TANGO in SOCKS at the Bindu…

April 29, 2010

By: Kelley Gardner

Matthew Seneca makes me smile! I couldn’t come up with even one reason to say no to offering an Argentine Tango class at the Bindu. And imagine….he actually prefers we dance in socks. Below is my interview with Matthew. I hope you’ll join us for this special 4 week series on Friday nights in June!

KG: So what exactly is Argentine tango?
MATTHEW: Argentine tango is a wonderful social dance that originated primarily in Buenos Aires over a hundred years ago. It is elegant and passionate, yet also subtle and understated. There are many varieties of tango, but we’ll be teaching the “salon style” which is danced socially by millions of people all over the world.

KG: What inspired you to begin dancing?
MATTHEW: At first I was attracted by the social elements of dancing. Within a few weeks of my first dance class, I had made many new friends, and I wasn’t even a very good dancer!

KG: Do you need a partner to take classes?
MATTHEW: No. Even if you come in with one, we rotate partners because it’s very important to be able to dance with different people.

KG: I’ve seen dancers on TV shows like “Dancing With The Stars” perform very flashy tango routines. Will you be teaching us how to do that?
MATTHEW: No. Most flashy moves that you see dancers perform on TV just don’t work on a social dance floor. Instead, Lori and I will focus on the connection between partners and on socially leadable moves that are understated, elegant, and in my opinion, closer to the soul of the dance.

KG: Is Argentine tango difficult to learn?
MATTHEW: No and Yes. “No” because you don’t need to be especially athletic or have prior dance experience to dance tango. This is a dance meant for “real people.” At the same time, “Yes,” because tango requires a certain kind of balance, musical sensitivity, and strength of core muscles that takes time to develop. There are no shortcuts. The learning curve for tango is a little longer than for other dances like salsa or swing, especially for leads. Thus it’s important to be patient with yourself and with your partners.

Prices:
4-week session – $30/person (special price) no transfers
By the class – $10/person

Where: The Bindu, Inc.
When: Fridays – June 4,11,18,25
7:00-8:00pm instruction and 8:00-8:30 free dance

Click here to register.
Minimum registration is 10 students and must be completed by June 1 – save your spot today!

Your Instructors:
Lori Quinn has been studying ballroom and latin dancing since 2004. Shortly thereafter she was introduced to the Argentine tango in 2005. She had studied both disciplines for over three years when the art and beauty of the Argentine tango pulled her focus to study solely with Daniel Arredondo and Bill Temples at the Passion For Tango school in Charlotte. She has traveled to many festivals and workshops studying with a wide range of master dancers. She has perfomed in multiple showcases for both ballroom dance and Argentine Tango including a performance with her partner, Matthew, at the Asheville Regional Festival in 2009. By day Lori also works as a City Planner for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Planning Department.

Matthew Seneca has been dancing various forms of social dance including Lindy Hop and West Coast Swing for the past 10 years. He discovered Argentine tango in 2007 and hasn’t looked back since. He is a student of Daniel Arredondo at the Passion For Tango school in Charlotte and has traveled to many festivals and workshops studying with a wide range of master dancers. Last year, he and his partner Lori were featured in a showcase of new dancers at the Asheville Regional Tango Festival. Matthew is also a certified teacher of the Alexander Technique and practices Pilates regularly with Kristine Gresham. He teaches 10th Grade English at Hopewell High School.

Hypnosis for Pain?

April 22, 2010

By Meredith DeSopo, www.LakeNormanHypnosis.com

Hypnosis has been used in Western medicine for more than 150 years and was sanctioned by the AMA in 1958. Since that time it has been used by millions to treat everything from anxiety to insomnia, weight loss, smoking cessation, fears and phobias. What many do not realize is that hypnosis also offers a safe, effective, natural remedy to treating and eliminating physical pain. In the last several decades, researchers have subjected hypnosis to the scrutiny of clinical trials; which it has undoubtedly passed.

