No More Rain (In these clouds)
Posted: July 8, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: blogging, crossfit, exercise, fitness, free range, freshly pressed, gluten free, happiness, health, hipster, kindness, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, motivation, natural, paleo, running, whole foods, WOD, yoga 7 CommentsPresents are made for the pleasure of who gives them, not the merits of who receives them-
There are many different types of giving. There’s the giving that we do to feel good about ourselves, the giving we do because we expect something in return and the type of giving which comes from a place of kindness. Sadly, the gift of kindness is all but forgotten in today’s world. Does this make us all terribly rotten people? Nope, it’s much better to give a little than not to give at all, no matter what your motivation is.
Although giving kindness does give us cause for reflection. When we give to others and ourselves, is it from a place of insecurity, inner pride, desire? Or is giving kindness from a place of peaceful confidence, of unadulterated kindness which, just like the brilliant blue sky above, is always present, unchanging and limitless in nature.
Notes:
Have a beautiful day today and please be well!
Lose Your Way
Posted: July 1, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: blogging, Canada, Canada Day, fitness, free range, freshly pressed, gluten free, happiness, health, hipster, hope, kindness, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, musings, natural, paleo, passion, whole foods, WOD, yoga 11 CommentsOh! that gentleness! how far more potent is it than force-
No healthy path I explore is going to lead to having “success” waiting at the end. During the course of my 37 years, in my experience, the long-term success of my path depends largely on the amount of gentleness I bring to my “failures.” Spending time exploring my path requires enormous amounts of energy to confront and then walk directly into discomfort, to shift away from prior habits. Fighting with myself drains much-needed energy, quickly. Gentleness, on the other hand, creates internal harmony and allows my inner energy to flow, to be regenerated, released. I’m not sure of a singular event that made it possible for me to accept myself to the degree that I do now. I still screw up daily, although I do know that acceptance has left my inner landscape truly a gentle place, a place for me to find myself once again.
At some point wandering around this vast path, I lost interest in protecting myself: Worrying endlessly about working out, staying fit, eating right, recklessly practicing yoga, competing in frivolous races, caring more about my outward appearance than loving my inner-self. Whether it was by finding grace after constantly injuring myself, self-acceptance of where I was at, or the help of some close friends. I came to full ownership of the “path“, completely free of the: “should I do this” or “I have to do more”.
The most empowering aspect of inner alignment is the ability to arrive back onto the path when I fall off. My old habits still remain, as hard as we try there is no erasing old “habits“. When I am not conscious of my actions, when my resilience is perilously low and I feel helpless in the face of daily challenges? I still tense up from the fear of the unknown and lose connection with myself and family members. Even in these most trying moments, my deep commitment calls me back onto the path.
Notes:
Happy Canada-Land Day folks, please be well and take care … Eh!!!
Auot Pilot
Posted: June 28, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: acceptance, Blame, blogging, exercise, fitness, Forgiveness, free range, freshly pressed, gluten free, happiness, health, hipster, kindness, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, musings, paleo, pilates, running, whole foods, WOD, yoga 7 CommentsFor after all, the best thing one can do when it is raining is let it rain-
The single most important practice we can cultivate is gentleness towards ourselves. Yes, even more important than a regular yoga practice, healthy eating habits and “exercise“. Cultivating gentleness is especially important when we discover, once again, that we have tripped and fallen, head first, into a pattern of reaction instead of making well thought out choice(s). Sadly, we are more likely to react to prior injuries rearing their ugly head once again, falling off the diet train and sitting on the couch marinating in self-pity. By constantly putting the blame back on ourselves, we fail to open our warm beating hearts to our own human fallibility, accepting exactly where we are in this amazing world.
As part of this comforting engagement with ourselves, we tap into our curiosity and try to formulate reasons as to why our energy is drawn to placing blame. Why do we place such importance on blame, especially given that placing blame is against so many other values we are trying to develop?
What we discover today, this weekend maybe, can help us dampen the blame we throw towards ourselves.
Notes:
Blaming ourselves and others is re-markedly easy, gravitating towards acceptance on the other hand? Is not.
A few of the posts next week will be about me, the humble dude that writes this blog-o-thing. I have been reluctant to do this for many reasons, the most important of which is: I loathe talking about myself, its boring and dreadful. But, for the sake of where these posts originate I fell its important to give you some context. Be well this weekend and please take care!
High Noon
Posted: June 21, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: blogging, exercise, fitness, free range, freshly pressed, gluten free, happiness, health, hipster, kindness, life, love, lululemon, lust, marathon, meditation, musings, nature, paleo, passion, pilates, running, strength, trail running, walking, whole foods, WOD, yoga 10 CommentsIt is unwise to be too sure of one’s own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err-
I’ve been thinking a lot recently about what is really blocking the joy we experience while exploring a “healthier” path, our creativity throughout the day, and our peace of mind at night?
Quite surprisingly I may have stumbled on an interesting idea to discuss with you: Peace, quite, bliss, comfort, awareness, stillness … Solitude.
We live in a world that worships fierce independence, yet we deeply fear being alienated and not instantly responding to others: We are over-clocked and over-connected. We are terminally out of touch with our bodies and spirit. Our need for genuine and constructive solitude is utterly lost, looking under the cushions of the couch, we are lost as well.
Today, more than any other time in the year, we need to embrace and seek solitude. Being alone with our thoughts gives us precious insight on how and where to adjust our lives. Solitude brings forth our desire and passion to explore, our curiosity about nature and this beautiful world, our purpose, our individuality.
Notes:
The sudden, deep thoughts, the explosion of our imaginations, our burgeoning passion evolves in solitude. Enjoy the few extra minutes we have been afforded today, be well and please take care!
And For No Reason
Posted: June 20, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: blogging, family, free range, freshly pressed, friends, gluten free, Hafez, happiness, health, hipster, hope, kindness, life, love, lululemon, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, nature, Poems, Poetry, Prose, trail running, walking, whole foods, WOD, yoga 9 Comments
And
For no reason
I start skipping like a child.
And
For no reason
I turn into a leaf
That is carried so high
I kiss the Sun’s mouth
And dissolve.
And
For no reason
A thousand birds
Choose my head for a conference table,
Start passing their
Cups of wine
And their wild songbooks all around.
And
For every reason in existence
I begin to eternally,
To eternally laugh and love!
When I turn into a leaf
And start dancing,
I run to kiss our beautiful Friend
And I dissolve in the Truth
That I Am.
خواجه شمس دین محمد حافظ شیرازی
CultFit 