I paid the taxi driver
Posted: May 2, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: blogging, By Night in Chile, freshly pressed, happiness, health, hipster, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, paleo, perspective, pilates, Poetry, Prose, Roberto Bolaño, running, whole foods, WOD, writing, yoga 4 Comments… got out with my suitcase, surveyed my surroundings, and just as I was turning to ask the driver something or get back into the taxi and return forthwith to Chillán and then to Santiago, it sped off without warning, as if the somewhat ominous solitude of the place had unleashed atavistic fears in the driver’s mind. For a moment I too was afraid. I must have been a sorry sight standing there helplessly with my suitcase from the seminary, holding a copy of Farewell’s Anthology in one hand. Some birds flew out from behind a clump of trees. They seemed to be screaming the name of that forsaken village, Querquén, but they also seemed to be enquiring who: quién, quién, quién. I said a hasty prayer and headed for a wooden bench, there to recover a composure more in keeping with what I was, or what at the time I considered myself to be. Our Lady, do not abandon your servant, I murmured, while the black birds, about twenty-five centimetres in length, cried quién, quién, quién. Our Lady of Lourdes, do not abandon your poor priest, I murmured, while other birds, about ten centimetres long, brown in colour, or brownish, rather, with white breasts, called out, but not as loudly, quién, quién, quién, Our Lady of Suffering, Our Lady of Insight, Our Lady of Poetry, do not leave your devoted subject at the mercy of the elements, I murmured, while several tiny birds, magenta, black, fuchsia, yellow and blue in colour, wailed quién, quién, quién, at which point a cold wind sprang up suddenly, chilling me to the bone.
Roberto Bolaño – By Night in Chile
Notes:
Be well today.
Take You Higher
Posted: April 30, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: blogging, compassion, Fresly Pressed, gluten free, happiness, Healing arts, health, hipster, hope, kindness, life, Literature, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, music, musings, natural, NHL, NHL playoffs, paleo, passion, perspective, running, trail running, walking, wellness, whole foods, WOD, yoga 2 CommentsMany people don’t realize the connection between music and literature and I’m here to tell them that it does exist-
While some of us are still recovering from a recent yoga class, marathon or triathlon. Many more of us are wounded from life, a lost loved one and the Red Wings making the playoffs. These difficult experiences develop our unique preferences and deeply connect us to other beautiful people (all of you reading today) exuding a common struggle, a sense of hope amongst us. One profound and really cool aspect is that we do not need any particular musical or artistic ability to benefit from the healing arts.
Let’s get a little personal for a bit, we’re all adults here …
Our spiritual healing requires harmonizing a few of the aspects of being “human”: Each one of us has been gifted with the ability to experience and create whatever we like. The arts help us to channel our personal exploration through self-expression or delving into one’s spiritual agony with listening and seeing. Many of you may not truly understand how powerful your written word is! Self-expression scratches beneath the surface, revealing the sources of our personal struggles and hardship. It’s through this process of examining who or what situations spark spiritual discomfort. We discover the hindrances of wellness (think about this thought …). The arts provide a vital resource to avoid or manage such triggers in the very near future.
Creating a new masterpiece transforms your inner pain, awkwardness, into something tangible. Something you can physically separate from your mind and sink your teeth into. Everyday hopes and fears can be transcribed to the world … Feelings we shouldn’t be ashamed of and suffocated as we awaken today.
Celebrate you, through your creativity today. What better way to start the healing process?!?
Know your Enemy
Posted: April 29, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: blogging, crossfit, exercise, fitness, free range, freshly pressed, gluten free, happiness, Healing arts, health, hipster, hope, intensity, jogging, kettlebell, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, paleo, passion, pilates, running, trail running, walking, whole foods, WOD, yoga 8 CommentsOur wounds are often the openings into the best and most beautiful part of us-
Today, I ask you to consider a rather different, more personal formula for recreating a healthy and happy life: Embracing the Arts (painting, drawing, prose, poetry, writing etc.).
