In the last issue of KA, the Bliss section spoke of gratitude, and how with our attitude of gratitude, we are able to create a vibration of good around us. The question that came to me since this last issue was: “When is gratitude not enough?” Sometimes, we are just too deep in, that even to give gratitude cannot alleviate the pain or the stress.

The thing that needs to be realized here, is that the gratitude I speak about is not the gratitude of someone who received a gift and says thank you for the present. No, the gratitude I speak of, is the one born of faith. Knowing that there is something inside of you that is there to help you to reach a positive place; that little voice, that moment of peace. The gratitude is the one that even when there is nothing physical in front of you, you are still giving thanks to the energy t hat surrounds you and the people that are sending and sharing love with you right here, right now. It was during a recent conversation that I had the most spectacular “ah-ha” moment of the year. This moment was so profound, that I think it was life-changing. The beauty was that this type of game-changer usually doesn’t come in such a clear and simple package.

The story started by a discussion with a dear friend about the pit falls of not being clear when you’re dealing with other people, and how if you have a hidden agenda, there could be some unforeseen consequences. Even if you are not fully aware of it, the other person will always pick up your intention subconsciously, and your discussion will go in the direction of what you are actually thinking. Now consider that both of you were not really clear, you can see how much of a mess this would cause.

Take for example, Mary comes to see Kim and says to her: “I love your dress, it looks amazing on you.” While she is actually thinking “I don’t really care very much about your dress, but I know you do, so I will use this as a way to trick you since I need to ask you for a favor.” Chances are, even though she didn’t know it, Kim would actually somehow feel exactly what Mary intended. Eventually, their relationship will explode in the context that makes no sense to either of them.&nb sp;What happens here, is that all the mal-intent gets stored up, and this usually results in a complete collapse of the relationship.

What if Mary had just come out and asked for the favor directly? Chances are, Kim would have said yes or no, but the difference is that there would have been zero exchange or chance for negativity. This was my take on things up until my friend innocently shattered my Universe with the simple phrase: “But isn’t the conversation really between you and the Universe, and when you connect with a person, are you not just connecting with a part of the Universe?”

So, if you meet someone and you are not being honest in your intent, you are directly communicating those thoughts to the Universe. Therefore, you will actually get the results based on what you are truly intending. As you are speaking to the Universe through your thoughts and intentions, it is the Universe that will respond accordingly, not necessarily the other person.

If you take the time to wrap your mind around this simple concept, it has astounding consequences. Imagine if you will, a world where when you meet with someone, you know that he or she is your “brother or sister”. But take it even further, and imagine that when you are speaking and communicating to this person, you are directly communicating with the Universe itself.

You will be aware at this point that “thoughts become things” is merely the tip of the iceberg.

Consider this until the next time we meet.

Remember that it is not the thing that makes us happy or unhappy, it is the thoughts about the things that will make it so.

KAN YU — FENG SHUI, by the Zen Master

We cannot discuss Feng Shui without using at some point, the word luck. I just realized the other day that except for the dictionary definition of this word, and our furry rabbit tail key chain, there is very little really understood about luck and what it truly means. I think the very nature of this term makes it the kind of word that you don’t investigate too much. But I am not convinced or satisfied to just accept luck “blindly”.

So recently, I started thinking more and meditating more on this term; this thing of magic that rules all our lives and affairs. To see if there is a part in it that makes it more real, more manageable, and less random. I am far from any concrete conclusion. I think it will be a long experiment, but this is what I have concluded so far. I will list them in point form for the sake of clarity. Some of these findings might not be new to everyone, but in the light of clarity I think it becomes a bit more useful in our daily quest for abundance.

1. We make our luck, we really do. It is a fact that by being present and planting good seeds, good things eventually manifest and create a sort of snowball luck effect.

2. Luck comes to those who have a bit of it. It seems that the lucky, get even more lucky, but I believe that we are all born with a “luck chip” but the chip seems small in contrast to our adult size, so it is easily discarded. The trick here is to dust off this piece of luck and start to attract more. Before you know it, your luck will have grown very large indeed.

3. Luck is not given by fairies. I know we might wish to think that luck comes from the “Luck Fairies” or beings that grant us wishes, but the fact is, even if it were so, it is not the way of an Intelligent Universe to enslave people with wish granting. The way to see how wishes work, is to realize that by intent we are creating our reality and our luck daily.

