wise words from Buddha / some zen and some yoga

{Inverted leg Asana ,helps prevent varicose  veins}


my yoga workouts are coming along nicely , my stomach is pulled in  but  i'm  still having trouble with some asanas . But hey ! i am not perfect . Doing yoga is so relaxing .
while on our afternoon walk we saw a lady on a bridge  with her bike doing her yoga routine  she was looking out to sea  she looked so peaceful.She didn't care  who was walking by.
I know of  so many sad people of late it is so sad  over  this joyous time , because of yoga i have noticed  my perception  is right up and i  can feel peoples  moods  as i walk past them ,  my sensitivity is through the roof.                                                                                  



Iam sitting  here  writing this  listening to Leonard Cohen with rain,thunder pounding down and lightning  darting around the sky, it's a grey old day but it is beautiful  .I haven't  felt this sensitive in years  or if ever .
 it is quite overwhelming .
this happens to me with meditation it is amazing how the two  coincide. James  is doing well and to help him with his recovery process  he  will be starting a pain management course in the new year .
James went to the Dr  the other day  and she said he is in perfect health which is fantastic news  for Christmas

                                                 some wise words  from Buddha!
                                                  --------------------------------
Buddha says there are nine  causes of the premature , unexpected end to human life  the first five  of these are related to ones  diet and are listed below the others are related  to proper conduct..

•  eating what should  not be eaten-foods which are out of season  or bad for you as an individual.
• immoderate eating - consumption in excess of ones needs.
•  eating contrary to  custom - eating  at odd  hours and eating a variety of  foods which are new to your body without  adjusting.
• failure to discharge the  old before the arrival of the new - eating  before  you have finished  digesting the previous meal,    eating when you are not hungry

intentional retention of digested foods-basically  this means suppressing natural processes  such as belching,vomiting and gas as well as urination and bowel movements.

                here is a zen/ Buddhist  story i would love to share with you  it is called.

                                                   

                                                 searching for sweetness

                                               -------------------------

a man went to  visit  his guru  and found when he arrived  he found  the teacher sitting in the yard in front of

a massive pile of hot chilly  peppers . the teacher was  eating the chilies one by one tears of pain were running down his face and he was sobbing this is terrible.

when asked why he was doing this  his guru replied i am looking for the sweet one.

his actions exemplify the way  in which most of us spend  our lives we should know from past experience 

that the sweet one does not exist   but we continue  to search for our happiness in external objects  however the sum total of all the pleasures of the physical world are nothing  compared to the blissful state of meditation

my interpretation  of this is 

all of the material things  acquired in life are irrelevant in  in the search for your inner peace..

what is yours ? 

NAMASTE.

                                 

Christmas and yoga

Well the silly season is here with all the naughty things we all  love.
Christmas functions are happening and temptation is right in our path.
So you know what my advice is ? enjoy yourself go and eat it ! eat, drink , and be merry i say.
i can tell you just how you can without missing out on a single  thing.  This what i do when there is a buffet or Xmas function, family dinners or luncheons.,
i get a bit of everything on my plate so i only have to go up once . then for desert  i have a bit of cake or what ever i like within reason .I still do my yoga  and walk  Harriet in the afternoon and it works a treat

i like to relax  and have a good time over Xmas  and so should you.... If you  want a drink  or two catch a cab that is the best and safest  way to go  but remember  moderation is the key .


we hope you have a wonderful Xmas and a happy and safe new year

a long road to recovery

Eight months ago James had  the 2nd half of a major knee operation completed
as written  in previous posts. The first part was done because of septicaemia
resulting in the artificial knee being removed, as well  as the spikes into the femur and the tibia being  removed .
Resulting in James  spending  sixteen days in hospital and Having his knee joint out for  five months,
whilst  receiving  mega doses  of antibiotics  which resulted in him loosing  strength  in his upper leg muscles.

this resulting in his immune system being compromised
we had to get James's immune system  back up.
So we changed our diet . which was approved by our DR , and this is how  the common  sense diet was born.And because of this  his immune system is now back on track.

it has been a hard time for all of us  but for James  especially, it has been a very  difficult road back to recovery, but he is getting there  so much so  James doesn't need physio anymore and has been cleared
to do some yoga poses, James now has to start from scratch  and that is exactly what James is doing.
James, when not doing yoga does the physio  exercises that he was given .
sometimes  he looks like he is doing the cancan  and i have to tell him to slow down.
And he wonders why he is  sore  afterwards .
I cant believe how well he has done  I don't know if i would be that brave.

