December 31, 2005
OF DISCIPLINE & LIBERATION
WF Teacher Haku has come up with a very nice essay
derived from his Sweat and Spirit during a training run...
in this moment of making "New Year Resolutions" while drunk,
stoned, or otherwise separated from our True Spirit,
Haku's essay might be a well timed practice of Svadhyaya:
http://hakutrain.blogspot.com/
May All Beings Be Happy and know the causations of Happiness in their new year...
in gassho,
coach ilg
2005: HAPPY DEATH YEAR!
of all the amazing photography that has Graced the Dharma Vehicle of DL during 2005, this one simple and candid shot of me by Ananda, performing a Morning Ritual; Zen Sweeping - seemed to touch the hearts of DL Readers the most. Like our attitude to the year 2005, it is vital to, as Teacher Blanchard taught me, "Feel everything, attach to nothing." When i sweep, be it my garden walkway or just sweep my thoughts with a conscious breath, i recall that Teaching.
Tonight, we sweep away yet another Year of Practice. I trust 2005 will be remembered by you as a stellar year of Training for what matters most; (y)our Enlightenment. This DL is my humble Gift to 2005. I bow to 2005 and wish all those who cared about my humble Teachings the Highest in my Loving Appreciation. And, to all those people who did NOT understand my Teachings and basically were mean to me or attempted to take things from my Temple...? Well, I bow to you even DEEPER in appreciation! ...for in your Lack of Practice, you strengthened my own like never, ever before! As the Dalai Lama teaches, only our "enemies" can truly deepen our Practice; be those enemies our negative tendencies, our ignorance, our unwillingness, or our outer worldly relationships.
In other words, it's all One.
It's all Yoga.
It's all Wholistic Fitness�...the interruptions, the enemies, the fatigue, the doubt...it's all Practice. Yet, our difficulties will never appear to be worthwile Practice until we steady that one most Brave, Simple fitness component: Meditation!
One reason why Meditation is one of my Five Fitness Disciplines is because to practice Meditation is to, in a sense, practice dying. When we meditate, we are slowly suffocating our ego...our sense of "i-ness"...and along with that "i-iness" will also go the baggage of our "i-ness"; pride, arrogance, sense of separation and superiority, too low or high self esteem, guilt, shame, timidity...and so on. As the baggage of our "i-ness" falls away, we feel more Light, more Empty.
More Still.
"Be Still," taught Yogi Jesus Christ, "and know that you are Go(o)d."
"Be Still," taught Yogi Jesus Christ, "and know that you are Go(o)d."
"Be Still," taught Yogi Jesus Christ, "and know that you are Go(o)d."
There is one thing that you and i have in common with all other beings;
Death.
Even tonight, many of us will watch the Apple drop in NYC (or, if you live in Flag, we gather to watch a giant Pinecone drop from the Weatherford Hotel!) or in some other way, we will wish a Happy Death to 2005 and move forward into 2006.
Everything dies; even years. The older you get? The faster those years seem to speed by. Then, it will not be just "years" that die. It will be our elders, then our peers, then our family, then our "i-ness". That is the intimidating part. The part we can get stoked about lies within the example of the MahaRishi's...the Great Teachers. For in Their Enlightenment, the Masters have proven that just like Food Mastery, Sleep Mastery, Performance Mastery...we can, They say, become Masters over Death. 
{Ma, the great "Hugging Saint" of India.}
How?
Meditation.
"Meditation is the glue that binds my Fitness Disciplines together." I wrote that way back in 1982. Where there is Fitness, there is Breath. Where there is Breath, there is Pran. Where there is Pran, there is no death. Meditation develops our pranic constitution so that the Pran rides the filament of our Consciousness. On such a well conditioned filament, we will, if we Practice hard and steadfast, become Masters of Death.
Now, let's listen to someone who knows a Whole lot more on this subject than feeble "i". I give you Sogyal Rinpoche:
Sogyal Rinpoche on DEATH FAMILIARITY
"Men come and they go and they trot and they dance, and never a word about death. All well and good. Yet when death does come�to them, their wives, their children, their friends�catching them unawares and unprepared, then what storms of passion overwhelm them, what cries, what fury, what despair!�.�.�.
To begin depriving death of its greatest advantage over us, let us adopt a way clean contrary to that common one; let us deprive death of its strangeness, let us frequent it, let us get used to it; let us have nothing more often in mind than death."
Today, i might be the only one in the Nation to wish you this Perspective, yet my Practice of Satya deems it appropriate to say..
Today,
i wish each of you a very, very Happy Death Year!
I trust that, for nearly every day during 2005, you have found a breath of fresh, inspiring air through these DL's. They are a lot of LoveWork, let me assure you! And, i further trust that you have found them to be potent enough to keep in your Spiritual Quiver as i move DL to a Subscription Format in 2006 to protect the Teachings of WF Dharma which i am going to ramp up as i myself, grow older and closer and closer to the point where i leave my public life and take the Teachings to my own Enlightenment. Please, stay on board our humble Dharma craft as we sail
ever onward,
ever upward,
and endlessly
inward.
it has been deep honor to Serve your Practice through DL in 2005.
May all Beings Everywhere realize the utter importance and necessity of everyday sweat and stillness as a vital Way toward Awakening...
"We do not know where death awaits us: so let us wait for it everywhere.
To practice death is to practice freedom. A man who has learned how to die has unlearned how to be a slave."
MONTAIGNE
Here's a toast to 2005, baby! i bow in wow of your many and poignant Teachings...
and to each of you, my Precious DL Sangha...i bow to you...
that is all,
your humble mountain yogi beneath the Sacred Peak,
coach ilg
December 30, 2005
STUDENT QUOTE OF THE WEEK: Student Ludgate
Like Teacher, Like Student...
Above Top; WF Online Student Ludgate crushing a new PR at Staten Island a few months ago after using the WF Path of Strength, Power, Endurance, Sport Specificity, and Taper methodology for his Prep.
Above Bottom: A young Coach Ilg squatting well over twice his bodyweight for reps during off season to prepare for endurance running. Coach still holds several unmatched Peak Running records along the spine of the Rocky Mountains and has podiums and top 25 finishes in such Esteemed Mountain Races such as Imogene Pass, Kendall Mountain, Bolder Boulder, and the Doc Holiday 50-mile Ultra Mountain Running Race. Talk about "Chi Running!" Let's see all those "Certified Chi Runners" crawl under a squat bar loaded with over twice their bodyweight and ask them to use their CHI to squat for reps, baby!!!...Where's your Certifed CHI now, baby!?!?! Huh!?!?
Trust me, Only Wholistic Fitness� seems to apply the Ancient Teachings of Chi/Prana into modern, elite fitness across the physiologic spectrum.
Below is an actual excerpt from a Cycle Summation of Student Ludgate - recently profiled in DL. Typical of WF Scientific Art, i have returned the bulk of Student Ludgate's Practice back into the IRON TEMPLE (Strength Training) to restore some Deep Fiber Fitness after the running specific months. His following quote is acoustic gold to my ears and makes my heartspace soar...Just imagine if other endurance athletes would embrace a WF Path! Listen now, Oh Noble WF Warriors, to one of our own;
"...My other dominant observation, after much time away from the gym, was how much wiser my strength training felt this cycle. The strength I have developed through my cardio, yoga, and meditation training served me in good stead in this month's strength training. I felt largely released from ego concerns about how much / little weight was on the bar. Conversely, I was much more dialed into my breath, posture, and form, and my lifting tempo was much more dynamic and fluid. This was also the first time, during my pull up and dip sets, that I really felt Mula Bandha lock in and help "lighten the load" of my body weight."
I bow to Noble and Devoted Online Student Alan Ludgate of NY, who truly realizes now, the Artistry of the Iron Temple...
Student Ludgate; i love you through your Devoted Practice...
and
God, THANK YOU for Blessing me and others with this amazing Path of WF!
namaste and keep bringing the Love to your workouts!
coach ilg
ANOTHER FAN BLOGS ON!
Steve & Joy,
Another student/fan?
http://everytrail.net/blog/hans/2005/11/too_much_stress_in_your_life.html
Just checking out some web search tools whilst procrastinating on a work assignment. ;^)
John
INSIGHT NOW!
SACRED SWEAT; THE A.B. YOUNG TRAIL & HOW TO BECOME WHOLE
Ananda preps for her 2,000' Cardio Yoga excursion: A WF Warrior(ess) is a very rare, and extremely endangered human species. Unique in Kali Yuga, this type of yogi is a very highly skilled Practioner of yoga within all the physiologic capacities. Not one. All. All One; Push Nothing Away. Wholistic Fitness�; America's Native Yoga�.
Namaste Noble Warriors!
Might wanna put this into your "Cardio Yoga; Temples To Explore" file. It's called the A.B. Young Trail. Location; One of the most beautiful places on Mother Earth; Oak Creek Canyon. This Canyon, a National Scenic Byway - only 28 miles long - connects the towns of Sedona (elevation about 4,500') with Flagstaff (7, 200'). Go to Mile Marker 383. Park in a turn off across the highway from Bootlegger Campground. Or, if you want to eat something at the Junipine Resort Cafe after your workout, go ahead and park in their parking lot, that is what we did yesterday. Their Gardenburger is fantastic, as is their trout caught right in the creek beside you. 
Practice some Rock Hopping Yoga across Oak Creek. Depending on the time of the year, this maneuver could be either easy or epic. Watch for Blue Herons stalking the Rocky Mountain Trout whom live here. We saw a magnificent Blue Heron yesterday! 
After crossing the creek, scout about on the opposite hillside until your Awareness locates a deliciously sinewy trail hugging the lower mountain above the creek. Find the Trailhead sign (see second photo). Look up. Yep, from where you stand it's a 1.6 mile, 33-switchback, 2,000', two climate zones Cardio Yoga workout that will deliver you from the lush riparian waterscape gurgling next to you now to the top of the Mogollon Rim whereupon only osprey and raven dance the air. So, reach down, grab your mula bandha, do a few rounds of Bhastrika Blows, tighten your shoelaces, and launch yourself upward. If you want, you can do your best to beat your ol' coach's time of 37:52 (aka; Hauling Ass) or you can hike it like Ananda did and focus on mantra instead of performance...who cares? so long as there is an ongoing attempt to chain the Wandering Mind and ExcuseFull Ego onto a Sacred Sweat Anchor, then you will find the Source of your Highest Self.
The view halfway up, looking downstream toward Sedona. Oak Creek Canyon functions, energeticaly, like a chunnel of Pranic Chi from the heights of the Sacred Peak into the vortices of Sedona. You'll feel different here. 
So along as you apply your Yoga Practice upon the steep trail, you will find your yoga and due to the energy confluences here, you will have a heaven of a time whatever intensity playground you desire to play with! Have i ever Guided you otherwise, yet?
In every human there is a BattleDance between our Heart and our Mind. An endless tug of war between knowing our Truth and enjoying the comforts of the Outer World. Many people would love to Practice, yet only a few will Walk The Steep, Direct Path of their Soul in this lifetime. "I don't have the time," and their Fear of the Unknown are the two main reasons why, i have found, that people do not sustain the constancy of their Practice. In WF, we apply the notion of "My Workout Is Everywhere," in order to begin to See and Feel differently. This brings about a Transformation that does not require the modern man to renounce, only begin to organize appropriately their time, energy, and possessions. Most people think that money will bring Wealth. I say, be the thing you Love doing and Wealth arrives. Once you have Wealth, if money comes, it is like icing on your Lifetime Cake. Do not get into the predictably ignorant death posture of entering the Bardo with money and possessions yet no Wealth. If you do, it is likely that even at the First Pre-School Level of the Bardo, you will meet your flimsy Sense of God and see Her just shaking Her Head, "Nope, you STILL didn't get It, did you? Lots of Stuff, yet no Inner Wealth...Go Back Again..." Then, the next Thing you probably won't remember, is struggling like hell out of somebody's womb, getting turned upside down and slapped, and things probably won't get much better from there until you decide to Wake Up! Why not do this, Yogin? Beginning today, work on Wealth first, then money. How do you become Wealthy in the truest sense of your Soul? 1) Start Practicing, and 2) begin Disciplining your habits and appetites. Make your environment more conducive (perhaps that just means reading DL each day, or creating a meditation/yoga place). Make your physical body as fit as possible. Doing this will take the rest of this lifetime. Make it as fit as possible in ALL the physiologic systems; endurance, strength, mental poise, suppleness, and agility. Get on the Secret Herbs or at least learn how to eat Cleansing and Empowering whole foods so that your Mastery over food, sleep, sex, and sensual pleasures becomes more lean and controllable.
I came up with these Insights as a Training Effect from my run up a mountain yesterday.
Without the purification of sweat, the strength of Insight is as weak as your ignored fitness component. Thus, Oh Mighty Warrior, train thy weaknesses to find thy strength.
Train unconditionally to become unconditionally whole.
Bec(om)e a living embodiment of Wholistic Fitness.
A WF Warrior is an endangered human species; a very highly skilled Practioner of yoga within all the physiologic capacities.
Not one.
All.
All One; Push Nothing Away.
Wholistic Fitness�; America's Native Yoga�.
I will See and Feel you within your own Sweat and Silences...
om mani padme hung
the mountain yogi, coach ilg
December 28, 2005
"HOLIDAY PRACTICE"; Coach's Stats
A few DL's ago, i compared the Holidays to a Championship Competition for a Yogi's Practice. Well, i had my hands full to keep my Practice strong and sincere while hosting 11 people, 2 toddlers, serving three big meals, being the Tour Guide, and maintaining two international self owned businesses. i had to dig deep, baby. Thankfully, i had Ananda and her dad, Jerry, to help...BIG TIME! Our guests arrived on the 23rd and the last of them did not leave until this afternoon. during this time, the latest i arose was 5 am, even on the mornings when i did not get to sleep until the wee hours. it was during one of these early morning Practice sessions that i penned the, "A YOGI's CHRISTMAS TALE," (see DL; 12/26/05). Although pride is not to be cultivated by a yogi, i must say, that i am pumped at the following statistics during this intense time: Strength Training: 0 hours. Cardio: 7.75 hours. Solo Yoga Practice: 8.5. Solo Meditation Time: 6. Total Calories: 11,340 (1,890 kcals/day). Now, whenever i post such Statistics, i feel obliged by Honesty to admit that without my huge base of SUNRIDER Herb nutrition over the years to beef up my stamina and particularly immune system (5 out of the 11 guests were either contagious or sick) there is no way i could have survived, let alone thrived during such a crush of social/sick/stressful/high energy output/family dynamics.
May all Beings Awaken to the truly incredible Path of America's Indigenous yoga; Wholistic Fitness� including the SUNRIDER� herbs.
Thank you so much for all of your kind Holiday Cards, emails, gifts, and phone calls!
I love you too!
here are a few more TWO TREE MANOR HOLIDAY pictures to bring closure to what was truly a Championship Event to test my Current Applied Practice of being a WF Yogi.
enjoy and my best to you and your family and your Practice for the new year!
om mani padme hung...
coach ilg
***
me, stretched out on a 5.11 indoor climb at Vertical Relief, my local climbing gym. www.verticalrelief.com
WF Teachers like myself are, "always on," meaning, we simply cannot stop Protecting and Teaching the Dharma. Here is 60 year old Jerry Kilpatrick, Marine Warrior Father of beautiful Ananda, captured behind the snot lines as we supervise his first ever Neti experience! 
whoever said you "Can't teach an old dog new tricks," evidently was NOT familiar with my coaching techniques! here is a nervous looking Jerry K. getting ready for his first ever indoor climbing experience! i LOVE opening new doors for people! allWays have, allWays will. it is my SvaDharma. 
What do we do in Flag when there is no snow? Well, the best mountain biking in the world is here and just down Oak Creek Canyon in Sedona! the mountain biking in "Sedonuts" is better than Moab and...it comes complete with Vortices, like this shot of Ananda giving the THUMBS UP, LIFE IS GO(O)D" mudra as she cranks past Courthouse Rock, one of five energetic vortices in Sedona.
Back at the Temple H(om)e turned Child Care Center, my sister, Consuelo (aka; Coco) receives a most BEAUTIFUL necklace from Ananda which has been in her family for a long while. That is Norm, my Brother in Law, putting the necklace on Coco.
Who the hell says i don't know what a Lady wants? A lightweight combo bicycle lock that fits in a jersey pocket, of course! The ideal gift for the Cardio Commuter in your family!
Look out Colorado Avalanche! with my new Hockey Stick thanks to SANTA, i'm gonna test for a Walk On at the Phoenix Coyote's spring hockey camp! 
my nephew, Mogeus, who seems incapable of taking a bad photo!
Holidays only become HolyDays when you gather with Family; doesn't matter if that Family is biologic, self, or nature...i've spent plenty of holidays testing the fields of all three. What makes a holiday a HolyDay is simply a training effect from what matters most; Daily Practice.
BEST OF DL 2005 - A Nomination from Yogini Jeannine
HP Yogini and DL Fan, Jeannine
8100 ft. above sea level in CO
***
Dear Coach,
Although many of your entries this past year have *stuck to me* in one way or another, I think that I come back the most often to "Yogic Inversions and the Three Realities of the Genuine Human Being" from 9/12/05.
I happen to really like inversions due to my gymnastics background, and I've come to realize in the past few years that *amazingly* not everyone watched TV as a child in a headstand. My least favorite, in fact, is the inversion that many of my students automatically practice when given a choice -- shoulderstand/sarvangasana. Now that I am FINALLY finished lactating after nearly a decade, I am hoping to find shoulderstand more comfortable to practice myself. I won't go as far to say that I've given myself black eyes or anything, but it just hasn't been pretty especially with regard to breathing! :o)
The whole wall thing is what really struck me. I have definitely started moving away from encouraging students to use the wall for headstand because I think you are so right and profound in noting that "The 'teacher' of union, by de-couraging their students to use walls and props for inversions is creating addicts to external support and separation!" Holy sh*t, I was a yoga teacher enabler!!!
