November 30, 2003
Namaste Beautiful Tribe,
Teacher in Training Roche here. i'm sitting in the Wholistic Fitness Temple having just returned from an hour of Zazen meditation and Pranayama practice at Coach's beautiful new HP Yoga studio.
day one of this three day intensive consisted of an hour of early am Zazen and Pranayama, followed by morning meal, then... the a ride up the infamous Tuna Canyon with Coach Ilg and fellow cyclist Steve Marlowe. an hour of riding brought us to a spectacular view of the Pacific. a sharp right hand and we were at the base of Tuna Canyon. please note, i reside in land-locked-flat-as-a-pancake-central indiana.
being a flat-lander, when Coach said we were going to climb 3000 feet over the course of 8 miles, i had no reference point. so i thought, "ok, whatever, let's go for it." ah, beautiful ignorance.
in true Teacher form, Coach rode up ahead. leaving me to...me. no one to encourage me, no one to do the work for me. such a spiritual climb it proved to be. above me i could see Coach just Dancing up the mountain.
near the summit, Coach returned to pace me the last few hundred meters. he all-Ways knows when to push, when to throttle back.
as we crossed the summit, i pulled to the side of the road... and wept. i let go of much on Tuna Canyon. Wholistic Fitness has a Way of doing that, eh?
well, on with the rest of the Intensive. Slow Flow HP Yoga with Coach and whatever craziness he has in store.
get your butts out here for an Intensive. go today and find your Tuna Canyon. oh, and one more thing...PLEASE pray for me:)
Love,
Teacher in Training roche
November 28, 2003
Namaste Noble Warriors!
�The great sea has set me in motion.
Set me adrift,
And I move as a weed in the river.
The arch of sky
And mightiness of storms
Encompasses me,
And I am left
Trembling with joy.�
- Eskimo Song
On Thanksgiving Day my Earn-The-Bird �HP Yoga Triathlon� was a stunning success. Ten warriors in the Studio by 6:30 am to sit an hour of zen and pranayama. Then, 15 show up for our 2 hour multi-instructor asana class. First up was Teacher Q delivering a sweet warm up worthy of a Bach sonata. The chi he built was then handed off to HP Yoga star teacher, Joy Kilpatrick whose artful moves procure contemplation of the deepest sort. Beautiful Michele Ringler was up next...zig zagging the sweat soaked students through a choreography of moves that left most of us dazed with delight. i took the Teacher�s podium next. Already high from the early morning pranayama, i chose a juxtaposition of malasana variants into backbends to stimulate the chakras for my closing meditation. Then, finally these warriors remained for the final event of the day; the Hectic Hill Hike/Run:
Melissa, Wissam, Jim Bad, Dana, Joy, Michelle with triathlete husband Steve, Teacher Q, Clay, and Barry. Oh we were high on the Pran all right. So high that Joy forgot to bring my running shoes and JimBad nearly decapitated himself on a sycamore tree.
At the start of the 1.25 mile brutally steep uphill hike, we broke into a fast and slow group. Steve Mackel showed great tactical savvy by surging past me within 800 meters of the start and remained 20- 30 seconds in front of me the whole way up, summitting within 16 minutes! Oooof! i am going to have to actually start run training again if these students keep this quality of High Performance effort up! For his noble anaerobic effort, Steve nabbed 5 free classes by reaching the summit ridge before this ol� mountain goat!
After the sun soaked, wind swept summit regroup, I led us toward a little meadow overlooking both ocean and valley whereupon we flowed with rhythmic breath through the Taoist yoga postures known as Ai Imawa or �Harmony Now!�
Then the descent down Helluva Hill.
I made my explosive move at halfway point...plummeting down the steep narrow trail at breakneck (or at least break ankle) speed. None but JimBad answered my move...and JimBad, a former semi pro motocross racer - knew the keys to ultra fast mountain trail descending; fearless mind and fast as hell eye to foot reaction. He was RIGHT on my heels! After our event, i had to go for an hour mountain bike ride just to spin the concussion out of my legs and to calm the heightened amount of chi coursing through me!
Certainly, the Warrior of the Earn The Bird Day had to go to Student Melissa whose only prior experience of ascending or descending ANYTHING on foot was the escalator at Northridge Shopping Mall. Melissa is on FIRE...she�s lost about 15 pounds,takes classes each day, has started the SUNRIDER herbs, and has counter attacked a very difficult time in her life with yogis call, Tapas...burninng Desire to Rise Above by driving straight through the difficulty! i bow to you, Student Melissa...and ALL the HP Yogic Warriors who showed up for Earn the Bird! Thank you for your devotion and your donations!
I wish to extend particular thanks to my volunteer Staff of HP Yoga Teachers and Personnel: Jessica, JimBad, Michelle, Teacher Q, and Joy. What A Day we shared Noble Warriors! We friggin� earned our (faux) bird! That is the HP Way, baby! Earn it to learn it.
Well, i gotta go. I just heard Teacher In Training Chris Roche arrive downstairs from Indianapolis. I am not quite sure where exactly is Indianapolis, but i hear there is parking there. Chris is here for the next few days to complete his training to become a certified Online Teacher of Wholistic Fitness...a position which, i am sure, is going to be quite in demand in the very near future.
But first he has to survive the next 72 hours with the crazy wisdom antics of the ilgster himself...poor kid. i hope that whatever the WF Gods send through me to impart to him is not too terribly tough....he seems like such a nice young man...
in aspiration, trust, mindfulness, stabilization, and surrender to the Higher Source,
the Feeble One bows to you...
ilg
November 26, 2003
Namaste Noble Warriors!
"He who wants to be great must become the smallest of all."