4. Luck is actually the offspring of our commands. When creating a personal request what is the word that most frequently follows the word “I”? If you are like most people, it most likely is the word “want”. Well this is exactly why you are still “wanting” what ever it is that you have been wanting all your adult life. You see, you have created the command after the “I” and therefore created this luck associated with it. Now try to put the word “am” after your luck command of “I” and see what manifests.

5. Luck is your friend and is with you all the time. The simple fact that you are reading this shows that luck is with you, so relax and lets enjoy the trip.

So what does this have to do with Feng shui? Well everything actually, since it is not something out there that is creating the changes that will happen in your reality once you apply Feng Shui. It is actually something that is impossible to be separated from you and your power of imagination.

In the last issue of KA, we created a template of the home that represented the 9 sectors: fame, wealth, relationships, ancestors, health, children, knowledge, career, and helpful people. All the areas are interconnected and it will not be wise to ignore one in favor of the other, but the key with feng shui is also not to tear up the house and stir everything up all at once. With this in mind, lets focus on the two parts of our lives that in this current reality seems to be the most pressing: money and career.

These two sections are very easy to identify in the home or office. Remember that if your office is in your home, it is sort of like when you are at the US customs even while being in a Canadian airport. You are in the USA. Same this when you are in your office you are in another “country” and it must be treated separate from the home itself. What if your office falls in the far left corner of your house, then great for you! It is in a super place to help bring lots of money to you as long as it is kept neat and correct. The Aspirin® of feng shui are: green healthy leafy plants and fresh cut flowers. This has the same effect of balancing negative energy as it does of bringing healthy oxygen into your home or office. You can never have too many plants, and don’t forget that plants take care of those nasty stress causing EMFs.

Simple tips to energize the wealth sector of home or office:::

Water: Place a water fountain, or a picture of water.

Plants: Place a flat leafy plant or tree in this area.

Fish : If you have the space this is a great part of the house for a fish tank with 7 gold fish and 1 black.

The next section of the house to energize will be the one that is directly linked to our happiness this is the career section, located directly opposite the main entrance into your home or office:::

Light: Create more fire energy here by placing a bright light in this area, lit during the day as well. Or white candles.

Red: This area is where you would place your fresh cut red roses or any fresh cut purple or red flowers.

Crystal: Place a sharp pointed crystal in this sector of the house.

Remember that it is your intent that will create the biggest results. In the real (physical 4D*) world, we will agree that it is not enough to sit in the car and wait for it to drive itself, we must put actions with our intent. The same is true with feng shui, and remember that we are all basically happy machines.

‘Till next issue.

* note: we live in four dimensions, not three. The fourth is time.

Dr. CHAHN TRAN TIEN

BALANCE

Every Pound has it’s Story

www.trantiendiet.com

KA — Can you recall a single event that  created the most change in your way of living your life, a sort of fork in the road?

Dr. T — I was sitting on the sidewalk in a little Vietnamese village, finishing a small meal that was served to me by a traveling merchant.  I was waiting for a boat that was to bring me to Halong Bay. When it came time for me to pay, the old woman told me that I didn’t have to, since it had been offered by the little girl names Xuan, who was sitting at a distance on the street corner.  I met Xuan about an hour prior, as she was selling little hand fans to tourists since it was such a hot time a year in Vietnam. I bought one from the little 10 year on Xuan, but as she told me the price, it was so low to me that without thought, I gave her a large tip. She must have thought it to be too much, as she then offered this meal for me in thanks.  As the boat left the port, I never got to see Xuan again. This chance encounter truly made me think, since I was the same age as her when my family and I fled from Vietnam during the war to live in France. Meeting this little girl fully changed my vision of life, and I feel that at that moment, I understood the true meaning of  humility and dignity. In fact, do you  know that Xuan means Spring in Vietnamese?

KA —  Vous souvenez-vous de l’événement qui a déclenché le plus gros changement dans votre vie?

