Pure – The Sound of Gratitude
Posted: June 30, 2014 Filed under: Meditation, Yoga | Tags: blogging, compassion, cycling, exercise, free range, freshly pressed, friends, gluten free, gratitude, Grief, happiness, health, hope, kindness, life, love, marathon, meditation, motivation, natural, nature, Omaha, pain, paleo, passion, perspective, pilates, running, sorrow, trail running, whole foods, writing, yoga, Zen 15 CommentsMy expectations were reduced to zero when I was 21. Everything since then has been a bonus-
This past Thursday I walked into a local novelty store in the Omaha Old Market. “Good afternoon – How are you?” A kind worker asked me, a little too enthusiastic for the morning I was having. Life has been dreadful so far this Summer, and facing some stressful moments at the time … I did not shy away pretending all was fine.
I muttered, “I’m OK.” She replied back while stocking gift cards in a display, “Just OK? Not awesome? It’s a beautiful day outside! Cheer up dude, you should be thankful for what you have?”
…
There was no smile on my face this particular day. Although I still had gratitude and joy in my heart. Sometimes, expressing kindness and giving thanks does not require a peppy cheerleading routine.
Daily Meditation:
The message I am sharing today is a touch different from the norm around these parts. Simply put – There are times when we are experiencing difficult moments in our lives, and its hard to be – Awesome. Sometimes, openly telling others to “cheer up” and “be thankful for what you have” is a strategy for avoiding what they may be going through in the moment, the pain, the hurting and struggle.
It’s really easy to tell someone to cheer up. Rather than taking a moment to listen to what is going on in their lives…
All of us will face difficult moments in our lives, piss poor marathon this past weekend, stress at work and whatever else. Grief is a part of life and no matter how hard we try – we will never outrun it. We don’t have to have everything going right in order to be thankful, to express ever lasting kindness, in any situation.
The Widow’s Lament in Springtime
Posted: April 10, 2014 Filed under: Meditation, Yoga | Tags: Ahimsa, compassion, Grief, health, kindness, life, love, marriage, meditation, Omaha, Poetry, Prose, Spirituality, William Carlos Williams 1 Comment…
Sorrow is my own yard
where the new grass
flames as it has flamed
often before but not
with the cold fire
that closes round me this year.
Thirtyfive years
I lived with my husband.
The plumtree is white today
with masses of flowers.
Masses of flowers
load the cherry branches
and color some bushes
yellow and some red
but the grief in my heart
is stronger than they
for though they were my joy
formerly, today I notice them
and turn away forgetting.
Today my son told me
that in the meadows,
at the edge of the heavy woods
in the distance, he saw
trees of white flowers.
I feel that I would like
to go there
and fall into those flowers
and sink into the marsh near them.
Grief
Posted: October 3, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: blogging, compassion, family, freshly pressed, friends, Grief, happiness, health, hope, kindness, life, Loss, love, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, nature, passion, perspective, Poem, Poetry, Prose, recovery, running, simplicity, Stephen Dobyns, writing, yoga 8 Comments…
Trying to remember you
is like carrying water
in my hands a long distance
across sand. Somewhere people are waiting.
They have drunk nothing for days.
Your name was the food I lived on;
now my mouth is full of dirt and ash.
To say your name was to be surrounded
by feathers and silk; now, reaching out,
I touch glass and barbed wire.
Your name was the thread connecting my life;
now I am fragments on a tailor’s floor.
I was dancing when I
learned of your death; may
my feet be severed from my body.
To love life
Posted: April 18, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: exercise, fitness, Flesh and Blood, free range, Grief, happiness, health, hipster, hope, kindness, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, paleo, passion, perspective, pilates, running, simplicity, walking, whole foods, WOD, yoga 24 Comments… to love it even
when you have no stomach for it
and everything you’ve held dear
crumbles like burnt paper in your hands,
your throat filled with the silt of it.
When grief sits with you, its tropical heat
thickening the air, heavy as water
more fit for gills than lungs;
when grief weights you like your own flesh
only more of it, an obesity of grief,
you think, How can a body withstand this?
Then you hold life like a face
between your palms, a plain face,
no charming smile, no violet eyes,
and you say, yes, I will take you
I will love you, again.
Notes:
Smile and be well today.
Breeze
Posted: December 4, 2012 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: 5k, art, Beer, books, crossfit, exercise, Fiction, fitness, gluten free, Grief, happiness, health, hippie porn, hipster, hope, humor, jogging, kettlebell, life, Literature, love, lululemon, marathon, paleo, passion, perspective, pilates, reading, running, trail running, walking, whole foods, WOD, yoga 10 CommentsThe flaws of cyclic existence: Relatives at home, enemies, friends and possessions in the world are the causes of worry for the body and mind. Only virtuous actions can benefit others. Therefore, I will not be attached to these ties and I will cast them away as I would a snake in my lap.
… We can still live free, while living in our current high-tech society by taking the time to simplify our lives. How? Physical and Mental De-cluttering. It does take some time to realize that our material possessions do not bring us the happiness that simple immaterial experiences do … A kiss, A hug, a nice run. By getting rid of these unnecessary “things” we allow room for new “things” to come into our lives. Taking part in a regular “spring cleaning” can help us to live every day as if it was a fresh start.
No longer will you be held back by your past…
The Plan-
The Workout:
Trial Run and Hill Sprints to get the blood flowing … Followed By:
200m Sprint (Embody the word Sprint-Cool)
20 Heavy Double Kb Front Squats (If your pretty little elbows touch your body at anytime? Start over from zero)
Eight is a pretty remarkable number to shoot for …
Notes-
Later today we are going to have a good friend over for a chat and maybe some tea. The lovely Laura Yochelson will be over to talk about her new book ” In the name of BEING WELL, I made MYSELF SICK.”
Be well this morning and ENJOY!!!
CultFit 