Totally Zen

The Belen Market in Iquitos, Peru (Part II)

Stephanie — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 00:51:55 +0000

One of the main stops you would want to make if you ventured over to Peru in the Amazon Rainforest is the Belen Market and their floating city. (Next week we discover the Belen floating city.)

The Belen Market is a place where all the farmer’s, fishermen, local vendors, crafts people and anyone with anything to eat, drink, cook with, wear are trying to get you to spend your soles (money) on their goods. Why not? There you should be able to find the freshest, most indigenous products in the area. With 150 local communities traveling to be a part of this bustling and loud market scene. Most people there are living day to day. Although the conditions of the people are meager there is a lot of joy and contentment. Everyone is working in harmony with others to create a massive offering that will envelop all of your senses and make you want to try everything you come across along the way!

As you walk through the aisles you notice an abundance of natural goodness. The sun works its magic on the fruits and vegetables making the taste and sight of them so pungent. There are a lot of root vegetables; yucca is a main staple of the Peruvian diet. Bananas, bananas and platanos (sweet bananas) everywhere and are delicious! The palm trees offers these huge leaves that are used for cooking over the fire or baking dishes, the strands of dried leaves are used to tie the dishes up as they cook or steam the ingredients within and the flavor of the palm tree is released into the food. Common dishes prepared this way are fish, vegetables and cornmeal tamales. This cooking process makes the food so tender. Their pastries are delicious, as you walk through the market and the streets of Iquitos you notice vendors selling these bread /cookie type things about five common varieties. They are a perfect treat, not too sweet and so fresh! Fresh chickens, fish, pig parts are available. They have delicious curries, olives, beans, spices and much more.

They have a whole section of the market dedicated to plant medicines made there by loretanas. Jungle people who mix plant medicine as their profession. They make medicinal mixtures using plants, roots, flowers, herbs and alcohol, honey and who knows what else. Maybe even dosing the medicine with a blessing or shake of the chacruna leaves to give it special healing powers. Local people rely on these tinctures and remedies to treat their illnesses. They even use, make and sell flower water to purify the outer self and make you more beautiful.

Everywhere you look there is something to behold. Music seeps into the background as do the call of the vendors drawing attention to their wares or the local activist telling you what is on his mind. Generations of families working hard together to help present their trade or craft to the market and earn a living. Where many of the people who sell and buy most everything they need at the market live together as a community.

The energy there is wild, even a bit chaotic. You get the sense as a traveler of how far away from home you are and how the market is a place where you can learn about what the jungle provides for its people and anyone who might want to get lost and spend some time there at the Belen Market.

PS. The earlier you go, 5am start time, the fresher and more abundant the offerings.

What is Totally Zen?, Who is Stephanie Churchill?

Stephanie — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:33:41 +0000

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Exploring Peru, The Amazon Rainforest (Part I of VI)

Stephanie — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 05:12:09 +0000

Recently I had the privilege of traveling abroad to Peru. We flew from Philadelphia to Lima, the capital. From Lima we went on to Iquitos, the largest city in the Peruvian rainforest. It is the capital of the Loreta region and is the largest city in the world that cannot be reached by road. You can only get there by boat or plane. It is a major port to the Amazon River because three rivers surround it: the Nanay, Itaya and the Amazon. There are twenty-four regions in Peru. Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough time to get to know any other region than the jungle but this was an adventure and experience to be explored for anyone who likes to be one with nature, learn about plants, trees, jungle animals and Peruvian people.