It's also really clear to me how after teaching yoga to and observing quite a few children including my own, how much more willing (many) children are to go upside-down than adults. I believe it's because their attachments on so many levels (physical, emotional, spiritual) have not rooted as deeply as many of us adults have allowed. "Thus, a headstand for instance, is a symbol of and a creative switch that says we are ready to have our entire lives turned upside down and See Clearly without Attachment such a different Reality. Headstand says that we are ready to have our children, parents, house, job, physical body, etc, ripped out from beneath our feet."
I really appreciate the opportunity this entry gave me to look at inversions and the teaching of them in a different way, just as practicing them can allow us to view the world from an angle that we are not necessarily accustomed to seeing.
I bow to you -- and thanks!
Yogini Jeannine
***
Most Noble Yogini Jeannine,
head bowed in the Upward Flowing Dharma...
this morning's DL is devoted to your Practice and
Panache to share your Truth...
love and sweat well, well away from the Walls...
cuz in the Bardo,
there ain't no walls to hold you!
coach ilg
December 27, 2005
CAN'T FIND THE POWER BLOCKS?
I know many of you Noble HP Yogi's that are new to my PROP WORKOUT�,
have been unable to get your sweaty lil hands on the POWERBLOCKS that i endorse in the
DVD...
i contacted Kelly at YogaPro.com and here she is:
"Coach,
We're experiencing difficulties with the Power Block but hope to make it available for purchase shortly after the New Year. If there are changes in this plan, you will be the first to know!
- I assure you I am doing my best to get the block back!!
Thank you,
Kelly"
WHEN SNOWMEN GO BAD
SUNRIDER: "Boy was i wrong!"
Hey Steve,
I know you probably get sick of people giving you testimony's about the AWESOME SUNRIDER products....short story
I am on the Royal herbs in the phase 2 part, and my wife/son/step-daughter /mom all caught nasty colds in the past 2 weeks(now I can convince them to get on the herbs), I am not sick, and have felt great and somewhat guilty because I am not feel crappy like they are. I do give my son (18 months) part of my Ilg Supreme in the morning though.
These herbs on amazing...I do have to admit at first, I thought you were just a scam like that dude on tv with a ponytail trying to sell Sunrider. Boy, was I wrong your books and DL and what you can do are soooo AMAZING. I take these herbs and feel like Hercules and my energy level has skyrocketed--and I am eating less and less these days. I just go on what my body tells..super cool bro!!
Thanks for showing me the light on the herbs.
Please have a Merry Christmas and all the best for the New Year!!
Scott
DOWN BUT NOT OUT, BABY! WF TO THE SOUL'S RESCUE!
coach-
beaten and almost out of luck, love, and energy I have turned towards you
and your whole istic holistic truth...
....breath and posture have saved me,
...your exercise is everywhere has kept me standing...
...now I start the program and renew my life.
thank you for your generosity.
tom hutchinson
NO MORE ERRATIC MIND
WF IS LIFE CHANGING
New Online Student Sue has gotten the WF CHI TRANSMISSION big time! God, i love those brave warriors and warrioresses who finally overcome their Fear and JUMP into WF Online Training! Just READ and FEEL the difference in Sue's entire LIFE since she made the choice to JUMP!
what about YOU!??!!
what is possibly more valuable to you than Awakening along a Proven Path of Transformation?
How much LONGER are you going to do what you do that doesn't do what your Soul wants to do?
Did you get that? What's da matter wid ya?!?! too much figgy pudding? How about this:
How much LONGER are you going to wait before you reFINE your deFINE-tion of what WEALTH truly is?
Here,
let's just give it over to the Masters:
"My face is overrun with wrinkles,
My head is marked with gray.
My limbs gone flaccid;
Craving alone keeps youth and vigor."
Vairaygya-Shatiaka, 156
***
Listen to Sue who just made the Jump to begin the Ascent toward her Highest Self:
Namaste Beautiful Teacher Ananda,
I love this practice so much and the immediate and lasting benefits I've had. The Early Morning Ritual...wow...the congestion I experienced has decreased significantly. My nose isn't as dry, I'm not sneezing several times throughout the day and I don't have to blow my nose every 10-15 minutes.
Another observation - I give thanks to Coach for sharing WF and to you for sharing yourself through the teaching of the work. I give thanks to myself for taking the step to gain acceptance into the temple. NETI, EMR, SR, WF - life changing. Life changing. I reflect on my journey to the temple - the calling was great, but I let ego and fear put up boundaries. One large boundary being money. I've allowed money to be a security blanket and had the belief that I must have more to feel safe. The financial consideration for pursuing this path was a dragon, but one I see now as an itty, bitty dragon. Perhaps a friendly dragon! The money I invest in myself; in my health, in my development, in my wisdom, is worth every penny. I'm worth it now and I'm worth it 50+ years from now. I TAF that I'm going to have to remember my friendly dragon, because the money lesson will come up again and again. A life dragon for me.
� My energy level has been sky high since starting Sunrider last weekend.� Sky high!� I was awake and able to focus for hours and hours longer than before.� Pre-Sunrider, when 9pm came around, I'd be asleep.� Now I have to put myself to bed.� Being up almost two days straight - amazing.� Last week I would have thought there was no way possible.� No way.
� I'm much more focused and alert.� Combined with my high energy level, I was able to gracely stay on top of a lot of things simultaneously.� I use "gracefully" because I lead my team without snapping, crumbling due to exhaustion or making mistakes, all the while�dealing with my boss, owners and clients.��I TAF the graceful leadership helped my team work effectively -- the calmness and care I presented helped them�stay pretty even.��
� That I'm actually excited after almost 48-hours is just cool.YES!� And I am jumping for joy, shouting from the rooftops and telling everyone about my shifts.� Wooo hooo!
Simply, thanks to you and Coach again.� My life is shifting!
�
Love, light and laughter throughout all days.� Enjoy your holiday festivities!
�
Namaste,
New Student Sue (of Clan Ananda)
December 26, 2005
A YOGIS CHRISTMAS TALE
A YOGIS CHRISTMAS TALE
by Steve Ilg
(with apologies and thanks to Ananda and...of course, Clement Clarke Moore)
'Twas Brahmamurhti, the pre dawn hours, after Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature seemed to be stirring, not even a mouse;
The presents and resources were flung by the wayside without care,
In hopes that next lifetime, this karma would not bear;
The children remained all snug in their beds,
While by products of sugar messed up their young heads;
And mamma and dadda in comas from too many nightcaps,
Remained settled down for yet another lifetime's nap,
When out in a cold corner a yogi sat with a spine like a ladder
I sprang from my slumber to see what was his matter.
Breath by breath I saw like a flash,
How he tore open his stiff shoulders and inner places of stash.
His sweat, glistened in the window, a reflection of the new-fallen snow
Gave lustre to my own Worldly attachments and its ignorant show,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a mini morsel of self motivation, and from the yogi, eight ways to deal with my Fear,
As i watched the little old yogi, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be Padmasambhava, pretending to be St. Nick!
More rapid than eagles he spoke of the Kleshas as they came,
And he Breathed, and Twisted, and called them by name;
"Now, Fear! now, Doubt! now, Laziness and Sloth!
On, Ignorance! on Weakness! on Imbalance and Anger!
From the bottom of the spine! to the top of the skull!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
and then His Breath like a controlled hurricane sky,
met with His Stillness of Mind ... humble as pie.
So up to the skull-top the Kleshas they flew,
With seven chakras chock full of Samskaras, and outdated garments of 'old' St. Nicholas too!
And then, in a twinkling, I heard from his Breath a loud Ujjayi-like 'whooof'
The sound came from the prancing and pawing of each muscular.......ooof.
As I drew in my breath with my thoughts spinning around,
Down into Padmasana dropped St. Nick...now freed from his bounds.
He was dressed not - save with his skin - from his head to his foot,
And his skin was all shimmering from sweating inner soot;
A bundle of bundle of emotional baggage he had flung from his back,
And he looked like a saint, opening a new pack.
His eyes -- how they twinkled! his muscles how merry!
His cheeks were like Lances, his legs a mountain could carry!
His well disciplined mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the purity of his skin was as clean as the snow;
The Divine Sound sang sweetly from his teeth,
And the Presence it created wrapped his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a powerful lean belly,
That never shook when he laughed like so many other bowlfuls of jelly.
His sleek muscles were supple and fit, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to Dharma Work,
And spoke softly of Ancient Teachings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up his Sushumna he rose;
His Purusha sprang to unite with Praktriti, then from his body emitted a last whistle,
And away it flew...like the down of a thistle.
Yet I heard him exclaim, ere as He rose out of sight,
"Happy Yogi Jesus's Day After His Birthday to all,
and to all
a.....
SPIRITUAL WAKE UP!!!!!"
December 25, 2005
JAI CHRIST MORE!!!!
Bumper Sticker;
JESUS CALLED...HE WANTS HIS RELIGION BACK
After my Early Morning Ritual on this special day,
i bow first to Desert Yogi Jesus Christ's parents; Mary and Joseph...who, being the humble kind of folk they were, got kicked in the teeth innumerable ways and times while raising the baby and adolescent Jesus. May all parents everywhere be the people they wish their children to be...so those children Practice kindness and compassion to others when they grow up.
Amen.
i bow second to Desert Yogi Jesus Christ's Teachers - embodied and otherwise - who enkindled the Fire and Light within
this Practitioner of Divine Presence.
Amen
i bow lastly to Maharishi Jesus Christ, a Master of Life and what you and i still know as "Death." May we all reflect often enough on this remarkably devoted Karma Yogi who walked this talk like few Others. May we each apply His Teachings of Passion, ComPassion, ForGiveNess, and utter Ishvara Pranidhana (Devotion to one's Accepted Lord) through his spirit, mind, sweat, flesh, and finally, all of His Blood. Jesus, you raised the Bar of Fierce Compassion and Love like no other; your Bravery as a Yogi inspires me Daily.
Amen.
May we each be brave enough, strong enough, and enduring enough to Apply His Teachings in the Here and Now as often as our feeble Practices may be.
Amen.
i will let Ananda take it from here, for her beautiful words mimic my own feelings perfectly:
Happy Holidays Most Cherished WF Warriors & Warior(esses)
The sweetest, most precious gift of this year has been
the presence of your amazing WF Spirits in my life.
i am honored and blessed to be on this journey
with you all. Our work two-gether fills my
heart with joy and gives meaning to my daily Practice of Metta.
May your Holiday Season be full of Mind-full-ness,
Satya and Compassion.
If or when you feel overwhelmed by the Holiday "fair"
i in-courage you to return to WF LifeStyle
Principle #1, Breath and Posture!
Remember...
the greatest gift you could give someone, including yourself, is LOVE!
( oh yeah, and Wholistic Fitness)
so when in doubt...LOVE, LOVE, LOVE.
or as Rumi says "The first gift of Love is to Listen."
Here's to a rockin 2006 !
May it be full of love, health, sacred sweat and "barefooted fun."
I LOVE YOU!
teacher ananda
coach cranking the zen cooking chi and serving fish for Christmas Eve Dinner...
baby Ella...my niece...as my sister Connie, my Dad, and my brother in law, Norm (Connie's husband) looks on
baby Mogeus, my nephew fresh from Ethiopia wondering what the hec this Christmas stuff is all about...
me holding hands with my little brother, Craig...we used to hold hands like this as children when we slept in two different beds with a small space between them. we would hold hands and sway them together until one of us fell asleep...
...me Gifting my beautiful, amazing, Warrioress of all Warrioress's Mom...
...my Dad, stoked as hell about getting a Bronco football jacket and mug!...go BRONCOS!!!
...from our family to yours, in whatever Form it is taking this time around...
i send all of you my Dharma Blessings
and
Heightened Practice Insights for the new year!
i love all of you, so very, very much.
Namaste and Jai Christmas!!!
your humble Server of Sweat and Stillness...
coach ilg
December 24, 2005
BEAUTIFUL DL TODAY, COACH!
Dearest Coach,
What a beautiful DL today. Truly shows that our workout is everywhere. In these days when people forget the meaning of the holidays, that was a beautiful and inspiring reminder. Thank you.
Gassho,
Jay
YEAR END IMPACT OF WF: GREAT!
Dear Coach Ilg,
Just wanted to take a second to wish both you and Joy a Merry Christmas.
As this year comes to a close, want you both to know that I am so thankful to you for providing me with the gift of WF. Your impact on this feeble student has been great -- always tapping me on the shoulder -- pointing the way. I love you both dearly. I am proud to be part of your family.
So much work yet to be done!!!! I will continue to begin over and over and over again.....
namaste,
student mc
WHEN WILL THEY SEE WHAT LIES BENEATH THEIR NOSES?
Here is what ACE, the self-proclaimed, "nation's �workout watchdog,�
brains came up with:
Fitness Trend Predictions For 2006
Wednesday, 21 December 2005
The American Council on Exercise (ACE), America's non-profit fitness advocate, today announced its top 10 fitness trend predictions for 2006. Through its research, �workout watchdog� studies and worldwide network of certified fitness professionals, ACE continues to accurately monitor America's growing interest in fitness. With 2006 right around the corner, ACE's predictions show a variety of options for those seeking a healthy and fit lifestyle.
"A growing tendency to blend popular mind-body programs such as yoga and Pilates with more traditional forms of exercise. These fusion classes and programs will combine the traditional elements of a fitness regimen with many of the key elements of mind-body activities including proper posture, breathing and body awareness. By incorporating elements of mental and spiritual fitness, individuals will take better care of their entire being and psychological self, not just their bodies."
Source: American Council on Exercise (ACE)
Website: http://www.acefitness.org
oh geez...
now..
listen to this next entry and i ask you..
what is it gonna take?!?
WF baby...so far out ahead of the mainstream that even after 25 years, those with their heads inside the textbooks still can't even SEE us!!!?!?
ain't great to be World Class?!
love you all for choosing to Be Here now!
check out what Kiwi Jean says below!
namaste NOBLE WF WARRIORS!!!
ps; thanks to WF Blogger Paul over at:
http://wftraining.blogspot.com/
WF is, "THE BEST OF ANCIENT and MODERN."
Dear Coach...
Thank YOU very much!!
I have done a lot of research and I
think you have found the best way of using ancient wisdom
in a modern environment.
Please put me on for Sunrider updates as well.
Regards
Jean Marx
New Zealand
YOGI JESUS; A Desert Yogi Who Threw Down A LOT of Crazy Wisdom
'Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them [who]... persecute you.'
- Jesus Christ
Humble and Powerful Desert Yogi
Now THAT is some Crazy Shit..How Crazy is that Coaching? "...do good to them that HATE you?" "Bless them that CURSE you?"... you mean, instead of cursing traffic idiots and stoplights i am supposed to BLESS them?! i am supposed to BLESS those people that SUE others? that STEAL? i am supposed to actually turn around and do GOOD to those sonofbitches that SCREWED ME AND MY FAMILY!?!?
How Crazy is THAT Dharma?!
Next thing you know, that crazy yogi JC will start telling us not to overeat, to wisely limit our water and other resources, appreciate our bodies enough to take care of them, and, hec, knowing Him, He'd probably tell us to actually, "Be still, and KNOW that we are God." Phewwwee! What a crazy mofo...they oughta lock him up and torture him to death for saying such nasty things.
Oh wait a minute...WE did!
***
Too often, we base our Prayer and/or Meditation upon precisely what they are designed to dwindle; Need and Greed.
We think that if we begin to Meditate, then our illusioned Needs will be filled and our Greedy cup for inner peacefulness will be magically filled.
In Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, in the Chapter on Practice, verse 47: Prayatna saithilyananta samapatti-bhyam
'By lessening the natural tendency for restlessness and by meditating on the infinite, posture is mastered.'
Listen to it, yogi!:
'...by meditating on the infinite, posture is mastered.'
No mention of your Needs or Greeds being granted; screw that shit.
Here is what will be granted when you do what it takes - no matter what - each day - even today with family and friends gathering - to Arise EARLIER then the common man and MEDITATE; you do this long enough and you get what the Masters call, 'posture.'
Keep that word in mind, for a couple more minutes:
My sincere and steadfast launch into Meditation about 25 years ago, brought me just the opposite of why most people Pray or Meditate. Most people Pray and Meditate, "to feel more peaceful," 'to be more happy.' I don't know, maybe i am WAAAY off base, yet in my Practice of Meditation (which in WF, i define as do the Tibetans; "Mental Training,") such a new agey connotation of flakey wakey groovy Prozac bullshit 'happiness' just don't gel. My Teachers taught me that a sincere and steadfast Prayer or Meditation Practice will bring us a Radical Intensity of Spirit matched by a an egoic Poverty of Matter-ilistic Pursuit. It will bring you, according to my Teachers, a type of omnipotent Clarity, sharp as Manjushree's Sword, that will cut RIGHT THROUGH egoic and Outer World structures to bestow upon you a Grace of Higher Seeing and Feeling and Being. Through steadfast Meditation, we begin to See things differently through the transcendence of what i call, "the corpse of the egoic self." Our posture, now more than merely physical, becomes elegant in multidimensional ways.
Rinpoche;
"In the West, people tend to be absorbed by what I call �the technology of meditation.� The modern world, after all, is fascinated by mechanisms and machines and addicted to purely practical formulas. But by far the most important feature of meditation is not the technique but the spirit: the skillful, inspired and creative way in which we practice, which could also be called �the posture.� - Sogyal Rinpoche.
Stop.
Now, invoke an image of Yogi Jesus, 'walking his talk' of Unconditional Compassion and Forgiveness:
That, my friends, is called, Posture. You ready to truly HONOR this Yogi tomorrow, or are you just getting stoked for the presents and pie and tv and gossip that surrounds Holiday Gatherings? The Yogi must guard his or her Practice very closely during the Holidays to honor the first rule of Yogic Warriorism; Purity of Speech. This HolyDay, watch your tongue carefully. Make Purity of Speech (Sauca) your main Practice. Think of this image of the Birthday Boy and do not speak unless it is kind, true, and helpful.
This Holiday is the World Championship opportunity for the WF Warrior to really, deeply apply - like rarely able - my first Lifestyle Principle of WF: Breath and Posture.
I wish you go(o)d luck with applying your year-long growth in Transpersonal Fitness during the next couple of days.
May you,
like that Crazy Wisdom Desert Yogi Jesus Christ,
be the World Champion of Elegant Consciousness!
