana�...it�s actually �savasana�...here is the Sanskrit �why�:
sava = 'corpse'
asana = 'pose'
savasana = corpse pose
never apologize for snoring, coughing, sneezing, farting, crying, laughing, or anything else in yoga class...whatever your body/mind needs to do, honor it! the important thing is to keep coming!
Love and inner Light,
coach ilg�
���
21 of you attended my Level 1 + Meditation Sunday afternoon! Even the �big time� yoga centers in Santa Monica...the �mecca� of hatha yoga have trouble drawing those numbers on a Sunday! Especially for a new class in a gym in...Chatsworth! And last night�s Level 2/3 was beyond Beyond, baby! Oh my gosh, way too much fun! It is an amazing journey to watch how High Performance Yoga has strengthened you, opened you, and talk about chiseling your physiques! Wow.
i bow to you. i love your devotion to your Practice.
my enthusiasm for your high turn out is better understood if you remember that when i began teaching yoga classes 20 years ago, it was great if three students showed up consistently!
thank you, thank you, thank you! it is evident that the ancient Practice of yoga has once again adapted itself to another era.
Kathy is planning to add another Level 1 HP Yoga Class along with other special events in the new year. it�s great to see the new faces gather each week...just goes to show you... don�t ever let people tell you what �will� or �won�t� work. nobody thought that a high standard yoga program could succeed in the Valley. well, our HP Yoga program at PowerHouse Gym is now the strongest in the Valley. how it happened; i started with a vision of my Truth, stayed committed to that vision. the power of our Practice together has now produced a new yoga studio, new yoga teachers, and multitudes of new yogis and yoginis determined to help better themselves and be a positive Light in the world ! (and, we need more HP Yoga Teachers! please sign up for my Spring Session of HP Yoga Teacher Training...check out the website under Upcoming Events and register!)
speaking of staying devoted to ones own Truth...
i�ll be gone a few days...
i just gotta go...
to the snow...
i�ll be base camped in a cabin within the snowy folds of the Sierras.
i�ve got to re-center and rejuvenate my chi...
for me, i do this by returning to my mountain yoga Practices;
the chant created by snowshoes against a moonlit drape of snow,
the song sung by snowboarding through powdery glades,
the mudra of breath connecting with frozen air,
the prayer recited by kilometers of snow passing beneath my skate skis...
herein lies my real Yoga...
my Connection with the Divine...
at play within God�s own yoga studio; Mother Nature!
time to transfer my daily Practice
into art
the art of winter outdoor athletics!
here is what i bring on pilgrimages like this one
listed in order of priority:
first the spiritual (for without Connection, the Mountain Gods sense lack of sincerity and humility. lack of Connection is what injures many outdoor athletes):
�) Mala beads (like a Buddhist rosary)
�) Wedding ring
�) Medicine Bag (containing my spiritual stones, milagros, sage, etc.)
then, the physical self must be properly nourished. i can perform at high levels for months on the following:
�) Sunrider Herbs (vitashake, quinary,vitafruit, and fortune delight, and Calli Beverage)
�) Powerbars & Powergels
�) canned tuna & basmati rice
then, �shelter� for the body:
�) Cold weather clothing (see Part 5 of my book, THE WINTER ATHLETE)
�) Marmot sleeping bag & bivi sack
of course the seasonal tools of an outdoor spiritual materialist like moi:
�) skis (3 pair: nordic skate, nordic class, and area telemark)
�) sport snowshoes
�) snowboard
�) ice tools and crampons
finally, the �luxury� items:
�) yoga mat
�) nag champa incense
�) 7-day candle
�) laptop notebook
see you later.
i gotta go to the snow!
may your own Practice be strong
and sincere
and may you live your Truth
out loud,
in daily life
and take the spiritual meaning of your Truth
where it belongs;
deep
and
deliciously
inside yourself....
i bow to you from the land of the snows,
coach ilg
December 06, 2002
Namaste Noble Fitness Warriors!
�True power hides in the bushes.�
- Sufi
Here are just a few of the recent Rays of Light that constantly stream into my email box from Wholistic Fitness and High Performance Yoga Warriors worldwide...you have little idea of how wealthy you make me feel by your devoted study along our Path!
