Winter is nearly here, a time of shorter days and focusing inward. According to Traditional Chinese medicine, it is the season of the element water, and the corresponding organs, the kidneys.  Taoist master Bruce Frantzis recently offered this advice:

 "December is coming, do anything you can to build up your kidneys during the winter season and get a lot of rest. The winter is the time of the regeneration of your body for the rest of the year. And I hope the forces of universe bring this opportunity into your life."

We can use Longevity Breathing Yoga to relax and open our breathing so that each breath provides a gentle massage to the kidneys.  Taking  even a few a few minutes daily to practice the following simple warm-ups and posture can provide significant benefit.

                                  THE TRUE TEACHER ~ HEALER

I was with the Ancient Taoist Sage the night before last, as he had some new medicines for my lacking energy and  body aches and pains in general.

The Old Sage related this story which he has shared with me on many an occasion .:

"It is said that in the Taoist perspective of the Path, that for a person to truly develop, they must suffer 'One Great Disease'. Now this disease might not be an actual sickness -

It can be anything that deeply challenges us to overcome our prejudices, our weaknesses, our fears and our ignorance."

 收之道

Autumn The Dao of Gathering

The three months of autumn are called containment and balance.
Heavenly qi is quick, earthly qi is bright.
Early to bed, early to rise: all participate with the rooster.
Make that which is of the heart-mind peaceful and tranquil
in order to weaken the punishment of autumn.
Gather and collect the spirit and the qi.
Make the autumn qi balanced.
Do not direct that which is of the heart-mind outwards.
Make the lung qi pure.
This is the autumnal compliance of qi
and the cultivation of the Dao of gathering.
To oppose these principles injures the lungs.
(Consequently) winter will bring diarrhoea
(and) there will be little to offer one’s storehouse.
(Nei Jing Chapter 2)

                                         The Living Deer

I promised Mountain that this would be a shorter Blog than usual because, well, its simple...in quietness, the Deer approaches...The Deer denotes gentleness, both with oneself and others. The Deer speaks of innocence (regardless of our age) as well as the gentle luring to a new adventure, a new chapter, even a new dream, as we Let Go of the old.

"DANCE" said the Old Sage, Dance from within, and there will be no mis-steps...for from your heart flows Love in purity !

Dance..."Wu", in the Chinese; "for when you dance" said the Ancient Taoist Sage, "you move with Tao !"

It has been said that "Dance" is part of the very origins of Tao, of Life and of Love.
To understand the movement of Tao, the ancients Danced. When people of all cultures wish to divine truth, they Dance.

The following blog was written by guest blogger Claire Lorman, a college student at Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Georgia. She practices Longevity Breathing yoga with Ellen Pucciarelli in Washington, DC during college breaks.

There are some people in this world who seem to be made of rubber bands, not skin and bones. They can make themselves into pretzel shapes without a second thought, making people like me – who cannot claim flexibility as a skill – look at them in wonder.