Iquitos is a launching point for a lot of jungle tours and excursions. It is only about 2,000 miles from the Amazon mouth and is downstream to the Ucayali and Maranon Rivers. They have a wet season, which is hot and humid. It was about 80-100* with about 85-90% humidity. The wet season is between November to May. The water level raises and falls about 30 ft throughout the course of the year. In fact, the biggest market place in Iquitos , Belen, had a floating city and part of the year the houses float & the other time it is held up by stilts. (Next week I will explore the Belen market & floating village)

The rubber industry in the early 20th century was the only real industry to develop and provide wealth and resources for this region. Once the merchants smuggled rubber seeds and cultivated crops in Brazil for easier transportation the region was left to wither away. In the recent past gas and oil has been discovered in this region, government is allowing corporations to build a pipeline and hopefully the Peruvian rainforest will not go by way of other precious resources and be destroyed in the pursuit of making money.

That being said, it is definitely a tourist destination even for those that are living in the Loreta or Jungle region. Each weekend vendors of all sorts, entertainers, music, adults, children all coming together to enjoy life and have some fun. It was wonderful to soak up their culture in the main square where they had military parole demonstrations, popcorn vendors and handmade jewelry.

The local people use these motocars/rickshaws, motorcycles that have a buggy on the back, to get around. The streets are buzzing with people street vending on all the major corners, people on the back of motorcycles (nursing babies) and transporting all kinds of things (a refrigerator) on the back of the motocars. Some people lounge, nap, eat in their moto cars. It was very endearing to see the strength and resourcefulness of the Peruvian people!

We met a group of American doctors who are working on mosquito research to help find vaccinations for strains of malaria. We also bonded with some of the local restaurateurs who were really hardworking and talented. The jewelry salesmen/vendors who were fun and sometimes a laugh yet relentless!

The food was fresh, satisfying and usually really cheap. They eat a lot of fish, plantains and fruit. The indigenous fish is pacau and dorado. We ate the Peruvian fruit, camu camu, mangoes, coconuts, papayas, macambo and some others I can’t remember their names. Fresh juice is a daily staple there. All I can say is yes for fried platanos!

Daily I was hot, mosquitos followed me everywhere, challenged to speak Spanish and find our way in a foreign land. Stretching myself out of my normal routine and image of a vacation- I was in the jungle and loved it!

Sorry to all the vegetarians!

http://www.greentracks.com/Peacock-Bass-Fish.html

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lronchef/sets/72157614846234743/Accomodations

http://www.southamerica.cl/peru/food/guide.html

Living with an Open Heart

Stephanie — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 19:11:04 +0000

There have been historic amounts of snow falling in Philadelphia and the Northeast; so, it is easy to find yourself being cold. Yesterday, I woke up to a snowed-in morning and before I got out of bed I realized I was thinking about the ability to express love in my half-sleep/wake mode. It felt like I was thinking but I realized I was projecting what I thought to someone else as if I felt my thoughts through the other person and not myself. I was feeling as though I had “stepped out” of my being and into another persons’ being.

Either way, I was feeling different and thinking of the sad reality that most of us are prisoners of the self, or the self that is imposed by our immediate surroundings and family, our society, culture, upbringing, circumstances and predispositions. As a whole most of us do not take the time to express and live through love. It is quite possible that the world tears at you and slowly your heart can become closed.; this can be limiting yet a protective and pointed way of living a modern life. But, what about when you feel like you want to say or do something different in a situation and you are almost debilitated, incapacitated by your old behavior, by the old you? It prompted questions: How long have you been living in the old, same you? When do you feel you will be strong enough to overcome your old self and break the chains to change? When will we say enough and surrender to truly open our heart center and live from there?

This morning I turned on my heart light and I opened my heart a little wider. I don’t know how long it will stay this open. I don’t know if it will get discarded, like the snow that covers the ground as the sidewalk gets shoveled. I do know that for a full 15 minutes I felt this warm buzzing, so strong, and it was my heart resonating, vibrating L O V E. I didn’t need a particular person to claim it or cherish it. It didn’t need to be sent to anyone, I let it radiate out into the Universe as far as it could go. Funny, it really didn’t go that far and maybe that is because I needed the love myself. It is said in spiritual practice that you must first love yourself before you can love others. I truly believe that idea. Loving with an open heart yourself, your life and others is a process and exercise of letting go.

