Let me tell you a little story about a city employee.  She has a regular 9-5 job, overworked and underpaid, processing business licenses and dealing with all sorts of nice and not-so-nice people. It’s late afternoon and she looks at the clock in anticipation, quitting time soon! Just when she thought it was smooth sailing a woman walks in needing assistance. The city employee tells the woman they stop taking applications at 4:30pm and it was now 4:45pm and they close at 5pm.  The woman pouts and says “Oh no, PLEEZ, I really needed this today.”  The employee considers this for a moment, tired from a long day’s work and looking forward to getting home and relaxing usually she would stick to “rules are rules” and “I just work here” attitude; but this time something inside her agreed to help this poor frazzled woman sitting before her.  In helping this woman get her paperwork in order she feels a wave of regret as she watches her fellow employees running out the door at 5 on the dot, and she ends up finally leaving her office 15mins later than usual. On the drive home, faced with traffic, she wonders why she just didn’t turn the woman away.

What this city employee didn’t know was that there was a horrible six vehicle accident involving both northbound and southbound lanes with cars,  parts,  and broken glass all over the street, on the sidewalks and ending with one vehicle through the window of a bank!  This accident happened exactly at the moment in which the frazzled woman and her friend would have driven through.  Unbeknownst to the city employee, her single act of kindness had saved lives.

How many times have you acted out of kindness without knowing the effect it may have had? Better yet, have you ever been the recipient of an act of kindness that made a difference in your life? And if so, did you pay it forward?  If we all did one nice thing for someone everyday, what a difference we could make in the world. We never know what a profound effect we have on people when we act out of kindness.  So I say, “Never Stop!”

Was this story all a coincidence?  Is there any proof the woman would have been in the accident had she left earlier?  Well, I guess this all lies in perception and what I choose to believe is that my friend and I are alive and in good health today because one average city employee took a moment out of her life and treated me with kindness.

Guiselle Marroquin facilitating healing one body at a time... www.massagebyguiselle.com

Tai Chi is well known worldwide for its many benefits. It  can be categorized into three primary aspects; health, meditation and martial. Just searching on Google for any information on Tai Chi you will come up with endless articles and stories of its uses and the significant impact it has made in the health community. Tai chi is highly recommended by many health professionals for all around health and wellness.

However I wanted to share a unique story of the impact Tai Chi has made on one young man’s life. I am honored to know him personally and train with him at my martial school the Lohan School of Shaolin in Las Vegas, Nevada. His name is Jason Ymson.

Jason was involved in an unfortunate incident that he calls, “being in the wrong place, at the wrong time, with the wrong people.” He was barely 16 years old at the time of the incident. He was seriously injured from a gun shot that tore through his abdomen and severed his sciatic nerve in his right leg.  The doctor told him and his father that he had severe nerve damage to the right leg and that he recommended an amputation. The medical opinion at the time suggested little hope of a recovery and that he would be crippled for the rest of his life.

This news from the doctor almost devastated Jason and his father. Jason had already been heavily involved in other martial art forms from the age of 4 he had started out with Taekwondo. He didn’t take it seriously until the age of 12 when he studied Shotokan Karate. At age 14 he had progressed on into Muay Thai and at 16 Jujitsu and Judo. Martial arts was a major part of his life.

Jason and his father were determined to do all they could to prove the doctors diagnosis to be wrong. Jason’s father looked into natural healing methods like Chinese herbology and other holistic remedies to restore his health. He refused to have his son take any pharmaceutical drugs like heavy pain killers that would cause him to have other health issues and possibly lead to drug dependency.

In a short time, Jason was told by the doctor that he had a chance of saving his right leg. The doctor discovered that there was a hairline piece of the sciatic nerve still attached. He had further suggested it would take 2-3 years for him to possibly regain any mobility in the leg. That was all Jason and his father needed to hear.

During the interim Jason was undergoing intense physical therapy he was so desperate to return to any form of martial arts. At this time he had come across an article on Tai Chi and read of its ability to vastly improve health. He poured himself into research to learn all he could about the internal art form. It resurrected a buried memory that had resurfaced from one year  earlier about a local school who taught the form he was interested in learning. He couldn’t remember the name of the school at the time nor the source of where he had heard about it. He became determined and inspired. This new resurgence of hope fueled his pursuit of finding this school.