{NOTE}

to help make scaring disappear  use vitamin e  cream it works like magic

harmony's common sense diet

as you know i was a size fourteen and i was miserable . I tried all sorts of things but nothing worked to move the excess weight .And i have been battling  this for years until, my now hubby  and I had a brain wave!
We have created our own diet and from our own experiences this works.
It is called  HARMONY'S COMMON SENSE DIET.
With the yoga and walking Iam  now down to a size eight
and can now fit into lovely summer dresses and shorts
and you know what i might even give a bikini a go.
I also have more energy and i feel so much better in myself .and because of yoga Iam beginning
to look trim. My muscles are toned, James says I even have a glow, I said maybe it is the sun, and he said
no it is a different kind of glow . how romantic  what makes our Harmony diet so good is  because  it feels like you are not even on a diet.No pressures of fad diets or  being on a self imposed deadline just  doing it in your own time  with a  healthy eating plan what can be better than that.
as we get older it is very bad to yo yo diet it is bad for your health and body but people do it anyway.

the worst offenders are us girls.If you want a good complexion  this is not the way to do it. you see
Imagine your skin is a rubber band it will only stretch  so far before it gives out once the skin gives out
you will have a hard if  not impossible task to get your elasticity back the best way to diet is not to  this is what we did and still do.
_________________________________________________________________________________

BREAKFAST{ means breaking the fast}

1 bowl of special k with berries or a  healthy cereal of your choice.

LUNCH

1 sandwich or two rivitas with a healthy topping of your choice.
we sometimes have a piece of toast  without butter and replace it with Philadelphia cream cheese with sliced tomato on top that way we do not get bored .

DINNER

a medium sized meal  of five vegies and a palm  sized  lean meat of your choice
we also have grilled fish and oven baked chips with a big healthy salad.

Salads do not have to be boring I make my own salad dressing ant it's yum.

{HINT}

add silverbeet  or spinach as an alternative to lettuce  or combined it is yum!
Also use your  imagination . try bok choy zuchinni, capsicum red, green , yellow, or orange all very nice.

also have two fruits a day which iam guilty of not doing sometimes.All this will be useless if  you pig out on all the wrong things so to stop the cravings we give ourselves a treat that way we don't miss out on a thing .
So that  is why i don't call it a diet.all we have done is reduced  our meal intake  and with a hours walk daily walk and combined with yoga three times a week.
And have cut out all the naughty things we all love. Do this and you will reach your ideal weight .
I have managed to come down to a size eight and  have maintained it
if you do this  you will be a force to be reckoned with .

{NOTE}

Always wait  an hour after eating  before doing your yoga workout.

mastering the pigeon asana

What a day! i did my  yoga workout and i cant believe  what i have done.The yoga pose {asana}.
the pigeon, ! i never thought  i would get  it. I have practiced and practiced but to no avail until today
it all just fell into place.The rest of the yoga routine was great  i still have some poses to master
but i am doing OK They  say the more you practice the better you will get . I think that applies to everything
in life.
this message came to me in a dream

"Not to see a box as a box . see beyond it .
see the wider spectrum

                                                         {photo by James green}           

                                                                                     {photo by chelle green}
in other words  there is more to the box than meets the eye.".

results finally !

