Qigong (chee gung)

I practice qigong, which is a Chinese exercise that combines elements of yoga, meditation, massage, and martial arts to control breathing and mental activity, and to adjust posture. It is said that Chinese people began practicing qigong over 3,500 years ago. Qigong means a method that strengthens onefs vital energy or power. Chinese people believe that vitality and energy are the foundation of life. Maintaining the life forces can keep a personfs body and mind in balance and can ward off illness.
 
My teacher says that basically qigong is an exercise to balance yin and yang. Ultimately speaking, if you master qigong, you might be able to see everything in a beautiful way, even if you are in a world that sometimes shows its unpleasantness.
 
I go to a qigong school once a week. There are many students of all ages with different purposes. Most of them practice the exercise to promote their health or to improve their conditions because some of them are suffering from physical ailments like stiff neck, backache, or menopausal symptoms. Also some students just want to master qigong, and others come here to learn the philosophy of qigong or to find out the meaning of life.

Qigong can be effective for physical problems, such as migraines, backache, or fatigue. Qigong can calm the mind, improve blood circulation, and can stimulate pressure points that are connected to internal organs. Also there is scientific evidence that practicing qigong can make the bodyfs immune system stronger. Originally, we humans have inherent healing power. So if you lead a well-regulated life, and follow the basic rules of nature, your body can ward off illness. Qigong motions are based on the right physical movements considered necessary for a well-regulated life. Basically, qigong is an exercise to boost vital energy.
 

Onsen resort (hot-spring-resort)
                       
Visiting hot spring resorts is traditional relaxation for Japanese people. It is said that there are approximately 2,900 hot-spring resorts all over Japan. Soaking in mineral-rich warm spring water is considered to ease arthritis pain or sooth skin irritation. I have been to several onsen resorts in Japan. The onsen resort, where my husband and I visited in May, seemed to be slightly different from those that we visited before.

Although the onsen was in an old small village in the mountains without convenience stores or mobile phone signals, many young couples came in by stylish cars from cities. The Japanese-style hotel at which we stayed is proud of 10 roten-buro (private open-air baths) that you can overlook the beautiful river while soaking in the hot tub. Each bath has partitions and a door, which you can lock up from inside, so that couples can enjoy taking a bath alone.
 
In the evening, we were just about to leave our room for dinner, then I saw a bizarre sight through the window; A long line of people wearing yukata (light cotton kimono) who were crossing the bridge to the dining room across the river. What on earth is going on? Everybody wearing a yukata of the same pattern, which was provided by the hotel, looked like followers congregating for a ritual. I almost burst into laughter, however, I came all the way to this place to experience onsen atmosphere to the fullest. I quickly changed the baggy clothes into a yukata.

We had a very good time sitting around an irori (open hearth) and having local specialties. We tasted old Japanese atmosphere that is difficult to experience in cities.

Bihaku-boom (trendiness of having white skin)

Today, Japanese women seem to be obsessed with having white skin. Sales of the skin-whitening products have been surging since late '90s. Basically, skin-whitening products mean skincare products and cosmetics which can prevent spots and freckles due to sunburn.

Not only Japanese cosmetic companies but also their foreign counterparts focus on developing and selling skin-whitening products for Asian consumers including Koreans, Taiwanese, and Hongkongers.

Like other women, I myself spend a lot of money for skin-whitening products. However, I just feel pressure to buy those products for fear of being left out of the current trend."What if every woman except myself has lighter skin?"  That idea often comes across my mind. Moreover, sales person's threatening advice at the cosmetic department can encourage me in my extravagance: "You need this lotion now!" or " Everybody uses this brightening serum. "Everybody" is a magic word in this society in which many people tend to behave in the same way as others do. In fact, I am a slave of fashion. At the same time, I am a slave of group behavior.

The other day, I went to Hase Temple in Kamakura, Kanagawa prefecture. In this temple, the main object of worship is the eleven-faced gilt image of the Kannon (the Goddess of Mercy). It is said that the Kannon can hear everybody's voices of wish and she can save people who call for her salvations. She has eleven faces so that she can listen to many types of wishes.

This Kannon statue, which is the tallest wooden sculpture in Japan, is 30.3 feet tall. In 721, a priest named Tokudo discovered a gigantic camphor tree on the mountain in Nara. He carved two kannon statues from the tree. One of them was enshrined in the Hase Temple in Nara and another was thrown into the sea to decide its own destination where the Kannon should save people who call for help. Fifteen years later, it reached the beach near Kamakura. The priest, Tokudo was invited to Kamakura to build a New Hase Temple to enshrine the kannon.

The Kannon is filled with divine beauty.

Bamboo shoots are cute !

Peony flowers are beautiful !

Do you know this Queen's song? This song is in "A Day of the Races" which was released in 1976. A part of the lyrics is Japanese. The other day, I asked some of my American and Canadian friends if they knew this song. But they answered that they didn't know. This song might have been popular among only Japanese people...

"Teo torriatte konomama ikou" means "Let's go together hand in hand," but this English lyrics says that "Let us cling together." It's very direct expression, in my opinion...

When I'm gone no need to wonder
If I ever think of you
The same moon shines
The same wind blows for both of us
And time is but a paper moon
Be not gone

Though I'm gone it's as though
I hold the flower that touches you
A new life grows
The blossom knows there's no one else
Could warm my heart as much as you
Be not gone

Let us cling together as the years go by
Oh my love my love
In the quiet of the night
Let our candle always burn
Let us never lose the lessons we have learned

Hear my song still think of me
The way you've come to think of me
The nights grow long
But dreams live on
Just close your pretty eyes
And you can be with me
Dream on

When I'm gone they'll say we were all fools
And we don't understand
Oh be strong don't turn your heart
We're all you're all we're all for all for always

Let us cling together as the years go by
Oh my love my love
In the quiet of the night
Let our candle always burn
Let us never lose the lessons we hav

Teo Torriate (Let Us Cling Together)
Words and music by Brian May

When I'm gone no need to wonder
If I ever think of you
The same moon shines
The same wind blows for both of us
And time is but a paper moon
Be not gone

Though I'm gone it's as though
I hold the flower that touches you
A new life grows
The blossom knows there's no one else
Could warm my heart as much as you
Be not gone

Let us cling together as the years go by
Oh my love my love
In the quiet of the night
Let our candle always burn
Let us never lose the lessons we have learned

Hear my song still think of me
The way you've come to think of me
The nights grow long
But dreams live on
Just close your pretty eyes
And you can be with me
Dream on

When I'm gone they'll say we were all fools
And we don't understand
Oh be strong don't turn your heart
We're all you're all we're all for all for always

Let us cling together as the years go by
Oh my love my love
In the quiet of the night
Let our candle always burn
Let us never lose the lessons we have learned