The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series (WQS) four-star surfing event will take place at the famous Lower Trestles in San Clemente, California from April 24 to 28. In addition, now on its 15th year, Lower Trestles will also host the prestigious Jeep-Body Glove Surfbout event, which will be the start of the Macy’s California Trifecta Surf Series sponsored by Chrysler Group's Jeep brand. Moreover, the ASP Grade-2 Oakley Pro Junior surfing event will also take place at Lower Trestles.
In connection with this, ASP and WQS will be conducting daily beach cleaning...to the event this year. The beach clean ups will be held every day for about 2 hours from 2:00 pm up to 4:00 pm. People can get gloves and trash bags at the Ocean Minded tent. According to Gary Ward, President of Ocean Minded: “Events such as the Jeep Body Glove Surfbout bring out some of the best in surfing. We at Ocean Minded are excited to lead beach clean-up efforts at the event."
About 192 of the world’s best professional surfers and 32 of the world’s best junior surfers are expected to participate at the five-day world-class surfing event in Lower Trestles. Some of the past winners of this prestigious surfing event are confirmed to compete. They include CJ Hobgood ((Melbourne Beach, FL), the 2001 ASP World Champion along with his twin brother Damien Hobgood. Both surfers currently ranked 17th on the Foster’s ASP World Tour. Other famous surfers expected to arrive in Low Trestles include Ryan Helm (Jupiter, FL), Dayyan Neve (Manly Beach, AUS), and Gabe Kling (St. Augustine, FL). Local surfing stars like Chris Ward (San Clemente, CA), Mike Losness (San Clemente, CA), Shaun Ward (Huntington Beach, CA), Austin Ware (Solano Beach, CA), Anthony Petruso (Malibu, CA), and the 2006 Macy’s California Trifecta Series Champion Nathan Yeomans from San Clemente, CA are also expected to join this year's surfing event.
These Competitors will be battling out for the $75,000 cash prize and of course, for the valuable points given by the Association of Surfing Professionals and World Qualifying Series. Moreover, the Macy’s California Trifecta will also award a $33,333 bonus prize to the surfer who takes first-place in all three events. The surfer will also bring an all-new 2007 Jeep Patriot equipped with quality Jeep shock on his garage, courtesy of Macy’s California Trifecta. Junior surfers will compete for the additional $5,000 bonus prize.
“Body Glove International is proud to bring the Jeep-Body Glove Surfbout back to Lower Trestles,” said Scott Daley, VP of marketing for Body Glove. “Trestles not only offers some of the best waves in America, but Surfbout gives American surfers an opportunity to earn valuable ASP WQS points. This will be the 15th Surfbout, so all of you young American pros, let’s see what you’ve got!” he added.
“We had a great points race going into the Cold Water Classic last year and we are excited to bring this opportunity back to American surfers. It all starts at the Surfbout, and with over $200,000 in cash and prizes on the line this year we’re looking forward to seeing another dramatic finish to the ’07 season,” said Sean Nielsen, Director of Event Operations, Action Sports Group (ASG), publisher of SURFER, SURFING and WaveWatch magazines.
Monday, 7 January 2008
5 Reasons Why Surfing Keeps You Young
It is a well known fact that staying active helps keep you looking and feeling young. Not many activities come close to the effect surfing has on the mind, body and spirit. According to experienced surfers, the special bond the surfer has with their surf board and the open ocean is almost impossible to explain.
Fresh Air
Fresh air does a body good! Surfers all over the world enjoy lots of cool, refreshing fresh air and sunshine. No matter... if you're surfing a remote location or something closer to the city, the ocean air smells fresh and clean. Out on the surf, there's virtually no smog. When you are on the waves, it's just you, the water and the fresh air.
Stress Free
Out in the swells, you can let your stress and every-day worries float away with the tide. Out there, it's just you, the breeze, your board and the water. No one yelling for help or that report you should have handed in already. When you're out there, you're surrounded by total peace and relaxation. The only sounds are the sounds of the wind lightly kissing your skin and water slapping against your surfboard.
According to the majority of surfers, this type of relaxation is hard to come by anywhere else in the world. Just a few hours of surfing a week can help release the tension that builds up at home or in the workplace.
Muscle Tone
Surfing and swimming go hand in hand and are great exercise. Swimming works muscle groups you don't always think to work at the gym. Sometimes even seasoned athletes will complain of muscle fatigue after swimming simply because of the different muscles being used.
People who surf are generally slender and well muscled toned into their 60's and even 70's. Surfing is a non-impact sport, meaning it's very easy on your knees and other joints. After all, you don't jog or jump on your surf board!
Cardiovascular Health
Surfing provides an amazing aerobic workout that not only helps burn fat but also keeps your heart, lungs and entire cardiovascular system in tip-top shape. A healthy cardiovascular system keeps your immune system healthy as well as maintaining a high level of stamina, to keep you feeling young.
Fun in the Sun
Surfers love the sunshine for a wide variety of reasons. Besides giving surfers great tans to keep that youthful glow, the sun provides vitamins that maintain healthy skin and nails. Healthy bones, skin, hair and nails assist in a more youthful appearance.
Other Advantages
Aside from the previously mentioned advantages of surfing, avid surfers understand they have to eat well and exercise. Many surfers enjoy going to the gym and practicing some type of Yoga. Yoga helps keep the surfer's muscles toned and flexible and their mind alert. Many people who practice yoga taut it as a vehicle to peace and serenity in their mental well being.
If you're looking to stay young and feel young, but don't currently know how to surf and would like to learn, there is a wide variety of surf camps available. Women's surf camps cater to the needs of women. Since they are only available to women, ladies of all shapes, sizes and ages can enjoy being themselves and learning to surf. You will also develop friendships and enjoy the fellowship of like-minded people from all over the world.
While some surf camps offer only women's surf camps, there are camps that offer co-ed surf camps as well. They are a great way to learn to surf or learn a new skill or hobby while relaxing in the sun. Imagine returning to normal life, not only totally relaxed with a great tan, but also with pictures of you hanging ten, surfing like a pro and most importantly feeling and looking young.
Some say surfing keeps you young at heart. Seasoned surfers know surfing also helps keep them physically fit, looking and feeling much younger than their birth date declares.