Dr. T — J’étais assis sur le bord de la route en train de terminer un frugal repas que me servit une marchande ambulante.J’attendais le bateau qui devait m’emmener à la baie d’Halong.Au moment de l’addition,la vieille dame qui me servit me dit que ce n’était pas la peine de payer car le repas m’a été offert par la petite Xuân.Assise à l’écart,je ne l’avais pas remarqué.Je l’avais rencontré une heure auparavant en allant acheter mon billet pour le bateau.Xuân avait dix ans et vendait des éventails aux touristes. Au Vietnam,l’été est chaud et humide car c’est la saison de la mousson. Je lui ai acheté un éventail.Le prix était tellement dérisoire que j’ai du lui laisser,par inattention, un pourboire qu’elle a du juger trop important.Elle me restitua ainsi cette somme en m’offrant ce repas puis,avec un grand sourire, elle m’accompagna jusqu’au bateau pour me désigner une place à l’abri en m’affirmant qu’il allait certainement pleuvoir. Le bateau quitta le port et je ne l’ai jamais revu.J’avais le même âge qu’elle quand nous avions fui la guerre,avec mes parents, pour arriver en France.La rencontre avec cet être changea radicalement ma vision de la vie,je crois avoir compris ce qu’est l’humilité et la dignité. Au fait,savez vous qu’en vietnamien,Xuân signifie le Printemps?

KA — How do I create a healthy in- balance to facilitate a stable body weight?

Dr. T — In life, no balance is reached without action. It is simply the result of a constant effort. This balance also cannot be found without the notion of having a good time in the process. For example, if we do not find happiness at work, we seek to change jobs, same goes for relationships and friends.  Happiness is the very basis of all life personal balance.  This is also true for any loss or maintenance of a stable weight. How do we find happiness with a body that we do not love? Before all, we must choose to love ourselves in an unconditional way — the same way we would love our own child. If this is not the case, our inner-balance is only an illusion that will be thrown off once any minor problem arises in our life.

KA — Comment dois-je créer un bel équilibre interne afin de jouir d’un poids stable?

Dr. T — Dans la vie aucun équilibre n’est acquis à l’avance.C’est le résultat d’un travail permanent. Aucun équilibre ne peut être obtenu et maintenu durablement sans la notion de plaisir.Dans un travail ,par exemple,s’il n’y a pas de plaisir,on essaie d’en changer.Malheureusement,on peut dire la même chose aussi pour le couple ou pour les amis.Le plaisir apparait comme la base de tout équilibre.Ceci est aussi vrai pour la diététique que pour le maintien d’un poids stable et durable. Mais n’oubliez pas qu’avoir du plaisir et satisfaire un besoin,ce n’est pas du tout la même chose. Mais comment avoir du plaisir avec un corps ou un poids qu’on n’aime pas? Par conséquent et avant toute chose,il faut avoir le courage de décider de s’aimer tel qu’on est d’une manière inconditionnelle,comme on pourrait aimer son propre enfant.Si ce n’est pas le cas,l’équilibre interne n’est qu’une illusion éphémère qui sera ébranlée dès la survenue du moindre problème dans la vie.

KA —  In all the seminars that you have done what do you feel is the most common thing that needs to be changed to create a healthier mind body connection?

Dr. T — It seems to me that main thing to change would be fear. It’s been said to me once that the opposite of love is fear, not hate.  I fully agree with this notion, as we cannot love if we are afraid of loosing it.  I often meet people who are afraid to love and to love themselves.  In fact, so many people I meet are actually afraid of life itself.  Fear keeps us from living in harmony with ourselves and others, which in a way, is the barrier to joy.  Lately, I find that people focus so much on world epidemics, crisis, and ecological catastrophes. Although I do not negate this very important reality, I believe that these situations should never shift our focus away from living in the present moment everyday.  When it comes to our weight, it is impossible to loose weight without love for ourselves, and it’s also harder to love ourselves if we are afraid.

KA — À travers tous les séminaires que vous avez donnés, quelle est la chose commune à tous qui doit être changée  pour créer une connexion corps-esprit saine?

