Osho, Getting nervous on it and NO SNOW... It's serious stuff.

So with expanding new horizons, ideas, square breathing, riding moguls, powder, off piste/ on piste/ back/ in/ out/ dig/ slip, slide and shake--- Dipping, talking, giggling and streeeeetching- this beaver is now off working doing design work for Kabuki, Wabi-Sabi and Australia House. 

So getting your focus on now:

Chandra Mohan Jain, also known as Acharya Rajneesh from the 1960s onwards, as Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh during the 1970s and 1980s, and as Osho from 1989, was an Indian mystic, guru and spiritual teacher. He is going to impart some seriously wise stuff to ya'll folks.

Geezin these interesting tidbits out eh!:

  • Our hearts give off an electromagnetic field 60 times more powerful than our brain

  • The Enteric Nervous System aka "the Gut", contains 100 million neurons, more than the spinal cord

  • The 'Vagus Nerve' which is rooted in the Brain, goes all the way to your Gut and touches your Heart and all major organs on the way down, carries fibres of which 90% carry information from the gut to the brain, and not the other way around. This is where Gut feeling comes from.

The real truths of life are never entirely new to you or to anybody because there is a level deep down within you where you already know all the things, all those spiritual truths that you read or hear, and then recognize them. I say ‘recognize’ because you’re not... it’s not new.
— Eckhart Tolle

SQUARE BREATHING (It's bigger than getting your inner Geek on). Looking for a simple way to soothe away tension during a stressful work day?  Need a break to refocus your attention? Have a green Tea Kit Kat.. hehehe seriously... Square breathing is a simple, easy, and effective way to calm yourself and enjoy a few minutes of tranquility.

Though, you can practice this mindful breathing exercise anytime, anywhere – if you’re in your office, I suggest sitting tall in your chair, both feet on the floor.  Then, it’s just four simple breath segments done to a count of four.

  1. Inhale 2 3 4

  2. Hold 2 3 4

  3. Exhale 2 3 4

  4. Hold 2 3 4

Then start increasing the count. Try not 'Closing off' your lungs when you hold (it feels like sealing the back of your throat) and instead keep your lungs open during this period.

Now go get that Kit Kat  ;)

雪の天- Snow Heaven

Hokkaido: NISEKO

Mt Yōtei (the "Mt. Fuji of Hokkaido")- looking at hiking the summit of him weather permitting!

Nothing about Japan is cold. Paradoxes and parodies abound with Formality and Tradition the big brothers to the young mischievous ruckus of Kawaii Super Cute and Neon Love. 

Night boarding at Grand Hirafu- like a boss- board in board out Boom !

Night boarding at Grand Hirafu- like a boss- board in board out Boom !

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

An'nupuri

A part of my soul has come home. Japan is sublime. From the moment I boarded the flight from Auckland to Tokyo, an experience filled with juxtaposition, contradictions and an unflustered air began. NZ95 must be the well pressed trooper of the fleet- from a beige & more formal past time.  It was service with a smile, comfort with rugs and pillows and coloured by beige and chocolate brown interior highlights. As NZ slipped away, a very gentle calm descended.

Check out Flowstate by clicking above...

Writing this is hard- where the hell to start- it is all epic?! Currently I am in the most Northern island of Japan- Hokkaido, and a couple of hours south of Sapporo in Niseko. I am here for a relatively medium sized length of string (I never have plans set in stone); the next week is with an international group of adventurers for a gathering of likeminded individuals who are exploring new concepts of how creativity effects the neuroplasicity of the brain. Mindfulness and Flow are high productivity techniques that are achieved through self awareness, structured goal setting and by pushing ourselves out of the comfort zone. How activity, movement (mediation and yoga) and risk management (aka adventure sports) effect our process to hit the sweet spot of performance, how to nurture and care for ourselves after passing through this stage and ultimately, how to reach our full potential.  HARRO!

Summit Mt Niseko An’nupuri

The day I arrived I blew in with an ENORMOUS and unsuspected dump of snow- EEEeeoooW!! 

In three days I have snowboarded in day and night, three fields- An’nupuri, Grand Hirafu and Hanazono. I have hiked the summit Mt Niseko An’nupuri, trekked, meditated, Chi Gong'ed (Japanese Tai Chi), yogi'ed, noshed amazing food- geeked out on incredible packaging (which is packaged in another package, within a package- you should see the recycling regime!!), met amazing locals and people from further abroad and fallen in love with Onsen.

Onsen protocol

The Hilton Niseko Onsen

The Hilton Niseko Onsen

All the things that truly matter- beauty, love, creativity, joy, inner peace- all of these arise from more than the thinking world
— Eckhart Tolle

A few things I have loved and of note so far:

Onsen (hot-pools) are communal group bathing pools with a custom and ceremony which I have found instantly addictive. Women and men are split and bathing is done nude, yet a graceful and considerate respect is between all participants. Relaxing and taking care of yourself at the end of the day is a beautiful reflection time without rush or distraction.

The Western world could do with dipping her toes into this concept. I enjoy observing how this arrangement facilitates a time for women to gather and relax together without self conscious and concerned with image. This custom and many other examples in Japanese culture have made me realise how very young new New Zealand’s culture really is. Which is rather intriguing really, because we have geothermal pools and history and heritage in enjoying them- but it's a very different energy and protocol. We are but the gravel starting to seal at the beginning of a road paved in time.

Green Tea.. flavoured anything. OMG. Picture says a thousand words.

Simmering subtext... it's all just under the surface bubbling away ;)

Simmering subtext... it's all just under the surface bubbling away ;)

I like being Gaijin. I like opening my eyes and ears to unfamiliar surroundings and observing other traditions to assimilate into my new surroundings. Anonymity and my curiosity are a well suited pair to my adventurous spirit which is allowing me to find, seek and explore new physical, mental and conceptual platforms.

HEATED TOILET SEATS. Nuff said- revolutionary. I need one good reason why this aint global?

The countryside is picturesque and strangely familiar as it really is like the woodblocks and ink works I have admired and studied over the years. The images of my dreams are reality and lead into my sense of familiarity. Even though I have a knowledge of Japan- I was conscious to put aside expectations and arrive without assumptions- there are surprises everywhere^=^

Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive. Because what the world needs is more people who have come alive
— Howard Thurman
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