God Bless,
the mountain yogi
December 23, 2005
ANIMAL FARM & axis mundi
Dear Coach -
Wow is right.
I guess the difference between WF / DL and CrossFit online is that �the people on there are animals�. In WF / DL, the animals in here are people.
Thanks for all you do and Merry Christmas.
Tom
P.S. I am dying for some New Mexico green chile!
***
Bro,Sis
OMG,
that is like the axis mundi bro.
Sanctuario de Chimayo has been so powerfully on my mind recently that I have talked Linda into a Northern New Mexico Chimayo theme for a New Years gig.
Then it pops up on DL!
And you guys are invited!!!!
posole, NM Chili Verde, tamales, ....
You will think ya woke up in Milagro
vaya con dios!
elhaku
COACH's GREEN CHILE SECRET!??!
Dear Coach,
what a crack up you are! for what DL provides to my workout energy and personal growth, i would pay $200/Month for DL! your upcoming subscription price of $10/month in 2006 is still the best Training Partner" around! since i found DL, i cancelled so many magazines it's crazy! i love your vibe, your giving nature, and all the WF students and fans that try to do their best in so many ways! WF is so contagious that I live the Path without even knowing it sometimes!
now, if i could bug you for the type of Green Chile that you say is as "pranically powerful" as the SUNRIDER HERBS. i need to get my hands on this "Jet Fuel For The Soul," as you say! please, i know you just gave out your Coach's Casserole recipe but how about giving it up on your Green Chile HookUp!?
i have never said this word to anyone before, yet i TAF saying it to you is the Highest Way to start saying it:
Namaste,
Tom from Seattle
*** 
Well, since you buttered ol' coach up so go(o)d and since i am festooned with holiday cheer, tell you what, come on inside, sit with me next to the pinon fire, and i will do something that i have never done before; i will hook you up with my third most powerful source of nutritional chi; New Mexico Chile, baby! (only Pranayam and SUNRIDER rank higher in the WF System of Nutritional Life Force). Good Lord Buddha i spoil you all...man...
okay, first of all, you gotta git yo'self here; this is Ananda outside the Sanctuario de Chimayo. It is the ancient Pilgrimage Site of the Sacred Dirt...this enchanting palace of uniquely 'native' Christianity functions as the Lourdes of America. thousands travel here to a little vestibule in the back of the church whereupon the Sacred Dirt can be found and rubbed upon ones body to heal all ills. Crutches, casts, eyeglasses...all adorn the walls of this vestibule no longer needed after spontaneous healing. i came here often during the worst pain years of my fractured spine...anyway, you can find this place. it is northeast of Santa Fe. jao!
now, after praying in the church and using the Sacred Dirt..do not forget to bring some home with you for your puja table!...walk west, northwest from the Sanctuario until you find this chili stand. that dude in the picture? uhhhh, he is only the most knowledgeable guru of chile on the planet. serious. for him...as well as for many of us...New Mexico chile is a very Sacred Vehicle of the Divine. you think i am kidding. whatever, dude. your loss. anyway, i only buy from this particular little stand in the outback of New Mexico and i will wait for hours until this Guru returns to his stand. Which, in New Mexico, is always hit or miss. Mas y Menos, baby! the green and red chile that is sold here is the most potent, the most delicious, and the most Highly Vibrating Energies still holding onto Food Form. Because the chili is grown right within the red, Sacred Dirt of this Miracle Land, you are actually ingesting a very High Form of Spiritual Energy. 
Not to mention, it is downright delicious. So, get a bag of both red and green chile powder, grab a bag of pistachios, and have at it..the chili can and should be eaten directly when you are Grown Up enough...i use the Medium or Hot depending upon the year. Sprinkle it over eggs, veggie dishes, your lover, whatever works, baby! just Fly with the CHI(le)!
Oh, just do not eat the Green when Pingala is passive and the Red is best chewed on the left molars. There are other secrets to Optimal Chile Eating, yet, i TAF i have given away way too much already! Remember, as my Chile Guru taught me, "This chile is NOT a spice...it is an INGREDIENT!" Love that line!
I betcha SUNRIDER Herbs suddenly seem REALLY convenient, and they ain't seeming so expensive now, eh? Hey, go(o)d nutrition, like go(o)d Teachers, are hard to find!
Vaya con dios,
mi hermanos y hermanas de espiritu!!!!
eat an herb and Rise Above!
namaste,
the mountain yogi
December 22, 2005
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Good Morning Coach,
Just wanted to tell you how much your efforts are appreciated. I am so happy to be part of the WF family and look forward to an amazing 2006.
Have a wonderful holiday season filled with love and herbs.
You may not have a gift with a ribbon and bow from me under your tree; what you do have from me al(l)ways is the love and loyalty which is a live in my heart (which is growing physically from the practice and spiritually from well the practice).
I bow to the amazing path of WF.
namaste',
Karl W.
GEE, THAT SOUNDS LIKE FUN?!
Coach,
During a rare foray into newspaper media consumption,I came across this article about CrossFit. Wow! I'm not sure I understand the devotion to a pursuit that systematically destroys rather than builds and nourishes. The cavalier attitude towards in-Jury and even death is shocking.
The WF Path may be steep and difficult, but while on it I feel strong and supported in both body and spirit. As you say, "Ain't nothin' like WF." That's a blessing for those who climb its lofty heights, and a shame for those who don't.
Your Humble Student
BG
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/22/fashion/thursdaystyles/22Fitness.html
COLDS, OR FLUS, OR RISE ABOVE? YOUR CALL! THE SICK SIDE OF THE FENCE OR THE SUNRIDER SIDE? You Choose!
i really don't have any expertise about using herbs or nutrition for 'treating' colds or flus. i speak, write, Teach, and DEFINITELY enjoy living on the other side of the fence; the World Class Health and Fitness side! my target is Enlightenment in this lifetime, and quite honestly, i can't afford the waste of precious and FUN training time due to the illnesses and allergies so predictable among the common man. I rely upon and eat the SUNRIDER Herbs to make sure my immune system and five elements vibrate at a Level too High to be vulnerable to the airborne germs and contact crud which plague the common human. Rise Above, Oh Noble Warrior! In my opinion, the Fastest, most Powerful RocketShip out of the mundane level of being susceptible to the colds and flus of common society? It's easy and makes you BOMBPROOF to the illnesses of the masses; Get on the SUNRIDER herbs! Use my 3-Phase Approach and SOAR ABOVE!!!! It's go(o)d Up Here!
On Dec 21, 2005, at 3:12 PM, Melissa wrote:
Dear coach,
So many people are experiencing these intense cold and flu detoxes during this time. Can you recommend herbs for those? Especially if someone is having nausea/sensitive stomach, and after the detox is complete to replenish the body?
Thank you,
m
� Hi Melissa!
thank you for your questions.
in a word, "No."
i cannot recommend herbs for those who do not eat them throughout the year.
what i mean is, SUNRIDER Herbs are NOT for "curing" or "treating".
the SUNRIDER Herbs are in what the Chinese term, "Royal Herbs," which means that they are meant to be eaten everyday to cleanse, nourish, and support all five organ systems and elements in the body. when we do this, we support two Immune Systems; the T-Cell and the Respiratory Immune Systems. 
The illness's that affect the common food eaters during the Holidays are just by products from not eating accurate, powerful, regenerative whole foods throughout the year. the Holidays are kinda like a big competition or performance...we should train and eat really, really well throughout the months leading up to the Holidays.
Trying to suddenly eat SUNRIDER Herbs to combat already attained colds, flus does not work. For those situations, you need to consult somebody who knows about MEDICINAL, or what the Chinese term; Toxic Herbs. such herbs are intended for Acute blockages of chi. SUNRIDER Herbs are Royal Herbs, intended for daily enjoyment and cell empowerment.
I suppose the best SUNRIDER could offer in an illness-afflicted state is VitaSpray for an instant B-Complex hit to help the purging of the chi blockage and perhaps Calli to assist in drawing the cellular residue from the phlegm and other humors out of the membranal structures.
But really, i have no expertise on the "sick" side of life.
I am all about the other side of the fence; world class health and performance. and, since i cannot recall the last time i was sick, i really don't have anything to offer you via Direct Experience.
My counsel is to have "sick" people learn their lesson, ride out their illness, then get them over to the other side of the fence; THE SUNRIDER SIDE! it sucks getting sick, so why not Rise Above it?
And, never ever do a "detox" that depletes your body! That is absurd. The genius of SUNRIDER, particularly of my 3-Phase Approach to using them, is that your cells are continually cleansed and empowered and regenerated at the same time! There is no need to fast while on the SUNRIDER program. Fasting depletes and dehydrates the cells and damages their structure and physiology. Don't do any stupid "detox" that requires even the feeling of needing to be "replenished"...the genuine detox, done wisely and safely, works hand in hand with the subtle anatomy and thus gradually elevates the Warrior's entire Being to a Higher Level without depletion. My 3-Phase Approach to using the SUNRIDER Herbs is all you need...22 years of proving grounds with all type of people, helps most people make this an easy experiment to enjoy!
I hope this helps and you have a GREAT Holiday!
i bow to you from beneath the Sacred Mountain,
coach ilg, ryt/uscf/cpt
author/Total Body Transformation
founder/www.wholisticfitness.com
complimentary Daily WF Meditation:
http://wholisticfitness.blogspot.com/
December 21, 2005
WU CHIA PI vs. JOI...and ENERGY PLUS; A SUNRIDER INSIDER SCOOP
To follow this Master Teacher's footsteps, you better know your herbs! Coach preparing an Ilg Supreme while in Taos, New Mexico during a rock climbing/peak running trip this past summer. photo by Ananda.
Hey Coach,
Got a few questions if you've got the time tonight :
1) Would you give a brief comparison/contrast of the benefits of JOI vs Wu Chia Pi? Which do you recommend or rather do you recommed each for different benefits?
� great question!
okay, the thing about JOI is that, and i guess it could be considered a 'downside', is that for JOI to be optimized, you need to 'sister' it with ESE. i have written on this relationship between JOI and ESE previously. ESE calms the neural pathways serving an inflamed joint or area, then the properties of JOI 'step in' and nourish synovial joints and other inflamed areas of neuromuscular agitation.
Wu Chia Pi, on the other hand, requires no other herbal formula to nourish muscle, joint, and neural systems. W.C.P is more adaptatogenic to the entire body whereas JOI and ESE will tend to target where the "chi" is inflamed, blocked, and/or locked within a given region, particularly joint articulations.
the JOI & ESE combo is absolutely exquisite. i eat JOI & ESE every day due to my hard training volumes across the physiologic spectrum. ESE produces a vaporish emotional calm that i can easily - these days - sense. the JOI is really too subtle for my senses to 'pick up'...i just know that it is nourishing my muscle and connective tissue chi. the fact that i place such high demands on my body, and have been doing so for my entire life, without any injuries or plateaus due to micro trauma at the cellular level, pretty much speaks volumes for JOI & ESE.
Wu Chia Pi is more 'blue collar' than JOI & ESE. it is perhaps the most cost effective purchase a SUNRIDER could make for enhancing their overall stamina, strength, and joint health. i eat between 2-8 capsules per day along with JOI & ESE, just because i like to cover ALL my bases!
so, if money is a concern, or during periods of high training without injury, i would suggest cranking the Wu Chia Pi.
if you are currently nursing any type of muscle or joint pain, particularly that arising from inflammation or nerve entrapment, start eating the JOI & ESE combo. It is subtle, and the herbs must saturate the body before influencing the chi specific to the injury which can take weeks, however, the mental calming effect might be noticed immediately and thus, a greater health to the psyche always benefits the physical.
i hope this helps.
RE:
2) Energy Plus - is this to be taken everyday or when training?
� EVERYDAY!!!...or...hec, save it as a FANTASTIC TRAINING "PARTNER"! Just depends on how often you want to feel GREAT! You know how good Bee Pollen is for athletes, well, the way that Dr. Chen formulated this product makes for an amazing best friend in immune and energy levels! i have observed a wonderfully enhanced RECOVERY ability from workouts since i started taking and relying upon Energy Plus!
RE:
I guess the same goes for question. And what would taking Energy Plus eliminate taking individually?
� hmmmm. i don't really know how to answer this, since i don't know what you eat, take, etc, outside of SUNRIDER. Energy Plus is symbiotic with ALL the SUNRIDER products. i suppose if you are taking outside sources of bee pollen, ginseng, wheat germ oil, lecithin...or certainly any of those horrible "Red Bull" type of "energy drinks"...then you can eliminate healthfully those for Energy Plus.
RE:
3) In "The Winter Athlete" the Andromeda IWT/IWCT full-body workout - you only do the IWT once and do the IWCT 3 to 5 times per session, right?
� uh, this is not a SR question...you trying to cop some Online Training?
awlright, since you are a devoted Herbal Warrior...
yep. you got it!
oh man, what a great workout that is! ooooooof!
THE WINTER ATHLETE remains, to me, the best book a WF Warrior could ever have. Talk about VALUE for what, $20?!
RE:
Okay, I'm sure that's enough for one email! Thanks.
Warrior in training....
Steve Smith
PS:
BTW I think you're WAY wrong in TBT Green Tara when you claim that the Upper Body workout is "Not as demanding as was Tuesday's leg day...." - is that supposed to be tongue in cheek? ;-) Especially if you're doing the extra set or two for Warrior or Master Students!
� you are learning again, Grasshopper!
the Way of WF is Steep, Direct, and....TRANSFORMATIONAL, baby!
i bow to you from beneath the Sacred Mountain,
coach ilg, ryt/uscf/cpt
{The Official Nutritional Path of WF; SUNRIDER HERBS can be started on Coach's
acclaimed, "3-Phase Approach" today, if you click on one of the WF Teachers to the left!}
LOVE ON KRISTI's WF BLOG: When in Doubt, Go Higher!
Noble DL Readers,
take a moment and switch your channel over to Student Lee's "Reflections" Blog for a moment..
it's worth the moment:
http://www.kristi-trinity.com/reflections.html
Student Lees,
i bow to the Direction in which your WF Training under Ananda is flowing...
like i like to say, "When in doubt, Go Higher."
and Love is the Highest Summit of all...
namaste,
coach ilg
VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE DL of 2005
"DL is flourishing so amazingly under the love of you and Ananda that one has to check it several times a day some days or risk missing something;)"
- Teacher Q
I know, I know...the rushing waters that flow from the Tribal Headwaters of DL are vast, turbulent, and profound...
our little Temple beneath the Great Peak carries more CHI than that of entire Fitness and Spiritual CORPORATIONS!
it's hilarious to me to think that our Beloved Path still remains so humble yet our Flow is so utterly deep and unique! LOVE IT!
Now that "Blogging" has become pandemic (DL was one of the first professionally authored Blogs on the Internet), i can't tell you how many people were 'caught' trying to copy without my permission, various WF Teachings, etc. I guess "Imitation is the Highest Form of Flattery," eh? Hey, others can mimic the techniques, but not the CHI! It's all about Owner Expertise! And our Beloved DL is an electronic scripture, documenting the outlandish veracity and effectiveness of our Transformative Path. By 2006, i am rolling the boulder over the entrance of the DL Cave. I truly trust you will continue to make the Ascent toward the Highest Source by my side...toward Enlightenment we all shall trek! Subscription to DL information coming soon!
Please, before year's end,
send in your nomination for the most potent or most influential DL that you enjoyed and/or benefitted from in 2005. send it to: ilgtrain@npgcable.com
Your vote will help me as i RAMP UP the DL's in 2006, providing more programs, and Teachings of WF to our Subscriber Sangha. Trust me, it will be worth far beyond the cost of about 32 CENTS/Day for the DL Subscription!
So tell me which DL hit your Tribal HeartBeat the best!...
and most of all; KEEP CONTRIBUTING TO OUR RIVERRUSH OF CHI!!!!!!
i love you all...
keep sweating and sitting still, Noble Warriors!
coach ilg
December 20, 2005
COACH'S TUNA CASSEROLE...FINALLY!!!
Man alive! Enough already! Bon Appetite! Here you go!!! I swear if you all would be as kicked up about Enlightenment as you are about gettin' the beta on my Tuna Casserole, we'd ALL be chattin' in Nirvana 'bout now!
{My mom, Marjorie..at age 78...we got the Chi in this family!}
Special thanks to the Root Teacher of Pretty Much Everything That Is Coach Ilg; my Mom. No matter how Go(o)d this tastes when you make it, trust me, it ain't gonna come CLOSE to tasting it straight from my Mom's amazingly intuitive cooking! my Mom would HATE IT if she knew i posted this shot of her to, "THE WHOLE WORLD," which, of course, is why i am posting it! It is a lifelong duty for the first born son to endlessly do things that absolutely bug their Moms and cause them to roll their eyes heavenward while shaking their heads muttering, "Good Lord, WHY did i EVER choose to have kids?" Don't worry, my Mom has never read a DL in her life, never "got that damn computer to work," that i got her, so...well, she knows i do my best to make a living while doing go(o)d in the world and that's gotta be go(o)d enough for me. Maybe one day i will make a book,
THE BEST OF DL and give it to her, whaddya think?
And, my love and thanks to Ananda who made sure this recipe lived up to the world class standard that is the bottom line to EVERYTHING that IS Wholistic Fitness�...she is gonna HATE IT that i posted this snapshot of her...which, of course, is why i am posting it! It is the accepted duty of a Rascal to make their Loved One endlessly squirm at their own vanities until they roll their eyes heavenward muttering, "Good Lord, WHAT did i EVER see in this person?"
Okay, here is the "Price" you have to pay for getting my Tuna Casserole recipe;
ANOTHER ONE OF COACH's CRAZY WISDOM LONG WINDED LECTURES:
Start Here:
let us Realize that each and every one of us
are soooooooooooo countlessly Blessed to have such easy "hunting and gathering" in our lives
and
in a Way,
we are Cursed because ease of hunting, fishing, and gathering herbs has made us die of overeating and underexercising. And before we die, the lack of developing hunting, fishing, and herb gathering skills has made us a nation addicted to weird synthesized things that force us to poop, to sleep, to "have energy"...essentially, that lack of natural AtOneness with natural hunting and gathering has made us inSane, inEpt, and unFit to the point where we have to force ourselves to exercise, force ourselves to appreciate the Lives, the Sources, and the Energies associated with preparing our meals. And to those poor souls of you who have never made a meal without water and had to boil snow or stream water before using any of it, trust me; GO BACKPACKING AND LEARN TO APPRECIATE RUNNING WATER OUT OF YOUR PIPES and TOILET!!!!