I bow to you...
enjoy the Rays...
Coach Ilg
�����
Online WF Student Thanks His Teacher
Dear Teacher Sheader,
i want to thank you for the last 2 cycles we've been thru. Until you and i got together i really felt as if i was slipping in my practice and losing my "way". the last 2 cycles have been more than i could have hoped for. i feel a little like the coyote (bugs bunny)when the light bulb goes off over his head. I get it, how it all comes together, how important nutrition really is (slow learner here). How my yoga practice makes everything i touch better, how much happier, more content and positive i feel. I'm not to good at writing and expressing my thoughts completely but i think you get the drift.
it is Thanksgiving and i'm so very thankful to have you in my corner. happy t-day to you and yours.
humbly,
WFS Moses
���
WF Certified Teacher Joseph Sheader still has a few openings for new or waiting to be reactivated online students!
���
KNOW SOMEBODY INTO FITNESS?
Give the gift of transpersonal fitness today! We do GIFT CERTIFICATES for WF Certified Online Training! email coach ilg at ilgtrain@aol.com
���
USE WHOLISTIC FITNESS ENDORSED HOLIDAY CARDS:
NEW!!!!
WORLD CELTIC DESIGNS
Linda Sheader, the beautiful wife of WF Certified Teacher, Joseph Sheader has just opened a new website for her amazing artwork...Linda offers notecards, ornaments, etc. Each are done with an exquisite expression spiritual essence...check it out today and order your holiday cards from a Wholistic Fitness Teacher�s family!
bookmark it now:
www.nwceltic.com
���
Dear Coach,
thank you for your added insight -- you all-Ways take me deeper into the wisdom of WF. i loved the Daily Meditations while you were in New Mexico....poetry speaking to my heart.
Love,
CR
���
�Hi Steve,
I loved Sunday's yoga class, just what I needed. The white light meditation was beautiful.
Namaste,
Alisha�
���
STRENGTH TRAINING QUESTION ON �ARNOLD PRESSES�
Dear Coach,
Regarding Arnold Presses in my strength training routine...wow! Another killer! I pushed through on this one. Please explain form on this one, asked the gym owner, but would like to know the wholistic way.
-Student Scott
Dear Student Scott,
Before Arnold was ARNOLD, i spent three days with him when he helped us do our new Grand Opening at Farentinos Gym in Boulder. Like some sort of possessed fans, me and Steve Farentions, Mark Bogan, and Clay Patzer watched every one of his workouts. While doing his signature seated overhead DB shoulder presses, known as �Arnold Presses� Arnold kept his palms facing toward midline throughout the whole range of motion, although due to his enormous size and restricted shoulder flexibility, i did notice a slight outward rotation at the wrist over the top several inches, but certainly the twisting of the wrists is not as rotated as in Rotating Dumbbell Presses where the palms start facing in back of you and rotate along the upward phase until facing forward at the top of the movement. Arnold Presses are good for those with impinged shoulders as the neutral grip minimizes torque forces at the acromioclavicular (AC) joint.
In Iron We Trust,
coach ilg
���
�Dearest Teacher -
We spent Thanksgiving with B and D. B declared at the table
that she was most thankful for having met us so she could find you and
Kathy. She had tears in her eyes as she spoke of how she has her life
back thanks to you two. Thank you for all you do, my dear.
I can also say personally, that through your teachings of posture, yoga, breath, meditation and exercise, I have been managing my neck challenges so much better than before. Thank you again for that. Happy Anniversary too to both of you.
- KA
���
HERB INPUT!
�Steve,
I saw the discussion of Sunrider herbs in your online journal and thought I'd pass on my own experience. I've been using them for a little over a month, and I recall my early question to WF Coach Sheader, "What will it feel like? Will I notice anything?" In response to your points, here is what I notice:
�Now, if you just keep consistent with this program you will notice the
following over a period of weeks:
1) bodyfat drops --�
Yes, bodyfat is dropping! Part of it is in response
to exercise, but some of it feels like it is due to "something else".