He had recovered enough of his health to walk again but not without assistance and then eventually  enough to drive. It was exactly four months later after remembering about the local school as he was driving down Spring Mountain right past Decatur, he saw it. He came upon the Lohan School of  Shaolin by chance. An intense overwhelming sensation had come over him he was so excited he felt like he had finally found the right place. He walked in slowly with his cane and met the Grandmasters son Sifu Raul Baugh. He was so intent on learning he came prepared with many questions Sifu Raul was impressed with this young mans determination. He recommended that he speak directly with his father Grandmaster Steven Baugh the following day and suggested the best hours for Jason to return to meet him.

The following day he walked into the school and met his Grandmaster Sifu Steven Baugh it was April of 2003, Jason was 19 years old.  At first appearance they stood before each other and Grandmaster peered deeply into Jason’s eyes. An overwhelming feeling came over Jason, he felt that his Grandmaster was vaguely and curiously familiar as if they already knew each other.  Furthermore the impression Jason felt was peculiar as if his Grandmaster recognized him and was expecting him.  After several moments of silence had passed his Grandmaster smiled and proceeded to tell him that he was,  “supposed to be a teacher here in this school.”  He was startled by the words and laughed in disbelief, he thought his Grandmaster was, “out of his mind!” How could this be possible when he could barely walk, didn’t even practice the Tai Chi forms let alone teach them. Jason had a difficult time accepting his Grandmasters words.  His Grandmaster politely ignored Jason’s skeptical expression and proceeded to explain about the forms of Tai Chi they taught there and when he could begin class.

So began Jason’s  training in Tai Chi. It was grueling. Every day was  extremely difficult. He could only hold some of the postures for short periods of time. All his weight was placed on his left leg since he had very little strength in the muscles in his right leg.  He would take frequent breaks as his left knee and foot would swell from the pressure. The beginning of his training was arduous, challenging and painful.  It was extremely difficult standing without support. He didn’t give up he was determined to regain full mobility of his right leg. He attended class as frequently as he could during the week then while at  home he would train 3 hours in his backyard every day. Each day that passed he became stronger and the practice of his forms became easier and easier. When he wasn’t physically training he would lie in his bed at night doing at least the hand motions still practicing his forms. After one month had passed he learned in full the Tai Chi Yang 48 form and Straight Sword. From daily practice he developed enough stamina, strength, fluidity in movement to add more forms to his daily routine. For the next 3-4 months his daily routine involved practicing at least 7-8 times per day. He made a schedule for himself to practice Tai Chi Yang 48, Straight Sword and Bagua 8 Mother Palm form walking the full circle, 1-2 hours in the morning, then 2-3 hours in the afternoon and one hour before bed.

By the 5th -6th month Jason had added more forms to his practice, Dragon Phoenix Sword, Snowflake Saber, and 5 Elements of Xing Yi Chuan. He had to wear a knee brace on  his right leg during the practice of these forms for added support. At this time his Grandmaster had told him he was strong enough from all his diligent practice to begin training in the Northern Shaolin Kung Fu classes.  He had worn his knee brace in class for about the first two months then one day his Grandmaster told him to take it off and the rest is history.  Jason set the record of qualifying for his blue sash which is considered a senior student in the school in just 9 short months. It normally takes a student two years to attain this level. His grandmaster advised Jason it would be best for him to test for his blue sash at least six months later to be fair to the other students who were training. He had to go to each of the blue sash senior students to test all his forms and seek their approval as well. Some didn’t want to allow him to test to get his blue sash and they felt it was too quick for him to have learned all the forms that soon. They were tough on him and disapproved of it. But Jason humbly accepted their stern opinions of him and feels it has made him a better student and teacher of the martial arts.

Today as a second generation Lohan, he is fondly called “Buddha Jay!” He earned this title from participating in the Lion Dance team as the Dancing Buddha. His enthusiasm, incredible drive and spirit he displayed while performing inspired many to take to heart their performance on the team. He still remains an inspiration to the newer generations of Lohans who train under his tutelage to be the best they can be in the true spirit of a Lohan warrior on the training floor in our  school or while out in public performing the Lion Dance demonstrations.

