Every day I cultivate my life experience. I like to think of the word “cultivate” as “do”. What I do is what I develop and strengthen. How I live every day influences the way I will live in the future. How I live every day determines how I feel about the past. What I do every day but more importantly how I do it, is a choice easy to forget that I have. Am I kind or rude? Talking or listening? Paying attention or absent-minded? Compassionate or indifferent? Tolerant or idealistic? Focused or scattered? Relaxed or tense? Calm or anxious? Happy or sad? Active or inert? By concentrating on certain aspects and attributes of our life and our being we can create habitual reactions that we would like to have. By making an effort to smile, to listen to others, to pay attention and notice the good side of things, it becomes infinitely easier to do it in a more natural, effortless way. Almost automatically. What is your choice? What do you cultivate? Life goes by very quickly. Be an artist and a co-creator of your daily experiences. ...
Tao of the Four Empties
There are countless ways to approach our health and wellbeing. Some people are inclined to follow the mainstream guidelines, others like to experiment on themselves. In an era of the internet, we have access to an unbelievable amount of health systems from many diverse cultures. It is only a question of what we like and what works for us. Many years ago, while studying books on Qigong, Tai Chi and Taoism I came across an old Taoist saying: “ Those who strive for longevity should maintain the “Four Empties”. For me as a Tai Chi and Qigong practitioner, the concept of the “Four Empties” neatly encompasses all the general principles of maintaining good health that I have discovered and implemented in my own life. Each of the Four Empties represents an important aspect of our daily cultivation. The type of practice that is simple, inspired by Nature itself, and accessible to anyone wishing to try it. The Four Empties are: Empty Mind Empty Stomach Empty Kitchen Empty Room The practice of the Empty Mind refers to our effort of maintaining an inner, mental equilibrium. Our mind has an unimaginable power of effecting the quality of our life, therefore it is important to pay attention to the habits it develops (for example needless worrying or dwelling on the past or future). There are many meditative, contemplative methods that help to bring our thoughts to a place of balance and stability. Control of our breath can be a very useful tool. The practice of the Empty Stomach refers to the importance of our eating habits and their impact on our lives. It reminds us of the value of the time-tested healing tradition – fasting. Each and every one of us needs to find a favorite way to implement periods of detox and restoration with no food. It mimics the experiences of our ancestors and reflects our evolutionary needs, reminding us that for most of humanity, continuous satiety is a very recent and not necessarily optimal phenomenon. The practice of the Empty Kitchen refers to the quality of foods that we usually consume. Foods our body needs have to be fresh, unprocessed, whole. Most of us quickly forget the meaning of these words. Keeping our kitchen empty means avoiding eating anything that can be stored for an excessively long time, learning to recognize the real, natural foods that humans have been using for millions of years, and “unlearning” the pseudo-foods we’ve grown to consider “normal”. The practice of the Empty Room refers to the influence of our surroundings on our mood, health, and wellbeing. Simplifying what we can make simpler, decluttering what we can declutter. Creating space for more movement, sunshine and fresh air. Motivating ourselves to activate our bodies and interact with natural elements more. By minimizing the amount of “things” in our life we open up room for more time for relationships and experiences. In the next few posts, we will take a closer look at each element of the “Four Empties”. ...
Minimalism – the incredible lightness of being.
