POWER OF YOGA

 POWER OF YOGA

POEM 

Antoinetta DeWit

Spring 2024

To The Beat of Ten

From Mother Earth grows the healthiest seed

From which we should take the yoga-based lead

Meaning never give up nurturing life

Nor giving up when feeling lost in strife.

Hope can sometimes be difficult to see

When we are feeling sad and in great need

Feel healing power in the yoga way

 That teaching moment stays with you all day.

Yoga, like seeds, is able to respond

In ways to help improve the human bond

The bond that binds your inner you with you

And guides you through exactly what to do.

It may seem strange to reflect in this way

But best to keep your negatives at bay

Optimists hydrate and nurture the soul 

A meditative soul scores the best goal.

CONNECTIONS

 Connecting Indigenous Art and Qi Gong

Recently Tulip embarked on another sunny day cycle around the many magnificent cycling paths of the community of Pitt Meadows, British Columbia. As she slowly pressed on the pedals just hard enough to keep the bicycle upright and balanced, she got to thinking about just that — upright and balanced: exactly how life has become.

A few years ago, while enjoying her home away from home, on an Island in the southern most point of the main body of the Caribbean Sea, she was introduced to something very new, new to her; some would say “off the grid” new — especially for her.

It was around a time when her work life was crazy, and crazy busy. In retrospect, she was heading down a downward spiral, when the greatest job on earth only existed in a bubble — until an election was called, piercing the bubble and blowing everything away except an amazing severance package. Off to Aruba she flew and took a giant leap forward, out of her comfort zone, tried something new and has never looked back.

Tulip was introduced to the meditative ancient art of qi gong, a Chinese system of physical and mental exercises, and breathing control related to tai chi — a form of Yoga that draws in the power of nature, and opens up one’s inner thoughts, feelings and wisdom that are often ignored, overlooked and undervalued.

Sessions of qi gong during visits to Aruba have unleashed the realization of inner energy fields that help put life into perspective, and bring out the tremendous power of peace to one’s mind, body and soul. Work and people have their roles in life, but they mask or hinder optimum inner health. 

Paying attention to, and understanding one’s inner self, through meditation or quiet thinking, helps people understand their relationship with themselves, and their relationships with others better. It also helps them to adjust and adapt their routines and habits along the way — this truly is the greatest gift to receive from one’s self, and a bonus gift Tulip gives herself every single trip to her home away from home, in the always sunny and always warm, peaceful feeling that Aruba radiates. 

When one lives in a very busy urban area, it is nearly impossible to find time or outdoor places for effective peaceful meditation. Tulip has found much solace while cycling, at her own pace, along the dykeways surrounding her community, slowly breathing in fresh air through the nose and out through the mouth, connecting with nature, and creating her own aura of peace.

On this particular sunny Spring day, her cycling journey brought her to the brand new exhibit at the Pitt Meadows Art Gallery. A local indigenous artist and motivational speaker named Rain Pierre, a proud member of the Katzie First Nation, was granted the entire gallery to introduce his incredible work to the world. His work and the music that plays subtly in the background, awakens the senses and creates an ambiance of calm and inner peace. His work is beautiful and mesmerizing. Some of his mottos are “Be who you want to be” and “stop looking over your shoulder”. “Draw strength from your inner voice, dream big and move forward.”

Rain’s life has been a journey, a difficult personal journey that has led him to this amazing spot or place or destiny. He discovered his inner voice and developed an incredible outcome, through artistic expression, from which peace and harmony radiates. 

Tulip stares at any one of his pieces; they easily draw her in much like the magic of qi gong, connecting her to her inner voice and her inner energy, guiding her, helping her, strengthening her and bringing her to actually feeling the connective power of peace from nature, water, mountains, trees, sacred animals, cultural traditions,  actual friends, and supportive family, all the while comfortably embracing her life — all the good it has to offer and all the good she gives to it.

Feeling upright and balanced, and connected, Tulip leaves the exhibit, hops back on her bicycle, upright, balanced and connected, smiling and laughing with joy — life truly is much better than a box of chocolates! Much, much better. “Make it a beautiful ride,” she says.

https://www.rainawakens.com/works

THE POWER OF PEACE

 Tulip is a regular visitor on the Island of Aruba, located in the deep southern part of the Caribbean Sea. A lot of people ask her why she keeps going back when there are so many other warm, sunny climates to enjoy around the world. It is really not all that hard to explain.

Aruba is one of the almost half dozen Caribbean islands under the governance of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a lovely little island, outside of the hurricane zone. It is approximately fifteen miles long and eight miles wide. The population is around 100,000. The economy is dependent on tourism and the citizens are exceptionally trained in the hospitality industry. It is definitely “one happy Island”, full of colour and culture embracing its original inhabitants and all those who have settled there over the years.

Tulip was born in The Netherlands and holds a Dutch passport. There is a very peaceful ambiance in Aruba where there is unique flora and unique fauna. The warm ocean wind is free flowing and almost constant. The people who are schooled there learn Dutch and English as additional languages, complementing the traditional language of Papiamento — unique to only a few of the Islands. 