Intuitively, I feel like fat reserves are now more "accessible" to my
body through the use of Sunrider products (Ilg Supremes, primarily).
�2) energy level increases -- �
Energy levels have increased to a surprising degree for me (keep in mind I'm 43!). After many workouts I feel tremendously energized and I wonder if I worked out "hard enough". I check my notes, though, and it was a hard workout. I just equate working out with being totally spent at the end, and this doesn't always have to be the case. I am also surprised by the reserves of energy I have during CV workouts. This may be more efficient access to fat reserves, but along about 20-30 minutes into a CV session, I find that I can turn on more power when I need it. And this isn't the normal "second wind", it is a reserve of energy that I haven't felt before.
�3) weird/unhealthy food/substance cravings fade away -- �
I have experienced this, as well. I never had much of a sweet tooth, but I find that I'm not remotely interested in sweets. And I have no interest in fatty foods, or high salt foods either (good by chips!). I find that I am also more aware of craving being just that, a craving, and sensing it coming I can have an Ilg Supreme or eat a piece of fruit. You
definitely become more tuned in to your body's needs. Finally, I
dropped a 25-year coffee habit overnight. My body just didn't "want" it anymore.
�4) mental focus is better -- �
Absolutely!
�5) emotional peace arises -- �
Some of this is relates to meditating, but even with that, I think the herbs help with this. Your mind becomes quieter and sharper.
So, that's my personal experience, and I look forward to continuing with the program.
- Michael T.
���
HP YOGA PANTS FAN
�dearest coach,
again, thank you for the HP Yoga Pants; having three pair is awesome. i may not be the most flexible yoga teacher around but i've got the coolest pants :-) in fact i'm wearing them now. i have one pair for sleeping in, one for casual wear and one for teaching. ha.�
-WFS K
���
ADD ONE MARK IN THE �PLUS� COLUMN FOR LIVING IN LA..
Ever wonder what an outdoor extreme athlete does when retired? Well, here is one thing i love doing...riding roller coasters! Keep this in mind when you book your next WF Intensive with me next summer:
�Six Flags Magic Mountain continues its historic run at the record books announcing today the construction of yet ANOTHER Xtreme new mega coaster - SCREAM! - scheduled to debut in Spring 2003.
SCREAM! will combine traditional roller coaster technology with a unique floorless train design - riders will be strapped into "flying chairs" racing at 65 miles per hour with their feet dangling in the air - no track above their head, no coach around their seats. And for three screamin' minutes riders will race thru a series of Xtreme maneuvers � head-over-heals "upside down" seven times flying thru a serious of numerous twists & turns, drops & spins that span an amazing 4,000 feet of track!�
yeah baby! BRING IT ON!!!!! Life is WAY to short for slow roller coasters!
���
December 04, 2002
NAMASTE NOBLE WARRIORS!
I noticed after Allan's great letter which appeared in yesterday's entry (see below), that it may be time for rehearsing what exactly do i suggest for most people when it comes to the SUNRIDER herbs. Sure enough, in today's email came a basic question from long-time WF Student, Ellen from New Mexico.
I will use Ellen's letter to address once again my basic suggestion for optimal energy, fat loss, and cellular purity.
May all beings vibrate with enthusiasm to Rise Above!
Here you go and...
eat an herb!
��
Most Beautiful and Noble Student Ellen -
RE:
I had replyed to your email regardign alpha-c.I am
also looking for a cleanse program if you have
one.Also do you have some sort of weight loss type
drink that is really healthy? It is taking me a while to
get my immune system back so anything I can do would
be helpful.
�
1st: keep checking every couple of days my Daily Meditations; DIRECT LINES at www.wholisticfitness.com
there is a ton of valuable counsel appearing there often on all aspects of the herbs, health, fitness, spiritual growth, etc.