God god !what an awakening to the day
hubby woke up at  five am  we are  never up that early.
he decided to take us for a walk it was beautiful we even saw a lovely
little rabbit  on our travels the bird life was amazing.
came home and went to bed  why not for a Saturday
on the way to the bedroom  i caught a glimpse of myself  in the bathroom mirror
and saw my abdomen was completely firm i did a double take
i thought it was the light of the day playing tricks on me so i turned the light on
and no, no tricks were played.i cant believe it  finally i am starting to see results
amazing !  as previously stated from being a size fourteen  to now being a size eight
to not having any stretch marks from being over weight  i am finally looking the best i have in years
i used to dream of looking trim taught  and you know what  now that i am seeing the results
i know i can achieve it  if it weren't for my hubby suggesting  on going for a walk
i wouldn't have noticed my flat belly  this morning  which has made my whole day
and he cant stop congratulating me all my hard work is staring to pay off
all without weighing myself no expensive gyms or fad exercise machines
and without the help of weight loss supplements or weight loss enterprises
that can cost an absolute bundle to the average person
i don't like weighing myself  because of the pressure it puts me under
i only weigh myself at the Dr's we  have scales here it needs batteries but i refuse to buy them
because of this i found in the past  i would weigh  myself  all day everyday  it was so stressful
i felt i was not moving an inch. Lillian  my yoga partner has come back from a nine week holiday
and we will be starting  yoga shortly which will help keep me motivated and  focused  as i am also teaching her  as we go along in fact  we are teaching each other .
as i have stated in previous posts  besides doing yoga  it is important  to eat  healthy  preferably   the
Mediterranean   diet walk an hour a day  eat junk in moderation  and enjoy the simple things in life and have a good laugh everyday and preferably not at your husband  unless he does something  stupid
which is a man moment.
for example

my hubby said out of the blue i needed to call the the people at round up i said why?
hubby because  Harriet has fleas  i said round up !
why would i want a weed killer on Harriet  he said to kill the fleas
silly bugger meant revolution it is meant for fleas not round up !
 

five tips for a natural nights sleep

well here  are some tips on sleeping for us insomniacs out there
before yoga came into my life i was a terrible sleeper  but now i am doing OK
here are the five tips i tried and along with  my yoga routine  it  works
and i hope this works for you too

{1} no alcohol or caffeinated drinks two hours before bed

{2}have your bedroom like a bat cave  which is hard to do for some
so try and make your bedroom as dark as possible


{3} set a time  for when you  go to sleep  and wake up
if you want to watch something  that is on late
there is always the record button.

{4} keep your bedroom at a cool temperature and well ventilated.

{5} wear loose fitting  comfortable  nightwear and make sure not to
eat to close to bedtime.

a lack of sleep is  extremely harmful to your overall health, and well being
because of not sleeping at night we eat .
 how do i know this i have been there ,
we crave all the wrong things thus the unwanted  weight is put on
and as a consequence  heart attacks.are a risk and so is advanced aging
the list goes on and on sleep is so important i cant emphasise  it  enough
my husband even though using the above techniques , still has difficulty
sleeping and has been  prescribed a sleeping tablet as  his last resort
he now sleeps well so when when all natural remedies fail  see your Dr

 

the history of yoga

 yoga spans from four to eight thousand years ago to the modern day
there were hints of a civilization called the undus that practiced yoga {Cc3000bc }  .
and another civilization called the vedic at {Cc1500bc} the first detailed  elaborations in hundu texts were
absorbed into  Jain philosophies and stood the test of time  there have been findings before the Vedas.

and some believe that yoga existed eight thousand  years ago    archaeologists have found carvings dating back to this period , and believe it is a figure  sitting in a cross legged posture . {this would be the half lotus  or full lotus with hands resting on knees }.


                                               HATHA YOGA
                                              --------------------
         Hatha yoga also known as Hatha vida  was introduced by a yogi called Swatmarama a sage of the 15th century India  and a compiler of the Hatha yoga Pradipika  and has introduced Hatha yoga as a stairway  to the heights or Raja yoga.
the word Hatha  is a compound of words {Ha } meaning sun  and {Tha } meaning moon
joining the male and female  energies making one complete. Hatha  yoga is what people automatically think of when they think of yoga and is practiced  throughout  the western world.
as a form of exercise  this is far from the truth it was originally developed  to help one achieve the higher realms of yoga........... SELF REALIZATION            

                                         
                                         
                                         
                                          NAMASTE  















husband James doing half louts only eight months after knee surgery                                                                             {photo by chelle green}

