Standing Knee Kiss

This yoga exercise, the standing knee kiss, is an ideal position for working the spine, chest, and, of course, the head's circulation. Although this pose looks relatively simple, it also requires a lot of practice when performed correctly. I favour this yoga pose as preparation for the queen of all asanas, the headstand. The head's circulation is well-supplied, but you don't need to concentrate too much on balance.

In the Yoga Sun Prayer, the knee kiss is the third asana. Here, you exhale and bend forward until your hands align with your feet, and your knees touch your head. At first, your knees may still be slightly bent, but later, after some practice, they should be straight.

I deliberately included the knee kiss in the TerLiMa Yoga asanas. Of course, this is also because of its connection to the sun prayer, but also because this asana is simply wonderful to practice and can be practised relatively quickly, so that one experiences the greatest possible benefit from it.
Namaste.

Sick on prescription

There's a report circulating in the media right now that an insulin preparation, used by approximately 500,000 diabetics in Germany alone, is causing cancer as an unpleasant side effect. It sounds pretty scary.

The fact is, the 500,000 diabetics suffer enough from their first illness alone, and 3,500 more cases of cancer per year won't make much difference. But it's also a fact that the insulin medications now suspected of causing cancer are prescribed by doctors.

Cocoa tastes good and is healthy. A nice claim, to begin with

Cocoa tastes good and is healthy. A nice claim, to begin with.
Well, there's no accounting for taste; some like it, some don't.

But cocoa is definitely healthy. The active ingredient flavonol, contained in cocoa, protects against arteriosclerosis. Flavonol binds reactive, cell-damaging substances, the free radicals. Flavonoids are even said to be able to repair blood vessels to a certain extent. 

Anyone who thinks consuming cocoa in large quantities is good should note that everything in moderation is ok; excessive consumption of anything never helps. It's actually harmful. It just depends on the amount. But a nice cup of hot, real cocoa, perhaps with a bit of milk, instead of the usual coffee, is good for your health.

18 or 80 ?

How old am I actually? The question is, which age am I referring to? The one on my birth certificate? The one others think of me? Or when I look at myself in the mirror. It makes a big difference whether this happens in the morning or evening. 

If I feel balanced and content today, I'll appear younger in times of stress and worry. As an introduction to the broad and exciting topic of age, here's a link for a so-called Methuselah check. It provides insight, but shouldn't be taken too seriously. It's certainly good and helpful for shedding light on certain factors, and it's certainly thought-provoking. Because age, how old we feel, always depends on external factors and our attitude towards age. 

There should actually be a link to the check here. But these days, almost every test of this kind involves registration, consent to data collection, use of a camera, etc. I'll spare you that. Instead, I suggest that you are as old as you feel!

Bloody nose

You can quickly get a "bloody nose." Mainly in a figurative sense, since most of us don't usually step into a real boxing ring. But everyday life is often hurtful enough that some people might wish to risk a bloody nose in personal situations rather than everything else that can happen to them.  

What hurts much more is a blow to the soul. When we are hurt emotionally, the pain is often greater and more dramatic than a real punch in the ribs. So it makes perfect sense to study more than just pure self-defence. The psyche must be trained and strong enough. The solution is courage.

Garden Time

Garden Time

When we no longer have a connection to our food, we only buy it pre-packaged and pre-cooked from the supermarket, and when the pizza delivery man delivers his food to the door of the overweight TV watcher...

Are you surprised that people are mutating and developing allergies, suffering from self-inflicted illnesses, and our society is becoming physically and mentally impoverished? Those who know the value of home-grown tomatoes can consider themselves lucky. Those who don't can start their garden, even in the smallest space, like a balcony, you can make a difference to your food supply. And you become more active.

 

I don't have time.

I don't have time.

Read this little story. It's probably not the first time you see it, as it's quite widely spread on the net. Maybe something will sound familiar to you.

A man is hiking through the forest and encounters a lumberjack who hastily and laboriously saw a previously felled tree into smaller pieces. The hiker approaches to see why the lumberjack is struggling so hard and then says:

"Excuse me sir, but I noticed something. Your saw is completely blunt. Why don't you sharpen it?" The lumberjack groans in exhaustion and replies: "I don't have time for that. I have to saw!" Got it?

