Monday, February 13, 2012

Dropping Out to Drop Back In

Saturday, February 11, 2012:

This weekend I'm taking a technology vacation: no emailing, no on-line blogging, no Kindle book reading, no web surfing, no DVD watching. It feels great! Instead of gluing my attention to a computer screen I'm making delicious foods (spring rolls and Russian Cabbage Pie), feeding myself and the fire, hunkering down under a blanket, and reading A Superior Death by Nevada Barr.

I know several people in Bayfield who worked for the National Park Service on Isle Royale with Barr (the location where this book is set) which makes the book even more interesting.

T'ai Chi Chih practice came late in the afternoon after I realized my voice sounded huskier and my energy felt lower. Well, it's back to ultimate self-care: lots of sleep, water, good food, and T'ai Chi Chih/Seijaku practice.

I do feel better as a result of my practice. Now it's time to cuddle up under a blanket and dive with Anna Pigeon (Barr's main character in Superior Death) down, down, down 200 feet into Lake Superior.

Sunday, February 12, 2012:

I began my day with a glowing pink sunrise and ended it with a rosy sunset. The major difference between the two occasions? The sun rose over the blue brilliance of Lake Superior and set amid a woodsy tree-filled horizon. (I couldn't truly see it as it dipped its face back beyond the edges of the earth.)

Even though my knee feels better I sat on a stool to flow through today's T'ai Chi Chih practice. The energy felt delightfully delicious. And now, to continue the trend I'm dining on a red lentil-squash soup, fresh salad, and pita bread spread with Baba Ghannouj.

Monday, February 13, 2012:

Well, after a couple days of rest I feel prepared to launch myself into another week of work. My knee still feels weak; and, again today, I practiced TCC while seated on a stool. It doesn't matter as much to me anymore whether I'm standing up or sitting down for my practice since, either way, I can feel the energy as it flows through my body.

I've enjoyed a quiet morning in anticipation of my busy, noisy afternoon at the library. Right after I finished my TCC practice Frances returned from the town garage with news of the latest shenanigans that's on the agenda for this week's town meeting. My experience with maintaining a Buddha Brain versus a Monkey Mind is typically challenged by local (and, for that matter, state and national) politics. I'm provided with plenty of opportunities to practice being in the present.

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