Reiki is not raking the lawn

I was at a meeting run by the women s health care place in Perth western Australia  in 05  
this is where women  go to get help for a range of issues
when a woman came up to me  and asked if she could do Reiki on me.
i am the biggest skeptic you have ever come across  until it happens to me.
i declined politely  but she insisted so i thought i would humor her  i invited her back to my house
i had to get a glass of water  on her instruction  drank it  i sat down and away she went.
i didn't tell her anything about where my aches and pains were  but she found them alright !
 and i haven't had them since  now i am a believer i was so impressed  i did two Reiki courses  and have become a Reiki practitioner  . no Reiki is not raking  the lawn as many people think
and is not a form of massage  as it is classed  under .
Reiki is all on it's own . Reiki is solely based   on the universal  flow of energy which the Reiki practitioner taps into  and then channeled   to the client. the Reiki practitioner is purely  the trained  instrument  for the universal flow i have loved every minute of it you see Reiki  does not just benefit the client it also benefits the practitioner
the universe is an amazing thing i feel  so relaxed  and go into my own space all the while doing the Reiki treatment  which takes  an hour to complete  Reiki  is here to relieve not to heal  this is what i was taught  some believe  Reiki  heals  but that is their beliefs not mine .
one  person said to me  after her Reiki treatment that it felt like effervescence. {feeling little tingles, bubbles on her body}. i was ecstatic Reiki  worked for her that way . Reiki  is a hands on technique  and the best part is  you are fully clothed . some people go to sleep during a Reiki treatment  and i leave them to wake up  on their own not before  grounding them first. Reiki always has an affect on people  to start off with  then afterward  it is a different story  some are so full of energy  they are bouncing off walls  and others are just in a relaxed space  when they come  to me they are run down  and i know their bodies  energy is out of  whack.
this is where Reiki    comes in . Reiki  not only works on  the clients unbalanced energy but also  on the seven major chakras  we have in our bodies  the client comes to us  to get a jump start  or kick start  if you like  so everything  works in sync

                                                  the seven major  chakras are.

{1} the crown chakra                {on top of head}          ultra violet

{2}the third eye                          { in between the eyes}   purple

{3} the communication chakra    {the throat}                     blue  

{4} love chakra                         {the heart}                 green with purple flecks

{5}perception chakra          {the solar plexus                yellow

{6}sacral chakra           {above pubic bone }               orange

{7} the base root chakra       {base of spine}             red

if you want to have a Reiki treatment  make sure he/she is a reputable Reiki practitioner because there is some con artists out there who have too much ego and base Reiki on this which you must never do i have always said do your homework you will be better for it that way your Reiki experience will be a good one.
               

neutrogena and me

I have combination skin oily /dry which makes it hard to find a product that works.
so after many years and thousands of dollars spent and wasted  skin products later
I have found the right one ! Neutrogena!  the itchiness drove me insane i felt like  scratching my face off.
the redness and acne was embarrassing and the oiliness was terrible.
but Neutrogena has taken all this away it is fan bloody tastic! .
it does what it says  imagine that !  it leaves some oil in your skin and takes some oil out  so there is a healthy balance.of both.
i was told not to use neutrogena because it would be to harsh on my skin.
so i saw a  skin product on the telly  i rang them up and they were so rude and treated me like an idiot.
i politely told them what i thought and hung up the phone
you know what  i cant thank them enough. for their rudeness.
i promptly went  down to the shops and brought  the following products

photo by chelle green } before using  neutrogena

(1) oil free acne wash

(2) deep clean facial cleanser.

(3) neutrogena rapid clear blackhead  eliminating daily scrub

 and i have never looked back neutrogena is too good to be true  you know how they say if ti is to go to be true than it usually is
well in this case  neutrogena  stands by  it's claims and it works no misleading  advertising  friendly staff it's great and it's affordable. to the average person.
also different products  of neutrogena to suit everyones skin type they also have a shampoo called T Gel
i tried it  but it was too harsh on my scalp but it may be alright for you.
when i told my Dr's  i was using  neutrogena  they said that's good so why don't you try it there is no harm i in giving it a go i am so glad i did
my skin has never looked better!