Dr. T — Il me semble que la chose à changer soit la peur.Quelqu’un a dit très justement que le contraire de l’amour,c’est la peur et non la haine. Je suis entièrement d’accord avec cette idée.On ne peut pas aimer une personne que l’on craint. Je rencontre souvent des gens qui ont peur d’aimer,qui ont peur de s’aimer. En fait beaucoup de personnes ont tout simplement peur de la vie. La peur nous empêche de vivre en harmonie avec nous même et avec les autres.Quelque part c’est une barrière au bonheur. On ne parle aujourdhui que d’épidémies,de crise ou de catastrophes écologiques.Je ne nie pas la réalité de ces phénomènes mais cela ne doit pas nous empêcher de vivre l’instant présent. En terme de poids, il est difficile de perdre du poids durablement,si on ne s’aime pas.Et il est difficile de s’aimer si on a peur de soi même ou de la vie.

KA —  It seems that there is shift in health where 40 is the new 30 what in your opinion is the cause of this slowing down of age, and how do you think we can help this process along?

Dr. T — It is true that with the progress of modern medicine, that people in their 40’s seem younger than ever before. However, we cannot simply rely on appearances, as we can be old at 25, just as we can at 70. True youth resides in our hearts and not in botox or esthetic surgery! As time seems to pass and we go through so many challenges, our horizon has a tendency to shorten, and we go through life as if walking through along hallway or maze. To stay young, one must renounce the past and fully live in the present as well as focus on the future, regardless of age.  In fact, it is also not so true that we live longer now than before. Did you know that because of weight problems and their effects on our health, that a child born today in an industrialized society will not live as long as his parents? This said, we cannot confuse the search for happiness with eternal youth.

KA —  Il semble qu’il y ait une nouvelle réalité en ce qui concerne la quarantaine étant la nouvelle trentaine.  Quelle est votre opinion sur la cause de ce ralentissement d’âge et comment croyez-vous que nous pouvons aider ce processus?

Dr. T — C’est vrai qu’avec les progrès de la médecine ,aujourdhui à 40 ans on parait plus jeune qu’autrefois.Mais il ne faut pas se fier aux apparences,nous pouvons être vieux à 25 ans et être jeunes à 70 ans. La vraie jeunesse réside dans notre coeur et non dans le botox ou la chirurgie esthétique!Avec le temps qui passe et les épreuves rencontrés,notre horizon a tendance à se rétrécir et nous avançons dans la vie comme si nous marchions dans un couloir ou un labyrinthe.Pour rester jeune,il faut renoncer de vivre dans le passé mais regarder vers l’avenir,quelque soit l’âge. Par ailleurs,il n’est pas tout à fait vrai que nous vivions plus longtemps qu’avant.Savez vous qu’à cause des problèmes de poids et des conséquences sur la santé,un enfant qui nait aujourdhui dans les pays industrialisés,vivra moins longtemps que ses propres parents? Il ne faut pas confondre la quête du bonheur et la quête de l’éternelle jeunesse.

KA —  When we are emotional we tend to eat our emotions, saying don’t eat your emotions is not a solution, if the emotions are involved what would be the best way of satisfying this craving , and how would you eat for emotional balance?

Dr. T — There is no real diet to balance our emotions. It is in fact the opposite : our emotions push us to eat. This is why our way of eating is the consequence and not the direct cause of our emotions. An eating disorder is always the reflection of a disorder in one’s life.  The solution can thereby not be found in a mere diet, since there does not exist any anti-depression or anti-stress diets.  If you however find balance in  your life, automatically you will not “eat your emotions”. And to reach this, each must find their own way, as no one knows the secret to happiness.

KA — Quand nous vivons des émotions, nous avons tendance à manger nos émotions. Simplement dire “ne mange pas tes émotions” n’est pas la solution.  D’après vous, quelle est la meilleure solution pour satisfaire ce désir ardent lorsque les émotions sont vives et comment mangeriez-vous pour retrouver une balance émotionnelle?

Dr. T — Il n’y a pas de façon de manger pour équilibrer ses émotions.C’est tout à fait l’inverse qui se produit.Ce sont nos émotions qui nous poussent à manger.Notre façon de manger est la conséquence et non la cause de nos émotions.Un désordre alimentaire reflète toujours un désordre dans la vie.La solution ne peut pas se trouver dans une quelconque diète..Il n’existe pas de diète anti-dépression ou de diète anti-stress. Si vous parvenez à trouver l’équilibre dans votre vie affective,automatiquement vous ne mangerez plus vos émotions.Mais pour cela,chacun doit trouver sa voie car personne n’a le secret du bonheur.

