An Eye For An Eye Will Make the Whole World Blind

Osama Bin Laden is dead, killed by Navy Seals and the CIA. The newspapers and the Internet are filled with stories of jubilant rejoicing in the streets, loud proclamations of pride for America. The Huffington Post's ‘tweets’ from the famous were, other than Katy Perry's “I believe in justice... but don't u think that an eye for an eye will make the whole world blind?" joyous.

We’d spent an evening in blissful oblivion. No- Breaking News Stories interfering with our Netflix streaming. Mark went online sometime after midnight. I was in bed reading when he came into the room and his tone strangely flat and emotionless said, “Osama Bin Laden is dead. He was assassinated in Pakistan by the CIA.” I was stunned. Neither of us believe as President Obama did that “justice has been done.” Sending in the CIA to assassinate Osama bin Landen didn’t feel like justice. It just felt wrong. We felt weird, scared and strangely impassive.

Now we find ourselves in this uncomfortable state of disconnect. Are we the only Americans feeling this way? Are we the only ones not bursting with patriotic pride? Did I love Osama Bin Laden? No. Did I hate him? Again, the answer is no. I hated what he did, and what he stood for. I feared his message of hate and destruction and his death has not diminished that fear, because killing him has not rid the world of religious extremists and that is what he was, a religious extremist. And extremists of any ilk are scary people.

His death has not made America safer. He was the leader of a movement. His acolytes are many. They now have more reason to hate Americans than ever before. The man may be dead but the icon is alive and well. The myth will live and grow and fuel more hate, more reactions and more deaths.

Last year I heard Archbishop Desmond Tutu speak. He is very funny, unassuming, and so candid in his affect. I witnessed unconditional love that night. He showed us his heart, invited us in and filled the room with love. He started small and led us into an ever-expanding circle of love and it felt so good.

“Do you feel love for children?” “Oh yes,” murmurs from the audience. What about poor and hungry children, don’t we love them? And their parents, and those ravaged by war, destruction, and disease?” As this circle of love widened, as we murmured our affirmatives, my heart chakra opened as never before. Then out of Archbishop Tutu mouth came two shocking words, “George Bush.”

We needed to love George Bush too? Achhhhh! There was a collective cringe, followed by stunned embarrassment. Unconditional love we were just reminded isn’t easy. True to form, Archbishop Tutu giggled, as he continued to build this circle of love, “…and Osama bin Laden he needs love too” And he is right. Yet, how do I find a place in my heart for George Bush and Bin Laden? Unconditional love is really hard and suddenly I didn’t feel so good, so sanctimonious.

While I am still struggling to find a place in my heart for bin Laden (and George Bush) I don’t rejoice in his assassination. The reporting of American’s exhilaration and pride fills me with sadness and shame. I fear those who take joy in revenge. Mark is just as confused and alienated as I am. Surely we aren’t the only ones. As he put down the paper yesterday he commented, “this is a time for reflection, not joy.” I think I’ll reflect more on unconditional love.

Sparkly Things

I love sparkly things, old beads, buttons and all kinds of crystals. I began beading 15 years ago, while recuperating from a bicycle accident and I haven’t stopped. I love taking apart old costume jewelry and repurpose them. I love semi-precious stones and crystals. I buy a lot of beads. Luckily for me, beads are small; they don’t take up much space.

We were talking about tattoos one day; some of my friend’s kids are getting to that age now. One daughter was thinking about getting her chakras tattooed, energetically- not so good. In fact I was horrified. “She can’t do that!” And the idea of the “Custom Chakra Necklace by Sherry” was born. The first necklace was for her, a high school graduation present.

I knew that I would make something pretty, but had no idea energetically how to do this. In fact, I was a skeptic. Did it really work? What kind of power do these stones have? Was it all hogwash? I had a lot to learn and magically a teacher appeared.

On a whim I walked into The Bead Store on Castro St. Ebba & I started talking. She knew a LOT about crystals & suggested I get a copy of The Book of Stones Who They Are & What They Teach, by Robert Simmons & Naisha Ahsian. Lucky for me, it was right around the corner at Crystal Way. The pictures are fabulous but there was so much information, I felt inadequate to the task. My qigong teacher told me not to worry, I knew more than I thought. Guess what? He was right.