The original title “Buddha” was given to him by his grandmaster. Jason became inspired from watching our schools Lion Dance team train for their performances around the city. He wanted to be a part of the team and found his opening performing as the dancing Buddha. At the time the one Lohan student who performed this position was no longer at the school for some months. He asked his grandmaster to be the Dancing Buddha. His grandmaster agreed excitedly and said, “we will call you Buddha!” Shortly after the name “Buddha” had morphed into “Buddha Jay” by all the other Lohan students. This was attributed to Buddha Jay’s infectious spirit in his performance. He puts his heart into every thing he does. The newer generations of Lohan students look up to and admire Buddha Jay’s example and guidance as a teacher of all the forms and instructor for the younger Lion Dance team members.

This incredible young man has left an indelible impression upon many and his story is worth sharing with others. His determination has forged a mark in history within the Lohan School of Shaolin that will touch many lives for years to come. Tai Chi is a very powerful healing modality to restore health and wellness in the body. Yet in this young man’s life it was a powerful tool that he used as a catalyst to propel him forward to experience much success in virtually every aspect of his life. He recently participated in the ICMAC 2010 Kung Fu Tournament and came away with two gold medals. He is pictured to the far right, front row. To look at Buddha Jay today and watch him perform any of his forms or participate in the Lion Dance demonstrations you wouldn’t know that he ever experienced any trauma to his right leg at all thanks to the healing power of  Tai Chi. I commend you with great honor Buddha for your inspiring example to us all that with enough determination you can achieve anything!

Sabrina Cruz The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person's determination!

I wanted to touch upon a popular subject whose time of truth is fast approaching, December 21, 2012.  This is a time of change.  The question is: What kind of change? 

 There are many theories and prophecies out there to choose from.  There are the sensationalized doomsday theories. Let’s see here… we have death by meteorite(s), death by extraterrestrial invasion, death by world war, death by the antichrist and the judgment day theory.  Let’s not forget Mother Nature’s revenge on humanity by flooding, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.  There is nothing worse than a woman scorned, so you might want to think twice about littering, wasteful use of earth’s natural resources or not buying a green energy vehicle. The polar shift theory is said to be a natural cycle that occurs every few thousand years causing Earth’s tectonic plates to shift forming new land masses and destroying old ones.

If we look to the stars for answers there is a Planet X theory (death by newly discovered planet). Wormholes are said to be stargates that will develop from which there will be travel back and forth through time or galaxies (that might be kinda cool).  The Solar Maximum theory states that the sun will emit powerful sunspots and plasma balls that will wipe  out our energy grids, destroy satellites and cause global disaster (think of that the next time you go sunbathing).  A less gloomy theory is the Astrology theory.  Here it is said that each sign of the zodiac is an age that spans roughly a couple thousand years. With each age there are events and religious symbolism that correspond to each sign in the zodiac. For example we are in the current Age of Pisces which is characterized by the rise of Christianity that is regularly symbolized by the fish symbol.  The Age of Pisces is mainly marked by humanity’s the continuous research about the truth hidden behind what’s perceived by the five senses.  According to this theory we are approaching the end of the Age of Pisces and the beginning of the Age of Aquarius. It is believed that the Aquarian age will usher in a period of group consciousness, brotherly love and peace. Being an Aquarian myself, I think this theory is kinda groovy!

Indigenous civilizations also have their theories. Being of Mayan descent I favor the Mayan prophecy.  I have been following the progress of a film explaining this prophecy and I am pretty excited about it.  Shift of the Ages is due to be released between 2010 and 2011.  This docudrama follows Grandfather Cirilo Perez Oxlaj, the leader of the National Mayan Council of Elders of Guatemala, through his journey as he explains the Mayan Prophecies to the world for the first time. You can watch video clips, learn more about it or support the project by visiting their website www.shiftoftheages.com.

I personally feel we are all very fortunate to be living in this era. This is an exciting time with many changes to come.  There is a big party brewing and we are all invited! At least I’d like to think so. The truth is no one really knows for sure what if anything will happen in 2012.  One thing is for certain, we are here now so why not just live in the NOW?  Spend more time with those you love, take time to love and pamper yourself and get out there and do the things you really enjoy!