2nd:
the key to anyone's immunology is hormonal balance. the organs must be strong, supple, and functioning proprerly to release and control the glandular system. too much cleansing and soon enough cell depletion replaces cell regeneration. not good. this is why Dr. Chen stresses the basic components of a SUNRIDER herb intake...it is very, very simple. please listen:
to empower and strengthen the five organ systems of the body; circulatory, endocrine, respiratory, digestion, immunology take the QUINARY formula...
to 'beef up' any weak component mentioned above, you can order and eat the specific herbal formula for that organ system:
�circulatory = Lifestream
�endocrine = Prime Again
�respiration/immunity = Conco
�digestion = Assimilaid
�immunology/T-cells = Alpha 20C
FOR OVERALL NUTRIENT SATURATION (vitamins, minerals, amino acids, etc) drink VITASHAKE
TO ACHIEVE and MAINTAIN optimal BODYMASS and cellular clarity:
during the day: DRINK FORTUNE DELIGHT + SUNNY DEW (2 squirts)
and/or CALLI BEVERAGE + SUNNY DEW (2 squirts)
at night: drink a nice hot cup of CALLI NIGHT + SUNNY DEW (2 squirts) to aid sleep and pull toxins/debris from the cells.
Now, if you just keep consistent with this program you will notice the following over a period of weeks:
1) bodyfat drops
2) energy level increases
3) wierd/unhealthy food/substance cravings fade away
4) mental focus is better
5) emotional peace arises
i shall close with the 'recipe' for the "ILG SUPREME" which is to be made and consumed 1-2 times daily.
in between intakes of the ILG SUPREME, drink Fortune Delight and/or Calli.
it is that simple.
you don't need to 'add' anything but replace sodas, coffee, engineered vitamin pills and powder with these whole food herbs.
if you need any more SPECIFIC guidance, please let me know...for you, Ellen, coming off your illness struggles, i suggest adding extra ALPHA 20C to the following ILG SUPREME. that will send your immune system skyrocketing, i promise!
here is the now world famous "Ilg Supreme" using the SUNRIDER products available 24-hours per day from www.sunrider.com
SUNRIDER Whole Food Herbs and Personal Care
The Official Nutrition of Wholistic Fitness
�����PRODUCT USE�����
once again, due to POPULAR DEMAND, here is my main SUNRIDER formula for Wholistic Fitness and High Performance Yogic Warriors the world over.
drink one or two ILG SUPREME�s per day. this drink empowers, balances, and strengthens your body/mind.
In between, drink FORTUNE DELIGHT (#101029-that is Lemon flavor, but there are four other flavors to enjoy)
with a squirt of SUNNY DEW (#103011). this drink metabolizes impacted bodyfat and detox�s the cells via enhanced cellular respiration giving you a stable run of energy all day.
THE ILG SUPREME
Into your Sunrider Shaker Bottle (code#53011) mix:
� pour 16 oz of filtered water into your SR Shaker Bottle. this suspends the herbs from the bottom of the bottle...
� add another 4-8 ounces of soy milk (i prefer SILK, Vanilla flavor). this adds a great texture/flavor plus more protein...
� 1 package of Strawberry Vitashake (#155020) to supply main nutritional core: vitamins, minerals, amino acids, carbs, proteolytic enzymes, in whole food form.
� 1 moderate squirt of Vitafruit (#102011) for a major dosage of concentrated fruit, antioxidants, vitamins, etc.
� 1 moderate squirt of Sunny Dew (#103011) to stabilize blood sugar and to sweeten
� 1 five-gram package Quinary (#190509) to support, balance, and empower all five organ (or element) systems of the body; endocrine, digestive, t-cell immunity, respiratory, and circulation.
� shake it up.
� chug it or sip from it...and bingo; another day of feeling KING OF THE WORLD BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!
i drink at least one, but sometimes two ILG SUPREME�s per day...especially if training hard, working hard, or travel stressed
THROUGHOUT THE DAY:
Your SR Shaker Bottle should constantly be at your side throughout the day. If it doesn�t have an Ilg Supreme in it, then it should have this:
�filtered water
� 1 five-gram package of Fortune Delight (see above)
� 1 moderate squirt of Sunny Dew ( see above)
or
� have a cup of Calli Beverage (#500300) with Fortune Delight
(Calli is a BEAUTIFUL beverage that is prepared and drunk like hot tea...it functions similarly to Fortune Delight, but is designed to pull heavier toxins from the cells.) This is a far better option than coffee in the morning!
