(All) Knowing
Posted: January 17, 2014 Filed under: Meditation, Yoga | Tags: blogging, compassion, Education, exercise, fitness, free range, freshly pressed, friends, gluten free, happiness, health, hope, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, nature, Omaha, paleo, passion, perspective, pilates, reading, running, the illusion of explanatory depth, trail running, Understanding, whole foods, writing, yoga 20 CommentsEverything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves-
Sometimes trying to understand what other people know and don’t know can be extremely challenging.
*I’m writing to the men reading today, because all of us do this*
Over the years we have developed a rather keen tendency to think we knew all along something, that we actually just learned two minutes ago talking with a friend. Is it fair to assume that you didn’t know that vintage Italian road bikes use 36 mm X 24 tpi threading for the bottom bracket?
One instance of not knowing exactly what one “knows” is the illusion of explanatory depth. This is the illusion that we can explain “something” deeper, with more clarity and depth, than we actually can. I’ll use myself as an example, because, I think much differently than most folks do …
As adults (used loosely), we are all-knowing, we know all, we can easily explain the intricacies of the world at a moments notice. Then when asked to do so by a friend? Our minds go blank and we instantly start looking for an answer on our iGadgets. Many are shocked when they realize they were mistaken about the depth(s) of their knowledge … “How dare you question me in more depth and detail?”
What am I getting at?
Daily Meditation:
Exploring the depths of a conversation can be truly magical when we switch off the I know this already parts of our inner dialog, and instead – Open up our hearts to listen and learn. This process is profound when attending a new yoga class, picking parts out for a vintage road bike and – A show of hands: Listening to the salesperson down at the local hardware store, the first time! Full disclosure – I have made three return trips once for not listening and “thinking” I knew the answer all along.
Be inspired and have a beautiful weekend!
Child
Posted: January 16, 2014 Filed under: Meditation, Yoga | Tags: blogging, compassion, crossfit, cycling, exercise, family, fitness, free range, freshly pressed, friends, gluten free, happiness, healing, health, hipster, holistic, hope, kindness, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, nature, Omaha, paleo, passion, perspective, pilates, Poetry, rest, Sylvia Plath, trail running, walking, whole foods, WOD, writing, yoga, Zen 5 Comments…
Your clear eye is the one absolutely beautiful thing.
I want to fill it with color and ducks,
The zoo of the new
Whose names you meditate —
April snowdrop, Indian pipe,
Little
Stalk without wrinkle,
Pool in which images
Should be grand and classical
Not this troublous
Wringing of hands, this dark
Ceiling without a star.
(My) Secret
Posted: January 14, 2014 Filed under: Meditation, Yoga | Tags: balance, Bliss, blogging, compassion, cycling, exercise, family, fitness, free range, freshly pressed, friends, gluten free, happiness, health, hipster, holistic, hope, kindness, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, nature, Omaha, paleo, passion, Patience, perspective, pilates, recovery, running, simplicity, trail running, walking, whole foods, writing, yoga, Zen 21 CommentsThe two hardest tests on the spiritual road are the patience to wait for the right moment and the courage not to be disappointed with what we encounter-
*I’m writing with a broad perspective this morning. I do so because I may have unearthed a major obstacle along my path in life and maybe along your path as well … *
Quick question: What does it truly mean to be patient as defined by you, not defined by a self-help book, nor by a friend or coach – You?
…
In the still, frigid morning light, I tried to untangle the meaning of patience and its assorted complexities. What does it mean to find peace in the very moments that intrinsically seem to bring frustration to me? To show compassion to other drivers on the road who are in more of a hurry than I am? How does it feel when we stop rushing towards an unknown future,instead, turning our appreciation to life unfolding in front of our very eyes?
Impatience, is not a part of myself I’m particularly proud of. I am far more patient with the many inspiring people in my life, than I am with my own self. It takes far too much effort and energy to have patience with my broken down body, to forgive myself for all the ways I am not perfect and believe me, there are many painful war stories to tell – figuratively and literally. Little do those stories matter, my insatiable thirst for instant gratification dictates otherwise.
Patience is a far more difficult than searching for polysyllabic words to describe how I am feeling this morning. Simply, patience is my kryptonite against the irrational demands I place upon myself, each and every day.
Daily Meditation:
I haven’t been patient enough with my blogging thing recently as I have been in the past. I need to step back, step back to listen to the warmth in my heart, that so very often gets rushed and misplaced due to my need to post as often as I do.
I am working on many exciting and cool “things” I believe you will find useful, not only on the mat or out on the trail, but rather more importantly … This “thing” called life.
Temor de Flujo
Posted: January 7, 2014 Filed under: Meditation, Yoga | Tags: anxiety, blogging, compassion, cycling, exercise, family, fitness, friends, happiness, health, hope, kindness, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, nature, Omaha, paleo, passion, perspective, pilates, running, trail running, whole foods, writing, yoga 12 CommentsAnxiety is the dizziness of freedom-
“Any” act of creative expression comes with its own unique perils and fear, I believe its safe to say fear, is the antithesis of flow, and that flow is an engaged state of mind in whatever we are doing? Flow feels entirely effortless and free.
Am I talking about yoga, brushing your teeth, trail running, cycling or mixing the perfect cocktail?
Like you, I have rather nifty collection of fear, fear that hinders my flow in life. Let me know if any of these resonate within you?
The fear that I am lacking talent or a particular set of skills (name the movie and you win a prize). The fear that, if anyone notices me (as a dude practicing yoga) they will think less of me. The fear of appearing foolish cycling about the countryside. The fear of not being able to finish a century. The fear that I’ve wasted my time writing this blog. The fear of offending a reader – you. A fear of leaping into the unknown, jumping in over my head … The fear that I’ll run out of fresh – insightful ideas.
Daily Meditation:
If “whatever” you are doing today feels dreadful and tedious? Maybe you and I are doing something wrong. Maybe we need to try again, in a different way … Am I still talking about yoga, brushing our teeth, trail running, cycling or mixing the perfect cocktail?
K(now)ing
Posted: January 6, 2014 Filed under: Meditation, Yoga | Tags: blogging, compassion, cycling, exercise, family, fitness, free range, freshly pressed, friends, frozen, gluten free, happiness, health, hope, kindness, life, Lost Love, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, mental health, motivation, musings, natural, nature, Omaha, paleo, passion, perspective, pilates, recovery, relationships, running, snow, trail running, walking, weather, whole foods, writing, yoga 6 CommentsI 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 