Aaron Hoopes's Blog

The consciousness of the Earth is vastly different from our personal, human, individual understanding of consciousness.

Try to imagine it as an all-encompassing energy that pervades every living thing on the planet. From there it is easier to begin remembering our place in the vast life-force energy that flows through all of us.

However, if we truly want to tap into the consciousness of the Earth and join the whole, it is essential for us to grasp the depths we need to go within ourselves to reach that feeling of unity. Interacting with the natural world is not simply talking about nature or going outside for a few minutes. It is not watching nature on the television. It is not buying fresh vegetables from the store.

The truth is that it is much more about opening the lines of communication with nature on an energetic level and sharing our life force.

This may be a real challenge when beginning this process, but by opening our hearts and experiencing nature in its fullness, we begin to actually feel this magical connection. It is purely an experiential exercise.

We need to spend quality time in nature to truly feel it. Bringing our present awareness to nature will enable us to begin to quiet the mind, open the heart, and invite calm and peace into the body.

Allowing it to happen naturally enables us to feel the living connection with the lives of the plants and animals around us and provides the capacity to open up to something much bigger than ourselves.

Reconnecting to the Earth: Reclaiming Our Relationship to Nature and Ourselves


I'm looking for people interested in reviewing this.
~A

For thousands of years the human body was used in many various physically demanding ways. Hunting, gathering, and manual labor were all a major part of life in the past. But modern life has changed everything. We live in a predominantly sedentary society in which the basic needs of life are met with as little effort as possible. The average lifestyle consists of driving in the car to go to a job where we sit in front of a computer all day. Exercise is something to be avoided as we become numb to what is happening within our bodies.
This state of being is something I call Laze. Laze can be mild, moderate or advanced and is a reflection of the sedentary lifestyle, the over indulgence in eating and the avoidance of proper exercise which characterizes the present era. Science and technology have introduced a vast array of labor saving devices, drugs and medical procedures to help us thrive in our Laze. The cell phone has replaced face-to-face meetings, our cars are nearly able to drive for themselves while we watch DVDs, and a numbing advertising onslaught from the television takes constant energy to deflect. Sometimes even going to the gym can begin to feel like work after a busy day of stress-filled events. The diet craze seems hotter than ever, yet obesity threatens to overtake smoking as the number one cause of death.
Laze is upon us.
Many of us feel as if life has gotten faster while we have become slower in dealing with it. School, job and other interests often keep us sitting still for much of the day. We drive short distances in our cars to buy fast food. We spend hours in front of the TV or computer screen filling our mind with all sorts of things distractions. We can do almost anything with a few clicks of the mouse and a hand on the remote.
We spend all that effort to make things easier, so we don’t have to exert ourselves, only to find that the easier we make things the harder it is to generate the motivation to actually do things. Eventually it can start to feel as if we are dragging our bodies around as parts begin to ache or malfunction. We enter a downward spiral that makes life more and more difficult. Obviously Laze is not healthy.
The only answer is to find something that can combat the Laze. It must be simple and easy to put into practice. It must be something that doesn’t take much time or effort. or it will be the first thing jettisoned when life intrudes.
The answer to Laze is Movement.
Let’s first be clear about movement. Movement is not exercise. It is not something you do twenty minutes a day, three days a week. Movement is much more important. It is an essential building block to good human health. If we are able to understand that movement is life and something that should be consciously incorporated our daily life then we give ourselves the opportunity to keep our bodies happy, healthy and alive.
The body is an amazing construct. We take food, water and oxygen into it and convert them to energy. This conversion process is called metabolism. The more active our metabolism, the more effective the conversion process and the more energy our bodies have. In order for our body to combat Laze we need an active metabolism. Since metabolism generates energy, the better it is working the more energy we have and the better we feel. A slow, sluggish metabolism is the perfect breeding ground for Laze. However if can make the metabolism more active we can banish Laze.
In order to increase our metabolism and keep Laze at bay there are a couple of very simple things we need to do. If you have read any of my other articles or books you will know that proper breathing is the first thing I always recommend. While there are a many different breathing methods, the simplest and most beneficial is basic abdominal breathing. In basic abdominal breathing the abdominal muscles are expanded on the inhalation (pushing the belly out) and contracted on the exhalation (pulling the belly in). This deep, rhythmic breathing brings balance to the bodily systems and allows the metabolism to rise naturally as more energy is created.
Once you are breathing properly, in order to effectively deal with Laze you must embrace the concept of movement. Movement is the best method for keeping Laze at bay because it stimulates the circulatory system which pumps blood to all areas allowing the musculoskeletal system to maintain itself. While proper eating habits are a major factor in keeping the body healthy, movement is what enables it to effectively process the food. Movement creates an active metabolism. The energy produced from the oxygen and food is dispersed through the body by moving. This movement gets the blood flowing and raises the metabolism. As the metabolism becomes more active the body wants to move more.
The most beneficial types of movements to facilitate this process are rotations of the joints and shaking the extremities. Shrugging the shoulders, circling the arms, elbows, knees and hips are all excellent exercises as are shaking out the hands and feet. These types of exercise encourage the smooth flow of energy through the meridians of the body. In this way, the metabolic process enables a flow of energy through the body so that fluids and nutrients get to the cells, allowing the systems of the body to work the way they are supposed to, without additional stress. This energy lubricates the joints and assists in releasing toxins from the body.
Laze is something that everyone struggles with at some point. But it doesn’t have to have influence in your life. By engaging in a regular schedule of simple movement activities we can keep the bodily systems active and healthy without a lot of effort.

