F' or thou
sands of years,
people have
found spiri
tual, mental and
physical well-being
through martial art
forms such as yoga
and tai chi.
In recent years,
the popularity of
these art forms has
been increasing
steadily in
American culture.
The rise of
workout videos and
programs such as
Tae-Bo, as well as
other augmented
martial-arts/aero
bic-style videos, is a
good indication as
to just how much
American culture is
embracing these
ancient practices.
In conjunction with what is quickly becoming the next fad
in American exercise, many traditional martial arts centers are
now offering classes in yoga and tai chi. One such center is
Roseberry’s Sho-Rei-Shobu-Kan Martial Arts Center, 1811 N
St., which offers classes in yoga and tai chi, as well as karate,
aikido, judo, kobudo and jiujitsu.
On Sunday, the center held a seminar on yoga and tai chi to
introduce the practices to people who may or may not have
been exposed to them before. It was an opportunity for people
to see just why these two art forms are suddenly becoming so
popular.
“One of the things they do is just help people focus their
minds,” said Patty Cottingham, a yoga instructor for
Roseberry’s Sho-Rei-Shobu-Kan Martial Arts Center. “Our
minds work overtime, and this helps you stay focused in the
present.”
The seminar began when Cottingham sat down with the
nine people in attendance and explained some of the ideas
behind yoga.
“Yoga means the way of unification of body, mind and
spirit,” she said. “We need to maintain this feeling in every
thing we do.”
Members of the group started out by establishing a good
posture and then working on breathing - something
Cottingham said was very important.
“Anytime we get excited and stressed out, our breathing
goes,” she said. “So anytime we can maintain our breathing,
we can stay calm.”
An ancient practice that originated along with sitting
meditation in India, yoga helps improve balance, strength
and flexibility through a series of movements and poses,
Cottingham said.
Sunday’s group started small with a number of different
arm movements while sitting and its members eventually
moved on to more advanced poses. All the while,
Cottingham offered explanations for each movement’s phys
ical and spiritual implications.
“Minds are like children,” she said, '‘‘little, nasty, rotten
children who won’t listen. We have to tone that mind to pay
attention to what our body is telling it.”
After about two hours, Cottingham turned the group over
to tai chi Instructor Sue Johnson, who led them in a lesson of
the ancient yt.
story by Jason Hardy
photos by Heather Glenboski *
Toning body, spirit possible ■
through yoga and tai chi I
ABOVE: STUDENTS LIE IN the corpse position, part of a relax
ation yoga exercise. Yoga focuses on the unification of body,
mind and spirit.
rOP RIGHT: YOGA INSTRUCTOR Sue Johnson demonstrates the
boat position Sunday afternoon during a Yoga/Tai Chi seminar
at Roseberry’s Sho-Rei-Shobu-Kan Martial Arts Center, 1811 N
5t.
TOP LEFT: JOSH LIBENGOOD PRACTICES the alternative nostril
realization breathing technique. Breathing correctly is a major
sart of yoga.
Unlike yoga, tai chi is a combination of slow dance-like
movements with controlled breathing to produce a relaxed sense
of well-being. It is based on the Chinese boxing system and
elaborates on a softness that is often overlooked in martial arts,
but that is still applicable to self-defense practices.
Johnson said that, aside from a few differences, yoga and tai
chi were very similar.
V ' r • •
“The principles are the same,” she said. “The focus is on
growing as a person.”
She said both yoga and tai chi can be powerful tools for self
health and growth, things that peak many people’s attention.
“There’s a lot of interest,” Johnson said. “A lot of health
clubs want to offer this, but it’s difficult finding qualified
instructors.”
No matter how interested the general public may be in yoga
and tai chi, Johnson made it very clear that the execises only
work when taken seriously.
“It’s not a quick fix,” she said. “It has to be a person who is
really willing to work on their growth.
Guitar virtuoso brings eclectic style to lied stage
By Josh Nichols
Staff miter
At the age of 15, Dominic
Gaudious picked up a guitar and
started playing.
He practiced diligently, finding a
talent and passion in playing the
instrument.
Growing up in an age when big
hair metal bands from Los Angeles
ruled the music scene. Gaudious
grabbed a few buddies and started a
rock band, “Sabator”.
“Our style of music was ‘The Red
Hot Chili Peppers’ meet ‘Iron
Maiden,”’ the 27-year-old musician
said in an interview from his home in
Chicago.
The hard-rocking teens from New
Jersey began traveling while playing
gigs and made it as far as Panama
City, Fla., where they did a week of
performances.
If this is beginning to sound like a
“Vld 1: Behind the Music,” no need to
worry, the “Sabator” story ends here.
Gaudious said he decided to stop
playing and unsuccessfully tried out
the corporate world, only to return to
his guitar in 1995.
His diverse blend of sounds,
which can be heard tonight and
Tuesday night at the Lied Center for
Performing Arts, is a mix of classical,
Spanish, folk, Indian and new-age
music.
He specializes in the six- and 12
string guitar, but also has worked
with exotic instruments, such as the
Australian didjeridu.
The didjeridu was described by
Gaudious as the most “completely
unique and amazing” instrument that
he has ever heard or learned.
The naturally-made instrument
comes from eucalyptus trees that
have been hollowed out by termites.
Musicians blow into the instru
ment and can make a note waver a
half step up or down, providing a nice
base to set the rest of the music to,
Gaudious said.
At tonight’s and Tuesday’s perfor
mances, Gaudious will be accompa
nied 6y Ian Hesford on the didjeridu.
The recent attention Gaudious has
begun to receive for his music did not
happen overnight.
When he first returned to the
music scene, Gaudious traveled
around playing Starbucks coffee
houses and making $30 a perfor
mance. \
More recently, he opened far the
jazz ensemble Acoustic Alchemy and
for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.
He has two compact discs and
plans to release a third in about a
month.
The new CD includes keyboard,
drum, violin, bass guitar and other
sounds, whereas his other CDs were
basically solo pieces featuring his
guitar playing.
“This CD will have more of an
edge than a lot of the smooth jazz you
hear on the radio,” he said.
Gaudious has continued to pro
duces a unique blend of music
because he tries not to limit himself to
one sound, he said.
Although he can’t read or write
music, he is able to compose his new
music simply by sound and memory.
Gaudious devotes most of his
time to playing in benefit concerts
such as the Race Unity Festival in
Atlanta and concerts for the Citizens
for a Better Environment.
“I like to use my talent to help
other people,” he said.
Charles Bethea, executive direc
tor for the Lied Center, was able to
hear Gaudious at a performance exhi
bition.
He described it as a fresh sound
with a different background.
“We have a commitment to
emerging artists and considered him
to have some appeal to younger peo
ple,*’ he said.
Bethea has also had the opportu
nity to hear the didjeridu, which he
described as an odd, natural, yet fasci
nating instrument.
“It has a booming sound that lies a
tone under everything else,” he said.
Gaudious said people in Lincoln
will get an opportunity to experience
a new, different sound.
“Anyone who sees and hears this
performance will hear acoustic like
they have never heard before,”
Gaudious said. “They will especially
be surprised at the didjeridu.”
Courtesy Photo
Dominic Oaedioes, a guitar player
from New Jersey, brings his unique
mix of jazz, blues, folk and new age
to the Lied Center for Performing
Arts tonight.