So, Oh Noble WF Warrior; promise me - no, promise your Higher Self - that when you make this recipe, you will do so with respect for all Beings associated with getting it to your home and upon your tongue. That is all i ask.
Thanks for reading DL and remember,
Eat Coach's Tuna Casserole because..
You can Tune A Bicycle, but you can't Tune a fish!
______________________ cut here (consciously and with your NonDominant Hand) _____________________________
Tuna Casserole - Mom Ilg's adapted recipe by Coach and Ananda
Need ingredients:
Pasta: 1/2 - 3/4 box/bag of Pipette or sea shell or macaroni or
Coach's favorite sea shell macaroni.
1 can Cream of Mushroom - yeap, dairy. That's why this is a "treat" for us.
Frozen Peas - small bag or half. i prefer Organic frozen peas
1/2 Onion- again Organic or you can use those frozen whole small ones
Soy cheese or if you're still addicted to taste, real cheddar cheese
(i estimate how much cheese to use.)
and
TUNA (Albacore) dolphin safe 12 oz
***
Pre-heat Oven 325 degrees
Boil pasta to directions,
when pasta is almost done add the frozen peas to cook.
Saute Onions with some olive oil
Drain Tuna
***
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl,
then place in casserole dish.
cook in oven for 45 minutes while performing the WF Sacred Mantra and washing dishes
with your Non Dominant Hand.
i wait until the last 5 minutes to place cheese on top of the casserole for a nice finish.
Bon Appetite!
SAMMY MORSE GETS 5th at CROSS NATIONALS and, I can't tell you what a help your Practice and DL's have been"
Steve,
Mucho thanks for your help leading in to cross nats. I managed to finish 5th and I'm elated with the result in epic conditions and a stacked field.
I've continued to implement WF Practice into my daily schedule.... However, the day after nationals my dad, Everett was admitted to the hospital and is quickly approaching bardo. Everett is a father of seven and a stubborn 93yr old New England farmer who, until two weeks ago, was riding one of my old wind trainers in his basement daily....he's a warrior beyond anything I could imagine. I can't tell you what a help your Practice and DL's have been during this process, and the perspective I've gained.
Much love and respect for all you do.
Thank you,
Student Sammy
December 19, 2005
COACH's LATEST "RUNNING ON WATER" COLUMN!
Coach Ilg's latest installment of
"Running On Water"
is now appearing at the UNITED STATES SNOWSHOE ASSOCIATION website:
http://www.snowshoeracing.com/home.htm
enjoy...
and...
get OUT and RUN ON WATER, baby!!!
special thanks to my 2005/06 Snowshoe Sponsor; Atlas Snowshoes
WWW.ATLASSNOWSHOE.COM
namaste,
coach ilg
2x World Mountain Snowshoe Championship competitor
SOMETHING I CAN'T PUT INTO WORDS BUT FEEL DEEPLY
"Where is the Sweat behind the Scripture?"...the "Crazy Wisdom Teacher Ilg" on this morning's 'Cardio Commute' from downtown Flag to the WF Temple H(om)e which requires, according to Coach, "Suffering through about 30 minutes of utterly pristine Ponderosa singletrack weaving in and out of alpine meadows among deer and wapiti." For the past quarter century, Coach's notion of "full spectrum yoga" or Wholistic Fitness� still vibrates a bit too High, too Far, too Steep for mainstream yogis to grock, yet, "One day..probably post humorously - unfortunately for me," smiles Coach, "the rest of the 'pack' will catch up to us, and then they will examine the Electronic Scripture of DL and say, "Whoa dude! Those WF Cats were TIGHT! They had it goin' on!"...until then, hey, Quality means more to me than Quantity. Thus, though we be small, we are fierce! Let's just keep working on our own Awakening and stay focused on what matters most; our unique and steadfast Practice."
***
Coach,
I can't thank you enough for your inspiration and guidance. Since I purchased TBT in Boston in May, I have been steadily
influenced and positively affected by your great CHI, the SUNRIDER herbs, Joy's "quick fix power yoga", and something that I
can't put into words but I feel deeply.
I mean it happens something like this: need organic soy milk for "Ilg Supremes", so I'm rummaging in "health food"
section of chain supermarket for the milk when I run across Power of Now, open book and see "time is an
illusion", it resonates like a DL entry, buy book and read it each am like a bible, and reacquire a taste for zen that I thought was lost forever, etc. etc. But unlike past spiritual forays this one is bathed in sweat and blessed by Ilg crazy wisdom.
Season greetings, Coach, to you and all your loved ones, from the bottom of my heart.
Namaste, Rich Collins
*
Noble Warrior Collins,
i bow to your Metta...it's like i say, "Where is the Sweat behind the Scripture?" All of DL, all of WF is about staying Grounded
within the Body Vehicle, using Daily Sweat and Stillness as a karmic acid to cut through our Lazy Tendencies, Impulsive Egoic Reactions, and our Ignorant Fetters. You are moving so fast along this Steep and Direct Path...
Dharma Blessings to YOUR Loved Ones from the Crazy Wisdom Teacher himself...
Coach Ilg
the mountain yogi
STUDENT SINGER's OOOOF + KRISHNA DAS's GOOOF!
Noble Ilg,
Just wanted to say thanks for today's DL. Your writing chi was obviously flowing free and wild. Really nice.
A memory: years ago when I was studying martial arts, I was getting really good at ukemi (the art of falling or "receiving with the body"). Well, I thought I was getting pretty good at it. What was certain is that I was was getting really cocky. I was rather proud of myself. So one day I was visiting my parents, and I was helping my dad spray a wasp's nest on the side of the house. I aimed the can, sprayed, and my dad yelled, "uh oh...here they come!" as the wasps started flying toward us. Not part of the plan. Being a fierce, fearless, warrior...I turned around and ran, totally unaware that the grass was wet. Needless to say, I slipped. Everything went into slow motion. The ground slowly moved toward me.
So...did I tuck, roll, receive the earth with my body and elegantly land back on my feet like I had thousands of times in the dojo? Nope. I face-planted...with a giant "OOOOOF!"
Krishna Das tells a similar story on the documentary included with his "Greatest Hits of the Kali Yuga" CD. One day he was driving somewhere, and decided to listen to one of his CDs, which he rarely does. So he's sitting there chanting along with it, totally immersed in the moment. "Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare--" when out of nowhere, someone cuts him off. Before he knows it, he's shouting "@%$ &$% &#*%$!" at the guy, as his recorded self continues chanting in the background. Can't illustrate the point any better than that!
When I saw Krishna Das recently in Seattle I was struck by how humble he is. He may be a "master of chant," but he's the first one to admit that the path is ALWAYS steep.
Or, as I recall you saying on one of your meditation CDs, "The path is easiest in the temple, harder in the market, and most difficult of all in the home."
Yup.
:)
Onward!
Student Singer
COACH INSPIRES THE DOCTORS....
Hi Steve,
I saw your picture in the SunWriter Magazine, we both reached lead director when it was put out. You have accomplished so much! I am going to use you as an example of what healthy eating can do. Good luck to you and perhaps we will meet at Teng's meeting here in Phoenix or on the cruise.
Dr. Jane Hendricks, NMD
Garden of Health
www.yourgardenofhealth.com
gardenofhealth@msn.com
602-957-0876
ICY COLD CLARITY: Bardo Training!
When you have learned, through discipline, to simplify your life, and so practiced the mindfulness of meditation, and through it loosened the hold of aggression, clinging, and negativity on your whole being, the wisdom of insight can slowly dawn. And in the all-revealing clarity of its sunlight, this insight can show you, distinctly and directly, both the subtlest workings of your own mind and the nature of reality.
- Sogyal Rinpoche
***
Photo of Student Bryan Hantman of Cantonsville, MD a long-time Online Student currently taking studies with Teacher Haku, was instructed by me recently to "drop and give me your best Padmasana; cold and without warm up." Because he is trained to follow his breath, and not his ego, Bryan, a newly certified Yoga Teacher, could safely do a Half-Lotus, which is absolutely perfect.
Why did i Assign him this exercise?
Because there is no "warm up" in the Bardo. We must allWays be prepared for the moment of Death Entry.
Although some of our postures - emotional, mental and physical postures - might look splendid while we are "warmed up" in the flow of daily life or during a hot, sweaty asana practice, when we hit the ice cold Bardo Entry, things might be quite different.
Imagine going ice skating on a frozen pond. You are happy and cheerful, skating with your buddies and have a nice hot toddy in your belly. You are laughing as you skate and life is great. Suddenly, the ice breaks. The shock of cold water and the sensation of plummeting beneath the icy surface. The weight of your ice skates and winter clothing pulls you under the ice shelf. Sudden realization of the dire situation. Thrashing futilely. An opaque luminescent shaft of Light streams through the hole you created as you fell. Eerie. Soundless. The freezing water clamps around your inflamed lungs...if you breathe, you die...
What would your Practice be at such a moment?
Chances are likely, no matter how "tough" or "rich" or "smart" or "good at yoga" you usually think you are, you would probably be grasping...clinging like crazy for your precious life to continue, right?
Well, an Enlightened Master might smile at such a Death Entry Moment (we all will have one, you know). Such a Master of Life, would likely run his or her Mantra and think inwardly, "Wow! This is interesting! Oh Shiva! What a hilarious Way to leave the Stage! Classic! Okay, Bardo...Here "i" come!!! WEEEEE!!!!" And the Master would immediately do what He or She has been doing every early morning of their day since beginning their Spiritual Training. They would meditate. They would focus upon whatever Their Teacher blessed them with to use as their Sacred Meditation; be it a Mantra, an Image, or something else.
Quite a difference, eh? That example comes from my Direct Experience. Because of my former 'profession' as a sponsored extreme athlete, i have had the Blessings of several intense Bardo Entry knockings...
Another Bardo Entry story:
When the assassin's bullet punctured Gandhi's body, do you know what people around the Great Yogin heard?
"RAM!!!!!!"
That's right. As the bullet penetrated into the Great Saint's organs, He instantly uttered His sacred mantra, "Ram"...which is a Hindi name for "God". That is how intimately Connected Gandhi was to His mantra; His tether to God.
We all know the Bardo Entry of another Great Yogi whose Birthday is just around the corner. This yogi's name was Jesus Christ. We all know about the High Intensity Suffering that He underwent. Yet, regardless of the unthinkable torture upon his physical body, His Atman (inner soul) was unstained and pure from all of His spiritual training. He entered the Bardo upon the flying astral carpet of Compassion; "Father, forgive them...for they know not of what they do..."
Pretty impressive Bardo Entry stories, eh?
The other day, i was mountain biking, hit some ice, went down HARD. Do you know what this feeble mountain yogi said upon my impact? "OOOOOF!"
not my mantra.
not forgiveness for being such a poor mountain biker..
not an image of Padmasambhava,
not even landing with a Conscious Exhale.
just, "OOOOOF!"
OOOOOF.
i coulda died on OOOOOF as my Bardo Entry mantra...wow, that'll sure turn the disembodied heads of the Deities up in Nirvana, eh? I can hear The Deities now..
"Hey Shiva, did you hear something from the Earth Plane, just now?"
"Uh, yeah..i think it was that crazy ass mountain yogi fool; Ilg."
Brahma interjects, "Yeah, it was Ilg, awlright....he just entered the Bardo."
"Really!? Wow!" exclaimed Vishnu, "We have been Training him for that moment for 12,438 lifetimes! What was his Bardo Entry Consciousness Filament this time through?"
"OOOOOF," said Shiva somewhat dejectedly.
"OOOOOF?" replied Brahma and Vishnu, looking quizzically at each other.
"Yep, 'OOOOOF,'" answered Shiva disappointedly, "it seems We cannot Teach that kid anything."
"Oh well, at least he tried pretty hard this Time Around. And, records indicate that he was able to help a couple of other Human Beings along his most recent Way. Hmmmm, how shall i Incarnate that poor mofo now? He likes sports, how about if i have him experience World Wide Fame and Fortune as a Sport Specific Athlete?"
Shiva and Vishnu, exclaimed in harmony, "WOW!!! You are gonna send ilg to HELL?!...cool! this oughta be great!"
***
my point is;
even after two pretty strong decades of consistent meditation work,
when it comes to maintaining High Consciousness during a shock of intensity...
I have Work to do.
I bow to Gandhi.
Okay, one more Bardo Entry story then i will let you get back to whatever it is your normal Consciousness has you doing...
This is a story about the venerable Zen Teacher, DT Suzuki. Once, when He was pretty aged, the elder Master went swimming with some of his Students in a creek for his birthday. While swimming, His clothes snagged a submerged branch and trapped him under the water. After being rescued from certain drowning by His Students, Suzuki was visibly pissed off at himself. When asked why he was so angry at himself, the Master replied somewhat like this,
"While I was drowning, I realized how Attached i was to breathing...how much I still take breathing for granted. I must Practice harder."
Classic! I love that line; "While I was drowning, I realized how Attached i was to breathing..."
- Yesterday; Ananda Time Trialing in subfreezing temps up Mt. Elden...she put the "Movie Star" hurt on some Weekend Warriors big time by finishing the brutal route in nearly hour!" - As Student Ash says in DL; "Spiritual talk without action is zero."
It is important - i TAF "vital" - to test our emotional, mental, and physical postures in the cold, naked, raw moment. That is why i had Ananda do a 6-mile, 3,000' subfreezing mountain bike uphill Time Trial yesterday to the top of Mt. Elden. We were both hypothermic by the time we got our frozen asses back to the H(om)e Temple. Yet, we used the entire workout as a form of Bardo Training.
Similarly, in my younger years, i did so many extreme sports; free soloing, winter mountaineering, extreme skiing, etc. to test my emotive, mental Bardo tendencies under high intensity pressure (losing my life). My Teachers told me that it is only when the physical body is endangered that our genuine Spiritual Practices can be truly explored. Everything else is distant in terms of training the spirit. Without the body being endangered, the ego constructs still run the show.
Such training, though painful and intense, keeps the WF Warrior humble, awake, and ever so APPRECIATIVE of our precious, albeit quick, time spent in this incarnation.
Now, i did not make Student Hantman go free solo a 5.10 rock climb or solo Mt. Robson in winter. I did not even make him do a sub-freezing Uphill Time Trial like Ananda.
What i did do, however, was to have him wake up early, and in the cold air, drop his raw joint beds into his best Padmasana (full lotus), a pose he can most likely do quite well when "warmed up." His experience was enough to draw the Metaphor: Most of us are only about half as accomplished as we may think we are.
May your Workouts today be focused like a laser on that which is weak, negative, and lazy. Forget what you are all-Ready
go(o)d at...that doesn't count toward the notion of Wholistic Fitness� or your Bardo Entry.
In this Steep and Direct Path of Transformation, we focus our inner and outer efforts on all those countless patterns and tendencies that we cleverly attempt to run away from. Screw that ignorance, Oh Noble Warrior! Sever it with the Strength and Swiftness of Manjushree's Sword of Wisdom! 
{"Isolate your Weakenesses, Target your Discomforts.." Coach walking his talk early in the preDawn; engaging the WF Non-Dominant Hand Assignment� while brushing teeth. He is also opening his hips and ungluing his rib cage while wearing YogaToes� and engaging Uddiyana. "The UnAwakened complain that they do not 'have the time to workout,' Shit...some of my most brutal workouts and fascinating breakthroughs in Self Healing and Insight have come from my simple yet steadfast Awareness to the most mundane of daily activities. In any moment we only have two questions to ask ourself; Am i grasping or am i concentrating? When i concentrate, i truly find that my Highest Workout is - inDeed - Everywhere."}
Isolate your Weaknesses,
Target your Discomforts,
Draw Inner Aim upon that which Annoys you,
Embrace that which Challenges you,
and BREATHE INTO any and all Difficulties and Stressful Relationships...
for that,
my friends along the Path,
is what
genuine
YOGA...
union of It All
- Wholistic Fitness� -
is
all
about.
If you must 'hate' something in this life,
ilg says,
let it be your weaknesses, your negative tendencies, and your predictability in aversion.
very well, then...
that
is
all...
Dharma Blessings,
coach ilg
DL ARCHIVAL STUDY; "A MASSIVE CHI HIT!"
Dear Coach Ilg,
Just read the two weeks around the '508' in Oct '04 in DL....what a f^&%%$ing MASSIVE chi hit.
Just had to say, keep walking the walk. Talk minus action, is zero.
Humbly
Simon Ash
December 18, 2005
ENDURING TRUST and FAITH in our TEACHERS
Ananda applying with Padmasambhava focus, her chi in the Iron Temple during a set of my Staccato Technique� DB Curls supervised by yours truly. Those of you who have known Ananda since her pre-WF and SUNRIDER herb Journey, quickly realize the astonishing Transformation in her Body. I know the degree of Transformation within her Mind and Spirit. So, how did she change her body and play judo with her Injuries and Weaknesses? SHE TRUSTS IN THE TEACHINGS and cements that Trust with daily sweat and stillness.
There ain't nothing like WF, baby...and there ain't nothing like a WF Warrior..we TRUST in the TEACHINGS of our TEACHER: UNCONDITIONAL WHOLENESS, baby! Here is a great story of a quality that we all require during the Ups and Downs of a spiritual journey: Enduring Faith and Trust in our Teacher
One great master in the nineteenth century had a disciple who was very thick-headed. The master had taught him again and again, trying to introduce him to the nature of his mind. Still he did not get it. Finally, the master became furious and told him: �Look, I want you to carry this bag full of barley up to the top of that mountain over there. But you mustn�t stop and rest. Just keep on going until you reach the top.�
The disciple was a simple man, but he had unshakable devotion and trust in his master, and he did exactly as he had been told. The bag was heavy and it took him a long time.
At last, when he reached the top, he dropped the bag. He slumped to the ground, overcome with exhaustion, but deeply relaxed. All his resistance had dissolved, and with it his ordinary mind. At that instant, he suddenly realized the nature of his mind. He ran back down the mountain, and, against all convention, burst into his master�s room.