Aside from providing an effective solution for acute injuries and headaches, hypnosis can also afford those with chronic conditions like back pain, kidney stones, arthritis, cancer, invasive medical and dental procedures significant pain relief. Studies have shown that patients with chronic diseases require less pain medication to achieve pain relief, when they engage in hypnosis sessions. And those same patients show fewer signs of anxiety and feel greater comfort during subsequent medical procedures.

Hypnosis is Natural
Hypnosis works to reduce or eliminate acute or chronic pain naturally, without any side effects using the person’s subconscious mind. There is a rule of the mind that states that which is expected, tends to be realized. Therefore, those who anticipate positive, painless experiences tend to feel positive, pain free results. And of course, the opposite holds true. How often have we anticipated that an experience would be painful, and it was?

What is Hypnosis?
Hypnosis is a naturally occurring state when you focus your mind inward and allow very specifically structured positive and repetitious suggestions into your subconscious. The changes that you want and you allow are permanently accepted into your subconscious mind. There are misconceptions that hypnosis gives control away to someone else. (Check out my previous article: 4 Hypnosis Myths Debunked to learn more about this) But hypnosis is actually a way of enhancing the client’s control. Hypnosis teaches them how to control and contribute to their body’s function and healing, when they didn’t know they had the power to do so.

Are you in pain?
Why continue to allow your body to control your mind and suffer from pain? Why not harness the power of your subconscious mind and obtain pain relief from any area of your body? Call me today to see how hypnosis can help relieve physical pain in your body. Mention this blog post for $20 off your first hypnosis session.

Meredith@LakeNormanHypnosis.com: 704-425-5500

Additional Studies:

• International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis April 2, 2000 issue Meta-Analysis on Hypnotic suggestion for Pain relief. Guy Montgomery, PhD a behavioral scientist at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York.
• Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine November-December 2004 issue.
  Researchers at the University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine and the Technical University of Aachen, Germany, used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to find out if hypnosis alters brain activity in a way that results in pain reduction.
• Hypnosis was successful in significantly reducing pain perception for all 12 participants. Hypnotized volunteers reported either no pain or significantly reduced pain in response to the pain stimuli.

How to Choose a Reiki Practitioner

April 21, 2010

By: Meredith DeSopo, http://www.reiki4life.net/

There are many things to consider when choosing a Reiki Practitioner. First of all, finding one. Reiki and other energy healing modalities are becoming more mainstream; even featured on nationally syndicated shows like Dr. Oz. Ask for recommendations (especially those in various alternative health fields) and referrals from peers who have worked with a Reiki professional.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPj2uuiReds&feature=player_embedded]

One great resource for finding Reiki practitioners in the Charlotte area is a locally owned web directory of all things holistic: http://yourcommunityconnector.com. Another Web directory solely for Reiki practitioners can be found by clicking here.

Once you have a list of Reiki Practitioners, some questions you might want to ask are:

What level and type of training have they had?
A Reiki Practitioner at any level of practice can give you a hands-on treatment. Levels of certification are: First Degree, Second Degree, Advanced Level and Reiki Master Level. However, only a Reiki Master can train students in Reiki. And keep in mind that valuable Reiki healing is not based upon outside formal education (meaning those with advanced or medical degrees are not necessarily better qualified in Reiki).

How long have they been working with Reiki?
Look for a Reiki Practitioner who has spent considerable time being trained in Reiki or has extensive experience working with Reiki. One can be called a Reiki Master if they have received all the mechanics of training in a short amount of time. However, have they achieved mastery in that short timeframe? Reiki is refined and perfected with practice.

How do they personally use Reiki?
Ask if the Reiki practitioner incorporates daily self-treatment and how Reiki has helped him/her in their own healing. You may also want to ask if the Reiki Practitioner has experience working with your particular issue.

How enthusiastic is the practitioner about Reiki?
Your Reiki practitioner should be excited and inspired. Choose a Reiki practitioner who believes in the power of Reiki and is energized when speaking about it.

