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There are some systems built over time that have a certain modularity in them, a pluggability. An essence, that can be extended upon, drawn on at any time, "bootstrapped" so to speak, with common assumptions and observations and beliefs. The Chinese systems of politics, philosophy, religion, medicine, health, divination, and astrology all share a single thread; they are observations of change. The study of how change changes, or what the process of change entails, has been mystifying human beings since the beginning of time.

#1 - If you are practicing (practice mantra: “I am practicing balance”) in a balanced way - that induces the beginnings of balance ongoing. How? Rhythm is essential to understanding this - and something to keep learning from. If something goes in and out, left and right, and up and down in a regulated way, it can carry its own momentum into greater and greater lengths of time without an external force. The secret is that balance practiced ongoing through rhythm produces breakthrough - or what was not possible is now possible or what was not known is now known.

A lot of things have been suggested over the years as to how our personal practices can improve. Why we do or don't practice on a regular schedule, and how we interpret our practices as being good/bad goes through a few changes as well. One thing that is important to note: all of the suggestions about improving your personal practice rely on you having one. As obvious as that might be to most, it can sometimes take four or five years to even begin considering that you don't have one, and aim for it. 

One of the greatest challenges when starting to practice is believing what your teacher is saying enough to actually try it out in your own life (or for that matter, in class!). This is because most of what is suggested seems risky and improbable and might be a significant departure from the way you are accustomed to doing things.  I am here to tell you that it is improbable that you or anyone else will actually listen and change. Don’t be a statistic!

Update: We listened to some feedback and made a new version of the video that should be a bit more clear and without as many glitches. Thanks!

This past week we have had a couple of Free-talks on Grounding and the inter-active aspects that support functional relationships. When we consider our social skills and our ability to have lasting relationships and sincere connections to friends and family, we may become aware of our own boundaries, limitations, what's appropriate, inner feelings and thought-dialogue, motives, willingness, and our own relationship to self. Relationships and our ability to accommodate the many variables of individual expression, give direct reflection into our own psyche.

These articles offer simple explanations of a few common deficiencies and how you might look at them in relationship to your life and diet:

Spleen Qi Deficiency – A Nutritional Perspective

By Anasuya Basil Batliner, NC, Dipl. ABT, CST
Published in Nutrition Professionals Quarterly, 2004
http://mybodywisdom.net/pdf/Spleen_Qi_Nutrition.pdf

TCM and Nutrition: Kidney Yin Deficiency

By Anasuya Basil Batliner, NC, Dipl. ABT, CST
Published in Nutrition Professionals Quarterly, 2004
http://mybodywisdom.net/pdf/Nutrition_for_Kidney_Yin.pdf

Liver Qi Stagnation and Diet

To learn more, attend the workshop. Find out more here.

An affirmation is a way of speaking to yourself at a level deeper than you are currently conscious of. Technically speaking, we should not need to speak to ourselves because we are ourselves, nonetheless its still worth our time. Some things I tell myself