Wednesday, May 2, 2012

such opportunities I have

It is 10 p.m. I just got in from an evening yoga class. I've not done yoga in the evenings before. Oh my, do I sleep well after a practice. It is yin yoga, where you hold the pose for from 3-5 minutes. The longer you hold it the more intense it becomes. It then works the fascia and connective tissue. You are supposed to be a pretzel and RELAX in it. HA! I am still dealing with issues, but I sure feel better after yoga. Then I tighten up over night. But back at the yoga the next day. I have to remind myself the progress is slow but because I go so often, very little between classes. If I were going once or twice a week, I might see more progress class to class. As I try to go 4-5 times a week, the progress between classes is minimal. Whatever. It is a great thing to do, on my own, when Tim is busy. It is an easy walk away, and a wonderful studio. Although I sit here with a beer. I don't think yogis have a beer after a practice.
Tim is asleep. He leaves for Manilla at 1 a.m. !!!! tomorrow morning. So he has gone to nap 7-11:30 p.m. He will get home at 11 a.m. tomorrow! Yikes. It's a good thing he is Irish and a great napper. I could NEVER do that.
I have joined this FOM, Friends of the Museums, thank you Pauline. They have a lecture every Monday morning. I went last week to hear a talk on Daoism (Taoism), titled Explaining the Unexplainable. It was fabulous. Very scholarly, but if I can grab some of it, so much the better. There are three religions in Asia- confucianism, buddhism, and daoism. Daoism honours nature, family, ancestors, self and the environment. It is centred on the opposites, of yin, and yang, opposing forces in nature. They honour ancestors by burning significant things for that ancestor. I think that explains the little incinerators I see outside each of the buildings in our complex. On an ancestors "day" the family would burn significant things for the dead. She mentioned that today they might burn an iPad !!! ( I hope a broken one) but you are sharing something you love with the ancestor. She had much art to show, with the significance of the story told. I hope I can retain some of the information for when I see Asian art. But all those Chinese scrolls we all see. I could now see some of the content in a new light. Nature and man.
I don't think I am doing justice to what I learned. Just to say it is a fabulous opportunity for me.
I then went for lunch with a friend I have made. Laurie, is from Calgary, she reminds me if my mother-in-law Mary, whom I adored. She has lived in Scotland. Her husband is in "oil and gas". She drives here!!! But she had previous experience in Scotland, driving on the other side of the road. So she is going to "tootle me around" What fun. Drive to Malaysia for the day!
Tim and I are planning another getaway next week. Fly to Phuket, and transport ourselves to an island off the coast, in the Andaman Sea (again!) called Koh Phi Phi (ko pee pee). I will let you know if it is closer to paradise than Railay Beach was.
The yoga studio had a workshop on "feet and knees" that I attended. I learned all about what gives me so much trouble. I have booked an appointment with each of the workshop presenters. All my shoes are too small. In the heat, my feet are bigger. I will find out from him what to buy. (He doesn't think Birks are great - no support!). The knee guy is a physio and an osteopath. I am going to go to see if he can give "my issues" a label, and get me on a faster track to wellness. The way it's going is bloody slow. An interesting fact. Asians seem to be pigeon-toed and knock-kneed. There is a reason. Asians have very flat arches. Caucasians have high arches. So Asians walk with knock knees. But their feet are very flexible, because they pronate (roll on th step from outside heel to inside of foot). Caucasians have high arches, and do not roll in to the flat of the foot, have inflexible feet and walk outside  heavy. He went around the room and it was 100% accurate! Interesting! He also said you could identify the Singaporeans by the tan line from the flip-flops!
Well good night, my friends. I wonder if anyone is still out there. Let me know if you are!







3 comments:

  1. Daoism sounds fascinating - I'm thinking now of things I would burn for my loved ones!

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  2. I am here reading. Miss you guys
    Ann

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  3. Hi Jane;

    Enjoying reading your blog! Please don't stop - it's all very interesting. Pat Noble

    ReplyDelete