Our very own Dr Sanien de Beer on SABC 3's Expresso Show

“Phytotherapy is a form of modern plant based herbal medicine” – and hopefully will become a more familiar concept… See our very own in-house doctor Dr Sanien de Beer in action recently on the Espresso Show on SABC 3. Evan – one of the presenters of the Expresso Show came for a Phytotherapy session and that is why the You tube link is called Evan’s Phytotherapy Session. Click on the link below to watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9sCLXxwbRE Well done Sanien - we are so proud of you!

The still place within December 2014

The still place within December 2014 As the end of the year speeds towards us at a frightening pace..... or am I imagining it.....it is good to take a moment and reflect on what is  really important in our lives.  We are so good at doing, at following a routine,  at serving our bosses and masters.  Ha! Money is also a master, right? We grow tired, we become numb. Before that little voice that wants to throw the  alarm clock across the room and slip back into sleep, dies completely, listen up.  That little voice knows what we need. If you cannot kill the alarm, at least build  some rest into your day. Joseph Campbell, the master of myths, and the man who encouraged each of  his students to follow their bliss, talks about the still place within us. Without being  able to access that place within, we are not anchored in our lives. That still place is  also a place that cannot be violated, it is too private, too deep within each of us.  When we visit that place we become aware of how we are one, how we are  connected to all that exists on this planet and to our Creator.  We owe it to ourselves to become quiet, at least once a day, with no agenda other  than just being, just sitting with ourselves and noticing what happens next. At first  it might not be much, but as you persevere, you may become entranced at the  richness of your inner life. Joseph advocated a special room for this private time!  I do not think many of us have the luxury. However we can all find a quiet corner somewhere which can take on a specific association.  I like to sit up in bed in the mornings, close my eyes and listen before I slide  slowly into the day. I listen to the birdsong, I see the light changing and I greet  the day. I am blessed to have another day. What does it mean to follow your bliss? Campbell says you are only to do what you are truly passionate about and  whatever you are doing should be done passionately .....or not at all. Yes,  I know, it sounds like cloud cuckoo land.  Dismiss the idea at your peril! Most of us do not even know what we are  passionate about any more, we are so bogged down with the shoulds and  must do’s and must haves. So if you are curious, use that quiet time to ask  yourself what your life is about, what makes your heart sing and where does  your bliss lie. A blessed festive season. With love Aneta Shaw

Compassion and Tao

C O M P A S S I O N  a n d  T A O Whilst researching the San Bao, or ‘Three Treasures’ in Chinese culture and Tao,  I came across a discourse that resonated deeply. Derek Lin writes on these treasures... to quote, ‘The essence of Buddha nature is compassion, and as Lao Tzu  points out in chapter 67 of  the Tao Te Ching, compassion is the source  of courage. Courage is the source of strength - not the false strength of  brute force, but the true strength of character and heart.’ I really like that...Compassion flowing into courage...courage flowing into strength.  Creating a strong and stable character and heart. Compassion...being able to relate,  to understand and attempt to ease the suffering of all. Wikipedia has the following to say on compassion:- Compassion is the emotion that one feels in response to the suffering of others that motivates a desire to help. The etymology of "compassion" is Latin, meaning "co-suffering." More involved than  simple empathy, compassion commonly gives rise to an active desire to alleviate  another's suffering. The English noun compassion, meaning to love together with, comes from Latin.  Ranked a great virtue in numerous philosophies, compassion is considered in almost  all the major religious traditions as among the greatest of virtues. The Tao Te Ching is a classical Chinese text, traditionally credited to the sage,  Laozi and written around the 6th century BC. Lao Tzu literally translates as  ‘Old Master’. Laozi was a record keeper at the royal court of the Zhou dynasty.  True authorship and date of composition are debated. Tao has become a part of the English language and appears in all the major  dictionaries. Simply translated as ‘The Way’...but meaning vastly more. There are several translations of the Tao Te Ching. Derek Lin has set a standard  for his accuracy and ability to capture the lyrical beauty of the original work.  He was born in Taiwan and grew up fluent in both Chinese and English.  For more information see www.DerekLin.com As we transition through the ending of one year, our festive season and beginning  of a new year...compassion is truly one attribute we can cultivate within and without.  Infinite compassion. That’s my wish for 2015. Credits, ‘The Three Treasures of I-Kuan Tao’ by Derek Lin. Wikipedia. Lesley-Ann Green

A Merry Christmas - or A Merry Year???

