"Be safe. Be Asahi." A blog by Beverly Harju, PhD.

Motivation researcher Beverly Harju, PhD, has gone all out for Asahi because of her professional background & her interest in all things Finnish:

I found ASAHI@ a year ago while looking online at other Finnish stuff. Like most people, I seek ways to relax and improve my physical and mental health. I am a regular meditator but Asahi does more for me to release my tension. Since movement is driven mostly by the right brain, I can focus on letting go of my busy left brain’s mental activity.

Graduating with an advanced Asahi teacher's diploma at FinnFest 2024 in Duluth, MN.

I have become so enthusiastic about Asahi that I have received beginning and advanced training to be an Asahi teacher. I went to the FinnFestUSA 2024 in Duluth where I felt very rewarded by the friendships created with other teachers. My son says I go "All In” when I like something. He’s right. You will see what I mean when you try Asahi!

Volunteering at the Asahi info table at FinnFest 2024

As a retired researcher, I was very pleased to learn that the Asahi movements were carefully chosen to improve the mind and body’s ability to relax and to improve the functioning of specific areas of the body.

While the left brain is necessary for initially learning the movements, it must remain positive. With much practice, habit will allow the planning mind to recede. Remember there is no room for “critical downer thinking.”

Part of the teacher training at FinnFest involved participating in a stage presentation of Asahi

My research area in motivation convinced me of the following attitudes:

Successful learning is greatly enhanced by:

1. setting a positive mental attitude

2. feeling happy about all progress

3. Praising yourself afterwards for your work. Be kind to yourself!

I continue to feel grateful that Asahi Nordic Institute offers a free introductory class and YouTube practice videos, which I encourage my friends to pursue. What a gift they offer all of us. Risto Lehto and Margaret Vainio demonstrate in detail how each posture improves one’s health. Movements were chosen that safely stimulate relaxation and the nervous system while strengthening bones, muscles, and the full chain of joints. What could be better?

BIO

Currently Beverly Harju, PhD, is an Asahi certified B-Level Instructor, a Volunteer activist for social and climate justice with InsightSD, SanDiego350, and Veterans for Peace, as well as a Trained Climate Reality Leader.

She worked as a Clinical psychologist and was a CSPP-SD graduate with honors. She has 30 years of career experience as a: UCSD Student Counselor, Associate Professor at East Carolina University, research in motivation, Fulbright Scholar: University of Tampere, Finland, Research Fellow: University of Hiroshima, Japan, and had a private practice.

Beverly has been married 30 years, has a dog, Marni, and a large extended circle of family and friends. She has competed in 9 marathons earlier in life. Her interests these days are practicing Asahi, playing with her dog, cross country skiing, all kinds of music, Buddhist meditation, belonging to a book group and reading.

Categories: : Asahi and Psychology, Asahi and Science, Asahi keeps you young, Asahi teachers' close-ups, Asahi vs. Stress