Funny, I hadn’t even think of the whole Valentine’s Day connection; but, it popped into my mind and suddenly I really savored the idea of taking time to open my heart and using these moments to pledge to myself that I will live connected to and from the heart. For me having an open heart has been a bit by bit process to embody. In the past, I was scared to express these types of emotions to others or myself. Today, I feel rewarded to get further into the realm of Open Heart and Universal Love and Consciousness and further away from a selfish me that thought the world did me wrong and closed me down. It is only I who can send out the Love I want to give and receive in living life.

Ahh, snow angels, give me wings, I am on my way..

MEDITATION FOR ANYWHERE- (3- 5 minutes) –

Try focusing on yourself or another person in your life and visualize pure love flowing from your heart into theirs or your own heart.

Deep breathing through your intention, focusing on the energy you are sending out. You could see the color green, feel the heart opening and streaming, pouring love into the heart. You can even put your hands over your heart to connect the mind and body to the spirit. When finished sit quietly and absorb the sensations you created through the practice.

This is a practice to become more heart centered/connected and one that hopefully reminds you of the beauty in Love.

Happy Valentine’s Day!!

http://www.history.com/content/valentine/history-of-valentine-s-day

Taking Small Steps; Learning to Have More Patience. Finding this CrAzY thing called >>> ZEN.

Stephanie — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 05:20:57 +0000

I am tickled to find the lessons in life. Often times they come at times that are inopportune. But, really when would the opportune time to dig deep, reflect, analyze and move forward with old and new knowledge in hand to proceed as a slightly better person in your life? When would it be a “good time” to block off the time to get that “work” done?

So, I was shown in real time, a real life Zen experience and I don’t know if it turned out so amusing and helpful to me because it unveiled itself in a 6-7 months or it was just time I had a positive experience learning patience.

In July, I ordered a part for a futon bed because I had a busted pipe and water flooded my basement and I chucked a bunch of “stuff” on my futon to avoid water damage. Only months later, I learned I busted the frame from the weight of the “stuff”. At this time someone was going to be staying with me in my home, and I needed the futon functioning properly because they were going to sleep on it for some time. The futon is now in good condition.

Things I learned on this Project:

• Take time to dig out paperwork that you might need in order to have the right part/thing to be requested from the beginning.

• Anything wrong that can happen, may & probably will, even when you are trying to do things “right”, if “they” want to “test” you.

• If you thought you started early on a “big or important” project, then start even earlier next time because “sh-t happens.”

• Helpful, calm people go a long way in the service industry.

• If you want to reciprocate positivity and certain traits that aren’t your best, mirror others. It’s an excellent start to learning new behaviors.

• Sleeping on the tile floor, on a futon mattress, can be down right COLD!

• Smile, Laugh, Forgive Yourself and Others cuz.. Life Just Ain’t Perfect.

Finally, I could laugh at getting blocked-in in an alley way in Center City for half an hour, Probably because: I didn’t have any appointment or pressing thing to be late for at that moment, I saw the graciousness and patience of others all around me, simply taking a step back from your own life and circumstances will allow you to realize how great most of us really have “it”, or that I had already made an agreement that I wasn’t going to get bent out of shape too much about the “little things”.

I look forward to incorporating this new feeling of patience into the next set of challenges I face knowing I am happy to take one step at a time.

Being able to sit in the car, on the mat or cushion, at the desk or walk around in harmony forgoing the indulgence to react will set quiet the example.

CREATING ZEN 1 MOMENT at a TIME.

Zen Tales: A Tradition to Learn from..

Stephanie — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 05:24:40 +0000

Proverbs are short, popular sayings that usually communicate some commonplace truth or useful adage.

Wisdom in any form is good to note and incorporate into the life.

In America, we hear them often when elders are trying to teach us something. *Out of the frying pan and into the fire (to go from a bad to a worse situation), Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched (don’t start making plans for something until it is a reality, rather than a pleasant speculation) and Six of one, half a dozen of the other (each choice is really the same thing). * They are really great truths; but often times when they are communicated they go in one ear and out the other.