The world around us, our schools, businesses, governments, parents, they all us teach us how we need to have more, achieve more, be more. Minimalism teaches us how to have enough. What is enough? It is a state of being when we feel contentment with what is, with what we have. In a way, it is not very different from the lofty ideas of enlightenment or happiness, ideas of being present and happy here and now. Minimalism is not anything new. The Greek philosophers, Japanese Zen masters, Chinese Taoist hermits, and many, many others have been practicing minimalism since the times forgotten. Jesus, Buddha, Gandhi, they all understood the limitations of things. In the world of materialism and common mindless consumption, the idea of minimalism is a counterbalance to excess. To have enough or to be enough has been a goal pursued by many. In minimalism, contrary to other approaches, enough is sought by subtracting rather than adding. Letting go rather than accumulating. Appreciating the “haves” rather than craving the “have nots”. When we realize what we really need – we realize what is enough for us. When you realize that there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you – Lao Tzu Many types of Buddhist practices emphasize the importance of being present in the moment, aware and mindful of what we are doing. Minimalism shares the same desire to be more mindful of our real needs for possessions, achievements, and many more. When we simply react to the world around us, it is often an unconscious or undesirable reaction. A result of previous experiences, past conditioning or a formed habit. On the material plane, we happen to react to peer pressure or marketing suggestions and buy more things in hopes that they will bring us joy and happiness. While things can do that, it is not a very long lasting feeling. Because we want to experience the feeling again, we end up buying more and more. As a result, we get more conditioned, our reward system down-regulates and we need to do it even more often, feeling progressively less pleasure. Not to mention that our stuff quickly accumulates. It is a vicious circle that slowly burns out our joy of life. So, instead of investing our hopes for contentment in yet another toy we would like to have, why don’t we start the process of elimination to discover that we don’t really need much to feel satisfied with life. Re-discovering a long forgotten hobby, simple interactions with other people and nature can be as rewarding and much longer lasting means of finding the elusive happiness. Do YOU enjoy every day appreciating its gifts and remembering its transience? ...
Life is complicated enough. Simplify what you can. Especially your daily habits. Healthy = Natural = Simple
Kids do it. Birds do it. Your dog and cat do it. Sometimes 40-50 times a day. Since we sit so much, we tend to forget how important it is to pandiculate – contract and extend the muscle or better yet – the entire muscle group as often as possible. This is how we can get rid of excessive tension accumulating in our body as a result of a lack of movement. Pandiculation resets the muscles to their neutral position, helping them to get back to their natural state and prepare the entire musculoskeletal system for movement. Contract and extend the entire body when you wake up, while in bed and continue to do it frequently throughout the day (especially if you have to sit a lot!) Various forms of meditation have a huge impact on our body and mind. Did you know that meditation reduces anxiety and stress, improves concentration and mood, decreases cortisol (stress hormone) levels, lowers blood pressure, slows down the heartbeat, increases the feeling of relaxation and raises the number of antibodies thus improving resistance to infections and inflammation? At the beginning or at the end of your day, create some time for quiet contemplation, simple meditation… Most animals in Nature do not eat all the time. Observe and imitate natural patterns in the wild by skipping a meal or two from time to time. Extend the time between meals and create an opportunity for your organism to activate its regenerative mechanisms. The body gets quickly adapted to a new meal frequency and it becomes a natural, everyday habit. By not eating for 16 hours (including sleep), we benefit by improving our cognitive functioning, lowering the inflammation, blood pressure and blood glucose levels and by a general improvement of metabolic processes of the body. Do not eat until you’re really hungry and when you are, drink some bone broth or a cup of herbal tea or coffee, extending the time of fasting. When you are ready for a meal, eat real, natural, unprocessed food, including lots of veggies, especially the fermented ones. Move your body. Sweat a little every day! Exercise and physical activity allow you not only to retain your strength and functionality but have a huge impact on your mood, memory, sleep quality, stress reduction and cognitive fitness. Take at least a short, intense walk. Run a few flights of stairs. Take the garbage out. Walk the dog a few blocks. Take every opportunity to train your thermoregulating mechanisms. Body conditioning that takes advantage of natural elements, exposing yourself gradually to cold or heat can improve your blood circulation and resistance to colds, activate your hidden energetic reserves and strengthen your immune system. Walk barefoot. Take a cool shower! It can be more efficient than a cup of coffee or a Red Bull! Make sure you create an optimal condition for natural, healthy sleep. People who experience problems with sleep tend to gain weight easily, are more prone to inflammation and depression. Proper sleep helps to ward off diabetes, prevents heart disease, increases fertility and sex drive, improves concentration and productivity, boosts immunity response and mental wellbeing. Sleep in a quiet, dark and well-aired room with no phone, iPad, computer etc. ...