Guiselle Marroquin facilitating healing one body at a time... www.massagebyguiselle.com

Can we really create our own reality with a simple intention of what we would like to experience in our lives?!!! Is The Secret and Law of Attraction true? Is it really possible? I am asked these questions quite a bit. The most recent occurrence happened just a few days ago by a co-worker who always seems to struggle with her job. She has a bachelors degree and has been sitting in what she calls a, “no end job,” for at least 4 years now. I am impressed with her credentials and experience yet amazed at how day in and day out she will complain to me about everything going wrong in her life. So this time she said,” I have to get a new job its a brand new year something has to give and get better.” In response to her,”I said that is a nice intention, you should make it happen!” Well she looked at me and it appeared her chin dropped to the floor. She shook her head in disbelief at my response. She scoffed and said something like, “yeah, right!” I gently laughed at her skepticism and explained how it has worked in my life. She thought for a moment and agreed I did make things happen every time I set my focus and attention on anything I wanted to do, it did happen. We have known each other for over 2 years now and she has witnessed quite a lot of changes in my life for the good.

Below I will share what I have learned through self realized knowledge and experience what has worked for me.

There is a real progression of awareness you can experience within your own reality.  Self realized knowledge is key to having you attain the insight and wisdom you can apply to your life to change it to what you would like to experience. This is broken down into 6 steps.

Step 1:  Is the TESTING or Experimental Stage.  What I mean by that is setting a simple intention and watching for it with steady awareness for its manifestation. Once you have set a simple intention and it does manifest. You test again with another intention.  Once you have experienced enough testing and you are convinced this is real and it does work you move into a state of trust and gain confidence and faith.

Step 2:  The second step is in your TRUSTING in the intentions you create that they will manifest,  you continue using this ability. You become more comfortable within yourself and will then again gain confidence that you have the power within yourself to consciously create and manifest what you would like to happen for you. You now have established confidence within your creative and manifestation ability.  Your doubt diminishes.

Step 3:  Third step is you walk now with CONFIDENCE. You have progressed into an awareness of confidence to create consciously and manifest what you desire to experience. The more you are comfortable with your awareness of confidence the more sure you are of yourself that progresses into an awareness of knowing. A knowing that is secure without a shadow of doubt.

Step 4:  The 4th step is walking in this progressed awareness of KNOWING with no doubts you begin to relax into a pure state of bliss and peace.  A peace you have never steadily experienced before.  Peace has come intermittently before but has never remained steadfast.  Your life has changed forever.  You see things with a new set of eyes, your perception is always bright and you develop at this point a fresh new excitement for life and all its unfolding endless possibilities. You will anticipate new gifts and adventures in each new day.  What you truly have experienced is an alchemical transformation in your DNA that released the encoded message written in your DNA to be released in every cell of your body.  That message awakens your understanding that you are a divine being and have aligned your inner true self vibrationally with your logical mind and physical body.  You now have become ONE with all that is.  You no longer walk with a duality that causes you to not clearly see, hear, visualize or feel your way through your life experience.  All things become clear with no more confusion.  You have full clarity and activation of all your senses.  You truly are at peace.  You will no longer experience being at war with yourself or others.  The main focus that has awakened within you is YOU are a divine being your are one with source who maintains a vibration of LOVE.  Within this all things are made new all things are possible if you will it.

Step 5:  Your awareness has progressed to the 5th step walking with COURAGE.  You are free from fear, intimidation, guilt, doubt, and confusion.  You are free and clear you now walk with courage.  Courage that enables you to just comfortably BE your true authentic self.  You are now detached from all emotions and conditions that would hinder, blind or suppress you from creating and manifesting your desires.

Step 6:  You now have progressed your awareness into a state of FORTITUDE, which is the 6th final step.  Walking in a state of fortitude you remain free to just BE unaffected by anything and anyone you have broken the cycle of Samsara no more suffering.  You have wisdom and awareness to remain free and clear to create and manifest consciously.  Remaining in this state of fortitude you now with all your senses activated see clearly your life purpose and you are at a high level of vibrational frequency to see, feel, hear and know wisdom from other higher vibrational beings and ascended masters.  You begin to be of service for the great work we have all been called to do.  The most fascinating part is the marvelous dawn of awareness that you begin to see and understand that you have made an agreement to be here now in this time to celebrate and bring into Being the end of time and the beginning of a New Age of awareness of the Collective Consciousness that we are all connected by cords of energy.

