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Oriental Healing Bellydance:
Improving
Your Quality of Life One Hip Shimmy at a Time
by Shauna Taylor
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Every
aspect of the bellydance experience is filled with living,
breathing, moment-to-moment energy. |
Imagine how
your life would feel if you lived each moment with pure, unfettered
self-expression. Imagine how your life would feel if you were free of
judgment from others—and from yourself. Imagine how your life would
feel if you were life itself!
The ancient art of Middle Eastern dance, commonly referred to as
bellydance, is one of the oldest known forms of dance. It has been
used as a method of healing, spirituality, and communication with the
divine. With its powerful energy, sensual movements, and fluid
transitions, bellydance is the epitome of both male and female energy.
This is expressed in the versatility of the dance: it can be powerful,
strong and energetic, or it can be soft, supple, and liquid.
Bellydance
consists of moving all the joints in the body in every possible range
of motion. This is initially done in isolation—as in moving the hips
while the rest of body works hard to stay still. Once the isolations
of body parts are learned, they may be combined together. For example,
your hips can keep the rhythm of the music while your arms and upper
body focus on the melody. This makes bellydance a beautiful and
natural form of self-expression that is fun, empowering, and nurturing
for one’s body, mind, and soul.
Bellydance is
a close cousin to the Eastern arts of Tai Chi, Qigong, and Yoga, and
Oriental Healing bellydance is actually a combination of these arts.
When the principles of Tai Chi, Qigong, and Yoga are applied to
bellydance, one may experience increased energy flow, a stronger yet
more open body, and a calmer mind.
According to
Oriental Medicine, the powers of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity comprise
the total of natural and energetic forces that can affect the body in
its existence—and this includes the physical, emotional, mental,
energetic, and spiritual levels. Dance itself takes up both time and
space, and must be executed by a man or woman. Time is a form of
Heavenly Qi (or life energy) and space is a form of Earthly Qi. Therefore,
the dance is a balanced combination of the powers of Heaven (time),
Earth (space) and Humanity. In this sense, bellydance is an ideal
platform for any type of healing to occur.
Traditionally,
bellydance invokes spontaneous, expressive movements. Choreography is
a no-no, as is pre-recorded music. Every aspect of the bellydance
experience is filled with living, breathing, moment-to-moment energy.
In Western society today, this idea is a rare one and may even be
frightening to some. However, unleashing the soul in a safe
environment is an invaluable part of well-being.
Can you trust
yourself enough to put your ego in the back seat and let your soul
guide your body, if only for a moment? Getting the ego out of
the way and expressing the soul through uninhibited dance allows for
the powers of Heaven and Earth to be manifested through our Human
body. Here again we find a creative platform for healing. Reaching
this level of trust, surety, and self-love is no small task; however,
it greatly increases our quality of life and empowers us to achieve
what we desire.
The basic
movements that are taught in Oriental Healing bellydance class open
the body and lead to a level of self-trust and love that allow for
uninhibited expressive dance and well-being to occur. Beginning
students usually learn a series of Qigong movements to open, stretch,
and strengthen the lower back. This is essential for the dance, as
bellydance movements originate in the core of the body (that is, the
lower back and the abdomen—which may also be thought of as the navel
of the universe).
Basics in the
Chinese Five Elements may also be taught in order to add meaning and
understanding to what we do. Students learn basic isolations and dance
combinations. Once this becomes comfortable, we move into exercises
designed to enhance self-trust and power. Intermediate students can
learn or develop dances that include some Tai Chi, Qigong, and Yoga
postures.
Oriental
Healing Bellydance classes are for men and women alike. The movements
are the same for both, though with a different emphasis. After
learning the dance, women and men both gain a healthy and loving body
image. This in turn inspires confidence, power, grace, poise,
creativity, a sense of the body as a temple, freedom from social
confines, and so much more.
Oriental
Healing Bellydance allows for a time and space of pure, unfettered
self-expression; a time and space free of judgments; and the time and
space to learn that you are life. Most beneficial of all, Oriental
Healing Bellydance gives your soul the space and freedom to be. It is
the time for the soul to be—to laugh and play and be full of
contentment.
