Self-awareness Can be Developed

Self-awareness Can be Developed!

How aware are you, of seeing yourself for who your truly are? Can you see every line, mark or feature on your face in your thoughts without looking in the mirror? If no one is around to see your actions, do you still keep your morals and values in check? Seeing yourself as others see you, and not caring what others think of you are two entirely different discussions. This post is about the ongoing cultivation of trying to become the best version of yourself and not about how to justify our poor behavior or actions towards those we interact with. Now then, how can we become more self-aware to be the best we can be?

I have found from my almost 40 years of studying, practicing and teaching of martial arts and other Eastern wellness methods, that it is much easier to become aware of our physical body than to know how our mind works. Therefore, the body is the key into the mind. The mind controls the body. Our body protects our mind. We are not our thoughts, but rather the observer of our thoughts or consciousness. Our body doesn’t move on its own, other than for reflexes and autonomic functions. Our body doesn’t make the decisions to get up, open the refrigerator, and put something to eat in our mouth. Junk food or healthy snack? You as the observer makes these choices. Our thoughts do not make these decisions either, but rather our consciousness. Once one becomes self-aware of their consciousness, now they can observe their thoughts and choose to direct them with our without emotion. For example, after opening the refrigerator and accidentally dropping a glass container that shatters, we choose how to react to this maybe by experiencing regret, anger, frustration, sadness, etc. Or maybe you really didn’t like that container to begin with and now you are happy, relieved or indifferent after all it was only a glass container and not your house catching on fire or someone being seriously injured.

For most people, it is very difficult to train or discipline their mind and consequently, their body. People often say or do things they regret only to realize later that they lacked the self control and self awareness to make good decisions to begin with. By gaining control of the physical anatomy, a relationship with the physical body is developed. Attention to the details of your body positioning, is what trains the mind to become more self-aware. When aligning the limbs and joints to stretch and strengthen them, while also maintaining deep and deliberate breathing rhythms, an individual can cultivate a more harmonious link between the mind, body and spirit (self-awareness). Practice of exercises that truly engage the mind and body, (very much like yoga, tai chi, isometrics) to improve health & wellness. The mind directs the body, while the body protects the mind.

Ship Pal Gye, Taoist yoga or the “Filling the 8 Vessels” are methods to increase the capacity of your nervous system. By holding the body in specific alignments, the nervous system is strengthened to endure more pain, stress and discomfort. Think of tempering steel in fire to strengthen the metal. Building self-discipline of the mind and body simultaneously!

When engaging the muscles, tendons, bones and fascia, the 12 regular energy meridians are engaged plus the 8 extraordinary meridians are opened and filled as reservoirs to adjust the ebb and flow of energy throughout the body and thereby strengthening the immune system among other bodily functions.

Exercise methods like these have been known for centuries, but are considered new or “alternative” to modern western culture.

Often times people will ask me, “where did you learn this?” Well…almost 40 years ago I began studying Korean kung fu, then Traditional Chinese Medicine, medical qigong, fitness, wellness and anatomy. It didn’t happen overnight or from a weekend seminar. It took me decades of learning, studying and teaching from and with high level masters and teachers. And I’m not done learning yet, are you?

Learn how this all works from private, small or group instruction.

Be well!

Jim Moltzan

407-234-0119

http://www.MindAndBodyExercises.com

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Masters Council

Can You Easily Stand on One Leg?

Can you easily stand on one leg? Why would you even care to do this?

If you can easily stand and balance on one leg for more than a few seconds, chances are you can balance even better on two legs where you spend time standing, walking, running, etc. From my research, most people do not exercise or train themselves to improve or maintain balance until an event presents itself of where the individual loses their physical balance, stumbles, and/or falls and becomes injured. Then the search begins for them to find ways to improve their balance: physical therapy, medications or even refraining from activities that are now hazardous to the individual. The following is information I have gained from my own practicing and studying of martial arts and wellness methods spanning almost 40 years. Hopefully this will put readers on a path to achieving and maintaining better balance.

