Philosophy
Modern Day Challenges
The modern world that we live in today is definitely a huge improvement over the pre-industrial lifestyle from a comfort perspective. We have machines to take us to places & do hard, physically draining work...
Born to Move
The modern lifestyle has evolved rapidly in the last few thousands years. In fact, it has evolved more in that period with the agricultural, industrial and internet/digital revolutions than it did in the total 2 millions years...
Brain Neuroplasticy
Our brain is plastic. What does this mean? It means, our brain’s structure and functions can change depending on how we use it. This gives a lot of hope to the human race since this means, with practice...
Interdependence
The Yin-Yang Taoist symbol also called Taijitu needs no introduction. We have all seen it at some point in our life. And yet, the simple monochromatic circular symbol holds the meaning to something life-changing...
The modern world that we live in today is definitely a huge improvement over the pre-industrial lifestyle from a comfort perspective. We have machines to take us to places & do hard, physically draining activities and it seems almost impossible to imagine living in a world without our machines and gadgets. Personal gadgets including phone & laptop/tablet have become a necessity more than a luxury today. Life has become simpler and yet complex in the process. Simpler, because, everything we want to do is a few touches or buttons away. Complex, because, all the gadgets have us hooked and busy all the time. We confound comfort and wellbeing that are 2 different things.
Some of the challenges we all face in today’s world are:
These challenges may lead in a direct or indirect way to our modern diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, stroke, and we name just a few…
Born to Move
The modern lifestyle has evolved rapidly in the last few thousands years. In fact, it has evolved more in that period with the agricultural, industrial and digital revolutions than it did in the total 2 millions years of human evolution (*)
All of this has come at a price. One of them includes the need to dedicate time for physical exercise and limb movement. Given our recent increasingly sedentary lifestyle, this has become more and more needed. And in today’s world, physical activity in general are often viewed as something strenuous and apprehended with fear, pain and worries of injuries.
Running, the competitive advantage of human being throughout the evolution, can be a strong foundation for fitness, health and well-being when practiced following some natural principles.
Want to know more why we are born to run and what a “natural way” of running means?
From being an activity which was just the state of being or existence, running has come to be perceived as something forced, killing the joy, freedom, harmony and peace of mind one can derive from the simple activity
In 2009, Christopher McDougall initiated a change in this perception of running with his bestselling book Born to Run.
In a few words, Christopher shared some key facts, backed by eminent scientists (like Daniel Lieberman, a paleontologist at Harvard University who chair the department of human evolutionary biology), to demonstrate high evidences that human specie has survived and evolved from 2 millions years ago to today not because of strength or speed or any other skill than the ability of running extremely long distances. Moreover, humans had developed a strong “collaborative and compassionate” mindset as their chances of survival directly depended of hunting in group.
Today, we can still observe a living proof that this theory of evolution is highly realistic with the Tarahumara community. The Tarahumaras are a tribe of Indians hidden in Mexico, Copper Canyon. They have never been exposed to our modern world and our practices and they have an unchanged lifestyle for more than 400 years. Christopher emphasizes that Tarahumaras are remarkable for 3 things:
1. They are not violent and they don’t fight. They never entered in any conflict with the conquistadors. They hid in the Copper Canyon where they still live today.
2. They are running mega-marathons not marathons. The act of running is part of their daily life and they do it with a sense of freedom and joy a smile printed on their face.
3. They are free from our modern diseases such as cancer, auto-immune diseases, cholesterol, clinical depression, etc…
These 3 things might in fact be interrelated?
The Tao of Running - 10 Week Transformation Program ™ is a program specially designed for people who are interested to come back to a more natural way of running and collect the numerous benefits
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But our body benefits from other types of movements at various intensities as well. Some regular slow to moderate intensity activities balanced by occasional high intensity activities. Activities to improve strengths and others to improve muscular flexibility/mobility. Everybody is different and has different goals and needs.
(*) Sources: The story of the human body, Evolution, health, and disease By Daniel Lieberman, professor of Human Evolutionary biology at Harvard
Brain Plasticity
Our brain is plastic. What does this mean?
It means, our brain’s structure and functions can change depending on how we use it. This gives a lot of hope to the human race since this means, with practice, we can unlearn bad habits and re-learn new, positive habits that restores our connection to our self, balance and unlocks aspects of our life that can bring fitness, health, performance and happiness.
So, more we use our mind do things a certain way, more this way becomes the automatic way of doing in the future. This quality of “neuroplasticity” is the key focus of today’s neurosciences.
Mindfulness is a cornerstone of this change. Matthieu Ricard, an eminent scientist who worked for the Pasteur institute and who became a Buddhist monk elaborates in details on this topic in in his book Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life’s Most Important Skill.
“You can use the mind to change the brain to change the mind for the better.” Rick Hanson, neuropsychologist
Interdependence
The Yin-Yang Taoist symbol also called Taijitu needs no introduction. We have all seen it at some point in our life. And yet, the simple monochromatic circular symbol holds the meaning to something life-changing and profound.
The white half, the Yang, symbolises the masculine energy. It is the sunny side and it represents the DOING-ACTION aspect of Taijitu. The black half, the Yin, symbolises the feminine energy. It is the shady side and it represents the BEING-NON-ACTION aspect of Taijitu. Both yang and yin are co-arising and interdependent, continuously transforming one into the other. One could not exist without the other, like night becomes day & day becomes night. The Qi (“life force” or energy flowing) is arising depending on how yin & yang interplay. That is why it is important to balance yin-yang in a continuous process for harmonization. At a human being level, it is materialized by a continuous interaction and harmonization on how we move, how we use our brain, how we breathe, how our heart pumps, what and how we eat, how we interact with others, etc…
Tao Lifestyle™ philosophy
Tao Lifestyle ™ is an extension of these main keystones. These principles form the basis and the pillars of every program. Techniques may vary and milestones may depend on individuals, the age and physical capabilities, however, the philosophy fundamentally remain unchanged through this journey: Tao Lifestyle ™: A Fit Body, A Sharp Mind, A Happy Soul !
