mermaidcamp
Keeping current in wellness, in and out of the water
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Yoga Sutras
June 12, 2012
In ancient India the practice of yoga developed as taught from guru to students. The Yoga Sutras were written by Patanjali including some aphorisms and wisdom from the past with his own observations. Modern schools of yoga can be traced, in many cases to one man, Krishnamacharya, whose son, TVK Desikachar is teaching yoga today. The voice of Krishnamachayra accompanies BKS Iyengar in this video from 1938.
The student was not only physically challenged, but also was a scholar of ancient texts. Sanskrit chanting was part of the daily discipline. It is possible to attend the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram today.
Venus Transit June 5, 2012
June 6, 2012
Visitors could choose to view the transit through binoculars and telescopes, all of which were set up in different areas all day.
Kitt Peak National Observatory hosted a big party for Venus on 5 June, 2012. The program included all day viewing either in the visitor center through live feed as well as a solar scope in the ceiling relaying direct images, or around the grounds with enthusiastic astronomers who monitored telescopes and binoculars set up with solar filters. We all had special glasses, but the scopes were vastly more interesting. There was even a hydrogen scope that showed the sun in a red color. It was spectacular at every level. We enjoyed perfect weather, with just a bit of a breeze to wiggle the equipment. Everyone was elated and happy to be so pampered as civili a observers, surrounded by astronomy geeks having the time of their lives.
Visitors form around the world came to observe the Venus transit at Kitt Peak. This auspicious occasion was made more wonderful by sharing it with Europeans, Brits, and people from all over the US. There were enthusiasts from all walks of life who had come great distances to be in the right place with the right equipment to see this event properly. The moment was so special to the supreme geeks of astronomy that they overflowed with information and excitement. That happens each time they set up telescopes, but this time it was much more amazing. Sharing the experience made it extra powerful.
Paracelsus, the Luther of Physicians
June 3, 2012
Paracelsus was born in 1493 Einsiedeln, Switzerland. His father was the physician at Einsiedeln Abbey, a Benedictine baroque monastery with a grand history. His father was his first teacher. When he arrived at University of Basel medical school he was familiar with alchemy from working with his father. He left Basel quickly after he was accused of heresy , and became a wandering healer, traveling all over Europe.
Some of the contributions he made to the science of medicine are well known. He is attributed for introducing opium into use as medicine. He is credited with being the first physician to seriously consider dosage as well as the particular part of the medicinal plant being used. His theories included science as well as natural magic, all part of the healing culture of his time. The Doctrine of Signatures is an important concept he used to explain and research how plants interact with humans. He expanded on the work of former herbalists as he taught and worked in different countries. His travels included a visit to China.
His practice included both magic and science. He understood and worked with elementals, which were a common belief in his time. He took this concept farther when he posited that we have both a sidereal and an elementary body, linked while we are alive. He was both controversial and well respected. I learned about him when I traveled to Switzerland for the first time. I adore the tiny mineral water spa town of Bad Ragaz, where he practiced for a time with the local Benedictine monks, who operated a healing center using the mineral water spring. The Quelle Paracelsus is now a modern medical and therapy center of the highest quality. I have been many times over the years and always enjoy walking up the Tamina Gorge to experience the well preserved museum and springs. There is a small chapel up there dedicated to Mary Magdalene that I love for it’s charm.
For his time Paracelsus was radical and disruptive. His ideas about health and alchemy clashed with the medical schools, but accomplished many cures that were unusual for the time. The springs he recommended that I have visited, Bad Ragaz and St.Moritz, have enjoyed long healthy development around the mineral waters for centuries. This dedication to “the cure” creates a magnet for the best therapists and medical professionals to be drawn to live and work in the beauty and the elegance of these special places.
