Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Not me....

Hello people,


I was at the grocery store and bought the new O magazine and got this quote from A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf. 


No need to hurry.  No need to sparkle.  No need to be anybody but oneself.


Cool.  My thoughts exactly.  The day I figured this out was the day I started to live.  My advice to you today is to just be yourself.  Love and accept yourself just the way you are.  Then LIVE for Pete's sake!


I was in Reno the past few days getting my prenatal yoga teaching certificate.  Whew!  I'll be glad to have some down time, which I can turn into busy time catching up with all I need to catch up on.


I'm doing the 3-Day for the Cure walk for Breast Cancer, with the Susan G. Komen Foundation with my cousin, Nancy.  We are walking 60 miles total (20 miles each day for 3 days), in November in Phoenix, Arizona.  I need to collect $2,300 in order to walk.  Won't you help fight breast cancer?  Click on the banner below.


By the way, I don't know why there is so much space between paragraphs.  I hit "enter" once and it does what you see.  If I don't hit "enter," there are no paragraph breaks.  Hm.  Weird.


Ciao!
Jun-ri
Help me reach my goal for the Susan G. Komen Arizona 3-Day for the Cure!

I still love the animals, too.  (hint hint)
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Saturday, June 26, 2010

Prenatal Yoga Anyone?

Well, if you want to take a prenatal yoga class, I can comfortably teach one after tomorrow.  I had some basic knowledge of doing yoga during pregnancy, and was comfortable if a pregnant woman came to my class, but after I take the class I am taking this weekend I will feel ready to teach a prenatal-specific yoga class.  I think my biggest challenge was getting over the hump of not having a child myself, so I didn't feel I really knew enough about being pregnant, other than what to NOT do.  I'm feeling much more confident about that, after being in class all day today.  I will be taking another day of class tomorrow, which I am looking forward to.  I've always wanted to know about every topic imaginable, so this fits right in!


It always amazes me, though I can't figure out why, that  yoga can help so many ills of the body and mind.  It has always helped anything I've asked it to help, so I don't know why I still get amazed.  But maybe that's one reason why I've always loved it so much, since I was 13, for crying out loud.  B.K.S. Iyengar said, "Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured."  That's definitely what it has done for me my entire life.  If I was angry, I could take it to my yoga mat.  If I was in pain, physical or emotional, to my mat I'd go.  Yoga has been my savior on many, many occasions.  I cannot imagine life without it.  I'm sure that's one reason I am so passionate about teaching yoga and meditation to others.  I am passing on tools others can use to save their own lives.  What better gift could I possibly give?


So my brain is a little fried tonight, having been in class all day.  I've not much to say!  I wish you a wonderful evening and a wonderful rest of the weekend.  I'll be blogging again very soon...


Namaste,
Jun-ri


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Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Wang Dang Sweet Poontang???

Well hello there.  It is a lovely Wednesday night and I'm sitting here in my office replaying my day in my head.


It started with a 4 mile run on Lakeshore, a beautiful place to be on a nice day.  I am a girl who like to listen to good ol' rock n' roll when I run.  As I was running along, my playlist popped up with "Wang Dang Sweet Poontang" by Ted Nugent.  I couldn't help but laugh at this for two reasons.  The first is that the song, from the Double Live Gonzo CD, starts with Ted say something like "anyone who wants to get mellow can just turn around and get the f&*% out of here."  I am about the mellowest person you could ever meet!  Secondly, I laughed at the idea that a song sung by someone whose beliefs and political ideas are so far from mine they make me want to toss my cookies can actually make me want to run like a fiend!


After my run, I went home and took a hot bath while doing some mental homework.  Then...I got a call from a friend who was going to be moving away and leaving the state very soon, and is now going to stay for a while longer.  That made me very happy.  He also said some really nice things to me, about me and some choices I've recently made.  That made me smile, as well.


Before I left for my yoga studio to teach some classes, I took some pictures of the lovely flowers that George planted for me.  Here they are:
                                                                                                                                                                           







You might notice the flags.  George was pre-decorating for July 4, and they had some flags at the store.  Works for me!