Fresh Air
Fresh air does a body good! Surfers all over the world enjoy lots of cool, refreshing fresh air and sunshine. No matter... if you're surfing a remote location or something closer to the city, the ocean air smells fresh and clean. Out on the surf, there's virtually no smog. When you are on the waves, it's just you, the water and the fresh air.
Stress Free
Out in the swells, you can let your stress and every-day worries float away with the tide. Out there, it's just you, the breeze, your board and the water. No one yelling for help or that report you should have handed in already. When you're out there, you're surrounded by total peace and relaxation. The only sounds are the sounds of the wind lightly kissing your skin and water slapping against your surfboard.
According to the majority of surfers, this type of relaxation is hard to come by anywhere else in the world. Just a few hours of surfing a week can help release the tension that builds up at home or in the workplace.
Muscle Tone
Surfing and swimming go hand in hand and are great exercise. Swimming works muscle groups you don't always think to work at the gym. Sometimes even seasoned athletes will complain of muscle fatigue after swimming simply because of the different muscles being used.
People who surf are generally slender and well muscled toned into their 60's and even 70's. Surfing is a non-impact sport, meaning it's very easy on your knees and other joints. After all, you don't jog or jump on your surf board!
Cardiovascular Health
Surfing provides an amazing aerobic workout that not only helps burn fat but also keeps your heart, lungs and entire cardiovascular system in tip-top shape. A healthy cardiovascular system keeps your immune system healthy as well as maintaining a high level of stamina, to keep you feeling young.
Fun in the Sun
Surfers love the sunshine for a wide variety of reasons. Besides giving surfers great tans to keep that youthful glow, the sun provides vitamins that maintain healthy skin and nails. Healthy bones, skin, hair and nails assist in a more youthful appearance.
Other Advantages
Aside from the previously mentioned advantages of surfing, avid surfers understand they have to eat well and exercise. Many surfers enjoy going to the gym and practicing some type of Yoga. Yoga helps keep the surfer's muscles toned and flexible and their mind alert. Many people who practice yoga taut it as a vehicle to peace and serenity in their mental well being.
If you're looking to stay young and feel young, but don't currently know how to surf and would like to learn, there is a wide variety of surf camps available. Women's surf camps cater to the needs of women. Since they are only available to women, ladies of all shapes, sizes and ages can enjoy being themselves and learning to surf. You will also develop friendships and enjoy the fellowship of like-minded people from all over the world.
While some surf camps offer only women's surf camps, there are camps that offer co-ed surf camps as well. They are a great way to learn to surf or learn a new skill or hobby while relaxing in the sun. Imagine returning to normal life, not only totally relaxed with a great tan, but also with pictures of you hanging ten, surfing like a pro and most importantly feeling and looking young.
Some say surfing keeps you young at heart. Seasoned surfers know surfing also helps keep them physically fit, looking and feeling much younger than their birth date declares.
Sunday, 6 January 2008
The Lost Art of Levitation
An old joke goes, “How do angels fly?”
The answer is, “They take themselves lightly.”
One evening I uncovered the core of truth in this joke. Little did I imagine that the joke was being totally literal.
I was attending a lecture of Michio Kushi, one of my spiritual mentors, when he became very frustrated with his Los Angeles audience of several hundred metaphysical seekers. He was attempting to convey to us an understanding of the physics of life, the fundamental mechanism of... creation and transformation in life processes. Sensing he wasn’t getting his message across, Michio decided to get more simple and basic. He emphasized the fact that the core nature of all life is energy, declaring, "The world is all energy. Everything is energy. And if you understand that, you can understand the real dynamics behind how things happen the way they do in the ‘so-called’ physical universe."
The audience was comprised of bright, curious people of all ages and backgrounds. However, few of us were understanding Michio on the fundamental level he was trying to communicate. Exasperated, he switched to an experiential tack, announcing abruptly and emphatically, "All right. I'll demonstrate what I’m talking about."
Michio knelt down in the traditional Japanese manner on his knees, put his hands together in a prayer-like position, closed his eyes and sat very still. After several minutes, his body began to slowly lift off the ground to a height of about three feet. There he remained for ten minutes, suspended in the air several feet above the floor. Now he had my attention!
I was astonished, of course. Then I impulsively did something that, in retrospect, seems very irrational and even humorous. But at the time, the maneuver made sense to me.
My mind’s orderly framework of reality was being severely challenged by Michio’s airborne body. I needed to do something to psychologically feel more in control. If I was being forced to expand my belief in what is humanly possible on this earth, I was going to make sure the phenomenon was authentic. I had to do something that would give the apparent impossibility I was witnessing some sense of validity.
In a childlike way, I felt the levitation would be more real for me if I knew firsthand that nothing was underneath his body. I was sitting in the front row of the audience. I reached underneath Michio’s hovering body, pretending my only intention was to grab a notebook behind him. I discovered Michio was, indeed, floating in midair! There was only empty space underneath him. Inserting myself physically into the incomprehensible picture before me made the whole scene more authentic for me.
After about ten minutes, Michio’s body gently descended to the floor. He opened his eyes and shared offhandedly, “Levitation is very easy. It is a natural, simple process. You all can do it.”
Then he proceeded to tell us how to levitate. He spoke casually, as if he were describing how to ride a bicycle, “You simply empty your mind and clear your consciousness. Eliminate yourself of ego and self-absorption. When you are completely purged of awareness of the small self, of identifying with the personality, you are free to move with the natural rhythm of the universe. You are no longer weighted down with self-concern and limiting beliefs. You are then able to utilize the electro-magnetic wave energy that moves between the earth and the sun, moon, planets and all the heavenly bodies in the universe.”
Sensing that he was losing his audience again, he paused and then elaborated, “On a hot day, you can actually see the wave motion of this universal energy as it undulates the air over hot pavement. You can measure the powerful effect of this energy on the ocean: this invisible force causes the sea to rise and fall, creating the ocean tides. You can see this pattern of universal pulsation in the rolling of the ocean waves, the rhythm of rock strata in canyons and the formation of sand dunes in the desert. This universal, undulating motion creates all the spiral patterns you find in nature—from whirls in sea shells, twirling plant growth, twisted tree trunks and swirling ocean currents to water funnels going down the drain. The natural flow of life is an energy wave motion, up and down, in and out. All the wavelike patterns and spiral formations you find in nature exist because natural elements are fluid and flexible enough to flow with the natural wave energy current of life. When you become light enough, clear enough of ego-concern, you can let this wave energy move you as well. That's all levitation is.”