- Mark 9.35
some of you wonder why i call myself, "The Feeble One," or why i often refer to myself as a third person, "Feeble Ilg."
if you have experienced what i have had the unbelievable privilege to experience during countless hours spent in the high magnificent mountains of this amazing continent doing extreme sports...you too, would stand under my umbrella of humility.
why? because you too, would know by direct experience just how fragile, how insignificant is a human. if you doubt me, sign up for a Private Intensive. we'll stand together at the foot of Half Dome in Yosemite before a free climb of her 3,000' overhanging Northwest Face..you'll feel humble, i promise.
or perhaps i'll perch you on top of a pair of telemark skis under a 80 lb pack on the Columbia icefields in minus 40 degree winter whiteout blizzard to START a multi day winter mountaineering epic. you'll feel humble, i promise.
too extreme? then just try perfecting a no-handed Headstand (Asalamba Sirsasana) in yoga.
it's easy to feel powerful while driving a BMW.
but try to get people to learn that the true BMW is inside scares the bejesus out of them.
it's what makes the difference between the inner and the outer worlds.
as we study the Great Masters; Jesus, Buddha, Gandhi, Mother Teresa, the Dalai Lama, Swami Rama, Ramana Maharishi, et. al., it takes no great effort to realize their common link; Humility. this is why Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. this is why Buddha touched the Earth "as his witness" upon his Enlightenment, this is why Ramana Maharishi sole possession was worn blanket and why Mother Teresa, Gandhi, and His Holiness offer unconditional healing and love to both leper and World Leader with the same Divine Attitude of serving.
some you know my affinity for Comparative Religion and Spiritual Traditions. i grew up as a Catholic altar boy. yep, that's right. Coach Ilg in church kneeling at the altar every damn early morning of my life from kindergarten through sixth grade baby! had to serve funerals on the weekends.
now, as a Yoga Teacher, i am quite often confronted by worried Christians about doing yoga as if in dropping a single droplet of sweat during a Sun Salutation the Devil himself is going to sneak into their cells and corrupt their Heaven-Bound ways.
so it is appropriate, i TAF, that on this Thanksgiving i wish to give thanks to two my most enduring Teachers...disembodied though They are, Their lifework as Spiritual Teachers has so helped my own Sacred Journey and has provided the spiritual architecture of Wholistic Fitness. Thus i bow to Jesus Christ and Buddha. I redevote myself toward embracing Their Teachings of forgiveness, perseverance, compassion, austerity, originality, confidence, humility, nobility, and non judgment. Thank you, JC and Lord B. I have no idea how devoid my spiritual life would have been without your Divine Shoulders upon which to stand. I love you, both. I am Thankful for you both.
If you too, are engaged or confused by the relationship between Buddha and Christ...my friend, Nitin Kumar has once again put forth a FANTASTIC article, free to the public called, BUDDHA AND CHRIST - TWO GODS ON THE PATH TO HUMANITY. visit Nitin's website for the article and do some conscious gift shopping for the Holy-days upcoming at the site:
http://www.exoticindia.com
that is all.
enjoy your Fitness Practice(s) today. we are Blessed to be able to move and breathe each precious day!
Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy the tofu turkey!
head bowed,
coach ilg
November 23, 2003
Dear Steve,
I am a novice yoga practitioner.
My yoga experience is based upon the Living Arts' Beginners A.M. and P.M. yoga tapes that I do inconsistently, and a wonderful (gentle) post-natal yoga tape that I practiced with (for about 4 months) 4 years ago.
I have been interested in finding a yoga studio close enough to follow a regular practice (both at home and at the studio). I found your Tarzana studio while eating at Pozi's Grille. I noticed you had a Zen meditation class. My son was interested in experiencing a Zen class, so we went two Sundays ago. Thank you for the free class. Ben really liked it, but he did not want to make a regular practice of it at this time.
This past weekend, I attended your YogaNation class for the first time and the Zen class for the second time.
My understanding of the Nations' class was that it was instructional. That meant to me that I would sit and learn and listen. So I did one of my yoga tapes before going to class, so I could sit (quietly, I hoped. Sitting still is not easy). After my tape, I ate.
This means that I ate before the Nations' class.
As you saw, I wore the wrong clothes. I was not expecting to work out.
I was not mentally prepared for a vigorous workout.
For me, last Saturday was a vigorous workout. My muscles burned. I breathed very hard. Most of the postures were difficult for me to either do or maintain.
I haven't had a good, vigorous workout in a long time.
I felt both great and awful.
Great because of the workout. Wow. I did it. Plus, at the end, both sides of my lower back gently cracked by themselves. (A chiropractor can't do that!)
Awful, because my muscles burned too much, and my stomach ached.
The next morning I attended the Zen class again. Lots of breathing.
That night I had one of the worst stomach and body/back aches. My entire back felt like it was completely open and in flames. My stomach was acutely upset and everything inside it was burning. I had a fever.
I don't believe I was sick with a "bug."
I believe that I really messed with my body.
1. I ate before one of your classes. You can bet I won't do that again.
2. I overextended myself to meet your physical challenges in class. I am competitive, and since I am not in any good physical shape, I really don't think that I should be trying to prove myself. There has got to be a balance somewhere between pushing myself harder and over-pushing myself.
3. I am not on a good nutritional cleansing diet. OK, I'm not on any diet. If I am to do these breathing techniques with yoga without stomachaches, then I need to detoxify GENTLY. I think that what I experienced on Sunday night was a dramatic opening in my nervous system (chakras?) from the "cracks" in the lower back and the breathing exercises that fought against all toxins in my body that were being released plus the food I had eaten during the prior 24 hours. I was really feeling nauseous.
I have stretched out the workout aches and pains. I know how to do that.
I do not know how to detoxify my system.
I don't know how to practice hard "enough" without over-doing it. I think I'll need to be the master of the hard physical pushing, and you be the master of the mental pushing and proper techniques until I get in better shape.
I have no specific physical goal to attain. I do not wish to climb any high mountain, or learn to ice climb, or rock climb, or go on mammoth bicycle or kayaking journeys. I don't run. I don't back pack. I don't need to prove myself physically any more. I just want to be healthy and have my body (muscles, joints, bones, blood, nervous system, etc.) last in good health until I leave it. So my goal is my journey. That's all.
Knowing this, is your program appropriate for me, or is your "target market" for the more physically driven focused athlete?