                                 {photo by chelle green  with neutrogena.

back from illness

i have not been doing yoga for a week because of a horror of an ear infection
i have been reading  a great book in the meantime  it is a collection of  short stories
 called Nightmares and Dreamscapes by Stephen king it is really creepy so  far
today i feel great  and have just finished  my yoga workout
and am getting better at it too i am quite proud of myself and i am  determined
to stick with yoga  so i can look good and feel great

i know i have said this before  but i love it !                                        















                                                                                 {photo by chelle green}

mind, body and spirit

As i  have written earlier about my health where i wasn't meant to walk and my parents were given the diagnosis i would be a vegetable for the rest of my life.It was a devastating blow for young parents.
if it wasn't for their  determination to deify the Dr's i wouldn't be here writing to you today.
the Dr's said  i would have been right handed  but because of my illness it left my right side  with temporary paralysis  so  mum and dad worked on the side that moved first which was my left . and  from that day on everything else fell into place .
I have always had a weakness and a heaviness in my right side because of this my dexterity hasn't been good either.
But since i have been doing  Hatha yoga i have found my right side has become stronger.
I know it  is doing something  and i know it's good .
 Hatha yoga not only works on your mind.and spirit but also on your physical body and has helped me with my balance. I can now stand on one leg for more than  one minute this posture in 
hatha yoga  is called the tree.

 

                               {photo by chelle green}

to biscuit or not to biscuit ?

 I have decided to measure my waist to see how  i have shrunk by using  yoga
my waist is currently 27 inches or 70cm i will measure myself later to see how i have progressed
as long as i stay away from the biscuits i think i will be OK.
all this temptation around me is terrible with ads everywhere from hamburgers to chicken  it's terrible
i just feel  like crawling into a hole and covering myself up to block it all out
 but you cant my hubby's just brought home some biscuits i just asked him what type they are and he said the yummy ones  i am my own worst enemy !to biscuit or not to biscuit ?
i just have to  tap into my will power boy it's hard
 but with the determination  i have i  will get there.

i have decided to biscuit.
but only every two weeks  i have tried not to  and have realised  that the average Joe like myself  needs that sweet  something to stop the cravings .
 the key is not to over do it  because that is when the trouble starts.
 only  in moderation  is the secret  along with a healthy eating and your daily yoga workout .   everything will be A.OK.  
                     
                                                                                            {photo by chelle green }

just in time for summer

 well i am gobsmacked
i am finally into shorts! it has taken it's time but keeping up a good  yoga routine has payed off last night  i turned over in bed and felt a muscle in my arm results finally! my hubby thinks it is great too but this doesn't mean i stop now i have come in everywhere  my once tight pj's and trackpants are now loose yoga is so amazing  i cant describe it. and you know what it is just in time for summer
iam over the moon !

{photo by chelle green}

practice yoga with your daily medication

James and i have noticed  yoga helps with my seizures.
i have less of them when i practise yoga along with my daily medication it is a perfect fit.
but  if i stop the yoga i am stressed more , my anxiety starts to build and then seizures appear it's a vicious circle really.
this is the only thing  that i have come across that helps me in my life i am not saying stop  your medication  that would be foolish  practise yoga .
if you have depression and anxiety  or any mental illness along with your medication practise yoga .
if you don't have any illness it doesn't matter  if you have had a stressful day at work
what a better way to end the day than with a relaxing yoga workout.
then everything  will be put into perspective and fall into place
yoga is not for the select few it is for everyone

yoga does not discriminate.

(photo by chelle green)                                                                                                                                                

it's the little things that we miss

James says iam  coming along nicely he says im getting shape in my upper legs
which i didn't realize
he says my thighs have come in a lot  and my posture has improved noticeably
 and my stomach and waist have pulled in considerably .
i think this is great im thrilled actually. the other day i was doing yoga and was surprised  at how well i did unbeknown to me James was watching from around the corner of the bedroom i thought i was on my own he said i did quite well and i am improving  James says in the harder asanas  {poses} only two of them i need  to work at. but other than that im doing OK im glad  i have asked James to watch how im doing because as i said in a previous post i would have never have noticed theses things  because as we all know  it's  the little things that we miss .
i am amazed at how  much energy i have and how flexible i have become i can stretch further than i could before iam less stressed  and i feel a calmness  instead of my constant anxiety.
my wrists and upper body have become stronger  and my balance  has improved incredibly .
i wonder what will improve next it will be very exciting to see.


photo by {chelle green }

it's yoga

one thing about yoga is you cant have a break from  it you cant say i will have a couple of weeks off or i will be fine for a while  and i will stay my toned self it is not true
i have done this myself  and have found out the hard way all your hard work will slide away back to all the naughty places and  then you are back to square one.

all those exercise fads  and exercise equipment on the telly waisting  all your money on these things is
ridiculous  because in the end it just sits there gathering dust and is never used again
when all you need to do is yoga.
and eat a healthy diet  as i have said earlier
i just shake my head in disbelief that there is a  cheaper easier solution right in their faces
and they are not seeing it

it's yoga.

