Our expat community thrives on connection, and here at Jingkids, we’re all about our readers, what they need and want in order to maximize their time here in Beijing. Every Monday, we’re going to feature a prominent member of our expat community and get to know them a little bit better.

Charlene Ng is a life coach, passionate about helping teens and adults cope with stress so that they can feel calmer, happier, and ultimately succeed in all they do. She grew up in Hong Kong, went to boarding school in the US, and later graduated with distinction from Stanford University with a degree in psychology. In 2005, she moved to China to build teams at several internet companies such as Google and Alibaba. Currently, she lives in Beijing with her husband and 7-year-old son.

What’s on your mind?
At the moment, it’s getting through the rest of the summer! It is the most stressful time of the year as I feel responsible for arranging activities for my kid to keep him entertained. At the beginning of this summer, however, I chose a mantra – “Boring is Good.” My focus has been to slow down and spend quality time together instead of shuffling him from one activity to another.

For sure, it’s still exhausting, but I’ve learned to rest or work by telling my kid without guilt, “I need some space.” I’ve also learned to trust my kid more. When I mentioned the stress of arranging activities for him during vacation, perplexed by why I felt responsible, my kid said, “I can arrange my own activities and playdates!” I gave him a big hug for reminding me.

I’m also giving a workshop for teens on managing stress with mindful self-compassion before the school year starts. Teens are under immense stress nowadays, and they often criticize themselves harshly to improve or motivate themselves, which creates even more stress. But science tells us being kind to ourselves is a much better way to motivate ourselves and succeed. I’m really excited to share tools that teens could apply immediately in their daily lives to reduce stress and increase joy.

What’s your motivation to get moving?
Like many, I’ve developed a harsh inner critic since young in order to push myself to achieve – setting high expectations for myself and beating myself up when I am “lazy” or make mistakes. The inner critic might have been helpful at times but it came at a cost. Deep down, I’ve felt I’m not enough; not good enough, not smart enough, not efficient enough, etc. Focused on my flaws, I’ve struggled with self-doubts and fear of failure.

Since practicing mindful self-compassion, I’ve learned to be kinder to myself, and my life changed dramatically. Being kind to myself doesn’t make me lazy or self-indulgent. Now, I boost my motivation by being nice to myself:

• When things get tough, instead of brushing off the difficulty (it’s not that bad), I take a pause to acknowledge it (this is really difficult or this sucks) and feel a renewed energy.
• My inner critic became my cheerleader. When I’m about to do another round of burpees, my inner cheerleader goes, Look at what you’ve achieved. You can do it.
• Asking myself “What do I need” is an act of kindness. I can provide myself with what I need or ask others like my husband for support (I need understanding).

How do you stay sane in all the madness?
A few years ago, I stumbled upon the Beijing Mindfulness Centre, a hidden gem in the hutongs, founded by Dalida Turkovic. Since then it’s been my safe haven to uncover self-sabotaging habits, to heal old wounds of not feeling good enough, and to fill up my gas tank. The camaraderie of the mindfulness community reminds me that I’m not the only one who struggles. As a result of regular practices, very naturally and without much effort, I’ve become a lot more resilient when facing life challenges.

In addition, keeping a sense of humor in life is something I’m learning from my husband and son who are both masters in this area. For example, Monday morning cleaning tends to be the most stressful time for me. My husband sends me messages that remind me of their true nature.

And lastly, making time to play is key as we adults tend to forget about it. Last fall, I’ve taken up swing and blues dancing. And luckily in Beijing, there’re dance events happening every day of the week for me to have fun. See you on the dance floor!

Is there someone that you believe deserves recognition for their outstanding contributions to our community? Nominate them for our weekly spotlight by writing their name in the comments below!

KEEP READING: “My Wife Keeps Me Safe, Sound, Sane and Stable” – AJ Donnelly, Cultural Keys

Images: Courtesy of Charlene Ng

Before the session starts, we sit in a semicircle of sorts and listen to Ashish Bahuguna, his gentle voice and calm demeanor drawing us in. At the risk of speaking in stereotypes, Ashish is exactly what you would expect a yoga teacher to be: handsome with a patient smile, incredibly flexible and with an airy light quality, seeming to float into the studio before taking his place among us eager students. There are a few new students in the class, me included, and for that reason he traces back the roots of what is now famous around the world as “Yoga Nidra.” Swami Satyananda, Ashish explains, discovered the joys of this type of yoga practice as a young Swami while living with his Guru, Venerable Swami Sivananda, at his ashram in Rishikesh.