November 4 = World Diabetes Day

Over 8% of the German population already suffers from type 2 diabetes mellitus. Worldwide, it is estimated that up to 240 million people are affected. 

And anyone who knows anything about this insidious disease, or even suffers from it themselves, knows why I consider diabetes a public enemy. Secondary diseases such as heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure, blindness, and limb amputations are inevitable after a specific period.

I buy - therefore I am

Ever thought about it? We're all exposed to a flood of advertising that crashes down on us. Much of it is passive and unintentional, while others are consciously targeted.

What happens when we're bombarded day in and day out with messages, information, and offers that no one usually requests or that many couldn't afford to give in to and buy anyway?

What this plague of advertising has achieved, however, and long since established, is this feeling of consumerism, of being high just from looking and maybe buying.

Other "values," on the other hand, are increasingly fading into the background, forgotten. You know best what you're missing. And what no one can buy.

From today on, I will no longer smoke

Lung cancer is a devilish disease. Anyone who thinks it comes, a brief illness, and then... we all have to die... is twisted. 

Lung cancer takes its time, claiming its three hundred (300) victims every day in Germany alone. Before the fatal diagnosis is actually made, there are years of torment with shortness of breath, a nasty, persistent cough, and a foul smell from one's own lungs... If that's not enough, ... when I once visited the Heckeshorn Lung Clinic in Berlin, the head director led me to a ward. 

In almost every room lay relatively young men, all bald from chemotherapy. Creepy, I say! And at the end of the ward was the usual glass box. And you wouldn't believe it! Inside were three equally bald men... and they were smoking! 

When I asked the professor, both astonished and shocked, what this meant, he replied: "Oh, you know, why should I forbid these poor devils from smoking now? Everyone you saw today will be dead in nine months at the most."
From today on, I will no longer smoke!

Happiness

There are a significant number of English-speaking readers at this blog, readers from the US, UK, Hong Kong, and even Australia, so I'd like to post some original English texts here from time to time. Mind you, most Germans understand it anyway ;-) Here's a wise quote, found in a small booklet of poems:

"Freud believed that, for anyone who worked hard enough

to understand the why of his conduct,

there can be a reconciliation,

and therein lies personal happiness

or, at least, less unhappiness."

Aus: Time Within, Copyright Prisoner LX6457 2007, HMP Dartmoor

The high song of action - Bhagavad Gita

The Bhagavad Gita is by far my most popular book. Exciting like a thriller, pioneering in all conceivable situations, entertaining, lots of epic and history, philosophy and religion in a way that lets people decide for themselves.

A Koan for you.

Can you half light a candle?

Photo: cover of my 1940 Bhagavad Gita edition

The world's best exercise

The world's best exercise is the traditional push-up. Of course, I know plenty of variations and special exercises for push-ups, too. Yet, the standard classic push-up is not only a good measure of fitness but can also be performed anywhere and is easy to handle.  

Today, I did my 30 push-ups. Let's see how I can improve. My goal for now is 100 minus my age. Anyone thinking of something like the Guinness Book of Records can forget about it. As far as I know, the record is held by a Japanese man, around 1,000. With that in mind, have a great time.

Fat people often have problems

"Fat people often have problems," a teacher at high school used to say to us. It was really crazy. First of all, he was fat himself, and we kids couldn't connect his statement with him. Secondly, he died so quickly at a young age. While his daughter was running for a spot to earn her sports badge, by watching her he collapsed and died of a heart attack.

Which surprises me now. Today I'm reading about the ancient Stone Age figure that was supposedly discovered, and the researchers are so excited. I wonder why the woman depicted is actually overweight. The Stone Age was rather slim and slender. No fast food, binge-watching TV with chips, etc. Does someone want to spread the word that fat, fat, overweight was/is normal? Think! And cleverly packaging it as a sex symbol always works. And researchers and scientists have already told us a lot.

Do your research. The food industry is not your friend when it comes to most of the products they offer. No wonder so many are obese these days. The food industry wants to sell its stuff. Consumers are often after the cheap stuff. The media helps the industry rather than the consumer.