The Screen: Part II The Strategies (or the Yoga of Screen)

There are many approaches to managing our children's screen use (TV, computer, phone, tablet, etc). It would be great if it were easy to have blanket solutions but the fact is that strategies apply differently to different children and to different cultural and family culture dynamics, so there is no fix-all solution. Well, unless you throw the damn things out the window which is tempting at times but then I realise I'd have to throw out my smart phone as well and a revealing conundrum emerges (to be discussed in a later blog).  The take-away lesson is to strategically set a good example in your own screen management and this will pave the way for easier management of your children's access to screens; get your own screen under control first, visibly and transparently before embarking on any campaign to help the kids. Where there is a Mum and Dad or live in relative or friend... its helpful if all are on the same 'setting a good example' page and if their School is on board as well... it is much easier! We are blessed to have the same philosophy as parents and here in Nepal to have neighbors with two same age, same school, sons who share the same 'screen philosophy' as us. By contrast if they didn't, it would be a nightmare.

I want to add a caveat here that for the past 4 years TV has not been on the family menu of screen choices so we aren't afflicted by the problematic of TV addiction. We simply do not subscribe to cable/satellite or other connections to commercial television. This was not hard to do given our mobility and disdain and understanding of the distraction from real life that TV provides. It has been a great move for all. Gone is pervasive (sometimes intelligence insulting) television advertising, gone the insidious brain numb of cartoon crap and cartoon violence, the detached and detaching channel surfing, etc and yes, as adults we aren't passing time watching what are inevitably just trendy flash in the pan series or sitcoms. If there is a downside it is that we sometimes miss inspirational moments in sports or catching significant world events... but we can catch up with these with a quick bit of googling post event! The other day someone mentioned the Oscar's...I didn't even realise the Academy Awards had happened but now have bought Oscar winning films, Boyhood, Whiplash, Still Alice, Grand Budapest Hotel and Birdman. These days I don't even think the boys miss out on popular culture, I did years ago when Zaki came home from Montessori school in Malaysia asking who Mickey Mouse was, but those days are long gone.  They seem to catch up through friends and watch selectively on YouTube various series if they are curious. In Nepal where we live, we can't get Netflix with a Nepali credit card and so our aging flat-screen TV is used for viewing DVDs and the Wii only. Our boys are 8 and 10 have lived as expatriate children in Malaysia, Lebanon, Ecuador and now Nepal, they are multilingual, multicultural third culture kids and basically want for nothing such is their luck (or not)!

Worth mentioning here is that I am grateful for everything I have; perhaps living in a very poor country like Nepal having traveled and lived large and fully on different levels of the poverty-decadence scale from cold poverty in wintry Montreal (although I did meet Leonard Cohen because of it!) to prosperity jet-setting as a humanitarian emergency aid worker, perhaps I am less likely to take for granted what I have. I don't know, I just know we are very lucky to have all of what we have; our good health and the luxury to discuss things like screen time because we have that choice... How many zillions of Syrian or Palestinian or Congolese kids would die to have a tablet device? In the case of screens and the internet we express that gratitude through a principled approach to access. The boys know that their access to screens is a privilege and not a right. Zaki tried to convince me not long ago that screen time was a basic human right, they had been discussing human rights at school.... I said 'oh, like food and water? you can't live without it?', that gave him something to think about.

Back to strategies....it is good for children to realise that your efforts as caregivers to 'manage' their screen time is in their best interest, and that needs un packaging in terms they can understand vis a vis the whys and wherefores and it is useful to reframe this for them often where repetition can be a bore, saying it differently under differing circumstances can help click things into frame. Below are some links to help flesh this out if you had any doubts. Please be clear, no one is saying there isn't value in children's access to smart devices (children over 5 years old because they are not advised at all for kids below 5) and all of what they have to offer. The question is how it is delivered to them, with what conditionality and how to optimize it to their benefit. I used to say the same about TV... and now of web connected smart devices... ask yourself... would you just hand your kid the remote control of a TV without some restrictions and information on the potential hazards of use!

Sleep and tests.
Sleep and device dependency.
Smartphones and sleep
Kids, smartdevices and sleep

Never forgetting that children's brains develop in their sleep and they grow physically when they sleep, so sound, long sleep is a key issue in screen management.

Steve Jobs and iPads
Related article on the importance of Playtime

Next in strategies:  We find it useful for our children to realise that these limits on screen are not just their Mum and/or Dad's blahblahblah, they need to know that it is a 'global' discussion i.e. their friend's parents grapple with the same thing (hopefully) no matter what country they are from or where they live. Kids need to see the plethora of websites talking about this, show them this one! One of the best websites that is all over this is Common Sense Media and its new 'Parent's Concerns' tab which covers a range of issues from 'how much screen time' to cyberbullying to internet security, online learning and beyond. Well worth the visit. I showed this to our boys and they read the inputs from parents and other kids so they know that this isn't an issue only for us...its out there in the world.