Embracing the Arts does not entail you picking out a new foam roller to soothe your aching body after a recent run, cancelling another doctors appointment to have your knee locked at, bending and twisting in yoga class beyond your limits in order to express your inner beauty. Embracing the Arts does require you to reclaim your innate curiosity about your own body and its limitations.
Embrace the Arts to reduce the violence we are hopelessly addicted to. Yes, I believe writing or even taking the time to commit to memory a poem you enjoy, is infinitely better than a “recovery run, shake, workout – whatever“. A slight change in perspective, attitude and focus will make a drastic change in your life …
Notes:
We as a culture need to focus on and discover true beauty in nature, to help us heal, smile and generally: Be somewhat tolerable to hang out with.
Be well today and please take care.
¿verdad?
Posted: April 24, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: Awareness, balance, blogging, Comfort, crossfit, exercise, fitness, free range, freshly pressed, gluten free, harmony, joy, kindness, life, love, lululemon, marathon, musings, natural, paleo, passion, pilates, running, Stillness, thoughts, walking, whole foods, yoga 6 CommentsHabit is the intersection of knowledge (what to do), skill (how to do), and desire (want to do)-
It seems that in today’s world we have the freedom to pick and choose form a potpourri basket of interests …
“Check it out! I’m like totally doing this 30 day paleo, meditation, yoga, power walking, green smoothie, smiling at strangers, whole body cleanse thing! Just read about this push up challenge and hill sprint interval thing as well!”
Why do we choose to pursue a wide variety of “things” simultaneously and figure out how to do these “things” in a way and on a level that is average at best?
“My friend and I had a great workout at the box yesterday! 5 rounds of: 15 push ups – 15 jumping jacks – 15 sit ups – 15 walls balls and a 400m run. I still need to work on my push ups though, three years now and they are still pretty sloppy.”
Whatever happened to developing a deep knowledge base, knowing information (not stored on a gadget) and total devotion to the pursuit of mastery in a single field?
“I forget what my split times are in the pool but I’m thinking if I can work on my transition more it should make up for my poor swimming performance … Maybe?!?”
Are we afraid as a society to endure the intense work, discipline and willingness it takes to master a selected discipline? Are we afraid to embrace the risk needed to walk away from merely being “average” in the name of becoming extraordinary at one?
“It’s the same during every century ride: Chum it up with the guys for the first few miles, then I ride alone for the remainder of the time, lost in my thoughts, worried about “something”? I suppose it’s the 8am yoga class tomorrow and the 5k at noon?!?”
…
Yearn for the sense of intensity, focus and intrinsic reward that comes from the single-minded quest to master a particular body of knowledge: Yoga, mediation, martial arts, relationship(s), life etc. Radiate the pure energy and passionate spirit that comes not only from having attained mastery, but from simply being in the process of mastery. The secret Dear Reader lies here in the process of seeking mastery, this is where we find awareness, comfort, stillness, joy, harmony and balance.
Notes:
Do you, deep down inside, feel satisfied knowing that you are merely pretty decent at a bunch of “things”, but not exceptional at any?
Pensamientos?
You + Me =
Posted: April 23, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: blogging, exercise, family, fitness, free range, gluten free, gratitude, happiness, health, hipster, hope, kettlebell, kindness, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, Omaha, paleo, passion, pilates, running, Today, trail running, walking, whole foods, WOD, yoga 9 CommentsLet us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom-
A “Great Day” today lies within our power to create it.
During the events of today, we will use our free will to create such a day that is filled to the brim with love, compassion and joy. We will start today by being kind and loving to ourselves: A brisk walk and a free-flowing hour of yoga will do just fine. We will purposely take every breath with awareness and gratitude. We will try to eat only nourishing, healthy food (dark chocolate and tea), think only pure, happy thoughts (the Red Wings will not make the playoffs). We will give our friends and family our unwavering attention. We will tell them sweetly that they are loved, that they have a profound impact on our lives. We will make this day a day to remember, a day to treasure.
… When I rest at the end of today, reading quietly with my Son. I will be able to see how much power for good lies within my ability to create it.
Notes:
Every day is a precious gift, embrace each and every day, unwrap it with all your love and gratitude.
CultFit 