TRISTEN CHURN

Everything in life can be nourishing. Everything can bless us, but we've got to be there for the blessing to occur. Being present with quality is a decision we are invited to make each day. Sister Macrina Wiederkehr American Author and Spiritual Retreat Director source: inspiration peak

When your determination changes, everything will begin to move in the direction you desire. The moment you resolve to be victorious, every nerve and fiber in your being will immediately orient itself toward your success. Daisaku Ikeda Japanese Author, Poet and Peace Activist source: inspiration peak

I had looked for happiness in fast living, but it was not there. I tried to find it in money, but it was not there, either. But when I placed myself in tune with what I believe to be fundamental truths of life, when I began to develop my limited ability, to rid my mind of all kinds of tangled thoughts, and fill it with zeal and courage and love, when I gave myself a chance by treating myself decently and sensibly I began to feel the stimulating, warm glow of happiness, and life for me began to flow like a stream between smooth banks. Andrew Young, 1807-1889 Scottish Schoolmaster and Poet source: inspiration peak

ASHTANGA YOGA: 7:30pm – 8:30pm, 24.09.2008, Wednesday Stamina & Endurance Last week, we managed to have a chance to visit the South part of China. We arrived at Guilin and we went down south to Yangshou straight away. After a few days journey in Yangshou, we went back to Guilin away. So in the middle of the way, we stopped by a very nice place called “Longji Rice Terraces”. Longji Rice Terraces is a serene place whereby rice terraces and local homes are built layer by layer according to the mountain landscapes. On top of those peaks, you could really feel like touching the clouds while you enjoy the nature atmosphere. As these mountains are covered by forests, walking is the main mode of travel from places to places. And normally it feels like a very long journey for most of the city people. You know, we travel on our transports most of the time. In the midst of doing these walking journeys, I realized that the day-to-day exercise eg. yoga session, that we normally do ...

Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., 1929-1968 source: inpiration peak

ASHTANGA YOGA : 7:30pm – 8:30pm, 10.09.2008, Wednesday Meditation When we began to plan out the weekly classes at Soulstudio, Lily told me that I should talk to the class on the reason that why I want to put yoga class first then follow by the meditation class. Actually, meditation is called Dhyana in Sanskrit. It is one of the trademarks of Ashtanga Yoga. Ashtanga Yoga literally means "eight-limbed yoga" in the yoga family and meditation is part of the branches that taps into the mind’s study. After every yoga session especially in savasana position, most of the time we will reach a stage whereby our body is very relaxed and our mind is calm. So, this meditation class is planned out to carry on with that peaceful state into the mind’s study in order for us to create the awareness in our daily life. To be precise, meditation not only helps us to relax our body, it also assists us to quite down our mind. With this calm mind, we realize that we cou...