AT NIGHT :
� have a cup of Calli Night (#100149) while reading a good book to achieve cell cleansing and bodyfat loss during the night, while enjoying a peaceful rest...really calms your nervous system and induces rest.
���� EAT YOUR HERBS and SHIFTS HAPPEN!
when i first started Sunriding, my body craved the Ilg Supreme constantly for several months before my body started to cleanse and balance. i would drink the recipe 3 x daily. couldn�t get enough of it. it was like my body KNEW and it would not let ANYTHING stand in its Way toward achieving cellular purity which results in a Higher Vibrating state of being and awareness. it just felt WAY too good! that was twenty years ago...and this morning�s ILG SUPREME felt JUST as powerful!
�����SHARE THE HERBS!
Drinking your herbs throughout the day is a great way to help other people get healthier. Sure enough people will ask you,
�What the hell is that stuff you are drinking?�
�Herbs.�
�Herbs? What do they do?�
�They give me energy and health while burning bodyfat.�
They�ll want to get on the herbs, believe me. Who wouldn�t?
If you are a SR Distributor, they can easily join online under you and pretty soon, your monthly check completely pays for your personal use of the herbs! It takes about 4-6 people under you who consistently take the ILG SUPREME and FORTUNE DELIGHT to pay for your personal use of the herbs. That is NOT a lot of effort to eat the best herbs in the world for �free�!
����� QUESTIONS ON JOINING?
let me know!
you can join for free or as a Distributor.
May Your Practice Be Strong & Sincere,
coach ilg
www.wholisticfitness.com
visit:
DIRECT LINES: Daily Meditations from Coach Ilg
December 03, 2002
Namaste Noble Fitness Warriors!
Kathy and i have returned to the City of Angels...we are back teaching yoga, training online students in Wholistic Fitness. and loving each other. doing what we do. as best as we can do.
i pray you are too.
do whatever you do from Love.
workout from Love as well.
many do not. they workout from Fear, or Ego, or Guilt. that is not a wise Way to shift Higher. instead, workout to exercise your spirit more than your body. workout to exercise your mind so it becomes stronger and more concentrated. this way, when you pray, your prayers will be more concentrated and God will hear and honor them more quickly and more deeply.
the world seems in dire need of spiritual warriors and warrioress's...those of us who dare to be impeccable in our thought, word, and deed. those of us who allow our hidden self to emerge from the intensity and consistency of our daily workouts and work-withins. those of us who know that even falling off the Path is part of the Path.
so much depth everywhere. to mine the moment for the minute miracle..aye, therein lies the rub. the spiritual fitness life requires attention to detail..for God hides in the details...those things and circumstances that the untrained mind cannot see.
"What is most most essential is invisible to the eye. It is only with the Heart that one sees rightly."...or something like that from THE LITTLE PRINCE.
along with returning 'home' to LA, were 148 emails to answer.
i do my best to provide something
anything'
to everyone
it is my yoga.
cyber yoga, if you will.
my time goes unpaid financially as i spend my time answering Seekers from all over...but my True paycheck comes in spiritual Ways. do what you love, and the UniVerse shall provide. in this i have trusted since 1982. (of course, tithing is an everlasting option for those of you who enjoy and benefit from DIRECT LINES but are not formal students of Wholistic Fitness! here is our address: 5720 yolanda ave.,#2, tarzana, ca 91356)
out of the 148 emails, this one stood out from a beautiful being in NYC of whom i've never met.
yet, in his words, i am certain you will find a Brother in spirit.
i did.
thus, today, i shall close this entry with his words to celebrate the Fitness Warrior in all of us!
in-joy
and
May Your Practice Be Strong...