Yoga master Ashish Bahuguna

The tale goes that the young Swami would fall asleep while working as a guard to students at a nearby ashram learning the Vedic lifestyle, which would include chanting every morning. The young Swami would fall asleep as the students were chanting in the wee hours of the morning, and much to his surprise, weeks later, while the students were chanting their mantras, he realized the chants were familiar to him. It became apparent to him that despite his seeming physical state of sleep and relaxation, his mind continued to connect to the surroundings, adding, “I always knew that knowledge was gained through the five senses and the intellect. But here I was finding that knowledge could also be transmitted directly!” The Guru then went on to inculcate this knowledge into his life, using this form of mindful sleep to even learn several languages to the point of near fluency in a matter of weeks!

Thus the idea of Yoga Nidra was born, the practice of mindful sleep or deep realization. By coincidence, our guru for the night, a graduate from Rajasthan University with a master’s degree in Yoga, is also from the same region as the famed Guru. Bahuguna leads us through a short and active practice, moving from child’s pose to downward dog, then through a few other sequences. The purpose of the active practice, we are made to understand, is to allow for our bodies to be tired so as to achieve an even deeper sleep or rest when we begin the meditative portion of the practice.

“People often confuse it as a hypnosis, but it’s a state of sense withdrawal and a step towards awareness. Ignorance also leads to abstract ideas like ‘it’s a state of deep sleep’, but it’s about deep realization. Lucid Dreaming is often associated with Yoga Nidra, but it’s about self-introspection,” elaborates Bahuguna. Soon, the entire room, novice and pro alike, are panting and begging for the sweet release of meditation. I can’t help but envy Bahuguna’s flexibility. But that is to be expected, given his practicing yoga since the age of 12 and officially instructing in the practice for 15 years.

Soon, the lights are turned off as the heat in the studio is kicked up a notch. Each of us lays flat on our backs, legs supported at the knees by a comfy bolster, and a warm blanket covering everything other than our heads. It is important, Bahuguna emphasizes, to be extremely comfortable, even offering yoga belts to place over the eyes for those who might need a blindfold. Then we begin, his calming voice guiding our breathing, our visualization, taking us deeper still, yet reminding us to remain conscious and not to fall asleep.

A few are left by the wayside, obviously. Beijing takes an exacting toll on its residents, leaving us all exhausted at the end of the day. But the benefits include reduced stress, easing the effects of hypertension, hyperthyroidism, and even mild cases of insomnia. As we lie still, my mind goes this way and that, but I am constantly brought back to my breath. There is a feeling of time stopping yet moving at a remarkable speed. We are gently drawn back into the land of the conscious, and instantly I am refreshed. There is an immense feeling of pride at having been able to carve out this much time from my seemingly always hectic schedule, which I would suppose is part of the dose of joy Bahuguna tells us to expect after a successful practice.

“The practice of Yoga Nidra has some pretty powerful psychological benefits as well. It can assist in healing psychological wounds and assists those dealing with depression and dependency,” says Bahuguna, adding “Come to Yoga Nidra with a desire to connect with yourself. Yoga and Yoga Nidra is for everyone. Anyone can do it, all you need is to just to come with a learning heart.” The practice truly does leave me rejuvenated, staving off the winter blues and a gnawing feeling that a sunny beach somewhere far away is calling out to me. Bahuguna’s  Weyoga studio is an oasis for a rushed city mind and body, and experience truly worth having, if not trying.

Photos: courtesy of Ashish Bahuguna

Life in Beijing is rarely dull, but it can get pretty stressful. An event this weekend offers the chance to bust that stress, and replace it with a little bliss.

The Bliss Festival is the brainchild of Theresa Parsonage of Taozi Tree Yoga, who’s also behind Yoga in the Park. She describes the festival as “an opportunity to connect to something real, something authentic, in a fun atmosphere with Taozi’s beloved community of heartfelt enthusiasts. The day will consist of an “illuminating line-up of events (including live music, yoga sessions, and a dharma talk) getting participants to lighten up, open up, go deep, and learn something new about themselves in a safe and welcoming place.”

We asked her to tell us more about the event.

Theresa Parsonage of Taozi Tree Yoga

“This is the first ever Beijing Bliss Festival,” she said, “and we are starting with a simple half day. Maybe one day it will be a whole weekend! It’s been on my radar for a long time, we have just been waiting for some logistical pieces to fall into place. I’ve had lots of experience with yoga retreats and festivals and find it a travesty nothing like that is available in Beijing; so we want to change that! The idea is to provide a long enough event that participants feel like they had a mini retreat in the city, no need to fly to Thailand or Bali.”