Screening content is something we are very clear on. Family filters on browsers is a must and are easy to activate or install. Anything new that they want to watch, download, play, etc has to be 'screened' (filtered) and the best tool I have found online is again Commonsense Media and if it isn't listed there then http://www.metacritic.com/ critiques gaming and http://www.ipadfamily.com.au/ is also okay offering an age rating for IOS games. At the end of the discussion it is more about how you feel as a parent, how much 'cartoon violence' for example you can tolerate (I draw the line at those stupid zombie games). Its like movie ratings... the best judge of appropriateness is you, aligning with your own values and understanding of your child's maturity and ability to absorb content....and lets be honest whether a movie will give them nightmares and cause you to lose sleep or not!

Now to the restrictions. Here everyone differs and the balance is between allowing kids the ability to make their own wise choices and learning about these and being a conscious and responsible caregiver. Screen time seems to be a determinant factor and so we limit it. Without limits what we have learned for our boys (is it different for girls?) that they will spend too much time on screen or at least not enough time playing outside or with lego or whatever else and their addictive behaviours increases.  This is perhaps the most annoying thing when you realise they are living for their screen time and manipulating you to ensure they get time to be on screen. Our boys are responding well to the following:

1hr/Friday and 2hrs/Saturday
Screen free Sunday
No screen ever in bedrooms
No screen ever after dinner (except family movies)
No TV (except DVD movies usually as a family)
No unsupervised screen at home or away

There are other strategies like minute banks, timers on devices, screen time tracking, etc. See here for other ideas. One method we don't use is screen-time for reward or punishment, or use it to bribe...that is going down a dangerous and wobbly way that is hard to sustain and sends wrong messages, the pros and cons are discussed here. 

As I suggest above, each to their own and their own priorities, considerations and thoughts on the matter. No judgement. My intention is to provoke thinking, encourage researching the issue to be able to make informed choices and to involve children fully in decisions taken. There is no black and white....only shades of grey and navigating the waters takes some time but mostly a connection with what for you and your family makes for a harmonious and harmless living situation that provides the best for your children. Maybe call it the Yoga of Screen: how to find balance.

Please post comments below especially strategies you might have succeeded with for everyone to see. Thanks. d

Expatriotism: What I see from far.

Living outside Canada as an expat (expatriate) has taken on a new dimension with the explosion of social media and 24/7 access to the Internet; it has brought me to new levels of 'expatriotism'. Utilizing social media has become the new normal when it comes to lobbying and it has been quite effective. I want to be clear: I identify myself as a Canadian (I am also a citizen), it is the culture I grew up in and as much as I aim to shed the nationalistic trappings of citizenry and claim personal sovereignty where you grow up becomes part of who you are. I blogged on identity here . My children are Canadian (and French), Canada may well be in their future and so I feel a strong claim to want the best opportunities there for them in the country I grew up in...not the one being re-modeled by the current leadership.

I have always been a political pundit of a cafe/bar type, having lived much of my adult life 'off shore' involved with humanitarian emergencies I usually focus on international events and keep up with developments in Canada from afar and through friends. I have been drawn back to the state of affairs in Canada by the Arab Spring and emergence of engaged popular movements, and motivated to become more current since a Supreme court ruling this summer returns to those of us who have lived outside Canada more than 5 yrs the right to vote(!). Timing is right as the second term of administration the ego-centric leadership of Stephen Harper draws to a close. Harper and his ilk in Ottawa have managed through the various policies and bills passed to disenfranchise swathes of Canadians notably including veterans and indigenous peoples, perhaps even the majority, but they don't really matter to him, they aren't 'his majority', 'his' are only the 23.9% of registered voters who voted for him (40% of registered voters did not vote!). Against the 2011 Census that means 17% of all Canadians voted Harper Conservative in the last election...and thats how a becoming a majority in parliament works in Canada. Go figure.

Don't be shy to click on the highlighted links, I went to considerable lengths to source articles and found many originated from Canadian sites. Interestingly even the mainstream corporate media are in the sights of the Harper Government.

Those of us who see from far what is happening in Canada enjoy the advantage of a global perspective; living away from home we are exposed perhaps to a wider variety of points of view and can easier place developments in a the regional if not global context. For example there is little doubt that in the eyes of many Canada has slipped from being a country highly respected as a 'green country', for its fair stance on human rights issues, for its involvement in peace processes and as a bulwark against the illegal waging of war to being well. Ok, I'll say it...we have become lackeys to conservative (read Republican) USA denizens...sorry folks but that is how Canada is being viewed at least in Asia. Canada used to champion the underdog and waving the Canadian flag used to be the back-packer's symbol of neutrality, fairness and friendliness. No longer is this true...people from the USA still sew the Canadian flag on their back-packs but more because their own flag has made them into targets, beware I say, the Canadian flag is becoming much the same.