Best regards,
Robin C. Fox
�
Noble Warrioress Fox -
everyone is an athlete.
all humans are part of the human �race.� thus, we are athletes. our race, in case you have forgotten, is toward Enlightenment in this lifetime. we must help each other and Practice very very devotedly and wisely.
your mindful letter (not one misspelling) and well constructed thought patterns tell me that
you are reaching out
for a Teacher...
you want to know if my place is safe for you to explore new dimensions of yourself emerging.
it is.
your potential is high... you are �ripe� for self transformation. go for it.
Robin, i have no �target market.� you assume that upon me. a high altitude mountaineer learns quickly that assumption kills. do not assume anything about me, my work, or yourself. keep freedom everywhere, within everything and everyone. do not assume. he who has no assumptions maintains Presence. he who assumes destroys Presence.
my athletic exploits and physical workouts have been and will remain mere fodder for what truly matters; my spiritual workouts in the years ahead. you can benefit from the fitness energy in the High Performance Yoga studio. you are from our Tribe, just re-membering. you are safe to explore with us. that�s what we do; explore inwardly.
you were guided to my studio by way of a Higher Intelligence. in-joy our �yang� Presence as a beneficial component of your own sacred Journey.
i bow to you and your devotion to work on yourself. May all beings benefit from y(our) dedication.
head bowed, spine straight...
coach ilg, RYT
November 21, 2003
From: Wayne Williams
Subject: Update on WW's health
Date: November 20, 2003 9:31:50 PM PST
To: Steve Ilg
Dear Steve,
I wanted to bring you up to date on my progress since beginning my Wholistic Fitness journey in March of this year.
As you know, I'm a 49 year old California guy, and now your photographer and friend.
We have shared and given a great deal to each other and enriched each others lives in many ways, with much more to come.
This past summer, after two months of cleansing with Fortune Delight and Cali tea's, my wife Marsha and I began enjoying our Ilg Supremes at least once a day along with other healthy foods.
By mid summer, my weight went from a high of 162 lbs in March to 148, and now its floating comfortably in the 142 range, just about right for a 5' 8" guy my age. Yup, I'm down some 20 lbs give or take a few.
Now I could talk about the fun it is to ride my bike some 3 to 4 times a week covering over 500 miles a month, and tell you what you already know, I keep getting better and better as my average speeds pick up and I take hills I never dreamed I could climb.
Or I could talk about the fun I have lifting weights and doing HP Yoga and having my wife tell me how proud she is of me that I don't have that little budda belly any more.
Or I could talk about the fact that I had to go shopping for pants since I've gone from a size 34 to a 29! Haven't been there since High School.
Oh, or I could talk about how I finally shaved my legs for cycling cause you were so embarrassed to see me ride so well, and look so good but still have those hairy legs spinning along. No...
... Instead, I'm going to tell you about a far more important milestone.
Today I got the results of my blood tests for my annual physical I do each year.
You see, last year, and for the previous decade, my Cholesterol and Triglicerides have have been fairly high for my age. They needed to come down from an average of 250 for the Cholesterol, and a high of 450 for the Triglicerides. My HDL was always around 30, not bad, but not great, and my LDL's were in the in the 50's, also not exciting.
Being under 50 years of age and with all other signs looking ok, no history of heart disease in my family, my doctor put me on Lipotor a few years ago. That lasted about a month when I kept getting leg cramps and pulled my self off the stuff.
I knew there needed to be another way to go. One that worked both the body, the mind, the heart and the soul. As life brings interesting moments before us, we only need to be on the look out for them and be willing to step up to the plate when they arrive.
Mine came when Steve Ilg walked into my life to have me shoot a book cover for your fifth book, "Total Body Transformation."
After getting to know you a bit I said, hey, this guy Ilg seems to have the full package together on this fitness thing. It's just the nutrition. It's not just the aerobic workout, it's not just the weight lifting, or the Yoga, heck... it's the whole package, the real deal! No bull, just a common sense approach to mental and physical well being. Walk the walk, talk the talk, that's Ilg!
I liked this guy Ilg and I decided to take the Wholistic fitness route. Buddy, the rest is history!
Since I've been eating herbs, meditating, and playing (exercising) about 8 hours a week, the results are in:
Are you sitting down?
My Cholesterol is 198 (Normal)
My Triglicerides are at 128 (that's not a typo) Excellent!
HDL is 50 (Excellent)
LDL is 122 (Excellent)
Fasting blood Sugar 102 (Normal)
Wholistic Fitness works baby!!!
To your good health, and all who chose to play.
Your good friend,
Wayne Williams
Author, Photographer, and distributor of
'America's Vanishing Landscapes, The Western States'
Wayne Williams Studio
15423 Sutton Street
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403-3809
(818)905-8097
FAX: 995-6888
Email: wwclick@earthlink.net
http://www.WayneWilliamsStudio.com
November 19, 2003
Namaste Noble Warriors!
"No one is capable of providing contentment in your life but you. Breathe."
- coach ilg
3 Things I Have Yet To Understand:
?) How come soy is soooooooo amazing and yet so underrepresented compared to cows milk?
?) How come there are so many fat and out of physical shape Reiki Masters, priests, and spiritual healers? If these people make their living by having mastered and can manipulate the Universal Life Force, then why can't they control the 23" of airspace from fork to mouth?
?) Why is it so hard to relax into the moment?
1 Thing I Think:
?) i think the biblical phrase, "Man was born in Original Sin" was a typo. it meant to read, "Man was born in Original Skin." Let's get naked and dance with life, not resist it!
WF OmWork Assignment:
a) open all doors (buildings, cars, etc), on an inhale.
b) close them with an exhale.
that is all.
jao!
love from the humble Helm,
coach ilg
November 17, 2003
For Immediate Release
High Performance Yoga�
818-881-0252
818-345-9027 fax
www.HighPerformanceYoga.com
Author/Extreme Athlete Steve Ilg Opens New High Performance Yoga Studio
Tarzana, CA - November 17, 2003 - Steve Ilg�s HIGH PERFORMANCE YOGA has opened at its new location featuring body/mind fitness training in Tarzana.
