| Thai Rishi Yoga Making its debut in the United States Excerpted from Bob Fickes and written by Mary Beth Curry Thai Rishi Yoga developed from teachings of Lord Buddha, which emphasized living in greater harmony with nature. According to Buddha, nature is the best healer. Once we learn to honor nature, our life becomes more peaceful and fulfilling. When we are out of harmony with nature, we create stress and congestion in our body, mind, and spirit, as well as friction in the world around us. This stress creates pain. Unfortunately, most of us live a life full of pain. Pain is our signal that something is wrong. The natural flow of life is stopped and a signal of pain is sent out as a warning. If this pain is ignored and nothing is done to correct the block, then more severe complications can arise. Over time, pain can result in illness, lack of mobility, suffering, and even death. The push and pull of modern society takes a toll on us. Finding relief from the stresses of life is rare and occasional. Thai Rishi Yoga is a unique system of self-healing that was developed more than 2,000 years ago in Thailand to restore health and well-being. This is even more important in today's world. Healing the body also involves healing the soul. The physical body wraps around the soul like a glove. The spiritual circulatory system, called the Sen (or Nadis in Ayurvedic Medicine), provides life energy to the soul and physical body the same way blood circulation provides energy for our body. When stress occurs, a block is created in the flow of Life Force that moves through the spiritual circulatory system, the energy lines of the Sen. You can think of the Sen as an energy tube. Pressing and bending the tube releases congestion, which increases circulation and relieves obstructions on all levels. Thai Rishi Yoga begins with a system of point holding along the Sen, to stimulate a better flow of energy to the body and to relieve pain. All healing involves releasing blockages so the natural flow of energy can be restored. When we experience healing, we are merely re-establishing the natural flow of life by reducing accumulated congestion. Thai Rishi Yoga is specifically designed to provide self-healing and self-massage. Each posture applies healing to a particular area so blockage can be cleared. All blockages in the body will be systematically released over time. The exercises can have powerful healing effects. Thai Rishi Yoga stretches and strengthens, but its primary goal is to free the subtle energy currents of the body. This creates deep healing and a firm foundation for wellness on all levels. After completing the exercises, you may feel refreshed, energized, and have more mental clarity. Thai Rishi Yoga is an ideal adjunct to meditation and other forms of healing. A Thai Rishi Yoga class will be taught Jan. 17, 24 & 31, from 1-3 pm, at Lake Harriet Spiritual Community, 44th and Upton Avenue S., Minneapolis. The cost is $60, plus book. For class information, contact Lee Timm Beaty at (612) 721-7108. Mary Beth Curry is a teacher of the Fulfillment Foundation, and a teacher of Thai Rishi Yoga. This article is excerpted from "Thai Rishi Yoga: Exercises for Self Healing and Self Massage," by Bob Fickes. Copyright © Bob Fickes, with Mary Beth Curry |
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Jan 2004 |
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