I was in Canada this summer and am aware that life is still very good there for most of my friends, manageable financially if you have good employment, with opportunities that abound for children's activities and a decent education system...if you don't mind your kids in classes of up to 30 (for which there is no sound reason). What is to complain about? From afar I see how the present government reforming Canada under the noses of good people by pushing bills through without time for adequate scrutiny, using the omnibus bill to make sweeping changes and engaging in distasteful tactics (or should that be disgraceful) as they proceed with what appears to be an increasingly corporate-oriented agenda in an essentially people-oriented milieu such as Canadians are. The pattern is being labelled 'anti-democratic' because many moves are simply against the polled population's interest or their desire. The list of omnibus bills you can find, just google 'omnibus bills passed by Harper government' and you'll see what I mean. Canadians are being hood-winked...which is a nice Canadian way of putting it mildly

Of late, making international news, Canada was pronounced dead last in the Centre for Global Development assessment of 27 developed countries on environmental protection and 55th out of 58 countries in terms of tackling fossil fuel emissions...due in part to an uptick in tar sands production in Alberta (the product of those notorious sands in the Athabasca region of northern Alberta is actually called bitumen, tar for short, it is definitely not oil until it is refined). This uptick that looks to becoming super-sized in the near future. So much for the image of Canada as a place of pristine wilderness and fresh clean waters which suggests a nation that cares for and stewards the environment....even perhaps as one that can take the moral high ground in leading the way forward on mitigating the effects of climate change by addressing the cause. 

Teasing this out a bit further to focus on why Canada is being mocked as a global pariah, the fact is that our enormous north is melting with rising global warming temperatures and this affects the entire planet. Huge amounts of ozone depleting carbon are being released from the melting northern tundra which is nothing compared to their potential. It suggests that Canada should perhaps be taking the lead in reducing, rather than the lead in increasing fossil fuel emissions. What of the future? What of the children? I am aware that coal is by far the dirtiest of fossil fuel energy sources, but does that excuse us from the energy intensive extraction of tar from sand? Not to mention the dangers of transporting or pipelining the crud(e) that bitumen is, and which then needs to be refined in more energy intensive processes. 

On a brighter note clean energy has apparently topped tar sands as a source of employment in Canada! What I suggest is to divest now in the oil and gas sector (quit while you are ahead) and invest in clean energy (get in early)....lets make that a viral movement and watch what happens, the only direction is up. While discussing global politics a young friend of mine said it well, 'Corporations are out, people need to see that and move on'. If we stopped subsidizing oil/gas companies , started taxing their dirty product (as opposed to clean), if we penalized them financially for their many infringements on existing environmental laws....perhaps we would have a ton of money to put into clean energy research and development creating more jobs, sustainable and clean ones! Wow, am I the only one to have thought of that? Its a mess folks, read this ...if the price of oil continues to drop and we remain on our current course... we are doomed, I kid you not.

Back on topic, in the background from far we hear of the internationally decried muzzling of the Canadian science community which takes on a nefarious odor (pardon the pun) in the context of the global environmental damage being done by fossil fuel emissions. This muting of voices that might be in opposition to government policy is frightening. Healthy democracies thrive on alternative perspectives and the freedom to express these...where has that gone in Canada. Much of the world and Canada do not realise that Harper is playing out his own religious beliefs on public policy; he is a devout member of the Christian and Missionary Alliance, scares the bejesus outta me but read for yourself. Its a this topic of religion and politics is a controversial one, both are best left out of 'friendly' conversations so I leave it to them what knows to enlighten you, read this.

Evidence about government mishandling of the environment as they kow-tow to the corporate agenda is pretty well-founded, I ask you this: why else dismantle the Fisheries Act, Fresh Water Protection, the Environmental Assessment Act, now the Navigable Waters Act? This week the government announced an audit of charitable groups, absolutely NOT coincidentally those critical of the government. Seriously folks! Why? Did I read somewhere they are handing over National Parks to privateers?

In the international press the loud voices of discontent by notables like John Ralston Saul, Stephen Lewis and David Suzuki are heard loud and clear on issues mentioned above. I chose here to focus on the environment and global climate change, equally I could have selected another issue to highlight because from afar we hear also of the Harper-led assault on indigenous populations, on the excesses of government invasion of privacy, on the militarization of policing (especially in the wake of incidents in Ontario and Quebec), on the nose-thumbing at veterans, its getting to be a long list. I haven't talked about prorogation, patronage or the multiple Harper minions who have fallen foul of the justice system, neither the robocall scandal. And, oh, did I mention the Harper government supported the bombing of Gaza Bibi Netanyahu's government in its illegal occupation of Palestine,(this link is a long read but a worthy one...right to the end). The FB group Occupy Canada now has 323 reasons in their 'hashtag leavesteve2015' campaign! 

Out here in the wilderness (currently Kathmandu) myself and the several Canucks I know who inhabit this remote Himalayan valley are dismayed at what continues to be revealed by the international media about the remodeling of Canada going on under the noses of earnest hard-working Canadians. We all have a stake in the future of a place like Canada which could be a bastion of good government that puts people and the environment first, instead we are getting further and further bogged down in a paradigm of economic growth for the sake of itself which has run its course. Currently the government is securing us to the sinking ship of corporate capitalism one that has no retrievable future. If you agree with the sentiment voiced here feel free to share widely, freedom of speech persists for now in Canada and anyway, and anyway nothing posted here is not in the public record. And as a post script...don't forget to vote, its the only way the change will come.

