Everyday Sublime

In meditation, all too often, people struggle with their thinking, and feel badly that they can't stop their "monkey mind" from thinking so much. Meditation teacher Jason Siff offers a kinder, more compassionate approach to working with one's mind in meditation. The post Jason Siff: Thoughts Are Not the Enemy appeared first on Josh Summers.

This episode is the season finale of The Everyday Sublime, before I close up shop for the summer. I give a preview of what's to come in September, and a quick look back at some of the highlights from the past few months. The post Season Finale – Summers’ Break appeared first on Josh Summers.

I talk with David Lesondak about his new book, Fascia: What it is and why it matters. David is rapidly becoming a rock star in the fascial world, having extensive work in structural integration, as well as having attended and presented at many of the Fascial Congresses. The post David Lesondak: All Things Fascia appeared first on Josh Summers.

Chinese language tends to describe the Organs and their functions in poetic terms. Their language is metaphorical, often drawing on images from nature and human governance to describe the various processes of human health. The post Chinese Medicine: The Organs, or Zang-Fu appeared first on Josh Summers.

Here, Bernie Clark talks about the fascial concepts of dynaments and creep. He discusses some misunderstandings of Yin Yoga, as well as how to think about propping and assisting in Yin Yoga. The post Bernie Clark: Understanding Yin Yoga appeared first on Josh Summers.

The best way to affect positively one s Essence is by striving for balance in one s life activities: balance between work and rest, restraint in sexual activity and balanced diet. Any irregularity or excess in these spheres is bound to diminish the Essence. A direct way to positively influence one s Essence is through breathing exercises and such exercises as Tai Ji Quan and Qi Gong. - Maciocia The post Chinese Medicine: What is Essence? appeared first on Josh Summers.

Listen to Bernie Clark discuss: antifragility, confusion between correlation and causation, the four levels evidence in science, piezoelectricity, and Yin and Yang stress on our tissues. Essential listening for Yin Yoga teachers. The post Bernie Clark: The Science of Yin Yoga appeared first on Josh Summers.

The second big function of the Blood in Chinese Medicine is that Blood is said to have the function of moistening tissues. Strong Blood prevents things from drying out. Healthy Blood keeps the tissues moist, keeps the eyes from feeling dry, keeps the sinews (or tendons) lubricated, and moistens the skin, nails and hair, preventing all from becoming dry, cracked, and brittle. The post Chinese Medicine: What is Blood? appeared first on Josh Summers.

Many people express concern about issues of hypermobility and hyperextension in Yin Yoga. Here Bernie Clark explores these concerns and logically defends Yin Yoga. Essential listening for Yin Yoga teachers. The post Bernie Clark: Hypermobility and Hyperextension appeared first on Josh Summers.

For yoga teachers, it can be a challenging process to unlearn rigid rules of alignment and to adapt their teaching to the unique experience of their students. Here, Bernie Clark will walk you through how to think about and teach functional alignment in Yin Yoga and beyond. The post Bernie Clark: The Mindset of a Teacher appeared first on Josh Summers.

As with everything in Chinese Medicine, all entities - whether they be a type of energy, an organ, or a meridian - tend to be defined by the functions they perform. And the concept of Qi is no different. It s classification as a type of energy is defined by what functions it performs, and for Qi there are Five Primary Functions. The post Chinese Medicine: The Sources and Functions of Qi appeared first on Josh Summers.

One way of thinking of the Meridians of Chinese Medicine is that they are, generally speaking, channels of communication within the organism along which subtle informational signals are transmitted. The post Chinese Medicine: The Meridians appeared first on Josh Summers.

Back from the Yin phase of Winter Hibernation, I'm excited to tell you about what's in store for Season 2 of Everyday Sublime. I have a couple of quick updates about the Summers School of Yin Yoga, and a line-up of superstar interviews for 2018. We're off to a great start this year, and I'm looking forward to connecting again. The post Emerging From Hibernation appeared first on Josh Summers.

In 2018, the Summers School of Yin Yoga will be unrolling a unique way study Yin Yoga with a modular curriculum, as well as a way to earn a 200hr or 300hr certification in Yin Yoga, if you're interested. Each of the core modules of the school will include an online component (taken prior to attending the session) and a live four-day immersion. This will allow us to start at a much higher level when we come together live, and will provide a much richer learning experience overall. The post...

Qi is "perceived functionally, by what it does," is critical to remember. Entities in Chinese Medicine are almost unanimously "perceived functionally," that is, defined by what they do. We'll see this affirmed again and again when we look at the meridian system. Meridians are defined by what they do, functionally - the organ system - organs are defined by what they do, functionally - and the Vital Substances of the body - which again are defined by what they do, functionally for the whole...

A point that many authors and practitioners of Chinese Medicine often reiterate is that as qualities of change, Yin and Yang are in a constant process of controlling and balancing one another. A static, unchanging balance is never achieved. What is observed and assisted, however both by the skilled yoga practitioner and practitioner of Chinese Medicine is a smooth process of balancing The post Chinese Medicine: Mastering the Relationship appeared first on Josh Summers.

By observing Yin and Yang dynamics both in the macrocosm and within the microcosm, the overarching intention was always one of promoting harmony. When honored, observed and respected, Yin and Yang describe processes of change that can be fluid, harmonious and balanced. Of course, if neglected or disregarded, the ceaseless process of change between Yin and Yang can break down and no longer be a smooth, harmonizing process of balance, but rather turn into a disruptive, chaotic, and jarring...

Taoists observed how the play of cycles in Nature would manifest in parallel within their internal experience. Understanding and attuning to the world outside facilitated an ability to bring the internal microcosm into harmony with its world, and vice versa, where greater understanding of the microcosm - especially through meditative insight - supported this harmonization with the external environment or macrocosm. The post Chinese Medicine: Taoist Origins appeared first on Josh Summers.

A holistic approach to medicine will formulate a diagnosis of a patient's condition by taking into consideration the complex dynamic of everything going on internally with that patient, as well as external influences of interpersonal relationship, work, and climate. Whereas a more conventional approach to medicine will try to identify a singular causative factor that generates illness and which needs to be eliminated or suppressed. The post Chinese Medicine: A Holistic Paradigm appeared...

I find Aaron's trios are the settings where his personality and voice shine brightest. In my interview Aaron, he talked about the depth of connection that forms between jazz musicians when they've played together for years and years and years, and it's that level of connection and interpersonal knowing that facilitates the kind of expression and improvisation that is so charged and captivating. It's that depth of familiarity which facilitates the sublime. The post The Jazz Session: Ode to...