अलग दृष्टिकोण

It’s calm under the waves in the blue of my oblivion-

Pop Quiz Hot Shot(s): Name your favorite restaurant? Cool Now name your greatest strength? Why was the second questions harder to answer … Self reflection, open and honest dialogue and talking about the dirty stuff in our lives. Can we agree that breaking through and acknowledging self-love, our true selves is pretty tricky?

Many of us are blind to our best qualities. When asked to name our strengths, we often come up empty-handed, stumble for words and say something that isn’t very meaningful. We tend to overlook the very essence of our true selves, our core qualities, our strengths. The craziness of daily life, past injuries, lamenting a medical diagnosis – hypnotizes, controls, and impedes our progress moving forward.

Sometimes it is easier to “see” our true selves when viewing from a different angle.

Daily Meditation:

What are your passions in life? Seriously, please do not blow off what I am about to write

What activities fill your heart with love and warmth? What activities are effortless and give you a sense of passion and freedom? Biking, yoga, playing a drop in hockey game, talking with your best friend over lunch, trying a new restaurant on a first date? Dig deep in your soul for a definitive answer! Like you, its effortless for me to construct such a list of passion(s).

What follows is what I hope you dwell on this weekend: What character strengths you are using during each activity? Confidence riding a new trail, honoring yourself during a strenuous power yoga class, moderation playing hockey, listening attentively over lunch, openness to exploring new “thingsThese are your greatest strengths!!!

CultFit Strength


Flowers

The deep strangeness
of flowers in winter—

the orange of clivia,
or this creamy white rose

in its stoneware
vase, while outside

another white
like petals drifting down.

Is it real?
a visitor asks,

meaning the odd magenta
orchid on our sill

unnatural
as makeup on a child.

It’s freezing all around us—
salt cold on the lips,

the flinty blacks and grays
of January in any northern city,

and flowers
everywhere:

in the supermarket
by cans of juice,

filling the heated stalls
near the river—

secular lilies engorged
with scent,

notched tulips, crimson
and pink, ablaze

in the icy
corridors of winter.

Linda Pastan

CultFit Rays


Door, Propped – Wide Open

Good resolutions are like babies crying in church. They should be carried out immediately-

If this is your first time visiting CultFit? Welcome and I sincerely hope you enjoy your visit. If you came in search of some prophetic wisdom pertaining to life, yoga, mediation and whatever else tickles your fancy? Don’t let the door slam your tush as you scurry away

Wanting to be a super flexible yogi and actually being a super flexible yogi are two entirely different “things“. After a restless nights sleep, a twenty-five minute drive to the studio, biting morning temperatures and sitting on a frozen yoga mat (Top Tip: Bring your mat in the house …), morning yoga practice is the last thing I feel like doing. Although, on these days when I’ve given up and decided to cut myself a break to head to Dunkin Donuts instead of having a frozen tush? Leaves me feeling restless and anxiousinstead of feeling centered and energized. I find myself being uncomfortable at work, daydreaming about some exotic, yoga beachfront retreat somewhere in Mexico-Land as I continue making bullshit promises to myself that I’ll practice when I get home, with little to no chance of ever getting played out.

I know my heart would feel calmer and more fulfilled if I went, if I merely had the drive to simply show up and stop making lame ass excuses 

So here I am at work, having to microwave my coffee because its cold now, trying to relax, while simultaneously pushing the thoughts of being a bum further back into my mind. I need time to think and reflect this morning. There just has to be a path, an avenue, where I can drift, and break free from the must-dos, appearing to look busy and productive.

Daily Meditation:

A text appears on my phone, a few streaks of coffee racing down the side of my stained Kahlua coffee cup, a thought appears in my mind  Smile, open the door gently and go for a walk.

CultFit Walk


K(now)ing

I am the wisest man alive, for I know one thing, and that is that I know nothing-

Because each one of us reading on this chilly Monday morning are rational, intelligent people (and maybe myself). We believe that if we know the reasons for the “things“, in our daily life This understanding of events will set us free. Imagine knowing what other people are thinking standing in line for a latte or how they are feeling, or why they act differently than we do?

Real life however? Does not work like this

Knowing why other people “do” what they do, won’t make us feel any better this morning, and it certainly won’t make us any warmer on the inside – in our hearts. It seems as though our journey in today’s world, constantly seeking answers … “Let me look the answer up on my phone“, begins and ends with: “Yeah … But“.

Why don’t our thoughts and feelings fall into place when “life” so graciously presents us with a rational answer?

Daily Meditation:

Over the first part of the year, I am going to steer this CultFit vessel off course just a touch. I want to explore finding the “eureka” moment(s) in our lives, and how we react when the right answer arrives at our pretty little toes … Now, the real work begins.

Be well this morning and please take care!

CultFit Frozen


Good – Night

Good-night? ah! no; the hour is ill
Which severs those it should unite;
Let us remain together still,
Then it will be good night.

How can I call the lone night good,
Though thy sweet wishes wing its flight?
Be it not said, thought, understood—
Then it will be—good night.

To hearts which near each other move
From evening close to morning light,
The night is good; because, my love,
They never say good-night.

Percy Bysshe Shelley

Cultfit Night