The draws of Aruba are many: clean ocean air, warm, crystal clear ocean water, clean, white, silky and very long sandy beaches, an abundance of Dutch, Aruban and international foods in grocery stores, and a plethora of international restaurants to please any palate. And, add to all of that  bright colours and friendly, proud people.

The one big additional draw for Tulip has been being introduced to the ancient art of qi gong, a Chinese system of physical exercises and breathing control related to tai chi — a form of Yoga that draws in the power of nature, and opens up one’s inner thoughts, feelings and wisdom that are often ignored, overlooked and undervalued.

Sessions of qi gong during visits to Aruba have unleashed the realization of inner energy fields that help put life into perspective, and brings out the tremendous power of peace to one’s mind, body and soul. Paying attention to, and understanding one’s inner self, not only on sunny or rainy days but also during the different seasons of the year, helps us understand our relationship with ourself and our relationships with others better, and helps us to adjust and adapt our routines and habits along the way — this truly is the greatest gift to receive from one’s self and a bonus Tulip gets from every single trip to her home away from home in the always sunny and always warm feeling that Aruba radiates. 

CALL 211

 CALL 211

“Abused” is written here and there

In the anger and despair

In the words and in the tears

In the face over the years.

Negative attacks become the norm

“Superficial” develops a form

to hide the hurt and the pain,

and to cover up who’s to blame.

Others can only take so much

Before they bellow out “Enough”

Place the negatives at hell’s door

To figure out what’s at the core

At the core awaits “the call”

To make things right for one and all.

Written March 20,2024

CHALLENGING THE DEVIL

RECENTLY I attended a Forum about housing for seniors in the City of Maple Ridge. It was well organized and well attended, and I got a lot out of it for future reference should my current life circumstances require a change.

At the same time, however, I got a lot more out of it than I expected. I picked up a brochure entitled AGEISM and it peaked my curiosity. I figured it was just a new way to reference the reality of growing old. As I read on I realized that ageism is a human rights issue much like hate speech, sexism and racism. People draw automatic conclusions about your being because of your age. It has become the most socially accepted and tolerated form of discrimination, negatively impacting self esteem, as well as physical and mental well being. The brochure goes on to say that stereotype ageist attitudes ignore the diversity of aging.

By reflecting on that notion, I started to think about our diverse society where, quite frankly, the word ‘main’ in ‘mainstream’ has become an oxymoron. ‘Main’ means majority. With our world now coming to the realization that people from all walks of life, from a diversity of lifestyles, life choices, and a richness of colours, shapes, sizes, genders, religions, affiliations, abilities, socio-economic divisions, far surpass the word ‘main’. It has become a devilling challenge to some of those who have lost their formerly ‘main’ status, but not for all of them.

The cardinal sins of prejudging, isolating, scorning, segregating, scaring and scarring, dismissing and compartmentalizing people who are trying their best to live comfortable lives in their own skin, have unintentionally become the ‘main’ creators or champions of modern day society. “Live and let live” is streaming through all mediums. Attitudes and thoughts have become more balanced, informed and accepting than ever before. 

Although discrimination, anxiety, fear, concern, worry, sadness, loneliness, anger and animosity still exist to a degree, challenging the devil has not been for nought. More people are working towards creating a new kind of mainstream. It is time for the new "main" — one where there is comfort, care and love for all, and in which they can all live harmoniously, throughout a lifespan, feeling at peace and proud.

RIDGE RIDERS REUNITE

 RIDGE RIDERS REUNITE

Gloria, Kerry, Patty and Tulip, the infamous Ridge Riders of Maple Ridge, British Columbia, reunited over the weekend to attend the 2024 BC Bicycle Exhibition at the Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre.

The travelling experience to and from turned into a mish mash of public transit missteps going down escalators they didn’t need to go down and ones they didn’t need to go up; platforms with unclear signage; missing a crucial transfer stop and finding a good samaritan named Ping who tried to calm the worried waters giving very clear instructions that were only partially followed, creating more havoc  — and lots of laughs! The Ridge Riders truly are a perfect match for traveling adventures, and this was living proof.

The exhibition itself was huge covering every possible cycling product from e-bikes to trikes, saddle bags to locks, racks, water bottles, pumps, security gadgets, tools, lights, reflectors and, best of all — organized cycling vacation information. The gals have a lot to read and discuss in the weeks ahead.

To add even more humour to the storyline, exhibitions like this always give merchants and sales people an opportunity to give out swag. For the first hour of walking through the various passage ways, the gals were collecting water bottles, tool kits, bandaid kits, pens, pencils, magnets, and more print materials; but, ironically, nobody was giving out swag bags in which all the freebies could be stored. Two happily brought their own, but two didn’t so there was a lot of doubling up and sharing bag space, until suddenly a different section of the exhibition hall had a plethora of booths giving out  bags.

By the time the exhausted Ridge Riders left the hall, their swag bags were carrying swag bags that were carrying more swag bags, in addition to all of the other amassed freebies. Quite frankly it could have been a wonderful scene in This Hour has 22 Minutes turning a fantastic cycling and travel exhibition into a side show of the laughing power of swag!

The Ridge Rider reunion was a great way to open up the cycling season and share the cycling spirit. Let the new adventures and improv comedic experiences begin!