Recently, my teacher or Master was speaking of the beauty of the Zen tales. He happened to tell me one the other night and I would love to share it with you. It is funny and cute and powerful. It is deep or shallow and treads all the water in between.

My Master reminds me it is not the answer but yet the question. That is the teacher. The search for these things makes the question worth thinking. Contemplation is the journey to a wider answer, a bigger solution.

In knowing you do not know, truly there opens the possibility that you are not all knowing. This in turns releases the ego from its strong position and allows humility, understanding and knowledge to be incorporated into your person or being.

In fact, it isn’t the question or the answer that is most important; in my opinion it is the journey and if this is the ultimate reason for existence then the journey is the teacher and no matter what the question or answer there is wisdom in the action and the non action all you have to do is stop, listen and experience it.

A Zen Tale from my Master:

A Master and his disciple are walking down a dark hall.

The Master has a lite candle.

At the end of the hall, the Master turns to the disciple and says, ”Where do you think this light came from?

The disciple blows out the candle and says, “If you tell me where it went; I will tell you where it came from?”

* http://www.peaceinspiration.com/proverbs/

The Kalachakra and Losang Samten- Culture, Art & History

Stephanie — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 23:15:53 +0000

People and their stories never cease to amaze me and serve as inspiration to us all! Losang Samten escaped from Tibet with his family by trekking over the Himalaya to Nepal and then India.

Losang Samten went on to become an accomplished artist, dancer, philosopher and teacher. He was the first person to make a sand painting in America with the blessing of the Dalai Lama. He was awarded the Pew scholarship, National Heritage, Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. He is the director of the Chenezrig Tibetan Buddhist Center of Philadelphia.

Recently, Losang returned to Philadelphia in conjunction with the Gershman Y with an offering in the spirit of peace, a sand mandala. He worked for a month to complete the Kalachakra mandala. Working daily for hours of intricate labor requires skill, discipline, focus and dedication. Some people returned several times to watch as the month passed and the mandala slowly evolved. It was a pleasure to meet him and spend some time with him. He has a Zen-like presence and a hearty sense of humor!

*Here are some very educational and interesting things you can learn to make the meaning of a “simple” sand painting into a life lesson:

The best-known form of the Kalachakra mandala is the sand mandala, for which colored sand grains are painstakingly placed. This sand drawing represents a 3-dimensional palace of which every single detail has a symbolic meaning. A mandala is a symbolic representation of many aspects of a specific tantra. In the Kalachakra tantra, all elements of the mandala refer to the universe (outer Kalachakra), the body and mind (inner Kalachakra) and the practice (initiation, generation and completion stages).

Every detail of the mandala, from each deity to every adornments of the building, refers to time and the universe (Outer Kalachakra), physical and mental aspects of Kalachakra and ourselves (Inner Kalachakra), and also to aspects of the practice (Alternative Kalachakra).

The sand mandala is typically drawn in sand using a chakpu – a metal funnel with an opening through which sand is tapped out. The sand image is intended to be a two-dimensional representation of Kalachakra’s three-dimensional palace; therefore it is drawn in plan view.

The word Kalachakra means “Wheel of Time” and it is the name of the primary deity who resides in the Kalachakra mandala. In Buddhist teachings, Kalachakra is time itself.

Kalachakra is described as having black skin, four faces (one black, one white, one yellow, and one red), twelve arms, and twenty-four hands. He is represented by a vajra (or, “thunderbolt”), drawn in blue sand in the very center of the mandala. Losang Samten, the creator of the mandala, was carrying a bronze representation of a vajra in his hand during the ceremony]

The palace contains five stories, each divided into four quadrants by compass direction. Each quadrant is colored so as to represent the elements within the human body; East corresponds with the color black, North corresponds with white, West with yellow, and South with red (just as the four faces of Kalachakra are colored). The five stories consist of the Enlightened Body, Enlightened Speech, Enlightened Mind, Enlightened Wisdom, and Enlightened Great Bliss. They are drawn as exponentially-proportioned mandalas nested within each other.

