Wholistic Fitness

Walking On Water, Engaged AA For Thailand, Student Input on Ego and Nutrition, and Ragin’ RJ!

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Who says a mountain yogi cannot walk on water? One of my Sacred Spaces cloaked in her winter wardrobe; Las Conchas Canyon in the mystical Jemez Mountains of New Mexico. Wild trout still somehow survive long months in these near freeezing 10,000′ canyon waters beneath a shield of ice. This was my first visit to Las Conchas in quite a while. i am pleased to see the young generations of rock climbers have produced a number of fine, difficult routes alongside my first ascent lines which i put up in the late eighties. It is an interesting thing to grow older. life moves faster, familiar old rocks, new streams of insights. Emotions rise. the Practice is to witness the emotions, treasure them, and…the difficult part; let them go. “Feel everything, hold on to nothing,” as Yoga Teacher Blanchard says. photo of Coach taken two days ago, by Ananda.

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ENGAGED “AA” PRACTICE ASSIGNMENT FOR ALL ACTIVE WF STUDENTS:

Noble WF Online Students…

it is time for an Engaged Practice.

as you know, my third WF Lifestyle Principle is Appropriate Action.

as you all also know, Mother Nature waved Her pinkie finger beneath the Atlantic Ocean, giving rise to a sea of human pain and suffering. thousands upon thousands have lost their precious lives. the suffering has merely begun.

instead of watching the drama of it on TV, i need you, my Devoted Online WF Tribe

to honor the Prakritic Force of Water and the gunic quality of rajas (Shiva as the Destroyer)

and engage Active Prayer for those dying of thirst in Thailand without access to drinkable water because of animal and human

corpses and bacterical pollution to do the following WF Assignment:

* Limit all personal shower time to 8 minutes.

* During these 8 minutes, bring your Awareness to Anahata Chakra

* While keeping Anahata Chakra open, feel compassion for those dying of thirst without access to water

in Thailand, India, et. al. Allow this feeling of Compassion to lather you.

* then, to rinse the lather, feel gratitude for living where you do and for all the Beings that bring water to you so conveniently, each day. rinse yourself with Gratitude.

* Know that Personal Fitness, if it is to be genuine and helpful, must be based upon an ongoing lathering of Compassion for all Beings and a daily rinsing of Gratitude for all that we have.

In the days, months, years ahead; Continue this 8-Minute Shower Of Compassion and Gratitude Assignment for as long as you TAF (WF Lingo for Think & Feel) it to be Appropriate Action for your Practice, temperament, abilities, and karmic purity. Prayers are paltry unless accompanied by Engaged Appropriate Action. Saving water, no matter where you live, saves lives of animals, millions of dollars of electricity, and helps many other Beings. Do not be greedy in your shower. WF Warriors never linger in comfort. We savor it, appreciate it, thank God for it, then without attachment to comfort, move on to our next Appropriate Action.

That is all.

I bow to your Devoted Online WF Studies…WF Warriors will Awaken the World, by one Appropriate Action linked by another…this is our humble, yet Powerful Way.

Namaste and may all Beings Know Happiness,

coach ilg

founder/Wholistic Fitness Personal Training

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Wanna help us Awaken the World, oh Noble Fitness Warrior?

Join WF Online Studies in 2005…

we’ve got quite a Mission

and we need those with (genuine) Fitness Vision!

visit the Online Tribal Catalog today and sign up for Online Training!

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“So much for feeling guilty! You guys should really warn people that

embracing Wholistic Fitness is a bit like stopping during a walk along the

beach to sit on a rock, only to realize that the rock is a WHALE that takes

you out to sea on a strange, mysterious journey that you have no time to

prepare for. Needless to say, I’m enjoying the ride.

Online WF Student Mike Singer (Teacher Sheader Clan)”

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OH MAN!!! That letter from Semper Fi Scott in Afghanistan just kills!!! Sent chills down my spine! What a reach WF has baby…

WW

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Coach Sheader,

Just a couple more observations�the ego that associates itself with this body is still recovering from heavy weightlifters anonymous. The younger football power lifting days of 500 pound squats, 300 pound benches, heavy cleans are still embedded there somewhere. Those years also have taken their toll on my joints and functional strength. Shoulders, elbows, back all feel the pain of ST. The knees have held out remarkably well, probably because I quit squatting heavy first. The ego had to keep benching heavy of course. My little girls, however, probably have more functional strength than I do. My point is that while I no longer am capable of or desiring to lift heavy, I think functional bodyweight exercises like dips, chins, pushups, one leg squats, and obviously yoga are most beneficial to me as well as the lighter high rep style of many of the WF techniques. It still amazes me how one can be weight strong and so functionally weak.� Anyway, notice that I said ..recovering from�

WF and HP Yoga have given me an entirely new mindset on strength and how to train this aging body and I am eagerly anticipating the yoga prop DVD.

Namaste�

Tim

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Because I tend to overlook apparently easy and simple

experiences,� I made a point to read Coach Ilg�s

introduction before (and sometimes during) each

workout: �The real trick is to master the entire

workout from start to finish with unwavering attention

to posture and lifting tempo.�

I bought raw steak from a natural food store. I

imagined the cow when I carried the flesh to the

register. I�m telling you, when I rinsed the meat, I

could feel good energy in it. After I cooked it, I

brought it to the table and sat with my father.� I lit

a candle and explained the significance of the flame:

we are doing our best to be enlightened meat-eaters. I

placed a statue of (the trim) Buddha on one side of

the table to remind us of moderation and awareness in

eating. I placed two small elephant sculptures on the

table to remind us of the animal kingdom, in

particular their wisdom and strength, which I now must

consume to survive.