Sensing his audience was close to grasping his meaning, Michio tossed out examples for them to identify with. “Observe children, dogs and wild animals tap into this universally available energy source. To them, it’s natural. Haven’t you seen children and dogs in a park or on a beach as they run and jump all day without getting tired? If a child or dog feels especially happy and carefree, you’ll see them jumping two or three times higher than they normally can. We all know wild animals have extraordinary abilities to jump and leap, as well as run long distances very fast and long. Indigenous, tribal natives who retain their childlike innocence and openness in adulthood can run 100 miles in a single day without being tired. This is because they are light and empty enough to flow with universal energy. They allow the natural energy pulsation between the earth and other bodies to propel them. That is what the Star Wars screenwriter meant when he said, “May the Force be with you.” His characters had learned how to surf the Force. When you become fluid and malleable, you also can ride this energy and float."
Immediately after the lecture, I ran up to Michio, voicing my excitement over what I witnessed. He turned to me and smiled one of those accepting smiles I came to love.
“Most will not remember the levitation, Keith.”
I protested, exclaiming that, of course, they’d remember such a fantastic display of levitation, not to mention actual instructions on how anyone could do it. He simply shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe some. But very few.”
Determined to prove him wrong, I joined the attendees milling about the lecture hall and questioned small pockets of people about what they witnessed. To my astonishment, the majority of the audience didn’t see Michio levitate; they perceived him simply kneeling in meditation!
A minority of the audience did witness the levitation. Yet, of the people who stated that evening that they saw his body float, only a handful stuck by their statement the following day. The rest of the witnesses could no longer remember having seen the body levitate!
I reminded these witnesses that they had admitted seeing the feat just the evening before. But they took back their words—and their experience. As one observer replied incredulously, "Oh, no. I never said that. I never saw that. All I saw was Michio kneeling on the floor." They changed their story and their memory by the next morning!
What an awakening for me! I was forced to recognize how strenuously we humans hold onto our current, familiar, thus comfortable, views of reality.
On three other occasions, I observed Michio suspend his body in midair for ten minutes in front of several hundred people. After each demonstration, I questioned people in the same way I did after the first levitation. The same pattern played out: admission on the day of the event followed by a retraction the next day! Seeing, then denying. When I followed up the next day with professed witnesses of the event, most of them changed their story. Overnight, the fact of a fascinating levitation was demoted to a memory of mere grounded meditation. Only a few of the witnesses retained the experience of the levitation from the evening it happened until the next morning!
Furthermore, with the passage of time, even the few people who remembered the levitation the morning after, began to reinterpret, invalidate or completely forget they ever witnessed Michio float in the air. In other words, the further in time we got from the actual miracle, the fewer people remembered seeing it.
The only witnesses who remembered over time that they witnessed Michio levitate were people who saw him—or another gifted being—levitate on more than one occasion.
What’s going on here? I asked myself. What a lesson in the filtering power of our programmed preconceptions. We only see what we’re conditioned to see. We only perceive what we expect to perceive!
Over the years, I’ve found this perceptual filtering often goes along with the witnessing of supernormal abilities. I call it “spiritual amnesia.” The mind works fast to cover up any evidence that contradicts its own rigid perimeters regarding what is possible in its world. This malady is like a 24-hour flu virus. It’s easy to catch in our culture. The effects of the syndrome last just long enough to wipe out any memory of an unusual event that doesn’t fit into our expected range of possibilities! By the next day, the extraordinary event is either made ordinary by the mind and memory, or forgotten altogether.
In my career as a journalist covering natural disasters and crisis situations, I’ve encountered the invalidating effect of spiritual amnesia after every major superhuman feat that was out of the box—beyond the envelop or scope of what most people believe is possible. A prime example is the seemingly extraordinary ability of people to lift and keep aloft heavy vehicles until a loved one or stranger is rescued from danger. In the making of a documentary on the subject, I found out this act of extra-normal strength has occurred at least once in practically every community in the country! And, as with levitation, it’s usually only those people who have witnessed this extraordinary human ability more than once who are able and willing to remember that it occurred at all.
Later that same year, I fell victim to the insidious power of spiritual amnesia in my own psyche. Until a friend at work mentioned levitation one day, I never considered attempting this skill myself. Recounting Michio’s floating feat to my co-worker, I got so re-invigorated about the subject that I decided to try to levitate when I got home from work that very evening. I planned to use Michio’s technique of tapping into universal wave energy. Yet, by the time I got home that evening, I totally forgot about my intentions to levitate!
It was months later that some reference in my environment again triggered my memory of wanting to levitate. Again, I forgot my plans by the time I was in a suitable situation to act on them. The same lapse of memory and carry-through concerning my notions to levitate occurred many times over the following years. I usually remembered my objective to levitate when I was at work during the day, only to forget again by the time I got home in the evening. It ultimately took writing down the levitation plans on paper during the day for me to remember it in the evening!
When the auspicious event finally occurred, it took me several hours to empty myself of self-absorption and quiet my mind enough to successfully tap into the electro-magnetic energy force field Michio mentioned in his lectures. Finally, I felt very clear and calm. My kneeling body started to lift off the floor! I felt my body rising. I opened my eyes, looked down and saw I was about a foot off the ground. As soon as I saw that startling reality, my whole body was immediately filled with the thunderous sound of "NNNOOOOO!!!!” This heavy, loud “NO!” filled every cell of my body, and I came crashing to the floor.
It took me years to recover psychologically from that “NO!” I felt very guilty, as if I had done something wrong and prohibited—like I’d committed some crime against nature. Several years passed before I tried levitation again. The same thing happened. I started lifting off the floor. I noticed that I had the thought, I'm levitating. I'm rising. And as soon as the reality of the floating hit my awareness, again, immediately, this loud, forceful, heavy “NO!” pervaded my body. It came from every cell in my body, and from deep within myself. I crashed to the floor.
