Focus on the Sound

Returning to another polar bear plunge in Coney Island after spending New Year's Day in Vienna last year.  

Plunge number I don't know, maybe 22.  The temperature was in the 40s, am not sure about the water temperature, I like to say it's always cold.  We were part of the "green wave" at 1:10pm.  It was a very sunny day.  

This Morning....Ouch!

I am doing something Un-German by keeping my sentences short.  Being challenged by a friend.
 
This is what I vaguely remember about this morning:

I think the alarm clock had gone off, but I was not fully awake.
I tried to move but my neck felt so stiff.
Must have been in a weird postion, no problem, I remember thinking. 
With some effort I repostioned myself but the neck still felt the same. 
A second of panic.  What happened?
I adjusted my tiny pillow.
I just keep it underneath my neck and move it around all night as needed.

Kripalu: Guiding Gently, Suggesting, or Perhaps just Listening et al.

Time to finish this post about Kripalu (June 1 to 6); it will help me finish "processing" my stay. 
  
Speaking of processing ("digesting"), this time around at Kripalu (as faculty assistant) working with Lakshmi Voelker, Tracey Eccleston and fellow chair yoginis, Grace, Wendy, and Kathleen certifying new LVCYTs, my digestion was working extremely well from day two on; day one was just a bit off.  During the last day (day 5), I think I went to the bathroom three times before lunch.  I was thinking to myself that I had to go for every bowl of food I ate ;-)(some of the LVCYTT team agreed laughingly that we were overeating at every meal).  At times I indeed ate three bowls of food per meal (not full though).

So grateful to teach the 4 Essential Hand Reflexes
I designed for the TT Manual: a highlight

Grabbing Surgeon's Arm; MD/Reflexologist Jesus Manzanares Method

Thank God: Unused Antibiotics

Arriving in Boston

Waking up with the rising sun..

I finally decided to undergo oral surgery, namely the extraction of tooth 17 in the very back of the lower left; the decision was made rather spontaneously.   I liked one of the options offered by the oral surgeon I was referred to; previous alternatives just sounded too daunting so I had been postponing a decision.  My initial intention was to save this tooth at all costs but taking the big picture into consideration and what the surgeon suggested made a lot of sense thus I reconsidered, and opted to sacrifice the tooth to improve overall dental function.  

While I was sitting in the chair waiting for the surgeon to begin, I did the usual DC Basic Session and some hand reflexology*, in addition to tuning into my breath to be more relaxed.  I even did a light forward bend - the dentist's chair was inviting me to do so:-)  As usual I wanted to go easy on the anesthesia and being as balanced, as relaxed as possible would support this.   

Alpine Desire Satisfied! Snow! New Insight!

Almost full...

Finally some snow!  It just took a 5-hour drive to Killington, VT since we have barely had any in New York.  We were so lucky and had amazing snow as well as sun shine.  As per the reports of the inn owner it had been a very bad season until about two weeks before we were there (the first week of March) as well as during our first night there.  The skiing was bliss although, don't get me wrong - skiing does make me a little nervous these days because I do it only once a year.  The thought of ice for example and practically vertical slopes I nevertheless let myself talk myself into going down on; of course, there is something of a baby daredevil in me.

Appalachian Trail(Mt Pico)

I brought some fresh juices and a bottle of fresh almond milk along since I was invited to join a Wellness Support Group at YCT Foundation.  The dried mangoes I also brought Mowgli feasted on while we went to get some tea at my favorite diner at the Taconic Parkway.  He left a piece on my seat and was literally sitting on one.  My guess is that we either surprised him or it was getting too sweet for him; so no mangoes to munch.  
With members of the support group I have been doing a cleanse this spring and have been eliminating items such as coffee, wheat, dairy, red meats, sugars, etc. and replace them with more veggies, juices,  whole grains, seeds ...  sugar is not an issue, neither are red meats, alcohol, nicotine (although it's time to confess that I smoke a cigarette then and again).  For me it's mostly about adding more vegetables and dropping wheat (I am very curious about possible changes); I may revisit this subject and may share some of my recipes shared with the group.  
My 2-day VT routine was: Dien Cham Basic Session in bed, morning hike on the Appalachian Trail with Mowgli who was ecstatic, Chi Gong, some yoga stretches before or after breakfast (oatmeal with fresh almond milk and fruit), then a few hours of skiing interrupted by lunch, tea/bathroom breaks, back to the trail with Mowgli, hot tub, dinner, a bit more of Chi Gong/yoga/breathwork/listening to mantras, bed - no nonsense. 

Goofing off after a fall...

My self care routine gave me confidence.  As there was virgin snow and there was no ice I got to work on my technique and I realized that I collapsed my chest ever so slightly especially going down moguls; it all started with my decision to work on NOT dragging my poles which I had been aware of for a long time... ah (light bulb), not keeping the upper arms close enough was supporting this dragging which of course resulted in some tension; so standing atop a mogul slope that I could not say no to but did not feel that comfortable about either, made me pay attention to my breath; I was having a little conversation with myself, "yoga off the mat, calming down, you want to do it gracefully and most of all you want to be safe."  From then on I applied my newly gained insight and mastered the moguls so much better, wow what a difference!  I felt I made a big leap.
What led me to this eye opening moment was my basic routine that supported me "off the mat", beginner's mind, checking in with the body, my emotions, taking a few deep breaths to ground, observation, revelation!
 