So do I believe in The Secret or The Law of Attraction? I believe they hold elements of truth and the understanding is there for those who truly want to know; if they listen internally for a resonance of peace from within their heart to guide them. By listening internally within, anyone will gain a higher view to understand the truth within any teaching and guide them on how to apply it to their life. Every teaching that is aimed with intentions of the highest good of all hold threads of familiarity.  The messages may be presented through a myriad of different voices but the underlying encoded messages ring true to our hearts and are the same.

Sabrina Cruz The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person's determination!

 There is something freakishly wrong with chickens that are not only redesigned to produce more white meat and become full grown in half the normal time, but are also so deformed that they can’t take more than a few steps before collapsing to the ground.  There is something horribly wrong when most farmers have very little control over their business and are enslaved by the debt they are forced to accumulate in order to keep their contract with the big corporations that manufacture our food.  There is something terribly wrong when a chemical company is not only allowed to OWN a food crop but is also allowed to investigate and prosecute farmers that save their own seeds on the grounds of patent infringement. Regulatory agencies that are supposed to protect us by making sure our food is safe are controlled by the companies they are supposed to be checking up on.

What is wrong with this picture? How did we get here? Why weren’t we aware? How do we fix this mess? These are questions that I encourage you to find answers to.  Don’t take my word for it, research for yourself and do something about it!

This is still a democracy; you can send out a message and make a difference every time you make a purchase. Here are a few things you can do to get started:

1)      Read the labels, know what you’re eating and where your food is coming from

2)      Buy organic or sustainable food

3)      Support companies that treat workers, animals and the environment with respect

4)      Choose foods that are in season

5)      Shop at farmers’ markets www.localharvest.org

6)      Ask you school board to provide healthy lunches

7)      Watch the documentary for yourself or do your own research

You can also visit www.takepart.com/foodinc for more information on how to make a change. Its time to remove the veil, take responsibility and do our part!

Guiselle Marroquin ...facilitating healing one body at a time... www.massagebyguiselle.com

Meditation that word just calms me immediately.  When I ponder on meditation I usually conjure up images of Yogi masters who sit for extended periods of time like a statue. I would always wonder how do they not break their concentration and focus?  What is their secret to calming the mind and reaching that Samadhi state? Then again you may be wondering what is a Samadhi state.  Well its defined as “the highest state in meditation, in which a person experiences oneness with the universe.”

Meditation is not just for spiritual practices taught by many different belief systems. It is very beneficial to your quality of life. You can attain higher states of consciousness,  develop a greater focus, enhance your  creativity and self awareness and cultivate a calm and peaceful mind eliminating stress, which is the number one culprit of many causes of ill health.

Below are some simple instructions anyone can follow to either begin meditation or enhance their ability in their practice.

Sit comfortably either in a chair or on a pillow cross legged on the floor in which we refer to as the lotus position.

Whether you are sitting comfortably in a chair or on the floor in the lotus position it is very important to cross the feet at the ankles as well as clasp the hands together. What this does is form an energy circle in which  your chi energy will circulate, aiding you in your  meditation, to hold your focus and concentration.

When you clasp your hands together you are simply placing one hand resting in the other or you may cross the fingers  if you wish.

Gently close your eyes. At this point you will have a  slight challenge quieting the mind down to complete  silence.

How you do this is relax and observe your breath.  You don’t have to do anything but just sit, relax  and observe your natural breathing. In this way  it will quiet the mind. Don’t resist or worry about any  of the thoughts, let them be. Just observe your breath.  Eventually all thoughts will disappear. The more you ignore  them the more they will go away on their own.

When you are in the state of no more thought and your mind  is peacefully quiet, you will begin to feel a light  tingling of energy descend upon the top of your head we  refer to as your crown.

This energy will flow through your  body and it contains all the wisdom of the ages. You simply  enjoy the flow of energy and quietly listen as a child with  no expectations.