The human body contains many examples of balance. We have exterior symmetry in having 2 arms, 2 legs, 2 eyes, etc. We have interior symmetry within our bodies in the way of the muscular and skeletal systems being mostly equal from left to right sides. The external body protects the internal organs, while the organs provide for the exterior. The mind governs the body while the body protects the mind. Vestibular balance is what most people think of as our spatial positioning and equilibrium in relation to standing, walking and general movement.

Let’s go into some basic anatomy and physiology relative to what allows the human body to not fall over with every movement we may execute.

Body Components Connected to Balance

Brain – the brain processes the signals from the eyes, inner ear and the sensory systems (skin, joints, muscles, nerves) of the human body.

Eyes – the eyes relate information to the brain such as spatial orientation and environmental conditions.

Inner Ear – the inner ear and the Vestibular system, regulates equilibrium while providing directional information to the brain to process.

Sensory Receptors -nerves in the joints called proprioceptors, sense vibrations that flow through joints, muscles and skin sending the information to the brain to process.

Skeletal Muscles – the muscular system provides strength and stability to the skeletal systems, while maintaining flexibility in movement.

Joints – healthy joints help form a strong foundation for the body to navigate daily activities. Vibrations in movement are transferred through the bones and muscles to the brain to process.

Factors in Maintaining Balance

Awareness – understanding where ones center of gravity sits, greatly helps to become more sensitive to correct body positioning. Also, being more observant of environmental changes such as lighting, weather, terrain, etc. can prevent loss of balance.

Focus – keeping the eyes steady, helps keep the mind focused to be able to better control the bodies fine tuning of muscle control and body positioning leading to better balance.

Muscular Strength – maintaining muscle tone contributes to having stability whether the body is in motion or stationary.

Range of Motion (flexibility) – when the limbs, muscles and joints are free to move,
it is much easier to adjust ones center of gravity to a more balanced position.

I have found and studied 2 types of balance exercises, being dynamic and static.

Dynamic Balance – maintaining stability with ones center of gravity situated outside an axis of vertical rotation, with body movement or the body in motion.

Static Balance – maintaining stability with ones center of gravity situated on an axis of vertical rotation, with little or no body movement.

Be well, stay healthy, be wise.

I can help. I have almost 40 years worth of experience in practicing and teaching others to take control of their health and well-being.

Wellness lectures, classes, study guides & booklets.For more information, contact Jim Moltzan at 407-234-0119 or www.MindAndBodyExercises.com

https://www.facebook.com/MindAndBodyExercises/

https://www.youtube.com/c/MindandBodyExercises

https://mindandbodyexercises.wordpress.com

/https://umareg.com/masters-council/

Poor Diet – A Root Cause of Illness

We really need to move beyond the thought that we can eat whatever the heck we care to, with no consequences. US Obesity is at 42% compared to 10% in 1960. What will the rate be in 2030, 50%? 100%?

What is the magic number that will wake us up that our diet, our sedentary lifestyle, our stress, our perspectives – are exactly what makes us healthy or sick?

Be well, stay healthy, be wise.

I can help. I have almost 40 years worth of experience in practicing and teaching others to take control of their health and well-being. Wellness lectures, classes, study guides & booklets.

For more information, contact Jim Moltzan at 407-234-0119 or http://www.MindAndBodyExercises.com

The 5 Pillars of Health – Things We Can Manage

We often talk about how important our mind, body, spirit, relationships, etc. are the most important things in our lives. How much time and effort do we actually put towards maintaining and improving these facets of our life?

Be well, stay healthy, be wise.

I can help. I have almost 40 years worth of experience in practicing and teaching others to take control of their health and well-being. Wellness lectures, classes, study guides & booklets.

