Why sign up for a class? Magic can happen!

The Power of Being in an Exceptional Class!

One of the greatest words of advice that I received as a teacher was:  "It is not what you want to teach, but what the student wants and is ready to learn," (Mary Stacey).  Over the years I have had many opportunities to prepare a lesson plan, be prepared for the class before it arrives, and within 30 seconds of everyone's arrival I know the lesson plan is going out the window for the day.  There may have been a tragedy in someone's life, there may have been a hard day, there may have been an exciting adventure, and there may be a personal hill someone is not ready yet to climb.  Every day is different and so are our needs and so are our students needs. 

When I have taken the time to heed Miss Mary's advice, I have always grown.  I have grown as a person, as a friend and as a teacher.  It is when I have taken the time to read the emotions of my class, acknowledged their level of energy, and listened to the space between their words, that I have heard their needs in a different direction.  It is always a day of learning, and it has always been successful. 

Today was a great example of such occasions.  Today was Tai Chi class.  It was our last class for the session, and this class had been incredibly magical, insightful, inspirational and powerful.  I wanted to do something special that would take my students to a new place of discovery and of hope.  To a place where they could be more than they had imagined.  This is not always a goal I have for Tai Chi class, usually it is about learning the moves, expanding movement and rehearsing the patterns.  Today was different.

In preparation this morning my own body was not up to par.  I needed to find my own energy, get rid of my plugged nose and my sore throat and to find inspiration for teaching.  I reached for one of my favorite tools:  Sound Essences.  These powerful energy sprays can change so much in a person.  With a full Chakra, Meridian, Energy Balance I was quickly on my game.  That would be the most incredible treat to share with my students.

We began class with this balance.  Each student chose something they wanted to change in their life.   This class chose BIG examples and they were dreaming equally BIG.  I began the balance, and then reached into my bag for one more tool - My Inner Smile Meditation.  This meditation grew out of healing work I had done for my daughter's cancer.  It helped her to focus on different aspects of her body and to send healing light into each part.  It helped her calm and it empowered her.  This event was no different.  My students dove into their dreams with deep surrender.  They empowered themselves as they never had before.  When we finished the final part of the sound essences and brought their entire energy grid together, they were radiating. 

We continued into Tai Chi with an emphasis on bringing the inner changes and the subconscious changes into our bodies, and then connecting them between brain and body.  Using the Tai Chi ruler we connected Heaven and Earth with the Microcosmic Orbit.  There were smiles of pure delight on my students faces.  Then, we performed the movement of the Tai Chi set beginning with the bow and sending gratitude to those who had shared their knowledge before and those who will continue after us.  The movement was smooth, connected and calm.  We then discussed a few movement challenges and repeated the movement patterns.  The second time through was the icing on the cake.  This was when our brain and body had completely connected the work and the shift for everyone was complete.

The challenges my students were facing were huge.  They were big life events that had shook them to their cores and had plagued them for years.  Today they made a decision that life would be different.  With the help of many aspects of my training, we were able to really pull goal setting, emotional understanding and movement together to make a difference in everyone's lives. 

At the end of class we talked about the potential this day had given everyone.  My students were so grateful they had chosen to take the class, make a commitment to be at class, and although they had reasons to miss today, they made it happen anyway.  Wow.  The magic was worth the sacrifices.  As a teacher, it was so gratifying to send them on their way with a new vision, determination and a plan for success.

I am so glad for Mary's words so many years ago.  As has always been the case when I have chosen to remember these words, magic happens.  Facing the unknown, following instinct and honoring the learning path of the student has always been so gratifying.  And, from their learning, I learnt a few new things myself about my techniques, the advancement of the techniques and the power of being in a class.

Are you Dehydrated? Why?!

Canada’s Natural Resource:  Water

We live in a country that is flowing with clean, nourishing water.  We have some of the most beautiful lakes, rivers and ocean shorelines in the world.  Yet, in our society, we are suffering from the most incredible illness – dehydration.  Despite the opportunity to just turn a tap to receive our water, with all of our special filters and water preservation techniques, we do not drink the water.  Can you imagine living in a third world country with contaminated sloughs to pull your water from?  Can you imagine being so desperate for water you spend your whole day searching for a source?  Can you imagine that in our luxurious lives we don’t know when to reach for our incredible commodity?  – WATER.

Recently Tim Horton’s released its new oversized coffee mug.  We all laughed and commented, and then many Canadians lined up to receive their anointed right, their daily shot of adrenaline to help them get through the day.  And, maybe they chose a smaller cup, either way, they spent money on gas to get to the store, time to sit in a line and wait for their familiar habit, and then many minutes of the day to embrace their cup in front of them while sipping away at the brew that will bring them to life.