鵑鵑原本在美國工作，公司給她的待遇很好，再加上單身，生活過得很逍遙。前一陣子她住在臺灣的母親罹患腦瘤，開刀後復原得很慢。鵑鵑立刻請調回臺，找了間公寓，把母親接到身邊就近照顧。 鵑鵑不是家中的獨生女，上有大姐，下有弟弟，但是只有她放棄原本的生活，承擔服侍母親的責任。她大姐偶爾給她一筆錢，當作是孝親費，此外很少露面，更別談關心自己母親的現況， 好像出點錢就可以心安理得的把母親推給妹妹。 我們這些鵑鵑的朋友看不過去，紛紛提醒她要找大姐和弟弟談清楚母親的事。鵑鵑保持她一貫的優雅從容，靜靜的說：「照顧媽媽是我的福氣。 」 原本為她打抱不平的我們， 聽了這句話，頓時沉默起來。難怪從來不曾聽她抱怨，自認享有「福氣」的人，怎麼會向人訴苦呢？她總是耐著性子尋找適合母親的飲食配方和復健機構，珍惜與母親相處的時光， 鵑鵑忙著張羅都來不及了，哪有閒功夫喊累叫煩哪！ 在鵑鵑細心打點下，病情不大樂? [的母親，身體竟一天天好起來， 母親想要康復的意願也啟動了，甚至會離開臥房到屋外走走。原本令人覺得沉重的擔子，因為鵑鵑懂得惜福，居然化作豐盛的禮物。 現在鵑鵑成了大家的強心劑，每當我們遇到困難，或者受了委屈， 習慣性的退縮、放棄、抱怨或指責別人時，總會想起她的話。在我們這一群朋友中，開始流行一種句型：「 能多做一點是我的福氣。 」「孩子不聽話，耐著性子引導他是我的福氣。 」 「擠公車沒位子坐是我的福氣。」說這些話的時候，我們多少帶著點自我解嘲的意味，有時也是開玩笑，但不知不覺中， 我們看待周遭人事物的態度有了明顯變化，原來好福氣也是會傳染的。 一句話 人生的成敗，常常因為一個人、一件事，甚至一句話而有決定性的影響。 尤其對人有用的一句話，勝過千言萬語。古今中外有很多人因為別人的一句話而深受感動，甚至豁然開朗； 由於「一句話」而改變一生的事例，更是多不勝數。 美國著名的教育家和演講口才藝術家卡內基，小時候是一個非常調皮的小男孩。 他九歲的時候，父親將繼母娶進門。他父親向新婚妻子介紹卡內基時，如是說：「希望你注意這個全郡最壞的男孩， 他實在令我頭痛，說不定明天早晨他還會拿石頭砸你， 或做出什麼壞事呢！」 出乎卡內基預料的是，繼母微笑地走到他面前，托著他的頭，注視著他。接著告訴丈夫：「你錯了， 他不是全郡最壞的男孩，而是最聰明，只是還沒找到發洩熱忱地方的男孩。」此話一出，卡內基的眼淚...

ZEN MEDITATION: 9:00pm – 10:00pm, 03.09.2008, Wednesday It is crucial for you to understand what meditation is. It is not some special posture, and it's not just a set of mental exercises. Meditation is the cultivation of mindfulness and the application of that mindfulness once cultivated. You do not have to sit to meditate. You can meditate while washing the dishes. You can meditate in the shower, or roller skating, or typing letters. Meditation is awareness, and it must be applied to each and every activity of one's life. This isn't easy. -Henepola Gunaratana, "Mindfulness in Plain English" If we have...presence of mind then whatever work we do will be the very tool which enables us to know right and wrong continually. There's plenty of time to meditate, we just don't fully understand the practice, that's all. While sleeping we breathe, eating we breathe, don't we? Why don't we have time to meditate? Wherever we are we breathe. If we think li...

ZEN MEDITATION: 9:00pm – 10:00pm, 20.08.2008, Wednesday Clarity of the mind attains after acknowledging after accepting after solving after letting go of the unclear mind May you have the clarity of mind.

ZEN MEDITATION : 9:00pm – 10:00pm, 06.08.2008, Wednesday Last Wednesday was quite special as other than the usual attendees, Shirley, the generous owner of Lily’s Café joined us for the session. Although it was a small group but we have a lot of fun during the session because of the laughter energy was up in the air. The witty energy was tickling us while we discussed on the following basic concepts of Zen Meditation: 1) There are thousands upon thousands of students who have practiced meditation and obtained its fruits. Do not doubt its possibilities because of the simplicity of the method. If you cannot find the truth right where you are, where else do you expect to find it? -“The Practice of Meditation,” Zen Master Dogen Quotes from group: Lily’s quote: “I like the first one as this is true and simple” Tristen’s quote: “We live in a city with a speeding lifestyle pace, most of us tend to focus on material level and lost our identities in it, without realising this fact. Others may f...

