“You need a spring tonic,” decreed a friend in Rome, as I entered her apartment feeling light-headed and without appetite. She charged immediately to the kitchen where, with a flourish, she peeled a whole lemon in one long swoop, and tossed the peel into a small saucepan with about a cup and a half of water.

Lecturing nonstop, my friend instructed me, for future reference, to boil the tonic until the water was reduced to one cup, about ten minutes, then drink it hot.

In nature, progress often occurs in small degrees. At thirty-two degrees the earth is frozen and still, but move just one degree higher to thirty-three and the earth starts to warm and thaw. Then plants, whose energies have rested for the winter, begin an ascent that gradually forms new buds. People, too, who have rested their deep roots throughout the winter, now prepare to rise and bloom.

The “Random Ring Formula” has a storied history. In a novel by the famous martial arts writer Jin Yong, during the Qing Dynasty of China (1644-1911), a high ranking military officer, trained in southern style taiji, murdered most of his taiji brothers to get the “Random Ring Formula.” Although his martial ability was already quite high, he believed he would make significant progress if he learned the formula.

The New Year brings the promise of change and a fresh start. The New Year provides a perfect opportunity for making self-improvement resolutions. Unfortunately, it is all too common for enthusiasm and determination to quickly fade and for resolutions to become failed promises. Many people successfully complete their resolutions, but many people do not. What separates success from failure has little to do with willpower, discipline, or super human abilitites. Rather, it has more to do with suboptimal vs. effective strategies. Achieving your New Year's resolutions is quite achievable with a well-layed out and readily actionable plan. Here are a few tips for ensuring your New Year's resolution success:

The holiday shopping season has officially begun. We at The Internal Arts don't endorse rampant consumerism and giving gifts which serve no purpose other than showing that you spent money to show you cared. That's why we've assembled a list of thoughtful and health improving gift ideas to help with your holiday shopping. These gifts conform to our mission of helping you (and your gift recipients) feel vibrant and healthy, while at the same time not breaking the bank.

The colder months present a new set of challenges for our bodies to overcome. Drastic changes of moisture, temperature, and light cycle in the outside environment have a direct impact on our own internal environments. Preparing our minds and bodies to face the seasonal challenges becomes an art unto itself.