Shauna
Taylor
teaches Oriental Healing Bellydance and is a Licensed Oriental Healing
Massage Therapist. She is available for massage appointments, dance
performances, events and parties. Call the Oriental Healing Arts
Center, 279-0135.
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Surefire
Ways to Beat Exercise Boredom
by Bonnie Murphy
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Have
you scrapped the whole idea of exercise because you are bored
and aren’t seeing much of a change? |
Do
you make excuses to not go to the gym or exercise class because it is
boring? Do you ever feel that you have been exercising forever and are
still not seeing any results? Did you just scrap the whole idea of
exercise because you are bored and aren’t seeing much of a change?
Well,
your muscles get bored too. If you ask them to do the same thing over
and over again they will likely respond with a ho-hum attitude.
Perhaps you’ve heard people talking about plateaus with their
fitness program? The reason a person doesn’t see body changes after
a few months of doing the same program is because the muscles have
gotten used to doing the routine; in short, there is no challenge. If
you change your program by adding more weight or doing more
repetitions or different exercises, however, your body will respond
accordingly.
For
example, when you add more weight to your exercises, your muscles will
have to respond by getting stronger. If you work your muscles against
a resistance to the point of fatigue, you tear down muscle fiber.
However, when you rest a day or two between workouts you are allowing
your body to repair your muscles.
In the process of repairing muscle tissue, your body will
realize that you want to be able to lift more poundage; thus, your
blood will build the muscle stronger. Contrary to popular opinion:
blood builds muscle—not protein!
If
you add more repetitions to an exercise routine, you will also be
challenging your muscles. That is, by adding another set of
repetitions you will be shocking your muscles, thus enabling them to
become stronger.
The
secret to a happier, healthier you is to change your exercise program
every six to eight weeks. In this way, you help your body not to
plateau and your mind not to get bored.
When
I taught classes at the Senior Center, I watched those in their 60s,
70s, 80s and even 90s change their bodies. One reason these senior
enjoyed such marvelous transitions was because we very seldom did the
same routine more than three or four times. I was always changing
things because I understood that not only did these seniors’ muscles
stay on guard, but their minds needed to be sharp and stay aware as
well.
Another
thing I feel strongly about is to always include an element of fun. If
something isn’t fun, we easily lose interest; sometimes we stop
participating altogether. Fun can be playing catch with a five-pound
medicine ball (great for your bones!). Or how about sitting on a
fitness ball and bouncing (not only fun but a fantastic core
workout!)? You can’t help smiling when you are “playing” with a
ball. My latest fun thing to do is to use a weighted Hula-Hoop.
Everyone remembers using a hula-hoop in their childhood. It’s so
enjoyable to watch women as they begin to use the hoop and allow their
minds to travel back to memories of childhood.
If
you want to get your kids or grandkids to be more active this summer,
try incorporating fun things into exercise. How about a game of tag?
That gets them moving—and you too. In inclement weather or during
the winter, consider an interactive program they can use with their
X-Box or Play Station. The Dance-Dance Revolution game is super and
really challenges young balance, reaction time, and cardiovascular
systems. There are also several stationary bikes that you can buy with
virtual races that are played on a screen. (For more ideas, see www.motionkids.com)
If
you run out of ideas for your kids, think back to your childhood. What
did you do for fun? Did you play hopscotch? What about tether ball?
Ping pong? Badminton? Remember croquet?
Think of all the activities that involve moving.
Another
idea (both to motivate and encourage) is to make a chart and challenge
your kids to walk across Alaska. Keep track of the miles or steps each
day. Decide what an ideal number of steps would be and how it would
translate into miles. You might also put a time limit on the
challenge. And be sure to
reward each child as he or she reaches the intended goal. (Think of
something other than food as a reward!)
Everyone—from
2-year-olds to grandmas and grandpas—needs to get up and get moving.