�The physical and spiritual environment at my new studio has been meticulously designed to produce a world-class yoga experience safe and versatile enough for beginners seeking a healthier, more balanced way of life to the most dedicated yogi or athlete seeking a higher level to their performance and their physique,� says studio owner, Steve Ilg. Exclusive to the studio are Steve�s trademark classes, �HP Prop Workouts��, �Straight Up Zen��, �YoZenGa�� and HP Strong, Slow, and Easy Flow� classes. Workshops, classes, and a special weekly class, �YogaNation�� complete the varied schedule for the new studio which additionally offers a line of High Performance Yoga clothing, Steve�s books and videos, special yoga products, and SUNRIDER herbs/skin care. �We are devoted to helping others in the struggle for awareness while keeping a trajectory toward Enlightenment. Our primary mission however, is to provide our students an occasion to pause, heal, explore, be challenged, and feel nourished in a sacred way,� explains Steve.
Steve Ilg helped popularize extreme sports through his books and high mountain exploits throughout the eighties and nineties. Steve used traditional yoga techniques with Western sport physiology principles to overcome severe spinal injury to compete in five World Championships in four different outdoor sports. His latest book, TOTAL BODY TRANSFORMATION (Hyperion) will be released January, 2004. A Registered Yoga Teacher with the International Yoga Alliance with senior teaching status, Steve is also a certified personal trainer and an expert coach with the United States Cycling Federation. Steve began teaching students in 1982 out of Boulder, Colorado and now heads an international online student base.
November 14, 2003
Namaste Noble Fitness Warriors!
"He speaks like Ram Dass but with body better than Bruce Lee!"
overheard statement from a student describing Steve outside the High Performance Yoga studio in LA
Fresh back from his 4 Day Intensive with me, Sean "Abuddhivira" Madine, has already gotten in touch with his online WF Teacher, Grant Couture discussing the best way to incoporate his insights from LA. Here, Abuddhivira writes about some of the Strength Training adjustments i made on his form in the Iron Temple (what i call the 'gym'). May his insights deepen your Practice in some way:
"Our ST session was an ad lib version of Bountiful Basic with which I
have been working during the past month or so. The session unfolded as
follows:
Squats - Adjustment included : Incresing fluidity of the overall
movement ... taking the 'jerkiness' out of the piston. Also, quieting
the entire body except for the protagonist musculature. This included
soft eyes.
Leg Curls - Similar to squats ... using fingers to help the mind isolate
the hamstrings. Quiet the rest of the body.
Calf Raises (or my new name for them ... Toe Pressdowns ;-) ) -
Initially, I was ignoring the antagonist muscles during the downward
stroke. Bringing the front of the lower leg into the movement completed
the movement. We talked about how this relates to challenges I have
with crampon footwork while under stress. By engaging the front of the
lower leg, the mind and foot stay connected to the ice. Subtle, but
huge, huge, huge.
Pull Ups - We moved from the pullup bar to the greasy rack support
crossbeam. Also, bring v-sit position and do typewriters as able at the
top of the movement. A mental shift for me was to use my eyes to bring
the bar to me rather than pulling myself to the bar.
V-Handle Pull Downs - Open heart upwards (leaning back more that I was),
and again use the eyes and mind to bring the handle to the chest. Open,
open, open.
Dips - These are quite open right now. I need to bring awareness to the
'dismount'. Quietly lower rather than jump off.
Flyes into DB Bench Presses - Adjusted angle of flyes to eye level
rather than chest level. Also, worked with elegance of DB transitions.
Bring mindfulness to the entry, transition, and exit.
Side Lateral Raises into Front Lateral Raises - Had to hit the delete
button on my old form here ... we started from scratch. Brought the
upper body slightly forward to engage the overall shoulder musculature.
Worked also with the angle and motion of the arms. Lots to work on here.
Curls - We used the oly bar for these to better align the wrist for
climbing. Added Shivaya technique and a slight forward extension of the
arm at the bottom of the stroke. This small shift really bit into the arms.
Stiff Leg Deadlifts - Adjustment was to only move out and forward until
upper body was parallel to the floor. Previously, I was going much
lower than this."
November 13, 2003
Namaste Noble Warriors!
�The beginning athlete uses muscle strength. The maturing athlete starts using breath strength. The true spiritual athlete, however, cultivates the pran.�
- steve ilg
multi World Championship outdoor athlete
some of you have expressed interest in my actual Journal Recordings, saying they help inspire your own Practice. here is yesterday�s. may it somehow benefit your own Practice:
�early a.m. Pranayama/Meditation goes stupendous again. � overwhelmed by office work, my attempts to catch up goes absolutely nowhere, so i hook up for a ride with Steve M and drag him around Fruit Loop {the name i give to a 38 mile rolling bicycle route through Mullholland Highway and Malibu Canyon}. there is rain when we begin, but yogis don�t care if it is raining or not if you gotta ride anyway. soon enough, the rain clears after a few miles and i am just fucking motoring on the Softride, feeling like i am 21 again. that bike is so fast that SM could only barely keep my draft and i�m only at low Z3! inside of me, i am just going nowhere. no effort, just pran flowing within and without. � back at home i screw on Zen Mind to do laundry, sage the house, and clean. doing domestic duties a sacred opportunity to offer my actions to Brahma and appreciate the Sharpening of the Knife...one must work from a clean, clear center..be it ones home, or body. � run errands on Galileo {my motorcycle}. as i weave through and around the cagers {people addicted to cars} along Ventura Boulevard i am gifted by a most AMAZING sunset; explosions of chakra colors like the sky reached orgasm and was not ashamed in her expression of it. � i take this natural High with me into my beautiful yoga studio whereupon i and three students merge into a most graceful and deep Slow Flow. Love radiates from my studio and the Presence of devoted spiritual athletes seems overpowering for being open only 7 weeks and without so much as a Press Release to market ourselves! Brahma told me; build it and they will come. they are. � at home, i�m tired. i attempt to watch a video of the Lakers game. couldn't hang but FF to see them win. tomorrow the Colorado Avs play. i set the recorder in what i begin to see as one of my final attachments to staying interested in outer worldly things. Hockey comes closer than anything, i reckon. probably because of the lower chakra nature of its grace? too tired to follow that line of thought... in bed, i flirt with Mula Bandha and think about how to torture my morning HP Prop Workout class as i fall into susupti {dreamless sleep}. i am helping others. i am Blessed."
