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!
 
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
 
There are two great Western herbalism workshops being held this weekend by Andrew Alexander Ozinskas, an herbalist, wildcrafter, medicine maker at Camp Pleasant:
   
1.Friday, AUGUST 19th 6-8:30pm 
*Explore local ecology on field walks in the Peaks Mill area of Franklin County
*Be introduced to basic plant identification and classification of wild plants 
*Discuss principles of traditional western medicine 
*Create a pressed plant specimen to be preserved for reference
Suggested Cost is $20
Details:  Eat your own meal and drink plenty of water before you come, only light refreshments will be provided. Call beforehand with dietary restrictions. Wear long pants and shoes for hiking in tall brush, on slippery and uneven surfaces, and up and down hills. Call beforehand with physical concerns. Bring a heavy book with which to press and take home your specimens.   

2. BEGINNING A SMALL MEDICINE CHEST WORKSHOP 
Sunday, AUGUST 21, 2-5pm
*Description above applies with a longer time frame and a focus on 10 plants we have chosen to represent a range of plant families and medicinal actions. For those interested in beginning home herbal medicine making. Our goal is to make as many specimen pages as people attend the class and to share the resulting compilation with the group in the following weeks as a lasting reference for your home use. Detailed descriptions of plant medicine for each species identified. 
Suggested Cost is $25

CALL to RSVP to one or both classes: 502-227-1743 Camp Pleasant  
Questions: Andrew (443)695-3057 or Camp Pleasant 502-227-1743(after August 16th)
ADDRESS: 1143 Camp Pleasant Road Frankfort KY 40601
DIRECTIONS: From Frankfort take 127North out of town and check the odometer at Cove Springs Park. 7.6 miles from Cove Springs turn Right onto Hwy2919/Indian Gap Road. This road takes you by the Fish Hatchery. Indian Gap dead ends in 3 miles at a stop sign, where you Turn Left onto Hwy1707/Camp Pleasant Road. Our driveway is 9 tenths of a mile on the Right, mailbox says 1143, and there is a shingle-sided barn right next to the road on your right just before the drive. Mailbox will be marked with something obvious. Allow 20-25 minutes from Frankfort.
For directions from anywhere other than Frankfort, give us a call at 502-227-1743.
 
Our 2nd Friday Lecture is coming up tomorrow: "All Disease Comes from the Heart." Based on an article our amazing professor Heiner Fruehauf created. Come one come all!! 7-8 p in the Blue Room. Beverages provided. And it's free!
 
ARTIST OPEN HOUSE in the McClure Building this Friday August 5th 5:30-9p. This open house is to provide a little shade from the heat if you're already downtown for the the Friday night concert, to celebrate the newly renovated Frankfort Yoga Studio (3rd floor of the McClure Bldg.) and to provide a chance for people to view The Light Clinic and artists of the 7th floor (great paintings, rugs, rejiggered jewelry, etc).  So if you've been itching to bring your friend by, or you haven't been able to make it down, this is a great time to come!  
The Light Clinic will have beverages and smiles!
306 W. Main Street Frankfort KY 40601.  Corner of St. Clair and West Main Street.