So, trash those excuses! By putting some variety and fun into your
exercise program, you’ll feel better, look better, and enjoy life
more fully!
Bonnie
Murphy
is the owner/trainer at Bfit and Well. She transforms mature bodies
through exercise and food coaching. Call 907.229.7652 for your free
fitness consultation. Email: bonnie@bfitandwell.com
Website: www.bfitandwell.com
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How
to Prevent Osteoporosis with Exercise
by Bonnie Murphy
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Remember
the “use it or lose it” rule? Well, bones really do
believe in that philosophy! |
The
key to keeping bones healthy and strong is to participate in
activities that cause you to exert force upon your skeleton. And the
best-ever exercise for bone health is rope jumping. Really!
If
you’ve never jumped rope before or if you are very sedentary,
however, it’s not smart to just start jumping. As with any exercise,
you need to be safe by starting slowly and adding minutes each time
you work out.
Your
bones are made to work hard. The worst thing you can do for them is to
be sedentary. Remember the “use it or lose it” rule? Well, bones
really do
believe in that philosophy!
Dynamic
exercises are activities that force us to constantly change forces
within our body. Thus, they have a much larger influence on bone
strength than those exercises that produce continuous force alone.
Walking and running are examples of dynamic exercise when
talking about bones. Some of the most terrific cardio machines such as
elliptical trainers, cross-country skiing, and rowing usually don’t
deliver large changes in force, so they are not first choices if you
want your bones to be challenged.
Exercise
generally helps with injury prevention. It’s been proven time and
again that regular physical activity can help prevent falls. And not
falling is a good thing! It’s truly amazing that regular physical
exercise reduces the risk of bone fracture with a fall even though the
exercise program may not promote bone growth.
So,
what’s a good type of exercise to start as a beginner?
If your activity is limited mostly to sitting, then walking
should be your first choice. As you get stronger, you may add a
strength training regimen to your walking program. And as you become
fitter, you’ll want to challenge yourself even more by adding some
interval jogging segments to your routine.
If
you aren’t ready for jogging just yet, however, simply speed up your
normal pace. Walking faster will increase the force on your bones. Add
more weight to your strength training program also. When you are
ready, you can participate in a step-aerobics class or run stairs to
provide more impact and growth to your bones. And at this point you
might want to add jump roping.
To
get stronger and manufacture more bone mineral deposits, your bones
need a healthy environment. To build bone strength you must consume
adequate calories and protein, along with enough calcium, potassium,
magnesium, and vitamins D and K. Eating lots of fruits and vegetables
provide good nutrition and help to build a good environment for bone
growth. Things that inhibit bone growth are: smoking, excessive
alcohol consumption and excess protein. It’s also wise to limit salt
and empty calories.
Now
you have a prescription for Osteoporosis prevention or reversal.
Don’t fool yourself into thinking that a pill will fix
things—often times the side effects are worse than the malady.
Instead, be active! Your body will thank you for taking on an exercise
program by supporting you in your everyday activities. You’ll
continue to experience a high quality of life when you embark on a
regular, consistent, fitness routine. Remember, a fitness lifestyle is
what keeps you younger than your years!
Bonnie
Murphy is the owner of bfit and well, a personalized training
studio that transforms mature bodies through exercise and food
coaching. Phone: 907-229-7652.
E-mail: bonnie@bfitandwell.com.
Website: www.bfitandwell.com
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Inspiration—Motivation—Exasperation!
by
Bonnie Murphy
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It
may be a sad commentary on our society that most everyone has a
pet-peeve, an axe to grind, or an annoyance list, but finds it
hard to know what really motivates or inspires them. |
To get at the
real core of change, we need to look at inspiration. I believe that
inspiration has to come from a deeper place in order to carry us
through the tough times. Deep inspiration comes from wanting something
that lasts; it comes to fruition as we begin to see ourselves
completing that task. Encouragement can come from others, but when it
gets right down to it, encouragement has to be from within and it has
to be believable. You need to trust your own instincts and listen to
your own heart. These two things will get you farther than any type of
peer or family approval.