November 12, 2003
Namaste Noble Warriors!
�First Yoga deals with health, strength and conquest of the body. Next, it lifts the veil of difference between the body and mind. Lastly, it leads the sadhaka (spiritual athlete) to peace and unalloyed purity.�
- 16; What is Yoga
Light On Pranayama
B.K.S. Iyengar
As faithful readers of DL have read, i have just completed my coaching with recently crowned Master WF Student, Sean Madine. This was Sean�s 4th Private Intensive in my 8 years with him. Unless you yourself have studied WF with me personally, you will realize how wise Sean is for spacing out his private intensives with me over such a span of years. You see, Sean does his h(om)emwork. He meets with me, and i plant physical, mental, and spiritual seeds during our Intensives. Then, Sean goes back to Colorado whereupon he resumes his online WF studies with WF Teacher Grant Couture in Canada. Sean has been trained well. He knows the depth and dimension of Wholistic Fitness. Most students consider WF like other personal training systems and try to grab too much too soon. Their learning is shallow. They will probably never earn a Master Student Inka. They will give up due to impatience or lack of will or trust in this Path. That is okay. Mine has always been a High Performance Path for spiritual Finders, not Seekers.
Sean is the epitome of a WF Master Student. He has changed not just his entire mental and physical fields, but he has also done what it take to make significant lifestyle changes - difficult ones - in order to stop dinking around on the periphery of the spiritual punch of WF and jump into her Heart. Now, Sean�s own heart center has opened into its natural sanctuary of compassion and tremendous love and power. And, if you don�t think his physical fitness and sport performance has not been positively charged, then you are way off the back. You see, Sean has mastered his egoic appetites and is now bounding toward Enlightenment as a result of his clearer cells and more focused mind. It took me nearly 5 years of patiently waiting for Sean to accept SUNRIDER herbs into his life. He is, by nature and occupation, a scientist...thus skepticism over rides trust in most of Sean�s choices which is fine. Now, however, after three years of saturating and cleansing his body with herbs, meditation, strength training, cardio, and HP Yoga...Sean is lean, focused, fun of light hearted Joy, and his heart...oh his heart...it is opening like a lotus blossom indeed! so beautiful. wow. i love sharing this Path. it�s amazing. just ask Sean.
But you gotta want it. And you have to trust in the science of WF. For instance, 8 years ago I planted the initial seeds of Sean�s future spiritual work by this deceptively Western-looking gym training movement:
�* Perform 3 sets of 1:00 of Jump Squats, really working from the Glutes...think Glutes, not thighs! Pinch the Glutes! Explode upward! Yep, i said THREE SETS of 1 minute!!! go!�
Many of you WF Students have come to know my infatuation for prescribing Jump Squats and other similar tortures for my beginning students.
Why?
Because i know that if the Student stays with this Path, those Jump Squats will eventually mature into something far more deeper, more mature, and more spiritual. Here is what Sean�s �Jump Squat� history has evolved into...remember, this is 8 years of dedicated WF training. This is from my adjustments to his most recent program that i finished today:
�* Grip the right side of Mula Bandha for a few breaths, then the left side. Then switch back and forth rapidly and repeatedly until you can start griping or reaffirming the seal of Mula in a clockwise direction as if securing a drumhead throughout her urogenital triangle. Continue for up to 2 minutes with Uddiyana engaged.�
Doesn�t sound like Jump Squats, does it?
But it was the years of Jump Squats that developed Sean�s energetic fitness (specifically his nadis, tattwa, and pranic field) so that Jump Squats could be transformed into this deep, inner work.
I will now give Sean�s Master Student Name:
Abuddhivira.
Means; �non-intellectualizing hero� and symbolizes Sean�s challenge to control his tendency to over intellectualize (especially while on the sharp end of a rock or ice climbing rope). The name also represents his recent spiritual breakthrough that has begun balancing his pranic field between his intellectual energy (vijnana) and his heart energy (anahatana).
WF is Light Years ahead of conventional personal training. It is Light Years ahead of conventional sport performance training. Become a part of a truly deep Path...something that you can sink your spiritual teeth into. You can use WF for getting a great body, sure...but our gig is not about the body.
It�s about Awakening.
Sign up for formal Online Training today. If you are already an online student? Isn�t it about time to schedule a Private Intensive?
Don�t waste this precious lifetime. Go for Enlightenment...
why not? you got something MORE important to do?
what?
work?
c�mon Noble Warriors! Rise Above....our world needs genuine spiritual athletes to lead the Way Higher! Let�s work together on ourselves for the sake of all beings...
that is what true fitness, at least to me, really means.
i bow to you,
coach ilg
founder, Wholistic Fitness Personal Training
November 11, 2003
Dear Wholistic Fitness Warriors -
My name is Sean Madine. It is Day Four of my Wholistic Fitness Intensive here in LA with Coach Ilg. I am waiting for my ride to the airport. This has been a fantastic four days Here. It is not about Coach driving you into the ground with Intensity. It is about the small adjustments to practice that give rise to the big changes later. During our Strength Training session today, we made a small adjustment to calf raises ... yes, that simple exercise that everybody knows how to do. The adjustment will make all the difference when I hit the iron in my garage gym. ... My ride is here so I�ve gotta run. Teacher Grant, your online help has prepared me well for this Intensive with Steve and to understand some great new ideas ... Thanks!
