Around Town, Sept, 15, 2006

Meetings & Lectures

Origins and meanings of the September fiestas
Héctor Ulloa relates the origins, meanings and stories behind San Miguel’s many September fiestas at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship on Sunday, September 17.

Ulloa, a long-time student and observer of Mexican history and journalism, is currently the academic dean of the Instituto Allende and a former editor of Atención.

The UU Fellowship meets every Sunday at 10:30am at La Posada de la Aldea, Ancha de San Antonio 15. Visitors are invited to attend the service and then join the UUs in the hotel restaurant for brunch. For more information, see the site www.portalsanmiguel.com/lifestyle/unitarians/unitarians.html 

Midday Rotary Club

On Tuesday, September 19, the guest speaker at the Midday Rotary Club will be Linda Whynman, who will speak about PEASMA (Proyecto de Educación Ambiental San Miguel de Allende), a pilot program to bring environmental education to the school children of San Miguel. 

Linda is a retired director of arts in education in the state of New York. She worked with major museums, operas and cultural foundations to bring the arts and educational programs into schools in the state. She currently works in San Miguel doing graphic design and book layout and acts as educational liaison for Sociedad de Audubon.

PEASMA is the vision of Natalia Ortega, from Spain, and Eugenia Velasco, from Colima, Mexico. “We need a new generation that is not only more knowledgeable, but also more respectful of the environment,” said Natalia, adding that the way of achieving this “is to start with today’s children.” Beginning this month, children in various grades will have the following environmental classes: FAI sponsors workshops and field trips on wildlife and plants; The Audubon Society and SMA Garden Club have sessions on birds and related subjects; El Charco del Ingenio offers instruction in ecosystems and native wildlife; Save the Laja teaches preservation of river basins and SAPASMA offers lessons on avoiding water pollution and water treatment. 

National and state ecology officials will be monitoring the launch of this precedent-setting program, which is sponsored by Save the Children (FAI). National Education officials in Mexico City have pledged to provide some aid to PEASMA, but additional funding is still needed to make the program viable.

The Rotary Club of San Miguel de Allende-Midday meets every Tuesday at 12:30pm at the Villa Jacaranda Hotel, Aldama 53. Visiting Rotarians and others interested in Rotary are invited to attend this meeting. Lunch follows at 1:30pm in the hotel dining room. For more information, see www.rotarysma.org. 

San Miguel Christian Fellowship

The San Miguel Christian Fellowship will hold its first meeting at the Villa Santa Monica Hotel, situated on the south side of Parque Benito Juárez, at 4pm on Saturday, September 16. All are welcome.

This will be an organizational meeting and each person will have the opportunity to share ideas and visions about what the Fellowship might be, what it could entail and how it can be organized.

At this first meeting we will consider adopting the following statement of belief: “Following the life and teachings of Jesus, we are a fellowship that strives to be a gathering of grace, welcoming all regardless of theological expression, age, race, gender, sexual identity, national origin or financial means. Each member shall have the undisturbed right to follow the word of God according to the dictates of his or her own conscience, under the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit.”

“We would be honored by your presence among us, and we invite you to help us become what we endeavor to be.” For more information, please visit www.smacf.org or telephone 120-8180.

Finding inner peace: the Ishayas’ Ascension

The public is invited to attend a free talk titled “Finding Inner Peace” at 6pm on Friday, September 22, at the Warren Hardy School, San Antonio Abad 13. The talk will be presented by Ishaya monks who are dedicated to teaching Ascension meditation. This is a simple, easy practice that leads you to experience your true self, the source of inner peace, joy and unconditional love. The Ascension course will follow the talk on Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday. For more information call the SMA Ishaya Center at 154-9793 or email sma_ishayas@yahoo.com and visit www.ishaya.org.

Hash House Harriers

A gathering of the San Miguel Hash House Harrier Trail group will take place Monday, September 18, at 3pm at Keith Thompson’s Longhorn Smokehouse Barbeque restaurant, Calle Nueva 8 (just off of Ancha de San Antonio). The cost is 75 pesos (for participants’ bar tabs). The theme is Independencia de México, so wear green, white and red.

Subsequent weekly runs will leave from this location every Monday at 3pm (más o menos).

Additionally, the Mexico City HHH is bringing a group of Hashers to San Miguel in October to help the newest HHH kennel in Mexico, SMHHH, get rolling. This takes place Saturday, October 14, at 3pm at the Longhorn Smokehouse. Cost is 75 pesos, and the theme is Momias de Guanajuato (wear your finest wrappings).

Classes & Workshops

The art of peace in San Miguel

At 5pm on Wednesday, September 27, there will be an Aikido presentation in anticipation of the new Aikido dojo opening in the beginning of October. The presentation is free of charge. 