I am redecorating the studio and have been trying to figure out what color to paint.  I painted some samples on the wall and have made a decision.  It is a light beige color that will go with anything and is a very serene color.  I think it will look very nice.  (There are two other possibilities...AAAHH!!!  This should be fun but there are so many choices and so many things to consider!)


After all my classes were finished, I did my own yoga practice in the studio before coming home.  Then I got a little sidetracked doing some research on the internet, and here I am at 10:28 with a plan to get into bed by 10:30.  I had better say goodnight and get myself upstairs!


Thanks for reading my thoughts. :)


Jun-ri


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Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Oh my! What a day!

Well, friends, today was a very busy day. It is 10:09, and I got home at 9:30; my day started at 8:00 this morning and I've had enough. My plan is to start being asleep by 10:30 at the very latest, so I need to go to bed.

So, not much of a post tonight. I hope all of you had a wonderful, fun, and productive (as much as you wanted) day.

Good night to all!

Jun-ri


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Monday, June 21, 2010

So What If You Are Different?

Hello Friends in Blogland,

Wow. I'm not exactly sure what I want to blog about today, but stick with me and I'll figure it out. I've been feeling a little blah all day; I think I'll blog in purple and a fancy font.

I got a bunch of work done today, even had a client call, which was good! While I was inside working, George was outside planting flowers for me. He did a FANTASTIC job! I'll see if I can post some photos tomorrow. I need to get some more flowers, but my "yard" is nearly finished being decorated for the summer season. It's great to get a hot cup of tea, and go outside to meditate as a nice start to your day, particularly when surrounded by so much natural beauty. Few things are that inspiring.

I just opened my trusty meditation book to find the following quote by Jae Woong Kim from "Polishing the Diamond."

When someone asks you a question, answer him or her sincerely and when you are not asked, do not force your teaching upon others.

Well. That says a great deal for many people to hear. I am assuming that, since you have come to my blog today, you want to know what I have to say. In effect, you are asking what I think, so I'm going to tell you.
You may have noticed that I am a Buddhist. As a Buddhist, I get a lot of questions about Buddhism, and I get to hear what other people's religious beliefs are. I don't mind answering questions, and I sometimes ask other people questions, as well. I answer the questions the best way I know how to answer them, as plainly and correctly as possible. If I don't know, I say that I don't know. Some questions are more complicated than others, so I try to give the best explanation using the simplest terms I can. I figure that if someone wants a complex answer, he or she will ask more questions. It is not my "job" to persuade anyone how to think. I enjoy discussing religion, faith and beliefs. I have all of those and they are very important to me! I don't know how I could live my life without those things. They are the biggest part of me.

I am sometimes told all about why I should have a different belief. That's okay, unless it gets excessive. I begin doubting a person's real beliefs when they get waaaay to fervent and ferocious in their commentary (and I'm not one to take things personally). I feel like they are trying to convince themselves how they feel and think, and not trying to convince me at all.

But here's the thing, I don't really care what other people think, so I don't understand why they have to be so vocal in telling me what they think and why I should think the same way. Let's get one thing straight. I am a kind, compassionate, and loving person. I live by the Golden Rule. I wish only the best for all, and no ill for any person, even many of those who maybe, by our society's standards, I probably should. I will not change and I harbor no judgment of others who think differently. If anyone out there in internet land wants me to change my mind, just forgive me and move on so we can have a nice lunch. Okay?

H.H. Dailai Lama says that Buddhism is not for everyone, and I believe all religions are that way. It is just like being a doctor, a writer, a teacher, or a monk or nun is not for everyone. I am vain enough to dye my hair, but not enough to get a facelift or lipsuction, though it might help with the tummy bulge I have even when I am "skinny." Some people get their butt fat injected into their lips or cheeks, but think salt and pepper hair is just fine. So, even plastic surgery and hair dye isn't for everyone! As long as good grooming is still "in," I will be happy.

I guess the most important thing is to not apologize for simply being just who you are, feel free to tell anyone who asks what you think about anything you are comfortable talking about, let people have the respect due them when their opinions don't match up with yours, and just love and appreciate yourself for being who you are. Doesn't that sound like the start of a happy, harmonious world?

