Comments for hen to pan

Comment on Mindfulness – Or How to Soften Patterns of Aggression by Bensch

Bensch — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 12:44:14 +0000

I didn’t have to go to Bali to find this negative vibe you describe so aptly. Already going to England or in fact as little as Bern makes a noticeable difference. I fear the day I will return from my world trip, it’s going to be quite a shock:)

Comment on Prana flows where focus goes by Stefanie

Stefanie — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 19:49:51 +0000

Hi love,

Well said! You are a great writer!
Am working on a blog about a similar- very connected topic right now- getting congested with word from time to time- so thanks for the inspiration!

Comment on Trust II – softening into the fear by Bensch

Bensch — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 19:54:51 +0000

I’d love to:)

Comment on Trust II – softening into the fear by Elisa

Elisa — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 07:23:23 +0000

Hey Bensch, thanks so much for that elaborate comment! I wanted to say something about how it feels to take a hit and I wanted to mention martial arts too, but I don’t know enough about it and the blog would have gotten too long. So thanks for reading my mind – this is exactly what I meant! So basically, when you’re soft, you soften the blows. We need to talk more in person.

Comment on Trust II – softening into the fear by Bensch

Bensch — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 07:16:01 +0000

This is one of the principles on which the russian martial art “Systema” (the system) is founded. Being relaxed in body and mind at all times, in martial arts terms, has a lot of benefits. Once you start tightening up, for example to resist a push, you also give your opponent something to push against. If you just stay “plastic”, malleable, the opponent won’t have anything to hold on to and all of a sudden, with the right timing, you can control his own movements simply by leading his intention elsewhere. There are various ways how this can be explained, a lot has to do with biomechanics and the way our brain works and has a very hard time working with two focal points. Of course you could probably also come up with something more esoterical:) All this can be used to your own advantage. Experts in Systema can bring you down from a full blown attack with little more than a flick of a finger, not wasting any of their own energy, just redirecting your own. As we always say “a relaxed body cannot be hurt”, which is true at least as long as you’re talking about muscular pain or damage. Relaxedness in the mind is harder to achieve. The russians seem to solve most of it with simple pragmatism, a quality that is becoming somewhat rare in the west, where hysteria, fear and actionism are abundant.

In general, Yoga seems to share quite a few aspects with Systema (which isn’t all that surprising, as basically all the inner martial arts share some common foundations), and you’ve talked about a lot of them in your blog already (breathing for instance).

Comment on Trust II – softening into the fear by Alejandro

Alejandro — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 05:00:15 +0000

Thx! Great words, amazing woman.

Comment on Trust II – softening into the fear by Frank

Frank — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 03:47:53 +0000

What a Great Blog! Wow, wordless…

Comment on Connect to Pleasure – or Ways to Heal Yourself by Frank

Frank — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 21:53:56 +0000

Dear Elisa, I’m glad that you are no robot but such a great, impulsive and emotional person! I’m even more glad that you still see the flowers blooming, that you find pleasure and that you are connected to your resources – whatever they are and how you name them. I do believe as well that pleasure heals. Recently someone told me about other cultures which dance and celebrate at funerals – odd for us, and I’ve not done research on it yet. But I’m sure that before or while dancing they crie(d). So, I wonder whether crying is an important step or even prerequisite for healing in dark days, as it releases, cleans our eyes, and allows us to see the light at the end of the tunnel and to discover joy again? I also wonder about the quotation from Liz: is it our duty to find something beautiful in life OR is it even the whole purpose of life? Were you simply lucky to encounter enough pleasure OR is it the blessing of your heart openness and trust in your resources? – Just midnight thoughts. Being grateful for writing to you! THANK YOU! Frank***

Comment on Stay or Thoughts about Non-Violent Communication by Elisa

Elisa — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 06:58:07 +0000

dear frank, i agree! it is all about balance, always. given that i am already a very impulsive person, i’m attempting to counter-balance that with pausing more often before i speak. but you are absolutely right, we should never judge ourselves too harshly or feel that we need to crush this quality to become “a better person”. That’s is not productive either. We should remain true to who we are, impulsive or less so. And certainly, if we are the impulsive type, compassion for the other person can bring us back, can anchor us, so we don’t lash out, we mitigate our aggression.
thank you for playing the ball back to me. i really appreciate our exchange of thoughts. and it confirms what i have always thought: we are all each other’s teachers and students.
safe travels, namaste, elisa

Comment on Stay or Thoughts about Non-Violent Communication by Frank

Frank — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 20:46:26 +0000

dear elisa, thanks a lot for sharing your thoughts! Taking a step back, breathing and postponing prompt reactions is probably a good way to find inner and outer peace. However, I think being heartedly impulsive is a gift as well – it is authentic. Probably it is all about balancing. I wonder whether it’s the balance between being impulsive speaking out of the heart while being empathic for the other person while knowing that we actually do not live in the others shoes. Does this make some sense – somehow? What do you think/feel? did I miss something. – I just realize that writing sharpens my thoughts. Thanks a lot!! Gratefully, your wednesday’s student, Frank*