Do you want to
know how you can actually believe in yourself? To begin, think back
over your years and really take a look at what you’ve accomplished.
Can you objectively view your past endeavors and see how each helped
you arrive at who you are today? Can you see every action—even your
‘mistakes’—as something other than trivial? As you contemplate
your vast undertakings, you need to see the value of everything
you’ve done to get you to this point in your life. When you actually
realize that you are special
and that you are worth
something, your attitude and demeanor will change.
One very
important step on your road to inspiring yourself to greatness is to
change your self-talk. How many times do you say things to yourself
that you’d never, ever say to another human being? How many times a
day do you call yourself an idiot? What about telling yourself how
stupid you are? Is ‘ugly’ another word you call yourself? How
about fat?
I know someone
who is beautiful on the outside as well as on the inside, yet she
refuses to look at herself in the mirror. She tells me that she only
looks at herself long enough in the morning to put on her makeup and
then she only looks at her skin and eyes. She thinks she’s ugly.
Where did she get this feeling? I suppose someone a long time ago must
have said something to her—but she’s repeated that phrase over in
her head so many times that now she really and truly believes it.
It’s a bold-face lie. I told her so. Each time I see her, I try to
say something positive to her about herself. It takes a lot of
positive thoughts to undo one negative. Negatives are just easier to
accept and believe. Sad, but true.
Inspiration
really does need to come from within. Even as I was trying to write
this article, I just couldn’t find the inspiration, until today.
I’ve been thinking about it for over two weeks and I’ve actually
sat down several times to put something on paper and nothing came.
Sometimes inspiration takes patience. I’ve never thought of that
before—but I can see how that works.
Motivation is
another one of those things that comes from the inside. Although
motivation and inspiration are similar, I feel motivation is more
active. Incentive, driving force, enthusiasm, and inspiration are all
close synonyms for motivation. However, I believe that you can get
motivated because you’ve
become inspired. Whether it is divine inspiration or simply a passing
thought, this sense of inspiration needs to be acted on—and that
takes motivation.
So: what
motivates you? What gets you enthused? What’s driving you?
When I get up
in the morning, I hear a little voice in my head saying: “Gotta
go make the donuts!” (This may only be funny to those folks who
remember the old television commercial.) I guess you’d say that’s
my driving force.
After I get
out of bed, I start thinking about my day and then I get enthused. I
love what I do so I get excited about what each day will bring. If
someone I work with actually discovers that she’s stronger, more
flexible, or better balanced, then that’s a win in my book. If
someone tells me she was able to shop at Costco for two hours and
didn’t feel tired, that’s my motivation. If I see a woman change
from a shrinking violet to a self-assured, full-blooming iris, I get
enthused. What encourages you?
I put the word
exasperation in the title of
this article because many of us often relate to feelings of
exasperation rather than get excited about motivation and inspiration.
Ask yourself: what makes you mad? What gets you frustrated? What
irritates you? I bet you have a list of answers a mile long to these
questions. Now, ask yourself again: was it easier to answer these last
three questions than the earlier ones about motivation and enthusiasm?
It may be a sad commentary on our society that most everyone has a
pet-peeve, an axe to grind, or an annoyance list, but finds it hard to
know what really motivates or inspires them.
We all have
positive, pleasurable things that we’ve been blessed with; most
often the trick is simply to acknowledge those things so that we can
appreciate them. This may also inspire us to change the unpleasant
situations, environments, or attitudes we carry so that we can open
ourselves to have a little fun and be more enthusiastic in our lives.
You might also find that you can be a motivator to someone that needs
you. Helping someone to overcome a challenge can be terrifically
inspiring and motivating. You might even enjoy the outcome as much as
the person you were supporting!
If
you are still unsure about what inspires or motivates you, here is a
very simple yet incredibly powerful way to begin the process of
self-discovery. It may sound silly on the surface, but it is something
that will change your life. Now—right now—go to the mirror, look
yourself in the eyes, and say “I love you.” It’s amazing how
very hard this task is for some people. If it’s hard for you right
now, what does that tell you about your relationship with yourself?