KA —  What are you reading these days.  How do you choose the books you buy?

Dr. T — Right now I am reading “Pays des neiges” by Kawabata. In general, I don’t actually buy books for myself, they are usually offered to me by friends. And when I love a book, I buy it so I may offer it to someone else I love. This is a form of sharing that I truly appreciate.

KA — Quel livre lisez-vous ces jours-ci, et comment choisissez-vous les livres que vous achetez?

Dr. T — En ce moment,je lis “Pays des neiges” de Kawabata.En générale,je n’achète pas de livres pour moi,on me les offre.Et de même, lorsque j’ai aimé un livre,je l’achète pour l’offrir à mon tour à quelqu’un que j’aime. C’est une forme de partage que j’apprécie beaucoup.

KA — What are 3 things you would change on the planet given three wishes?

Dr. T — I personally  believe that no one has the mission to change the world, but everyone can bring something special in this life that we all share. If you look at the Tibetan monks or the Taoist Sajes, none of them believe they will change the world, they simply seek to find peace within themselves and those around them and their environment. If everyone did as they do, the world would automatically change.  But let’s not rush things, as we cannot forget that time is relative, and maybe our perception of time is only an illusion?

KA — Si vous aviez trois souhaits pour changer certaines choses sur la planète, quels seraient-ils?

Dr. T — -Je crois que personne n’a la mission de changer la planète.Chacun peut apporter une petite pierre à ce grand édifice qu’on appelle la VIE. Voyez les moines tibétains ou les sages Taoïstes,aucun d’entre eux n’a la prétention de changer la monde.Ils ne cherchent qu’à être en harmonie avec eux mêmes et avec ce qui les entoure,c’est à dire avec les gens et avec leur environnement.Si tout le monde faisait de même,la planète changera automatiquement.Mais ne soyons pas trop pressés,n’oublions pas que le temps n’est qu’une notion relative.Notre perception du temps qui passe n’est peut être qu’une illusion?

Why does everything go back to Balance if left alone — Going to a place where energy is no longer needed to reach great distances. Can this be applied to our lives? Is there a co-relation to harmony & success ? Are we by nature, stress creatures, or harmony and balance driven?

Without balance, any system in nature will die. Are we as individuals, killing ourselves slowly with our “unbalance”— Is this by extension, killing our world slowly — Then, to create a solution would be the imperative of the individual ( be it a global imperative of the collective individual)…

KA, in the Balance Series, will tackle this subject from the perspective of balancing our most important asset : Our Health.

INTERVIEW WITH DR. CHANH TRAN TIEN — KA MAGAZINE, SUMMER 2009 ( translation francaise )

1. KA — Mind over body seems to be as old as our species, yet it is only recently that we are realizing the strong effect our thoughts have on our general well being. How much influence do you think this connection has on us?

Dr. — In the extreme oriental culture, we believe that the body and the spirit are the expressions of one (1) and the same reality. They are believed to be inseparable, like the Yin and Yang. Modern thought and medicine have now started to separate the two, yet have thought the notion of life down to a molecular science. Because of this, we now speak of organic and “psychosomatic” diseases. In Chinese medicine, the term “psychosomatic” doesn’t exist because for them, most everything is psychosomatic – this depends only on how we look at things. For me however, it is undeniable that thought has so much influence on our general well being and health.

KA — La théorie stipulant que l’esprit contrôle le corps existe depuis des générations cependant, ce n’est que récemment que nous réalisons le pouvoir que nos pensées ont sur notre bien-être général. À quel point croyez-vous que nous sommes influencés par ceci ?

Dr. — Dans la culture extreme orientale, on pense que le corps et l’esprit ne sont que les expressions d’une seule et meme réalité. Ils sont indissociables comme le Yin et le Yang. La pensée moderne ainsi que la médecine contemporaine ont commencé par séparer le corps et l’esprit, ce qui aboutit à une vision très moléculaire et parcellée de la vie. On parle alors de maladies organiques et de maladies psychosomatiques. Dans la médecine chinoise, le terme de “psychosomatique” n’existe pas car pour eux tout est forcément psychosomatique. Cela dépend seulement de l’angle sous laquelle on observe les chose. Pour moi il est indéniable que la pensée a une influence sur notre bien etre générale et notre santé.