   
                                       photo by {chelle green}

cellulite gone

today my yoga routine was good  i am not sore and i feel great
i am very proud of myself too.
James is a great  help to me and has given me tips on how i can improve my asanas
and i have to practise the individual segments of the flow as it  is called in this  program
why it is called  the flow is because once you  know the asanas well you are supposed  to go from one asana to another without stopping  moving slowly the flow is choreographed  like a dance routine designed to exercise every mussel in your body.
like the other day  when my mind and body wanted to stop  i didn't feel like that today  i just went through  each asana some easily and some with  difficulty.
my tummy is coming in beautifully and my cellulite has gone i cant believe it  if i hadn't seen it or experienced it for myself  then i would never have believed it.

photo by chelle green.

one thing i know for sure is that all this yoga stuff is true.

to the next level of yoga

my  second day  on this new program was not a good one.
i don't know if it was just nerves or if  i was just  having a bad day.
in a way it is like starting from scratch.
to me this is nerve racking and exciting at the same time i am having trouble with my left and right so I'm getting some of the asanas {wrong} James said he will help me till i get familiar with this  yoga program like he did  with the last one i have asked James to watch me on how i carry myself because you don't take notice on how you walk or if you  sit, slouch, etc do you?
so this will be interesting to see what yoga does
it is good  to have anothers point of view because we all have set backs we are all human after all
I'm going to do my yoga now i will give you the full report on how i  went.



god god !!!
 what a workout i feel like i have been  pulled in every direction
 you see your body and mind wants to give out before you do  but  you cant
you have to push through the discomfort and keep in the asana {pose} for as long as you can.
that is what i did  as hard as it was  i pushed through the  negative thoughts and pain barrier to achieve my goal.

on the harder asanas James says i have mastered 60 to 70 percent right but i still have a way to go but with a daily yoga practise i will get there.


(photo by chelle green}

tips

wait for an hour after you have eaten before performing  your yoga routine.

always warm  up before you  practise  yoga with the sun salutation {prayer to the morning sun }

 be in comfortable loose clothing

always have a blanket nearby for when you do relaxation after yoga.

always have a radox bath or shower after yoga to relax your muscles.

photo by chelle green

                    photo by chelle green                     

      

yoga paying off

yesterday i did a new yoga programme called  "anatomy of  yoga"
i would not recomend this DVD for the beginner. i was surprised at how much  i  could do.
it just shows yoga is paying off i have been doing  yoga  on and off since 07 but seeing  how flexible i  have now become and am now an avid yogi  i love this new programme and have used  mussels i didn't know i had.
i didn't realise i needed to step up my yoga routine to a harder one it feels like i have been to the gym for the first time
the yoga DVD  programme is relaxing , teaches you how to breathe  correctly { diaphramic breathing}

and teaches you to do yoga with care.

in my opinion this yoga DVD programme is for intermediate level and is a great one

yoga at any age

i have had a blog post ready to go for some days now but the computer has been playing up
so haven't  been able to put it on you know how it goes with computers
i have been doing yoga with my mum  it has been a blast.
mum is 64yrs  young   and is just starting she reminds me of  me when i first started
arms everywhere but  where they should be apart from that mum is really good at some
I'm proud of her
my friend Lillian is good for 70 but  when the asans {poses} get to hard Lillian does her physio exercises which are similar to yoga anyhow about to start yoga with mum i will tell you how we go after.

well mum and i did our yoga amongst  people mowing lawns ,Christopher spitting seed on my yoga mat and mobiles going off all the while Harriet zonked out on the couch with not a care in the world.
it just shows how relaxing yoga is with all the noise it doesn't matter you can do yoga at any age

shroud of turin

photo by chelle green