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Here are two thought provoking quotes that are specifically about bellydance. Please feel free to discuss your thoughts and feelings :)
"Dancing is the most direct way to become aware of your inner space and of the space outside your body. Dancing unfolds feeling, longings, and nostalgia as well as the mind's powers of observation and thought. It is incumbent upon all human beings to recognize their own paths. This duty confers dignity upon them and makes them into noble, honorable beings. The fulfillment of daily chores and duties finds its meaning in the knowledge of one's way. Dancing is a way to find the teacher inside, in oneself. The wings of imagination soar through dancing."
"In the heat of dancing, the barriers between mind and body vanish, enabling dancers to grow and plunge into a world of great thoughts and feelings where they find themselves bathed in the fragrance of the transformation for which they have waited all their lives."
-Grandmother's Secrets by Rosina-Fawzia Al-Rawi
Monday, September 15, 2008
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Traditional Taoist Five Elements Nutrition
By Cynthia McMullen, Faculty Member of The Oriental Healing Arts School of Massage Therapy
Cooking with delicious and edible Chinese herbs
Cooking with delicious and edible Chinese herbsNutrition: That which is taken in to satisfy and nurture a Being.
Often, eating is done out of habit or necessity, sometimes without much thought as to what is being eaten as long as it is acceptable to the palate. However, when we consciously think about what we are eating and why, we can turn the act into a special or even sacred ritual used for healing and self-cultivation purposes.
Traditional Taoist healing practices, upon which Chinese medicine is based, includes Five Elements Nutrition, a treatment method that uses food as a powerful medicine. We can use our food in this way to treat various aspects of our energy body and cause profound physical reactions. If we have physical, emotional, or spiritual symptoms of discomfort, we can go through an Oriental medicine intake with a qualified practitioner. This will lead to an energetic diagnosis based on the Five Elements which include Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. Depending on which element is most out of balance, our daily diet can be altered to include foods that will assist in our healing process, and reduce or eliminate foods that are detrimental to our symptoms.
Usually, part of the goal is to strengthen and harmonize our digestive system so that we can efficiently assimilate and use our food intake appropriately. When we achieve this goal a number of things happen: we start to naturally like and dislike certain foods that are either beneficial or harmful to us, we achieve a healthy body weight without dieting, we eliminate food allergies, our mood improves, and our digestion becomes strong and comfortable.
Sometimes Five Elements Nutrition includes the use of Chinese herbs as food, either cooked into a broth or eaten as an ingredient. This is a delicious and fun way to begin exploring the world of medicinal food!
The soups listed below include a few special recipes that are fairly common to the American taste, combined with cooking Chinese herbs as part of the ingredients. They are adapted from the wonderful book "Between Heaven & Earth" by Harriet Beinfield and Efrem Korngold. Watch for my workshops to learn about the herbs, see how easy they are to use, and taste the prepared foods.
Wei Qi Soup (immune system enhancing, builds Kidney Qi an Jing)
Harmonize with the Fall Season soup (strengthens the lungs)
Weight Management Soup (instead of fasting, try this for several days!)
Often, eating is done out of habit or necessity, sometimes without much thought as to what is being eaten as long as it is acceptable to the palate. However, when we consciously think about what we are eating and why, we can turn the act into a special or even sacred ritual used for healing and self-cultivation purposes.
Traditional Taoist healing practices, upon which Chinese medicine is based, includes Five Elements Nutrition, a treatment method that uses food as a powerful medicine. We can use our food in this way to treat various aspects of our energy body and cause profound physical reactions. If we have physical, emotional, or spiritual symptoms of discomfort, we can go through an Oriental medicine intake with a qualified practitioner. This will lead to an energetic diagnosis based on the Five Elements which include Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. Depending on which element is most out of balance, our daily diet can be altered to include foods that will assist in our healing process, and reduce or eliminate foods that are detrimental to our symptoms.
Usually, part of the goal is to strengthen and harmonize our digestive system so that we can efficiently assimilate and use our food intake appropriately. When we achieve this goal a number of things happen: we start to naturally like and dislike certain foods that are either beneficial or harmful to us, we achieve a healthy body weight without dieting, we eliminate food allergies, our mood improves, and our digestion becomes strong and comfortable.
Sometimes Five Elements Nutrition includes the use of Chinese herbs as food, either cooked into a broth or eaten as an ingredient. This is a delicious and fun way to begin exploring the world of medicinal food!
The soups listed below include a few special recipes that are fairly common to the American taste, combined with cooking Chinese herbs as part of the ingredients. They are adapted from the wonderful book "Between Heaven & Earth" by Harriet Beinfield and Efrem Korngold. Watch for my workshops to learn about the herbs, see how easy they are to use, and taste the prepared foods.
Wei Qi Soup (immune system enhancing, builds Kidney Qi an Jing)
Harmonize with the Fall Season soup (strengthens the lungs)
Weight Management Soup (instead of fasting, try this for several days!)
These herbal soup kits are available for purchase at The Oriental Healing Arts Center ($38 each). Complete cooking instructions included. (Call us at 907-279-0135 to order if you do not live in the Anchorage Alaska area.)
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