Can you see the matching planets from these guys?

It seems these days youngsters are getting more and more creative and fun loving in whatever they do.  They are brilliant and amazingly technically savvy.  They also do things very differently than older generations. Particularly revamping with customary functions are their expertise that calls for constant innovations and refreshing outlook.    

Last Sunday morning, I and my two men (hubby and Edwin) attended a wedding tea ceremony held in the groom’s house.  After looking around the couple’s sweetly decorated house and ear-busting fire-crackers went afire welcoming the newlyweds, I went out to the corner compound in where buffet brunch (breakfast cum lunch) was served for the guests.  With my plate filled with a bit of food and fruits, I took my seat in an empty table waiting for my two guys to join me.

Then, it seemed they were the groom’s friends standing behind me in the buffet line, and they started to seat around the table in where I was sitting alone.  They didn’t ask my permission whether they can join me. They also didn’t notice my hubby and son still in the buffet line queuing up.  They just smiled at me and helped themselves one by one soon filling all the seats of the round table.  I must have looked like a nice aunty who is a single (?). 

My hubby got slightly off balance to see me surrounded by these groups of youngsters but soon found himself a seat in another table with the grooms’ family.  Edwin seemed disoriented to see his mother sitting with other men (?) for the first time in his life, and constantly looked towards my table.  The groom’s sister also was a bit concerned least I might feel uneasy.  In fact, I felt amused by their sudden company that I kept my smile to make them feel easier. They didn’t know who I was and whom I came with, and surprised to know I didn’t speak any Chinese except English.  They attempted few pleasantries to me but soon went onto their chit-chats. 

While eating quietly and listening to their chats, I noticed on their T-shirts are written each Weekday-theme; Sunday in red color, Tuesday in pink, Thursday in peach, Friday in light blue, Saturday in purple.  So I asked them, where is Wednesday?  They were happy that I noticed their dressing codes.  Wednesday was in another table.  He stood up and waved his hands excitedly.  All of them didn’t speak English well except the guy in Tuesday-pink next to me.  He was the friendliest and most sociable one, too.  

Quietly enjoying their company, I felt even more amused to notice that, unconsciously they were all wearing according to their matching planetary energy.  Except the Tuesday and Friday one.  I could see the Tuesday guy likes pink-color that is why he wore it.  But he was not matching to Mars character.  Instead more of Venus character of fun—loving and party goer.  And the Friday guy was more of Mars character, sturdy and solid and looked strong, too.  So I casually mentioned that they should have changed the T-shirts.  They asked why?  I smiled and didn’t elaborate further.  They will be even more shocked if they knew I could read planets from people. 

You see, I am an astrologer.  I can’t help but to observe the energies of the surroundings and people wherever I am and whomever I am with.  

Sunday is the Sun’s day; the Sun is bright and shining with confidence, boldness, and strength.  You see the guy?  Can’t you see him a bit of show-off?

Monday is the Moon's day;  gentle, soft, cooling and calming.  See the guy with the Monday-T, how soft and sweet smile he has on his face?

Tuesday is Mars’ day; the commander-in-chief, fighter, muscular and serious.  The guy in Friday-shirt is more suitable.

Wednesday is Mercury’s day; happy-jolly innocence of child, lean, light.  The guy’s smirk in Wednesday-shirt shows the typical mercurial naivety.

Thursday is Jupiter’s day; weighty, round, pleasing and easy like a chubby priest.

Friday is Venus’ day; happy, party, fun, sociable, showy and sweet.

Saturday is Saturn’s day; ever solemn and serious, preserving and hardworking like a farmer. 

Look at the picture!  Don’t they all chose the best fit for each, though unconsciously?

We all are like them.  Without knowing, we naturally align ourselves to the planets we feel most affinity with.   As for me, I like pink, Venus.  I am a sweet middle aged woman. My hubby likes red, the Sun.  His stature is a bit intimidating for an Asian.  Edwin likes blue and black, Saturn.  He is a bit too mature for his age.  How about you?  What planet do you feel most close to you?