Does he/she answer your questions from a place of acceptance and non-judgment?

Your intuition and gut instincts will guide you in this. Trust them. Ultimately, you will choose your Reiki practitioner based upon the patience and compassion they exude and their ability to set aside their personal ego and agenda to allow the Reiki energy its full expression to heal. Because in reality, the more the practitioner can get themselves out of the way, the more powerful healing will occur.

These are merely guidelines to help you choose a good fit in the Reiki Practitioner that you choose to work with. Don’t be afraid to ask additional questions, either. Any qualified Reiki Practitioner will gladly take the time to answer all your questions and make you feel as comfortable as possible.

Contact me if you have any additional questions or to find out how Reiki can help you. Mention this blog posting for 10% off your next Reiki Session. Meredith@Reiki4Life.net: 704-425-5500

FRESH movie sneak peek

April 20, 2010

Join us at THE BINDU for a free screening of FRESH the movie on Saturday, April 24, 2010, from 1:30 – 3:30pm

Sponsored by Isagenix International, World Leader in Nutritional Cleansing

Seating is limited so please click here to reserve your seats! Stay after the movie to participate in a discussion led by Stacey Barnet of Isagenix International, our local CSA and our very own Nutritionist, Jodi Sheakley, MS, CFT.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwR44T69_Is]

On the heels of earlier revealing food documentaries we are excited to bring to our community the story delivered by ana Sofis joanes in the solution based movie FRESH. This extraordinary example of accomplishment sets a new benchmark for us to aspire to and will lead us all beyond the current disturbing industrial farming standard. FRESH reveals an inspiring approach to a new paradigm of conscious farming and animal dominion and should be embraced by our society as a call to action and a sign of hope.

FRESH celebrates the farmers, thinkers and business people across America who are re-inventing our food system. Each has witnessed the rapid transformation of our agriculture into an industrial model, and confronted the consequences: food contamination, environmental pollution, depletion of natural resources, and morbid obesity. Forging healthier, sustainable alternatives, they offer a practical vision for a future of our food and our planet.

Among several main characters, FRESH features urban farmer and activist, Will Allen, the recipient of MacArthur’s 2008 Genius Award; sustainable farmer and entrepreneur, Joel Salatin, made famous by Michael Pollan’s book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma; and supermarket owner, David Ball, challenging our Wal-Mart dominated economy.

“FRESH is just that – an upbeat and wonderfully fresh look at our food system and how to make it work better for the health of humans and the planet. It’s a must see for everyone who eats.” – Marion Nestle

“We all just watched FRESH…and we were mesmerized and empowered. Every American needs to see this. You will capture hearts with this. I can’t wait to sit in an audience watching this. It is absolutely masterful. ” - Joel Salatin

“FRESH is a rich and inspiring meal, offering not only a serious look at where we are and a useful primer on how we got there, but also repeated heart-lifting demonstrations that there are ways to produce food that are safer, kinder and more natural.” - Joan Gussow

Seating is limited so please click here to reserve your seats! Stay after the movie to participate in a discussion led by Stacey Barnet of Isagenix International, our local CSA and our very own Nutritionist, Jodi Sheakley, MS, CFT.

10 Ways to Start Treating Your Body With Respect

April 14, 2010

By: Marty Kestin, Ensoma Bodyworks

Be the first to decipher the “code” in this post and email the author (mkestin@ensomabodyworks.com) to win a 30-minute massage or Pain Free Performance consult with Ensoma Bodyworks!

CODE: (Write down the 1st letter of each bullet point. Take these letters and unscramble them to reveal the two-word acronym relating to the title of this blog).

