New Year's Naikan

New Year's Naikan Exercise from the Asala Center

What have I received from this person/thing?

What have I given this person/thing?

What harm or trouble have I caused this person/thing?

These are the three questions of Naikan. Naikan is a reflective practice given to us by the Japanese culture. New Year's Eve is a wonderful time to introduce oneself to Naikan in order to consider the year we are leaving and set intentions for our next year ahead of us. In Naikan reflection, we aim to create a more whole picture of what has been going on in our lives. Often in Western culture, we have already identified what harm has come to us through some person or some event. Naikan balances our perspective by showing us what we have received from others and what harm we may have caused others. You are invited to try on this practice tonight, and please feel free to contact the Asala Center for more information on Naikan, which is a part of Constructive Living instruction.

Asala Center invites you to use Naikan on the following subjects. A good beginner's time for Naikan reflection is 10 minutes per subject. In the ten minutes, can you silently answer all three questions to yourself? Naikan uses specific, concrete answers rather than abstractions. For instance, you want to focus on the individual bowl of soup that your father gave you this year rather than “love” or “his time.” You may write down what you find, but typically this exercise is done seated with eyes closed.

• Pick any family member, and answer the Naikan questions above, focusing things done in 2009.
  

• Pick a person with whom you have had conflict or trouble this year, and answer the Naikan question, focusing on things done in 2009.
  
  
  
• Pick something specific such as a body part, your car, your Christmas
  

  tree... something specific of your choosing. Focus on things done in 2009.
  

An abbreviated example would be: “I gave my mother a raincoat to borrow when it was raining on my birthday. My mother cooked for me and my spouse on my birthday, a meal which included chicken, bread, [the list continues as best you can remember]. I caused my mother trouble on my birthday by running late, which caused the bread to cool and kept my parents waiting on me.”

Holiday events!

Don't forget that our holiday prices are listed below on the Nov. 17 post!

Also, we will be providing participants at Clearspring Yoga's New Year's Eve celebration with some optional Naikan exercises printed on paper that you will be able to receive at Clearspring that evening.

Here's what www.clearspringyoga.com says about New Year's Eve:

"It’s a ClearSpring tradition for our kula to spend a couple of hours together on New Year’s Eve, walk a labyrinth, have space for meditation, and to visit with each other. This year we are very happy to also welcome Annie and her band of merry musicians to ClearSpring for Kirtan (call and response chanting) on New Year’s Eve. The labyrinth will be set up in the orange room. There will be time and space for reflection, meditation, and inspiration.

We would love to welcome you between 6:00 and 8:00 pm on December 31. Light refreshments will be provided. This event is FREE."

They also have the below events happening during this holiday time:

12/21  11am-1pm 
Winter Solstice 108 Sun Salutes Practice, by donation. 
Celebrate the shortest day of the year with us by practicing 108 sun salutes. All levels welcome. Modifications will be offered. Pace will be varied and moderate. Resting is always an option.

BY DONATION. Led by JennyMac.

12/26  10:30-noon
Holiday Practice to benefit the Chattanooga Community Kitchen
Come to an All Levels practice led by Sue and with JennyMac offering mindful, gentle adjustments while you're in the poses to help you deepen your experience.

BY DONATION to benefit the Community Kitchen.

Ad in Pulse Magazine

Our first ad in is in the Pulse, right under "Shrink Wrap."  (And next to a liquor store ad, which I find rather amusing.)  If you want to view it, click this link and then turn the pages to page 8.  Alison Burke wrote an article on Chattanooga STAND, which is neat.  http://chattanoogapulse.com/category/current-issue/

Maxims

Constructive Living Maxims

A man's whole life is a succession of moment after moment. If one fully understands the present moment, there will be nothing else to do, and nothing else to pursue.

Constructive Living: Acceptance, Action, Appreciation, Attention, Aim

Attending to symptoms, we lose our purpose.

Constructive Living: When the student is ready, the teacher disappears.

Feeling good isn't everything.

Feelings - a kaleidoscope shaken by reality.

From the top of your head to the bottom of your heart will never equal "from the tips of your fingers."

Get yourself together after you do what you need to do.

Give and give until you wave goodbye.

It doesn't get easier, only different.