“Perfection” vs. “Reality”
We are looking for “natural” in a very artificial world. We are looking for “simple” in a very complex world. We are looking for “pure” in a very polluted world. We are looking for “slow” in a very fast-paced world. We are looking for “relaxed” in a chronically stressed world. We are looking for “healthy” in a very sick world. We need to remember that most of us generally don’t function in a very natural world. We’ve been subjects to many unnatural factors for many generations. Highly processed foods, polluted environments, stressful lifestyles – we are the end products of it all. What does it mean from the practical point of view? It means that sometimes, even following the best, most optimal and natural approach may not bring forward the exact, expected results we would like to see. Changing our lifestyle will certainly create a lot of improvements in its overall quality, however looking for perfection would be a little unrealistic. Therefore take your time introducing changes. Enjoy small successes. Don’t anticipate solving all your issues within a week or two. Think how long it took you to get you to where you are now. Just do and try to find a way to enjoy the process of doing it. What can you do? Meditate – it will provide a measure of a slower pace, calm and stress release, emotion control and a wider, deeper perspective on things in general. Exercise – it will diminish stress, provide better mental and physical functionality, overall better mood and a feeling of well-being, improvement of metabolic and hormonal health. Eat natural, unprocessed, real food – it will provide the necessary building blocks for a healthy body and mind. Fast periodically – it will provide an opportunity for healing and regeneration. Reestablish your natural sleeping patterns – it will provide support for your immune system and mental and physical restoration. Spend time in Nature – exposure to natural elements will exercise and strengthen your body’s defence systems and thermoregulation mechanisms, and recharge your inner mental batteries. ...
Everyday cultivation of quality.
Every single day you wake up in some place, you wake up in some body, you wake up in some mind and you begin to tell yourself your own story from the beginning, again. You remember where you are. You remember who you are. You remember what you need to do. Remember. It is a nice word but do you realize that human memory is re-created over and over again every time we try to “remember” something?! We do not function like a computer storing memories of yesterday. Every reflection of the past is created anew every time we try to remember it. Amazing! A continuous creative process! Just like our everyday life. Every morning you wake up and create your life again. You put it all together the way you are used to, the way your environment had conditioned you, the way it is convenient or the only way you believe it is possible to do. But of course, you know that there are many, many ways. All it takes is changing your immediate surroundings, social circle, cultural environment, the place where you live or work and it becomes very clear how many different ways of doing things there are. Or.. you can change the way you think. Change the thinking and continuously use this new way, practice, utilize, cultivate it. This is the simplest and yet the most demanding change. It requires our own work, effort, willingness, time and patience. All the things we are constantly running short of. When you wake up – think of something nice, appreciate a good night’s sleep. Stretch and appreciate your body. Get up and appreciate your surroundings. Walk to the bathroom and appreciate the water you have. Go to the kitchen, prepare something healthy, tasty, nutritious and thank for the food you have. Go out, appreciate the world and yourself and do something good, do something nice! ...
What spirituality is and what it is not?
I am sitting on the train watching a father and his ten-year-old daughter. They are so nice. He is so engaged and enthusiastic and has so much fun in a conversation with her. They exemplify how one can be towards another. Full of love. I think it is possible to be like this with everything. It requires attention. It needs cultivation. But it is possible. I think when people see it in someone who doesn’t apply it only towards a family member or a loved one, they think this is spirituality. Perhaps it is. Giving love to everyone. Perhaps feeling love for everyone is spirituality. Perhaps feeling gratefulness is spirituality. Perhaps feeling contentment is spirituality. Perhaps feeling inner peace is spirituality. Certainly showing devotion to a principle, doing things for show, being overly strict to oneself or others, showing no appreciation, showing anger, pessimism, anxiety – is not spirituality. Which one do you practice? ...
Follow Nature – Natural health cultivation.