Beneath the palace are four elemental rings and two outer rings (for a total of six). From the inside outward, they consist of rings of earth, water, fire, wind, space, and wisdom.

Dwelling within each story of the mandala and some of the outer elemental rings is a total of 722 deities, both male and female, of varying colors, dispositions, and symbolisms. They are usually depicted as dots called bindus, resting on the petals or centers of lotuses. The sand mandala is drawn as a temporary home for these deities.

As the final step in the process, the deities are dispersed through prayer, and the sand mandala is dismantled. The energy of the mandala is cut along the orthogonal Brahman lines using a vajra, and the sand is swept into the center and eventually into a special urn. On the edge of a body of water, such as a river or an ocean, monks pray for the purification of the environment and those within it. The sand is then poured into the water, as an offering for the welfare of all beings. Many of those who are unfamiliar with Buddhist thought are confused or taken aback by the destruction of the intricately detailed mandala. However, the dismantling serves an important purpose in acknowledging the impermanence of all aspects of life. *

Losang Samten travels the world bringing mandalas to people as well as dance, music, prayer, chanting and teaching Tibetan culture and practices. Broadening our horizons here in Philadelphia and everywhere he goes his presence and work are sure to be a delight and a blessing!

*Conley Cheaberlin contributed this portion of the mandala explanation & WE THANK HIM GREATLY FOR EFFORTS!

http://www.losangsamten.com/

http://kalachakranet.org/mandala_kalachakra.html

“R U Smarter Than A Monkey ?” – FREE I PHONE APPLICATION

Stephanie — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:47:26 +0000

Recently I was contacted and given the opportunity for any of the Totally Zen readers who use an I Phone to download a new application for free! ☺ Are you ready for R U Smarter Than A Monkey?

Keeping your mind sharp is essential and why not game to get the job done?

It is widely known that humans lose their ability to grasp and retain information with age, perhaps due to daily stress and information overload. But the good news is that it can be gained back by engaging the part of brain responsible for memory, focus and cognitive skills. This game might do just that for you.

How many games can you say is fun and good for your brain too?

A study done by Kyoto University shows that a 5 years old chimpanzee can identify numbers from 1-9 in correct order after having these numbers flashed to them for a fraction of a second.

You think you can beat that! Try this game and see… R U Smarter Than A Monkey gives you a chance to test yourself against these naughty little monkeys. It has several levels – starting at easy level (Baby Baboon) to harder levels such as gaps like “Mind the gap” you can practice before you challenge the mighty monkey himself (highest level) at an insane speed! And this is where it will become very addictive as you will do whatever it takes to prove to yourself and everyone else around (who’s probably laughing at you) that YOU ARE SMARTER THAN A MONKEY !!

Here’s a code for you to download the app from iTunes: EM4RE9WLPAHE

THANK YOU VIC!!!!! GREAT JOB!!!!!

Here’s a link to a story ABC news did on it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHUqnw6Yjjk

Here’s another link of gameplay:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bne1Gsdlnk8

ALL info in post found at: http://www.rusmarterthanamonkey.com/index.php

Photo provided for by: http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/chimpanzee.html

The Five Senses, Part IV: Taste

Stephanie — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:24:51 +0000

The sensation of taste… AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! An ABSOLUTE FAVORITE of most people! How gratifying is it to taste GOOD FOOD?? Personally, I learned how to LOVE GOOD FOOD by traveling in Europe and then from a family friend who took us out and explained the sensation of taste. I have never looked back.

To truly appreciate and enjoy the sensation of taste is a HUGE BLESSING! I can’t imagine not understanding the true pleasure of biting into a decadent dessert or a fresh, seasonal dish made to perfection. An apple a day is a treat in itself and so satisfying it can change your mood!