--S
November 10, 2003
Dear Wholistic Fitness Warriors -
My name is Sean Madine. It is Day Three of my Wholistic Fitness Intensive here in LA with Coach Ilg. It feels as though I�ve been Her e for years and it feels as though I�ve been Here for just a few moments. Today began for me at 5:00am. Pre-dawn Pranayama work gave rise to a beautiful sunny Southern California day. It is hard for me to comprehend the sound of a lawnmower in November, but the grass is still green here. My white skin stands out in the Yoga studio. All of the other students actually have a tan. They don�t realize that ultraviolet rays are unable to penetrate GoreTex climbing and skiing clothing. Soon, I will be back in the cold thin air of Colorado. This Intensive will be with me for quite some time.
With Divine help (you have no idea how challenging it is to even move at this point), I will complete my 4th Intensive with Coach Ilg tomorrow. Each one has a unique texture, but they all give rise to great fun and learning. I hope that this finds you well.
--S
November 09, 2003
Dear Wholistic Fitness Tribe,
My name is Sean Madine. It is day two of my private Intensive with Coach Ilg. Don't think for one minute the the name 'Intensive' wasn't carefully chosen. After just 36 hours in LA, I've already exceeded my recently prescribed weekly CV volume, experienced an excellent Strong Flow Yoga session at the new studio, and sat Zazen with a group of motivated students at 7am on a Sunday morning. It is interesting though. The interesting thing about an Intensive is that I always take away a few seeds to work with in my personal practice. The long days of physical exertion are great fun. The real fruit of the Intensive comes later.
Yours in Aching Thighs,
--S
November 06, 2003
To be worn out is to be renewed. - Lao-tzu
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Coach Ilg,
Your last DL about Jim Bad really resonated with me. I find it very
helpful to hear the specifics of workouts such as Tuna Canyon as I
search for my own "Tuna Canyons". Keep them coming!
Peace,
Student Michael
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Coach,
last night with your yoga class was magical. you gave me CHI for my spirit filled, doing what must be done kinda day. your words meant so much. just to have such a Teacher to grow and share this wild life with is a blessing beyond blessings. as i watched you rollerblade away last night after teaching class i said to myself "there goes one of the most sincere and courageous men i have ever known". and i live up the street from him. amazing!
todays DL....drove even more CHI deep within me.
my Tuna Canyon? drinking a copious amounts of solo HP practice for remedying inner wounds. i'm still here Coach.....still here.
love that Jimbad!! thank you for honoring him. he deserves it.
Namaste,
Teacher Q
���
Dear Teacher -
I miss you.�
� i miss you! come to class!
RE: Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think once I start taking these more
powerful SUNRIDER herbs that my appetite will be minimized, but
I won't start noticing until after a while of taking them right?
� yes, you MUST have FAITH in order to Shift!
stay in closer contact with me...or Quentin or Greg at the studio...
you need more support, i sense.
you've GOT to truly WANT to Shift higher...do you hear me?
come to classes, do whatever it takes to get onto the Ilg Supreme...
i promise you, if you stay consistent with the program,
your entire body will shift...
you are just going to have work through the adaption...use us to help!
RE: I really do feel the difference in my body since I started taking FD,
Calli Tea regular, VitaFruit and Sunny Dew.� My
body feels very healthy and looks healthy.� Lately, I think I've been
holding on to too much stress because my whole
body is in knotts.� It's very tense and tight.� I even have pain in my
lower back and around the Lats area.� I was thinking
that I should get a really good massage and maybe go see a
chiropractor.� What do you suggest?�
� you need to come and see me for bodywork.
we will also talk about the herbs.
i want you to SHIFT Higher and i know you will
let me help!
RE:
I have not slowed
down the practice of Yoga, but I still feel very tight.� I take Yoga
twice a week and do other types of exercise during the
week.� I even stopped boxing at the gym because I noticed that
that was getting me nowhere, but more pain
than good.�
� wise
you are brave for letting go of the compacting activities until we get the tenseness out of you. one day, you will return to those activities at a MUCH HIGHER Level! trust me. but now,
you must now learn to be a real yogini...an EXPERT at relaxation... you have spent a lifetime becoming an expert at stressing out and gathering tension...aren�t you TIRED of that gig?
RE:
Thanks to the herbs and yoga, my body looks better than ever even though I am not working
out as much or as intense as before, but still
those back problems don't go away.� What am I doing or not doing that is
causing this.�
� your mind is not under your control.
your mind is causing the tension
the suffering
when you are ready to change,
REALLY REALLY REALLY tired of the tenseness
the suffering
the pain
then you will quite complaining about the cost of the herbs
you will commit to three yoga classes per week
you will commit to getting bodywork regularly...
what else is more IMPORTANT
then getting FREE OF SUFFERING?
RE:
I am sure it has to do with my
inability to completely relax on a daily basis.� I am sure the herbs
help keep my body clean and working effectively, but I
don't understand the pain in my joints, mainly my lower and upper back.
What's up with that?
� Rosa, listen closely to me and just read this:
as a yogi, you must accept your painful joints as your spiritual Path Higher..
the yogi learns to use EACH circumstance - good or bad - as an advantage.
your painful joints are karmic remnants
painful re-minders from past lifetimes that you shyed away from
choosing to look within.
i, and our sangha, are your spiritual family
encouraging you to Rise Higher
above the Pain to your natural state of Joy.
but you must listen closely to my suggestions and counsel...they come from many years of personal and professional experience. use me.
and follow the Practices will steadfast faith.
RE: Any input would help me tremendously.
� see above.
essentially, you have not truly found or accepted a Teacher yet...
you need guidance and are still sitting on fence,
one foot in,
one foot out
of the spiritual water.
ilg says,
JUMP!
we are Here Now for you!
Enlightenment in THIS lifetime...
love,
coach ilg
���
Steve,
Thought you would appreciate this e-mail I received today:
I am passing this on to you because it has definitely worked for me.
By following the simple advice I read in an article, I have
finally found inner peace.
It reads:
"The way to achieve inner peace is to finish all the things
you've started." I looked around to see all the things I started and
hadn't finished. So, today I have finished one bottle of white wine, a bottle of red wine, a bottle of Drambuie, my Prozac, a large box
of chocolates and a quart of beer. You have no idea how good I feel. You may pass this on to those you feel are in need of Inner
Peace.
