Surprise – and then there were two!
by stacia on July 28, 2010
in meditation, silence
Mother Nature's Creativity
Nick asked me to shoot a few videos of him for the upcoming USANA convention and another one of our sites. While I was waiting for him to get ready, I wandered over to our Butterfly bush and tried to capture Mother Nature’s artwork. I love having this right outside my office window. When the bush is about 6 feet high, the butterflies go crazy with it.
I am not a photographer by any stretch of the imagination, sometimes I just happen to get a great picture.
I’m shooting away, trying to capture a good shot of the butterfly there to the left, and Nick motions for me to follow him around the side of the house. I follow, wondering why on earth we’re heading to the back yard.
Behind our shed? Well, the guys had been throwing the clippings back there every fall when they cut the bush down. Now? HUGE butterfly bush and so many colorful butterflies flitting about. Who knew?
What a beautiful surprise! We’d thought we lost the one out front due to the snow storms, but now I have TWO! Lesson, be open to your surroundings and unexpected surprises.
PS – If you’re a writer and missing the Romance Writer’s of America Conference in Orlando, then head over to Savvy Authors! There’s a summer symposium and I’m running the Muse Workshop from now thru Sunday.
Meditation for Martial Artists
by stacia on July 25, 2010
in marital arts, meditation
I’m behind in my reading.
It might be because I have so many book laying around the house and office that I forget which ones I’d been so focused on at the store. If you read my blog over on www.sybir.com you know I have a problem with bookstores, I just can’t get out of one for under $80. Pricey if I get too near Borders once a week.
I’ve been focused on my freelance work lately, and have neglected my writing focus for MBS Works. Writing focus for here? Yes, that includes:
- This blog
- Researching Self Defense authors and books for Everything Self Defense
- Co-writing a book with the experts over at ACSS Transitions
- and a score of other things that I try to keep up with….
You should see my to do list.
Black Belt - Sept 2010
In reading an article, “The Inverse Pearl” in Black Belt magazine today, I was reminded about why and how I use meditation in my life. It reminded me that on the days I keep meditation in my schedule, I get far more done in less time. I’m more focused in the dojo or the gym. This is true for me in life and training.
While training for my black belt, I used my hypnosis training and recorded several hypnosis sessions to listen to nightly. I needed to increase my focus and my speed during sparring sessions. I’m little, so I had to use every training advantage I could so I could land my hits on larger and stronger opponents.
Did it work?
YES. My awareness is actually heightened as well. I’ve been known to grab a fork from mid-air when pup’s accidentally flipped it out of his ice cream dish. Shocked silence greeted the table one night at a local restaurant. Nick, my husband, glossed over it with a comment about “mommy’s got mad ninja skills”.
I’ve been meditating since around the age of 12. It’s been one of the best skill my mother taught me (although she’s taught me a lot).
Meditation helps to increase awareness and focus. It can help power through a workout and manage pain. Athletes use visualization techniques all the time to help improve their natural abilities. Meditation, or no mind, helps you to achieve a balance in body and mind. As Stephen Blazac points out in his article, “Zen Buddhists describe it as a mind of no hesitation, no interruption, no mediacy.”
Can you imagine what a skill this is to have in any martial arts encounter? Can you imagine being able to teach that skill to your students or even your children?
My favorite ‘diet’ recommendations….
I’m not really into dieting per se, but more of lifestyle changes. (I did the ‘diet’ thing in 2005-06 for bodybuilding and dropped way too low.)
Now, the lifestyle changes!
It’s been a slow process. And, since I’m doing the bodybuilding route again, this time, we’re doing it healthy and energetic the whole way.
Vegan style.
Now, I may not be 100% totally vegan yet, but I’m getting there. It’s not a lifestyle change for everyone, but I think more people could incorporate a few more vegetarian/vegan meals into their days *wink*
This morning, while I was making my smoothie I thought “hmm, what are my favorite recommendations for making lifestyle (diet) changes?” Here are my top recommendations:
- Drink more water. Drop a lemon in it or a lime if you need to add some flavor. Alternate your water consumption with green tea or Crystal Lite until you can consume only water all day long. It takes a while. You have to wean yourself off of milk, sodas and flavor. I promise, you WILL start craving water whether it be warm, luke warm or ice cold. Yes, there are a ton of studies out there on just what temperature your water should be for optimal body response. I don’t care. Just drink more of the stuff.
- Make one meal a day vegan/vegetarian. Not have meat with a meal or a snack? Yes, I’m crazy, but try it! See if you feel more energetic/lighter. You might be surprised.
- Pay attention to how you feel after a meal. Did you just have a pasta dinner? Feeling tired? Feel like your stomach is over extended? Or do you feel energetic and ready to take on the world and all your tasks? Keep a journal if you need to. I learned that chocolate coats my tongue and makes it feel icky (yes, that’s the actual word I used.) Pasta makes me sleep, so do most breads. Green smoothies keep me full IF I’ve used an avocado in them. Crystal Lite can give me a migraine if I drink too much of it. And, I start craving healthy food the more I eat healthy food.
- Don’t read food magazines late at night. They make you hungry. I’m not kidding. Try it and see.
- Turn off the lights in the kitchen after dinner. AND, along with that, only keep fresh fruits/snacks out to be seen so if you do wander back into the kitchen, you gravitate to healthy snacks, not salty or sugary ones.
- No grains after 2pm. I’ve noticed that my body slows way down in the afternoon hours. I need my grains to jump start my brain in the am, but I’ve learned to really limit them later in the evening, especially if I’m trying to lean down. If I do have some at night, it’s about a 1/2 of brown rice or something similar. Nothing too outrageous like second helpings of pasta. (Once I start that trend, it’s like an addiction…I keep going back to get MORE.)
These are my big Six. What other recommendations do you have to add? I’m sure there are others…….