I don’t drink coffee.  I never have and I am not interested in the message it sends us and our youth.  I am appalled at the teachers who stand at the front of the classroom hugging their mug in the morning while they lecture.  I am sad for the children who go to classes, practices or rehearsals who see their parents sitting in a chair watching and waiting for them, sipping on their adrenaline rush.  I am worried for the children whose parents allow them to embrace the same habit at a young age – some as young as newborns in hospitals, who do not have bodies yet ready to cope with the effects of caffeine.  And, I am horrified that the most incredible resource on our planet is completely ignored for consumption, polluted at every opportunity and sacrificed for advancing technologies in the oil industry.

Why do we not consume water?  Why do we not like the taste?  Why do we feel the need to deprive ourselves of it?  Why is it not important enough?

I hear from many clients that they have brain fog, a sore back, restless leg syndrome, sciatica, aching joints, headaches, stiffness, indigestion, acid reflux…the list can go on.  Do they look at what they are consuming?  No, many of them ask for relief through medication.  They want a pill that will take away the pain, and many wash it down with their coffee or black tea. 

Have you checked your hydration level?  A simple way to check is to pinch the skin on your hand.  If you are hydrated it will quickly be reabsorbed into the hand.  If you are dehydrated it may stand up for a few seconds before finding its way back into your hand.  Or, you may have skin that doesn’t return back to the hand – now that is severe dehydration!

What are you going to do about?  Are you going to pour yourself a cup of caffeine and contemplate this predicament, or are you going to make a change?

When I first began working on my own hydration I added a glass of water after every trip to the bathroom.  For the first little while there were frequent trips to the bathroom, but that changed in a short period of time.  Then, I stopped consuming juice, milk, pop  etc at meal time.  I replaced it with water.  Better yet, I drank the water about 30 minutes prior to eating so my digestive system was ready to digest the food that was to follow.  Adding liquids with the meal only hinders the digestive enzymes and their ability to work optimally to process your meal.  If I wanted a hot beverage, I switched to a green or white tea that would provide me with much need antioxidants and support for my bodies systems.  I also researched the best teas for different healing challenges and saved those blends for when they were most needed.  And, I consumed this tea when I was taking a few relaxing moments for myself.  I savored it, enjoyed it, relaxed, planned and then returned to my busy schedule. 

Here is how you can get started to completely nourish and support your incredible body.  Take a sip of water and swish it in the mouth before swallowing to stimulate the receptors in the mouth to recognize that the water is being added.  If chronic dehydration is a pattern for you, after drinking then rub on the belly midway between the belly button and the zyphoid process on the midline of the body to help the body send the water to the brain as well as the muscles and organs. 

It is important that you do not wait to drink water until just before you are doing something physical.  It is important the body is always hydrated and that the water will be available for the muscles at the time of exertion, rather than to the organs that are lacking water.        Water is best drunk at room temperature for maximum absorption in the quickest amount of time.  Throughout the day the body requires approximately 6-8 cups for regular movement, and for    more movement and exertion, it is recommended to add 2-4 cups more. If you consume a caffeinated product, for every cup of caffeine you need two glasses of water to reverse the dehydration that results from the caffeine.  Alcohol works in the same way.  For every glass of wine, add two glasses of water. 

Before engaging in any activity it is essential that the brain and body are hydrated.    Adequate water in the body allows for the cells to work efficiently, and helps to send messages across nerve endings.  For coordination of movement, the brain and the body need to send information quickly and water is essential for this communication. If the body is dehydrated, the organs will be the first to receive fresh water, then the muscles and lastly the   brain.  Performance is compromised if the body is in stress due to a lack of water. 

Take notes.  On a piece of paper, list all the ailments or challenges that you sense in your body at this time.  Begin a new regime that includes adequate hydration and nourishment for your cells.  In a month or so, make a new list of ailments.  See if the two lists match.  Take note of changes you have felt in your body, and how your energy, mental clarity and initiative has changed.  It is so simple, and it is just the turn of a tap away. 

WATER, it is over 70% of our bodies composition and it is our life line.  Give yourself the gift Mother Nature has provided for us and feel the healing benefits it can provide.

Some of the information used in this essay is from information gathered from readings in “Touch for Health” by John Thie,  “A Revolutionary Way of Thinking” and “Nutrition for the Brain” by Charles Krebs).