The event takes place at Hotel Eclat, a five star hotel in CBD which is known for its art collection, including original works by Salvador Dali and Andy Warhol, as well as its luxurious rooms. Food comes courtesy of Tribe, Gung Ho, and Rollbox, while music for the evening party is provided by Italy’s DJ G4.

Hotel Eclat is an artistic space as well as a hotel

Beijing Bliss Festival, Oct 26

Adults. RMB 350. 2-9pm. Hotel Éclat Beijing, 9 Dongdaqiao Road, Chaoyang District. (8561 2888) 朝阳区东大桥路9号

Photos: courtesy of Taozi Tree Yoga

I love me any kind of pop-up, but a wellness-focused pop-up that’s inclusive and packed full of awesome mindful activities is just plain exciting.

Yoga clothing brand extraordinaire Lululemon will be bringing their pop-up Feel Lab to EAST Hotel from March 25-31. There will be a mindful meditation corner in Domain’s pop up area, and a display of all the guides that will introduce guests to all the wonderful self-affirming benefits of meditation.

Meanwhile there are a number of FREE community wellness classes! Guests can swing by BEAST– Body by EAST, and take advantage of the Vibrant Vinyasa Yoga class on March 25 from 1pm–2pm and on March 29, there will be a lunch hour Sweat Pilates class held on March 27 from 1pm-2pm. Don’t forget to go along and shake a leg at the Dance with Qiao class, which will run from 1pm–2pm. Followers and guests of East are all welcome.

Scan the QR code below to book your place now!

Photos: courtesy of organizers

Life in Beijing can be exciting, but it can also be stressful. Sometimes we all need to take some time out, to turn off WeChat and focus on what’s really important. So we’ve rounded up some forthcoming opportunities to chill out and reconnect.

Healing Crystal Bowls Spa, Mar 17
Take a break from the relentless noise of the city, lie down and enjoy the sound of Himalayan and crystal singing bowls. This sound therapy, according to the organizers, can “achieve an altered state of consciousness similar to deep meditation.” After the singing bowl session participants can enjoy the relaxing sound of the hang drum, a tuned steel drum, and take advantage of a free medical consultation with specialist doctors. Bring your own blanket or yoga mat to chill out on.

Adults. RMB 60 (pre-booked), RMB 80 (at the door). 3-5pm. Free Spirits Sound Healing. 16 Liangmahe South Road, Chaoyang District. 朝阳区亮马河南路16.

Christian Marriage Retreat, Apr 5-7
Christian couples aim to spend their whole lives together, and to create a safe and loving space in which to raise children. But this can be a long road, and sometimes it helps to make time for each other and rediscover what makes your relationship work. This retreat is led by married couple Grady and Sandy, and is open to all foreign passport holders.

Adults (childcare available for kids 4 and under). RMB 2,200. Friday 9am to Sunday 1pm. Goose and Duck Ranch, Huairou. 怀柔区北寨.

A Professional Woman’s Guide to Purpose, Passion and Profits, Apr 13
Life coach Caneisha Berry promises to help women unblock their careers, discover their unique gifts, and learn how to turn them into successful careers, at this one-day workshop.

Adults. RMB 3,500 (early bird RMB 3,000). East Hotel, 22 Jiuxianqiao Rd, Chaoyang District. 朝阳区酒仙桥路22号东隅北京酒店.

A Woman’s Healing Journey Retreat, May 11-12
Also led by Caneisha Berry, “A Woman’s Healing Journey” gives participants an opportunity to get out of the city to the peace of Singing Deer Lodge, and to discover the “soul wounds” which are undermining their happiness and confidence.

Adults. RMB 1,500-2,400 depending on room, includes meals and workshops. Singing Deer Lodge, West Bailianyu Village, Fengjiayu Town, Miyun County. 密云县冯家裕镇西白莲峪村南地.

Photos: Pixabay, courtesy of event organizers

WeChat groups are a vital resource for Beijing’s international community, not only providing information, but bringing together people with shared interests. Each week we’ll be highlighting a thriving group chat, so whether you’re new to town or just looking to expand your networks, you can find your people.

The pace of life in the Jing can be frantic, so it’s no surprise that so many in the international community turn to yoga and meditation, to find balance, calm, and well-being. One of them is Lisa Qin, who came to China to work for UNICEF, and has been in Beijing for four years. We talked to her to find out more about her group, Yoga, Meditation and Wellness Beijing.

Tell us about yourself, and how you came to be admin of this group.

I’m passionate about community-building and cross-cultural communication from growing up ethnically Chinese in Australia. I’ve always loved technology and coded websites as a kid, made friends through online blogging, and have been doing yoga since I was a teenager. So starting the group seemed like a natural intersection of all these interests.