i bow to you,
coach ilg
����
Coach -
I, like many, first came into contact with you through Joe Glickman's
piece in the New York Times. At the time I clipped the article, bought a HP yoga
video, did it a couple of times, said "damn that's hard" and put it back
on the shelf. Some time later I heard you had a new HP tape. I bought
that one as well, did it once, said "damn this is even harder", and put it
back on the shelf. In the meantime, things were going to hell in a hand
basket. I live in NYC, in a neighborhood hit hard by 9/11. Two weeks
later, my father died after a long battle with cancer. I was just
starting to recalibrate from that this summer, and in a two week period
lost my uncle (who had been a surrogate father for my father), and my
teacher of 18 years (click here for a great piece on him:
http://www.trumpetplayeronline.com/jimmy_maxwell_dies.html) . I use
teacher in the broadest sense - I studied trumpet with Jim (I used to be a
professional jazz trumpet player), but he was my spiritual mentor and best
friend as well (he was a Zen Buddhist since the 1930s, and incorporated
this into his approach to the trumpet through what he called "the
systemless system"). I was also traveling 4-5 days a week for my job,
taking me away from my wife and 2 year old son at the time I needed them
most.
Finally, around Labor Day, I vowed I wasn't going to live this way
anymore. For my family, I was able to get off the road, finding enough
local clients to let me make it home to see my son before bedtime every
night. For my teacher, I helped organize a memorial concert in Central
Park, the first time I had performed in public in several years (it was
the first time my son heard me play - he now asks to play "Papi's trumpet"
every day!). And for my physical and mental wellbeing, I decided to get
off my butt and start sweating (we would now be getting to the part of the
story where WF comes in). Knowing I needed a goal to commit to, I decided
to run in the New York Roadrunner Club's cross-country season in Van
Cortlandt Park (a legit course, often hosting NCAA and high school
championship races). I chose this specifically because it would be hard
(WF: embrace difficulty) - I have always hated running, and had never run
more than five miles in my life. My racing goals were modest - finish all
the races I entered and run faster each time. More important, I commited
to a WF-inspired workout routine to build my overall fitness:
Tuesday: HP yoga
Thursday: Strength (not weight!) training
Saturday: yoga
Sunday: run (either a race or a training run over the cross-country
course)
My race results were as follows:
Date Distance Time Per Mile
Time
9/1 4 miles 35:23 8:50
10/6 5K 26:26 8:31
10/20 5K 24:54 8:01
11/17 5K 24:21 7:51
11/24 15K 79:22 8:32
My running mantra during these races: "don't add drama, just add breath".
I was consistently surprised at my ability to up the ante on my cv. Other
big takeaways:
HP yoga plus squats = wicked strong legs. I consistently was a passer,
not passee, in the hilly sections of the course, all thanks to those scuba
deep chair poses
One reason I have avoided running in the past is because it would give me
a good deal of pain in my right knee. I was convinced something was
wrong, and assumed I would need surgery. Since I started doing HP yoga
regularly, I've experienced no joint pain, even after the 15K.
For the first time, I appreciate the cleansing power of CV. I find myself
feeling like I have scrubbed my insides after a good run - its a great
high!
I generally do my HP yoga workouts on Tuesday nights. Wednesdays are my
best day of the week - my body feels almost liquid and I feel tremendous
presence as I walk through the world
Most (all!?) barriers are within my mind, not my body or my environment.
Running five+ miles always seemed a VERY BIG DEAL - something only
"serious" runners would do. I ran almost twice that far on the 24th (the
15K), and while I wish I had run a little faster, I still had plenty in
the tank at the end
By next fall, with a full year of WF under my belt, I expect to kick ass!
In short (he says, after making Coach read a two page e-mail), WF has been
a big part of me feeling like I am moving forward again. I am a stronger,
more positive presence in my son's life (he, by the way, is already doing
sun salutations at my side!), and a better companion to my wife. As to WF
- I hope (and expect) this is only the beginning. One of my 2003
resolutions is to start a WF correspondence program. In the meantime, I
will keep doing what I am doing, building a foundation for whatever comes
next. One question: I am intrigued by what I have read about SR herbs on
your site. I must confess I had never heard of them before. Is there a
"starter" order you would recommend for me as a first-time user?
Peace-
Allan
P.S. Have really enjoyed this week's postings from NM. My wife and I took
our first-ever road trip together in 1992 to Santa Fe and Taos. It was
and remains a magical place for us. Reading your postings brings me back.