The Screen Part 1: the dilemma

Managing screen-time has become a full-time challenge in our house. My sons' now 7 and 9 years old have grown up in an age, in a place and they have been privileged with access to pretty much every screen known to humankind: TV, Videos, Wii, Game boy, tablet, computer, phone. They are at an age where they can fully grasp the entertainment value of hand-held devices like internet connected smart phones after all, everyone around them has one. Now, before anyone gets carried away with 'doh! no wonder you have problems' comments in our house screen-time has always been limited and touted as a privilege not a right for the little lads to hop on. In fact at this point we don't have TV per se, we have a flat screen monitor connected to nothing but the DVD player and the Wii. Game boys were only permitted for traveling and are destined for the bin having been eclipsed by the tablets (iPads in our family). Computers are only used for educational activities, googling, youtubing, music listening and okay, watching online videos has snuck in of late. Smart phones are parent property and I, at least, have sudoko and not much else in the recreational line on mine...although I am trying to figure out how to hide apps so they are not displayed on the screen (anyone?). Screen time is limited to an educational hour mid-week that now includes work with a meditation app and is not allowed to define the weekend, rather it is ok if it doesn't interfere with whatever else is going on.

We all know the down-side of screens, you can find credible research dating back to the criticism levied against too much Television back in the '70s to the clear issues related to advertising and its impact on our capacity to make good consumer decisions now to tablets, smart phones and computers being implicated in everything from ADD, ADHD, anti-social behaviour, losing creative ability, to obesity. I'd find these for you and add links but I don't have the attention span nor tolerance. Its true, I have to say as I write on my lap-top with 3 Windows open on Chrome, each with at least 9 tabs. I flip from one to the other to facecrack, email (3 accounts), bookmarking pages I want but may never return to covering interest areas including yoga and healing, nutrition, earthquake preparedness, a mess of political meanderings, holiday planning, etc, etc...loads of things crossing the radar. I have been here writing this and its a bit of a record.....going on 8 minutes now. The acute disconnect between the natural world and an artificial one is articulated in this technology. The therapeutic advantage of going for a walk in the greenery rather than staying indoors face inches from a glowing lump of tech does not really have to be proven...we all know which one is better for you. In human contact we distance ourselves with the overuse/abuse of screens. Having these silly devices out with us when we meet up with friends and then texting, tweeting, surfing and scanning takes significantly from the quality time we could have with our friends. The 'Look Up' video says it well. 

I know then that there is an effect of the screen on me although I can discern and focus when the need arises partly (I think) because I had the benefit of years of no internet distraction and book-reading through to University ergo I learned to focus. That said I have always been an A-class procrastinator so perhaps the theory on attention span being inversely correlated to screen time is null. As far as screens go, I first had access to TV in 1967, 3 English, 1 French channels and limited to family shows (Giligans Island, Mr. Dress Up, Hogans Heros, the Flintstones, Bewitched an dI Love Lucy, all familiar to my generation of watchers!). My first computer was a Mac laptop (somethings haven't change!) back in the early '90s and in the past few years tablets and smartphones are on my menu of screen choices. Aside from sudoko and the occasional visit to Angry Birds I don't game on screen at all. I do have a hankering for social media, especially Facebook*.  All that to say, if it affects me the way it does, it must be having a huge impact on the internal 'software' programming of my sons, even an effect on the development of their hardware, the wiring. In some manner affecting their mental capacities of the future. I see their ability to be adept at utilizing the screen for its positive attributes something that will aid them as they navigate our wacky changing world and so take on a parental responsibility of monitoring closely  screen and seeking recourse and remedies to ensure the impact is constructive and contributes to their well-being and ability to be 21st Century-capable adaptable, resilient young men. 

My sons are one of the early generations who have had access to internet-connected smart devices. As a 50 (something) yr old I am of the generation whose University had a computer room with a computer lab attached with monitors connected to the main-frame. My first year papers had to be 'word-processed' and the library was all about card catalogues and micro-fiche. My parents had no exposure to this situation and so really would have no advice to help guide me now. My mother marveled at the internet and without a computer, through our cable TV in 2000 she would email me when I was off working in the wild beyond of East Timor. So, that I call it a challenge, a dilemma sometimes even a problem is because it is a muddle of many things and there is no easy fix, the downstream effect is an unknown and we wait to see whether the kids will grow up well-adjusted or social basket cases or gadget geeks. Who can say?