�I think I�ve got it now . . . I�ve really got it!�
His master smiled at him knowingly. �So you had an interesting climb up the mountain, did you?�
- Sogyal Rinpoche
Clowning about with my two Brother Warriors, both of whom would carry a UniVerse of Barley Bags up a UniVerse of mountains in order to Serve the Path of WF; Teacher Haku on my right and Teacher Q on my left while at our Red Mountain Spa WF Retreat last summer. Other personal training/fitness companies brag about how many "Certified Instructors" they have, and you always see all these pictures of these Newly Certified "this and that" type of "Teachers".
Wanna know how many WF Certified Teachers there are on the Planet? No, not hundreds. Not thousands. Not Millions.
Five.
Yep. Five.
That's including myself.
Since 1982...only four other humans have been Certified to Teach WF...not millions.
Sometimes, "Less is more." Quality, not quantity. Humbleness, not Glitzy. Silent strength, not boisterous facades.
Make 2006 your year to take Online Student under one of the Few.
One of the Brave.
One of the Loving.
One of the Teachers of Unconditional Wholeness; Wholistic Fitness�. 
Wholistic Fitness�
Because Specialization Is For Insects.
December 17, 2005
TO FIND OUR BUDDHA NATURE...
dear coache',
a moment?
"To find a Buddha,
you need to find your nature.
Whoever sees his nature
is a Buddha."
--The Zen Teaching of Bodhidarma
i taf this picture of my daughter
is a very g(o)od example...
she sees....
love,
student dansan
Student Dansan,
when your baby Buddha girl grows up, you be sure to tell her that ol' Coach ilg
made sure her Buddha Light was illuminating us all..
back in the day...
May all Beings Awake to their inherent Happiness and
may they Practice steadfastly so they may come to know by Practiced Experience
the causations of their Happiness.
on behalf of my humble Path and Temple,
om mani padme hung...
om mani padme hung...
om mani padme hung...
coach ilg
December 16, 2005
Socrates dug WF - who knew!?
Coach-
Plowing my way through a book called The Creators, a world history as seen through the lens of creativity. In a section on ancient Greek sculpture and the importance of the athletic ideal, I came across this quote from Socrates:
"No citizen has any right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is part of his profession as a citizen to keep himself in good condition, ready to serve his state at a moment's notice. The instinct of self-preservation demands it likewise: for how helpless is the state of the ill-trained youth in war or in danger! Finally, what a disgrace it is for a man to grow old without ever seeing the beauty and the strength of which his body is capable!"
I particularly love the last sentence. Dude was dialed in - kind of makes you wonder why he went for the hemlock!
Love-
Student L
UNBROKEN FLUID WHOLENESS
Coach Ilg, on the summit ridge of Agassiz Peak last week, after a record 61 minute ascent (!) of the 12,250' peak, wearing "Kahtoola's" a type of running shoe 'crampon'. Combined with the 27 minute, 3,000' descent over technical steep terrain,
Coach uses WF and yogic internal techniques to transform the sheer pain of such 'workouts' into an "unbroken wholeness in flowing movement." Essentially, High Performance in any discipline requires an intimate liaison with the "breath inside the breath." WF Students are taught that genuine yoga requires becoming a highly skilled Practitioner in all physiologic disciplines - strength, cardio, asana, meditation, and food mastery - before one can even begin speaking of spiritual mastery. WF remains the most grounded, balanced, and traditional transmitter of the Ancient Himalayan Yogis. {self photo of coach via camera phone in sub-zero temperatures. i bow to the technology of camera phones! if you squint, you might be able to see the reddish rim rock of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon near the crown of my head. }
***
"I often think of the great masters and imagine beings who have their depth of realization as magnificent mountain eagles, who soar above both life and death and see them for what they are, in all their mysterious, intricate interrelation.
To see through the eyes of the mountain eagle, the view of realization, is to look down on a landscape in which the boundaries that we imagined existed between life and death shade into each other and dissolve. The physicist David Bohm has described reality as being �unbroken wholeness in flowing movement.�
What is seen by the masters, then, seen directly and with total understanding, is that flowing movement and that unbroken wholeness. What we, in our ignorance, call �life� and what we, in our ignorance, call �death� are merely different aspects of that wholeness and that movement."
- Sogyal Rinpoche
IT'S PERFECT HERE NOW
December 15, 2005
STUDENT SHEL PUTS WF CROSS TRAINING TO THE TEST!
Student Shel learning a "Performance Pranayam" from Coach's Ilg and Ananda during a WF Intensive last year. Instead of training like a typical runner would for her Honolulu Marathon, Shel cranked out cross training in only the way a WF Warrioress can! Yoga, Meditation, Pranayama, Strength Training, and of course, the SUNRIDER HERBS! Let's see how her testing of my WF Path paid off...
Aloha everyone..............so how does a movement educator celebrate the end of another wonderful year ? By coming to Honolulu and running the marathon , of course ! If you ever want to run a marathon or if you have done so already and are looking for another one, make it Honolulu. For some rather obvious reasons--- it is absolutely gorgeous over here, they don't close down the course until the last runner crosses the finish line, it starts at 5 A. M. with a round of fireworks, and you get to soak your well used body in the pacific ocean minutes after finishing.
I participated with an unusual intention. I did not train for the run in the usual format. Most people training for marathons start at least 4 months ahead of time and keep adding more and more mileage until they reach the 26 mile distance in training. I haven't done a run longer the 6 miles in 7 months ! HOWEVER , what i have been doing (with the help of my coach and mentor Steve Ilg ) is very specific cross training----swimming , biking, strength training, yoga, meditation, herbal whole foods. So getting out there and seeing if i could go the distance was a challenge . Was all this training across the physiologic spectrum producing a well rounded Shelli ?
I have concluded that indeed it has. I finished in the top half of my female age group, ran a race that kept me in my target heart rate allowing me to have good endurance, and i am feeling good with lots of energy the day after the race.
And what does a movement educator do first thing the day after the marathon ? Why YOGA of course..............
So over the holidays i encourage you to not let your fitness routine go by the wayside...........move, breathe, feel how great it is to be alive and well !
In joy,
shelli stein
POLLUTING OUR CHILDREN WITH OUR LACK OF PRACTICE
May each of us who are Blessed enough to see and Practice the Wisdom of everyday sweat and stillness be inspired with the motivation to dedicate our Practice, and our life, to at least the Awakening, if not the Enlightenment of all beings...particularly those who have chosen the HouseHolder Path. Creating a human being is the most profound and ongoing Path that any human could possibly undertake...so much more than just "making a baby," it is a lifelong turning inside out of your Own Chances For Enlightenment for the sake of your child(ren).
For the spirit of all the children that i see being taught ignorance, discrimination, and addictions in countless ways by Parents Who Do Not Practice, i offer this Noble Tibetan prayer, which, according to Sogyal Rinpoche, "all the buddhas of the past have prayed":
"By the power and the truth of this practice:May all beings have happiness, and the causes of happiness;May all be free from sorrow, and the causes of sorrow;May all never be separated from the sacred happiness which is sorrowless;And may all live in equanimity, without too much attachment and too much aversion,And live believing in the equality of all that lives."
May your Practice upon your Weaknesses be greater than that of your Practice upon your Strengths today
and
May you Learn Skillfulness in turning your fitness inside out for the Benefit of Others...
that is all,
namaste,
coach ilg
photo of coach and Ananda with coach's nephew; Alazar
December 14, 2005
DHARMAFITTI
Flagstaff graffiti
MORE SUCCESS on the "DEEP CLEANSE"!!!
REACH FOR THE LEANEST YOU'VE BEEN:
DO A SUNRIDER HERB DEEP CLEANSE BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS HIT!
WF Temple Manager and Teacher Ananda, shown above, like Rich (see below), trusted in my 3-Phase Approach to the SUNRIDER HERBS,
including my "Deep Cleanse" program which we do once every 6 months. The result? A completely transformed
constitution that is leaner, healthier, and far more energetic than our "pre-SUNRIDER" condition!
Wanna Know How To Experience The Same Transformation as Ananda, Rich, myself, and hundreds of others?
Just ask your SUNRIDER Sponsor for Coach Ilg's "Deep Cleanse" program
only available
within the most powerful Herb-Eatin' Tribe on the Planet; THE COACH ILG DOWNLINE!
****
Dear Coach Ilg;
Finished the fourth week of your SUNRIDER "Deep Cleanse" program
and
feel terrific, physically, emotionally, and
spiritually!
A busy time of the year for me and I
can't wait to get up each morning, workout, take down
an Ilg Supreme (IS), and get to the day.
Genuine energy and honest fatigue. Consumption of joe way down - 10 weeks
without a smoke.!
If you have time, I would be grateful to learn if I can go for some fat loss with the
approach you mention in TBT, along with IS, Fortune Delight, and
Cali.
Thanks, Coach. Namaste, Rich Collins
***
WE'RE BACK!......
GUESS WHOSE BACK and ready to unload more utterly unique WF CHIBALLS into your Posture of LIFE MASTERY!?!??!
...Ananda and i rode out of the Bardo of LA and back across the Mojave like two Bandits with a saddlepack full of gold...
Dat's right baby...the Divine Downloads are coming thunder fast and BUDDHA AWE-MIGHTY through my trips to LA these days...in fact, these LA trips are to me like Spiritual Goldmines...i temper the Stuff that comes through me while there with my own Sweat and Spirit when back beneath the Sacred Peak, then a trickle down effect washes some pure and powerful waves toward the WF Channel of DL....DL is like the Brahmanic Mainlining of Body/Mind/Spirit that gets right to the very CORE of your Higher Self...NO BODY TRAINS like a WF Warrior and...
...I was bombarded with all sorts of Sweet Insights during our trip back to LA...so keep your Web Surfing Tendencies REAL CLOSE to DL...cuz' after i get caught up a bit with my Online Students and SUNRIDERS (WELCOME ALL YOU NEW HERBAL WARRIORS!!!) and ship out all the fantastic orders for our new WF TRACKPACKS, i'll be sending some major WF SMACK your way on this STILL COMPLIMENTARY aveune toward your Highest STAR: DL!!!!!!
December 11, 2005
A GO(O)D DAY TO DIE....
Namaste Noble DL Reader and WF Devotees!
Ananda and i must take travel across the Mojave once again to LA for some business. We will be back beneath the Sacred Peak by Tuesday.
Enjoy DL, enjoy the DL Archives; SO MUCH DHARMA in that electronic Sacred Scripture from Sweat and Stillness!
Enjoy the other WF Blogs, eat your herbs, order your WF TrackPack!...and...
should a SemiTruck take out Ananda and i
(one never knows, it is best to cultivate preciousness of Now by always realizing the fragility of our current incarnation)
...just know this Oh Mighty Legged and Lung'd Warrior of WF; Ananda and i have had a very Blessed Life...
and it has been Deep Honor to impart a tidbit of these WF Teachings with you...
should a drunk driver careen his or her car into ours, just know that Ananda and i have had
a precious, precious ride sandwiched between Mother Earth and Father Sky...do not spend too much crying if something happens to us; for we have done our Morning Meditations and in a moment, i will climb the Sacred Mountain before driving...and it will be, as each day is, "...a go(o)d day to die."
Do not be caught by Death unprepared...all this fitness training is fine and dandy, yet,
never, ever forget that Death comes swiftly and you must allWays be prepared to enter the Bardo with the Astral Roadmap within your strong and enduring consciousness. That is why i have spent all these years attempting to bring more Consciousness into everything you do; walk, brush teeth, strength train, run, eat, etc., etc. Consciousness is everything.
What else?
Nothing. Just carry the WF Torch by way of your Conscious Breath and Posture, wash your dishes with your nonDominant hand, smile frequently, and 
we will see you soon for more...
endlessly more...
What a LIFE is this Breath by Breath Journey back h(om)e to our Real Self!
Dharma Blessings...may you find your Yoga everywhere for truly it is...everywhere!
namaste,
coach and A
OF RUMI and ANGER ARISING
�Brother stand the pain; Escape the poison of your impulses. The sky will bow to your beauty, if you do. Learn to light the candle. Rise with the sun. Turn away from the cave of your sleeping. That way a thorn expands to a rose. A particular glows with the universal.�
~ Mevlana Rumi
�If you are irritated by every rub, how will you be polished?�
�������������������������������������������������Mevlana Rumi!
"When we feel exposed or vulnerable, we put up barriers and draw down shutters. We stick with what we know is safe. We restrict our activities and limit our involvement with others. Often, though, it's more appropriate to do the opposite...{instead}, put your cards on the table, lay your heart on the line, be trusting and transparent. If you need help, ask for it. If you need to be understood, explain yourself. If you need loving, act lovingly. You will be pleasantly surprised by the amount of support you receive."
Johnathan Cainer
December 10, 2005
WF "TrackPacks" NOW AVAILABLE
WF "TRACKPAKS" now available!
A limited supply of WF "TrackPacks"
are ready for our Active Online Students and SUNRIDERS ONLY!
We will offer this item in our Tribal Catalog to EVERYONE after the first of the year,
yet, Coach wanted to give our MOST DEVOTED ONLINE STUDENTS AND
SUNRIDER HERBAL WARRIORS the first chance at our initial supply!
WF "TrackPacks", originally proposed to us by WF Teacher Haku,
are the IDEAL GIFT for a friend and/or a family member this Holiday Season!
Either in Blue or Red, these totally rad packs are adorned with our
WF Logo and made by Nike�
they are the TRIBAL WAY to carry your
training clothing, yoga stuff, books, SUNRIDER herbs, climbing shoes, candy canes, reptiles, or
or whatever else makes you happy!
Order yours today by going here:
http://www.wholisticfitness.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WFTC&Product_Code=SP-TRKPK&Category_Code=SP
or by just emailing me,
WF manager ananda at
joytrain@npgcable.com
remember, until the first of the year, you must be an Active Student or SUNRIDER to order this product,
remember, Santa is watching!
Happy Holidays
and get BACK ON TRACK
with
your
WF
"trackpak"!
USSA "Shoe News" Now Available
http://www.snowshoeracing.com/documents/dec%202005%20news.pdf
TWO ONLINE STUDENTS EXPERIENCE SARTORI M(om)ENTS
Student #1: "You have been training me for the Now!"
dear coach ilg,
recently, much to my surprise, i came to an important insight. for many years, i thought that you were training me for triathlons then adventure races. now i think and feel (TAF) that i finally understand what you have been training me for these many years,
you have been training me for now.
people close to me have expressed amazement at how well (gracefully) i have been coping with the many dragons in my life (bankruptcy, divorce, estrangement from children). it does not feel to me like this is anything heroic, it is just a WF Warrior doing what needs to be done. thank you for preparing me for this time.
Online Student K (of Ilg Clan)
p.s. cycle summation will be done this week
***
Student #2: "I was only making pancakes..."
Dear Coach,
my week has been filled with going still, going deep, and listening with compassion. It seems, in fact, to be something of a turning point. At this time of year I meet with my business partners to review the year, go over financials, decide on profit sharing, and the like. It can be a time of frustration as I am reminded that their view of how to treat our staff is very different than mine. For many years, as I said, it has been a source of frustration, but this year I have been able to listen to them with compassion for the pain that they carry and express every day. I also found myself listening without judging or attaching my emotional state to theirs. How different it feels! To have a glimmer of insight into what it really feels like to be present in the moment, listening with compassion and without judgment. The feeling afterward was that they will be OK and that they don�t need me to try to �help� them. I�m experiencing similar feelings with many of my relationships. Overall, it is a sense of Stillness.
This morning I made my son, Neil, pancakes, and for several moments in that experience, I was only making pancakes.
In the growing stillness I am able to hear my body more, and I feel that I�m in closer contact. In meditation, as well, I sense glimpses of a luminous self�perhaps it is an illusion, but I feel awareness of another dimension to my Self.
I truly look forward to this week of WF workouts.
Namaste,
WF Online Student M (of Clan Haku)
{Prices increase for WF Online Training on January 1st, 2006. Fill out an Online Training Application today. What IS the cost of Enlightenment, any-Way?....WF Online; A Proven Path of Self Transformation since 1982.}
November Practice Stats Reflect Natural Surge of CHI!
Walking The Talk...
Although my Practice Stats reflect a drop in strength, cardio, and asana hours,
note that the increased percentage of snowshoeing & running account for the
drop in Cardio hours which are usually higher because of bicycle riding.
The most slight drop in my Asana hours were due to the tightening of my belt in
my 'slacking' meditation hours which pissed me off recently and so in November i
cranked it back to snuff. interestingly enough, though my Cardio hours were down,
i actually set 2 new Course Records in the month of November including a VERY REWARDING
1 hour, 52 minute assault on the famous Reseda-To-Sea MTB Course, which i would love to
do a DL on; it was AMAZING! beat my former PR by five minutes and certainly now hold one
of the best time ever on that historic course that is SOOOO hard to get PR's on.
due to the decreased Cardio, my daily caloric intake dwindled to a very low intake yet
i have not felt or performed stronger in many years...
Coach Ilg's November 2005 Practice Stats
ST = 2 hours, down by one half hour
CARDIO = 30.5 hours down by 17 hours! (running volumes up!)
ASANA = 30 hours; down by 2.50 hours
MEDITATION = 30 hours; increase of 8 hours
NUTRITION = 50670 kcals for the month; down by 10k+calories!
average: 1,689/day! (NOTE: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO MIMIC THESE NUMBERS, PARTICULARLY IN REGARD TO THE LOW NUMBER OF CALORIES PER DAY AND HIGH TRAINING VOLUMES: YOU WILL PROBABLY KILL YOURSELF...OR WORSE...RUIN YOUR CHANCES AT ENLIGHTENMENT!)
My Life Score
| This Is My Life, Rated | |
| Life: |  8 |
| Mind: | 7.5 |
| Body: |  9.2 |
| Spirit: | 10 |
| Friends/Family: |  6.3 |
| Love: | 9.2 |
| Finance: |  7.3 |
| Take the Rate My Life Quiz | |
Special Thanks To High Plains Warrior Blogger: ThOMas Ward...
