Autumn Yoga

View this post on Instagram

slow down enjoy the ride breathe feet down head up umbilicus centered smile . ◉AUTUMN Ventura- yoga schedule◉ . ▼WED: 6 pm/ Marina Park Sunset Yoga @ventura.pop.up.yoga ▼THURS: 7:30 pm/ Crux Yoga @boulderdashclimbing ▼SA: 4 pm/ Deep Flow @thepharm.love ▼SUN: 4 pm/ Ignite yoga @jairhythm . ◉NAMASTE◉

A post shared by Jiling 林基玲 (@linjiling) on Sep 9, 2019 at 7:16pm PDT

The Pharm

I don't know how a small town like Ventura has so many yoga studios! But, it's fun to bounce around and teach/ play at seven of them. 

I'm excited to share that The Pharm is a new yoga studio and community center opening in downtown Ventura next Sunday, September 15! Please come join us for various ongoing classes and events. 

I'm teaching weekly Deep Flow yoga classes on Saturday evenings. My fellow acupuncturist and mentor Geoff Helms is teaching Taiji on Tuesday evenings. I'm excited for Nia dance classes on Wednesday mornings. There is much to look forward to, and diverse class options for everyone. Welcome. 

Botanical Products

I create botanical-product custom orders for clients and patients. I make beautiful things for myself, friends, family, and students... but no longer sell bulk items. I'd rather share specific things when I see you in clinic... or teach you how to make it yourself!

Some Herbal Recommendations

Two Los Angeles area herbalists (and dear friends) I recommend for lovely handmade botanical products, and informative newsletters:

• Abbe Findley, of Zizia Botanicals
• Rebecca Altman, of King's Road Apothecary

For local Ventura herbs, visit: 

• Ema's Herbs in downtown Ventura
• plant walks with Lanny Kaufer
• Sabine Dodane, of Reves de Sabine for luxurious aromatic topicals
• see Lanny's fantastic Resource List for more local herbal gems

For gorgeous natural perfumes, I recommend:

• Ananda Wilson, of Gather Perfume

Coming Up

I look forward to sharing ongoing Herbal Classes and Acupuncture- Herbs- Yoga- Wellness Clinic in Ventura, starting early 2020! 

late summer

late summer

tomatoes ripening on

naked vines

passionfruit spiraling

up up up

to bright blue skies

a cool summer

fog, chills

wool sweaters

and now,

the heat begins

hot legs turning from red to brown

surfing weekly,

beginning to stand,

only half-clad in a wet suit

my traditional summer travels

truncated 

time outdoors

lessened 

internal focus

monk-like

passionate

tired

"don't burn out"

"it's a marathon, not a sprint"

"keep swimming"

I walk the trails

flashcards, papers, 

mind filled with ideas

questions, thoughts,

let it all 

fall away 

one breath

one question

infinite answers

but just one

just one

for this test

hone in 

aiming arrow forward

gaze set

core powerful

body shaking, sweating

rooting feet

counting breath

preparing,

prepared

clear the mind

visualize success

slowly pull back the drawstring

refocus the gaze

precise

alignment

grace 

not yet

not yet

refocus

re-align

practice

fail

rise

practice

fail

rise

soon,

let the arrow

FLY. 

the RAIN of self- compassion

Tara Brach uses the acronym RAIN to describe the process of self- compassion. I find this helpful, particularly in challenging times:

Recognize what's going on
Allow the experience to be as it is
Investigate with compassion and care
Nourish with self-compassion

• Read Tara's full blog-post, here
• Listen to Tara's podcast for accessible Buddhist teachings, with beautiful poetry and poignant humor

Board exam 1

The test was difficult. It was mostly what I'd prepared for, except different diagnostics thrown all together for answer possibilities, and more "treatment plan" type questions than straight "diagnosis" questions.

I cancelled all work and social engagements the week before the test, cycling through old quiz questions on TCMreview.com and reviewing flashcards, honing in on weak spots. Two days before the exam, I took two full-length mock exams on TCMtests.com. The day before the exam, I took a self-constructed mock-exam at the same time as I'd perform the next day, relaxed (surf, hike, do a few more flashcards to ease my mind), ate a delicious nutritious macrobiotic supper, took a walk, took a bath, slept, then woke at 5:30 AM to perform--- and succeed.

I take a break at the half-way mark (50 questions down, 1 hour in) to pee, take some power-poses in the bathroom mirror, and devour a chocolate bar. The two hours fly by. Every time I start sweating or feeling anxious, I stop, take "chin" mudra (connecting my thumb and forefinger), breathe deeply, then proceed. The computer doesn't allow me to cross out answers or highlight important points, so I fill my scratch- paper with small bullets, key points, and doodles. I draw symptoms for complex cases onto a doughy-sticky-figure human body. I draw out complex tongue and pulse diagnoses. I knock off wrong answers on my bullet-points.

My feelings at the end of the test, as I put a hand on my heart, still my breath, then click "next" to complete the exam--- are complex. The screen flashes "pass" and I hold back tears in the quietly clicking testing room. I am beyond words, and still am.

This is the first of five tests, and an auspicious beginning. I am grateful to everyone who made this focus possible, and my studying-process joyful, meaningful:

Ben, for your playfulness, delicious meals, and adventure partnership. My yoga community, who keeps me responsible, sane, and life filled with purposeful sacred embodied play. Cynthia, for reminding me that this testing process is an opportunity for presence, and to enjoy it while I'm here, while honoring Body Wisdom. The Ocean, for cleansing my body, heart, mind, and sinuses. The mountains for grounding and magic. David, Geoff, and Justin for sharing  parallel TCM experiences, and continual inspiration and inquiry. Geoff, for reminding me to "keep swimming." My grandpa from six generations ago, who wrote our family poem that inspires this journey, informs my name and spirit, and infuses my life with love, meaning, excellence, and dedication to lineage. To all my family and friends, and seen and unseen forces. To all my relations. 

Taking the test itself feels like a very solo adventure, like traveling to a new country where I've never been, and know no one, with a mission to "get the treasure--- and bring it home." I've prepared intensely for the mission, but upon landing, it's still a whole new planet. I'm grateful for my large community of support at home. It's nice to be able to leave--- and come back. Next time, the testing process will hopefully be easier, more familiar. Continued dedication (with strategic restful play) until then.

Next tests: September, October, February, May. Thanks for joining my journey.

Big Love.
Deep bow.

(from a journal entry after the NCCAOM Foundations exam, written in the Sespe Wilderness. I went for a short 24-hour backpacking journey the day that I completed the exam.) 

Foundation Training

We're into week 2 of practicing Foundation Training daily (during the middle of morning yoga asana practice). We finish each 15 minute practice sweating, shaking, and grinning. The whole body-mind is engaged during these active isometric contractions. It eases lower back pain and chronic injury by engaging supporting muscles, while improving posture and optimizing movement. Dr Eric Goodman has some excellent free resources on Youtube below. See the main site for more detailed information, or to get a subscription to stream more videos.

surf

take a moment

between the waves

to

g u l p

in 

some air

and

s p i t 

out 

some sea water

find the

spaces

between the swelling tides

to

swim towards the horizon

then

when it's time

back towards shore

keep

swimming