Moving on...I get fed up with hearing about the problems of too much screen and suggestions that 'how to handle it' simply means limiting it, clearly people who say that don't have kids! My interest  these days has turned to finding solutions for our screen dilemma.  The little boys have their saving grace: they are avid book worms. Zaki, at 5 yrs old just started reading it just sort of came to him and I am sure nightly bed-time storytelling paid off...now at 9 he got the 1st Harry Potter book for his birthday and in the ensuing 3 weeks read the entire 7 book series. Seven months later he is a Harry Potter encyclopedia and has read the series several times. Kasem too loves his books, perhaps not with the same zeal as his older brother but he is a written word consumer of high proportions. In the next section of 'The Screen' I will turn to some ideas for remedying this challenge with screens. Perhaps I approach the screen dilemma with too high a conscious concern and should let go a bit but something tells me no, that to be concerned is to be a good parent and we need to figure it out ourselves....what to do about screen time.

*I would self-diagnose Facebook as easily the most damaging of my screen moments and yet the most magnetic... and like my chocolate addiction I am always trying to cut down on it. Quite simply I let it take time from my day but also the multiple mental diversions on offer splits my attention. Facebook offers up a multitude of distractions, it takes your mind off in a zillion different directions every time you open it and see posts from different groups, friends, etc. If the best thing to do in the morning is a quiet meditation or qi gong practice ;-) then a glance at your facebook is probably the worst, if your sleep is influenced most by the last things you did or said or read in the day...then again facebook is probably the silliest thing to look at just before going to bed...and yet, at both moments in the day...how many of us have a device in our hands? go ahead...admit it, you're addicted.

Screens are everywhere,
here the privileged are traveling business for the first (and only time) moving from KL to Beirut!
Loving every minute!

Mother Goddess of the Earth

In light of the recent tragedy on Everest much discussion has been going on with people trying hard from within the ethos of grief and mourning to articulate the myriad number of issues at hand. People trying to explain what is at stake with the halting of this season's summit attempts from the South side...summit attempts, however many 'first's', even a wing-suit jump from the top...etc. Nowhere has the talk had more of a deep and distressing impact than here in Kathmandu.

A friend has written forcefully and informatively on her blogsite found at http://tangledjourneys.com/category/everest/ and today I added this comment (slightly re-edited):

Great article Donatella, lots to tell and a complex issue to be sure. I like to bring it back to basics and something that isn’t much discussed in the media nor understood by climbers including some Sherpas. Mingma Sherpa (of considerable local renown!) last night at the Le Sherpa fundraiser (here in Kathmandu) for families (they raised 1.72 lakh Rupees!) in his talk made numerous references to Qomalongma, Mother Goddess of the Earth known to Sherpas as Sagarmatha and to the world as Mt. Everest. She has spoken, she is disturbed and has been for some time voicing her discontent at the abuse meted out to her season after season. This season, early on and low down on the mountain she roared her rage claiming as victims the very people who revere her but have fallen victim to the shallow trappings of monetary gain.

The ego-driven commercialization of climbing the SE Ridge is a relatively recent phenomenon and is what has led to the competition between foreign guides and agencies (clouding good judgement), the excessive queueing, the arguments and animosity between Sherpas and foreigners, the build up of garbage and indeed the prolonged more frequent exposure of all climbers but particularly those hard at work through the (now infamous) Khumbu Icefall. Ego and commercialization are quite contrary to the reverent and respectful challenge that used to motivate climbing on the mountain and it was a special space and place reserved for serious climbers. Indeed on the North side this remains the case to a certain extent. All routes from the North are more technical, steep and prone to objective hazards often seen on north facing slopes. The routes demand a certain climbing expertise often going hand in hand with a dedication to a sport which attracts people with a connection to the mountains, the elements and things natural…unlike some of today’s peak baggers on the south side. Hopefully this requirement to actually know how to climb will stave off the egotistical hoards (herds?) from the North side, I hope the Chinese in any case cotton on quick and excise appropriately the cost for commercial box ticking sorts. (Alan Arnette in his blog gives a great comparative analysis of North vs South and the death ratio of both.

Back to basics: Respect the mountain; that the season has been halted before it bega is the one Sagarmatha demanded. Respect for the Mother Goddess of the Earth, Respect for the dead, Respect for the environment, respect, respect, respect. This is what needs to be at the foundation of any discussion or thought about the future of commercial climbing on Sagarmatha. I wouldn’t be surprised if the destabilization of the ice flow (caused by global warming) forces a serious change in the way Nepal thinks about climbing Everest and Sagarmatha National Park tourism management in general, its gains and how these are shared with the people of the valleys of Solu Khumbu. Mother Nature has a habit of getting her way and if there was a better sharing of the benefit of Park entrance fees and the multitude of other peak fees in the area then perhaps Sagarmatha could be declared sacred….and never climbed again.

Om mani padme hum, may the souls of those lost in the Icefall gain merit from their journey and find peace in their final resting.

Happy Birthday Pyramid!

One year ago on the vernal equinox we celebrated the opening of the Piramide Mandango Pyramid. 

Many thanks to those who continue to support this community space in Vilcabamba dedicated to transformational activities!//

Hace un año en el equinoccio de primavera se celebra la apertura de la Pirámide Mandango Pyramid. 