My goal was to create a place where we could “keep it real” and have community for our whole selves, to support our practices with values of respect, empathy, and compassion. The group is also a place to connect with others who are seeking growth and holistic health living in Beijing, as well as find out about events and opportunities you may not otherwise hear about amongst the plethora of activities here.

Who’s in the group and what do you talk about?

The group reflects the diversity of people living in Beijing, from locals, expats, teachers and students of yoga, tai chi, movement, dance, therapists, Traditional Chinese Medicine doctors, and others who are interested in holistic well-being practices.

We discuss all things related to wellness, relaxation and healing, which includes yoga and meditation, and share events on Sundays. We’ve expanded to groups in Shanghai and Shenzhen too.

Given that wellness is such a huge industry now, and yoga is increasingly commercialized and packaged only as exercise when it is so much more, we also have some forthright and critical discussions about these trends taking place.

Do you meet in real life?

We have occasional official offline group meetings, and people have met up through the other events shared in the group.

To join, add the group manager Tang Zhe by searching for his ID tandio, or scan the QR code below. Community is important to the group, so please ensure you read the guidelines and introduce yourself on joining.

Photos: courtesy of Lisa Qin

Andreia Peres is from Portugal and has been in Beijing for over a year. During a lifelong spiritual journey, she has made her way from extensive gym workouts to yoga, and now she has started her own workshop, called “Flowing into Femininity.” This flow blends Tantra practices, Kundalini Tantra Yoga, shamanic rituals, Taoist practices, womb healing, and guided visualizations and meditations. It is a powerful blend that really awakens your sexual energy, which is a pure life force that exists in all living things and connects us all.

I can hear you thinking, what does this have to do with food? Flow in the kitchen can work as a meditation and relaxes the mind and body. Peres started home cooking when she moved across the world to New Zealand, and exploring new flavors and being creative was her companion together with her yoga. Making bread is like a meditation for Peres. Hopefully, our readers can find some inner flow by learning these bread and pizza recipes.

Sourdough Bread

Ingredients
– ½ cup flour + ½ cup of water
– 1 tablespoon sourdough starter
– 1 cup of whole wheat flour
– 1 cup of strong bread flour
– ¾ cup of water
– ¼ cup water + 1 teaspoon of salt
– Note: use a 250ml cup
– Starter

The most important thing to have good sourdough bread is to create a yeast culture that will serve as a starter for all your subsequent sourdough bread. In order to do this, you need to have an airtight container and reserve a little bit of dough from your usual bread. Place the dough inside the container and mix in some flour and water. Whisk it and put it in the fridge. If you don’t usually do bread you can just mix some flour and water and pour it into the container to start with, then place it in the fridge as well.

During a full week, you will feed your starter with a little bit of flour and water once a day every day.

After the first week, it is ready to use. From that point onwards, you only need to feed your starter once a week.

When you want to do your bread, remove the container from the fridge one day before to activate the flour.

Step 1: Leaven
Mix one tablespoon of starter (not too full) with a half cup of flour and a half cup of water. Cover it with plastic film and let it rest overnight.

Step 2: The Autolyze
Mix the leaven with the remaining flour and ¾ cup of water. Let it rise for at least 2 hours and up to 4 hours. During this time, the flour absorbs the water and becomes fully hydrated, which helps gluten formation during the next step. Cover the bowl with plastic film.

Step 3: Prepare the salty water
Salt is important for a flavorful bread but it can inhibit the activity during the autolyze step. Mix together 1 teaspoon of salt and ¼ cup of water. After the second step is complete, remove the plastic film and pour the salt mixture into the bowl. It will be quite watery and soggy and this point.

Step 4: Folding
After pouring the salty water in, begin folding the dough by grabbing some of the dough from the side, stretching it up, and then folding it over on top of the dough. Do this a few times around the bowl, then let the dough rest about 30 minutes before doing it again.

Do this method at least six times and you will notice that the texture of the dough will change from watery and shaggy to stretchy and pliable.

Step 5: The final rise
Prepare a bowl with baking paper inside and sprinkle in some flour. Place the dough in this new bowl, cover it up with oiled plastic film and let it rise again until it has at least doubled in size.

At this point you can proceed in two different ways:
• Wait around two hours and cook the bread on the same day of preparation, it will make a delicious and crispy bread, however, the sour flavor won’t develop too much.
• Place the dough inside the fridge overnight to develop a more intense flavor.

If you decide to follow the second option, when it is time to cook it, bring the dough from the fridge straight to the oven.