ASHTANGA YOGA: 7:30pm – 8:30pm, 03.09.2008, Wednesday Habitual Practice Years ago, there was a research completed by a group of scientists on the study of duration and formation of habits in human’s life. Various types of habits with different amount of time were instilled into human’s daily life to enable the compilation of collective data. The data shows that in order to develop a habit in our lives, it takes us about 40 days to do so. That is the reason how we get the concept of “40 days Affirmation” to carry out a plan. Likewise, if you want to foster yoga training as part of your life, there are a few points that we need to access first. Will you allow yourself to set a strong will of cultivating this yoga practice in your daily life? Will you commit and honor your will by putting in time and efforts in it? If you have “Yes” for both questions, “Vola!” you are on the right track. Most of the people today, they tend to plan out plenty of ideas in their minds which is normal...

ASHTANGA YOGA: 7:30pm – 8:30pm, 27.08.2008, Wednesday New Experience Every morning, we wake up with a fresh body and a clear mind to begin a whole new day. We always say this phrase “to begin a whole new day” because we put up our hope and expectation for a brighter day to come. This is intriguing as this thinking represents a very positive attitude towards our life. In yoga practice, we can always allow ourselves to carry on with this optimistic attitude in each session. It is simply because of each yoga session is a new experience to our body. Our body may react differently to each posture even though we have completed numerous sessions. Sometimes, in a similar posture, such as a tree pose, this session you would sense a tight feeling on your thigh but you feel relief on the following session. Then, several questions came up from here: Is your mind calm enough to receive the messages of your body? Do you allow yourself to listen to your body? If the answers are “Yes”, Bravo! Keep up...

ASHTANGA YOGA: 7:30pm – 8:30pm, 20.08.2008, Wednesday Last night, we enjoyed ourselves very much and we have a fun time doing our yoga session. I often think that laughter energy ease up a situation and it always does. Guys, to be honest, at the bottom of my heart, i love coaching very much ;P Yoga Time Normally, the best time to practice yoga or to do any exercise is in the morning session. This is the time when your body is fresh with a clear mind as well as pressure-free. But, practically most of us will need to rush to work or to attend appointments in the morning so it is hard for us to do our yoga practice. Therefore, we can always choose anytime of the day such as after working hours to perform a yoga session. If possible, you are advised not to carry out any exercise activity after 10:00pm at night. As this is the time your metabolism cycle starts to slow down and it is heading to the resting period. So, please do not force yourself to work out because this will b...

ASHTANGA YOGA : 7:30pm – 8:30pm, 13.08.2008, Wednesday Space Space is an essential factor in our yoga practice. You can find a spacious room and build up the tranquil ambience by throwing in the soft lighting and burning up the essential oil. You may do this but, it is not necessary. Of course you need to locate an airy room so that the air ventilation is well-maintained. Then, the next elements in this space creation would be you and your yoga mat. We have to believe that every moment that is happening on that piece of yoga mat is bringing benefits to you. This leads us to the focus of our breathing technique and yoga postures. So, along the process of yoga training, whenever you feel distracted, bring your awareness back to your breathing and concentrate fully on your poses. Another important concept on space creation is “Can you create, hold and enjoy the space in you mind?” Actually, this scared space is to be created and filled up with stillness and joy for the rest of you...

ASHTANGA YOGA : 7:30pm – 8:30pm, 06.08.2008, Wednesday We shared these concepts in our previous yoga class, of course, in summary version: Self Adjustment Our body is a very unique system by itself, indeed. While doing a yoga pose, our body muscles and ligaments will adjust themselves according to the specific shape of the posture. Our internal organs will align themselves too as majority of the yoga postures are designed to massage our muscles and organs. Therefore, most of the time, our body parts will perform their tasks even without our knowingness and this makes our body system special in its own delivering and receptive ways. When you just started yoga practice or your body is stiff on that practice day, normally yoga instructor will only help you to do little body adjustment as he/she understands that your body could do its own alignment. Thus, do not feel bad or left out if this happens, in fact just be mindful to allow your body to attune itself through ample time and s...