Find Zen at CDBF’s Wellness Village in 2012

This year, Find Zen has a new home at CDBF within the Wellness Village, where health is the focus during the festival. That’s because Find Zen celebrates the many cultural traditions from Asia that promote and celebrate healthier lifestyles and stress-free living in these hectic modern times. At Find Zen, you might learn about the peaceful art of ikebana, or flower arranging or the spiritual practice of meditation; the stretching of tai chi or the principles of Feng Shui.

The deadline is April 15 to apply for the Find Zen area if you’re interested in giving a lecture or demonstration!

2011 ZEN DEMONSTRATIONS

Midori Allmeyer

Ikebana demonstration
Midori Allmeyer was born on Hokkaido, the northern island of Japan. She has been studying and teaching the Japanese traditional art called “Ikebana” for more than 25 years. “Ikebana” means “the art of flower arranging.” It has history of 500 years. Ikebana can be arranged anytime, anywhere, by anyone and with any material. Many beautiful flowers and plants, the raw materials, are the products of mother nature but Ikebana is the product of man’s creativity and imagination in the arrangement of such raw materials. Ikebana is always alive. She volunteers at the Denver Art Museum as a flower counselor and at the Botanic Gardens tea house. She teaches Ikebana classes at Sakura Square.

Amache Preservation Society

Presentation about Amache, Colorado’s Japanese American Internment Camp
Since 1990, the Amache Preservation Society, a Granada high school group, has worked on preservation of the site and its documents. As a school project, Granada Undivided High School students have set up a museum for the Granada War Relocation Center. The society is a class that’s taught by John Hopper, a teacher who has inspired students for over 20 years to learn about, preserve and themselves teach about Amache.
 

Ancient Harmony Tai Chi Chuan

Tai Chi
Ancient Harmony Tai Chi Chuan School began operation in 2005 & is owned by Sifu Mearl Thompson. Ancient Harmony provides low-cost Tai Chi instruction for the community, and serves as a forum for both local and national seminars, classes and push-hands gatherings. Classes are offered in both Yang & Sun style Tai Chi. www.ancientharmonytaichi.com
 
 

Gary Hendrickson

Feng Shui
Gary Hendrickson is a nationally known feng shui educator, author, lecturer, designer, consultant and real estate investor. He has studied with numerous internationally known masters, and has 35 years of study & practice. His integration of multiple techniques of feng shui makes him one of the country’s most innovative feng shui educators & consultants. Gary is a Founding Council Member of the International Feng Shui Guild, and a Re-Direct Guide (Denver-Boulder Sustainable Design guide) member.www.fengshuidesign.net
 

Maile Inagaki

Lei making and shave ice
Maile Inagaki has brought Hawaiian leis and shave ice to Colorado. In 2003 she started Little Grass Shack out of her garage, since then it has evolved into a few boutiques and now, an online store providing fresh flower leis. This year Maile and her family decided to add shave ice to their menu. “Most people only know of snow cones, I want to change the misconception that shave ice is the same thing. www.SpreadingAloha.com
 
 
 
 
 

Harold Sasaki

Bonsai demonstration
Harold Sasaki of Colorado Bonsai Ltd. has been involved in the art of bonsai for over 50 years, beginning in his hometown of Kona, Hawaii. He has been the only instructor of bonsai classes at the Denver Botanic Gardens for the last 35 years and given workshops and lectures nationally. His passion is to “demystify” the art, debunk the myths and provide “Bonsai Survival 101,” so that this wonderful Japanese art can be enjoyed by all.
 
 
 
 
 

Marcia Sasaki

Meditation
Marcia Sasaki, RN is a nurse with over 20 years of experience in a wide variety of traditional Western medical, and nursing areas as well natural and complementary traditions for self-healing. She is now a Certified Divine Healing Hands Practitioner through Dr. and Master Zhi Gang Sha. Master Sha teaches spiritual healing of the soul comes first, then the body and mind will follow. We all have the ability to heal ourselves and together we can heal the world through Love, Peace and Harmony.
 
 
 
 

Kimiko Side

Japanese Dollmaking and Crafts
Lovingly and respectfully referred to as the “Ambassador of the Japanese American community” in Colorado, Kimiko Side has given herself tirelessly for over 20 years in her adopted country, the United States. She’s is an active volunteer in a variety of organizations, and demonstrates her compassion for others and her leadership in our community in countless ways. For 15 years, Kimiko served as the president of Takayama Sister City, and during that time was instrumental in establishing Takayama Park in Denver and a Denver Park in Takayama, Japan. In May 2008, Kimiko escorted Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper when he visited our sister city of Takayama in Japan. Kimiko is also active in the Japanese American Citizens League, the Japanese Association of Colorado, the Japanese American Society, and was a volunteer in the past for the Mayor’s Commission on Human Relations and Discrimination (on which Minoru Yasui served as Executive Director). She is a recipient of the Minoru Yasui Community Volunteer Award. One of Kimiko’s very special gifts is her skill at teaching the craft of Japanese doll making, which she has done for 30 years. Kimiko donates all the profits from her classes to the Buddhist Temple and Simpson Methodist Church. She has also funded scholarships for Japanese students as an active member of the Japanese American Scholarship Committee.

Taoist Tai Chi Society

Tai Chi
The International Taoist Tai Chi Society is dedicated to bringing the benefits of Taoist Tai Chi™ arts of health to people of all abilities and ages. We are a volunteer-run, charitable nonprofit organization with locations in 25 countries. In the Denver Area, we offer regular beginner and continuing Tai Chi classes in Denver, Westminster/Arvada, and Crestone area. All classes are led by nationally accredited volunteer instructors in a friendly and helpful environment. www.taoist.org

Yunn Pann

Very Gentle Taoist Exercises
Do you want to exercise but you don’t like regular exercises? You are aware of the tension you are holding but do not know how to let it go. You would like to learn about “cultivate” or “nurture” your spirit but find “meditation through breathing” not helpful. This is a door to a stronger body and quieter spirit. This workshop can be especially good for people who are old and experienced enough to know one very important aspect of good exercises is gentleness.