« Fun With Pumpkin! | Main | Updates »
October 5, 2009
It's A Long Hard Road That Leads To a Brighter Day
So there are a couple of developments in my life that remind me of the giant warm sun, shining his rays out along every one of our endeavors.
Or maybe there are three.
First, the nurses at our largest local, along with the techs and professionals whom we organized in 2006 at the same hospital, are squaring off with their management, about to go on the biggest strike anyone can remember in Pennsylvania health care history. Why? Because they're not willing to give up their pensions, their decent wages, their children's college tuition, their health insurance. Because if every union worker had taken the strong stand that these health care workers are taking, you probably wouldn't be paying for your health insurance. You might have a pension to look forward to when you retire. But no... corporate capitalism figured out how to defeat most of the working people of our county, and we are all paying the price. So now, in 2009, seemingly so late to the party, the Temple nurses, techs and professionals standing up to their management and fighting for what they, their patients, and all of us deserve, is a cause for much rejoicing indeed.
The second development is that I have found my teacher. My yoga teacher that is. Jonathan is his name. He looks like he could be anywhere from 18 to 30, but for all I know he is fifty and just looks amazing. He is such a brilliant teacher that after the first class I took with him, I thought, "This man could teach me to do yoga." My CR sister Lisa Walford, a pioneer in yoga instruction herself, checked him out, and sure enough, he has studied with excellent teachers. In many ways, he is the MR of yoga. There is a right way, and there is definitely a wrong way. I wish someone who knows MR from the CR list would come take Jonathan's class, just so we could giggle at how similar their teaching styles are. Here is the good news: you don't have to be naturally flexible or strong to do the poses right: you have to be willing to take instruction and use props as necessary, and to focus more on proper form than on looking fancy in yoga-inspired dance. Just as you can be a successful CR practitioner if you use the software, eat proper nutrition, and cut your calories (but not too much!) way before you get all skinny, you can be a successful yoga practitioner is you do the asanas right, even if you can't touch the floor in half moon balance and you're using the wall or he's holding you up. Last Thursday as he was holding me up in my first ever proper half moon balance pose, I felt 35 years of fear and lack of confidence melt away or burn off, and I thought, "This is amazing. I will be back."
Third, I am incredibly cheered by the appearance of a new CR blogger, my friend Sie, who is blogging over at http://www.paleocron.blogspot.com/. She is younger than I am, doing paleo, and tons of fun. So many CR bloggers have come and gone, and it makes me happy to welcome a new one. This life isn't easy... trust me, it's easier at first than it is a couple of years in. But it's so worthwhile. The recent connection with my sisters, both younger and older, has really revitalized me.
Speaking of sisters, my girl Susie has recently returned from maternity leave, and is now the proud parent of the cutest little girl in the world, whose blog name will be Sarah. Susie is already back to pre-pregnancy weight and looks like she'd fit in a lot better at a CR conference than I would: she is tall and skinny and gorgeous. But these days I have a wonderful man waiting at home for me who thinks (however he may be delusional) that I am the most beautiful woman in the world, and tomorrow my body will twist into odd positions that will bring me ever closer to a state that if not enlightenment, we can at least call a respite from the dark. 35 is a funny age... an age when people finally start to take you seriously, but (no matter what great shape you're in) construction workers whistle you 10% less often. It's a challenge to all of us, to figure out where we fit in the world. It's frightening to me to realize how much of my self-esteem I had previously depended on men to reinforce. I know that today being able to organize a hospital or properly execute half moon balance (even if I need block, wall, and Jonathan to do it) is more important to me than being considered cute. But would I love to be considered as cute as I was when I was 25? ABSOLUTELY!
Still, there is something about being older and a bit wiser and not quite as crazy that is about 100 times better. And the ability to rejoice in the achievements and beauty of my younger sisters is a gift in itself. I am grateful for the patience of all of those who suffered through the early thirties with me... and I hope to be just as patient and loving with my younger sisters as my grown-up women friends were with me.
More soon, about food, etc. In the meantime, grace and peace to you in the name of those whose battles are fought and whose wars are won (that's the last line of my play, which was in Fringe Fest!)
Namaste.
Posted by april at October 5, 2009 5:52 PM
Comments
I'm so glad you found a good teacher! It can make all the difference. Half-moon is fun, isn't it? :-)
Posted by: Kai at October 6, 2009 6:37 AM
I don't know if this is the correct venue for questions, but I was interested in beginning CR and was not sure how to commence. I started at 1450 calories/ day.
I'm 18 and a relatively small person, 5'4'' and I've never been over 125, but is this too few, or too many calories? I wasn't really sure.
Posted by: Juliette at October 6, 2009 11:07 AM
Thanks for mentioning me! It is a bit surreal to see my name in your blog because I have been a non-commenting reader for about 2 years. After recently diving head first into anti-aging research and cryonics, I just feel like I have so much to say. I find myself in spontaneous conversations about my diet almost every time I go out with people. I am very exited to start taking an active role in the community, and I hope I can provide others with not only a different CR perspective, but also very useful information and neat recipe ideas as well. I've been silent for waaaayy to long (by evidence of my multiple day postings)! Ha.
I feel like if more people were actually aware of their choices and knew more about the research behind life extension and living healthy, their motivation to stay healthy and work on building a better society would take priority over the latest TV show or fast food. People turn to religion for hope, but that mainly functions to give them hope in death (which comes all too soon for most people). We need to find a way to motivate people in the here and now.
I was reading an article in the "Scientific Conquest of Death"(which can be found in PDF here: http://www.imminst.org/SCOD.pdf) called "An Introduction to Immoralist Morality" by Marc Geddes. In it he states, "Rational people understand actions have consequences...The critical point is a person's awareness that they have a future. People are more likely to be moral when they understand they will have to face the consequences of their own actions in the future."
People need to become aware of what their future could be! I know that since my discoveries, every aspect of my perspective has shifted.
Posted by: Sie at October 9, 2009 12:30 PM
Hah, hah, the "MR of Yoga" ;-) have fun-I might have stuck with Yoga if I'd had a good teacher. Love to see Immortalist Philosophy being quoted Sie :-)
Posted by: Shannon Vyff at December 22, 2009 2:55 AM