• Eat more whole, unprocessed foods. To quote Jack Lalane, Americas original fitness guru over 50 years ago, “If man made it, don’t eat it.”
• Understand balance (or imbalance) is the key to health or “dis”ease and strive consciously to achieve balance in exercise, rest, work, play and family time.
• Hear what your body is saying and listen to it. (Do you need…More rest? More exercise? Better food choices?)
• Your body or mind created the physical problem and can also find the solution.
• Align with your higher self – that little voice, which steers you, when you are quiet and calm towards peace and health. Take time to listen to it via meditation or nature time with yourself.
• Harness the power of your mind. Are your thoughts hurting or healing you? Remember Meredith’s blog two weeks ago and Louise Hays book, “Heal Your Body.”
• List the things you are grateful for and contemplate them daily. It will get your mind off the negative and into the positive and help your body feel better.
• You are the solution to any physical pain or discomfort. That’s right….If you are pro-active you are looking for the answer and not being a victim perpetuating the problem. You can never heal or feel healthy with a victim’s mentality.
• Ouch! If it hurts (physically or mentally) to do a particular exercise, movement or thought pattern, please stop and try something that feels good. It may mean doing the complete opposite of what you are doing.
• Today is the most important day (do not worry about tomorrow or what did not happen yesterday)

Marty Kestin, BS, MSW, LMBT has a private practice inside the Bindu and has been helping people out of pain and into vibrant lifestyles for 15 years.

Even if you did not decipher the code Marty is available to discuss these proactive solutions via phone or email: mkestin@ensomabodyworks.com • 704.335.8115 • www.ensomabodyworks.com

How Aware Are You?

April 8, 2010

Five fun questions to find out how present you generally are to your life.

By: Amy Becton

Don’t cheat by making the answers what you think they “should” be!
For Scoring, just add up the number of times you select each letter.

1. What is your attention on generally?
a. I most often think about all the things I need to get done.
b. I most often think about what I am doing.
c. Right now, I’m thinking about how well I’m going to do on this test.
d. I most often think I don’t want to do anything.

2. Which of the below do you most often ask yourself?
a. What have I done wrong?
b. How did I get into this mess?
c. Who did this to me?

3. How do you generally experience each moment?
a. I’m late and I’ve gotta go.
b. This is cool.
c. I feel exhausted
d. Somebody entertain me, please.

4. When someone or something changes your daily routine, how do you generally feel?
a. irritated
b. refreshed
c. challenged
d. indifferent

5. How does life work for you?
a. My life is as I create it.
b. I have the power to create the life I want and it continues to unfold better than I ever imagined.
c. I have no idea how I got where I am today.
d. My life is moving from one drama or brush fire to the next.
______________________________

Scoring:

Usually people are a mixture of the three life travelers listed below, but for the most part we all have tendencies toward a particular personality style. Don’t take yourself too seriously! Just have fun and love yourself anyway!

a. The Slave Driver living in the future.
If you answered a. to a most of the questions, then your fragile essential self might need to take a vacation from the whip you crack to beat yourself into submission. You have a tendency to bully yourself into compliance, judge yourself when things go wrong and keep yourself numb to your feelings. The checklist of tasks you keep is so long that there is no time to stop and smell the flowers. You take great pride in accomplishment and your mind is generally jumping ahead into the next hour. For you, life happens by personal force.

b. The Spirit living in the present.
If you answered mostly b., then your essential spirit is standing by you, holding your hand and enjoying the ride. You are awake to your life and in creative relationship with everything around you. You take responsibility for your actions but you do not judge yourself when you make a mistake. You find each moment an exciting opportunity. For you life is a gift not to be taken too lightly or too exuberantly. You are the creator of your life but leave space for spontaneous opportunity.

c or d. The Victim living in the past.
If you answered mostly c. or d., then you are a bundle of self-doubting nerves. What other people think of you is very important and you may need to be reassured that you are “ok” often. You don’t recognize that you have much control over your life circumstances and there is usually a person who is out to get you or who has wronged you in some way. You may spend most of your days tired or numb and longing for a way out of your life. Your emotions are generated by your perception of helplessness. In this general state, you are dwelling on your past failures and also holding on to the emotional shrapnel that you have accumulated over your lifetime.

