Miya Tahufer
If I'm going to eat anyway, I want to focus on the quality, not the quantity.
At the organic market Tenbusu in Okinawa City,
Customers come from various regions and have various backgrounds.
"Why would you choose Tenbusu instead of your local supermarket?"
"I wonder what kind of person that always cheerful person is..."
Representative Mayeda wanted to know more about the customers, so he brought along the store manager, Mr. Kuniyoshi.
We decided to ask our regular customers to tell us their stories.
For the second session, we welcomed yoga therapist Miya Tahufer.
Miya has been watching Tenbusu's growth for over 10 years.
It was Mayeda's mother who turned yoga from a hobby into a career.
Even though I didn't move my body, I felt refreshed somehow.
It was a time to relax my mind and thoughts.
[Maeida]
I don't have a chance to give you my business card, so I'll give you one.
[Miya]
I agree.
【interviewer】
Have you known each other for a while?
[Maeida]
Out of all the regulars I've been to this time, I've known him for the longest time by far.
[Miya]
It's been about 11 years since I came to Okinawa.
【interviewer】
picture~!
[Miya]
I've seen a lot of changes in tenbusu (lol).
What inspired me to become a yoga therapist were the words of CEO Mayada’s mother.
[Maeida]
You were from Kobe, right?
[Miya]
that's right. I moved to Okinawa in 2009 for my husband's work, and now we have two children.
[Maeida]
When we met, our youngest child wasn't born yet.
[Miya]
that's right. My eldest child is 2 years old, doesn't know left from right, and doesn't know anyone, so I was wandering around when I noticed this interesting modern building. I remember the first time I went to the store.
Yoshito-kun (*Representative Yoshito Mayeda) was wearing a beret, and his mother was there. I received some shocking words from Yoshito's mother when it came to my current yoga activities.
When I became pregnant with my daughter, I became interested in food and realized that what I eat doesn't just affect my body. I started eating organic ingredients and doing yoga to improve my health. If it's a restaurant like Tenbusu, I thought she might know of a class that teaches yoga, so I asked her about it.
When I asked, ``Where is there?'', my mother said, ``You should tell me.''
That's completely different from the answer I was looking for (lol).
There's space at the top, so why don't you do it? That's it. I was hesitant about teaching because I had only been learning for about a year, but I think deep down I wanted to try it. Listen to your mother's words and ask if you'll give it a try. I started with One Coin, then Yoshito came, and then I brought my girlfriend, who would later become my wife.
[Kuniyoshi]
Were you working on the second floor of the store?
[Miya]
You're looking at the sky. About a year with a close customer. I then studied yoga therapy and earned my license over the course of three years. It's now my 11th year.
[Kuniyoshi]
I would like to see the representative do yoga.
[Maeida]
It's extremely hard. It looks like stones are rolling. My wife seems to have some talent. Miya-san is a family member. We all know each other's families.
[Miya]
Sometimes my daughter goes shopping for sweets by herself.
[Maeida]
I was 2 years old then and now?
[Miya]
In the second year of junior high school.
[Maeida]
Seriously!? I was scared (lol).
You can change the story as much as you want depending on where you place your consciousness.
[Maeida]
On a different topic, I wonder if the yoga that Miya does is different from others.
[Miya]
I agree. Simply put, I don't care about the perfect pose at all. It's more like I'm connecting to the process of what I'm doing. It's introspective yoga.
[Maeida]
Did you notice?
[Miya]
I have a business name called Awareness Yoga. I think you've probably been asking yourself questions unconsciously ever since you were little. By practicing this consciously, you will naturally become aware of it. There's a word called "mindfulness," but when you translate it into Japanese, it seems to translate into awareness. The concept is to connect to your true self.
[Maeida]
I would like to hear more about your awareness. There may not be a goal, but what kind of state do you aim for in the end, and what kind of experience do you want to experience through yoga?
[Miya]
I believe that everyone's sense of joy is originally found within their bodies.
However, when the environment changes drastically like the current situation with the coronavirus, I think our minds focus on things that we can't do, and we become depressed, sad, and angry. I think there are parts of me that are generally considered negative, but they are also a part of me. While noticing the negative, direct the arrow of your heart towards the joy that is inherent in you. There are many elements in awareness yoga that can be used as training.
The story of your life will change depending on where you notice it and where you place your consciousness. It would be great if I could help people remember their true state of being, or help them maintain a healthy body and mind so that if they have a goal they would like to pursue, they can reach that goal.
[Maeida]
Does it mean that you learn how to deal with your mind in a way that can suppress the tremors when your heart trembles a little?
[Miya]
Rather than trying to suppress it, it's more like letting it exist as it is.
The waves were good. I see myself shaking. If you don't practice being objective, or rather, noticing things, your mind will quickly go to the past and then to the future. You are not “here and now”, are you? It's important to practice being present in the present moment and putting your energy into it. In yoga, we believe that we create our own stress.
It doesn't come from outside. Where did I become conscious? Even when you point your angry arrow at someone, your own thoughts are always on board. Even if you are angry on the surface, deep down there may be something you really want to say, so practice noticing whether what you are saying and what you are thinking are consistent. I really want to be able to properly connect what I feel with my eyes open and what I feel with my eyes closed.