At one point I had to make a sharp turn to avoid a jump which resulted in a pull in my left knee, no!  So I took it very easy getting to the base; once on the chairlift I did slow knee extensions/flexions.  My knees' tracking is not very well supported - they have never caused me much problems, as I fortunately have been aware of it for a very long time (one of the benefits of yoga is that you become aware of your problem areas).  In some yoga poses I feel some strange tension so I am very proactive in dealing with every bit of funk going on there - have been for a long time.  I also cupped my knee and worked the knee reflexes on the face, which are just outside the corners of the mouth, I think the hiking strengthened my knees as well; both mornings I sniffled which made me add that sniffle protocol!

What a lovely two days in the country, fresh air, sun shine, hiking. It all started with an incredible sunset over the Taconic Mountains; it's still all with me and the new insight keeps on nurturing me.  

youcanthrive.org

 

End of 2011 Symptoms followed by HEALTHY, FRIGID PLUNGE in 2012!

Post-Polar Bear Plunge Glow Coney Island

Belatedly: Happy New Year!  Happy 2012!
Well, I had no choice but to prepare myself well for the Plunge on New Year's Day!  Through the greater part of December "I just did not feel quite right," it was either chest and/or throat tightness and/or I was beginning to suspect that I was developing chronic heartburn, not that I knew exactly what it was supposed to feel like, but I do sometimes eat dinner rather late - although my diet is pretty healthy.  Two friends mentioned suffering from heartburn in the recent past and were doing something about it; one of the keys seemed to not eat late at night which I do try to avoid, but sometimes it does happen.   
  
In addition, on December 26 I had some stomach cramping, it did not last very long, but after thinking that it was caused by something I ate I started suspecting that it was a mild virus instead (a friend had the same symptoms); cramps lasted up to two minutes and continued for two to three days in intervals of 5-6 hours, fortunately, my sleep was not affected.  Either way, I could not help but be feel confused about so much going on in my body at the same time.  I took some deep breaths and decided to let go of trying to figure out "the whats and whys" and decided instead to leaf through the book.  I was going to undo this, I smiled having regained some confidence.  I wanted to be healthy for my New Year's Plunge, I wanted to turn this around this year not next year!  If symptoms did not change, I feared it would not be smart to go into the water and I would miss out on this crazy, crazy, sexy, uplifting, tradition.

Summer-Winter-late Fall conditions - all within less than 2 weeks

Returning to the frog:  It has been a while.  A lot has happened including Occupy Wall Street.  My life has been hectic but very interesting; definitely a time of professional growth!  The weather is beautiful today - it is again too warm today and yesterday I sneaked away to the park (Central Park) for an hour with a friend - we brought our yoga mats and sat in the grass.  We marveled at the fall colors, especially the golden yellow.  

I was reminded of the protocol to follow at the first sign of a sniffle and I decided to include it in my wellness program as preventive measure because of the recent ongoing sudden changes in temperature. 

My Self Care Protocol

• A few days ago, I designed my Self Care Protocol using the facial grid that is provided in the book copying four of them onto a 8X11 sheet and using a different color for every protocol; I had fun and it looks very pretty; the protocols for Relaxation and Tone Up are copied on the back of the sheet; together they form the Basic Session suggested for daily use: I included additional protocols.

• My protocol entails the following: Relaxation/Toning Up (general) - i.e. Basic Session; Anemia; Fatigue (Chronic or General); Eyesight Troubles (general); (Beginning of a Cold ; I detected a sniffle - no wonder, with days of never ending rain and winds so strong that the Staten Island Ferry service was suspended on Saturday night and power outages throughout New York City - it is always good to have it handy or better yet to memorize it so you can do something immediately when that very first sniffle hits you).
  

This is what Marie-France says abut the The Beginning of a Cold: It is only necessary for you to be a little tired for a chill to penetrate. A while later the head cold starts with its usual first symptoms of a runny nose, itchy throat, and sneezing. You must boost your energy right away.
She also says this under Cold/Common: A Japanese saying has it that a cold that is neglected can open the doors to all kinds of sicknesses. Even if a cold usually leaves without a trace, we must remain alert to the possibility of complications, especially in children and older people, whose natural defenses are weaker. It is advisable to remember this and the fact that over hundred viruses come into play! So keep stimulating these pressure points...

• The idea is to do the session twice a day, morning and evening with the minimum being the Basic Session, Anemia, Eyesight Troubles...

As a yogi I am also interested in Chakra Balancing. I added the points which run vertically along the center line of the face to one of the grids in a different color.
The sheet (inside a plastic protection sheet) is now mounted on the bathroom mirror; parts of the protocol I will do more often if necessary: in addition, I also took photos with my black berry so I have my protocol with me on the run and thus will not have to miss a session if out late or early and I can not do it at home...