Randy's posterous

There are two sites that describe the first two stages in learning qigong breathing. The first is Following the Breath. This is where you learn to relax and focus your intent. Some would call this training the monkey mind. The second stage occurs after you have learned the first, it is called Stages in Abdominal Breathing. This blog entry describes the process of learning normal abdominal breathing. What is missing is a post on reverse abdominal breathing, a practice used by martial artists and in certain meditations. But learning this happens after having some experience in the first two methods. http://bit.ly/oyqFem

A Field Trip North of Liberia in Guanacaste, Costa Rica

In this blog entry for July, 2011, I relate encounters during a walk in the woods along a river north of Liberia.  It is the rainy season I saw a blue mushroom for the first time underneath some live oak trees.  The blog has photos of fungi and a video of a highly poisonous rainforest  hognose pitviper which I also spotted.  The identity of the snake was confirmed by Greg McConnell, a herpetologist, professor and book author from the United States.  It was quite a day!  Read the blog and follow me for more adventures in Guancaste.

Guanacaste Costa Rica

I have written of my experiences while living in the Guanacaste, Costa Rica province for the past few years.  The Squidoo article, as it stands in the initial phase, contains information on the "Attractions and Distractions" of this region.  The topics in this initial phase (additional phases will be added soon) include information about the beaches and volcanoes in the region.  All of the information in this article is based on my experience and it is not a glowing, tourist promotional as you commonly find about the region (like you see provided by real estate agents and hotels that make reviews to help their industry).  I think Costa Rica is great, but there are some considerations that all tourists should be aware of when visiting the region.  I thus cover some of the highlights and drawbacks.  

Tourist Tips for Visting Costa Rica

I put ten tips for visiting Costa Rica on a Hub Pages site a few days ago.  These tips come from having 3 years of experience of living in Costa Rica, of which I have spent a significant time visiting various tourist sites in the country, including beaches, rain forests, volcanoes and hot springs.  These tips include tips of gratuities in restaurants, security considerations, and some ideas on places that can be picked as places to stay to serve as a center for visiting other parts of the country.  The last part refers to all inclusive resorts, which can save tourists a lot of money and provide a simpler way to see many of the tourist sites as there are numerous shuttle services in the country.   Check out these tips to make your visit to the country more fun, less expensive and a source for obtaining many memories to cherish afterwards. 
There are several posts on this site that mention methods that can be used to deal with high blood pressure. I like the overall approach of the author, who discusses that use of the Taoist method of water meditation to facilitate relaxation and letting go of tension. With hypertension, there is a lot to let go of, and it would go away without learning how to relax. http://bit.ly/a23Ga2
I was reading a book yesterday by Donna Eden. It is amazing to me that she can write a book that has a significant proportion that is dedicated to qigong methods and still not mention the word. That is not to take away from the excellent content of the book, I use several of the techniques that she describes, which differ significantly from the approaches I have garnered from other sources. She also uses Jin Shin Do acupressure methods for healing and removal of toxic chi. http://amplify.com/u/7mtn