Mindful is as mindful does.

Life is denied by lack of attention, whether it be to cleaning windows or trying to write a masterpiece.

School is always in session, no breaks and no recess.

Shinky Me: How I kept worrying and lived my life.

Thanksgiving CL

Is there a family member you are dreading seeing this holiday weekend?  Or are you stressing out about all the things that need to do beforehand?

The recipe for Constructive Living contains two special spices from Japan---Morita and Naikan psychotherapies.

In Naikan, we reflect on how the world is supporting us rather than what harm it is causing us.  For instance, that irritating family member is a perfect candidate for your Naikan reflection.  Take a deep breath when washing your hands before the meal and remind yourself to find ten things for which you can thank that person.  It could be something as small as passing you the peas.  Or perhaps that family member brought a particular pie that you love to eat on Thanksgiving day.  Consciously take note of these gifts that you are receiving, sometimes even while feeling irritated.

In Morita, we pay close attention to the moment and what is occurring in front of us.  While fretting about the turkey's timing or making the gravy, can you breathe and pay attention to something in front of you?  For instance, what color are your napkins?  How many can you see?  What color is the sweater your aunt is wearing?  What smells or sounds are alive in your reality right then and there?  We often spend so much time wrapped up in our own mind that we miss out on the very real details of the present.

Have an aware and appreciative holiday---and notice how that effects your day!
Don't forget to check out our reduced prices below :)

Holiday Prices!

My mother and I are offering holiday discounts on our Asala Center services.  From Dec. 5 through Jan. 5, enjoy the below discounts.  Constructive Living's Naikan reflection is a great tool to use in preparing for a New Year.  We are available for reduced price workshops and classes as well, especially in utilizing this tool during the holidays.

Contact information:

Lauryn and Diana Peterson
Asala Center
1502 Bailey Ave.
423-653-5578
www.asalacenter.com coming soon!
constructive.livingTN@gmail.com
www.asalacenter.blogspot.com
www.myspace.com/asalacenter
www.twitter.com/asalacenter



Our services include:

*Constructive Living sessions----$40/hr  for individual sessions.   Holiday Price: $30/hr

Constructive Living is a pragmatic life-way based on the blending of two Japanese therapies, and it is a tool to living one's life more realistically and practically. This approach is different from traditional Western psychotherapy and focuses on staying present, taking responsibility for behavior, and noticing how the world is supporting you.  CL is offered to individuals in a teacher-student relationship through counseling sessions, but the real learning takes place in one's daily life.  We can meet regularly, but the goal is not to foster a long term counseling relationship but rather to allow the student to gain the tools necessary to meet goals in their lives and then apply them as needed.  CL sessions can also be done by phone and email.  Lauryn and Diana are both certified Constructive Living instructors and in 2006 brought Dr. David Reynolds, founder of CL, to Chattanooga for an intensive training.  http://www.constructiveliving.com/ has some great links to explain the benefits and goals of CL.

*Private yoga lessons----  $45/hr for office sessions, and in-home sessions are available for extra.  Holiday Price: $35/hr

Lauryn was recently certified as a yoga teacher through the Asheville Yoga Center, thanks to Clearspring Yoga's teacher training program.  Lauryn has taught yoga classes at Zanzibar Studio, Northshore Yoga, Moon Haven Studio, and Madia's Studio.  She has an on-going Yin Yoga class at Madia's Studio on Main Street on Fridays from 12-1pm.  Lauryn specializes in teaching Beginner's Yoga, Gentle Yoga, and Yin Yoga.  She is passionate about offering yoga to all body types, including those with limited mobility.  There is yoga available to all, and please write/call her for more information on what she can offer you specifically. 


*Private tribal fusion dance lessons for women---- $45/hr for office sessions, and in-home sessions are available for extra.  Holiday Price: $40/hr

Lauryn is an instructor at Zanzibar Studio and offers private lessons along with the other Zanzibar Studio instructors.  Lauryn can utilize her office at Asala Center for times that may not be available for private lessons at Zanzibar Studio.  See www.zanzibarstudio.com for classes and information about this great resource.  Lauryn also currently teaches Introduction to Bellydance at Dalton State College in the Continuing Education department and has offered many demonstrations to local non-profits, showcasing the benefits of this ancient art form.   Lauryn also performs with Mirabai Bellydance (www.mirabaibellydance.com) and is available for events, parties, fundraisers, etc. 

