America Naikan

"Ask not what your country can do for you---ask what you can do for your country"   -John F. Kennedy

If we take President Kennedy's quote seriously, we might be tempted to actually do Naikan exercises on America.  In Constructive Living, we don't normally tackle such large subjects for our Naikan reflection, but in honor of Independence Day, we'll give it a go.  Try it and see what happens...remember, Naikan answers should be concrete and specific, abstract and vague.

1) What have you done for America?
2) What has America done for you?
3) What harm/trouble* have you caused America?

*Edit: this can be small troubles or bothers, such as throwing away a penny ;)

Maxim of the Day

CL maxim of the day:
"Give and give until you wave goodbye."

Happy Birthday To Us!

The Asala Center is one year old this month!  It has been a great year.  We were happy to have hosted a Mother's Day Constructive Living talk at CHIONS at the Unitarian Universalist Church in 2009, which was a great way to kick off our Constructive Living business.  We began seeing students of dance, yoga, and Constructive Living at Aspire Studios on Brainerd Road in June 2009, taking the name "Asala Center."  Lauryn became a certified yoga instructor in June, as well.  

In August, we hosted friends and family for "wine and cheese" and explained a bit about Constructive Living through some brief exercises.  Meanwhile, Lauryn left her job at Signal Centers but arranged to keep her Signal Centers yoga program going through the Asala Center.  Lauryn also continues to offer resume assistance, a skill she honed at Signal Centers through the Young Adult Enrichment Program and American Reinvestment and Recovery Act.  While Lauryn had been studying Modern Dance at Chattanooga State since January, she became immersed in the Chattanooga State Dance Program in August.  Lauryn and Diana both attended multiple lectures through Focus Healthcare on the treatment of eating disorder students in August and September.  Lauryn was happy to be added to the sub list at Northshore Yoga in August and briefly taught a Beginner's Yoga class on Saturday mornings there.  Lauryn was not able to walk in a favorite fundraiser that fall due to the Saturday class, BUT it turned out that Northshore Yoga was donating all proceeds that day to A Walk for Cammy's Cause anyway!  So Lauryn was happy to support one of her favorite fundraisers in a different form.

Asala Center began the first Constructive Living workshop series in September.  Meanwhile, Lauryn began teaching yoga classes at Moon Haven Studio and Madia's Studio. Unfortunately, Aspire Studios was destroyed in a flood in September, interrupting the workshops!  

In October 2009, we moved to Another Way Center in Highland Park and Diana began her yoga teacher certification program.  

In November, Lauryn's dance troupe Mirabai Bellydance hosted the first Annual Fringe Benefit, a fundraiser in the form of a bellydance show.  The first ever Fringe Benefit was a wild success, raising $781 for the Chattanooga Room in the Inn.  Unfortunately, November also brought the closing of Dalton State College's Continuing Education program, which meant that Lauryn's bellydance classes in Georgia have been put on hold.  The Unitarian Universalist Church invited us to speak at their service on the week after Thanksgiving, where we introduced basic Constructive Living principles.  November also brought a giant shift, where Lauryn's neighbor and friend Lacy took ownership of Zanzibar Studio, where Lauryn began her bellydance journey in 2003.  Lauryn continues to enjoy offering weekly classes at Zanzibar and applauds Lacy for her new touches to the studio, such as the offering of donation-based workshops between class sessions.  Lauryn has been happy to try on new teaching styles in these workshops, such as coupling Yin Yoga with Shimmy drills!

In December, Lauryn participated in Mainx24 by donating a free yoga class at Madia's Studio on Main Street.  Also in December, the Asala Center donated a gift certificate to the Partnership for Families, Children, and Adults in the Nutcracker Sweets fundraiser. Lauryn began studying pilates intensively at Pilates in Motion with Lauren Worley Knauth and Ann Law.  Lauryn teamed up with Lori Bilbrey of Moon Haven Studio to offer a temporary "Shiva/Shaki Dance" class at Northshore Yoga.  Meanwhile, Clearspring Yoga offered Lauryn the opportunity to teach a Friday community class, which Lauryn enjoys very much.  Clearspring Yoga was kind enough to host us for New Year's Naikan reflection on New Year's Eve as a part of their yearly event.  It was a calming way to ring in the New Year.