High Plains Warrior Blog
http://www.warriorsamoht.blogspot.com/
authored by WF Devotee; Thomas Ward
status; Coach Ilg Approved Blog
began; September 2005
STILL UNSURE of the HERBS? Don't Take It From Me!
Don't take it from me...Just like the Buddha said, "Question Everything,"
and when The Enlightened One said that, He meant,
"Question It By Your Direct Experience!...anything else is untruth."
It is always best to study the quality of Students
who choose to study under a Teacher or a Path.
i can talk about the impact of SUNRIDER herbs on my life,
on my injuries,
on my athletic performances,
on my energetic and spiritual growth...
however,
until YOU, like Student Kristi below, choose to JUMP into the
Direct Experience,
it's all just words...
check it out now:
http://www.kristi-trinity.com/reflections.html
and don't forget to place your Holiday SUNRIDER orders soon;
one of the BEST, inexpensive, and positive Gifts you can share with family and friends
during the Holidays are those little 10-pack boxes of Calli Beverage + Sunny Dew;
Calli is the best way to invite those who do not know what people like Kristi know,
into the world of world class everyday CHI;
the world of SUNRIDER regenerative whole food herbs!
jao!
i'm off to climb another mountain and sing my Song through Sweat!
namaste,
coach ilg
ps; thank you Kristi for your Metta and your Bravery to live your WF Path out loud, baby!
December 09, 2005
"THE DEEPEST FOOTPRINTS ON MY SOUL"...WARRIOR VITO
"out of all my Si-Fu's, you my friend, have left the deepest footprints on my soul. i have looked up to many people within my 22 years in samsara and have found you to be the most precious," writes young and chi filled WF Devotee and Sunrider Warrior, Vito of NJ. Each day, i just do my best to Prioritize living and training with CHI so i can more skillfully and capably coach the Wholistic Fitness CHI to those few Warriors willing to attempt the Balance of the Inner and the Outer. WF is my the Song to the UniVerse...it is a Song of Wide Spectrum Body/Mind/Spirit fitness and Inner Attainment.
As i read these words from Vito, my Faith is restored in the younger generation. To know that my LifeWork has touched even one youngster, that produces a smile within my body/mind/spirit larger than the Sacred Peak which hovers over the WF H(om)e Temple...thank you for choosing to Be Who You Are, Vito..i love you too, my little Brother From A Different Mother.
(photo of Coach in the Ai Imawa posture; Meeting The Dragon by Ananda)
**
Dear Coach,
How are you most noble guru of WF? Just did a little reading on DL, had some catching up to do from earlier this week.
All i have to say is, i love you man!
the way you LIVE, the words you SPEAK, your LIFE is ssssoooooooooooo PURE!!! i can say out of all my Si-Fu's, you my friend, have left the deepest footprints on my soul. i have looked up to many people within my 22 years in samsara and have found you to be the most precious.
As i look back on my life i can now see why i was doing the things i was doing. Why i seemed "different" from everyone else. It seems as though my whole life has been a long training session like intervals, at times it is intense and at times it's on cruse control. What might i have been training for, you probably wonder, has it been WF, the Bardo, or both. Or is this life that i'm training in just a dream i am having in another life?
Well anyway, i look up to you and look foward to soaking in some more of that POTANT CHI in the future like at Red Mountain. gotta go now.
i BOW deep as mother earth allows
vito
PS; if it is possible i would like to read that JWF from back in the day. Namaste
SIT QUIETLY
Sit quietly. From the depths of your heart, invoke in the sky in front of you the embodiment of the truth in the person of your master, a saint, or an enlightened being.
Try to visualize the master or buddha as alive and as radiant and translucent as a rainbow.
If you have difficulty visualizing the master, imagine the embodiment of truth simply as light, or try to feel his or her perfect presence there in the sky before you. Let all the inspiration, joy, and awe you then feel take the place of visualization. My master Dudjom Rinpoche used to say that it does not matter if you cannot visualize; what is more important is to feel the presence in your heart, and to know that this presence embodies the blessings, compassion, energy, and wisdom of all the buddhas.
With deep devotion, merge your mind with the master�s, then rest your mind in his or her wisdom mind.
- Soygal Rinpoche
December 08, 2005
CYCLE CROSS NATIONALS: To FEATHERMAN WITH LOVE
Most Cherished Online Student and Noble Father Of His Children Featherman, 
here, courtesy of WF Teacher Haku, is a Tribal Feather carrying the WF Sangha Chi for you
as you bring yourself and your cross' bike to the Start Line of Nationals tomorrow..
You've done the Work,
tomorrow, draw deep from the well of your inner strength...and...
"Now my Soul hath elbow room."
- Shakespeare
on Behalf of the Tribe, including your fellow crosser's everywhere like WF Student Sammy Morse above, gettin' some elbow room for his Soul in Maine...
go(o)d luck, Noble Warrior Feather...it has been deep honor to escort you to the Start Line...
now,
go
and UNLEASH all those Jump Squats on those fat ass mofo's who DID NOT do those JUMP SQUATS, OR THE YOGA, OR THE MEDITATION, OR THE HERBS!!....GO AND FIGHT THE BRAVE BATTLE!!!
from the humble Helm beneath the Sacred Mountain,
coach ilg, ryt/uscf/cpt
SATURATING CHI AND NEW PERSONAL RECORDS!
Dear Coach,
Greetings from hot and sunny Florida!� First things first...I want you to know how much I appreciate all your emails and Direct Lines!!� I can tell you that personally it is great motivation for me!!� So THANK YOU!!
�
I have been doing PHASE I since June and I am feeling great!� Currently I am using FD, SD, Calli, Calli Night, AC, and SC.� And...shift is happening!� I am feeling that I may be ready for the next step.� Please advise what I should add next.
�
Also, just wanted to let you know�a weird thing that I have noticed since starting SR.� After having gallbladder surgery I�would get�what we called ED (emergency diarrhea) and would have to stop at the nearest bathroom quickly!� Well, that has gone away and there seems to be more of a schedule now.
�
I have started taking a Power Pace (spinning) class...is it ok to drink FD while cycling or should I drink it before or after??
�
Thanks again for all your words of wisdom and for allowing all of us in!
�
Hope you have a Happy Holiday!
�
Love,
AR
Dear A -
Pretty funny that your email from "hot and sunny Florida" was the first one i opened after a hypothermic, below freezing hill climb of Mt. Elden on my mountain bike!!!! Brrrrrrr! If i mistype any words, please excuse it...i can't yet feel the keyboard! good thing is that, with the omnipotent CHI of the herbs, i busted my previous best on this killer course by nearly two minutes! It is just astounding.., the longer we eat these whole food herbs, just like Dr. Chen says, the more our bodies just come into a natural Balance. All of our aches and pains and weakness's exit the body. As the Saturation Effect from years of eating these herbs begin to empower and regenerate each of our organ systems, it just becomes amazing to FEEL the Daily Power of cleanly burning cell food! My only holiday wish is that more people across the world would take the simple Path of SUNRIDER towards overall organic balance and regeneration! Oh well...let's make this about you...Because YOU deserve it!
Fantastic job on overcoming the ED! That is a classic, classic example of what Dr. Chen means when he says, "Just eat the herbs and the point of weakness in your body will eventually become strengthen by the holistic effect of the herbs." This is precisely what you experienced. Instead of specifically trying to "fix what was wrong," you just kept Cleansing and Supporting until the weakness left.
Absolutely! I feel you are perfectly Clean enough and regular enough now to really reap the benefits of Phase II; Cell Empowerment! And are you gonna LOVE IT! I will send you the specifics on Phase II in another email.
Finally, yes, yes, yes! FD (Fortune Delight) is the IDEAL cardio workout drink because 1) it's natural, 2) it hydrates the cell physiology, and 3) due to the herbal properties inherent to FD, your body will shift onto a fat-metabolism mode more efficiently. The fat-metabolism mode is precisely the system that you want to fuel your cardio workouts because a lipid, or a fat molecule is more complex thus producing a longer, steadier flow of energy to service the working musculature. For all my podiums throughout the years in a multitude of cardio sports, FD + a thick dollop of VITAFRUIT is my "secret recipe"...in fact, i just used it today to smash another record hill climb!
Those who live by the CHI,
know the CHI
and that is why we know that SUNRIDER CHI is the planet's most potent source of LIFE FORCE that a human can possibly ingest...besides Pranayama Practice!
Well, i trust this helps, and i am really glad you are enjoying DIRECT LINES! Keep reading and keep contributing your Light and Insight along the colorful Path of WF and SUNRIDER!
i bow to you,
Coach Ilg
a shot of me outside of SUNRIDER Headquarters in LA last summer trying to
get a "Fitness Starter Pack" approved for SUNRIDERs
based on my remarkably successful, "3-Phase Approach to Using The SUNRIDER Herbs."
WANT TO SKI? NO SNOW? NO PROBLEM!!
Steve,
I am dying to learn to Nordic Ski and there's plenty of open space around here However, no snow. I can see where conditioning wouldn't be as much of an issue with a lot of mountain yogi running available, but working on ski technique...that seems to be the main challenge.
- John
Dear John,
i have found that, by far, the best method of mimicking nordic skiing on dryland is Inline Skiing. I have dedicated an entire Chapter to this fantastic albeit nearly unknown sport in my book, THE WINTER ATHLETE. The key to finding the right 'timing' of learning how to sync up the poling motion with the skating motion lies, in my opinion, in getting a pair of hard to find;"off road" inline skates. i use the now discontinued (aaargh!) "Coyote" model of RollerBlade skates (see photos below). Next, you need a pair of Dryland Skate Poles which you can find at ReliableRacingSupply.com
the complete outfit will run between $200 - $350 but the gear will last decades.
and, there is not a better Dryland Training activity that develops the midsection and upper and lower bodies so utterly completely. it astounds me that i have spent my whole life doing this sport, and yet, there are only a few of us doing it! there should be entire local, regional, State, National, and World Cup Dryland Nordic competitions!
Here are some images that might help:
Namaste,
the mountain yogi
ONLINE APPLICATION TEMPORARILY DOWN
I know some of you have experienced error messages
when attempting to fill out a 2005 Application To Study WF
before our 2006 Online Training Price Increase takes effect on January 1, 2006.
I just received this email from our Website Manager:
"Joy & Steve,
I received a notice yesterday from Stephen at dotcomdesigners (your web host) that the online form file has been hacked and used by a spammer. Dotcom was notified by AOL and turned off the form to prevent getting blacklisted...not a good thing.
Sooo...I'm working with Stephen to set up a secure form that we can use for the training app. I will keep you in touch. With my workload, it may take a day or so to get this wrapped up.
John"
***
"The Interruptions to our Practice, IS our Practice."
- Coach Ilg, 1998 in DL
thank you for your Practice of Patience...
ENLIGHTENMENT, REAL NEWS, REAL SWEAT
"Enlightenment--
that magnificent escape from anguish and ignorance--never happens by accident.
It results from the brave and sometimes lonely battle of one person against his own weaknesses."
-Bhikkhu Nyanasobhano, "Landscapes of Wonder"
*
That powerful quote appeared on today's "High Plains Warrior" Blog by Thomas Ward...so what are you still doing reading "newspapers", unconsciously and predictably fingering the corpses of Tree Beings as your precious eyes absorb the violence from a non-Practicing Outer World? Is this TRULY the Way you wish to nourish your cells? And you are worrying about how many fat grams are in that Bagel and Cream Cheese? ilg says, worry less about your physical nutrition and more about your spiritual nutrition!
That quote inspired me greatly...thank you, Warrior ThOMas!
In return,
here is are a couple of Dharma Arrows for your WF quiver today,
a classic quote from Jerome
anda spontaneous Haiku for you from me
thank you
for inspiring me today...that is what REAL NEWS and a REAL SANGHA is all about, baby!
i bow in thanks.
"No athlete is crowned but by the sweat of his brow."
- Jerome
Grandfather Sun wakes (5)
hidden gems yet to sparkle (7)
if i am aware (5)
namaste,
coach ilg
* A typical city newspaper requires dozens of trees, millions of gallons of precious water, and countless counts of suffering in the manufacturing and delivery process. You, by reading such Dark Missives, contribute and ingest the same. Why not read REAL NEWS; the insights registered each day on the WF Blogs from our WF Tribesman and Tribeswomen?
December 07, 2005
LEARN TO LONG WHAT IS HARD TO KNOW
"If you long to know what is hard to know and
can resist the temptations of the world,
you will cross the river of life.
As your family and friends receive you with
joy when you return from a long journey, so
will your good deeds receive you when you
go from this life to the next, where they will
be waiting for you with joy like your kinsmen."
Dhammapada
chapter 16, verses 218-220
{1st photo; a young coach ilg squatting over twice his bodyweight for reps; Farentinos Gym, Boulder, Colorado; circa 1980. 2nd photo; an "old" coach ilg, years after fracturing his back, finally enjoying a high altitude training run deep in the Kachina Peaks instead of a wheel chair. "Long to know what is hard to know..."}
NEW COMPLIMENTARY WF BLOGS ARISE AS DL MOVES TO SUBSCRIPTION ONLY
This DL is a testimony to the forbearance and fun loving attitude of Coach Ilg as he welcomes a new generation of WF Torch Carriers and prepares to take DIRECT LINES to a Subscription Only Format by January 1, 2006 or sooner. 
Photo of the front page from the Fall, 1992
edition of THE JOURNAL OF WHOLISTIC FITNESS�. Started in 1983, each eagerly awaited seasonal issue of "JWF" issue was created, written, researched, printed, paid for, and mailed out personally by Coach Ilg to every Active Student and Subscriber of Wholistic Fitness. By January 2006, "The Journal" now known as, "Direct Lines" will return to a Subscriber Only format to help protect the vulnerable and often abused intellectual property, copyrighted material, and Sacred Teachings of Wholistic Fitness�.
If you would like to read the first three pages from this 1992 edition in a pdf format, please send a polite request to coach. You will be astonished at the consistency of his Message, strength of humor and unique training intellect. You will notice that he was still calling Yoga, "Kinesthetic Training" since Yoga frightened too many athletes back then!
Below, Coach welcomes the new generation of WF Messengers...they have quite a legacy to uphold and i wish them all as much success at helping enrich and Enlighten others through an endlessly empassioned committment to their own Inner Work as has our Beloved Coach demonstrated for the past 25 years...
Did we miss your Blog? Let me know!
WANT TO HAVE YOUR BLOG APPROVED?
Let me know!
head bowed from the humble Temple beneath the Sacred Peak,
Ananda
WF Manager
joytrain@npgcable.com
***
Namaste Noble WF Brothers and Sisters!
2005 was a Turning Point in the Spinning of the WF Dharma Wheel and certainly in my life,
as
SEVEN
WF-inspired Blogs arose from the ethers of the internet!
TWO WF-inspired BLOGS manifested this week alone; the highly anticpated Launch of WF Teacher Joseph Sheader with his:
"Journal of Haku Hatsuiku" Blog
and
Online WF Student; Bryan Hantman with his:
"Bhantman: meditations on life Blog"
May each of you new authors
use your Blog
kindly and wisely
to elevate the WF Warrior Spirit within reach of All Beings Everywhere.
i bow to your Devoted Practice and your Bravery to Live your Practice Outloud!
Dharma Blessings to all of you.
Okay
Let's begin with the Root Blog;
Direct Lines
and then,
i will list the other Blogs in chronological order as they came "online"...only consistent Bloggers are mentioned here.
"Approved"
means that the Blog Author approached me before their Blog Launch for my approval and Blessing to use the Wholistic Fitness� name, and provide a Link to WholisticFitness.com, and to use their Blog to forward their understanding of WF to All Beings Everywhere.
- coach ilg
***
"Ripples Make Waves."
- coach ilg, 1982
"DIRECT LINES; Daily Meditations From Coach Ilg"
http://wholisticfitness.blogspot.com/
authored by Coach Ilg; creator of Wholistic Fitness�
status; will go Subscription Format by January 1, 2006
began; 1982 as a printed newsletter pre-internet
"Karl's Daily Lines"
http://spaces.msn.com/members/wholisticlife/
authored by WF Devotee; Karl MacPhee
status; freelance
began; April, 2005
"Reflections"
http://www.kristi-trinity.com/reflections.html
authored by WF Online Student Kristi Lees of Teacher Ananda Clan
status; freelance
began; May, 2005
"Wholistic Fitness Training"
http://wftraining.blogspot.com/
authored by WF Devotee; Paul Mount
status; Approved
began; June, 2005
"High Plains Warrior"
http://www.warriorsamoht.blogspot.com/
authored by WF Devotee; Thomas Ward
status; Approved
began; September 2005
"Twisted Sage"
http://www.twistedsageblog.blogspot.com/
authored by WF Certifed Teacher Chris "Kokanda" Roche
status; Approved
began; September, 2005
"Journal of Haku Hatsuiku"
http://hakutrain.blogspot.com/
authored by WF Certifed Teacher Joseph "Haku Hatsuiku"
status; Approved
began; December, 2005
"Bhantman: meditations on life"
http://bhantman.blogspot.com/
authored by WF Online Student; Bryan Hantman
of Teacher Haku Clan
status; freelance
began; December, 2005
Coach's Bio For New Bike Racing Team
it gives me great honor to be accepted by Red Rock Racing, a Flagstaff based bicycle racing team for 2006. the locals worked the new "old guy from Los Angeles" pretty hard for the past seven months, yet, i guess i kinda showed 'em that i ain't going away...as soon as my new Team's website is up, i will let you know.
here is how i answered my new Team's request for a bio...as you can tell, Red Rock Racing reflects Flag; we are a low-key team that just wants to keep bike racing and training as fun as it is supposed to be. a little different from my time with Team Motorola! enjoy:
***
Red Rock Racing Team Member Bio Information
Your name:
steve "coach" ilg
DOB:
05-27-62
Occupation:
Founder/ Wholistic Fitness� and High Performance Yoga�.