A Merry Christmas – or A Merry Year??? By Dr Sanien de Beer   As the end of year stress accumulates, everybody is looking forward to the  day on the calendar which marks the beginning of the summer holiday and  Festive Season.  Images of golden beaches, sunshine days, tranquil forests  walks, happy hours with friends and loved ones and of course delicious foods  fill our minds as a final motivation to just ‘make it’ until the holiday finally arrives. It may sound like a paradox, but the festive season can also be a time of  great challenges.  Most people are familiar with the feelings of fatigue  and burn out which dampens the spirit of the summer holiday and descend on  you out of the blue.  When understanding that it is only a message from your  body and mind, interpreting that message correctly and responding to it in an  appropriate way, it can pave the path for a rejuvenating and restorative holiday! Neurotransmitters are the chemicals in your brain which conveys messages  and impulses between nerve cells.  These chemical messengers allow  communication between cells which are central to memory, learning,  mood, behaviour, sleep, pain perception and sexual urge. Nutrients in  food are precursors to neurotransmitters.  The amount of precursors present  in the food you eat will influence your level of neurotransmitters.  Depleted  supplies of “feel good” neurotransmitters will in turn undermine your ability  to feel happy, upbeat, motivated and on track.  Certain neurotransmitters –  when depleted, can cause you to be easily agitated or angered. It can further  cause you to experience mild to severe anxiety, depression and even  sleep problems. Neurotransmitters are in a constant state of flux – adjusting constantly to  meet the needs of the current circumstances.  At night, the brain needs to  raise the level of certain neurotransmitters to bring about a quieting, relaxing  effect and to induce sleep.  In the morning, it must lower its levels of these  neurotransmitters and raise excitatory neuro transmitter levels to wake you  up and give you energy for the day ahead.  Exercise increases levels of  euphoria inducing neurotransmitters.  During times of stress, levels of  neurotransmitters must be raised to help you keep calm.  When in  pain, inhibitory neurotransmitters are used by the brain to restrict the  transmission of pain. It is thus almost ‘normal’ for the body to have exhausted  its supply of neurotransmitters by the time the Christmas Holiday arrives… Nothing replaces the benefits of following a well balanced and nutritious  eating plan. Nutritional Supplements have their place – but vitality is based  on a simple truth:  You only get the full benefit of vitamins, minerals and anti  oxidants if they are concentrated in food and herbal complexes.  Active  constituents should not be chemically isolated as the body knows how to handle  real food, but struggles to handle manmade chemicals.  It may be helpful to  consult with a holistic health care Professional to ensure you are doing all  you can to optimise your level of neuro transmitters! Sufficiently balanced nutrition  and neurotransmitters levels give rise to enthusiastic people – people who radiate  positive energy! It may be one of your best new year’s resolutions to ensure that  you have optimal neurotransmitters in store! May this holiday season be an  opportunity for you to fill up your Christmas stocking with Neurotransmitters –  for you to attract zest and enthusiasm for 2015 – and to make it - A MERRY YEAR

i.move 2015 - Specialized Pilates & Nia Studio

Dear i.move members Our vision for January 2015 is to become a more specialized Pilates and Nia studio.  You will find most Pilates and Nia class slots will stay the same, with some exciting  additional classes now on offer - starting January.   You will be able to attend level specific Pilates to help you progress faster and  the new classes that we have added to the schedule are -  Athletic Pilates, Back & Neck specific classes & Pilates Equipment classes  for our Equipment enthusiasts. We also have exciting plans for Nia next year to  focus on ways to promote your cardio fitness.   The above changes have come about as we support Lesley (Tai Chi & Qi Gong)  and Nicola (Zumba & Yoga) in their vision of building their own schools of movement  from January 2015. These classes will still be held in our studio space but will no  longer be included in our i.move pricing/memberships - you will need to contact  Lesley & Nicola directly for these. Love Jeanne   WHAT ARE THE NEW CLASSES for 2015 From January there will be more classes to choose from: Level specific Pilates - Beginners, Intermediate, Advanced & Mixed ability (Mixed ability classes are open for any level to attend) Athletic Pilates - a Pilates based cardio workout that will focus on your fitness & stamina. Back & Neck Pilates - this class will specifically target these problem areas Pilates Equipment-  group classes working with the Pilates machinery / equipment (these classes run on a separate fee structure to the other group classes, and you will need experience on the equipment before start up.) 2015 FEES There will be no increase in fees for January 2015 - all current pricing will remain  the same and you can continue as is. WHAT IF I HAVE AN EXISTING/ PAID FOR MEMBERSHIP? Nothing changes - you are able to continue as is but please note that Tai Chi,  Qi Gong, Yoga & Zumba will no longer be covered by this/your membership.  Please speak to us if you have any questions or concerns. PROMOTIONS  Buy your January membership before 10 December & choose from either: -a 5 class voucher to gift to a friend (worth R375 & only valid for January) OR -a 3 hour weekend Pilates workshop voucher ( worth R375 valid for Sat 31 January )I WANT TO DO TAI CHI, QI GONG or YOGA These classes will still  be offered in our studio space, but Lesley & Nicola will be  running these schools of movement independently of i.move studio. Please speak to  them directly for class times & pricing. Lesley (082 431 0640) or Nicola (082 339 2171).

