Wholistic Fitness

THE GRACE OF PRATYHARA; BALANCE, TRANSFORMATION. Student input; THE LOVE OF SWEAT AND STILLNESS

“The MahaRishis – The Great Teachers – do not Tell too much. Instead, They allow the Message of Their Lives to function
like a finger pointing the Higher Way.
I tell you now, Oh Noble WF Warriors, be very, very judicious about the worldly pleasures and seduction of senses. Remember why the fifth limb of yoga is Pratyhara – control of the senses. The Masters taught us long, long ago that the senses are like the horses of the chariot driver; the mind is the reins, the chariot is the body, the driver is the intellect, and the body/mind houses the Soul. just as the chariot driver must first and foremost control the horses, so too the yogin MUST LEARN TO CONTROL THE SENSES, otherwise, no matter how many degree’s we have, how many initials after our names, no matter how clever, rich, or wise we may THINK we are, without the ability to manage our psychological and biologic and animal urges and longings, our Spiritual Integrity is weak, imbalanced, and lame. Until we can control the Senses, our Bardo Entry will be full of fear without strong, joyful consciousness retention. In the Outer World, releasing into pleasure and entertainment is easy. Containment of Energy and the Ascent of InnerAttainment, on the other hand, requires a most Noble, fit, and wise Warrior. Today, which do you choose? Predictable addiction to comfort like the mass of men, or to Rise Above and control your Horses? Today, which do you choose; Grasping for that which seems comfortable or concentrating on your Practices? Today, you can use your WF Training wisely and bravely; you can be a lion whose ROAR immediately awakens all sleeping Beings…or, you can remain a sheep, bleating among the fertile pastures of entertainment until you are shaved for your worth and die. All i know is this; nobody herds a lion! Choice is yours, Oh Noble One along the Way…the choice is allWays yours.”
– Coach Ilg

Opening photo: Coach and Ananda take a moment in New Mexico to feel the Wisdom and Chi of my new nephew from Ethiopia, Mogius! Trust me when i say, this little guy is a Buddha truckin’ around on little, fat feet…waving to All, Enlightening all others while he tends to his own Way. I bow to my little brother Craig and his wife, Gwen, for allowing this BuddhaBeing into our sphere of the world…and i bow to M’s biologic parents still in Ethiopia. May All Beings Be Happy. photo/craig ilg.

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Taking life seriously does not mean spending our whole lives meditating as if we were living in the Himalaya Mountains or in the old days in Tibet. In the modern world, we have to work to earn our living, but we should not get entangled in a nine-to-five existence, where we live without any view of the deeper meaning of life.

Our task is to strike a balance, to find a middle way, to learn not to overextend ourselves with extraneous activities and preoccupations, but to simplify our lives more and more. The key to finding a happy balance in modern life is simplicity.

– Sogyal Rinpoche

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Tuesday, November 01, 2005

It is later. Bedtime in fact. Just want to take a few moments to unwind my mind. Green Tara prescribed lower body iron temple strength training for today. The last staccato set on the leg extention apparatus was gnarly. The burn so good on my thighs and my mind. i have been able to load on more weight for the sets and finish them in elegant posture. Of course, i appear to have just stepped from the shower i am so wet with sweat. It is the ultimate feeling, emerging at the end of the ritual, breathing deeply and slick with perspiration.
I had the opportunity to champion the WF path to a co worker this evening. He remarked that I look more fit, clear eyed, and thinner. So, being a man of way too many words, I gave him a short tour of DL, Wholistic Fitness� website, the virtue of yoga toes, and the miraculous feeling of SunRider� herbs. It felt good to share this path.
Ok, i will stop now before i burst into mindless babble from lack of rest. Good night my yogi teachers and friends, fellow finders of the path. Sweet dreams.

Namaste,

thOMas ~ (not so) wide Wapiti

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Dear Coach,
i am grateful and ready to shout the WF Dharma from the mountain, the Sacred Mountain, at that:)

thank you, thank you, thank you. i bow at your feet. Lord knows you’ve put enough out there on DL to fill a book, FOR FREE! i say, “go for it, BABY!”

Namaste,
ko

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