To learn more about the person who would be wearing this piece I interviewed someone who has known her since pre-school. She’s an outgoing redhead who was about to go off to NYC to study acting and teaching. I’d learned from Ebba that Black Tourmaline is an excellent protector & very grounding and decided to start there. Then I felt drawn to Blue Chalcedony and was blown away when I learned more about the qualities of this beautiful stone. Blue chalcedony is a type of quartz. It is calming, cooling balancing, excellent for communication and it strengthens the vocal system. Perfect for an aspiring actor/teacher.

Based on my experience making this piece I am no longer a skeptic. And, I now have greater insight into my artistic technique. I respond to frequencies, be it the energy of color or the inherent energetic frequency of a stone. No wonder color mixing came so easily to me. I never needed to memorize which combinations work best in paintings since I feel it. Same with putting together beads.

Painting, beading, bodywork, qigong are different aspects of the same thing. This skill, this noticing the unseen is the best way to harmonize with what is all around us. Learning how to notice the unseen is one way to develop your intuition. I’d been doing this consciously with bodywork and Trager for a long time. But I never made the connection between that and art. Instead I was unconsciously responding to frequencies of color and stone. This chakra necklace was the catalyst I needed. Now I use this more intentionally, and so can you. With time, patience and practice anyone can develop their sense of intuition. Spend some time getting reacquainted with the right side of your brain. Take an art class, walk in nature and really notice it. Or get involved in body movement like dance, taiji, yoga, or qigong. The possibilities are endless.

Conversation on a Rainy Day

It’s been raining a lot in San Francisco. That’s what John (not his real name), a neighborhood fixture, and I talked about the other day. Seems like weather is the default topic of conversation when you don’t know someone that well. So anyway, I asked him how he was doing with all the wetness and he said, “OK”.

It’s easy to get depressed and cranky when it’s so gray and drizzly out. I’ll be the first to admit that riding the bus full of soggy people with dripping umbrellas and backpacks make the MUNI experience even less pleasant than normal.

Usually I like the rain. Water is precious and California has been a bit dry lately. In Connecticut, where I come from it seemed to rain every weekend in the spring, summer and fall, so I kinda like the fact that in California there is an actual ‘rain season.’ Makes planning camping trips so much easier. But still, how many dreary, sunless days can a person take?

So here we were, talking about the weather. All the rain was really getting to him and he was pretty miserable. His solution - using the day to go “inside himself & take stock.” He took a break from the news; nothing he could do about that. He couldn’t do anything about the weather either. Gradually he began accepting what he couldn’t change without anger or despair. He seemed genuinely uncomplaining and relatively peaceful. And it struck me, as it so often does when I talk to John, that he was living in the moment and this was a form of meditation.

What does it mean to live in the moment, to accept life with equanimity, to be grateful? What is it to be content? How can we make effective changes in our lives? One way is to stop, notice and ask. What do you want? What could be easier? What could be? These pauses, these time-outs are useful tools yet seem so counter-intuitive in our work-driven, multi-tasking society.

It’s easy to get caught up in busyness. This ever happen to you? You’re exhausted, you fall into your bed and your head hits the pillow, but instead of going to sleep you’re ruminating. You find yourself trying to change the past or fix the future. How do you find balance in the midst of all this “doing?”

How would it be to take little breaks throughout the day and just sit and notice- without judgment? In Trager we call this pausing. And qigong uses noticing and intent. These principles are easily applied to your daily life. Think of it as a mini vacation. You don’t have to sit for hours, or quit your job and join a monastery. Just take a breath every now and then and follow it. See where it goes. In and out, just follow your breath.

One more thing, John is homeless. Being homeless forces you to live in the moment. A lot of people in the neighborhood stop to talk to John. He always has a smile, even when he’s in a bad mood. Thank you John for this reminder to notice, to allow, the permission just to be. Sometimes I think he is a Buddha.

How to Use QI to Open a Bottle of Wine

Did you ever have trouble opening a bottle of wine? Doesn’t matter what kind of opener you’re using, some corks just don’t want to budge. What’s a person to do? I wondered if I could use my qigong to do this. Well I could and I did.

One usually thinks of qigong as a series of forms or exercises. We think of it as a way to improve health, lower blood pressure, but opening a bottle of wine? Yes, the skills you learn in a qigong class can be used in your day-to-day living. Broadly put qigong is the skill of moving qi or energy with intention. My intention: open a bottle of wine. With this in mind I began the process by noticing my feet and their connection with the ground, I imagined the qi coming up from the earth, through my feet, up my legs and about the time I got to my knees the cork flew out of the bottle. I was stunned, because I hadn’t really done anything.