2. KA — When you think of diets, the picture that comes to mind is nothing that satisfies the pleasure of eating is allowed, but you seem to go in an opposite direction. Are the results of diet then based more on balance than a specific method of starvation?

Dr. — When it comes to “weight loss diet” and nutrition, I find that the word “balance” has often been misused. Balance is a relative notion, which must be brought to a precise situation. If one wishes to eat well and maintain a healthy weight, it is obvious that one needs to eat a “balanced” diet! Balance, is by definition, when things do not move, when they are stable. For instance, a store that is balanced will not lose money, but it will not make any either! Therefore, with a balanced diet, we don’t gain or loose any weight. In fact, if one wishes to lose weight, they must come to the understanding that they will need to deprive themselves temporarily of elements in their current nutrition. Many think that when they wish to lose weight, the pleasure lies in the foods that they eat. But in fact, the joy is in knowing that you have now gained control over your body, which has for so long been ignored.

KA — Quand nous pensons aux régimes amaigrissants, tout de suite nous croyons que les plaisirs de la table ne sont pas permis cependant, vous semblez croire le contraire. Alors, est-ce que les résultats des diètes sont plus influencés par l’équilibre qu’une méthode spécifique de privation ?

Dr. — En matière de régime amaigrissant et de nutrition, je pense que le mot équilibre a été souvent mal employé. Un équilibre est une notion relative, et doit se rapporter à une situation précise. Si vous voulez manger sainement et maintenir votre poids de forme, il est évident qu’il faut alors manger équilibré. Mais aussi étonnant que cela puisse paraitre, j’affirme que pour maigrir, il ne faut pas manger équilibré! Un équilibre, par définition, c’est quand les choses ne bougent pas, c’est un état stable. Par exemple, un commerce équilibré ne gagne pas d’argent mais n’en perd pas non plus. Donc avec un équilibre alimentaire, on ne prend pas de poids mais on n’en perd pas non plus. En fait, pour perdre quelque chose, en l’occurence du poids, il va falloir accepter l’idée qu’il faut se priver temporairement de quelque chose dans notre alimentation. Beaucoup de gens se trompent en croyant que pendant la perte de poids, le plaisir doit résider dans ce que l’on mange; Non le vrai plaisir réside dans le fait de reprendre possession de son propre corps qu’on a longtemps délaissé.

3. KA — The art of mind and body balance has long seemed out of reach for us mere mortals to achieve. When we think of mind and body balance, the Monks of Tibet seem to be the only thing that pops up, leaving me to sit back and relax in my armchair since hey, I’m no monk! so it’s ok to slack off,… but you suggest that this balance is achievable by everyone?

Dr. — Tibetan monks seem to have found a middle ground between meditation and detachment. However, in our modern society, the search for vacuity is far from priority. It seems to be thought that as a people, we would be in such harmony- if only we only searched more for “ourselves” rather than search for “things”. Being in a constant state of wanting leaves you with the frustration of always wanting something. But who and what are we waiting for?! To finally feel like we exist? To simply shift your attention to “being” (which we are already) your whole world will change.

KA — L’art de l’équilibre entre l’esprit et le corps semble être un idéal impossible à atteindre pour les communs des mortels. Les Moines du Tibet sont le seul exemple qui me vient en tête de personnes qui ont réussi ce tour de force. Vous suggérez cependant que cet équilibre est atteignable par tous ?

Dr. — Les moines du Tibet semblent trouver un équilibre dans la méditation et le détachement, dans notre société moderne et occidentale la quete de la vacuité est bien loin de nos préoccupations quotidiennes. Pourtant, il me semble que nous serions infiniment plus en harmonie avec nous memes, si nous étions moins dans la quete d’avoir mais d’avantage dans la quete d’etre. L’avoir nous emmène dans une situation de frustration et d’attente, un peu comme si nous étions assis sur un quai de gare à attendre. Mais attendre qui, attendre quoi ? Attendre d’exister enfin dans notre vie ? Alors que “etre”, nous le sommes déjà, encore faut il en etre conscient.