Not one to give up on something I really want, I tried levitation again years later. This time I attempted my experiment with two friends, Giana and Steve. During an evening of intimate, honest conversation, I told them the story of Michio’s levitation. "Let's try it," they exclaimed in unison. Giana and Steve were the first people with whom I shared his story who were motivated to try to levitate themselves.
With all our excitement and expectation, it took hours of meditation for us to get quiet and clear our minds. When we finally did empty our minds, we all began to rise at the same time. I saw their bodies lifting off the floor. However, as soon as Giana and Steve noticed they were a foot above the floor, they came crashing down together. Watching their descent triggered me into “thinking.” I came right down after them.
Like me, Giana and Steve felt a strong sensation of shame and guilt—like they had done something wrong or prohibited. That night, we talked about our levitation experiment at length. But the next morning the “spiritual amnesia” had already set in and we all went off to work without mentioning the miraculous occurrence of the previous evening. And none of the three of us ever referred to that evening’s adventure again in the following years of acquaintance. I have since lost touch with both friends.
I often wonder if I could entice Giana and Steve to remember the evening we explored the wonder of surfing the waves of the universe. I often wonder if I could entice myself to fly again. With considerable embarrassment, I must admit I haven’t made another attempt to levitate since my exploits with Giana and Steve. I’m waiting for the right moment and situation. It hasn’t felt intuitively right for me to re-attempt flight. I haven’t gotten the impetus or clearance from my inner coach to undertake another experiment in expanding my known universe in this way.
My reluctance can be further explained through the inherent meaning of the word experiment. When we take a look at the Latin components, we discover the source of the word’s meaning: Ex-to go out of, beyond. Periment-perimeter, boundary, border, periphery. Experiment-to go beyond the boundary. According to Webster’s, another Latin root of the word contributes to a deeper understanding: pericul-danger, trial, test. Thus, experiment-danger in going beyond the boundaries—which is what a lot of us feel when we test the borders of our known world.
Through much exploration, I’ve learned the wisdom of waiting for intuitive guidance as to when, how far and under what circumstances I venture into new, uncharted territory. The perils are considerable in barging ahead heedless of one’s inner compass. Someday soon, I hope to get the go-ahead again from my inner coach that I am strong and clear enough to go beyond my old, known borders to enjoy “the incredible lightness of being.”
The answer is, “They take themselves lightly.”
One evening I uncovered the core of truth in this joke. Little did I imagine that the joke was being totally literal.
I was attending a lecture of Michio Kushi, one of my spiritual mentors, when he became very frustrated with his Los Angeles audience of several hundred metaphysical seekers. He was attempting to convey to us an understanding of the physics of life, the fundamental mechanism of... creation and transformation in life processes. Sensing he wasn’t getting his message across, Michio decided to get more simple and basic. He emphasized the fact that the core nature of all life is energy, declaring, "The world is all energy. Everything is energy. And if you understand that, you can understand the real dynamics behind how things happen the way they do in the ‘so-called’ physical universe."
The audience was comprised of bright, curious people of all ages and backgrounds. However, few of us were understanding Michio on the fundamental level he was trying to communicate. Exasperated, he switched to an experiential tack, announcing abruptly and emphatically, "All right. I'll demonstrate what I’m talking about."
Michio knelt down in the traditional Japanese manner on his knees, put his hands together in a prayer-like position, closed his eyes and sat very still. After several minutes, his body began to slowly lift off the ground to a height of about three feet. There he remained for ten minutes, suspended in the air several feet above the floor. Now he had my attention!
I was astonished, of course. Then I impulsively did something that, in retrospect, seems very irrational and even humorous. But at the time, the maneuver made sense to me.
My mind’s orderly framework of reality was being severely challenged by Michio’s airborne body. I needed to do something to psychologically feel more in control. If I was being forced to expand my belief in what is humanly possible on this earth, I was going to make sure the phenomenon was authentic. I had to do something that would give the apparent impossibility I was witnessing some sense of validity.
In a childlike way, I felt the levitation would be more real for me if I knew firsthand that nothing was underneath his body. I was sitting in the front row of the audience. I reached underneath Michio’s hovering body, pretending my only intention was to grab a notebook behind him. I discovered Michio was, indeed, floating in midair! There was only empty space underneath him. Inserting myself physically into the incomprehensible picture before me made the whole scene more authentic for me.
After about ten minutes, Michio’s body gently descended to the floor. He opened his eyes and shared offhandedly, “Levitation is very easy. It is a natural, simple process. You all can do it.”
Then he proceeded to tell us how to levitate. He spoke casually, as if he were describing how to ride a bicycle, “You simply empty your mind and clear your consciousness. Eliminate yourself of ego and self-absorption. When you are completely purged of awareness of the small self, of identifying with the personality, you are free to move with the natural rhythm of the universe. You are no longer weighted down with self-concern and limiting beliefs. You are then able to utilize the electro-magnetic wave energy that moves between the earth and the sun, moon, planets and all the heavenly bodies in the universe.”
Sensing that he was losing his audience again, he paused and then elaborated, “On a hot day, you can actually see the wave motion of this universal energy as it undulates the air over hot pavement. You can measure the powerful effect of this energy on the ocean: this invisible force causes the sea to rise and fall, creating the ocean tides. You can see this pattern of universal pulsation in the rolling of the ocean waves, the rhythm of rock strata in canyons and the formation of sand dunes in the desert. This universal, undulating motion creates all the spiral patterns you find in nature—from whirls in sea shells, twirling plant growth, twisted tree trunks and swirling ocean currents to water funnels going down the drain. The natural flow of life is an energy wave motion, up and down, in and out. All the wavelike patterns and spiral formations you find in nature exist because natural elements are fluid and flexible enough to flow with the natural wave energy current of life. When you become light enough, clear enough of ego-concern, you can let this wave energy move you as well. That's all levitation is.”
Sensing his audience was close to grasping his meaning, Michio tossed out examples for them to identify with. “Observe children, dogs and wild animals tap into this universally available energy source. To them, it’s natural. Haven’t you seen children and dogs in a park or on a beach as they run and jump all day without getting tired? If a child or dog feels especially happy and carefree, you’ll see them jumping two or three times higher than they normally can. We all know wild animals have extraordinary abilities to jump and leap, as well as run long distances very fast and long. Indigenous, tribal natives who retain their childlike innocence and openness in adulthood can run 100 miles in a single day without being tired. This is because they are light and empty enough to flow with universal energy. They allow the natural energy pulsation between the earth and other bodies to propel them. That is what the Star Wars screenwriter meant when he said, “May the Force be with you.” His characters had learned how to surf the Force. When you become fluid and malleable, you also can ride this energy and float."