Step 6: Baking
When it’s time to bake, preheat a Dutch oven for 20 min at 250°C. If you don’t have a Dutch oven, you can use any heavy pot with a lid, like a soup pot or even a large saucepan.

Remove the plastic film from the dough and sprinkle some flour on top, only for aesthetic purposes. Then take the pot out of the oven and transfer the dough to the pot holding it from the baking paper. Put the lid on and place in the oven for 20 minutes. After this time, remove the lid, decrease the oven temperature to 200 °C and let it cook for another 15 min. When it is cooked, remove from the pot and let it cool down.

Pizza Dough

Ingredients
– 1 tablespoon of dry yeast
– ¾ cup of water at room temperature
– 1 cup of wholewheat flour
– 1 cup of strong bread flour
– 2 tablespoons of oil

Ingredients (topping)
– 1 large onion
– Bell peppers (red and green)
– 2 slices of bacon
– 2 ripe tomatoes
– 1 cup of mushrooms
– Cheddar cheese
– Basil (optional)
– Olive oil, black pepper, balsamic vinegar, salt and herbs for seasoning

Steps
1. Fill up a cup with water, add 1 shallow tablespoon of dry yeast and wait 10 min to activate the yeast. When it becomes bubbly, it is ready to use.
2. In a bowl, mix together the flour, the activated yeast and 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil or olive oil. Start mixing with a spoon and when is roughly well combined, start kneading with your hands.
3. Cover the bowl with plastic film and wait for a few hours until it has doubled or tripled in size. This amount of dough will allow approximately 4 medium pizzas. If you don’t want to use all the dough you can freeze it for future use.
4. To shape the dough, add some flour on top of a cleaned surface and start stretching it with your fingers until it has the desired thickness and size. I personally like to do it very thin because it will be crispy after baking, but it is up to your own preference.
5. After shaping, transfer it to a baking tray covered with baking paper, poke it with a fork in a few spots and pre-bake it for 10 min at 180°C.
6. Remove the dough from the oven and brush it with some olive oil, especially on the edges. After that spread the already cooked filling mixture on top of the dough, followed by cheddar cheese, or any other cheese of your preference.
7. Bake for another 20 min at 200°C or until the cheese has melted down. Remove it from the oven, cut into pieces and enjoy while still hot.

Topping preparation
Chop all the ingredients and place them in a large sized pan. Add olive oil, salt, black pepper, balsamic vinegar and some herbs of your choice. Cover the pan with a lid and let it simmer on low heat for 2 hours or until the mixture starts sticking to the pan, then it is ready. Stir the mixture a few times during the cooking procedure.
Place aside and wait for the dough to be ready.

This article appeared on p28-30 of beijingkids June 2018 issue.
Photos: Uni You

A little mindfulness can go a long way. Parenting brings out the best and the worst in people, and sometimes we need a little help. This week a mother told me that she uses a mindfulness app with her nine year old, and another mother told me how yoga and breathing helps her four year old.

We can all use a slice of happiness and mindfulness in Beijing, so I searched for ways to find those things in the city. Some of these activities can be done with kids while others are solely for parents to recharge and become more mindful.

Live Zen Center in Beijing is a Zen study and practice organization operated by the China Culture Center. A practicing Buddhist layman and a Zen Buddhist monk guide students on their journey of self-discovery. Students will also learn Zen not only in the theoretical form but also through music, stories, rituals, and martial arts.

Headspace is a mobile app that makes meditating simple for anybody anywhere and everywhere, and can be done with kids.

Yoga Yard is a center for yoga and wellness in Beijing and is “founded on a love for yoga and the joy the practice can bring.” The center utilizes high-quality teaching, with an emphasis on safety, and a deep respect for the practices that underlie [the]school’s philosophy.” Yoga Yard says that they are “committed to supporting students as they explore and grow their yoga practice, and welcome everyone regardless of age, gender, experience, level, and physical condition.”

Guided Meditations for children. I love meditations for children that include a soothing story that I don’t have to tell myself. The story also brings me some peace and calm as well.

Princess Kate Meditates a book for children. “Each child is unique, it is important we nurture our children so they express themselves with love, light, and joy. Meditation helps create a space where it is safe to feel and let go. It is a wonderful way to connect to the light of our being.”

Kids Relaxation is a website that aims to help parents and educators activate each child’s potential.

OMG I can meditate. The website for OMG I can meditate states that “there are thousands of studies showing the positive impacts of meditation and mindfulness on our health and well-being. And these great benefits aren’t just for adults! Here are some of the positive traits and skills meditation can help instill in children. These traits and skills will give them a strong and centered foundation that will serve them well as they develop and grow.”