How is it that our body receives the taste sensation? When we eat the saliva in the mouth breaks down the food so that your taste receptor cells can tell your brain what you are experiencing. Taste receptor cells are in a cluster and they are called taste buds; there are thousands of them on your tongue and in your mouth. Each taste bud has about 50-100 taste cells that represent the five taste sensations. The tongue has pores that connect to each taste bud so when the different substances are taken into the mouth they can reach the receptor cells below the surface. Once converted, the sensation of taste is found in the brain and this is true for all five senses. The tongues taste receptor cells connect through a synapse because the neuron releases a hormone to the receiving cell.

We have five primary sensations of taste:

Sour Sweet Salty Bitter Umani

Perception of a sense is an awareness. In yoga we build awareness. I would venture to say that many people who begin to practice yoga then become increasingly more aware of their different senses. It is desirable to enhance your cognizance of the five senses that enrich and enhance your life every second of every day. Food is an experience that can leave you satiated, happy and energized.

Eating for nutrition, enjoyment and socially are all different experiences. Find one example of each setting, try and connect to the sense of taste and see if you notice a difference in the taste of your food. If you are alone and it is quiet the taste is easier to focus on. When you eat for nutritional purposes you may forget to even taste your food. The presence or absence of a good atmosphere and people can either take your food experience off the charts or leave you unsatisfied.

To cultivate a stronger sense of taste you can begin to become mindful of the breath, relax, clear, focus on the food you are about to receive, be grateful for this nourishment and begin to eat slowly, chew your food well and close your eyes and feel the experience of eating food moving through your body.

Each day is more fulfilling when you find you can simply just enjoy your food!

Transformation- Something to Ponder on Halloween

Stephanie — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:57:02 +0000

I was out on Halloween night with my master/teacher and we went to a party where everybody dressed up. He chose to be a monk & I chose a daredevil or a female evil keneival. As I pondered the process of picking out a costume, getting in costume and presenting yourself to others I realized this could be easy or difficult for a person. I got to thinking about why that might be and went on to observe what I thought of the night in a new paradigm. One that made me question: who we are, what we are made of and how comfortable we are in this process. The Halloween party was a unique experience because I felt like the hundred’s of people that were there had transformed themselves into a deeper version of themselves or brought out a hidden part of themselves. Either way the party was full on and everyone was in character. It was so great to see people living life and feeling free and happy!

As I thought of the act of transformation I decided that yoga was the catalyst for my most complete and significant transformation. I’m not sure if the people around me really know how different I feel in my same skin. I don’t know if others realize that while I am the same being; I do not resonant on the same channel, in the same vibration or in the same harmony. Much like music I have changed my tune. It is a subtle thing from the outside; it is the deep internal changes that make me feel like a slightly different person; oddly, more like the little girl I remember from childhood. Shedding layers of negativity and toxicity to shine as the person I had lost somewhere along the way. It has been several years since I felt whole and calm; but, I do notice the process continuing and that each new dimension continues to be significant as I continue on my path to be One with the Universe.

In yoga transformation comes as a byproduct of practicing yoga. The positive effects of yoga are so overwhelming that most who find that connection are like spokesperson for the cause. Yoga can take an old body and make it flexible and graceful, meet a rigid mind and make it more focused, clear and take a closed spirit and soften it.

Yoga can literally burn off layers of your former self in the form of physical, mental, spiritual toxicity. It is amazing to experience the process of change for yourself and in others. We hold old memories
In our bodies, spirits and minds. Eventually if a person has enough bad or negative experience their being shifts toward darkness. Once this happens it becomes more difficult to look for or believe in the light. Eventually life can become like a self-fulfilling prophecy never quite treating you right or turning out the best. On the other hand, if the cup is half full then life can keep getting better and better.

Transformation starts with feeling things could be better or they are not right, the action is change and the goal is transformation.