Immediately after the lecture, I ran up to Michio, voicing my excitement over what I witnessed. He turned to me and smiled one of those accepting smiles I came to love.
“Most will not remember the levitation, Keith.”
I protested, exclaiming that, of course, they’d remember such a fantastic display of levitation, not to mention actual instructions on how anyone could do it. He simply shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe some. But very few.”
Determined to prove him wrong, I joined the attendees milling about the lecture hall and questioned small pockets of people about what they witnessed. To my astonishment, the majority of the audience didn’t see Michio levitate; they perceived him simply kneeling in meditation!
A minority of the audience did witness the levitation. Yet, of the people who stated that evening that they saw his body float, only a handful stuck by their statement the following day. The rest of the witnesses could no longer remember having seen the body levitate!
I reminded these witnesses that they had admitted seeing the feat just the evening before. But they took back their words—and their experience. As one observer replied incredulously, "Oh, no. I never said that. I never saw that. All I saw was Michio kneeling on the floor." They changed their story and their memory by the next morning!
What an awakening for me! I was forced to recognize how strenuously we humans hold onto our current, familiar, thus comfortable, views of reality.
On three other occasions, I observed Michio suspend his body in midair for ten minutes in front of several hundred people. After each demonstration, I questioned people in the same way I did after the first levitation. The same pattern played out: admission on the day of the event followed by a retraction the next day! Seeing, then denying. When I followed up the next day with professed witnesses of the event, most of them changed their story. Overnight, the fact of a fascinating levitation was demoted to a memory of mere grounded meditation. Only a few of the witnesses retained the experience of the levitation from the evening it happened until the next morning!
Furthermore, with the passage of time, even the few people who remembered the levitation the morning after, began to reinterpret, invalidate or completely forget they ever witnessed Michio float in the air. In other words, the further in time we got from the actual miracle, the fewer people remembered seeing it.
The only witnesses who remembered over time that they witnessed Michio levitate were people who saw him—or another gifted being—levitate on more than one occasion.
What’s going on here? I asked myself. What a lesson in the filtering power of our programmed preconceptions. We only see what we’re conditioned to see. We only perceive what we expect to perceive!
Over the years, I’ve found this perceptual filtering often goes along with the witnessing of supernormal abilities. I call it “spiritual amnesia.” The mind works fast to cover up any evidence that contradicts its own rigid perimeters regarding what is possible in its world. This malady is like a 24-hour flu virus. It’s easy to catch in our culture. The effects of the syndrome last just long enough to wipe out any memory of an unusual event that doesn’t fit into our expected range of possibilities! By the next day, the extraordinary event is either made ordinary by the mind and memory, or forgotten altogether.
In my career as a journalist covering natural disasters and crisis situations, I’ve encountered the invalidating effect of spiritual amnesia after every major superhuman feat that was out of the box—beyond the envelop or scope of what most people believe is possible. A prime example is the seemingly extraordinary ability of people to lift and keep aloft heavy vehicles until a loved one or stranger is rescued from danger. In the making of a documentary on the subject, I found out this act of extra-normal strength has occurred at least once in practically every community in the country! And, as with levitation, it’s usually only those people who have witnessed this extraordinary human ability more than once who are able and willing to remember that it occurred at all.
Later that same year, I fell victim to the insidious power of spiritual amnesia in my own psyche. Until a friend at work mentioned levitation one day, I never considered attempting this skill myself. Recounting Michio’s floating feat to my co-worker, I got so re-invigorated about the subject that I decided to try to levitate when I got home from work that very evening. I planned to use Michio’s technique of tapping into universal wave energy. Yet, by the time I got home that evening, I totally forgot about my intentions to levitate!
It was months later that some reference in my environment again triggered my memory of wanting to levitate. Again, I forgot my plans by the time I was in a suitable situation to act on them. The same lapse of memory and carry-through concerning my notions to levitate occurred many times over the following years. I usually remembered my objective to levitate when I was at work during the day, only to forget again by the time I got home in the evening. It ultimately took writing down the levitation plans on paper during the day for me to remember it in the evening!
When the auspicious event finally occurred, it took me several hours to empty myself of self-absorption and quiet my mind enough to successfully tap into the electro-magnetic energy force field Michio mentioned in his lectures. Finally, I felt very clear and calm. My kneeling body started to lift off the floor! I felt my body rising. I opened my eyes, looked down and saw I was about a foot off the ground. As soon as I saw that startling reality, my whole body was immediately filled with the thunderous sound of "NNNOOOOO!!!!” This heavy, loud “NO!” filled every cell of my body, and I came crashing to the floor.
It took me years to recover psychologically from that “NO!” I felt very guilty, as if I had done something wrong and prohibited—like I’d committed some crime against nature. Several years passed before I tried levitation again. The same thing happened. I started lifting off the floor. I noticed that I had the thought, I'm levitating. I'm rising. And as soon as the reality of the floating hit my awareness, again, immediately, this loud, forceful, heavy “NO!” pervaded my body. It came from every cell in my body, and from deep within myself. I crashed to the floor.
Not one to give up on something I really want, I tried levitation again years later. This time I attempted my experiment with two friends, Giana and Steve. During an evening of intimate, honest conversation, I told them the story of Michio’s levitation. "Let's try it," they exclaimed in unison. Giana and Steve were the first people with whom I shared his story who were motivated to try to levitate themselves.
With all our excitement and expectation, it took hours of meditation for us to get quiet and clear our minds. When we finally did empty our minds, we all began to rise at the same time. I saw their bodies lifting off the floor. However, as soon as Giana and Steve noticed they were a foot above the floor, they came crashing down together. Watching their descent triggered me into “thinking.” I came right down after them.
Like me, Giana and Steve felt a strong sensation of shame and guilt—like they had done something wrong or prohibited. That night, we talked about our levitation experiment at length. But the next morning the “spiritual amnesia” had already set in and we all went off to work without mentioning the miraculous occurrence of the previous evening. And none of the three of us ever referred to that evening’s adventure again in the following years of acquaintance. I have since lost touch with both friends.