In January 2010, Lauryn was certified in Ansuya's Cabaribalusion Style of Bellydance.  This style covers cabaret, tribal, and fusion styles of bellydance.  The Chattanooga Pulse also interviewed the Asala Center for their Health and Wellness special of the January paper.  In 2010, Asala Center had a presence at the East Lake Health Fair (February) and CSAS Career Fair (March). In February, Asala Center donated a gift certificate to Farmer's Aid, a fundraiser for a Trenton man who was robbed while serving in the army.  Sadly, February was the last month that Madia's Studio was open, where Lauryn had been teaching weekly Yin Yoga classes as well as Yin Flow.

In March, Lauryn was asked to help open Chattanooga's newest yoga studio, Yoga East.  Lauryn donated a free bellydance workshop, courtesy of Zanzibar Studio, on the open house for Yoga East.  Lauryn began teaching Power Yoga and Level 1 Yoga at Yoga East.

Lauryn performed at the Cleveland State Community College International Fair representing the Asala Center as well as Mirabai Bellydance in April.  Lauryn also represented Zanzibar Studio at the Chattanooga State International Fair.  April began Lauryn's innovative Lunchtime Chair Yoga sessions at the Hamilton County Health Department, starting with a kickoff at the Health Department's Staff Health Fair.  Lauryn was incredibly honored to be asked back for a second round of Health Department sessions and looks forward to collaborating with the County more in the future.  At the Health Fair, Lauryn also met Family Chiropractic of Shallowford and began a treatment program with them to help correct her posture and develop customized workouts for herself. 

In May, Asala Center offered a weekend workshop on Constructive Living through Yoga East.  Diana began teaching yoga regularly at Grace Episcopal Church, though she had offered previous classes there before.  Diana also got on the Yoga East schedule to teach Level 1 Yoga.   Asala Center offered Mother's Day Naikan activities through the Pulse and online, and Lauryn represented Zanzibar Studio at the Tennessee Bouldering Authority in a Mother's Day workshop.  In May, Asala Center also appeared in Natural Awakenings with a brief article on Constructive Living.  Lauryn was also happy to have studied with incredible teachers of bellydance in May, and a current listing of those teachers can be found at www.peleblow.blogspot.com

In June 2010, Diana became certified as a yoga teacher through Asheville Yoga Center in Clearspring Yoga's hosting of "Live In Total Yoga" Program.  In June Lauryn also began offering bellydance workout classes at Yoga East, courtesy of Zanzibar Studio.  Lauryn extended her chair yoga classes to Yoga East in June, as well.  In June, Asala Center also donated to the Tennessee Bouldering Authority's "Climb Up So Kids Can Grow Up" fundraiser for treating childhood AIDS.  Lauryn also "graduated" from her treatment at Family Chiropractic of Shallowford and is armed with many great new exercises for posture!  Asala Center began offering "Constructive Living Tips" through The Pulse Magazine and offered two sets of Father's Day activities through the Pulse but also online.        


Where are we now?
Lauryn and Diana are in the process of arranging yoga classes at Greg Roy's Tae Kwon Do, where Diana teaches Tae Kwon Do as a Fifth Degree Black Belt.  Lauryn will be teaching creative movement at Grace Episcopal Church's Arts Camp this summer and will also be a guest dance instructor at Barking Legs Theatre through the Dance Fitness program.  Lauryn will also be offering a Bellydance Workout through Chattanooga State's Continuing Education at Barking Legs in the fall.  Try the workout and then sign up for classes at Zanzibar Studio!

