Love cupping...
This morning, I feel more balanced when I did my sun salutations and more centered when I did my morning meditation.
Oh and by the way, I slept through the night!
Take that jet lag!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Cups and the Back
Yesterday, I went to the local massage place, KungJun Massage. I needed a foot massage - I 
was convinced that a massage would balance my qi and help me get over my debilitating and exhasting jet lag. My massage therapist, #20, started massaging my feet and old me my circulation was poor and I have cold wind in my body. I tried to explain that earlier in the week I sat on a plane for almost 14 hours over the Pacific Ocean. #20 merely looked at me and calmly said - you need ba guan (cupping). Cupping refers to an ancient Chinese practice in which a cup is applied to the skin and the pressure in the cup is reduced (by using change in heat or by suctioning out air), so that the skin and superficial muscle layer is drawn into and held in the cup. Its supposed to draw out cold wind and break up congestion along meridian lines and acupuncture/acupressure points. What it does is create hickey-like circles all over my back but I have to admit - I feel better. I still have jet lag but feel like I am more balanced.
was convinced that a massage would balance my qi and help me get over my debilitating and exhasting jet lag. My massage therapist, #20, started massaging my feet and old me my circulation was poor and I have cold wind in my body. I tried to explain that earlier in the week I sat on a plane for almost 14 hours over the Pacific Ocean. #20 merely looked at me and calmly said - you need ba guan (cupping). Cupping refers to an ancient Chinese practice in which a cup is applied to the skin and the pressure in the cup is reduced (by using change in heat or by suctioning out air), so that the skin and superficial muscle layer is drawn into and held in the cup. Its supposed to draw out cold wind and break up congestion along meridian lines and acupuncture/acupressure points. What it does is create hickey-like circles all over my back but I have to admit - I feel better. I still have jet lag but feel like I am more balanced. Monday, March 23, 2009
Boredom - A Poem
A poem by Cati, age 12.
BOREDOM
A dull shadow that lurks over your shoulder
It feeds off of your enoyment and excitement
Energy is non-excitant when it's around
It's a monster that lives and breathes miserable
It surrounds you, it's everywhere
In class and at home, it follows you
You can't stop it
Its power is incredible
Your mind is tired and your eyes slightly closed
Its power takes over
It has got you under its spell
Your mind stops to function, paying attention is not on your mind
BOREDOM
A dull shadow that lurks over your shoulder
It feeds off of your enoyment and excitement
Energy is non-excitant when it's around
It's a monster that lives and breathes miserable
It surrounds you, it's everywhere
In class and at home, it follows you
You can't stop it
Its power is incredible
Your mind is tired and your eyes slightly closed
Its power takes over
It has got you under its spell
Your mind stops to function, paying attention is not on your mind
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Are You Listening To Me?
Thoughts and Intentions for My Daughters...
Are you listening to me when I tell you that you are a special person full of passion, joy and love? Are you listening to me when I whisper in your ear while you are sleeping that I love you? Are you listening to me when I gently urge you to be an individual full of confidence, passion, zest, bliss and positive shakti?
If Dad and I can teach you one thing – it is to be proud of who you are and to celebrate, every day, your individuality. Dare to be different, dare to follow your dreams, dare to be passionate, dare to take risks. No matter whether you succeed beyond your wildest dreams or whether you don’t meet your goals – you will still be loved. You will still always have a home. You will still have four ears that will
listen, two mouths that will offer encouragement, four arms that will hug you and four eyes that will always look upon you with love and endearment.
Some people think it is safe to follow the crowd and not be an individual, not to dream, not to be passionate, not to take risks. This is wrong. Its safer to follow your heart and allow it to take you on a journey to find your dreams. Its safer because you will always be loved, no matter what!
Love you!
Are you listening to me when I tell you that you are a special person full of passion, joy and love? Are you listening to me when I whisper in your ear while you are sleeping that I love you? Are you listening to me when I gently urge you to be an individual full of confidence, passion, zest, bliss and positive shakti?
If Dad and I can teach you one thing – it is to be proud of who you are and to celebrate, every day, your individuality. Dare to be different, dare to follow your dreams, dare to be passionate, dare to take risks. No matter whether you succeed beyond your wildest dreams or whether you don’t meet your goals – you will still be loved. You will still always have a home. You will still have four ears that will
listen, two mouths that will offer encouragement, four arms that will hug you and four eyes that will always look upon you with love and endearment.Some people think it is safe to follow the crowd and not be an individual, not to dream, not to be passionate, not to take risks. This is wrong. Its safer to follow your heart and allow it to take you on a journey to find your dreams. Its safer because you will always be loved, no matter what!
Love you!
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Cao Mei, You Ma? (Do You Want Strawberries?)
(This short story is a homework assignment from a creative writing class I am taking. The assignment was to be aware of conversations around me, choose a phrase that appeals to me and write about it. This is the result.)
“Xiao Mei Mei, please eat some more rice. Just one more spoonful.”
“NO!” I said stamping my feet. I made my face real mean too.
“I like chocolate. I want to eat CHOCOLATE, Mama!”
Mama starts crying. I don’t understand why she is crying. I don’t understand a lot. I’m only 5.
“Mama, bu ku. Don’t you like chocolate? It is so yummy. I want to eat it every day and it is brown. I like brown things like chocolate and cola and those biscuits we buy at the small shop.”
I am studying my colors. I am happy to tell Mama I know what color chocolate and cola and biscuits are. My favorite game is the color game because I play with Mama. She points to something then I tell her the color. If I’m right then she gives me a pat on the head and tells me I’m very smart and smiles really big.