I often wonder if I could entice Giana and Steve to remember the evening we explored the wonder of surfing the waves of the universe. I often wonder if I could entice myself to fly again. With considerable embarrassment, I must admit I haven’t made another attempt to levitate since my exploits with Giana and Steve. I’m waiting for the right moment and situation. It hasn’t felt intuitively right for me to re-attempt flight. I haven’t gotten the impetus or clearance from my inner coach to undertake another experiment in expanding my known universe in this way.
My reluctance can be further explained through the inherent meaning of the word experiment. When we take a look at the Latin components, we discover the source of the word’s meaning: Ex-to go out of, beyond. Periment-perimeter, boundary, border, periphery. Experiment-to go beyond the boundary. According to Webster’s, another Latin root of the word contributes to a deeper understanding: pericul-danger, trial, test. Thus, experiment-danger in going beyond the boundaries—which is what a lot of us feel when we test the borders of our known world.
Through much exploration, I’ve learned the wisdom of waiting for intuitive guidance as to when, how far and under what circumstances I venture into new, uncharted territory. The perils are considerable in barging ahead heedless of one’s inner compass. Someday soon, I hope to get the go-ahead again from my inner coach that I am strong and clear enough to go beyond my old, known borders to enjoy “the incredible lightness of being.”
Body Glove Watches: Water Sports and Elagance
Body Glove, a company from in Redondo Beach, Clifornia, founded in 1953 and specialized in wetsuits, swimwear, clothing, footwear, accessories, and technology accessories, continues to expand its product lines with an exciting new range of wristwatches, a line of functional and performance inspired watches for men and women. Body Glove has joined forces with Time Concepts, LLC, a new company established by the founder and CEO of Luminox watches.
Time Concepts was established as a "watch platform" onto which new...watch brands will be placed, the first among them being the new Body Glove watch collection. With more than 25 years in the chronometric products business, Barry Cohen, founder of Luminox watches, established Time Concepts in 2006 to serve as a separate entity from Luminox for the development of branded watch programs and private label opportunities within the world of timepieces. Design development is under way on 24 more styles within the Body Glove brand, to be released later in 2007, as well as two other brands of watches to be released in the future, in addition to ongoing work on private label OEM watch programs for other companies.
The Body Glove watches are very popular among the aquatic sports fans. They are not only very appealing, but they are also a perfect choice for the active lifestyle of the Body Glove customers. They have all the functions of a regular dive watch and yet they are far more elegant. As a throw back to the era when the company was founded, the watch line includes a heritage retro collection with chronographs that have oversized crowns and pushers, braided leather straps and antique dials.
All of these timepieces possess the singular Body Glove fashion, while maintaining the brand's unmistakable pursuit for performance. In keeping with Body Glove's root product�- the wetsuit, all watches were made for humid environments, and just as functions for wetsuits are various, so too is the watch line. These beautiful watches come in a variety of colors and with an assortment of different materials including waterproof leather, nylon, polyurethane and stainless steel. The new Body Glove watches are a great choice whether you are on land or in the water, whether you are on a surfboard or in a luxury car.
Time Concepts was established as a "watch platform" onto which new...watch brands will be placed, the first among them being the new Body Glove watch collection. With more than 25 years in the chronometric products business, Barry Cohen, founder of Luminox watches, established Time Concepts in 2006 to serve as a separate entity from Luminox for the development of branded watch programs and private label opportunities within the world of timepieces. Design development is under way on 24 more styles within the Body Glove brand, to be released later in 2007, as well as two other brands of watches to be released in the future, in addition to ongoing work on private label OEM watch programs for other companies.
The Body Glove watches are very popular among the aquatic sports fans. They are not only very appealing, but they are also a perfect choice for the active lifestyle of the Body Glove customers. They have all the functions of a regular dive watch and yet they are far more elegant. As a throw back to the era when the company was founded, the watch line includes a heritage retro collection with chronographs that have oversized crowns and pushers, braided leather straps and antique dials.
All of these timepieces possess the singular Body Glove fashion, while maintaining the brand's unmistakable pursuit for performance. In keeping with Body Glove's root product�- the wetsuit, all watches were made for humid environments, and just as functions for wetsuits are various, so too is the watch line. These beautiful watches come in a variety of colors and with an assortment of different materials including waterproof leather, nylon, polyurethane and stainless steel. The new Body Glove watches are a great choice whether you are on land or in the water, whether you are on a surfboard or in a luxury car.
Surfing History
In the early 1900's the Hawaiians organized the Hui Nalu (surf club) and competed in neighborly surf competitions with the Outrigger Canoe Club. This drew a great deal of attention to the Waikiki surf shore, bringing a revitalized interest in the sport, which had fallen out of favor in the late 1800s. Duke Kahanamoku, an Olympic star in swimming, popularized the sport further by traveling internationally and showing off his surfing style to thrilled audiences around the world. He was favored by...Hollywood elite; having acted in bit parts in films and was always recruiting new surfers wherever he went. He is credited with surfing the longest wave of all time in 1917, in the popular surfing area now called Outside Castles in Waikiki. His 1000 meters plus wave record has yet to be overtaken.
In the 1930s, the sport of surfing was experiencing a Renaissance. Tom Blake, founder of the Pacific Coast Surf Championships that ended with the onset of war in 1941, was the first man to photograph surfing from the water. Another photographer and surfer named Doc Ball published California Surfriders 1946, which depicts the pristine coastal beaches and good-time, relaxed atmosphere of surf living. Surfing, although curtailed in the aftermath of WWII, revived as always by the 1950s. Bud Browne, an accomplished surfer and waterman, created the first 'surf movie' with his 1953 "Hawaiian Surfing Movie". This inspired many photographers, filmmakers and surfers to continue documenting the sport, culminating with is arguably the best surf movie of all time, 1963's "Endless Summer" by Bruce Brown. The film opened up the genre of the surf movie and the art of surfing to non-surfing people, accumulating fans and inspiring neophytes.
