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So a lot of people have been coming in to the clinic the past few weeks saying they are "extra tired." And are worried something is wrong with them. But that is completely normal for this time of year. In terms of seasonal movements, summer solstice (late June) is the peak of yang energy, and it actually begins to decline after that. Its lowest point of the year is winter solstice (late December). So basically from late June the expanding energy has been slowly storing and moving inward, and the contracting energy has been growing. The peak of the contracting energy (yin) is the winter solstice. So winter solstice is literally the most inward energetic of the whole year. That makes someone sleepy, and is completely normal! So sleep away folks, and feel good about it!

 
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We also have these lovely 6-panel wooden Chinese screens for sale. Decorative and classy Asian flower and vase theme. These screens are amazing because they are just over 6 feet tall, cover a lot of linear space but can be folded for a small space. They are light and able to stand easily completely closed or almost completely open. Quite a rarity! $250 each. And we have one whose tops (the arch above the top flower) are cracked-that guy is $175.

 
The 4th annual holiday sale "Gifty, Thrify & Mostly Under $50!" is going on today and tomorrow at Good Shepherd Parish Life Center (75 Shepherd Way off US 421) in Frankfort. A lovely gathering of local artists and crafters selling their goods. And TLC's teas will be there! You should go.
Saturday November 19th 10a-7p & Sunday November 20th 9:30a-3p.
The Ladies Auxiliary Bake Sale is in conjuction with Gifty Thrifty.
 
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We have 6 amazing teas for sale at The Light Clinic. They are all loose-leafed teas. All are true teas (grown from a tea bush or tea tree), while one is an herbal mixture. The teas are sold in these lovely tea tins and are accompanied by a tea card. The tea card shares the name of the tea, the country in which it grew and was processed, a poetic description of the tea and brewing instructions. Each of the five teas - Chrysanthemum and Goji Berry Herbal Tea, Golden Needles Black Tea, Sticky Rice Mini Pu'er Toucha, Green Jade Oolong and Tea Kuanyin Oolong- ranges from $9.00 - $12.50, while the ferrari of the teas, the Mayucha Sencha Supreme, is $32.00. 

 
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This upcoming Second Friday of November corresponds with historic downtown Frankfort's yearly Candlelight Tour (www.downtownfrankfort.com/candlelight11.php)! Candlelight Tour consists of a few very special evenings where all the businesses of downtown open their doors for perusing, sales and treats. Candles and holiday lights line the streets, a decorated horse and buggy escort people around downtown, and numerous song and dance events on St. Clair Street help usher in holiday cheer. It is common to find complimentary hot cider and treats in stores, and often there are special sales and items available. If you haven't experienced Candlelight Tour before, be sure to make your way down, and if you have been before, you know how much fun it can be!                                                                                                                

At The Light Clinic, we will be giving complimentary rare Chinese tea tastings. There are 6 different teas we have selected (out of literally hundreds of teas tasted over the last year) to be our representative teas. Each of the teas are very high quality, and can be savored for special occasions or consumed daily for lifelong enjoyment! Fine teas are like fine wines; the more high quality, the less you need per cup. So a little goes a long way! Come on over and try some!                                                                     
 
We will be orchestrating our tea tasting with an amazing glass teapot (http://www.teatimetradingco.com). It will probably be a new device for some - it is a one-touch single serving teapot Super convenient and elegant. The first one I saw was in China in the mid-2000's, and I have been looking for one ever since. The perfect teapot. 

The one-touch glass teapot, loose leafed tea and small tea cups will be for sale. We are also selling "to-go" glass tea cups with stainless steel strainers, small double-insulated glass tea cups, fengshui crystals, and a few specially selected 6-panel wooden Chinese screens. Join us! 
Thursday and Friday evening November 10th & 11th 5-9 pm.

 
A quick reminder: Joseph F. Fiala, PhD (the elder Joe Fiala) is offering a 5-week course entitled, "Mindfulness in Everyday Life" beginning tonight and continuing over the next 5 Wednesdays 6:30-7:45 pm. This class will teach mindfulness which helps to reduce stress and improve one's quality of living!  Good stuff. Join us! $75 (with a sliding scale for those needing financial assistance)
And our Second Friday lecture series is coming up this Friday Oct. 14th 7-8pm. Given by our visiting professor and doctor Edward Neal, MD: "Introduction to Classical Acupuncture." Refreshments provided. Free and open to the community!
 
Now that fall is in full swing the weather is getting colder, the winds are getting stronger, and it is very easy to get sick! Ways to help protect your body are to keep covered up (even when it feels sunny outside and we can't quite let go of wearing a t-shirt), and wear a scarf. The neck is one of the easiest places to catch a wind invasion! And if you feel yourself getting sick try to rest up, stay warm, get in a hot bath and sweat, and drink some pungent teas (fresh cinnamon and ginger are both pungent and are great at helping kicking out superficial cold)!
 
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)!