The way of Nature Mother Nature provides. Listen to her voice. Listen to her instructions. Her voice is part of you. She will tell you what to do. Use her elements to stay fit and healthy. Use air, sun, earth and water. You are part of her. Do not avoid her. Flow with rather than against her. She is your teacher. Learn. Pay attention to your own body and everything around it. Use breath to control your body and your mind. Discover the breath as a wonderful connection between one and the other. Breathe deeply and fully. Keep things simple. Don’t over-complicate. Life is complex enough as it is. Simplify your work. Simplify your foods. Simplify your needs. Simplify your life. The more things you add the more complicated things become. Seek beauty in simplicity. Enjoy simple pleasures and learn how to recognize them throughout your day. What you do is what you develop. Repetition develops habits. You have a choice of what you want to develop. Do more of what and how you want to be. Do less of what and how you don’t want to be. Repeat it long enough and it will become your nature. It will become you. Live your own life. Get inspiration from others but you are the one who has to walk the chosen path. Make it your own by doing not just reading or thinking about it. Pick what suits you best. Discard what is not your cup of tea. How to tell the difference? – you might ask! Ask yourself! You and only you can answer this. Realize what comes to you naturally. You are a unique individual with your own strengths and weaknesses. Nurture the former and get rid of the latter. Pay attention to what you eat and drink. Combined with the air you breathe – this is what you are made of! Choose fresh and avoid processed foods, especially sweets. Variety is important. Think why you eat, how much, what you eat, when you eat, and how you eat. Let your body rest and recover after intense physical exertion. Let your digestive system rest and recover regularly. Your body is designed to feast and fast. Let your mind rest and recover. Find your favorite form of meditation. Make sure you get a regular good night’s sleep. Feel the hunger regularly. Do not stop moving! Your body is designed to run, jump, lift and twist. Pay attention to your posture. Repetition creates habits! Make sure you get a daily dose of physical and mental activity and stimulation. Sweat every day. Good stress (eustress) is the very stress that provokes change, adaptation and development. Find time to commune with nature and its elements. Don’t always insulate yourself from cold, heat, rain or snow. Train your body and mind to adapt to changing circumstances. Appreciate. Develop a habit of finding things, situations and people in your life to appreciate. Realize how lucky you are! ...
Appreciation
Every day I try to remember to appreciate every moment. Every day I try to remember how lucky I am. Every day I try to remember what a privilege it is to have food, water, roof over my head, shower, refrigerator, health, freedom, education, family, friends, time and much, much more! Every day I try to remember not to get irritated by the little inconveniences that life provides from time to time. Every day I try to remember not to complain and feel sorry for myself just because I forget that the little moment of unhappiness I happen to go through is not the center of the entire universe! I try and try, day after day, over and over again until it becomes a habit. Until it becomes something completely natural. Until I fully realize there is nothing missing. And when my expectations, ignorance, self pity and sense of entitlement are gone, all that is left is APPRECIATION. ...
No movement = loss of the ability to move.
We often tend to ignore our bodies and minds to the point of not realizing the fundamental importance and impact on our life that the properly functioning body and mind have. In the continuous rush of day-to-day existence, in the midst of all the important matters that we absolutely have to take care of, we forget that if our body starts to malfunction, we will not be able to direct our attention and energy into anything else anyway. To prevent this from happening, try to incorporate physical activity into the normal flow of your day. Move at every opportunity you have! This will not only allow you to maintain your physical fitness and ability to do things but it will also greatly impact your mental fitness and the way you feel in general! It is difficult sometimes to find an hour or two for physical exercise. However, it is possible to integrate a lot of physical activities into our other daily activities. Get off the bus a couple of stops earlier and take a walk. Use stairs instead of an elevator. From now on, every flight of stairs, every hill to climb can be your ally in being more active. Whenever practicable – ride a bike instead of a car. Park your car in a place that will make you take a nice walk. Do you like to dance? Put the music on and dance till you’re breathless! Stretch discreetly when at work, on the train or plane. Waiting for something? Another opportunity to open up the body, release the muscle tension and move your body! Move and stretch when you wake up in bed. Move, stretch and release when waiting in the traffic jam. Move when sitting and traveling on the bus. Move when watching TV or listening to your favorite podcast. The sky is the limit! Or your imagination is. Be creative. Every day can become a game, an interesting challenge – how do I create an opportunity for some movement today? Your body is designed to move. Regular, balanced movement activities prevent illness, heal and strengthen. ...
