Wednesday, 28 November 2012
The Golden Door Spa
1. Eva Gabor stretching with Indira Devi, 1960
2. Original Golden Door Spa DaVinci Exercises, 1960
3. Original Golden Door fitness belt machine, 1959
4. Original Golden Door Spa fitness workout!
5. Golden Door Spa original wooden roller fitness machine, 1960
love love love the outfits!!!
Be present
During practice start to sense the quality and clarity of the movements you make and ask yourself these things...
Are you bringing more effort then required?
Are you adding anything unnecessary to the movement?
Are you really trying to sense how you feel, moment by moment, through the movement?
Are you bringing more effort then required?
Are you adding anything unnecessary to the movement?
Are you really trying to sense how you feel, moment by moment, through the movement?
From Robert W. Lovett’s Lateral curvature of the spine and round shoulders, c. 1922 via evencleveland
Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it aint going away
--Elvis Presley
Image by Ed Ruscha. 1973. "Truth." Oil on canvas
Monday, 26 November 2012
Sunday, 25 November 2012
Saturday, 24 November 2012
Friday, 23 November 2012
It is also November. The noons are more laconic and the sundowns sterner, and Gibralter lights make the village foreign. November always seemed to me the Norway of the year.
Emily Dickinson, letter to Mrs. J.G. Holland, 1864
Emily Dickinson, letter to Mrs. J.G. Holland, 1864
Thursday, 22 November 2012
Pose of the week
Ustrasana (Camel Pose)
Ustrasana is one of my favorite back-bends. It gives my body a great energy boost when i'm feeling drained and it has the potential to help you find great openness in the thoracic spine—the upper back—where many of us are relatively tight. Most people tend to be more mobile in their cervical spine (neck) and lumbar spine (lower back).
Practice: When backbending it is less about 'bending back' and more about lengthening the spine and lifting up to move back. Getting the right amount of space and lift in the upper spine and chest is crucial in Ustrasana to avoid compression in the lower back and to help free the neck. This article describes how to practice at the wall with props to aid that lift before coming into the full pose.
Bringing the head back is not necessary to reap the benefits of this pose. If you can comfortably maintain the lift of the thoracic spine and chest enough to comfortably follow through with the neck then fine, but keep the chin gently tucked towards the chest if it is at all uncomfortable. The neck should not be held in a state of collapse.
As always you need to be completely aware of what your own body is capable of in this pose. Use the time between trys resting and assess how the back feels before continuing.
Sequencing: Poses like Bhujangasana, Dhanurasana and Salabhasana are all great for preparing the back, but you will also need to stretch the muscles and skin of the front thighs, ankles and feet. Try Virasana, Supta Virasana and a little low lunge sequence to warm up. To follow it is wise to twist, try Ardha Matsyendrasana, before taking a forward bend like Balasana or Paschimottanasana. A pose like Malasana can also be beneficial afterwards if the lower back feels a little compressed.
Benefits: Stretches the entire front of the body, the ankles, thighs, groins, abdomen, chest and throat. Stretches the deep hip flexors (psoas), Strengthens back muscles, energy boost.
Cautions: Take care if you have high or low blood pressure and do not practice if you have serious neck or lower back injuries...also not so great if you have a migraine...
images from here and here.
Luke Irwin
Rugs by Luke Irwin
Each rug is hand knotted to order and can be made in wool, silk and cashmere.
Beautiful.
Wednesday, 21 November 2012
Pigeon Camera
Dr Julius Neubronner’s Miniature Pigeon Camera.
In 1908 Dr Julius Neubronner patented a miniature pigeon camera activated by a timing mechanism. The invention brought him international notability after he presented it at international expositions in Dresden, Frankfurt and Paris in 1909–1911. Spectators in Dresden could watch the arrival of the camera-equipped carrier pigeons, and the photos were immediately developed and turned into postcards which could be purchased.
Images and text from publicdomainreview
Tuesday, 20 November 2012
If you look at history, even recent history, you see that there is indeed progress. . . . Over time, the cycle is clearly, generally upwards. And it doesn't happen by laws of nature. And it doesn't happen by social laws. . . . It happens as a result of hard work by dedicated people who are willing to look at problems honestly, to look at them without illusions, and to go to work chipping away at them, with no guarantee of success — in fact, with a need for a rather high tolerance for failure along the way, and plenty of disappointments.
-- Noam Chomsky
-- Noam Chomsky
