Easter, Spring, Renewal

Good Morning Everyone,

This weekend is Easter. Religious or not, the metaphor is strong: rebirth, renewal. It is a theme that one cannot miss in the bounty of beauty that we see everywhere we go on a fine morning like today.

I am reminded of the "renewal" that I witness daily, year round in my personal training, self-defense and massage clients. Independent of age, gender or capacity, each person in their own way, at their own pace experiences renewal.

As I work with both the body (personal training, yoga, Qi-gong, Tui-na massage) and mind (meditation, breathing, Yang Shen Fa) of my clients at Zenergie, I bear witness to renewal in both of these hemipsheres of our being.

Clients have overcome cancer, depression, loss of capacity and far more than can be listed here. But the thread of continuity that weaves together all stories of recovery is the idea that body and mind are inseparable. To work with one without the other, to pay attention to one without the other - is really not possible. Even if there is no conscious intent to renew the mind, it follows that mental function, for example, improves through regular exercise. Meditation, although a subtle mental practise, weeds out bodily stresses, and often the aches and pains that accompany a stressful life melt away as relaxation infuses the body.

Renewal and rebirth are the result of paying attention to one's physical and mental well-being. It is almost automatic that one follows the other. And the process begins with the first step. It may be as simple as taking a half-hour walk each day where relaxation, mindfulness and breathing are the focus. Try it for yourself for four days in a row. Pressed for time? Start with 15 minutes of a walk in your own neighbourhood in the evening. See how you feel the next day.

I am always grateful to witness the progress of renewal in my clients. It inspires me and confirms my belief that conscious living through healthy choices is the most powerful medicine we have.

Thanks for reading,
Christian Heno, Owner
Zenergie Holistic Health and Fitness Studio

Zenergie launches revamped web site!

Zenergie Holistic Health and Fitness has been online with a graphically rich web presence for the past 4 years. Being just “pretty” won’t get you found by those people looking for holistic health and fitness services. Zenergie needed to be found. To that end, Zenergie has re-designed our web site. Web standards are constantly changing and evolving, our new web site is fully HTML5 and CSS3 compliant, friendly to search engine optimization and has the built-in flexibility to adapt to new content. So, look for changes and adaptations in zenergie’s web site. If you come in to check out our studio, like what we offer and become a client, expect changes and adaptation with your health and fitness issues and challenges. At Zenergie Holistic Health and Fitness Studio, we believe true wealth is your health. Best wishes from our new blog!

Sincerely,
Christian Heno, Owner
Zenergie Holistic Health and Fitness Studio

Yang Shen Fa: the way of maintaining health and increasing longevity

Today I would like to introduce you to a different vision of health and fitness brought to us by the ancient Chinese art of Yang Shen Fa : the way of maintaining health and increasing longevity.
 
The Taoist monks of China created Yang Shen Fa. Their belief was that all beings on Earth included Human follow “Dharma”, which is the fundamental source of all order and phenomena in the universe. In other words, Dharma is the universal law ruling the creation of life.According to them health issues can come from different horizons, such as the external environment, genetics, emotions, diet and lifestyle, the monks used to help people remain healthy by using:
natural medicine,exercises, meditation, and proper diet. Their focus was to pay more attention to the constitution of their patients rather than treating only the symptoms.
 
They looked at a patient's profile from the physical, emotional and spiritual perspective to determine the origin of their problems. Their goal was to help them to remain fit by teaching them how to be in charge of their own health. The doctors monk were paid only if they succeeded to keep their patients vigorous .They believe that one must take good care of himself to reach maximum longevity so as to be able to lengthen his/her spiritual development.
 
This is what they recommended to their patients;


To preserve vitality:

Adapt your diet to your lifestyle
Meals must be taken at regular hours
Sleep at regular hours
Alternate rest and work period evenly
Balance 5 flavors: Acid-bitter-soft-pricking-salted
Avoid strenuous physical activity
Keep moving, life is motion
 
To find inner peace:

Be responsible for your choices and actions
Live half for yourself half for others
Enjoy your own company
Practice compassion and empathy
Avoid misery
 
To avoid energy loss:

Find the best solution to your problems from your point of view and move on ASAP
Solve your conflicts and correct your errors ASAP
Live your life fully in the present, neither in the past or in the future
Don’t pay attention to judgment and criticism
Limit your desires to what is necessary and vital for your life.
Avoid competing
70% is perfection
 
Seven patterns of healing:

Don’t take NO for answer. An illness is not a life sentence.
Actively get knowledgeable and educate yourself about your own health
Establish a network communication with other patients.
Make gradual changes in your lifestyle.
Look back at the progression of your illness to find the meaning of it.
Cultivate an attitude of resistance to impact the body natural healing capacity.
Sometimes it good to look back in the past to see what heritage our ancestors have left behind them for us to use, in order to cope with some of the health challenges that we are dealing with in our modern world. May be we can apply some of that knowledge to our life today, to make a positive difference for ourself.
 
 
Have a healthy week end everyone.

Christian Heno, Owner
Zenergie Holistic Health and Fitness