Yoga story 11. Lotus Pose (Padmasana) and Seated Mountain Pose (Parvatasana)

One of the most difficult yoga poses for many yoginis is probably the Lotus Pose (Padmasana), in where you seat with both legs crossed by placing one foot and another over the opposite side of thighs.  For beginners or non-beginners alike, if your lifestyles haven’t been much closer to the floors while growing up, then, doing the Lotus Pose for the first time during the Yoga classes can be quite a body-shock.  Excruciating pains from the steep ankles in efforts to put it over to the other side…many would scream and I have no heart to bear seeing such pains from their faces.  So I rarely ask them to perform in the classes. 

But if you can, there is no other yoga poses that make you feel so good, comfortable and graceful like the lotus poses.  The back is naturally straight and gorgeous looking; the lower back feels so free from any tensions and aches; the ankles and legs get to receive good blood circulations to relieve all the sluggishness from long hours of seating and standing.  It can hold the ever-wondering mind into a lotus flower like beautiful tranquillity. 

The next, with fingers interlaced, you stretch your arms over the head while pressing the chin slightly toward the collarbone…then it becomes the Seated Mountain Pose (Parvatasana).  While remaining in Parvatasana, you invite few deep and conscious breaths in and out throughout the chest and abdomen…you become as solid as mountain; as fierce as the Lord Shiva deep in the Himalayas Mountain atop who is ever absorbed in the blissful Samadhi…I don’t know about others, but, as for me, naturally calm and sanctimonious feeling arise from within whenever seat in this way.  It creates certain distance to feel safe and stay centred from daily turbulent minds and vulnerable emotions.  It’s my favourite yoga pose.

Since small, even before I began Yogic Path, somehow I used to love to seat in Lotus Pose.   I had unusual habits of seating with legs crossed under the study tables or dining tables whenever I have chance.  I used to like doing sit-ups and headstands too.  Maybe I was a yogi in my past life if you believe in reincarnation like me.  

But the real reason that I was doing louts pose so religiously was, to be honest…it was to make my legs slim… Yes, that’s right.  To lose weight.  I had the phobia of becoming fat while growing up even though I was never overweight.  In fact, I used to harbour around in underweight zone all the time. 

I had one elder sister who didn't quite watch her mouth with what to say or what not to say.  While growing up, my sister used to tease my short stature and legs.  Of course, she herself had the nicest figure among us, the three daughters.  I was shortest and smallest.  We used to go to the same junior high school.  One day while walking to school together, we saw a dwarfish woman with round body like a drum.  Then my sister spat out this fatal blow on my young mind, “you will become stocky like her!”

Since then, every time when I looked at the mirror…I saw myself short and stocky…Every time when I see a pass-by who is short and stocky…I saw myself in her… Oh, how much I hated and how much I was scared of getting fat…thus I started to develop disinterest in food.  Skipping ropes vigorously after eating and sitting in the lotus pose whenever I can.  I don’t know when I could finally overcome her curse (?).   I did manage to come out all right after all.  Yes, short but not stocky, and in fact quite good looking for my age, to often receive disbelief if I reveal my actual age. 

I contribute to my sister’s curse (?) for my yogic habits of sitting that started even before I learned of Yoga.  I can’t seat that long in the chair if I don’t fold my legs.  I get aches in the back and legs.  So I will have to cross my legs even when I am sitting in restaurant chairs.  At first, my hubby didn't quite like my ways of sitting.  He said I look like “ahpeck (not sure of the spelling…but it means an old uncle in the coffee shop).  So I try to hide my legs under the table clothes.  Otherwise, I do my best to sit with legs down.  But I can’t last too long in that sitting pose…imagine if I were to work in an office with tight shoes and suits…

I think being a yoga teacher is the blessing for my legs and it’s all started from my elder sister’s causal remarks.  I guess she was the dharmic pointer…