4. KA — Losing weight seems to be the struggle between one extreme and the next, weight loss followed by weight gain. The mere fact that this has spawned a large industry, by definition means that it is a business. The fact that weight loss is a business means that it must keep it’s clients coming back. This is a cycle of loss and gain and return for more help. Your plan seems to fly against this reasoning, and you want people to keep the weight off and have fun too.

Dr. — Unfortunately, losing weight is a process that is unnatural. Only people who are either very ill or depressed will tend to lose weight without making the real effort. From this, we need to understand that to gain a few pounds after a diet, is something completely normal. It is a natural reaction, and it’s certainly nothing to feel upset about. A diet is not a magical vaccine against weight! Until we truly understand the psychology behind each pound, we risk to gain it back.

KA — La perte de poids semble être une lutte entre les contraires ; la perte de poids suivie par un gain de poids. La perte de poids a engendré une grande industrie et des profits énormes. Les gains financiers sont assurés tant et aussi longtemps que les clients partent et reviennent. Le cycle « perte de poids/gain de poids/retour pour plus d’aide » est primordial pour la survie de l’industrie. Votre plan semble aller à l’encontre de ce raisonnement et vous souhaitez que les gens perdent du poids et aient même du plaisir dans le processus ?

Dr. — Malheureusement, maigrir est un processus anti-naturel. Seules les personnes très malades ou très dépressives maigrissent spontanément sans faire de régime. De ce fait il faut accepter que reprendre un peu de poids après un régime, est un processus normal.Ce n’est ni un échec du régime, ni un échec personnel. Un régime n’est pas un vaccin définitif contre le poids ! Et tant qu’on n’aura pas compris que chaque livre raconte une histoire, on risque de reprendre son poids ; Une histoire hormonale mais souvent une histoire triste aussi.

5. KA — How do you create a balance in your life?

Dr. — I try as best I can to have fun in everything I do. I find that the words : fun, love, action, existence and presence all really mean the same thing. The opposite is also true- where the words : not fun, waiting , hate, and absence also mean the same thing. Because I know this, I try to live my life in a state of constant awareness, and not to live the “day to day” consequences of life.

KA — Comment réussissez-vous à créer l’équilibre dans votre vie ?

Dr. — J’essaie d’avoir du plaisir dans tout ce que je fais. Je pense que les mots plaisir, aimer, agir, exister et etre présent à sa vie veulent dire la meme chose. A l’inverse les mots déplaisir, subir, attendre et etre absent à sa vie expriment aussi la meme idée. A partir de ce raisonnement, j’essaie d’etre en permanence à ma vie et surtout éviter de vivre, comme on dit, au jour le jour qui revient en fait à subir sa vie.

6. KA — We see over and over when a person is depressed, the first sign is that they neglect their appearance. Do you suggest that if this is held on to at all means (not to become a victim of fashion) that the chances are they might resist the depression a sort of reverse, creating matter over mind?

Dr. — People who are overweight or depressed live some sort of separation with their “true selves”. They often feel like they live in a body that is not theirs. They don’t love it, so they have tendencies to neglect themselves. More often than not, they wear clothing that will hide them, rather than make them feel good. However, to take care of one’s appearance (without being narcissistic) is proving that we are able to love ourselves- through it all- without the need to resemble anyone else..

KA — Nous constatons souvent que les gens déprimés ont tendance à négliger leur apparence. Suggérez-vous que si ces personnes résistent cette tendance (sans toutefois devenir des victimes de la mode) ils pourraient résister à leur maladie, prouvant ainsi que le corps peut aussi contrôler l’esprit ?

Dr. — Les gens déprimés ou en surpoids vivent une sorte de dissociation ou séparation avec eux memes. Ils ont souvent l’impression d’habiter dans un corps qui n’est pas le leur, alors ils ont tendance à se négliger car ils ne s’aiment plus. Le plus souvent, ils portent que des vetements qui les cachent et non les vetements qui leur plaisent. Pourtant, soigner son apparence n’a rien de narcissique, c’est se prouver qu’on est capable de s’aimer tel qu’on est, sans chercher à ressembler à qui que se soit.

7. KA — Five words to describe Chanh Tran Tien

Dr. — Passionately in love with life

KA — Qui est Chanh Tran Tien en cinq mots ?

Dr. — Passionnément amoureux de la vie.