Muchas gracias a todos los que sigan apoyando a esta comunidad de Vilcabamba espacio dedicado a las actividades de transformación.

From early December using natural elements an earthen floor, adobe retaining wall, bamboo frame and thatch roof we went from this:

To this:

To this:

The Flower of Life mandala blossomed:

A concept and design 

Full of Fire Element, seat of creativity --- the inspired artist at work

Renowned community Artists

the finished Mandala with the Elemental colors on the four aspects of the Pyramid

And the Pyramid was born...here's more pix and the building story:

http://daddyoh-daniel.blogspot.com/2012_12_16_archive.html

http://daddyoh-daniel.blogspot.com/2013/03/pyramid-progressupdated.html

Mind yer back! - your Back, the Elements and Yoga

Back pain...what is it all about? Lately there has been a spate of back injuries among various friends and students much of it related to their posture in general but specifically their posture when sitting working on a lap-top computer or other desk-bound device so I thought I'd write about it. In very broad terms the origin of the physical problem of backs comes from not sitting on the floor like our evolutionary ancestors and the subsequent weakening of lower back  and core muscles and the gradual shortening of these muscles, the related fascia, a shortened psoas muscle and tight hamstrings. I should know after years of sitting at a desk, on chairs, and couches (although I don't watch TV anymore so my couch time is way down!) etc it wasn't until I had yoga'ed my way through my 40's that I am finally able to touch my toes (without bending my knees) in both seated and standing forward bends! Now I'm glad I can because my only lower back complaint is after lying in bed working on my lap-top for too long...like I am now, also not good.

Engaging the TLC with the abdominal core and connecting this to lumbar pelvic rhythm with the tensor fascia lata.

The lower back is at the level of the second chakra in the sacral spine (water element) and the root chakra at the coccyx (earth). Earth and Water are inseparable. Earth contains water as it holds all bodies of water, but earth would be without purpose without the nutritive and purposeful flow of water within it...and water forms the earth. When we stand on one foot in any balance pose we see the relationship within us; you can't be stable if you are rigid, you have to flex and flow in order to find balance. So we might be grounded to the earth in a balance pose but we won't achieve it and be truly stable if we don't allow fluidity to come into the moment. Stability with fluidity...nature and the body reflecting the wisdom.

What about lifestyle and the lower back...whats involved there? The fact that we sit around on chairs and couches (a lot?) is not such a good thing... our 'girth' also plays a role. Sitting around on chairs and couches suggests we may not be getting enough exercise which is often combined with eating and possibly drinking a bit too much (?)...its a bit of a cascade effect... Consider this: a great way to address lower back issues is through yogic forward bends which stretches out the fascia and muscles of the lower back and hamstrings nicely....and they activate the meridian related to...you guessed it...the bladder, a water element organ helping to balance the energetics talked about above in the subtle body. Relating this to lifestyle then... even if you had nice long back muscles and a stretchy psoas...how can you bend forward if you have that extra cargo around your middle or if your liver is suffering from the abuse of the night before...diet right? lifestyle right? Just saying that you can go a long way to solving lower back problems not only by doing yoga asanas but adjusting your diet and lifestyle...thats real yoga.

I had lower back pain once...well an ache and stiffness so that if I lay in bed longer than 7hrs I would start to hurt. An osteopath was poking around in my viscera one day (the way they do) and we both felt a rubber bandy release in my middle back...he proceeded to do a couple of spinal adjustments and well...I haven't had lower back pain since. His assessment was that I had a twisted urethra (that cord connecting kidneys to bladder) and the pressure coming from my liver and stomach (when it was full) stressed the muscles around the kidney which pulled on my lower back muscles. He bet that if I could I would probably realise that the lower back stiffness was more prevalent during the party seasons (hmmm) when I consumed more food and drank more well, more drink. That was 7 yrs ago and I am lighter by 8kgs, have a much better nearly veg diet, barely drink booze and well...I do yoga and I have no lower back complaints.

Looking through the psycho/emotional/spiritual lens we see that the qualities of Earth energy are around the strength and stability, the grounding effect of gravity and the importance of a secure foundation, a feeling of belonging. Earth also sets the example of unconditional giving as mother earth gives and gives to us without judgment. Water energy is contemplative, reflective and adaptable taking on all shapes. It moves without effort and always arrives at a place of stillness. Water is a nice metaphor for realising the potential inherent in our lives and its issues; with patience we nurture them towards a calm resolution, growing our self-knowledge in the process. Balancing these elements through yoga practice, can help bring a sense of peace and calm to our lives and with that perhaps ease the strain in the lower back. This can be achieved through meditative practices and breathing and these when used in conjunction with asana practice will go a long way to helping your back.

Click if you want to know more about sitting...and if you want the details of managing your back through yoga asana this is great too. Backs are pretty specific though, spending time with a yoga therapist (hey, I'm a Yoga Therapist!) to understand the holistic dimensions of minding your back can be very valuable...we have 10 fingers and toes...two of most other things...but we only have ONE back! Take care of it! 