Book author; THE OUTDOOR ATHLETE, THE WINTER ATHLETE, TOTAL BODY TRANSFORMATION, et. al.
www.WholisticFitness.com
is my little "Fitness Temple" on the Internet. Our sangha is a very kind yet devoted Tribe of 'fitness warriors' that realize the necessity of lifetime exercise. those who gravitate toward Wholistic Fitness� are those people who wish to use their personal fitness training as a vehicle of Self Cultivation. it's a fun, though very Steep and Difficult Path of Self Transformation. Basically? i train people over the internet through Online Fitness Programs that incorporate; strength, cardio, yoga, meditation, and whole food nutrition with lifestyle principles that serve to bring peace and power into daily life activity.
Oh, i am also a vestigial remnant of a USCF Coach from the "Golden Era" of American cycling; Hampsten, Roll, Grewal, Overend, Team 7-Eleven, Sara Ballantyne, Penny Davidson, et. al. i edited the coaching manuals for USCF and my coaching license was signed by...drumroll....Chris Carmichael.
Education:
yep. only cuz my parents made me.
Colorado University in Boulder had the best buildering routes and babes,
but Naropa University under the Guidance of Rinpoche Trungpa offered the best education by far.
Number of years riding:
whose counting?!
Favorite places to ride:
within the Universes inside.
How I started riding:
at age 7 my best friend Bobby Nielon challenged me to a skidding contest on our Schwinn Sting Rays...i kicked his ass by like 3 feet and he had to give me his red Mustang HotWheels�....YEAH BABY! HA!
You can usually find me riding:
at a pedal cadence around 180...still working on mastering my spin.
Favorite thing to do after a race:
shower.
Road Category:
4/Master; just beginning again, and again, and endlessly again.
Mountain Category:
Sport/Master; just beginning again, and again, and endlessly again.
an apres race shot of Coach. note juxtaposition of beer and yogic Mala Beads...
photo by Joy Kilpatrick
Coach Ilg enroute to a Course Record at the 2004 Furnace Creek 508, Death Valley, California.
photo by Los Angeles Times
Coach Ilg enjoying the posture; visvamatriasana near St. George, Utah.
photo; ilg archives
Yoga For Surfers on Today Show
Noble WF Sangha,
though i do not watch TV shows like this, did any of you?
Peggy is a big fan of my HP Prop and Basic Strength DVD's
which i comp'd her...
might be interesting to see if any of you noticed if the WF/HP CHI has influenced her...
Dear Santa; can my Temple have a Marketing Agent for christmas?! puhLEEZE?!?!
oh well,
the Outer World just ain't ready for the Steep and Deep Path of WF and HP, i reckon..
you go Peggy! the more people that are safely breathing and moving, the better.
that is all,
from the Humble Temple Way Up On The Mountain,
coach ilg
***
Yoga for Surfers
featured on The Today Show on NBC
Monday December 5, 2005
Thanks for Sharing the Stoke!!!
Peggy & David Hall
Yoga for Surfers
surf better ... live better!
"DR. PHIL'S" DIET DILEMMA
bro,
no surprise here. What really buggers the mind is all the people who fell for it in the first place..I guess a case of the blind lead the blind...
SUNRIDER herbs and WF..it so obvious,
love,
haku
Haku;
never trust a "Dr." whose gut is larger than your own...
life in Kali Yuga, baby...
let's keep it Real,
coach ilg
***
"DR. PHIL'S" DIET DILEMMA
Television therapist "Dr. Phil" McGraw stated in e-mails that he had "no expertise" in making the diet pills he endorsed, according to court filings alleging the TV psychologist made false statements about the products.
McGraw's "The Ultimate Weight Solution: The 7 Keys to Weight Loss Freedom" was his move into the lucrative weight loss market in 2003 with a campaign that included advice books, a prime time special with NBC's Katie Couric on dieting and his "Shape Up with Dr. Phil" products.
Shape up shakes, bars and multivitamins made by Irving Texas based CSA Nutraceuticals were sold in supermarkets, Target, Wal-Mart and elsewhere.
The plan recommended 22 pills a day at an average cost of $120. per month.
CSA Nutraceuticals agreed to stop making the supplements early last year as it faced a Federal Trade Commission investigation into false-advertising concerns.
December 06, 2005
COACH ILG IS AN "HERB SMOKING"... "GOOF"!
Noble Coach Ilg,
Very powerful DL today. I felt as though I were there
with you.
Thought you might like to know some of the folks at
CrossFit read DL. My friend pointed out the post below
which was on their "Comments" blog for today's
workout.
"Did anyone see where that goof Steve Ilg said on his
web blog that he and his "master students" did Cross
Fit on their recovery days? I think he smokes those
overpriced herbs he peddles. He used to have something
to offer but he has become this completely self
absorbed guru type. Sorry about the rant."
Posted by will at December 6, 2005 08:52 AM
I'd like to see even one of them follow you on a
typical WF day!
Crankin' up the Steep Path,
Your Humble Student Brad
YAKTRAK'ing
Just Another Cardio/Yoga/Strength/Meditation/Nutrition jaunt up the Sacred Peak...
as i wait, patiently as possible for Flagstaff to be Blessed with the Miracle of Snow,
i return day and again to the Kachina Spires to get my fix of supernatural wind and pran
to breathe my spirit into the Four Directions of Eagle, Bear, Buffalo, and Coyote...
i must train harder than the Buddha to bring my Edge closer to you...Oh Faithful Warriors of
the Wholistic Fitness Sangha! Must train harder than the Buddha!...
My eyes, from the Temple H(om)e lift toward the Sacred Peak...i will run up, climb up, dance up
the far left ridgeline...this view from my home assures me once again, this will be no regular
workout so common to the masses...
this promises to be yet another session of Sacred Sweat and High Altitude Stillness...
must train Harder Than The Buddha...
mountain yogis are trained to adapt to conditions; not whine about weather...
Weather is never good or bad...Weather is just weather...
i have trained in these Southwest Mountain Brothers and Sisters through drought and hammering snow and rain..
today - though my Atlas Snowshoes are quivered to my spine - i shall not need them,
for only a mere crust of snow dwells, scablike, upon the hearth of the Sacred Peak.
instead, i pull out my YakTracks - for low landers; think chains for your running shoes.
i have used this piece of mountain yogi gear for years, and this very pair i gave to WF Teacher Haku
who used them to help us set the Men's Team record at Mt. Taylor Winter Quad last year...
i must Train Harder Then The Buddha in order to retain that record...and so many more... 
i pass through my checkpoints at record speed; pausing only once at 11,200' to
adjust my soaring heart rate...i look around, already perched far above the highest horizon,
and feel
and reMember with
the Sacredness of All Things...
the Silence is eerily calm and profound...
bobcat prints juxtaposed next to mine within the pages of the snow...
bringing out life upon the frozen earth..
other signs of life cover Mother's garment of snow like drumbeats;
coyote, wapiti, deer, fox, raven, pica, and...coach ilg...
this is my Family; i feel okay with this eerie Great Mystical Silence;
for in my Spiritual Training, i have been Taught that until the Yogin is at One with
the Great Mystical Silence; the filaments of Consciousness will be quickly severed
at the Early Entry into our Bardo Moment...
i must Train Harder Then The Buddha...
i turn my at-tension upward,
and begin, again and again...
running upward,
then clawing...
heart beat beyond compare,
i release fear and switch my in-tension back upon the WF Sacred Mantra as i climb faster than any other
Being toward the Summit Winds...
Summit Headwall; O Lady of Volcanic Grace,
whose hair has once fallen from a fire red sky...
i lope among you
breathing
dancing among a vertical jumble of
your summit boulders...
like teased and tasseled braids of White Corn Girl...
i gaze into a thousand eye sockets looking into me;
searing thighs,
searing lungs
now i am the Volcano of Force
flinging my bright breath upon you...
a heart soaked emblem for your Beauty
i take shelter three times from the 60 mph+ winds that rush the summit headwall,
a lifetime of high altitude wind and sun has ripped across my face; if it were not
for the SUNRIDER Herbs and Skin Care to regenerate from such high intensity damage,
another human would barely be able to look upon my weathered and leathered face!
i lovingly clutch my shivering knees...
fetal position, imploding breath, i hear a plane...
it is below me...let the common man fly his planes; he knows not the breath of your Mountain Spirit!
flying planes no help in the Bardo...
i glance to the frozen plains stretching out below my quivering body...
i glance to the frozen plains stretching out like a molted brown scarf upon a batter of earth...
oh Smile Mountain Yogin!
the Sacred Peak has disrobed for my eyes
through my devotion of effort and sacred sweat
oh Smile Mountain Yogin!
upon the summit ridge; a particular Pranayam is done;
one created especially for these supernatural winds and
subzero temperatures...
upon completion of my 12, 255' pranayam session
my Spirit Dances light as a raven's feather
and i plunge
downward
like a Wolf Howl
against a bay of stars...
it is go(o)d to be a Wholistic Fitness� Warrior...
bold against the sky...
i howl to you, oh Noble Warriors...
i howl to you on this fine and treasured day.
be brave.
be strong.
be lovingly fierce in all that you do.
om mani padme hung
coach ilg
I AM A BRIDGE!
"I am one blessed woman."...Online Student Shelli Stein, a Movement Educator, stands beneath the Sacred Peak with Temple Manager Ananda during her Private Intensive last summer. Shel is signed up for a January Intensive as well, because she knows the Power of a WF Intensive Transmission only infuses her day to day Practice with Insight, Humor, and Love. She reads DL each day plus studies the DL Archives to sustain that crazy wisdom Transmission of WF!!! The Worlds Original Transpersonal Fitness training service! As a result? She is one of my fastest moving pupils toward the Light...
she writes...
Dear Blessed Coach(s),
I am one blessed woman. As i was in bridge pose yesterday i realized that i AM a bridge. As an asana teacher at my college i am the bridge for my students to their first yoga experience. I am a bridge to their breath and posture. I am a bridge to them beginning an inner dialogue. (Other things as well) AND i want to have people in my life who are bridges for me and you sweet coach are my bridge........funny i've always wanted to learn how to play bridge...............so i shall call you the sacred peak bridge !
Re reading DL's ARCHIVES from back through mid october till present-----so many wonderful presents in those DL's----gem's that come to me through my open ears and heart.
Your DL poetry is beautiful. I am so in sync with the idea of us being "specialists " in generalism. That one idea came at me to the core of my being and struck a deep deep cord---brought back alot of child hood pain which i then looked at calmly and honestly---not with drama ---rather with a deep honesty that felt cleansing.
Student scott's recent postings-----boy can i relate. Wonderful insight and honesty sprinkled with that edgyness of knowing the best of oneself is yet to come. I honor his bravery.
thank you
hugs from humble student shel
December 05, 2005
Another WF Warrior Blog arises
I bow to Noble WF fan and friend and fellow personal trainer, Karl MacPhee, whose appearances in DIRECT LINES
has inspired many of us.
Well,
Warrior Karl is also the Blog Author of:
DAILY LINES...
and
you can enjoy his contributions toward a WF lifestyle at:
http://spaces.msn.com/members/wholisticlife/
ripples make waves...
Coach Ilg
ps: okay, okay! you can STOP ALREADY with the PRETTY PLEASES for Coach's Casserole...jeezo!!!!!
i'll find a spot for it soon in DL! and THANK YOU FOR READING!
NEVER TRUST A COACH THAT DOESN'T COOK!!
"eating my Tuna Casserole is like eating an Ejection Seat For Enlightenment!
Coach's Tuna Casserole...because you can tune a bike but you can't tuna casserole!"
- Coach holds up last night's Coach's Casserole after choosing to make mealtime preparation an evening Meditation Practice.
***
Dear Coach,
okay, okay..i know that you are all crazy over those "Secret Herbs" of SUNRIDER,
yet, i have been following your athletic performances for some time and remain in
awe. actually, i am more impressed with what you call "training workouts" than
your actual competitive results, which i admit are peerless across the spectrum of outdoor sports.
here is my question; i know about your low calorie approach and reliance on herbs, but you GOTTA
eat 'real food' every once in while right? What type of meals do you make...i am a friggin' SLOUCH
when it comes to food preparation...i really struggle with your notions of MINDFULNESS while preparing
food, let alone scarfin' it!
please help!
Struggling WF Warrior
Sam, OH
Dear Sam,
i say this,
never EVER trust a Coach who doesn't cook!
in my recent book, TBT, chapter 31 is devoted to;
"REALISTIC DAILY MEALS FOR WF WARRIORS"
however,
if enough DL Readers bug me,
i might..
i just may...
if you say, "Pretty Please?"
turn you onto my 
Coach's Tuna Casserole!
eating my Tuna Casserole is like eating an Ejection Seat For Enlightenment!
Coach's Tuna Casserole...because you can tune a bike but you can't tuna casserole!
Love across the Fitness Disciplines and Lifestyle Principles,
coach ilg
EVOKING POWER OF COMPASSION
Evoking the power of compassion in us is not always easy. I find myself that the simplest ways are the best and the most direct. Every day, life gives us innumerable chances to open our hearts, if we can only take them. An old woman passes you with a sad and lonely face and two heavy plastic bags full of shopping she can hardly carry. Switch on a television, and there on the news is a mother in Beirut kneeling above the body of her murdered son, or an old grandmother in Moscow pointing to the thin soup that is her only food. . . .
Any one of these sights could open the eyes of your heart to the fact of vast suffering in the world. Let it. Don�t waste the love and grief it arouses. In the moment you feel compassion welling up in you, don�t brush it aside, don�t shrug it off and try quickly to return to �normal,� don�t be afraid of your feeling or be embarrassed by it, and don�t allow yourself to be distracted from it. Be vulnerable: Use that quick, bright uprush of compassion�focus on it, go deep into your heart and meditate on it, develop it, enhance and deepen it. By doing this you will realize how blind you have been to suffering.
All beings, everywhere, suffer; let your heart go out to them all in spontaneous and immeasurable compassion.
- Sogyal Rinpoche
*
Coach's Note; yesterday i applied this Teaching from Rinpoche in my ongoing quest to dwindle my Judgments. I watched for ten minutes Ed Bradley interview Howard Stern. There are many things about Howard Stern's conscious Song that he chooses to Sing into the UniVerse that i find myself really having to breathe through, as i battle away each day at attempting to Protect and Serve the Dharma in this day and age. And, trust me, i do NOT have half a billion dollar contracts to do what i do!
Within those ten minutes however, i felt compassion and understanding arise.
This surge of Compassion and Understanding was particularly potent when i saw Howard's eyes drop their Adultness as he revealed that as a boy his father's constant line to him was something like, "You don't know anything...you are a moron." I too, was raised as one of those children that were, "To be seen and not heard." Well, now lots of people hear Howard Stern. My compassion for the lack of a Dharma Teacher in his life to teach him how to play Judo with that chronic negativity in his upbringing made those ten minutes of TV watching worthwhile.
Oh,
and so was watching Darren Ralves and Bode Miller go one-two in the BIRDS OF PREY World Cup Downhill! Yeah baby!!!
I bow to the Nature and Velocity and High Level of Dharma that you Sing To The UniVerse in that which you consciously choose to do today...
May Your Practice be strong and your Song stunningly helpful to all Beings you contact today...
namaste,
coach ilg
* opening photo of Charlie, one of the WF Temple H(om)e Cat Beings
December 04, 2005
Low Performance Yoga?
Actual Excerpt from WF Warrior Paul Mount's approved Blog at:
http://wftraining.blogspot.com/
***
Ready to Run
It's going to be a cold morning for a run. But I'm ready. It'll be a tough course. But I'm ready. It might even snow, but I'm ready. My goal for tomorrow is simply to finish. If the course were not so challenging, I'd be shooting for 100 minutes. But I think 105-110 is more realistic. Not that I still won't try for 100 minutes, but I want to make sure I don't burn out too much before that final, 1.5-mile uphill.
Today I'll be doing some yoga as a final fine-tune. It won't be HP Yoga: that's more effort than I want to expend today. I'll probably do a longer Baron Baptiste practice. (Does that make it "low performance"?)
COACH's OPINIONS ON CROSSFIT
Noble Coach Ilg,
Thank you for your counsel on the Blessed Beads. I
look forward to their arrival.
I am now living WF "out loud" as you say, and a friend
of mine said I was wasting my time and should start
doing Crossfit like he is. Well, I know ours is a
Higher path, so I'm not about to get off now. Out of
curiosity I did spend some time visiting the site and
WOW, I'm not sure if it's a movement, trend or cult.
I'm curious if you're aware of Crossfit and what your
feelings are regarding the craziness.
Much love and a long wolfy HOOOOOOOWL!
Your Humble Wolf Bro in Sherman Oaks
*
Dear Wolf Brother in Sherman Oaks,
*
stay focused on the Steep and Direct Path of WF
like a Wolf on the Scent of a Kill...
trust me...there ain't nothing like WF...
trust me...my Master Students of WF?
we do "Cross Fit" on our Recovery Days!
namaste,
coach
* shot of Coach last week running up the 3,000' climb of Mt. Elden approaching 10,000'
AFTER 2 hours of asana and meditation. Fact is; There is no other living Yoga Teacher that
has consistently lived and competed at the elite levels of physiologic diversity as Coach Ilg.
Why choose WF for your Personal Training?
Two words, baby:
Owner Expertise.
You deserve world class body/mind, East/West Transformation...
you deserve; WF, baby!
Life is short; Train for the Bardo!
SUNRIDER PRODUCT PROFILE: FRUIT & VEGGIE RINSE
SUNRIDER PRODUCT PROFILE:
FVR; "SUNRIDER's most versatile product!"
People are surprised at my answer, when asked, "Well, Big Mr. SUNRIDER Guy...which SUNRIDER product do you use most often?"
i answer, "FVR, BABY!!!"
they reply, "FVR, what the hell is THAT?"
"Fruit and Veggie Rinse, man...i would not eat ONE piece of fruit or vegetable without it...and it keeps our entire Temple Home clean, insect free, and we even use it to clean our floors! It is, by far, SUNRIDER most versatile and under known product."
FRUIT & VEGGIE RINSE
by Trish Childers,
ILG SUNRIDER DOWNLINE Group Director
We've already talked about ways to strengthen our immune systems before the �Flu & Cold� season begins. But, during the recent DR Talk conference call, DR Dees reminded us our first line of defense has to be in carefully cleaning everything we consume.
Yes, the Hand Cleansing Gel is also a must, since it kills bacteria we come in contact with every day. But, think about it, how many hands do you think handled that nice crisp apple before you bought it? Or how about the oranges, carrots, lettuce, potatoes?