I thanked the animal that died for us to eat.

I know it is unfair that an animal should die so I

should live, but that is my decision. I want to live.

– Student Starling in an Online Report to WF Teacher Ananda

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� You must savor the fragrance of a posture. Until you are relaxed,

you cannot savor the fragrance.� – B.K.S. Iyengar

contributed by Ananda

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Steve,

In 1997(I believe), I read your outdoor magazine article. At the time I was a personal trainer for 9 years with decent success. I became intrigued (alright, let�s face it�I was jacked!) with your teachings. A couple of months later, I was hiking Camelback in Scottsdale and you ran past me on your way up. I got chills because I knew immediately it was you. After your run, we met down at the rest area, and you invited me to REI where you were giving a talk followed by a session at the local gym. Wow!

Many things have happened in my life since then. 3 months ago a friend of mine in Pa. (I live in Northern Ca.), sent me an article from the Philadelphia Inquirer about your book. Amazing! She had no idea who you were or that I had heard of you! I found the book, read it�I am back in the fitness industry with a stronger mindset, more wisdom, and a mentor that I am finally ready for. I began Green Tara today (I know I know It�s Monday).

�My future aspirations involve an Institute for people on the Transformational Journey at any level. My vision grows each day and I would like to thank you for providing nutrients for my growth. I am manifesting a path in my life right now that is exciting and difficult at the same time. Your program and teachings allow me to follow and achieve as I learn to lead on a larger scale.

One thing we have in common, correct me if I am wrong, we are exactly the same age�May 27, 1962. Except I believe in the slide presentation I saw you do, you said you were born under a rock?

I look forward to�everything�yet learning to enjoy the moment,

Future Warrior,

Dan Brown

Santa Rosa Ca.

*

Noble Tribal Brother From A Different Mother…

Sacred Circles can never be broken,

not even by lifetimes…

i would LOVE to see you hook up with WF Online Training someday…

would love to share the deeper dimensions of WF with you…

yep, same chronological birthday

(this time around!)…

love and keep reading DIRECT LINES!

namaste,

coach ilg

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“…on the WF Chi Cap! As good as it looks on Anandajoy, that doesn’t begin to let anyone know how great it FEELS on the head. Wow! what a fit(ness) treat! And the brim is perfect! I’m off for a weeklong family vacation in Puerto Vallarta where I will wear it to keep the Mexican sun out of my eyes!

hugs and kisses,

LP

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Coach Counsels A Warrior Struggles To Battle Anger During Divorce

IlgBro,

Your words ring so clear.� It is however so difficult to remain concious and yet unconcious at the same time.� I have been developing to skill at bluring my vision as I move arround our little town.� trying not to turn my head when I see a car like her’s , or her’s go by… Its really not like me… I have practised paying attention to details for so long.��

� the only details which matter

are those which lead you Higher.

RE:

If I was a better artist or perhaps had a better grasp of my craft I should think of it as a gift… to feel so much… and in such equal measures of pain and relief.� But at times it is as though this creative fuel is merely cord upon cord of wood piled higher and higher around a house with no place in which to burn it…� until it becomes a pyre or a scaffold to be set a flame.

– {name withheld for privacy}

� wise discrimination must be found

nay,

sifted

from so many tenuous human emotions.

application of skillful means,

perhaps best accessed via conscious breathing during impulsion,

shall endlessly gift the Warrior his inner weaponry for the Ascent Higher than Anger, Bitterness, Regret, and Revenge.

do not let anyone take away your Spiritual Skills to Rise Above.

let everyone

sharpen them.

love,

ilgbro

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Another Ragin’ RJ Throws Down Some WF PushUps!

{Note; this entry is R-Rated for Chi-Inspired Language}

Ilg,

I threw down the fucking chi baby!� Stacked the Ilgarandas back to back with the Jack LaLannes!� Talk about a fucking chi hit man!� Yes, I know�I�m a crazy MOFO!!!!� Fucking people gathered around man�members, other trainers, the friggin� management�they had never seen such push up chi baby!� The doctor was so impressed he�s hiring me Monday to give all his workout buddies a �push up� workout.� He�s a guy that has done 600 regular military push ups in one workout but I dropped him to the floor in five minutes!� FUCKING WF TRIBAL CHI BABY!� Oh�so you mother fuckers think I�m a pussy huh because I�m quiet in the gym and don�t strut around like a dumb jock?!!!� Oh you think I�m weak because I don�t have bulky muscles that can�t move with function.� Oh you think I�m a pussy bike rider because I shave my legs�WELL FUCKING TRY THIS SHIT MOFOS!� Then we�ll hit the weights for a cool down!�

Fucking ragin� rj cuttin� loose baby is a beautiful if not dangerous thang baby! :o)� It was oh so go(o)d tonight dude�and Monday is going to be better!� E.E. Cummings once said, �There is some shit I will not eat.�� God Dammit when I get that feeling people think I�m a dumb ass that can�t get it on the shit is coming down because I ain�t eatin� it man!

– Rj