As I write we have just passed full moon in March which has a big effect on the tides, water content of plants and on us emotionally, psychologically and physically... ask yourself...'how does my back feel'? Its a great time to do some balancing water energy yoga! I can be reached at elementalyoga.daniel(at)yahoo(dot)com or if you're in Kathmandu 9803063459. If you want to go further in your practice and understanding of the elements and your yoga, together with Pranamaya studios we are holding an Elemental Energy retreat 24 - 26 March at Neydo Gompa...http://pranamaya-yoga.com/event/three-day-yoga-immersion-retreat-in-nepal-3/

What do you tell the children? To bomb or not to bomb Syria.

I have two boys, we live in the world, currently residing in Kathmandu but in the short 8years since having children we have lived in Malaysia, Lebanon, Ecuador and now Nepal. The media is all over the question  to bomb or not to bomb Syria. We don't have TV, don't get the newspapers and definitely don't subscribe to anything but independent media on the internet, so the kids are pretty sheltered from the current media feeding frenzy. That said they are not stupid nor impervious to overheard adult conversations or talk in the school-yard, the odd BBC Radio news update in the car and since the duty station we were in was Beirut...they are pretty attuned to what is going on.

So what to tell them currently and how to rationalise what is going on. I have just written and slightly re-edited the letter below to a friend that outlines my thoughts on the matter at this time, and I don't know really to translate all this into a language that my 6 and 8 year old will understand. That is another matter. What I do know is that if the decision is taken for a military intervention in Syria then the opportunity for learning about the dismal state of affairs in the world will sky-rocket and a moment in time to reinforce their roles (all of our roles) as change-agents optimized, is that homeschooling or just good parenting? Whether we are departing from the Kali Yurga, shifting from a world that has been masculine dominated to one that is feminine-led, it is clear that we cannot continue to treat each other and Mother Earth the way we have been, particularly these past 100years.

I realise as I write that I have the children first and foremost in my mind. Your children, my children...Syrian children. No one, not Assad, not any opposition group, not the Presidents or Prime Ministers of the USA, Iran, Israel or Russia have any right to trample on the hopes and aspirations or the futures (not to mention the Rights) of Syrian children. Many Syrian kids have now been out of school for 2years...with no end in sight, I wonder what their parents are telling them about all this. So-called Leaders need to rein in, take a deep breath and then step up in the name of the children and of humanity.

Hi K,

Yes, I am trying to extend my longevity by reducing pre-occupation with humanitarian emergencies and the resulting stress! Work as it has come to be known has been allowed to overtake life and the fulfillment of the human spirit and this is wrong. We all have choices to make. I digress. 

To your question...I am absolutely against anything as blatantly foolish and arrogant as military strikes on Syria. There is much written about it both in the mainstream press and supposed think tanks, but most miss the mark or are clearly biased. Any thoughts of 'punishing' are those of small minds or perhaps those only with hegemonic or economic interests...anyway usually these are the small minds, narrow minds at the very least, again, I digress.

First, NO intervention can occur without the full report from the UN assessment mission. Their report will reveal the type of chemical used and then we will know the source and therefore whodunit. This is underscored by the UNSG this week in his noon-day briefing.

Second, once the perpetrators are known, any intervention essentially needs to consider and respect the need for humanitarian access to Syrians and reinforce the principles behind the emerging 'responsibility to protect' doctrine, this might be a bit of a stretch for the USA given its global bully rather than global champion type attitude but still, we can only hope that broader thinking minds prevail. It is not the place of the USA to punish anyone outside of their own country.

If there is bombing there will be further displacement and fewer opportunities for aid to reach the millions displaced, resulting in the unnecessary deaths of vulnerable people (elderly, disabled, ill, children).

If there is bombing there will be a rise of anti-western sentiment jeopardizing aid workers who come in to deliver assistance for years to come, resulting in the unnecessary deaths of vulnerable people (elderly, disabled, ill, children).

If there is bombing (precision bombing is a myth and a farce) then innocent lives will be lost directly or indirectly as a consequence.

If there is bombing of course the potential disastrous consequences for an explosion of the mounting regional tensions goes through the roof and we could see a regional conflagration of immense proportions...some say this is what is needed in the region...the pimple, now a nasty inflamed boil, needs to be lanced and if this is the destiny of the region then sobeit. Pity the people.

If there is bombing there will be no gain whatsoever, if anyone thinks the perpetrators will blink...they are naive and delusional.