Wings of Grace

April 6, 2010

By: Kelley Gardner, owner of the Bindu

Recently my teacher, John Friend, taught a week-long immersion in SC. I wasn’t able to attend, but several of my teachers and students were there and they came home with a truly amazing story.

On the last day, John brought a student up to the front who was dealing with TMJ. She was a beautiful, silver-haired woman who teaches voice lessons. If you are a student of Anusara yoga, you are familiar with the refrain “side body long, head of the arm bones back, upper palate back and back of the skull lengthens skyward.” These instructions bring expansion, lift and openness to the upper body to create beauty and fullness in a yoga pose.

Now, imagine John Friend offering her those powerful, inner-body brightening words and then placing his hands on her back to support her shoulder blades embracing her heart. Then the most beautiful thing happened. John simply said, “Sing!”

To the surprise and delight of the 100+ people in the group, she began singing Amazing Grace….exquisitely. Each time I hear the story, I can sense what it felt like to be there – heart full – appreciative of a rare and special moment – energy vibrating with a collective Yes To Life!

And gratitude….

Every day of my life I am renewed and refreshed by the practice of Anusara Yoga. I live more fully and laugh more often as a result of aligning my sails with this great practice and all the truly amazing people associated with it.

As we move into the deliciousness of warmer weather, join your favorite teachers and friends for practice each week. Let it be like a refreshing breeze that reminds you what a gift this life is and what it means to live it fully.

And if you have a story about how your yoga practice has changed your life, please share it with us here or on our Facebook page!

Are You Ready to Heal Your Body?

April 1, 2010

By Meredith DeSopo, www.Reiki4Life.net

Long before I became involved with Reiki or any type of energy work, I believed there was a strong connection to mental patterns and the state of health or disease in the body. Having done this work for a number of years now, I am further convinced of the high correlation between mental patterns and disease in the body.

My copy of Heal Your Body by Louise Hay has become well worn with years of loving use. Simply knowing the information contained in this book doesn’t “heal” you. But knowledge gained from reading it does increase your ability to contribute to your own healing.

Louise Hay was diagnosed with cancer after she had already been a teacher of healing for several years. She knew that removing the cancer wasn’t good enough. She realized that to keep the cancer from reoccurring somewhere else, she needed to clear the mental pattern that created it. And she did! Within 6 months, her medical doctors agreed that she no longer had any form of cancer, even though she had refused surgery or any traditional cancer treatment.

If a person is willing to do the mental work of releasing and forgiving, nearly any Dis-Ease can be healed. When we get sick or are in pain, we often view the mind-body connection as going awry. However, the body is simply a messenger…an outer reflection of the inner workings of the mind. Symptom management is like cutting off the top of a dandelion without pulling out the root. It will easily and quickly grow back, unless we remove the entire plant…root and all. No plant can live without its roots.

The mental thought patterns that cause the most diseases in the body are anger, guilt, resentment and criticism.

• Anger turns to infection and things that burn the body.
• Guilt always seeks punishment and leads to pain.
• Resentment held long enough can result in tumors and cancer.
• Criticism held onto long enough can lead to diseases such as arthritis.

It is much easier to clear these mental patterns when one is healthy, rather than when in a state of panic under the stress and threat of surgery or illness.

When I feel an imbalance in a client’s energy field; it often corresponds to something that they experience physically and/or mentally. More often than not, when I read the corresponding mental thought pattern from Heal Your Body associated with that particular issue, the person’s reply is “Wow. That sounds exactly like me.” We can then use affirmations, hypnosis and/or energy based work to help them release the old mental pattern and eliminate issues that they have been experiencing, sometimes for a very long time.

If you are ready to release patterns in your consciousness that have been causing you pain or disease, contact me today. And don’t forget to mention this blog for 10% off your next session fees. Meredith@Reiki4Life.net : 704-425-5500