Even the Associated Press carried an article stating that what we are calling the �Flu� or a �Cold� could very well be caused by the fruits and vegetables we buy in any grocery store anywhere in the US & Canada. It�s estimated that over 200,000 people get sick from food bacteria every year! So, maybe what we are calling the flu is really just someone else�s bacteria left behind on the apple you gave you child.
How to prevent this? Their suggestion was to be sure we wash everything under running water before we eat it. Well, you and I know that running water simply isn�t enough. You do know better, right? What! You have never tried SR�s Fruit & Vegetable Rinse, oh my goodness order a bottle today!
While on one of our Sunrider Cruises a few years ago, a Distributor who is a peach grower in California shared his experience with Sunrider's Fruit and Vegetable Rinse.
He told us that fresh picked fruit is immediately put into a machine called a hydro cooler which cools the fruit very quickly. It also contains chlorine bleach that supposedly deals with any bugs or fungus that is on the fruit. The bleach does not work particularly well and also introduces carcinogenic and hormone mimicking chemicals into the fruit and the environment. So he was curious to see how the FVR would work, instead of bleach.
He took FVR to the University of California and had it tested. They were so impressed with the results that they convinced the Government of California to subsidize fruit growers who wished to use Fruit and Vegetable Rinse instead of the bleach!
There are so many personal stories about how FVR saved the day. For instance, during one of the conventions, my friend ate something that absolutely did not agree with her. I mixed her up some FVR in a glass of water & told her to drink it down! I�ll admit she did look at me a bit funny, but did it anyway. In no time she was feeling great!
I carry FVR in a small spray container (the Vitaspray bottle, once it�s empty) and spray it in the air around me, especially in the bathrooms on airplanes!
I too, have consumed FVR on many occasions, no it does not taste good, but sometimes you just have to do what you have to do. Add a little Sunny Dew, if you must, but just drink it especially there�s any symptoms of upset stomach, food allergies, candida overgrowth or parasites.
Remember, Fruit and Vegetable Rinse is derived from food and is very safe for consumption. Try 1/2 - 1 teaspoon per day in a glass of water for a couple of weeks and observe the results.
Fruit & Vegetable Rinse, 1 oz trial Product Code: 310902
64 oz Product Code: 310904
"it does feel good to see the external shifts :-) Although I�m pretty slim prior to SUNRIDER, my tummy was nearly always bloated. I didn�t think much of this until my friend commented the other day that my stomach has gone completely flat! WOW�"
- SUNRIDER SUET
of Teacher Ananda Clan
- Before i began SUNRIDER, i would struggle greatly in the Pranayama and Internal Cleansing aspects of my yoga Practice...the very moment i got onto Dr. Chen's "Secret Herbs," my internal fitness and powerful energetics began instantly and have only increased so joyfully over the past 22 years of using SUNRIDER Herbs every day. In fact, just a few days ago, i broke my course record on a classic 28-mile Mountain Bike Course in California! I only feel sorry for people who are NOT on these agents of the Divine!"
- Coach Ilg
The only Senior Registered Yoga Teacher with multi-World Championship experience.
photo of Coach above doing his Morning Nauli (stomach cleansing) Practice
***
{Not signed up with the TEMPLE HERBS OF WF?...Better git on Phase One today!...just click on one of my Certified WF Teachers on the left margin to begin your SUNRIDER JOURNEY beginning with PHASE ONE: Cell Cleansing and Fat Loss)!
December 02, 2005
HOLIDAY SHOPPING AT WF.COM
Tis' the season, baby!
Keep it TRIBAL!!!
You cannot imagine just how much i appreciate your support of our humble Temple
during this time of the year...
THANK YOU!!!
remember however, if you are ordering one of our books or dvds for a friend or family member,
PLEASE let us know if you wish that product to be signed to a specific person other than yourself.
Stay tuned to DL because we are brining in a LIMITED SUPPLY of the coolest, raddest "TrackPacks" with the WF
Logo and Slogan shining bright on these packs that are GREAT for kids going to school and for YOUR workouts and errands!
I will let you know when they are available on the Tribal Catalog!
Other traditional Gift Ideas include SUNRIDER Herbs and WF Coupons! More on that later!
Deck the Halls with BALLS OF CHI!!!!!!!!!!!!
(Balls of Chi?)
Namaste!
Coach and Ananda
An InJury Runs Through It; ETRE BIEN DANS SA PEAU
*
Gradually, as you remain open and mindful, and use a technique to focus your mind more and more, your negativity will slowly be defused; you begin to feel well in your own skin, or, as the French say, �tre bien dans sa peau (�well in your own skin�). From this comes release and a profound ease. I think of this practice as the most effective form of therapy and self-healing.
- Sogyal Rinpoche
* I have Self Healed so many dang injuries i have lost count...nowdays, i pretty much look forward, in a way, to inevitable in-Jurys and aches and pains of living a full WF Warrior life. Why do i say such a thing? Because i have been Blessed by such severe and chronic pain and inJury, that i realize - at a Cellular Level - that in Listening To my inJury's - i gain so many more poignant Inner Tools For Transformation. Just last summer a several decade old elbow inJury rose once again to the forefront of my Consciousness. I eased the inJury into my Priority Yoga; i made it my Meditation; i followed acutely the blockage of chi in my elbow...i self massaged, i invented arcane yoga postures; all to target the compression and release and eventual Transformation of the elbow inJury...I CHERISHED the WHOLE PROCESS! not one aspirin, not one drug...just the "Secret Herbs' of WF and Awareness baby...just the Secret Herbs and Awareness. What else does one really need for Transformation through ALL difficulties?
Never run away from an inJury...run INTO it with fervor to purify and overcome your karma contained within the angry tissues...inJurys are just like tiny volcanoes of undone past inner work rising to the surface of your Awareness.
Your Workout is Everywhere; particularly within InJury's!
that is all,
coach ilg
RESPECT ALL
of GOD and FEAR of the WF PATH
New WF Online Student Scott, " Emotions well up in me as I look out upon this path. A sense of dread. A sense of failure. A sense of being incapable. These feelings rise up to hold me down. This journey is the most difficult thing I have ever done. Again I thank you for being. I thank you for your willingness to guide as guidance is needed. I thank myself for the courage I draw from to face this direction."
AN ACTUAL ONLINE STUDENT FACILITATION; COACH and NEW STUDENT SCOTT
Dear Steve,
Thank you deeply for being.
COACH:
Most Noble Shishya,
Being is a Gift.
no need for thanks,
however, i bow to your Metta.
STUDENT:
I had a long talk with myself over the last three days (I don't think this talk will ever end). Influenced by the DL readings and so many of the battles going on inside me between a seductive and whiley ego and my noble desire. I am afraid of this path.
COACH:
that is because you are wise.
you know this Path will lead you Higher,
demanding the utmost from your Higher Self.
STUDENT:
As I mentioned to my friend John, who is watching some of this process with interest, I am afraid that I will lose myself in not knowing who I am.
COACH:
"To know yourself,
first lose yourself."
- Jesus Christ, yogin
STUDENT:
What if I'm not who I thought I was.
COACH:
then you are Growing Up(ward) in the most Genuine, the most exciting, the most rewarding Way a human is able.
STUDENT:
Actually I already know that I'm not a lot of who I am. The stories 'I've told myself and others throughout my life have been bandages or blinders or crutches used to ease the impact of being. Ego.. once again as I look back I find that my ego has been and continues to be deceptive. It feels very strange to come face to face with what I thought was a childhood memory, examine it, and find that 90% of it is fiction. So much to learn... I will face it. I will enter, learn, and flow. This path has always been there and I have skirted along the edge of it. I am emerging from the periphery and will do everything I can to travel on the main trail.
COACH:
and i,
everything i can to help Guide you accurately.
STUDENT:
The path ahead looks steep and difficult and a voice in my head is searching for points upon which it can pick and present arguments. Coaxing me through fear and doubt to remain where I am. To ignore my intuitive voice. Emotions well up in me as I look out upon this path. A sense of dread. A sense of failure. A sense of being incapable. These feelings rise up to hold me down. This journey is the most difficult thing I have ever done. Again I thank you for being. I thank you for your willingness to guide as guidance is needed. I thank myself for the courage I draw from to face this direction.
COACH:
your Early Morning Ritual, particularly the Pranayams will gradually reduce the egoic voices and you will be able to regulate your Mind as you continue to regulate the breath.
remember, Noble Shishya, Breath first. Then Body. Then Mind.
STUDENT:
As I prepare for the journey to the island I am wondering if there will be any changes in my SUNRIDER order. I will adapt as needed. I would like to place my order this week so that I don't have order from Kauai.
COACH:
no.
maintain as directed.
{Bone Malas hang in mystical silence above a RamaDa that coach built in New Mexico.}
STUDENT:
Mala beads - Noble teacher, what are mala beads?
COACH:
they are a Buddhist meditation and ritual rosary.
STUDENT:
What significance do they hold on this path?
COACH:
much. at a Basic Level, wearing them tells the Outer World that you are a Practitioner.
STUDENT:
I have this notion that the mala beads serve a different purpose, at different times, all along this journey.
COACH:
precisely.
STUDENT:
I am thinking that the initial connection to the mala beads, for me, would be an outward connection/reminder of my choice to engage in this journey. Based on some reading I have done, they would also serve to help me in counting my breaths. And perhaps even help me focus my thoughts towards nothingness step by step as I learn and develop my inner focus.
COACH:
how did you get to be so smart?
did i Teach you all this wisdom?
;-)
STUDENT: Homework - I have been reading DL. Day by day since the very first entries. I have not found the 3 forms entry yet. I have however found so many stories and thoughts and perspectives in addition to a form of energy in these readings. Sometimes while reading the appropriate action at the moment propels me from the chair, out the door, and onto the trail or down to the gym.
COACH:
Thus,
the Noble Work on DL has Served its intent; to help someone.
STUDENT:
God - I am nervous about this topic. This form of thought. Western religion (organized religion) that points me to a spiritual figure and says here is your god - does not hold anything for me. I do not believe in one omnipotent ethereal being that created all. I do not kneel in a building and drink the blood of christ nor do I eat a metaphor of his body. If god is a term of language used to describe a feeling, then I can relate more to that. God is not. The Universe is. I am part of the universe. I have been communicating with the universe for as long as I can remember. Especially at night when I can see up into the starts. The universe is my business partner. Sometimes we bicker and fight. Sometimes I don't listen or speak to it. Sometimes is only sometimes. I always return, it's always there just being.
COACH:
do not Worry about God.
Focus on doing go(o)d,
on Being go(o)d,
on Listening purely to your speech and thought.
Do this, Noble New Student of WF,
and God will appear Smiling in many, many beautiful and subtle and exquisite Ways.
Man cannot even create an earthworm,
yet he creates gods and religions by the dozens.
In WF,
we just stay true to the 4 Lifestyle Principles and the 5 Fitness Disciplines
and
in doing so,
God sneaks in and winks at us,
in-couraging us ever
Higher.
STUDENT:
And now I am going to go sweat.
COACH:
And now i am going to smile,
knowing that in your Sweat
there will be a moment of Purity...
STUDENT:
Peace,
student scott
COACH:
om,
your coach in your Corner
December 01, 2005
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SISTER!!
To mi hermana (5)
Who dressed me up in girl clothes (7)
Still...Happy Birthday!!! (5)
photo by WayneWilliamsStudio.com
LEATHER or WHETHER?
Are Malas worn next to Leather harmful to a Yogins quest for Enlightenment? A DL Reader questions my choice to wear leather.
Every several months or so, i will test the sensitivities of my DL readership in order to keep this Dharma Vehicle grounded in the roots of WF Tradition. DL is a reflection of the infinite embrace of a ALL THINGS that is the Source of WF... thousands of words of Dharmic Insight and Inspiration are poured through the DL Dharma Channel. Testing the DL Readership Waters keeps my piloting of DL on track without condition. i take the time with a polite, inquiring fan below and attempt to clarify what Yoga truly means; the pushing away of no-thing. Not leather, not Enlightenment. All Karma is God. Buckle up; this ain't your typical personal training forum, you know! in-Joy...
coach ilg
***
Hello Steve Ilg-
I have been following your DL for some time now. It has been a positive influence for me. Thank you.
I do have a question for you though�. Where does your leather jacket fit into your vegan stand against cruelty?
Not looking to jump on you, but the question came to mine. You speak freely on other subjects, so I figured I�d ask.
Happy Holidays.
Doug H.
Coach Responds:
thank you for your inquiry, and i am pleased to hear you find DL a worthy part of your Practice. That is what matters most. WF has allWays functioned as a Consciousness LightSwitch. Many people cannot hang with this Steep and Direct Path of Transformation committed to Enlightenment in this Lifetime. However, many people get major spiritual "a-Ha!" moments while reading or practicing WF...then, they go along on their own Path, having been Touched in profound Ways by my humble Teachings of very, very common natural sense.
1) i am not a vegan. and i do not take a 'stand against cruelty'...in fact, true compassion must come from a well-trained Warrior whose fitness knows cruelty by Direct Experience.
i eat both physical and spiritual nutrition in the Ways of WF, clearly outlined in my most recent book; TBT.
you see, i have never met a true Vegan.
a true vegan would be effectively paralyzed in today's society since so much cruelty is associated in the manufacturing of cars, homes, kids and all their material needs during childbirth and raising, roads, water, clothes, food, contacts, toilet paper, toilets, faucets, etc, etc., etc.
All such 'common things' bestow unimagined sources of suffering for countless mineral, plant, feathered, and four legged Beings. to be a vegan in today's society would reduce a Human Being to all the actions inherent to a...a...potted plant (given that the pot was hand made by an Enlightened Jainin Yogic Monk and even such a pot would still carry within its molecular structure vast eons of 'cruelty'; survival of the fittest). the Human Being did not evolve to the point of reading DL by innocence. most people who are so purposed on "innocence" are themselves fat or unfit in many ways, thus contradicting their Talk in their contradictory way of Walking.
Noble Tribal Brother who is Awakening,
We got here by what WF Teaches like no other; The quest of absolutely Balanced Body/Mind/Spiritual Fitness!
Survival of the most Wholistically Fit Human monuments the Being that evolved...and we can only imagine how much 'cruelty' we absorbed into our Cells along the Way.
besides SUNRIDER Herbs and Plant Beings, i also dine upon the corpses of Fish Beings.
my acceptance of eating my Fish Brothers and Sisters came only after training myself to be able to catch trout in my bare hands in the San Juan Mountains, with my Wolf Teacher, Apache, looking curiously at me as i stood for hours barefoot in frigid alpine creek water. "Pain past is pleasure," and to this Day, I still feel go(o)d about eating fish...in the same Way i feel go(o)d about the UniVerse eating me one day. i just wish to leave an Elegantly Conscious and Helpful Song to the UniVerse while i work on my own Enlightenment. 
No Movie Star Make Up Here! my first WF Teachings for Ananda was to balance her City-Addicted Perspectives with perspectives gained from living nakedly next to Natural Earth Energy. Above; Ananda early in her WF Teacher Training getting the Natural Chi hit from Indian Creek in a remote canyon of Utah.
Because my whole life has been a public Service Vehicle, people who do not live WF or study Her Ways formally, attempt to press both myself and my Work into compartments, labels, and easy to judge characteristics. as we come to know WF by Direct Experience, we realize just how Unconditionally Accepting are WF Warriors of Outer Worldly qualities and confusions and contradictions. I don't care how Grand of a Yogi Master you might fancy yourself, all of us - through our Actions often contradict the very things that philosophically we may be dead set against. Speak to me of Global Peace, yet, do not so without seeing violence within your own family and Way of Being.
2) Cruelty in wearing leather.
ah...Cruelty is in the hand of the Be-holder. please see my counsel above.
Historically, our Tribe would wander vast distances, forced into arduous cardio epics, regularly, combined with fasting until we found more herbs or animals to feast upon. along such treks, our Tribe would encounter a carcass of a hide animal. as our children were freezing in the sub zero temperatures that ravaged our fragile skin barrier, we would drape our child in such leather garments, smiling. 
Don't you re-Member, yogin?
in the Dhammapada, Buddha taught,
"Those who put on the saffron robe but remain ill-mannered and undisciplined are dragged down by their evil deeds. It is better for an undisciplined monk to swallow a red-hot ball of iron than to live on the charity of the devout."
22;307/308
..whether i choose to wear leather or whether leather does no longer feel go(o)d to me should be left up to myself al(one).
you too!
it's just that i reMember my first, first, first time wearing the skin of an Animal Being...a long, long, long time ago. and it felt go(o)d and Sacred to me then,
and it feels go(o)d and Sacred to me today on the rare occasions,
i drape my well conditioned self
into the Skin of Animal...
consciously.
if i have one leather garment in my closet, it must feel as go(o)d to me as do my Tibetan saffron robes i wore as a Student of Contemplative Arts. 
our Conscious Choices each day are as vast as the Escalante of the southwest...we once traveled across such vast distances, hungry, cold, and seeking. Functional, stout fitness was not an errand to fit into our Practice...it was a necessity of living. We have forgotten this in our "modern" society and thus remain confused about fitness, nutrition, and philosophy. WF keeps it simple; Sweat and Stillness are used to elevate our Natural Wisdom and regain our Tribal Perspective to Guide our conscious choices.
What we Are
is Gods gift to us...
What we are Be-c(om)ing
Our Conscious Choices...
ah...!
That is our Gift to God.
i will trust this DL helps you and i bow to your Awakening Practice
and i would love to see you join our Online Training Path...you have what it takes;
Questioning Everything
and Testing your Teacher(s)...
make sure that ALL your Teachers walk their Talk.
that is all,
the mountain yogi
MEDITATION IS NOT ABOUT NOT HAVING THOUGHTS AND EMOTIONS
Sometimes people think that when they meditate there should be no thoughts and emotions at all; and when thoughts and emotions do arise, they become annoyed and exasperated with themselves and think they have failed. Nothing could be further from the truth. There is a Tibetan saying: �It�s a tall order to ask for meat without bones, and tea without leaves.� As long as you have a mind, you will have thoughts and emotions.
- Sogyal Rinpoche