Congratulations to Diana and Summer Sale

Congratulations to Diana, who just received her Yoga Teacher Certification from Asheville Yoga Center!!!  Thank you to Clearspring Yoga for hosting the fabulous "Live in Total Yoga" program which has certified both Lauryn and Diana.  With two certified yoga instructors on board, our prices will be going up in the fall, so make sure you take advantage of our Summer Sale! 

Schedule a private or semi-private yoga session with Lauryn or Diana for the very low price of $35 (can be shared with friends).  The offer is good from June 21-June 27, but you can schedule the session at this low price for a time any time through July. 

Constructive Living sessions and private/semi-private dance lessons are available at the same low price if you schedule them this week.  Resume sessions are reduced to $20/hour if scheduled this week.

Happy Father's Day from Asala Center

Father's Day Constructive Living Activities:
1) Write down ten things today to thank your father/father figure for.  These things should be concrete, measurable, detailed things or actions, not vague or abstract.  For instance, you would say "Thank you for bringing me that bowl of Frosted Flakes on the morning of my 16th birthday" not "Thank you for giving me food when I was growing up."

2) After writing down your ten items, follow up with some kind of action.  Perhaps it is writing your father a letter he may or may not receive.  Perhaps you might tell your child a story about something kind your father did.  Your ten items will let you know what needs to be done.

3) Feelings are for feeling---nothing more, nothing less.  Is there something you need to do for your father/father figure that you have avoided doing because you didn't "feel like it?


These activities address both Naikan and Morita sides of Constructive Living.  In Naikan, we take a realistic look at what we have received, rather than focusing on what has caused us trouble.  Through Morita principles, we focus on ACTION rather than FEELINGS.  What have you done today?  Your feelings do not control your actions, as much as we might like to think that they can.

Thoughts or responses?  Write us at Constructive.LivingTN@gmail.com

post-Memorial Day Post

This Memorial Day, Lauryn traveled to Fort Lauderdale for a four day bellydance convention and was blessed to learn from some masters in the art form:  John Compton, Artemis Mourat, Dalia Carella, Ariellah, Anasma, Unmata, Yasmeena Mimi, Tjarda (the Netherlands), Nanda Najla (Brazil), Yuki and Masami (Japan), Kilma Farias (Brazil), Arish Lam (Puerto Rico), Aepril Schaile, and Aradia. 

Lauryn had great plans for writing a Memorial Day blog post honoring the veterans and military of our country, but due to several mishaps in her travels, she returned home later than anticipated and jumped right in to a three day intensive on Modern Dance with Margi Cole of the Dance COLEctive (Chicago).

A week late, here are some Memorial Day reflections with an extra twist.

Do you know a someone in the military or a veteran?  If so, consider doing Naikan on this person:
What has this person given me or my country?
What have I given this person?
What harm could I have caused this person?

Recently, the Asala Center lost a friend---a highly decorated veteran, Larry Wood.  Larry served multiple tours in Iraq and saved the lives of many colleagues, earning him great military honors.  In honor of Larry's life, please take a moment to think not only of those who are abroad serving their country but also those who have returned and are dealing with the aftermath of combat.  Is there anything you can do today to honor those people?  While this blog is late, we should continue to recognize the service of our military beyond the days that we relax in honor of them.

Memorial Day often also brings us the mixed blessing of travel.  After I found myself through plane delays, plane malfunctions, standby seating, and late-night travel, I tried to calm my nerves with Travel Naikan.  I searched to see what the flight attendants were doing for me, even if I was cranky or inconvenienced.  As I started to do these exercises, I found myself incredibly grateful that I was able to put the money down to fly instead of drive, grateful that they had taken the time to check for safety in the plane so we didn't wreck, and grateful that many of the airline workers still managed to be polite amidst some very cranky passengers. 

At the end of the day, I got where I needed to get safely, and that was the most important thing.