The Yoga Journal Estes Park Conference went really well for a variety of reasons. Not only did it encourage me that I’ve got a great product, but by answering people’s questions, it helped me outline exactly what Zen Sticks are, what they do and how they do it.
We need to begin by agreeing on one basic assumption: Stress is when your mind and body are not doing the same thing (i.e. they are not aligned).
What does a Zen Stick do?
You’ll never believe me if I tell you, it’s really something you need to experience within yourself.
How do I do it?
Take a Zen Stick, whichever one keeps pulling your eye toward it…the Zen Stick will choose its owner. (This is where the Harry Potter fans got smart LOL) Now take the stick and try to scratch it a little with your thumb. You’ll notice that not only do you not scratch it, but there’s no wax or anything coming off of the stick. This is because of the extensive sanding and buffing process I put each stick through. Now take a hold of one end of the stick and gently flip it so you catch the other end. Breathing from your stomach, you’ll find you fall into your own natural rythm. Toss it a few times more and when you’re comfortable, close your eyes.
This was when the interesting reactions came in. People who’s mind and body weren’t aligned would stop and shout, “That’s AMAZING!”. People who were moderately aligned would get a Mona Lisa smile on their faces and their eyes would have a gleam in them. People who were well aligned would find a deepening and broadening of their alignment.
Different woods have different qualities. The lighter woods (Zebrawood, Purpleheart, Koa) tend to be more fibrous and porous, so they have a soft, buttery texture to them. The heavier woods (Black and White Ebony, Olivewood, Cocobolo) come out like polished stones. The medium weight woods (Tulipwood and Kingwood) come out with an incredible glassine feel to them, the grain in the Kingwood has a depth to it that is truly fascinating.
Here’s why they work.
1. Because your body is flipping the stick, and you have to completely focus on it in order to catch it with your eyes closed, it quickly and powerfully aligns your mind and body. (Variations came about at the conference…switching hands, tossing it from one hand to another, breathing exercises, chanting, massage therapy and calming massage therapy clients before the session to help loosen them up.)
Pencils and pens are too short and light. Sticks off the ground aren’t balanced or straight which makes them difficult to catch with your eyes closed. Sticks off the ground are also rough and don’t feel or look as nice as Zen Sticks. By the time I’m done sanding a Zen Stick, it isn’t a stick any more, it’s a unique piece of art.
2. After you’ve woken up for the day, within just a few hours, think of what all your senses have been bombarded with. We are on sensory overload from the start of our day and have become numb to it. But even though we have learned to ignore it for the most part, it still upsets our systems as a whole. Incense, candles, bowls, etc. effect 2, maybe 3 of our senses. The Zen Stick directly soothes 4 out of 5. (5 out of 6 if you include thinking as a sense.)
3. Eastern meditation is wonderful, but Americans have a really tough time of it for a whole list of reasons. One being that we have vastly different cultures, but it’s by virtue of our culture that we need the grounding and peace meditation can bring. Zen Stick bridges the gap created by our cultural differences by bringing the practitioner to the threshold of meditation using a tangible, sensory object. It’s really the best of both worlds.
4. As Americans have such a hard time meditating, the noise and busy-ness of our lives separates us from our ’selves’. We’re so busy being pushed and pulled because of our responsibilities, we honestly have very little time to get reaquainted with ourselves. The Zen Stick bridges that gap too.
5. The older we get without meditation, because of the busy-ness of our lives, we choose not to deal with our uncomfortable feelings…who has the time or desire for that?? No one. A result of this is that we become completely alienated from our humble, joyful and fundamental selves.
So the person meditating for the first few times has things on the outside pushing and pulling and now they find there are things within themselves that are pushing and pulling too. What happens? They stop trying to meditate. They get up, frustrated because of their failure, annoyed that they still are stressed and upset because of the emotions that arose.
The Zen Stick bypasses all of that and gently sets the user at the threshold of deep, wonderful meditation.
There is no gimmick here, no quick and easy sales pitch to impel people to buy them…they simply picked one up and felt it for themselves. Bottome line? Zen Sticks work where other things can’t.
Below is a picture of an Olive Wood Zen Stick that was in my Owner’s Reserve collection before it was sold.
www.sleepingtiger.org/zen
Until next time,
Tiger