Although surfing was a male-dominated sport, adventurous women surfers can be seen all the way back to the times of the Polynesian Queens. Two notable 'surfer girls' were Eve Fletcher and Anona Napolean. Eve Fletcher was a California-born animator for Walt Disney and Anona Napolean was the daughter of a respected Hawaiian surfing family. The two pioneered the sport for modern women, winning surfing competitions up and down the California coast at the end of the 50s and into the 60s. Hollywood was quick to be on the scene and with the 1959 film "Gidget", surfing was flung far out into the mainstream, never to return to its humble, ritualistic beginnings. "Gidget" inspired a slew of "Beach Blanket Bingo" movies that brought surfing to a new generation of teens and inspiring a new genre of 'surf music' that accompanied films and made The Beach Boys more famous than Elvis in the 60s.
Surfing spread throughout all media and Surfing Magazine was born in the early 1960s by famous surf photographer, LeRoy Grannis. After that, other publications cropped up bringing more information on the sport, equipment and stars of the surfing scene. John Severson, an accomplished filmmaker and photographer, created Surfer Magazine, originally called "The Surfer". These publications brought advertising, professional surfing, surf culture and publicity to the now very popularized sport.
In the 1930s, the sport of surfing was experiencing a Renaissance. Tom Blake, founder of the Pacific Coast Surf Championships that ended with the onset of war in 1941, was the first man to photograph surfing from the water. Another photographer and surfer named Doc Ball published California Surfriders 1946, which depicts the pristine coastal beaches and good-time, relaxed atmosphere of surf living. Surfing, although curtailed in the aftermath of WWII, revived as always by the 1950s. Bud Browne, an accomplished surfer and waterman, created the first 'surf movie' with his 1953 "Hawaiian Surfing Movie". This inspired many photographers, filmmakers and surfers to continue documenting the sport, culminating with is arguably the best surf movie of all time, 1963's "Endless Summer" by Bruce Brown. The film opened up the genre of the surf movie and the art of surfing to non-surfing people, accumulating fans and inspiring neophytes.
Although surfing was a male-dominated sport, adventurous women surfers can be seen all the way back to the times of the Polynesian Queens. Two notable 'surfer girls' were Eve Fletcher and Anona Napolean. Eve Fletcher was a California-born animator for Walt Disney and Anona Napolean was the daughter of a respected Hawaiian surfing family. The two pioneered the sport for modern women, winning surfing competitions up and down the California coast at the end of the 50s and into the 60s. Hollywood was quick to be on the scene and with the 1959 film "Gidget", surfing was flung far out into the mainstream, never to return to its humble, ritualistic beginnings. "Gidget" inspired a slew of "Beach Blanket Bingo" movies that brought surfing to a new generation of teens and inspiring a new genre of 'surf music' that accompanied films and made The Beach Boys more famous than Elvis in the 60s.
Surfing spread throughout all media and Surfing Magazine was born in the early 1960s by famous surf photographer, LeRoy Grannis. After that, other publications cropped up bringing more information on the sport, equipment and stars of the surfing scene. John Severson, an accomplished filmmaker and photographer, created Surfer Magazine, originally called "The Surfer". These publications brought advertising, professional surfing, surf culture and publicity to the now very popularized sport.
Saturday, 5 January 2008
Lords of Dogtown: the Real Story of the Z-boys
The site of the former Pacific Ocean Park in the beach district on the Venice and Santa Monica border is something of a sacred legend within the skateboarding and surfing community. The area, which is nicknamed Dogtown, was immortalised in the 2001 skateboarding documentary, Dogtown and Z-Boys, and later in the 2005 feature film, Lords of Dogtown, which was based on the...the characters and events introduced in Dogtown and Z-Boys.
Dogtown and Z-Boys, directed by Stacy Peralta (himself a member of the original Z-Boys) and narrated by Hollywood star Sean Penn, tells the history of skateboarding. The documentary charts the story of a group of teenage surfer/skateboarders in Santa Monica, known as the Z-Boys, and their influence on the history of skateboarding (and to a lesser extent surfing) culture, using a mix of film of the Z-Boys shot in the 1970s and more recently conducted interviews.
The aerial and sliding skate moves that the Z-Boys invented were the basis for the aerial skateboarding and surfing still popular today. These were just twelve ordinary teenagers who hung out in the Santa Monica neighbourhood of Dogtown who just wanted to surf and skate. They could never have known that they would start a revolution by turning what was a recreational past-time into an extreme sport.
Considered the most influential skateboard team in history, the Z-Boy movement continues to this day as an expression of performance, innovation and style.
Known officially as the Zephyr Skateboard Team, the Z-Boys began when they transferred their surf skills to drain pipes and empty swimming pools with stunning results. Their acrobatic maneuvers inspired generations of teens to join the skateboarding frenzy and catapulted them to fame and fortune; the majority of the original Z-Boys went on to compete professionally. Bob “Bullet” Biniak retired from skating in 1980, but went on to play golf professionally, while the only female member of the Z-Boys, Peggy Oki, rejected skating in favour of surfing, and has competed in surf contests all over the world. Jim Muir and Tony Alva both rejected deals from major skate companies to set up on their own, and were the first skateboarders to ever do so.
In 2005, Stacy Peralta wrote the screenplay for Lords of Dogtown, which dramatically retold the Dogtown days. Starring Heath Ledger and Rebecca De Mornay, and featuring a cameo from perhaps the world’s most famous modern day skateboarder Tony Hawk, Lords of Dogtown focused more on the relationships between the Z-Boys, looking at their friendships, how they coped with fame, and how they grew more and more competitive towards one another. It also focused heavily on the tragic loss of Z-Boy associate Sid, who lost a battle against brain cancer.
Skateboarders or surfers keen to make a pilgrimage to the legendary and iconic Dogtown for themsleves can find a hotel in Santa Monica for their accomodation needs, and thankfully, the area has improved a lot since the Dogtown days.
The story of the Dogtown and Z-Boys is an inspiring tale of determination, rebellion, and friendship, and even those who have no interest in skateboarding or surfing, and been won over by this fascinating little piece of American sub-culture.
Dogtown and Z-Boys, directed by Stacy Peralta (himself a member of the original Z-Boys) and narrated by Hollywood star Sean Penn, tells the history of skateboarding. The documentary charts the story of a group of teenage surfer/skateboarders in Santa Monica, known as the Z-Boys, and their influence on the history of skateboarding (and to a lesser extent surfing) culture, using a mix of film of the Z-Boys shot in the 1970s and more recently conducted interviews.
