I have a 10 -years old newspaper clipping from Borneo Bulletin featured on Mdm Teresa Hsu Chih at 100-years-young. She had a specially interview coverage by CNN and received an award given by Her World magazine at the same year, for her lifetime work with the poor. For her ,there is no retirement.
This is a short summery from that clipping. The Amazing Mdm Teresa Hsu Chih always been my mentor.
The reporter found himself marvelling at her. She 's living proof of how young a 100-year-old can be.
" Be good.Live with love in your heart,"said Hsu Chih " Avoid harsh words and unhappy feelings." Simple words - do others dare live by her example?"
Doing good has made her absolutely fearless.This is her ultimate secret.
As she recieved her award , the reported thought."This woman has only $39 in her bank account.Yet she 's completely fearless.She's the most powerful person i 've ever met."
Later he asked ;" How do you start living a fearless life?"
Instead of giving an answer, she asked a question in turn."What are you afraid of?That is the first question you must ask yourself. Does fear help anybody?No,So why spend so much time on fear?"
"Fear is crippling. Fear takes all the joy out of living."
Mdm Hsu Chih begined each day at 4am. She credited her youth to a simple lifestyle. She has been a vegetarian all her life. She takes only one meal a day - mainly raw vegetables and fruits, which she blends and drinks as a juice. She believes cooking spoils the nutrition. Drinking this juice has been her daily habit since 1947. In this , she was decades ahead of medical opinion. Recent scientific research has discovered such a diet is rich antioxidants,which are life-strengthening substances that prevent diseases and slow down ageing.
Daily meditation is " as important as a healthy diet".A peaceful mind is the foundation of good health,she says;" i never time myself - i just meditate until i feel really drunk on peace"
Even when she was working and pressed for time, she always devoted one hour each morning to meditation. Night is different. " Then , the time was mine. Once , I started at 11:30pm and discovered it was 5 am when i finished. The deep quiet is very refreshing and better than sleep."
Every morning and evening , one will find her with her feet in the air, doing yoga.it has kept her body supply. She started when she was 69 and is now a yoga teacher.
Lately , I received a forward mail featuring on this amazing woman at 110 years from my sister , and it seems everything about her still remained likes 10 years back.
She is 110 years old this year ( 2009 ). Small built and agile, she has grey hair , excellent hearing , and eyesight. She is one compassionate person who has helped others her entire life. For one century , she has been dedicating herself to others selflessly, unconditionally loving others, and especially caring for those who are poor , sick , old and suffering. As she puts it:" I did not come to this world alone. I have many companions and it is my responsibility to help them. I love them without any terms and conditions because we are a family. Even today , she still helps at the old folk home.
Learning yoga at the age of 69
Everyday she wold meditate , read , exercise , do charity , and do yoga. Her energy level and physical condition is comparable to the young people. This is especially true when she demonstrates the yoga movements with her soft and flexible limbs;seeing her moves her body makes one hold one's breath and grasp in admiration. She revealed the secret of her longevity as to work every day that she wakes up , to work without hesitation, and to be the voluntary worker of the society. At the same time she is careful not to speak ill words, not to be unhappy , and not to eat food cooked with strong fire; she refrain from meat , coffee , tea and alcoholic drinks. That is how she remains serene and joyful all the time, both physically and mentally.
She started learning yoga at the age of 69 and she talked about the wonderful experience of how her 'dreams came true ' in learning yoga.
one day , as she was reading ,something she loves to do very much , she read about the goodness of learning yoga.But what is yoga? she was not quite sure." How i wish someone would explain what yoga is to me and teach me yoga," she made a wish in her heart.
And the strangest thing happened. A few days after she made the wish to learn yoga , a man came to visit her old folks' home. He wore an orange long shirt and an orange hat.
" Are you a monk?" asked Hsu Chih
"Yes, i am." Said the man
" Do you teach yoga?"Hsu Chih asked
"Yes,My job is to teach yoga." Answer the man
As though the goddess has heard Hsu Chih's prayers and sent the yoga teacher to her. Since then , she started to learn and meditation from the teacher.
With yoga ,her body that was already healthy became even stronger and her energy level also became better. Of course , the good effort of dedicating herself to the poor and sick itself would harvest her the good karma of having a healthy body and a long life.
She demonstrates the Shoulderstand
She demonstrates the Fish pose in Lotus pose
Attendees , are from Singapore , Indonesia , Brunei!
Jacky Lim posed with Paul Grilley & His Wife - Suzee
one of the relaxed & meditative yin yoga poses - Saddle
In this room , you can see various races , with different gender, in various forms & shapes!!everyone is unique!Paul , suzee & JoPhee 's examining two 'extremes' of external & internal rotation of the arms to show the difference when doing Chaturanga!!!
Finding the landmark for the major body parts
Feeling the compression in the lumber region
Assisting one another to feel the compression
touching... feeling....exploring..
Step on behind the back to feel why is the tail and its relationship with the rest of the spine
Neck flexion decides in shoulder stand
besides neck flexion , scapular & Humerus form does big matter!!
it's so different from one person to another in just one of many segments of the body- neck flexion
Suzee 's examing on the difference of neck flexion from the line-up
2 opposite 'extremes' - super external and internal rotation
"Yoga tattoo"Paul calls it ,is to illustrate the rotation when in Virasana
Paul's accessing the rotation in virasana