[Maeida]
I totally understand. I feel like this is the root of all religions. Siddhartha Gautam, Muhammad, and Jesus Christ. What I'm saying is that at the moment I receive it unconsciously, I transform it into suffering with my own consciousness. It's just that I tend to receive things like this, like receiving the ball from a pitcher. Hey, I received this again.
[Miya]
It's okay to be caught up in your emotions, but you're aware that you're getting caught up in them.
If I notice that I'm clinging to my emotions right now, I'll step away for a while.
It's good to be able to distinguish between your own tasks and the other person's tasks so that they don't get mixed up. If you feel like you're being manipulated, it means you're handing over the switch. So if you have the switch in your hands and have the mindset of leaving whatever happens to you, I think you'll be able to swim really tough and skillfully.
Eat foods that your body finds delicious without making your mind feel overwhelmed.
[Maeida]
There is an anecdote about Miya's husband, Eddie. When Tenbusu arrived, the vegetables were rotten. I thought the store would get scolded, but Eddie said, ``This is normal. These vegetables are perfect! They retain the power to return to nature.''
[Miya]
Hey, that's what I was saying. He often goes to buy tenbusu, but there are only a few stores where he can buy it with peace of mind. When it comes to what I buy the most, I think salt and seasonings are the ones I buy the most. Since Yoshito-kun became the store manager, the lineup has changed and it has become easier for young people to join. The number of long-term staff has also increased.
[Maeida]
I believe that my only job is to create a good atmosphere among the staff.
【interviewer】
Have there been any changes from before you started doing yoga and paying attention to your diet?
[Miya]
I feel like I've evolved from who I was 10 years ago. I think I have more physical strength now at 39 years old than when I was 29 years old. Mentally, the speed at which I realize that I'm getting caught up in my emotions has become faster. How should human relationships operate in harmony? It's great that I've become able to point the arrow at myself.
【interviewer】
Did that change come from learning yoga?
[Miya]
I agree. After learning yoga, I came to realize that the body is made up of food. When I eat scientific foods, my body starts to react, like I get sick to my chest. I started thinking that if I was going to eat something, I'd rather focus on the quality than the quantity.
Once I had a child, I wanted to feed them healthy food, so my diet naturally changed.
However, since children have friends, I wouldn't say that commercially available sweets are completely bad. But I'm saying something like, ``Look at the back of the product package. Do you know what it means? Your body will be happy if you eat something you can read and understand.''
I'm conscious of not being too restrictive so that my mind doesn't get cramped. I know that if I force something, there will be a backlash later on. We want to give them the freedom to make their own choices. However, since I often cook meals at home, I wanted to serve food that I thought was good. You don't need a lot, so just rice and miso soup. The rice is pesticide-free, the miso soup stock, and the miso are natural. I thought that alone would be enough to make a delicious meal.
[Maeida]
From my point of view as a seller, this pattern is the most delicious. Something simple like miso, salt, and rice.
[Miya]
oh yeah. If the salt is delicious, I think steaming the vegetables and using just the oil is enough.
[Maeida]
Boiled, steamed, sprinkled with salt, etc.
[Miya]
After all, yoga students also find their way into food. I come here for various reasons, including dieting, but for now, why not reconsider salt, soy sauce, miso, and sugar? I sometimes introduce Tenbusu. It actually takes less time and effort if you change the basic ``ki''.
[Maeida]
I often tell my staff that they should treat themselves with the senses of housewives, not chefs. Chefs can cook to get 100 points even with cheap ingredients. Because those people are magicians. We have 80 items, so we just need to add the remaining 5 or 6 items.
Find an edge that feels good
【interviewer】
I'm asking everyone I'm interviewing this time, but Tenbusu's theme is "naturalness." What kind of state do you think “natural” is for Miya-san?
[Miya]
Being natural doesn't mean you don't have to do anything, but I think it means taking care of yourself.
Eating, sleeping, laughing a lot, it's the small things in everyday life, but if you take care of them, your true self will shine. I guess that's natural. When you are natural, people around you will naturally see that and empathize with you, expanding your circle. Is that what it feels like?
Taking care of yourself is different from being selfish, and if you want to do something with someone or help someone, you have to stand up for yourself. In yoga terms, it is called edge. I'm looking for the edge that's just right for me. As you move your body, always keep in mind that if you go any further, it will break, and if you do this, it won't work. Everyone has a different comfort level with just one twist, so it's not just a 90 degree twist.
What twist is comfortable for me now? I twisted it while listening to myself. The person next to me is more twisted, so I have to work harder, which is something I already do on a daily basis, so when I do yoga, I look for a place where I really feel comfortable. I close my eyes and feel myself right now, and it feels good. Even a 30 degree twist is perfectly fine. I think this kind of physical practice leads to awareness in everyday life.
[Kuniyoshi]
I understand what you mean now. That's the reason why people hurt their bodies when they go to yoga. I would like to go to Miya's yoga class.
【interviewer】
How do you think you can find the edge in your meals?
[Miya]
Hmm, I wonder what it is. Eat locally grown foods and eat what your body needs.
Especially for young children, when their taste buds are still developing, it's best to use the real thing, even if it's just a simple salted rice ball. I think that will give me a standard for thinking that the taste is delicious. I think that's something that adults should be aware of and face.
The third one is Yuri Uehara, a cleanse counselor specializing in internal detox.
