RSS News Feeds ... What, Why, and How

The Nam Hoa website has several built in news feeds set up and ready to help everyone track what new items are posted to various sections of the site. There are many ways to follow an RSS feed and most people will have tools to do so already on their computer. For instance many of the latest browsers and email clients have those tools built in. If you don't have the tools already you can use free web based tools such as Google Reader or even Yahoo web mail. Personally I use a 3rd party application called NetNewsWire (sorry, it's Mac OS only, but the links below have some info on other apps).

Here are a couple of links to information on RSS, how to use it, and some links to tools to help you keep up to date:

iFeedReaders

Feed 101

Armed with that information, if you scroll down and look along the right hand side of our site there is a section marked Syndication. That list shows the news feeds currently available on our site.

I hope that this information helps and that you might sign up to use our own RSS feeds so that you are kept up to date with new information posted to the site.  ~Brett

Changing Chi

News, like everything else, can be yin and yang. We are sorry to tell Nam Hoa students and instructors of the death of Long Beach Instructor, Debby Winsberg.  Master Jim will be traveling to be with the Long Beach instructor group on November 20 for a memorial for Debby. Debby and fellow Tai Chi instructor Sue Ahrend have been long time instructors at the Long Beach Recreation center. 

Students and instructors who may want to contribute pictures of Debby may send them to our webmaster Brett Casto at brett.casto@gmail.com for inclusion on the Changing Chi page on this website.

Debby's chi has changed but she exists for us within our own energy. Wu Chi

Bending Tree Instructor Ruth Snider Injured

The Bending Tree tai chi family is on the job this month supporting one of their instuctors who suffered a serious accident. Ruth Snider was trying to do a good deed by letting her neighbors know that their dog was loose when the neighhor's dogs bit her feet. Trying to get away from the dogs, Ruth lost her footing on the porch and fell, breaking both arms.

"Ruth has a strong support system in our tai chi community and we are taking good care of her," said Senior Instructor, Tom Wolf.  "But still it is painful and we are concerned for her."

All the Nam Hoa family sends Ruth best wishes and our healing chi!

Master Jim to Co-host Retreat

All are welcome to join the Seeds of Peace retreat, to be led by Wendy Johnson, Jim Scott-Behrends, and members of the Veteran Writer's Group.

 
SEEDS OF PEACE

A Weekend of Mindfulness, Meditation, and Writing Practice
In the Tradition of Zen Buddhist Teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh

Friday, November 11, 4 p.m. through Sunday, November 13, 2 p.m.

Ben Lomond Quaker Center, Santa Cruz Mountains, CA 

Led by Dharma Teacher Wendy Johnson with Jim Scott Behrends and members of the Veteran Writer’s Group

Sustained by the silence of the redwood forest and the Ben Lomond Quaker Center, and nourished by community, and meditation, this annual autumn weekend of mindfulness is dedicated to nurturing peace in ourselves and in our communities. Through the practices of sitting and walking meditation, writing in community, mindful movement, sharing meals in silence, and participating in Dharma talks and dialogue, we cultivate the ground of a peaceful world. Veterans of war and their families and friends are invited to join this retreat. We will close our time together with a recitation of the Five Mindfulness Trainings of Plum Village and a peace ceremony on Sunday morning.

Wendy Johnson has been practicing Zen meditation and organic gardening since 1971. A lay Dharma teacher in the lineage of Thich Nhat Hanh and the San Francisco Zen Center, Wendy leads retreats nationwide and teaches in Bay Area public schools and at the College of Marin. She is the author of Gardening at the Dragon’s Gate, published by Bantam in 2008.

 Jim Scott-Behrends has been involved in Zen practice and the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh for many years. He is a member of the Order of Interbeing. Since 1982, Jim has been a teacher of the Internal Arts (Tai Chi, Qigong, and Meditation).

 RETREAT FEE:  $175 

Space is limited to 50 participants. Register as soon as possible to reserve your space.

SCHOLARSHIP DONATIONS are welcome, to support those who need help to participate.

For financial assistance, contact David Lawrence at 831-600-7588.

If you have questions, please contact Natascha Bruckner at 707-888-1916 or njbruckner@gmail.com.



Sampling the Asian Wellness Practices

Teacher Jude hosted a new workshop last weekend in Mary Esther, Florida. Participants registered for "Sample the Asian Wellness Practices" and then enjoyed two hours of needle-free acupuncture, Thai massage and qigong tai chi. The workshop was followed by a six course luncheon that allowed students to enjoy Japanese, Thai and Chinese food. 

A local restaurant owner opened the facility for the presentors who came in early to rearrange the tables and set up spaces for the tai chi class and the break out sessions. While the workshop was finishing in a Q & A session, the owners reset the tables for the luncheon.

Teacher Jude offered a one hour class that featured some of the Energy Workout, meditation practices and the beginning of the Longevity Tree form.  Later at lunch, she shared some of Thich Nhat Hanh's mindful eating verses and spoke about the concept of mindfulness in every day practices. Presenters volunteered material for a take home bag shaped like a Japanese garment. The owner's little girl finished the event by handing out a fortune cookie.

All enjoyed learning and practicing the wellness practices, new friendships were made, and everyone agreed how wonderful the food was and vowed to return to Yummys Restaurant. Participants were invited to attend tai chi classes in the area and to further their wellness journey with Thai massage and acupuncture.

The workshop will be offered again in the future.