Aikido, practiced by millions of women and men all over the world, is now available in San Miguel de Allende in a new dojo (practice hall) near the San Juan de Dios market. Ken Rowland, a black belt with more than 15 years of experience in Aikido, will be the chief instructor. Classes will be offered for children, adolescents and adults. A special class called Aikido Light will be offered for retirees who want increased flexibility and physical conditioning from practicing the interesting and gentle principles of the art.

What is Aikido? Briefly, Aikido is a very powerful, nonviolent martial art that resonates with peoples’ desire to unify mind, body and spirit and live a centered, healthy life. Aikido is taught through movement, not words, so there is no conflict with individual belief, but practitioners inevitably develop an enjoyably expanded sense of the fundamental harmony all humans can share. For this reason, it has grown rapidly from its creation in Japan by Morehei Ueshiba before his death in 1969. 

The essence of all Aikido technique is the use of total body movement to create spherical motion around a stable, energized center. Properly executed, some techniques are spectacular, sending an opponent flying thorough the air. Others are small, deft movements that immobilize the aggressor.

Both results are achieved through precise use of leverage, inertia, gravity and the action of circular movements. Pins and throws compose the body of the 10,000 techniques of Aikido. (In the Aikido Light classes, throws will not be taught, though training will be given in the use of a short staff.)

Aikido training is usually conducted with a partner, like dancing. One person initiates an attack, and the other responds. The roles change. Technique is learned both from the perspective of the person throwing and of the one being thrown. 

Constant repetition to master the fundamentals of movement and timing is the main requirement. Students train themselves to capture another’s movement and redirect it with techniques of martial efficiency and power. At the same time, they become aware of the tendency to overreact to opposition, and learn to remain centered under all conditions.

The origin of Aikido is usually credited to an incident in 1925. A rumor was circulating in Japan that 42-year-old Morehei Ueshiba was the most formidable martial artist in the country. He was accomplished in many of the martial arts. An acknowledged master of the sword challenged him to a duel to determine who, indeed, was supreme. According to the Samurai custom still practiced, the winner would be determined by who remained alive after the match. Morehei refused the contest. The other insisted by attacking the unarmed Ueshiba, who defeated his opponent by avoiding the thrusts and strikes of the sword until the attacker collapsed, too exhausted to continue the assault.

After the incident, Ueshiba went to his garden. “All at once” he later wrote, “I understood the nature of creation: the Way of a Warrior is to manifest Divine Love, a spirit that embraces and nurtures all things.”

From this initial seed, the earliest Aikido principles began to develop. They came to fruition in 1942 when Ueshiba “finally touched the soul” of martial arts. “The Way of the Warrior has been misunderstood as a means to kill and destroy others,” he said. “Those who seek competition are making a grave mistake. To smash, injure, or destroy is the worst sin a human being can commit. The real Way of a Warrior is to prevent slaughter—it is the Art of Peace, the Power of Love.”

By the time of his death, Ueshiba had become known simply as “O Sensei,” the Great Teacher, and Aikido had begun to spread around the world. He is designated a National Treasure in Japan, and recognized by many as the greatest martial artist of all time. He saw Aikido as a path of individual enlightenment, and as a tool to harmonize the world, to end all hostility.

The name “Aikido” is composed of three Japanese characters: Ai, Ki and Do. Literally, Ai means love or harmony; Ki is universal energy or life force; and Do is a spiritual path or way. Thus, Aikido frequently is translated as the Path of Universal Harmony. O Sensei often referred to it as the Art of Peace. Whatever words we use to describe Aikido, those who practice for even a few months invariably find it is not only a powerful martial art, but an amazing force in maintaining balance and clarity in everyday life.

Most important, practitioners invariably enjoy themselves, following O Sensei’s dictate to “Always practice the Art of Peace in a vibrant and joyful manner.”

For more information, call Ken Rowland, 152-3709 or send email to aikidosma@yahoo.com 

Tours & Excursions

Botanical garden tour

Every Tuesday morning, discover the marvels of cacti and other Mexican plants as well as the history of El Charco with Mario Mendoza, vice-director. An additional privilege of this visit is the opportunity to see the plants in the nursery, which is not ordinarily open to the public. Many rare species and plants threatened with extinction are protected and propagated at El Charco. 