Now go out there and be the best "you" that "you" can be!

Your Very Buddhist friend,
Jun-ri

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Hello World...Come on Get Happy!!!

Are you old enough to remember the Partridge Family? Well, if you tuned in to the show, do you remember the theme song, Come on Get Happy? It's a short, little ditty, that makes me smile every time I hear it. I can't help but feel happy! It's kind of like that song "Walking on Sunshine" by Katrina and the Waves. Just makes me feel all bubbly and giddy inside. Weeeeellllll...I am here to tell you that it can be purchased from iTunes. It is on my iPod and I listened to it while walking 7 miles today. It was a great, and happy, walk!

One day a couple months ago I purchased all my favorite songs from the 60s, 70s and some from the 80s. It was a fun, albeit expensive, indoor adventure.

Speaking of adventures, here are some photos from yesterday's adventure with George and Sarge. What a beautiful land I live in! It's no wonder I love living here as much as I do.


So here is a haiku about the beauty we saw yesterday:

Blue sky clouds float by
Flowers colored by nature
Many hues so bright

I must have been tired after the long day and walking all over creation; I slept 'til after 11:00 this morning! Luckily, I had the good sense to get the sleep I needed (if you have Fibromyalgia you really need to listen to your body) and to get up and walk today. I am walking, with my cousin Nancy, the 3-Day Walk for Breast Cancer in November. We walk 3 days in a row, 20 miles each day! (Yes, that is 60 miles total.) I am raising at least the minimum of $2,300 for the walk. If you'd like to donate in my name, please go to my fundraising site: http://www.the3day.org/goto/JulieHodges

I will be back on the walking trail tomorrow, and will share with you what I find.

"Hello world it's a song that we're singin', come on get happy, a whole lot of lovin' is what we'll be bringin', we'll make you happy...."

So Get Happy Already!

Jun-ri



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Saturday, June 19, 2010

What a great Saturday!

Hello Friends,

Today was a WONDERFUL day! George, Sarge and I passed out and posted flyers for my upcoming Kids Yoga classes, then went hiking on the Emigrant Trail off Highway 89, and took a drive down Historic US Highway 40 from Truckee to Soda Springs. It was a beautiful day for being out in nature. We saw a plethora of different types of wildflowers. Just beautiful! I'll post some pictures tomorrow.

When we started out this morning, I was going to show George my favorite trail, Pacific Crest, from the trailhead near Borreal off I-80 East of Auburn. When we got there, we found that the trail still had more than a foot of snow covering it, and it was pretty cool out. That is how we ended up at the Emigrant Trail, and what a fabulous experience that was! Sarge, George's little dog (part Llasa Apso and part miniature chihuahua), had a great time, too, running ahead of us on the trail trying to pee on every plant and rock in and off his path. LOL He is now very tired and sleeping like a log. Here's a photo George just took of 8 pounds of love lying on the couch, completely oblivious to the world.


Isn't it cool how sometimes you plan something that doesn't work out and you do something else just as, or even more, enjoyable? I could have just been bummed out that we didn't get to do what I had planned, but how much fun would we have had then? But don't you know people like that? If it doesn't work out how they planned they just can't have fun for the rest of the day? Or maybe even the week? I know people like that and I feel sorry for them. (Well, sort of...it's their own silly fault for being a control freak buzkill. LOL) I wonder how they get any enjoyment at all out of life.

The thought of being a control freak buzkill, and the consequences of same, is a near-perfect segue into the meaning behind my impromptu, open up the book somewhere in the middle, reading in the book "More Daily Wisdom: 365 Buddhist Inspirations" edited by Josh Bartok. This quote is by Jean Smith from "Now! The Art of Being Truly Present."

No matter how "noble" or "justified" our negative emotions may seem, we must acknowledge that indulging them merely plants the karmic seeds for later pain.

