(A) Visit
Posted: October 22, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout, Yoga | Tags: blogging, compassion, cycling, exercise, gluten free, happiness, health, hipster, hope, kettlebell, kindness, Knee, life, love, lululemon, marathon, medicine, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, nature, Omaha, Orthopedic, pain, Pain management, paleo, passion, Patella, perspective, recovery, running, Surgery, trail running, whole foods, writing, yoga 6 CommentsIt’s not time to worry yet-
Dear Readers, since Summer has surrendered to the beauty of the Fall, I have been obsessing over my left knee as the days grow shorter and the nights increasingly grow colder. I feel nothing different in it. It doesn’t hurt as much as before, just some clicking and popping – the occasional swelling reminding me to slow down and rest. And yet, in the past, I have had severe, tear inducing pain underneath where my left index finger rests this morning. A few months ago (July maybe …) after doing too much physically during class, cycling with no intention or purpose: In essence ignoring my body, I had the same feelings, in the same spot of my surgery. I obsessively spent countless hours rubbing and massaging around the medial side of my left patella, the femoral notch, the spot on your lovers knee that you place your hand while driving one Fall morning to pick apples … I did this to the point of bruising the still tender soft tissue where my surgeon ripped my knee apart.
Last evening while reading Siddhartha, cuddled up with my Son lying on the floor, nothing is going on. no pain, Yet in my mind I feel like I feel something, in the sense of sensing something is wrong. I feel like I sense something there, like an old friend paying a visit after a long journey …
Which reminds me of something. It’s about “some” dude who visited a friend recently, “Right here.” I He said, jabbing, poking at the exact spot. The doctor friend replied, looking directly in my unwavering eyes, “have you been doing this a lot?” “What do you mean by this?” I replied, jabbing and prodding at the incision points insistently.
“Yes. Said the doctor. “Yes,” she said.
Notes:
My friend looked me in my eyes once again, her hand placed on my knee with care and softly spoke … “Stop doing that – Dude.”
(e)Strecho
Posted: October 21, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout, Yoga | Tags: blogging, compassion, Dhāraṇā, friends, gluten free, Gravel, happiness, health, kindness, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, mind, motivation, musings, Namaste, natural, nature, non-attachment, Omaha, paleo, passion, perspective, pilates, Practice, Practices, Religion and Spirituality, running, trail running, whole foods, WOD, writing, yoga, Yoga Wisdom 9 CommentsLook around you. Everything changes. Everything on this earth is in a continuous state of evolving, refining, improving, adapting, enhancing…changing. You were not put on this earth to remain stagnant-
There is much more to yoga than twisting into poses on a sweaty, $95 Prana Revolution yoga mat early one Sunday morning.
Quick example, one of the ways of applying yogic principles away from our mat is by developing non-attachment, focusing on what we are doing in the moment … Practicing not getting caught up in the drama and uncertainty swirling around us. When we practice yoga in class, we are reminded to breathe into the movement, release tension, surrender, disconnecting our mind from discomfort. Practicing non-attachment away from our practice allows us to disconnect our mind, from wanting “things” to be different and worrying about the future. Our mind(s) is then free to stretch, explore, and tap their true creativity.
Is complete non-attachment in today’s world realistic? Are you reading this post on your iPhone? Our innate sense of control is an illusion at times. Disappointment in life is inevitable, although pursuing and actively seeking to develop a strong practice of non-attachment can help us realize that we don’t have to choose to get stuck, mired in a bog of cynicism and hopelessness.
Notes:
Hidden within our narrow focus, among the 8 Limbs of Yoga, lies ishvara-pranidhana, which is a way to explore staying connected to something larger than ourselves. Non-attachment is just one varietal of surrender, where we recognize no one can truly control the events of our day or other people in our lives.
(I)mage
Posted: October 16, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: American Idol, Biggest Loser, blogging, Bob Harper, compassion, crossfit, cycling, family, fitness, free range, freshly pressed, friends, happiness, health, Holley Mangold, hope, kettlebell, kindness, life, Lincoln, Lincoln Nebraska, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, NBC, nebraska, Olympic weightlifting, Omaha, Omaha Nebraska, paleo, passion, perspective, pilates, running, trail running, walking, whole foods, WOD, writing, yoga 8 CommentsI am not an angel,” I asserted; “and I will not be one till I die: I will be myself-
Before we get started with the usual jibber-jabber a few important notes:
Two women I sincerely look up to and love are back in the news. Holley Mangold is on this seasons run of The Biggest Loser (whatever this is). Her passion, authenticity and spirit are simply beautiful and empowering! Long time readers keenly know I have been on the Team Mangold bandwagon for quite some time and I hope you hop on as well! Also in the news is my dearest friend Anne. Anne and her relay team consisting of some rather dashing and lovely young ladies took first place in the annual Market to Market relay between Omaha, Nebraska and Lincoln, Nebraska. I learn more from Anne than she will ever learn from me, brilliant performance!
… What follows is a draft I started yet never got around polishing up to post. What you read below is unedited, pouring out of my heart and thoughts concerning weight, sensuality and image. Taboo topics to so many …
A woman or man who is worried about their appearance will never be able to relax enough to let their true sensuality and spirit shine upon us.
If we are insistently worried about our tummy overhang and flabby arms, we become tense to the world. Far too many of us spend countless hours staring in a mirror and in our lovers arms on alert for reassurances from them, that they are indeed attractive enough to “us“.
If we look deeply enough in their eyes, in our own hearts we will indeed see that we really are: Beautiful and Sensual.
If we are ashamed of our shape, the damn number on a scale – We will be stilled. We will not feel entitled to being seen in public and between the sheets, we fade quietly into the background of not wanting to seek attention, never allowing our brilliance to shine.
