Whole Life Magazine

January/February 2015

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BOOKS BOOKS Chi Kung for Women's Health and Sexual Vitality A Handbook of Simple Exercises and Techniques By Mantak Chia and William U. Wei T he practice of chi kung is enjoying a revival among alternative healers and energetic practitioners, as evinced by an increasing number of course offerings and local study groups. This timely tome presents exercises designed to balance, tone and maintain female sexual organs while rejuvenating sexual vitality and promoting "self-cultivation" through a combination of mental and physical techniques. The techniques are designed to allow the practitioner to retain and increase sexual energy, reversing the fl ow of energy or ching chi during orgasmic sex, drawing it upward into the body to assist with internal healing and general body maintenance. They are, nevertheless, primarily nonsexual and rejuvenative in nature, utilizing breath work, massage, sound, and vaginal weightlifting exercises—this last covered in great detail but recommended only for instructors and advanced students. Of specifi c focus are strengthening the bone marrow and endocrine glands (conferring anti-aging benefi ts), cultivating ovarian vitality and preventing gynecological cancer. Detailed nutritional and cleansing/detox support and product sourcing to enhance overall health and vitality is also included. There's even a commentary on the pros and cons of celibacy and its effect on the circulation of chi. Generously illustrated, this well-written manual thoroughly details female anatomy and energetic pathways involved in the exercises described. And for those interested in further exploration, there's an ample Resources and Recommended Reading section. (Destiny Books) —Marcy Graham Dreaming In Sanskrit Winds of Samsara art & soul MARTI NIKKO & DJ DREZ MUSIC W hat do Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, an Indian composer of timeless melodies, a South African fl ute virtuoso, and more than 120 spirited musicians from fi ve con- tinents all have in common? Winds of Samsara, of course. A truly global effort, this CD is the dream of Wouter Kellerman and Ricky Kej, an unlikely but brilliant collaborative duo. Draw- ing from the disparate cultures of Kellerman's South Africa and Kej's India, the pair has melded their creative infl uences into a wonderful sonic gumbo. Winds of Samsara speaks to themes of peace and positivity a la Gandhi and Mandela, spin- ning harmony, progressive composition and technical prow- ess with such unparalleled verve and passion that it just won a Grammy nomination in the New Age category. A masterful winds player, Kellerman is sensitive to every last nuance, with a wealth of well thought-out choices and infl ections. Kej is a painter of sonic murals, a weaver of landscapes, his imagery rich and deep. Their collaboration is rich with sonic detail and magnifi cent interplay—including cover art, packaging and lin- er notes—that inspires the listener to dig deep beyond the surface into a stunning musical experience. (Listen2Africa) —Lloyd Barde W atching Marti Nikko's evolution has been a trip. The trained jazz singer has long guested on her husband DJ Drez's albums—one of my favorite cuts on her full-length de- but is a remix of her performance of "Krishna Dub," from his Jahta Beat: The Lotus Memoirs record. Yet she was long reluc- tant to perform live or make too much of her incredible range. Last year she took requests on her Facebook page and would spin out minute-long renditions of soul and jazz classics. It was the mantras, so close to her heart, that in the end did her in. Dreaming in Sanskrit is her take on tributes to Ganesha, Hanuman and the whole lot of Indian superheroes. Produced by, of course, Drez, you won't fi nd a wide divergence from his already solid beatmaking. What you do discover, however, is Nikko's lifelong passion for the music and spirituality of India, interpreted in a unique and vibrant way. It's beautiful watching a human step into her own, which is exactly what she's doing on these 13 tracks. (Black Swan Sounds) —Derek Beres Ricky Kej & Wouter Kellerman 32 wholelifetimes.com

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