But right now, she is still crying, even harder now. I really don’t understand. The color game is happy.
“Lao Gong, what am I going to do with Xiao Mei Mei?”
“I know! You can bring me to the small shop to buy brown biscuits and brown cola!” I yell at the top of my lungs. I like yelling. It is fun!
“And, I know something green too! Green gum! I want green gum! Let’s go to the small shop.”
“Xiao Mei Mei,” my BaBa says, “There are other green things too like xiao bai cai, bo cai and qing cai. You should eat more green things than just gum and not too many brown things.”
“But BaBa gum is green. I don’t like green vegetables.”
“AIYAAAA!” Mama runs from the room.
“Xiao Mei Mei, its ok if you don’t like green things,” coaxed my Baba. “Do you like red things?”
I nod my head because I know red is the color of China.
Baba continued, “Good girl. Red is the color of the Chinese people. All Chinese honor and revere the color red. You are a loyal, honest and filial Chinese. What are things that are red?”
I love the color game. I am glad I don’t have to name more green things.
“I know! The Chinese flag is red. I have a red crayon and an apple is red.”
Baba winks his eye at Mama. “Did you hear that, Tai Tai? Xiao Mei Mei just said an apple is red.”
Mama is smiling. I smile too!
Mama gives me my jacket and brushes me out the door.
“Are we going to the small shop to buy biscuits and cola and chocolate?” I am really hungry now.
“No. We will go to the fruit seller to buy red apples. Chinese people love red so you will love apples!”
“OK”, I shrug happy and skip down the sidewalk. I love the bright lights outside our flat. The meat cutter has bright lights in the shape of a pig! It is my favorite light!
We are at the fruit seller. He greets Mama, “Chi guo le ma?”
“Hai mei you, ni ne?” Mama says.
I am glad Mama said she hasn’t eaten yet. I am hungry.
The fruit seller smiles widely, “Then you must buy many fruits. I have red apples, green pears and yellow bananas.”
“Today, we want red apples. Xiao Mei Mei, don’t the red apples smell wonderfully sweet, just like candy?”
I want to answer Mama but I smell something else and it is red too. It smells like the gum I like to eat. It smells sweet and looks like a giant sugar drop. I move closer to it.
“Cao mei, you ma?” Mama asks me. (Do you want strawberries?)
“Yes, Mama. I like red things.”
Mama smiles.
“Xiao Mei Mei, please eat some more rice. Just one more spoonful.”
“NO!” I said stamping my feet. I made my face real mean too.
“I like chocolate. I want to eat CHOCOLATE, Mama!”
Mama starts crying. I don’t understand why she is crying. I don’t understand a lot. I’m only 5.
“Mama, bu ku. Don’t you like chocolate? It is so yummy. I want to eat it every day and it is brown. I like brown things like chocolate and cola and those biscuits we buy at the small shop.”
I am studying my colors. I am happy to tell Mama I know what color chocolate and cola and biscuits are. My favorite game is the color game because I play with Mama. She points to something then I tell her the color. If I’m right then she gives me a pat on the head and tells me I’m very smart and smiles really big.
But right now, she is still crying, even harder now. I really don’t understand. The color game is happy.
“Lao Gong, what am I going to do with Xiao Mei Mei?”
“I know! You can bring me to the small shop to buy brown biscuits and brown cola!” I yell at the top of my lungs. I like yelling. It is fun!
“And, I know something green too! Green gum! I want green gum! Let’s go to the small shop.”
“Xiao Mei Mei,” my BaBa says, “There are other green things too like xiao bai cai, bo cai and qing cai. You should eat more green things than just gum and not too many brown things.”
“But BaBa gum is green. I don’t like green vegetables.”
“AIYAAAA!” Mama runs from the room.
“Xiao Mei Mei, its ok if you don’t like green things,” coaxed my Baba. “Do you like red things?”
I nod my head because I know red is the color of China.
Baba continued, “Good girl. Red is the color of the Chinese people. All Chinese honor and revere the color red. You are a loyal, honest and filial Chinese. What are things that are red?”
I love the color game. I am glad I don’t have to name more green things.
“I know! The Chinese flag is red. I have a red crayon and an apple is red.”
Baba winks his eye at Mama. “Did you hear that, Tai Tai? Xiao Mei Mei just said an apple is red.”
Mama is smiling. I smile too!
Mama gives me my jacket and brushes me out the door.
“Are we going to the small shop to buy biscuits and cola and chocolate?” I am really hungry now.
“No. We will go to the fruit seller to buy red apples. Chinese people love red so you will love apples!”
“OK”, I shrug happy and skip down the sidewalk. I love the bright lights outside our flat. The meat cutter has bright lights in the shape of a pig! It is my favorite light!
We are at the fruit seller. He greets Mama, “Chi guo le ma?”
“Hai mei you, ni ne?” Mama says.
I am glad Mama said she hasn’t eaten yet. I am hungry.
The fruit seller smiles widely, “Then you must buy many fruits. I have red apples, green pears and yellow bananas.”“Today, we want red apples. Xiao Mei Mei, don’t the red apples smell wonderfully sweet, just like candy?”
I want to answer Mama but I smell something else and it is red too. It smells like the gum I like to eat. It smells sweet and looks like a giant sugar drop. I move closer to it.
“Cao mei, you ma?” Mama asks me. (Do you want strawberries?)
“Yes, Mama. I like red things.”
Mama smiles.
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