Basically, I look at this and think that whenever we are in a bad mood or feeling crappy, angry, sad, etc., no matter what someone else did or said, or what circumstances befall us in our lives, we are going to pay for our bad attitude. At the very least, we will suffer the bad mood or the crappy feeling or the anger, or sadness, etc. That is bad enough! Why then do we extend the bad feelings ad nauseam? Why not just feel it only as long as necessary, get over it and let it go? (I'm talking about time periods beyond the emotionally healthy and necessary for processing time. Denying our emotions isn't healthy, either.) Why do some people, and we all know "some people," maybe even us, hold on to bad feelings, sometimes for years? We can literally make ourselves sick by holding onto bad feelings, grudges, regrets, you name it. Talk about "karmic seeds for later pain!" Is your boss so-and-so's snotty comments about your what-not (probably because he is feeling pissy about his own "what-not") worth getting a migraine, an ulcer, or, even worse, an angina attack? HELL NO!

Life is too short to wallow in misery. Life is to be enjoyed and lived! If you have "control issues," learn to be excited about the unexpected. You never know what joy and opportunities abound in the unplanned. The only thing you really have control over is your own attitude, anyway.

Go live your life!!! If you manage to do it with positive emotions, you will create the karmic seeds for later joy!

In joy,
Jun-ri


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Friday, June 18, 2010

Where did all the simplicity go?

Hello my dear readers!

Well, it's been a really, really long time since I've blogged. I used to do it every day. I used to do MANY things every day! And now I don't. I'm starting to really miss those things I used to do every day, and now don't, and it got me to thinking.

I was thinking about how knowing, and doing, the things I normally do keeps my life simple, and keeps me sane, because I KNOW what to do. I've gotten away from that, with an increasingly busy life. The thing is, my life isn't so busy that I can't fit things in. It is because I am not doing the things I would normally do every day that my life is so busy. That may not make much sense, but those things gave my life a structure of sorts. I need my structure back. With the structure, I knew where to fit in anything else that might come along. Blogging now, even at 11:15 p.m., is my cry for a little bit of structure. So help me out, here. Send me some good energy and prayers, and with your support I'll regain my structure and you can regularly read my blog. Deal?

When I was thinking this afternoon about writing my blog again, I was wondering what I would "talk" about. I used to read in one of my books, "Daily Wisdom: 365 Buddhist Inspirations," edited by Josh Bartok, and write my feelings and experiences with the topic, along with stuff about my daily life. It is an awesome book that I used to read every day. (Yeah, one of those things I used to do every day when my day had structure.) I closed my eyes and opened it up to this wonderful (no surprise there) quote from "Polishing the Diamond" by Jae Woong Kim.

People who enlighten me are all my buddhas. Instead of trying to find buddhas in high and precious places, shouldn't you be able to find your buddhas in your town, in your marketplaces, and in your streets? Everyone has valuable and enlightening qualities. If you learned and practiced those qualities, it would be like meeting the Buddha and practicing his teachings.

Wow. I love being reminded to be a better person and a little less judgmental of others, Everyone has something to contribute and some valuable quality(ies). This is something many of us could be reminded of, particularly in these economic and highly political times with so many people being so unhappy and blaming others left and right. What happened to the idea of respecting other people and their opinions, even if someone else's opinion isn't the same as yours? Does that mean someone else doesn't even deserve to live? People all around the world seem to have become so hateful and so prideful (in a negative way). That will never, EVER help! But that is the obvious example. The quote can apply just as easily to the more subtle thoughts and behaviors.

I used to think more often of treating each person, each being, I meet as if that person or being were the Buddha himself in disguise, much like some Christians are told to treat everyone as if that person were Jesus. Which is not to say, of course, that I have become mean or inhospitable in any way. I guess I'm just a little less mindful of my deep, spiritual beliefs during day-to-day interactions. I also have long held the belief that each person is put into my life for a reason, usually to teach me something about myself. Well, I can tell you that the second I forget that is the second a real teacher is put before me!

All this being said, and realized even more by the process of writing it, I am hereby renewing my structure and my best ways of moving and being in my world.

It's time for bed now. I have to get ready to meet some more buddhas!

Many hugs and best wishes,
Jun-ri

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