*Resume' writing assistance--- $20/hr  Holiday Price: $18/hr

Lauryn spent the last year working with the Young Adult Enrichment Program as a Job Developer and enjoyed offering resume' sessions to young adults needing to showcase their talents.  Hate updating your resume'?  Lauryn found that she has an odd love for helping people figure out how to market their skills!   Help with cover letters and mock interviews also available. 


Thank you, and let us know if any of these wellness services can be of use to you!
Lauryn

Fear

In honor of Halloween, think of a time that the feeling of fear gave you important information.

Article from Another Way News

Below is the article that we have in Another Way News.  Info on Another Way is available here:  http://www.lynneforrest.com/html/another_way.html  and be sure to check out Lynne's amazing blog at http://lynneforrest.com/blog/

Another Way Center Welcomes Diana & Lauryn!

Diana Peterson and Lauryn Higgins are a mother-daughter team who teach Constructive Living, a blend of two Japanese approaches to better living. CL was developed by Dr. David Reynolds, an anthropologist studying Japanese therapeutic approaches.

Morita training is a behavior-oriented process, emphasizing acceptance of feelings while bringing one's actions in line with a sense of purpose.

Naikan systematically considers life from the perspective of what we are receiving day to day and moment to moment.

Together they form a unified program which develops an active attention to life.

Diana first encountered CL in 1978 when she met Dr. Reynolds in Japan. Having experienced traditional psychotherapy, she found its practicality immediately useful for a range of problems, from migraines to weaving and work-related projects to physical fitness. She became a certified instructor in 1988.

A School Psychologist by training, Diana, a local taekwondo instructor, uses martial arts as a way of teaching CL principles.

Lauryn grew up with CL and has (perhaps inadvertedly) provided some humorous stories to the CL community about children using what they hear. She became a certified instructor in 2004, with an interest in eating disorders.

Lauryn also teaches bellydance and yoga and is available for private sessions.

She also offers assistance with resume development.

In 2006, Diana and Lauryn hosted a CL instructor training with Dr. Reynolds, as well as hosted the annual meeting for CL instructors. Their office is called Asala, refering to the season in which the Buddha began instruction in what he had learned, and emphasizing the instructive form of therapy which is CL.

Resume' sessions

Recently, Asala Center has held some resume' sessions.  One resume' was more arts-based, and today's was based in an environmental science career.  It's very interesting to hear how people think of what they have done with their time---most of the time, it's a lot more impressive than you think! 

I am indebted to a college career center.  I felt rather insecure about my experience because my summer jobs had been working at Waffle House and as an educational clown.  I had a lot of volunteer experience, though, and when I described some of what I had been doing, the counselor pointed out that I had been facilitating meetings.  That made me sound much fancier, and I suddenly realized how many things I had been doing within college that were valuable experience for a resume' of a college student. 

I encourage people to think outside the box regarding their own experiences.  Try to think of yourself as a really healthy and tasty cereal you're trying to sell---how would you word it then?

In honor of Love Your Body Day...

Oct. 21 was "Love Your Body Day," so in honor of that...

Naikan Challenge:
Can you think of ten specific things for which you can thank your body today?

Try to make these things specific, detailed, and based on something that happened today.



Now, what have you given your body today?
What harm have you caused your body today?

Welcome to The Asala Center!

Welcome to the Asala Center's blog!


Introductions:  
Meet Diana: Certified Constructive Living Instructor and Psychologist

Meet Lauryn: Certified Constructive Living Instructor, Certified Yoga Instructor, and Tribal Fusion Dance Instructor

We are settled at our new location at Another Way Center, 1502 Bailey Avenue in Chattanooga, TN.
Current office hours are by appointment only.  Please contact Lauryn at 423-653-4478 or constructive.livingtn@gmail.com to schedule an appointment.  Asala offers Constructive Living (tools for ordinary life), private yoga lessons, private tribal fusion dance lessons, and resume' assistance. 

For more information on Lauryn's movement/dance endeavors, see www.peleblow.blogspot.com