The New Meaning of Posh
May 29, 2012
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The Valley of the Sun has changed over the years from an agricultural center with tourists to a golfing center with sports teams. I went to visit last weekend for some fine dining during Arizona Restaurant Week, and a drive by of Schnepf Farms, a peach and apricot orchard. My reconnaissance of the area reveals that tastes have changed. The fanciest resorts like the Phoenician, the Princess, the Arizona Biltmore attract clients using exclusivity and formality as part of the draw. The resort I visited gave me a deja-vu experience when I entered the lobby because I knew I had been there 40 years ago. Kimpton FireSky in Scottsdale met all my needs.
Guests in this superb location enjoy an upscale on site spa (Loved the Vichy shower) with high quality services and products, a clean 24 hour gym, shuttle service to travel around and dine in Old Scottsdale, a cute wine happy hour, good coffee in the morning, and a staff dedicated to making sure the welcome is always warm. Dogs are allowed to go everywhere except into the indoor dining room. My dog was very popular, even when she howled all over the place.
Dogs enjoy special status at the hotel. The dog owners quickly become friendly, exchanging pet stories. I believe our emphasis has shifted away from being formal and exclusive. I think the new posh is casual and smart. People want to be able to relax and enjoy entertainment, dining, and all leisure activities in their comfortable clothes, with their dogs. I am not sure what Barry Goldwater would say, but I am completely in favor of this trend.
Much Ado About Bathing Suits
May 23, 2012
Beauty AdThis is the time of year for bathing suit buying. This is when the marketing experts use the concept of shame to drive behavior. The idea behind many of the fashion and diet themes used to sell products is the harsh judgement of women. How they will look in the bathing suit they wear to the beach or pool is a matter of concern and public outcry as so many options are available to remedy this horror. If a woman is not ashamed to appear unassisted in this matter, she may be humiliated beyond repair by all the onlookers who see her imperfections. This is a superb opportunity to pick apart the motives and the reality of the hawkers of perfection products and concepts.
I believe it is wonderful to enhance one’s own beauty with healthy practices. I include good grooming, stylish dressing, and color coordination in the realm of healthy practices. It is more than just good fun to dress up, enhance make up or hairstyles, and enjoy color. When things get ugly, so to speak, one feels inadequate without a lot of preparation and maintenance. One then always feels compelled by inadequacy to purchase a new look or change personal style to match some trend rather than luxuriate in a personal, wabi sabi, sense of self.
This summer instead of working up any anxiety about your bathing suit and how you look in it, consider wearing a t shirt and biking pants if you have a private pool. Think about how invigorating it feels to jump out of the water after vigorous play or work out in water. Don’t let anyone rob you of this pleasure. Just say no to bathing suit shame, and say yes to summer fun. It is your birthright to play in the water with wild abandon.
U of A Cancer Center Touch Therapies
May 20, 2012
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I recently discovered in my hood the touch therapy services of the U of A Cancer Center on Campbell Avenue in Tucson. The services are not limited to patients, but if a patient needs a service, a non patient must be willing to give the treatment to the patient as part of the terms. My own experience has been with Justine Robbins, LMT, who has given me three lymphatic drainage treatments in the last 10 days. She is skilled and pleasant, taking her appointments in the spacious rooms designed for the purpose. For my third session she brought special cups, like the acupuncturists use, and did my treatment with a little extra vacuum power. I am feeling “super spring cleaned” after treatments with Justine. I will return to her on a regular basis, maybe once a month for the wellness benefits. I might do craniosacral treatments next month.
Justine is part of a team offering reflexology, acupuncture, craniosacral, Reiki, and Swedish massage as well as movement classes in yoga, laughter stretching,Tai Chi and Qi Gong to patients at the cancer center. Members of the community are invited to fill in the therapists schedules when patients are not booking them. I love the way the community benefits from as well as supports the efforts of the clinic at this healing facility. To schedule touch therapies call the volunteer desk, which is staffed at times by the capable and hospitable Adam Koker, pictured here at the reception desk. Adam told me about two different programs that offer financial assistance to patients who can’t afford the therapies that will help them recover. I am truly pleased to see a hospital operate such a program. Payment is taken in cash or check, and is processed by the volunteer desk before your treatment. The number to call for touch therapies appointments is (520) 694-1812. This is one reason Tucson is evolving as a healthy place to live.
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