We all want to be more mindful in our day, but how does it happen? What do we do?  What does mindfulness really mean? For one, mindfulness is often not our usual state. It is easy to get distracted, have our mind scattered. And we actually need internal tools to help. Thus, the practice of mindfulness is a skill, like learning to dribble a basketball. To help in this process The Light Clinic is offering a 5-week course led by Joseph F. Fiala (Joe the elder). Joe has had years of formal and practical training in mindfulness, and will guide and teach us tools to develop our own practice. As Joe says: "the practice of mindfulness is the practice of being alive." Not bad.

"Mindfulness in Everyday Life" held Wednesday nights from 6.30-7.45pm beginning October 12th and running through November 9th 2011. This class will meet in the Blue Room at The Light Clinic and is open to the public. The intent is to guide the participant through learning and establishing a successful meditation practice for better living. Cost is $75, with a sliding scale for those needing financial assistance. 

Hello Qigong and Taiji friends,

We are changing things up a bit at the clinic as we are now approaching our 1-year anniversary of opening in historic downtown Frankfort. There are a couple changes in our Movement Arts schedule that may affect you all and I have listed these below.

1) In an effort to enhance the quality of training, I will no longer be teaching the Intro to Qigong weekly class. I have decided to teach Qigong only through intensives, perhaps over weekends or, with a dedicated group, it could be weekly. Qigong needs to be taught in a step-wise manner and I was not content with the level at which I was able to teach in a "drop-in" class format. By only teaching Qigong in an intensive manner, I have every confidence I will be able to more effectively transmit the knowledge. Please, if you have any questions or concerns about this, contact me. I know some of you were dedicated to the Qigong and I do not mean to take that away, but rather offer a more upright manner by which to transmit it. Also if you are interested in an intensive, let me know and I can compile a list.

2) Most of the focus on a weekly basis will be turning to Taiji. Especially after my recent visit in Portland with my teacher, Sifu Ko Pikshan, I am feeling very ready and motivated to start training students in Frankfort. Sifu Ko was trained in a very traditional manner and my approach to Taiji should directly reflect that. Accordingly, the Taiji courses will be a challenging but fruitful workout in a constant attempt to harmonize your body with the tide of nature.


I will be initially offering Taiji courses twice a week. Once on Tuesday evenings from 6.00p-7.30p in the Blue Room at TLC and once on Thursday mornings from 8.00a-9.30a at the Ward Oates Amphitheatre (newly built on the river behind Liberty Hall, a short walk from TLC). The fee structure will be slightly different. It is free to drop in and check it out. If you decide to enroll in the course, it will be $35/month ($25/month student rate) for one time per week or $50/month ($35/month students) to attend both sessions. The training will always be at your own pace. All skill levels welcome! Dress according to the weather please.

Okay. That's about it for now. Please let me know if you have any questions. The intent of these changes is to provide the highest quality of training and I realize that you, the students, are making this a possibility for the entire community now. I hope you will find these changes to your benefit!

Wishing you health and happiness,
Joseph

One thing we got scolded for in Portland from our teachers is not taking time to have lunch! It is something many of us do, but is not healthy for proper digestion and is not living in accordance with nature. So, we've taken the challenge, and are creating time in the day eat. Thus, new hours (and we added some Saturday times too for all you working folk)! Weekdays 10:30-1p, 3:30-6p and Saturday 9-1p. Good stuff!

We will be making some more positive changes over the next month that was made light to us through our teachers-we'll keep you updated (things like sliding scale and payment plan options, follow-up appointments longer than 45 minutes and taiji offered in the mornings outside)!

Joseph and I (Emaline) are in Portland continuing our studies, and we are excited to bring some new acupuncture treatment models and theory back to Frankfort. The conference we attended (The International Society for the Study of Classical Chinese Medicine- ISSCA) was deepening, expanding and rejuvinating. We are learning more about classical translations and practice from the Neijing, a medical text from the Han Dynasty (around 200 B.C. - 200 A.D.), and Joe is intensely training with our Taiji master, Master Ko.
These studies are naturally leading us to re-examine our own practice and lifestyle, and we hope to return with a clarity of how to better serve the medicine, serve you, and serve ourselves. To honor that triad is at the center of our life's mission, and we are always growing and tweaking to stay on the right path.
Based on teachings we were reminded of while here in Portland, we are practically looking into altering our treatment model. At present, the treatment model we have now is based on a massage therapy model: see individual patients in a private room for an hour or so, check them out after the treatment and get the next patient (we all know this set-up well!). Though this is an extremely common way to run an acupuncture business, and is basically the way we do things now, our teachers are showing us more classical treatment models that better serve the medicine and the treatments. We'll let you know once we've teased out how that can manifest itself at The Light Clinic, but look for some positive changes coming!
We have also talked to our main classical acupuncture teacher, Dr. Edward Neal, MD, and he is planning on visiting The Light Clinic in the fall of 2011. This is an amazing opportunity to experience one of the best acupuncturist's in the world! He will also help us instate a more classical acupuncture treatment model in the clinic as he learned it and as doctors have been doing for thousands of years! We are excited about this growth and expansion, and hope you all are too! Also look for more Taiji classes from Joe and extra smiles from us! Good things are coming!