12 Days of Fitness Challenge - WE DID I!!

We did it!!

Catherine Basu has been hosing a 12 Days  fitness challenge! Here's the link to the Facebook group! The official challenge began Chrismas Day, but some folks began later, and are sill going

Catherine encourages us to move a bit more each day, 'Even if it's just a 10 minute walk!'

I began my morning with Qigong, and a little bit of Edgu, 'spinal maintenance' which originated with my friend Jeffery 'Page' Redmond, who teaches seminars at Breitenbush. I've never taken the seminar, but have taken quite a few Edgu classes! Basically - the posture is a wide 'Jockey stance' with the hips stable, while your spine/core moves. I love 'carrying plates' with forearms at hip level, gently twisting side to side, & the figure 8s of the Sun & Moon mobius - here's a little video from a teacher in Eugene, Nancy Hopps.
Since 'best times' for Qigong are 5-7 (AM or PM) & 11-1, I did one round at the earlier time, & one at the end of the day, after my nice Epsom Salts bath!

I've been preparing for a Reiki Level 1 Class for a month or so, since a couple of friends attended the Body Mind Spirit Expo, & scheduled sessions with a gal who integrates Reiki into her work. When we talked about learning, they were game for a class, so I put one together! I invited people who had already taken Reiki 1 to refresh or 'audit' the class, we had 5 students & 5 gals auditing. WHAT A LOT OF ENERGY!

Yesterday was THE DAY for that as well, & so we moved massage tables, & got some stair exercise (I parked out front, there's a SHORT flight of stairs to the room we were using; friends bringing the other tables used the elevator)

So - what's Reiki?

In the West, we use the word 'Reiki' to denote a healing system, generally 'hands on,' but also just off the body or 'sending' over distance of space & even time. I've utilized it for myself & in my bodywork practice for over 25 years, & it both energizes me & enhances my work.

The founder of our Modern Reiki System, Mikao Usui didn't use this term, his teachings were more commonly called 'Usui Do' (the Way of Usui) and the healings 'Usui teate' or Usui's form of hands-on healing. Later, the word Reiki was added or substituted, to signify the system utilized spiritual energy.

In Chinese, the same two kanji are used for 'Ling Chi'  
"Ling Chi is the subtlest and most highly refined of all the energies in the human system and the product of the most advanced stage of a practice, whereby the ordinary energy of the body are transformed into pure spiritual vitality. This type of highly refined energy enhances spiritual awareness, improves all cerebral functions, and constitutes the basic fuel for the highest level of spiritual work." (Ling Gung: Harnessing the Power of the Universe - Daniel Reid)

Congratulations to the other Fitness Bloggers - let's keep in touch!!
& thanks, Catherine, for helping get 2014 off to a great beginning!