Would you like that to change? If so, practice this simple act until
it becomes natural—until you really know that you mean it. See if
that doesn’t begin the deeper process of inspiration from within!|
Bonnie
Murphy owns a Personalized Fitness Training Studio where she
transforms mature bodies through exercise and food coaching. She’s
located in Anchorage at 15th & C. Phone: 907.229.7652;
Web site: www.bfitandwell.com;
Email:
bonnie@bfitandwell.com
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The Healing Power of Female
Friendships
by Bonnie Murphy
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The ‘tend and
befriend’ notion may explain why women consistently outlive men. |
Can you believe that they have done a study on heterosexual
friendships between women? Yes, now Science can proclaim that there
is definitely something mysterious and wonderful about such
friendships.
The study I’m referring to was done at UCLA and suggests that
friendships between women shape who we are and who we are yet to be.
Such friendships soothe our turbulent inner world, fill the
emotional gaps in our marriage, and help us remember who we really
are.
There have been many stress-related studies about men revealing that
they react a whole lot differently than women. (Duh!) An Assistant
Professor of Biobehavioral Health at Penn State University and one
of the authors of the study, Dr. Laura Cousino Klein, reported
“Until this study was published, scientists generally believed that
when people experience stress, they trigger a hormonal cascade that
revs the body to either stand and fight or flee as fast as
possible.”
The UCLA study suggests, however, that women respond to stress with
a cascade of brain chemicals that cause us to make and maintain
friendships with other women. This study’s conclusion turned five
decades of stress research—mostly done on men—upside down.
Scientists discovered that instead of the ‘fight or flight’ reaction
in times of stress or fright, women have a tendency to tend to the
children and gather with other women. When a woman actually gets
into the ‘tend and gather’ mode, studies show that a hormone called
oxytocin is released that causes a calming effect.
“This calming effect does not occur in men”, says Dr. Klein,
“because testosterone—which men produce in high levels when they are
under stress—seems to reduce the effects of oxytocin. Estrogen”, she
adds “seems to enhance it.”
The ‘tend and befriend’ notion developed by Drs. Klein and Taylor
may explain why women consistently outlive men. Study after study
has found that social ties reduce our risk of disease by lowering
blood pressure, heart rate, and cholesterol. In fact, researchers
conclude that not having close friends or confidantes can be as
detrimental to your health as smoking or carrying extra weight.
So, why then when we get busy and have so much to do we let our
friends go and set them aside for a while? When we need them most,
we seem to let go and go on. It’s really sad because women friends
give strength to one another. Talking with a special friend is a
very healing experience. We all need a cheer-leader in our life and
who better than a close personal female friend!
Sometimes, we just want to vent; when we are talking to another
female, she understands this. When we talk to a guy, it’s all about
fixing the problem—or the conversation turns around so it’s all
about him. It’s great to have girl friends. We know that they are
great sounding-boards when we are momentarily fed up with a spouse
and/or kids.
Sister, cousin, friend: who do you run to in times of stress? Think
about it. What do you do when you have a special problem that needs
to be talked about? Do you seek out a female friend? Well, maybe
that’s what you need to do so that you can be nurtured!
As I considered these questions and thought about the findings of
various studies, I came to understand that talking to my son about
issues isn’t always helpful. Why? Because he most often wants to fix
the problem, while I need something else.
What I’ve learned is: (1) I react differently to stress than the men
in my family; (2) I need to keep and embrace my female friends; and
(3) Without the ability to talk my issues out with someone, things
tend to back up and manifest into gigantic problems.
It’s important for all of us to have friends in our life. And for
women, it’s especially important to cherish and honor those
friendships.
Bonnie Murphy owns bfit
and well, a personalized fitness training studio where she
transforms mature bodies through exercise and food coaching.
Contact: 907-229-7652;
bonnie@Bfitandwell.com;
www.bfitandwell.com
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