The aerial and sliding skate moves that the Z-Boys invented were the basis for the aerial skateboarding and surfing still popular today. These were just twelve ordinary teenagers who hung out in the Santa Monica neighbourhood of Dogtown who just wanted to surf and skate. They could never have known that they would start a revolution by turning what was a recreational past-time into an extreme sport.
Considered the most influential skateboard team in history, the Z-Boy movement continues to this day as an expression of performance, innovation and style.
Known officially as the Zephyr Skateboard Team, the Z-Boys began when they transferred their surf skills to drain pipes and empty swimming pools with stunning results. Their acrobatic maneuvers inspired generations of teens to join the skateboarding frenzy and catapulted them to fame and fortune; the majority of the original Z-Boys went on to compete professionally. Bob “Bullet” Biniak retired from skating in 1980, but went on to play golf professionally, while the only female member of the Z-Boys, Peggy Oki, rejected skating in favour of surfing, and has competed in surf contests all over the world. Jim Muir and Tony Alva both rejected deals from major skate companies to set up on their own, and were the first skateboarders to ever do so.
In 2005, Stacy Peralta wrote the screenplay for Lords of Dogtown, which dramatically retold the Dogtown days. Starring Heath Ledger and Rebecca De Mornay, and featuring a cameo from perhaps the world’s most famous modern day skateboarder Tony Hawk, Lords of Dogtown focused more on the relationships between the Z-Boys, looking at their friendships, how they coped with fame, and how they grew more and more competitive towards one another. It also focused heavily on the tragic loss of Z-Boy associate Sid, who lost a battle against brain cancer.
Skateboarders or surfers keen to make a pilgrimage to the legendary and iconic Dogtown for themsleves can find a hotel in Santa Monica for their accomodation needs, and thankfully, the area has improved a lot since the Dogtown days.
The story of the Dogtown and Z-Boys is an inspiring tale of determination, rebellion, and friendship, and even those who have no interest in skateboarding or surfing, and been won over by this fascinating little piece of American sub-culture.
Water Sports and Surfing in California
With its fabulous, year-round warm climate, California has been synonymous with surfing and the sporty, tanned, blonde-haired types who have participated in the sport since the 1960s. As such, you'd be hard pressed to find somewhere better to go if you want to ride the best waves! The undisputed hotbed of surfing in California is San Diego - the state’s second largest city. Here, you’ll find fantastic Pacific beaches with facilities specifically designed for surfers and...other water sports users, as well as some of the biggest waves that the Pacific has to offer.
Home to several of the surfing industry’s biggest manufacturers and famous pro surfer Rob Machado, the city’s hottest surfing beaches can be found at Black’s Beach, Swamis, Windansea and, of course, at San Diego’s biggest beach: Mission Bay. Attracting millions of visitors each year, San Diego’s beaches are packed with surfers eager to ride the waves; and on the days when the surf isn’t up to par, you'll be able to participate in other exciting water sports - such as water-skiing, jet skiing and paragliding.
Instruction in all water sports disciplines is available at Mission Bay Beach, with some of the biggest and best water sports schools to be found there. Just beyond the beach there is a massive park that offers other recreational activities, such as volleyball and basketball; but with plenty of picnic areas and outdoor barbeques, this park quickly fills up during the summer months, so sun-lovers must get there early to secure their spot!
Many of the best hotels in San Diego are also found in the Mission Bay Beach area, which - at only six miles from the international airport - is convenient to reach and also serves as a great base from which to explore the city and its surroundings.
As California’s second largest city you’ll find there is much to do in San Diego when you’re not surfing, swimming or generally splashing around in the sea; you'll be able to visit everything from some of California's best art museums to local zoos! The San Diego Museum of Art, the Museum of Man and the Natural History Museum are all popular attractions and are all found in the picturesque Balboa Park, along with the Museum of Photographic Arts.
Other cultural highlights include local theatres, opera and the San Diego Symphony. The city is also home to two major US sporting franchises: the NFL's Chargers and the Padres, a popular Major League Baseball team. If none of those alternative attractions or activities tickle your fancy, how about trying the impressive San Diego Zoo, Seaworld, the Wild Animal Park, or even the theme park at Legoland?
Whatever attracts you to San Diego, whether it's sun, sand, surf or the sights, you'll be warmly welcomed by friendly locals, who will do all they can to help you enjoy your holiday.
Home to several of the surfing industry’s biggest manufacturers and famous pro surfer Rob Machado, the city’s hottest surfing beaches can be found at Black’s Beach, Swamis, Windansea and, of course, at San Diego’s biggest beach: Mission Bay. Attracting millions of visitors each year, San Diego’s beaches are packed with surfers eager to ride the waves; and on the days when the surf isn’t up to par, you'll be able to participate in other exciting water sports - such as water-skiing, jet skiing and paragliding.
Instruction in all water sports disciplines is available at Mission Bay Beach, with some of the biggest and best water sports schools to be found there. Just beyond the beach there is a massive park that offers other recreational activities, such as volleyball and basketball; but with plenty of picnic areas and outdoor barbeques, this park quickly fills up during the summer months, so sun-lovers must get there early to secure their spot!
Many of the best hotels in San Diego are also found in the Mission Bay Beach area, which - at only six miles from the international airport - is convenient to reach and also serves as a great base from which to explore the city and its surroundings.
As California’s second largest city you’ll find there is much to do in San Diego when you’re not surfing, swimming or generally splashing around in the sea; you'll be able to visit everything from some of California's best art museums to local zoos! The San Diego Museum of Art, the Museum of Man and the Natural History Museum are all popular attractions and are all found in the picturesque Balboa Park, along with the Museum of Photographic Arts.
Other cultural highlights include local theatres, opera and the San Diego Symphony. The city is also home to two major US sporting franchises: the NFL's Chargers and the Padres, a popular Major League Baseball team. If none of those alternative attractions or activities tickle your fancy, how about trying the impressive San Diego Zoo, Seaworld, the Wild Animal Park, or even the theme park at Legoland?
Whatever attracts you to San Diego, whether it's sun, sand, surf or the sights, you'll be warmly welcomed by friendly locals, who will do all they can to help you enjoy your holiday.
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