For more information, contact Jim Moltzan at 407-234-0119 or www.MindAndBodyExercises.com

Obesity and COVID-19

Science shows that obesity leads to comorbidities (multiple chronic ailments), and those most at risk of contracting COVID-19 are people with comorbidities (3 times greater risk). Why then, is our country not more focused on preventing or reducing obesity? https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-medical-conditions.html

Obesity and all its causes, are the elephants in the room that few people want to discuss for fear of offending those whom have these issues or suffering the backlash from companies that employ millions of US workers, while also profiting from the illnesses connected to their products. The fast food industry generates about $240 billion annually.

The CDC reports, the US adult obesity rate is now at 42% and rising each year, we need to get past being offended or the denial of this and truly see it for what it is. We can argue that seemingly healthy people can get Covid19 also, just as doctors get ill sometimes and dentist themselves get cavities. What is different though, is healthier individuals usually recover faster or experience less severe symptoms. https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html

People want to believe in science, or so they say. Often, we will agree with science when it supports our own viewpoint. Not so much when science makes us think more, work smarter or self-discipline. Science has proven that a healthy immune system is a definite issue in preventing illnesses, viruses or otherwise. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/how-to-boost-your-immune-system

Eating healthier foods, being active, managing stress, quality sleep are all proven by science to help fight illnesses, but this is not the message being conveyed to the public. Masks, social distancing and vaccines will not make those prone to disease any healthier. Safer maybe? These methods help short-term but they are just a band-aid for the bigger issues of unhealthy lifestyles. Many people sit all day long, kids have little or no PE and/or recess in schools, there is less unorganized playtime for younger kids to explore and enjoy, and we often eat low-quality foods contributing to a 42% obesity rate in the US. To sum it all up: we have a general lack of public education of how to live a healthy lifestyle. Fix the root problems and let’s see the healthy tree grow to new heights!

Americans consume a ton of low quality junk food every day. Our economy relies upon the fast food industry to provide jobs and profits to investors. Makers of soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, processed foods, fried foods, cigarettes, candy and many others would not be too happy if the president, CDC, or surgeon general made a public service announcement calling for Americans to reduce or reconsider the mass consumption of these items and instead eat healthier meals at home. The healthcare industry also profits from Americans being healthy enough to produce in the workforce but being unhealthy enough to need medications, procedures and surgeries that might be avoided from a healthier diet mentality encouraged at an earlier age. US annual healthcare spending is about 3.5 trillion. The US ranks about 35 in the world for quality of healthcare while spending far more than any other country. More spending does not equal healthier people; the US has proven this for much of the last decades. https://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2019/08/08/how-us-healthcare-spending-per-capita-compares-with-other-countries-infographic/?sh=241349ea575d

A large majority of US workers now sit for many hours a day whether working, watching TV or engaged in computer activities, all leading to a more sedentary lifestyle than what was experienced in decades past. The CDC reports that kids are sitting in front of a screen average 7.5 hours per day, every day. https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/multimedia/infographics/getmoving.html

US citizens have more stress and anxiety than years past, trying to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, politics and other economic uncertainties. Most have little or no understanding of self-stress management often resorting to alcohol and drugs to relieve depression, anxiety and other emotional issues. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2019/stress-america-2019.pdf

Schools have been trimming back on physical education and recess in past years, in place of the seemingly more important time dedicated to academics, resulting in over-stressed overweight young adults. If a strong fitness ethic is not developed in earlier years of development, it is often difficult to recoup once an individual heads into adulthood with college, careers, social and family life. https://thebestschools.org/magazine/death-of-recess/

These factors and others have contributed to a recipe for an unhealthy nation that has been baking in the oven for that last decades. DING!! The recipe is now complete and the cake is done baking! Here we our with a hot and fresh pandemic. In spite of masks, social distancing and new vaccines, Americans will continue to suffer in the future. If not from COVID-19, then COVID-20 or the next manifestation of disease that grows in unhealthy bodies. We need to stop trying to fix the root problems with temporary band-aids!