Winter Season – Water Element

It is right about now that people begin to get a little tired of winter. The holiday season is well and truly over and now we are waiting for those first signs of spring to start appearing.

In the cycle of the seasons winter is the time of retraction. It is a time to withdraw into oneself, keep warm and harbor your energy. In Chinese 5 Element theory winter is associated with the Water element. It is a time to adapt to the situations we are confronted with by cultivating the willpower. Unbalanced Water element can intensify feelings of fear and depression. Water corresponds to the kidneys within the body. The kidneys are responsible for gathering, storing and dispensing water throughout the body. In Chinese 5 Element theory the kidneys are where the pre-birth qi is stored. In order to keep this qi vital and strong we must take care of our kidneys during the winter. Daily gentle circular massage of the kidney area (lower back on either side of the spine) helps keeps them strong. Excessive indulgence in alcohol, sex, and unhealthy food can drain qi. In winter this behavior can be especially damaging.

Think of the kidneys as the ocean of the human body. Within the body all the essences and fluids of the body's various pathways pour into the kidney. While oceans may appear vast and inexhaustible, their seemingly unlimited supply can be drained. In the context of the human body only the kidney can be compared to the workings of this natural cycle. After the kidney has assembled the essential fluids of the body's vessels it disperses them throughout the body lubricating the five organ network and nourishing all of the body's pathways.

Winter is a time of hibernation, stockpiling energy and conserving vital qi. Embracing this concept allow us to prepare for the springtime as the cycle continues.

Well, a month on the beach in Australia has been a wonderful chance to put things in perspective. Zen Yoga is getting a great reception over here.

I think it is very easy to get locked into a worldview when we are going through the same motions day in and day out. Stepping out of the normal everyday pattern forces a shift in perception. Sure the same problems exist, but a change in location or situation provides an opportunity to look at things in a different way.

If you are able to implement a regular practice that allows you to get more closer in touch with your spiritual nature then you can enhance this process even more.

This type of practice is vital during times of uncertainty. The whole world may seem like it is going crazy, but if you can keep your center it is possible to navigate the difficulties without too much problem. Of course there are things that need to be dealt with. However, if you can start with breathing and movement to get the energy in your body flowing, then everything you do will become more effective.

If you already have an effective practice it may be time to take it to a new level by rededicating yourself to mindful awareness and meditation. This allows a much deeper exploration into the real purpose of life.....hint: it is not about getting more STUFF...

Back from Australia on April 15th with lots happening. Check out Eat Smart: The Zen Anti-Diet if you get a chance.

wishing everyone much peace....
Aaron

The art of naturopathy is thousands of years old. The ancient Chinese practiced it. Ayurvedic Medicine of India is based on it. There have always been people who understand that healing will occur naturally in the human body, if it is given what it truly needs, the proper diet, pure water, fresh air, sunlight, exercise and rest.

In naturopathy the emphasis is not on finding a disease and killing it, but rather on helping the body establish its own state of good health.

Of course we must recognize that allopathic medical care is, at times, necessary, we need to realize that many accepted allopathic treatments can be harmful.

Allopathic philosophy holds that disease is caused by external agents, chiefly by bacteria and viruses. According to this belief system, a cure will result when these offending agents are eliminated. Also, the allopathic belief also tends to look at the symptom and the disease as one and the same, so that when the symptom has been eliminated, it is presumed that the disease is cured. The Naturopath, however, sees the symptom as nothing more than a signal that something is wrong. In naturopathy, when a symptom alone is eliminated, it is most likely being suppressed. Unless the original cause has been eliminated, the symptom may return later in a chronic form.
Basic Naturopathic Principles:
Do no harm. Naturopaths do not use harmful substances, such as drugs and pharmaceuticals, and do not rely on dangerous procedures, such as surgery.
Recognize the healing power of nature. Naturopaths understand that the body has an innate capacity for self-healing. They are equipped to educate their clients in setting up a proper external and internal environment so that healing will take place.
Find and eliminate the cause of poor health. Naturopaths help their clients evaluate their lifestyles, identify the cause of their health problems, and take corrective action.
Teach Health. Naturopaths teach their clients how to achieve and maintain good health. This empowers their clients and enables them to participate in the process of staying well.
Honor the total person. A person is never simply a headache, or a back ache, or a sore throat. Unless there has been an injury, seldom does any problems occur in isolation. Naturopaths understand that people are physical, mental, and spiritual beings, and that one "dis-ease" affects all areas of life.