But obviously I did do something, but what? We have already mentioned intention, which is in qigong parlance: Yi. It is a necessary part of one’s qigong practice. At the beginning of my weekly qigong class each student states his or her intention, aloud or silently. These are simple statements of purpose, one person may want to work on a back or knee issue. Someone else may want the ability to stay focused, centered or grounded. Your intention need not be this specific; one can have a general focus on improved health and well-being. Or maybe your intention can be as mundane as remembering the next sequence of a form, or opening a bottle of wine. It’s all good and all part of a qigong practice.

Did you notice how fast the qi moved? Much more quickly than my thoughts. My mind was only at my knees when the cork came out to the bottle. Imagine how much qi I had actually moved up to my hands by the time I noticed it at my knees. It’s pretty awesome when you think about it. The force of the cork coming out of the wine bottle was unexpected and surprising.

I have used this technique to open stubborn jars and those little tubes of watercolor paint that are notoriously difficult to open. So, in addition to the overall health benefits of qigong there are practical applications. Your qigong practice can affect all aspects of your life.

Have a safe and happy New Year’s Eve. If you have trouble opening up your champagne at midnight this year, consider studying qigong as a New Year Resolution.

Noticing, The Essence of the Trager Approach

Last night my husband and I went to an amazing jazz performance by singer, songwriter, and upright bass player Esperanza Spalding. She sang, she danced, she played an instrument that towered over her slight frame. She seemed to be doing it so effortlessly, so naturally. How was this possible? It boggled the mind watching her do all these seemingly disparate things without getting confused. I still have trouble patting my head and rubbing my tummy. How did she keep it all together and separate?
Mark summed it up, “it’s all one thing for her, she was the music.” Being one with her environment is in Trager parlance: “hook up.” Several times during the concert, especially when performing without her back-up band this state of hook up included the audience, and we the changed from mere onlookers and became part of the performance. This is the magic that happens at concerts, the boundaries between audience and performer are softened. The feeling is expansive, effortless and wondrous. This is hook up, the essence of the Trager Approach.
There are other terms for hook-up, (and other meanings for hook-up, but let’s not go there.) Being in the zone or a state of focused attention is another way to explain this state of being one with our environment. In qigong we call this principle “wu –wei” or the art of using the least amount of energy to do something. You can think of it as getting out of your own way. Both modalities do this by acknowledging that we are part of a system larger than oneself. Once we know how to access this state, things get easier. In qigong we use the qi (chi) that is naturally all around us. With Trager we notice where we are now, and then we ask questions. “What can be easier?” “What can be softer?” “What can be better?” “What could be____________?” Get quiet, listen/notice, you will get an answer.
So the next time you feel stressed, or uneasy, uncomfortable, take a moment to ask yourself, what could be better. Listen closely for the answer and make whatever little change you can. Each increment is a step towards a more peaceful life. I will end with the words of Milton Trager, MD, “World peace, one body at a time.”

Qigong Classes

Beginning Qigong
Wild Goose & Wuji Gong

Monday 1:00-2:00p.m.

$20/Class

Cultural Integration Center

2650 Fulton St @3rd Ave

San Francisco, CA 94118

MUNI: 5 Fulton

Wild Goose Qigong
Tuesday 12:00-1:00 p.m.
$2.00 donation
San Francisco City Hall
South Light Court

About Sherry Hood

I stumbled in to my first taiji class in 1996 at Sac State, not realizing that this would lead me to a new career.  Soon after moving to San Francisco I shifted from taiji to qigong and began to study Massage and Bodywork.  I finished a 2-year Teacher Training Program from Wong's Taiji and Qigong for Health and began to teach Qigong. Currently I am studying Wild Goose, 2nd Form.

In 1997 I began to study massage at ReSource, a small school in Berkeley run by 3 Trager Practitioners. I finished a 500-hour program. Near the end of my first 100 hours, I had a Trager Session. It was life changing; I felt as though I had just come home. Learning bodywork from 3 of Dr. Milton Trager's first students has informed my work since day one.

Before becoming a Movement Educator I had a long career in Nuclear Medicine Technology, and was a Department Manager, research assistant, student coordinator and lecturer. I have an AS Degree in Nuclear Medicine, a BA in Philosophy and briefly studied psychology at CIIS.

What I love most about what my work is helping a person become comfortable in his or her body. So often we are aware of our body only when it hurts. But what would it be like to love how you feel all the time, to notice what feels good, to stop pain before it starts?