Wholistic Fitness

Ilg:

Congratulations on the new studio � it sounds wonderful. I�m going to have

to drag my ass over to the Valley to check it out.

I started a WHOLISTIC FITNESS and SUNRIDER practice in July of 2002.

I did a lot of your HIGH PERFORMANCE YOGA video tape

(and attended a couple of your classes in person), I did your three-phase strength

training in your book, THE WINTER ATHLETE and dropped 17 pounds and 2 inches from my waist, getting

into the best shape of my life at age 41.

Kept up the training 6 days a week for the better part of a year,

culminating in an awesome spring ascent of Mt. Whitney via the Mountaineer�s

Route. I couldn�t have done it without your wisdom and guidance. You

inspired me to do the climb when we chatted about the mountains before one

of your classes, and I heard your voice in my head at 14,000 ft. (�Breath!

Through your nose!�). Thank you.

One quick question � after training for a year and accomplishing my goal, I

am finding it hard to get motivated to resume training with the same

consistency. I�m still eating the SR herbs every day and it�s keeping me in

good general health, but my exercise volume has gone way down. Any thoughts

on how to get the fire back?

I also wanted to tell you how much I appreciate your blog. I know it must

take a lot of your time and effort, but it really provides inspiration for

those of us who can�t get a direct hit of Ilg energy in person.

–Mitch

Dear Mitch –

Yes, DIRECT LINES does take a lot of my time and effort but i consider a form of meditation and an offering aspect of my Path as a karma yogi…i am VERY pleased to hear my feeble words helped inspire you on your fantastic victories!

Do not worry about your training motivation. Perhaps your great success in the mountains and on the fitness front was enough for one lifetime.

You should feel go(o)d about your efforts. You have already done more in your life than many, many people.

However, if you begin to feel restless for more training…a part of you that itches knowing that you could do more with your life…then that motivational fire (what yogis know as ‘tapas’) will burn off your current lethargy. Once you experience this Shift, i just want you to keep bringing Awareness to the restlessness. Why? In restlessness, agitation arises. Agitation is very go(o)d because when things are stirred then transformation is easier. That is why shamans shake rattles and yogis chant…it stirs the pranic vibration making transformation more accessible.

So my counsel to you is enjoy the lack of motivation.

In fact, i want you to milk it for all it’s worth.

Because something tells me

– and i’m pretty good at spotting spiritual athletes these days

because I am even older than you! –

that you are destined to Rise Higher.

You are a member of our Tribe…

and our Tribe NEVER quits the Path!

So keep bringing Awareness to your laziness until one of two things happen:

1) you become a lazy fat slob and risk reincarnating as slime on the back of a trash can in NYC

or

2) you become so pissed off at being lazy that you realize you do not want to waste

one

precious

moment

more of your human lifetime.

The choice is yours,

not mine.

i just write and say feeble words

that come to me during my own Practice.

Just remember, it’s called the Human Race

so

pass somebody before you die.

Oh, and i just wanted to thank you…i needed your letter. Right before yours I had to deal with a Student who is stuck in the whole money drama and was accusing me of being dishonest and a spiritual charlatan…your letter got me back my faith in my own feeble self. So, thank you. Once again, the Teacher learns from the Student…

love,

coach ilg, RYT

founder/Wholistic Fitness