Third, a political intervention is different in many ways. Once whodunit is known, and if it is Assad, Obama (the USA taking a leading role should not be considered a no-brainer, why not Canada?...oh, right, because Harper is PM...I forgot.) will be required to kiss and make up with Putin (which understand is a step up with pride, not a pride swallowing exercise and this requires gumption). He needs to make nice overtures with the Iranians who are amenable under the new government, a great opportunity, this will require him to get teflon trouser cuffs to protect himself from the Israelis snapping at his heels. He needs broad consensus on condemning Assad or whoever it turns out used chemical weapons from the General Assembly so not only the permanent members of the SC but including those members of the non-aligned states. The ICC will in turn have to begin proceedings to bring war criminals to justice. What we need here is Global Statesmanship, and it is sorely lacking. With political overtures in Washington, Moscow and Tehran, SRSG Ibrahim Brahimi can finally make headway in seeking some kind of respite for the beleaguered Syrian population and hopefully mark a turnabout so that those poor millions displaced within Syrian and surrounding countries can have a glimmer of hope that they will return home sometime soon. The refugee crisis is pitiful, countries like Lebanon and Jordan are sinking under the burden that is not being well-supported internationally. There is only ONE durable solution for the masses displaced and that is for them to return home.

Not forgetting that under the UN Charter, to bomb a sovereign nation that is not attacking or even threatening to attack yours is itself a war crime. We know this has been done before (by the same country!) but that has to end as much as the use of chemical weapons has to end.

The UN report should be viewed not as an excuse for some kind of male egocentric, arrogant abrogation of all of what is decent in diplomacy and human morality but as an opportunity for a properly morally upright and human-based response. Frankly I am extremely unimpressed with Obama and how he has allowed himself to be pushed in such a hawkish direction. I thought he was better than that, I think he thinks he is better than that and if he does take aggressive action against the perpetrators of the chemical attacks, lets hope he a) gets the perps right and b) that he and the hawks that push him are prepared to be condemned by history for his actions and their consequences down to the last child who dies because aid could not reach him/her. The USA is in a tailspin and this may well be the last act it takes before plummeting into moral bankruptcy becoming itself an untrustworthy global pariah. Sadly it will take the global economy with it along with those of us with US dollars but if that is the way the world is to be re-ordered then there is not much can change that.

Thats my two bits. Feel free to pass it on. Look for the ICG Statement on Syria, the UNSG Tuesday Noon day briefing, bits in the Independent by Robert Fisk, UNHCR's portal on Syria, and the R2P website. If you want to do something (which kicks butt on nothing) sign the Avaaz petition, and give generously, and/or here, and/or here.

d

Addendum on Identity

This is a follow-on note reflecting on the blogpost “A (not so) short reflection on International Living” http://daddyoh-daniel.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/a-not-so-short-reflection-on.html and the notion of Identity.

I mention at one point in the content of the blog about identity and that I am referring to identity as ‘knowing where you are from’ and go on to talk about knowing your tribe, your community, etc. Clearly this is an important aspect of identity; a lens through which to view it or perhaps better still…. a side angle view on a shapeless notion but I didn't set out to give the intention that these are the only locators of identity! I want to elaborate briefly here on the idea that identity is pre-determined and pre-conceived: we are born with it and we will die with it a sense of ourselves that only we own and know, our character.

In the blog I insinuate that identify is greatly influenced by our experiences and our environment, where we grow up, the people we meet and I stick to this idea. This is particularly relevant when extreme events occur in people’s lives that ‘shape’ them and are reflected in who they are and often what they do. Events don’t have to be extreme of course…for example I can say that my parents’ unselfish giving throughout their lives or my Asian travels through the ‘80’s (which had their extreme moments) shaped who I have become and gave texture, color and shape to my identity. Of course a near-death experience, giving birth to a child, a visitation by another being, a trip into the 5^th dimension, these extreme moments will clearly add qualitatively to ones identity.

In brief then I concur, we are born with an identity, it is the basis of our individuality and our conscious naissance. I believe the influences on it begin even in the womb and that the emotions of the mother are transferred and experienced by the infant. I think it is clear that identity evolves with our experiences, it morphs, it develops, it does not stay the same in its expression but it does remain the same in its essence; that with which we began.

I ponder.....where does that leave my 'third culture' sons when they are asked "so...where do you come from?" born in Malaysia to a French mother and Canadian/British father having lived in Malaysia, Lebanon, Ecuador and now Nepal they are not yet savvy enough to say..."duh...like as if that's important". So the link to where you are from is relevant to their identity, at least as children and I would posit not entirely irrelevant to world-wandering adults either. Interestingly they normally answer they are from Canada...but then so do I and I was born in London, England!

I would suggest that the shifts and changes in life that challenge us on all levels (mental, intellectual, psychic, emotional, spiritual…) be appreciated as occurrences that, when brought in some way into the individuals’ personal experience, augment the process of the evolving identity. Key is full awareness, appreciation, gratitude and a positive outlook so that the experience, best understood in the present moment, enhances identity and brings us towards self-realization and understanding. Anything less and you sell yourself short on your life experience. 

It is little wonder when the world around us seems to be devolving into the shallow, superficial, soulless and aggressive realm of greed, selfishness and the commercialization of the imagination that identity becomes lost and the means to discovering it become less and less apparent or accessible even while it becomes more and more required. In this era we see a surge of interest in yoga and meditation as people seek to lighten their burden of being...they are seeking to know who they are, find their identity perhaps so they can love themselves and be happy, which is after all the ultimate quest of human existence, or is it?