Goddess workshop @ Mayfair

Goddess Workshop Presented by Taryn Hall demonstration by Corina Avni and Bel Robinson The workout FOR women, BY women, to EMPOWER women to explore FEMININITY The Goddess workout provides a safe and non-judgemental space for  women to reawaken their inner goddess, a time to explore their femininity  and sensuality and a little time to just play. In today’s world where women  are bombarded with so many pictures of what a perfect body should look like  we certainly don’t love ourselves enough. Goddess classes are all about teaching  women to embrace their gloriousness, to love every inch of their body, to  celebrate each curve and relish being a 100% pure woman. The initial warm-up consists of flowing, undulating movements that loosen,  warm and connect you with your body. The emphasis is on slow, sensual  movement that fills space, while lengthening and strengthening muscles by  keeping the movement completely controlled. What is so magnificent about the  Goddess Workout is that it is designed for women, by women and celebrates  woman’s bodies and how they are designed to move. Once the warm-up is complete this is when the real fun starts. Pole dancing has  moved out of seedy clubs and hit the international exercise scene,  and while many considered it to be a passing fad, almost a decade down the line,  pole dancing studios are thriving (with pole dancing now even being considered  the next new Olympic sport!) The greatest thing about pole dancing is that  anyone can do it, and it’s not reserved for the skinny or super fit. Actually the more  curves you have the better the movement looks and the more momentum you  are likely to have! There is also no wrong or right way to dance, it’s all about self  expression (and less about getting the moves right) giving you complete  artistic freedom. So you let your hair down, and dance like no-ones watching – wow is that exhilarating! What to remember throughout: Nothing you do is wrong! We offer guidelines, and you have complete  artistic freedom No laughing at anyone else. We don’t say that because we think you will,  but because everyone has that little fear that someone will laugh at them No judging yourself. Let yourself play with movement, and just enjoy Always wear pretty bra and panties! Allow yourself to explore the movements that feel sensual and feminine for you.Everyone is so worried about themselves that they won’t be staring at you. Use your eye line… whatever you look at, your audience will check out as well. If your hair is long, let it down! Let your whole body get involved with the movement… hair, shoulders, eye line, hips, arms, and toes All movements are slow, deliberate, controlled, and sensual Celebrate those curves and take some time to really enjoy your body! Workshop layout: Floor work – the goddess warm-up Walking and standing transitions ….CHAMPAGNE BREAK… Wall work Pole work - demo from the girls - learn key swings and fillers that make up a full dance routine

Drop in Meditation Class with Buddhist monk Gen Pagpa

'Wisdom for the Holidays' a drop-in Meditation Class with Buddhist monk, Gen Pagpa  Saturday 6th December 10.00am-11.15am @ Mayfair Wellness, 3 Bright St,  Somerset West.  Cost: R50. All welcome. More info: 021 685 3428 or www.meditateincapetown.org

Jing-An Tai Chi Workshop

Jing-An Tai Chi Workshop with Dr Lan Saturday 06th December 2014 at 11.30am - 2pm In the spirit of Tai Chi , Dr Lan will beimparting insights and wisdom from his recent visit to China. Contact Vivian at Mayfair Wellness front desk to book and secure your place (021) 851 7037  Cost: 350 pp Notes will be provided Our mailing address is: info@jing-an.co.za

Pop Up Yoga with Surina @ Mayfair

Hi All,            This will be the last Pop Up Yoga class for 2014!          Come and enjoy 90min of fun and relaxation.   Saturday 13 December 2014  @ Mayfair, 3 Bright str, Somerset West  9:30-11AM (90min). Cost: R100 per/person or R150 for you and a friend/family Those who still need to make up sessions are more than welcome to use the class to do so. This is an Open Class - from the newbie to the advance practitioner is welcome. My aim is to help you take a moment to release and reconnect!   Hope to see you all there! Best Wishes, Surina For more information please feel free to contact me on 084 629 1189.