Notes:
I loathe sharing self-serving advice, prefacing statements … Learn to feel and love your body, express your passion openly onto this beautiful world. Be the Lilly of the Night that opens its petals, openly defy the description(s) the world has placed on you – Shine.
Wild(Fire)
Posted: October 15, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: advice, blogging, Cake, compassion, cycling, exercise, Experience, family, fitness, freshly pressed, friends, gluten free, happiness, health, hipster, hope, Human sexual activity, Intimate relationship, kindness, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, nature, Omaha, paleo, passion, perspective, pilates, running, Sexology, Sexual desire, Sexuality, simplicity, trail running, walking, whole foods, women, writing, yoga 5 CommentsEnlightenment is intimacy with all things-
I still get shocked by the hostility that sometimes comes flying at me when I write or talk about exploring intimacy, and more specifically how intimacy relates to wellness. To me: There is no delineation between the two.
These days, I am very careful about how to engage in conversations relating to intimacy and wellness, as I have come to realize that there is still a tremendous amount of taboo surrounding talking about our desire(s). It amazes me and stuns me every time I trip over another barrier that is keeping many of us in a place of uncomfortable innuendo rather than a place of delicious pleasure.
The only way that we can break these societal taboos is to talk about the things that can make some people uncomfortable. I choose to do so daily, and some folks may squirm. Although in the end, the barriers to our true spirit whither away and fall apart …
Am I actually talking about something radical here? I suppose it all hinges on the premise that pleasing others, is your pleasure? I implore you to think about this today, pretty please?
Notes:
It should also be noted this post ties directly into the post F(low). If you don’t have an intimate relationship with Yoga – Trail Running – Whatever? Hmm something to consider …
Single(Cross)
Posted: October 11, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: blogging, crossfit, cycling, Cyclo-cross, exercise, family, fitness, freshly pressed, friends, gluten free, happiness, health, hipster, intensity, kindness, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, nature, Omaha, paleo, passion, perspective, pilates, Racing, rest, running, sports, Subaru, trail running, walking, whole foods, WOD, writing, yoga, Yogi 9 Comments“Single” means you are brave enough to face the glorious unknown of the unaccompanied journey-
Time to pump the brakes on the whole mindfulness – meditation talk of late. Let us focus our attention on cyclocross racing and placing harmful “labels” on people instead!
I have developed over the years a love for lumping “things” into categories. Abstainers and Moderators, Yoga Moms and Yogi(s), Marathoner Runners and 5K Free Spirits, People who shop at Lululemon and Discount Rack Fashionistas, Road Bike Weight Weenies and Cyclocross Folks. I have more to share if you like and I’m positive you do as well!?!
A fleeting conversation (with a close friend) recently during a morning group ride, Inspired me to take notice of a few random thoughts of my own:
One person remarked, “I enjoy a simple life” another friend responded,“I enjoy a life lived to the fullest” Pedaling along I thought to myself that these were the most interesting pair of remarks that I’d ever heard from lycra clad road warriors.
Further down the trail, this seemingly simple conversation got me thinking (which is extremely dangerous): Is there a distinction to be drawn between these two harmless remarks?
Does one group – Let’s “label” them: Simplicity Lovers (Singlespeed – Steel is real – Ride to the event folks)–prefer to have less, care less about costs, bling, latest and fastest, weight, carry no spare supplies – except a bottle opener? Does this go with a love of Calm and Stillness?
And does the other group–I’ll call them: Abundance Lovers (Carbon – Weight Weenies who show up to a grass-roots cyclosross race with a $4500 steed and race cat5 …)–prefer to have more and more, desire fullness, overflow with confidence, have 14 bikes hanging in the garage, ample supplies in the back of their Subaru to outfit a pro team of riders? Does this go with a love of Lust and Desire?
What do you think of these two categories I have created? If the post so far strikes a chord with you, what group do you identify with?
*After much thought, I placed myself in the simplicity lovers category.*
Quick intermission – Stand up, stretch, wiggle your sparkly toes, grab a drink, smile! I don’t often share bloated and tedious posts, so consider yourself lucky this fine fall morning …
Why do we need to categorize and label people? Have you ever stopped to consider the harm caused by assigning names to certain people, groups, or dare I say – Religions? The label we place, puts the person in a box. No matter what they do or say, they can’t get out of that box. The labels we place, defines them.
How many of us actually like to be “labeled”? I certainly tire of being called a simple-minded, blonde haired dude, free spirit – it gets old really quick
The problem I want to address. once again, arises when we are unaware of the labels we often apply, like during a bike ride, start of a local 5k, chatting with a friend over lunch. We fail to stop and realize the damage we are doing by placing “labels” on others. Once a person is labeled, it’s very hard for them to move away …
I – You – We, passionately know there are vast differences between each and every one of us – just the way in which I write is but one example. I implore you this morning to reflect on the boxes you have ready to place on people today: Whether their choice of yoga pants, the bike they ride, you see two dudes holding hands and sharing an embrace – you get my point, I hope!
Instead of putting people into their respective boxes, I challenge you to deliberately refrain from placing your go to label. Open that damn “thing” between your ears, you – scruffy looking nerf herder!!!
Notes:
This weekend in Omaha is what is affectionately known as “Omaha CX Weekend“. Omaha CX Weekend is a wonderful time to wade into the waters of cyclocross racing, and I use racing loosely – If ringing cow bells, wading through mud, eating brats seconds before a race and drinking beer to refuel sounds like a race to you? Come on out and I will personally pay your registration fee!
For a more in-depth description of the lunatics who ride SINGLE CROSS <—Click here
CultFit 