Submitted by:
WFMS; John Kuhlman
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Coach-
I hope this finds you well, and that the transition to the new studio schedule is coming off without a hitch. Scaled the North Face of the Realm this past week, hitting all my ST and meditation workouts with power, grace, and an open mind. I still am challenged to fulfill all of the cardio and yoga prescriptions, but made best efforts. Key moments / observations:
1. Journal changes: I showed my training journal to Teacher Q when he was in NYC. At the time, it was basically a mathematical document: dates / resistance / reps / time...just the facts, maam. He complimented me on my attention to detail, but predicted that I would find as time goes on that my entries would be less about numbers and more about feelings. Looking back at my journal over the past few weeks, that is definitely happening. The key data points are still there, but there are a lot more words, from reminders about form ("butt down on leg press") to exhortations ("trust your ass!" on rear squats) to thankfulness ("beautiful flow" on hang cleans).
2. Hacke job: So that's the Hacke Squat machine! I had seen it, but never tried it before. Hopped in there for 5 sets on Friday, and...oh my goodness! Was definitely jelly legged and very stimulated - a great end of session blowout.
3. Little things do make all the difference: Continue to work to increase focus on form and elegance. Most dramatic results came on Leg Press. I put all my energy into one thing - keeping butt / hips down during the yin movement. It made a HUGE difference in the quality and quantity of effort - touched some places I had not felt before. Also, per your direction, brought my focus on concentration curls to pinky meets shoulder - that also upped the ante.
4. Body changes: I have gained a couple of pounds in the last two weeks, and feel musculature expanding under my skin. Recovery time and quality also dramatically improved over the past three weeks. Maintaining awareness of nutrition and vigilance of herb intake - I have added Wu Chia Pi this month to aid in recovery.
5. Body fatigue: I am finding this month more physically draining than others. Often find myself nodding off after dinner, and fighting bloody battles with the snooze button in the morning. It hasn't had an impact on my workouts - I'm making it to the gym and seem to find the chi when I need it - but has made me feel like Sleepy Sam around the office.
6. Breath and Posture: I have been consciously working on breath and posture in the gym, both during and between sets. On my 30 second breaks, I go through the posture checklist and try to find Ujjayi breath while visualizing the next set - it helps me lock in and adds a great meditative overlay to the work. It also draws bemused / confused / amused stares from those around me ("hey, check out that dude...he's just standing there")
I will leave you now. Have a wonderful week - I know I will.
Namaste-
Allan
��
Dear Coach Sheader:
Yesterday was my first cross race. Wednesday, i had contact a slight cold so i started to really up the intake the SUNRIDER herbs...Saturday night I had to go to a client dinner for the Teamsters. Boy, can those guys smoke! I skipped the free drinks, and had a small glass of wine with dinner, watching everyone else get smashed. As I left, my lungs felt seared because of the smoke. On the way home, I started thinking up lots of reasons why I shouldn't do the race.
Sunday morning I woke up and was hanging out with my wife. I felt a little better, but still not 100%. I was going to bag it. But then I realized
that I was a little afraid of doing the race. Then and there I decided to
confront my dragon, and do the race, win, lose, or die trying.
I rode to the race, which was a little further then I thought, 45 mins.
instead of 1/2 hour. I got to registration 15 minutes before the start. Got to the start without riding the course. Saw a couple of local strong
riders I knew and thought, "well, if I can get top ten I'll be happy."
There were about 25 guys.
The whistle blew and we were off. A group of about five went off the front. I was in the second group. I kept to my own rhythm, and stayed behind a guy I knew to draft a little, for a straight part of the course. I dropped him on a hill, and got up to the second group. Then I accelerated, and dropped them too. Now there was only one guy in front of me. I thought there might be someone in front of him as well.
I was between the groups for about half a lap. Then I started getting a
stomach cramp. I ate a little too close to the event (Ilg Supreme, bowl of
Kashi). I started to breath into it, to make it go away. Then I started
saying to myself "mountain/strong, mountain/strong" ala Thich Nhat Hanh.
I got up to the leader, and asked if he was in front. He said he was. We
stayed away together for the next lap. Then we hit the bell lap. I started
feeling a little fatigued, but then concentrated on breathing. Into my head
came one of the chants from Rama. I kept my rhythm and started gapping the other guy a little. But no, he caught back on. At this point, I realized that if I stayed upright, I'd get at least second.
As we got to the last half of the course, I started feeling I was going to
win. I was in a good rhythm, and a little stronger than the other guy on
the rises. The finish line was past a barrier, and through some
switchbacks.
We hit a stretch of asphalt toward the back part, and I went, hard. BUt the
other guy stayed with me. I let him come around in front. We started
getting toward the finish, and then...I started doubting myself, and telling
myself second was good enough. We came into the last straight before the finish, and he went hard. I tried to go to, but couldn't get across the
little gap. He won, and I took second.
I am very pleased with the result, although I think I psyched myself out of
a win. WF carried me through. The fitness I have achieved is a result not of specific bicycle training, but of a WF approach. I am sure I would have
finished in the pack without it. So thanks Coach, I dedicate my second
place to you.
The result also made me, curiously, look forward to zazen this morning. I
got in a good 15 minutes before the kids started coming downstairs. I guess commitment and success in one area of WF leads to renewed commitment in the
other areas.
Love,
Mark
�
November 04, 2003
Namaste Noble HP Yogis!
NOVEMBER 2003 UPDATE
�It�s the quiet mind that doesn�t mind the quiet.�
- Coach Ilg
Week Seven has dawned across our HP Yoga Studio. The transformation of our humble �Practice Cave� on Ventura has spread dharma waves over students, studio, and the entire neighborhood! Multilayered miracles sprout forth from our studio daily. Several HP Yogic Warriors have risen to charm my entire staff; Students Eric, Wissam, Melissa, Steve, Jim, Clay, Timar, Kirsten, and Michelle are among the many beautiful peaceful warriors whose consistency over the past month has truly affected many people in positive ways. It�s not just that the shape and function of their bodies are transforming in front of our eyes, but their mental and spiritual poise is a chief re-minder of why i wanted to build a yoga studio in the first place. THANK YOU for being so devoted and so strong in your Practice...all of you!