The entrance fee is 30 pesos (waived for members) and the tour is 50 pesos. All proceeds benefit the botanical garden. The tour is in English and starts at the main entrance at 9am. It lasts about two hours. Bring a hat and water. Space is limited; reserve by calling Mario at 044-415-101-0338 or send email to charco@unisono.net.mx 

Saturday Adventurers

¡Viva México! On September 16, Mexico celebrates 196 years of independence from Spain. On that date, the Adventurers travel to Lothar Mueller’s home and gallery, which features concrete throughout, from the rough walls of the gallery to the smoothly polished top of the dining table. The current exhibit may be a startling one, and the placement of his bathtub definitely is startling. Don’t miss his roof-top collection of cactus or the fantastic view. Afterward, an interesting and scenic ride brings us to the beautiful home of Carol and Harold Weicker, “Rancho Encantado,” once owned by the famous rejoneador Gerardo Trueba. The Weickers have transformed it into a wonderland of flowers, climbing red bougainvillea, sheep, goats and horses. In the old tienta (a small bull ring) their magnificent horses will show off their dressage training. A tour not to be missed!

The tour leaves from inside the Jardín across from the Parroquia at 10:30am. Take along your camera.

Volunteer opportunities

The Biblioteca Pública affords many opportunities for volunteers to reach out to the community and enrich the cultural life of San Miguel. Art classes, computer instruction and English classes are but some of the activities that our volunteers help with. If you are interested in volunteering your time, enthusiasm and talents for the enrichment of the Biblioteca’s programming, contact Judy Boston, volunteer coordinator, at volunteers@bibliotecasma.com.





But I’m only one person…
By Nataraj Ishaya

Ishaya Ascension workshop, Friday–Sunday, September 22–24

Warren Hardy School, San Antonio Abad 13, 154-9793

I’m only one person. What difference can I make in the world? Has that thought crossed your mind lately as you witness conflict, cruelty, suffering and fear escalate throughout much of the world? The next thought often is, Why don’t they do something to stop the chaos? These are common human reactions to the rampant suffering and inhumanity of war and other destructive creations of fear-based consciousness. 

However, what if you were suddenly given the power to influence world events for the better, to sow seeds of peace and love and joy, would you? Of course you would. What kind of a question is that? This may seem to be a startling claim, but not only can you influence world events, you cannot not affect the world with every thought you think. This is not just some airy-fairy, New Age notion, but a clear, measurable scientific fact, supported by leading researchers in many fields of science. 

The new frontier in science is pointing to an entirely new paradigm to understand the role of human consciousness in the creation of “reality.” This new paradigm points to the incredible power of individual human consciousness to affect “reality.” Your thoughts are influencing the entire “field” of human consciousness.

Take a moment to consider the implications of this statement. Every thought you think affects all of human consciousness. If you want more evidence of this fact, watch the popular film What the Bleep Do We Know?, which has brought more than a dozen world-class researchers from the cutting edge of various sciences into popular awareness. Whether physicist, theologian, biologist, biochemist, medical doctor or psychiatrist, the conclusion they reach is startlingly similar: our thoughts have a power much, much greater than we have believed. 

The leading edge of science is catching up with the mystical wisdom of the ancient sages, coming full circle to an understanding that each of us, by virtue of the gift of human consciousness, carries a huge responsibility, should we choose to accept it. 

According to Dr. David R. Hawkins, M.D., Ph.D., a leading researcher in the field of consciousness, “The difference in power between a loving thought (10-35 million microwatts) and a fearful thought (10-750 million microwatts) is so enormous as to be beyond the capacity of the human imagination to easily comprehend.” On the logarithmic scale of human consciousness, “One individual at the (consciousness) level 500 (love) counterbalances 750,000 individuals below level 200 (fear) .... Were it not for these counterbalances, mankind would self-destruct out of the sheer mass of its unopposed negativity” (pg. 282–3; Hawkins, Power vs. Force). 

One of the most powerful ancient teachings to direct the power of individual consciousness toward uplifting the entire “field” of human consciousness is called the Ishayas’ Ascension. The Ascension techniques—which are based on praise, gratitude, love and compassion—dovetail precisely with the leading scientific research.

The Ishayas’ Ascension is a simple, easy, meditative practice that is compatible with all religions and belief systems. The result of focusing your awareness on praise, gratitude, love and compassion in a daily practice is the discovery of a source of peace, joy and unconditional love within you that transcends outer circumstances. The resulting peace allows a lifetime of accumulated stress to gradually dissolve, with noticeable benefits for your physical and emotional health. Not only will your daily life start to flow in alignment with these positive, uplifting emotions, but each moment of your life will become an opportunity to uplift all of human consciousness through simply choosing to focus your awareness on what are called the Ascension attitudes.

You can learn this powerful ancient practice in a weekend course offered September 22 through 24 in San Miguel. There will be a free introductory talk titled “Finding Inner Peace” at 6pm on Friday evening, September 22, at the Warren Hardy School, San Antonio Abad 13. The course begins at 7pm. Call the San Miguel Ishaya Center at 154-9793 or email sma_ishayas@yahoo.com for more information.

Nataraj Ishaya is an Ishaya monk and teacher of Ascension who lives in San Miguel.

Crossword