You will learn about yourself, your true  life purpose, receive divine guidance on questions you have on your mind, direction in your life, and wisdom  to release any issues that cause illness in the body,  like trapped emotions that need to be released and healed.

This energy will revitalize you and bring peace that  surpasses all human understanding and deep joy and contentment.

Sabrina Cruz The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person's determination!

 It has been my experience that when I have a strange sensation in the pit of my stomach, something is NOT right. When I have listened to my body and avoided what caused that feeling, I usually ended up relieved that I did because shortly afterward I saw what could have been and it usually wasn’t pretty. Sometimes I have walked away not knowing if the feeling was right or wrong, and maybe that is why sometimes I’ve chosen to ignore this feeling and I’ve regretted it.  I recently went through a painful lesson in life that could have been a bit less devastating had I listened to my body. This recent incident was filled with lessons, but the biggest one was to trust myself and follow my own discernment.

So what was that feeling anyway? Can it be explained as just plain intuition or is there more to it? Well that area in the pit of your stomach is the solar plexus. The encyclopedia explanation is:

“solar plexus dense cluster of nerve cells and supporting tissue, located behind the stomach in the region of the celiac artery just below the diaphragm. It is also known as the celiac plexus. Rich in ganglia and interconnected neurons, the solar plexus is the largest autonomic nerve center in the abdominal cavity (see nervous system ). Through branches it controls many vital functions such as adrenal secretion and intestinal contraction. Popularly, the term “solar plexus” may refer to the pit of the stomach. A blow to that area, if it penetrates to the true solar plexus, not only causes great pain but may also temporarily halt visceral functioning.”

The solar plexus is also a chakra.  A chakra is a wheel-like vortex of energy permeating from a point on the physical body, it is believed to be a center of activity that receives, assimilates and expresses life force energy.  Of the seven major chakras the solar plexus is the third, it is said to be linked to strength of will, personal power, opinion, governs perception and belief system. It is also believed to house self-esteem, self-image, issues of responsibility, self-mastery, self-sufficiency, safety, self-worth including presentation, skills and intelligence.

Well be it cluster of nerve cells or vortex of energy, I’ve decided never to ignore it again.  I have vowed to listen attentively and trust, respect and honor my body’s language.

Here’s a brief description of the seven major chakras: 

The first chakra is the root chakra.  It is located between the base of the spine and the pubic bone. The color associated with the root chakra is red. It is linked to survival, grounding, stability, enhances ability to stay calm, roots and grounds us in the physical form, transmutation, creativity, connection with nature. 

The second chakra is the sacral chakra.  It is located about 2 inches below the navel and its color is orange.  The sacral chakra is associated with willingness to feel and express emotions fully, stimulates desire, rejuvenate relationships between lovers and friends, giving and receiving feelings and emotions, forgiveness, acceptance and confidence. 

The third chakra is the solar plexus. The color associated with the solar plexus is yellow and its location and function has been explained above.

The fourth chakra is the heart chakra. Its color is green and it is located in the center of the sternum. The heart chakra is associated with the ability to love freely without fear or self-consciousness, neutralize negative feelings, acceptance, brings peace and understanding, joy, generates a feeling of wholeness, self-esteem, devotion, and balance of material and spiritual. 

The fifth chakra is the throat chakra.  Its color is bright blue or turquoise and it is located on the throat.  The throat chakra is related to clear communication, speaking one’s truth, resonance, self-expression, patience, brings harmony to speech and voice, confession and the right to speak and be heard. 

The sixth chakra is the third eye or brow chakra. Its color is Indigo and it is located between the eyes/brow. The brow chakra is related to understanding harmony, intuition, self-reflection, enhances psychic abilities, balance emotions and the right to be seen.

The last of the major chakras is the crown chakra. The color associated with the crown chakra is violet and it is located on the top of the head. It is said to be related to release, abandonment of individual ego for universal consciousness, understanding, unity with the divine, and clarity of mind.

So next you get a headache, a sore throat or a funny feeling in the pit of your stomach you might want to ask yourself “Am I getting sick, is this indigestion or is my body telling me something?”

Guiselle Marroquin ...facilitating healing one body at a time... www.massagebyguiselle.com