�
NEW TEACHER, NEW CLASSES, NEW SCHEDULE
Go to www.HighPerformanceYoga.com today and click on Schedule to download our latest (11/1) Schedule.
Our Teaching Staff is gelling into only the most devoted and passionate servers of the amazing Path of Yoga. It is my honor to welcome Ambre to the HP Teaching Staff. Ambre is yet another gifted Teacher coming to us with the blessings of Mark Blanchards Power Yoga studio in Studio City (www.MarkBlanchardsPowerYoga.com). Her presence graces our AMAZING noon slot M-F along with Joy. Ambre teaches Tuesdays and Thursdays while our current �star teacher� Joy teaching Monday, Wednesdays, and Fridays at noon also. Here is what Ambre says about where her teaching comes from:
"I cannot describe how much this has affected and changed me because it comes from places deep inside, remote passages into a center I never knew existed. I have taken Teacher Training from Lisa Walford and Maty Ezraty at Yogaworks and from Mark Blanchard and Brenda Strong. My only wish as a teacher is to present possibilities to people. We set our own expectations and our own limits; but Yoga is limitless."
HP PROP WORKOUTS GOING CRAZY!
The yogis gods must be crazy. You guys are LOVING my utterly unique �HP Prop Workouts� which I designed to pretty much do away with anyone needing a gym membership! This class blurs the line between gym style training and yogic vinyasa flows. The class uses yoga blocks like dumbbells and is expertly choreographed from a Western sport physiologic perspective while preserving the authenticity of a yoga Practice. Nothing like it. The training effect from just one Prop Workout instantly carries over into �normal� yoga classes. Come, join the uh...fun? Yeah, FUN (after your legs, chest, arms and abs recover that is!).
PRAYER WHEEL
The beautiful �feel� of the front desk area is palatable. I�ve added an authentic, handmade Tibetan Prayer Wheel that i invite you to whirl each time you enter and leave. Once omnipotent in Tibet before the Chinese takeover, the wheels are still spun daily and continuously by both monk and householder across the world to send forth prayers of compassion toward all beings. For extra spiritual credit and power, you can recite the national chant of Tibet, �Om Mani Padme Hung� while spinning the Wheel.
THE HP VORTEX
The powerful vortex of our studio (an extension of my own Practice places from SW Colorado and New Mexico) is so peacefully strong that many of you have found peace in just hanging out before or after class with HP Devotees Teacher Q, Justin (i call him, �JustHere�), Carlos, and of course our resident bodhisattva/GM; Greg �Kalyana Mitra� Diaz. This is precisely what i intended; a gathering place (desa) for like-minded spiritual aspirants to feel h(om)e. Please, feel free to come and hang with the HP gang of peaceful warriors at any time!
It is also gives me deep pleasure to announce that the utterly lovely HP Warrioress, Jessica, will be attending Front Desk duties. Jessica was one of my first HP Yoga Students several years ago when i started the PowerHouse Gym yoga program in Chatsworth. Welcome h(om)e, Jessica!
COMPLIMENTARY TEA TIME!
Thanks to Devotee JustHere, we now offer complimentary Calli Beverage or Fortune Delight...two pivotal cleansing herbal teas that melt fat off your body and toxins from your cells. We�ve arranged the SUNRIDER HERBS quite intelligently and according to my professional use of them with athletes and spiritual warriors for twenty years; Shelf One is the Cleansing Phase (3 months), Shelf Two is the Empowerment Phase (3 months), and Shelf Three contains the Maintenance Phase. See the enclosed Upcoming Events schedule for my �An Evening of Herbs and Ilg� presentation for more on this whole food herbal foods and skin care to compliment your yogic lifestyle in the most powerful of ways.
If you are NOT on the herbs, baby...git on �em. There are the IDEAL yogi food. As close to eating �Pran� as possible!
UPCOMING EVENTS!
Watch your email for the UPCOMING EVENTS at the HP YOGA STUDIO...the one-stop Practice Place for Awakening Warriors!
THANK YOU!
I cannot believe how many of you are so sweet to send me such LOVELY emails of thanks and appreciation! Keep them coming...trust me, for us Servers of the Noble Path, your appreciation is our main form of paychecks! Here is an example from Student Eric recently;
�
�Hi Steve,
Thank you again for an amazing class - I felt so invigorated. I can definitely feel and see my body changing. I know it will continue to take a commitment on my part, but I've finally found a method of exercising that has been spiritually awakening - thanks to you and the other teachers.
I was wondering what your schedule is like for the bodywork we talked about as I know that will definitely help, and thank you for that suggestion too.
See you soon and thank you again!
Namaste,
Student Eric�
�
On behalf of my humble but powerful HP Teaching and Front Desk Staff, i bow to you.
See you in class and May Your Practice Be Strong and Sincere...
coach ilg, RYT
founder/HP Yoga
November 03, 2003
Namaste Noble November Warriors!
"The Master Student of Wholistic Fitness, no longer needs to watch their diet, because their diets have begun watching them!"
-Coach Ilg
Monthly Updates coming soon for SUNRIDER Herbs (the Ilg Downline once again blasted over 10,000 SV last month and we have more herb eaters than EVER losing an amazing amout of fat while skyrockting their energy and passion for life!), HP Yoga, and the Mother of them all...WHOLISTIC FITNESS!
November is going to be BIG!
for those of you living in LA,
today, you can download the NEWLY UPDATED HIGH PERFORMANCE YOGA schedule at: www.HighPerformanceYoga.com
click on Schedule!
a LOT more soon, check DIRECT LINES everyday to help KEEP YOUR PRACTICE STRONG!
i bow to your devoted Practice,
coach ilg
founder, WHOLISTIC FITNESS/HIGH PERFORMANCE YOGA