Weather
Posted: February 5, 2015 Filed under: Kindness, Meditation, Yoga | Tags: beauty, Fathers, George Bilgere-, gratitude, kindness, life, love, Mindfulness, nature, Omaha, passion, Poetry, weather, yoga 10 Comments…
My father would lift me
to the ceiling in his big hands
and ask, How’s the weather up there?
And it was good, the weather
of being in his hands, his breath
of scotch and cigarettes, his face
smiling from the world below.
O daddy, was the lullaby I sang
back down to him as he stood on earth,
my great, white-shirted father, home
from work, his gold wristwatch
and wedding band gleaming
as he held me above him
for as long as he could,
before his strength failed
down there in the world I find myself
standing in tonight, my little boy
looking down from his flight
below the ceiling, cradled in my hands,
his eyes wide and already staring
into the distance beyond the man
asking him again and again,
How’s the weather up there?
Glass Palace
Posted: June 6, 2014 Filed under: Meditation, Yoga | Tags: Alone, Artsy Wheels, Being, Doing, love, Mindfulness, Omaha, passion, weather 10 CommentsI don’t want to be alone, I want to be left alone-
Why do we feel pressured into always feeling like we are “doing” something, rather than simply “being“?!?
…
“Being” involves accepting this beautiful moment for what it truly is. Why? This moment, and the next one … Will be here no matter how much we try to control them. When we begin to chill – relax, and let go of the struggle to form our reality (and others) into our preconceived ideas of what it should be. We gently begin to let go of regrets about past events and fear of what may happen in the future. We learn to extend love, compassion, and kindness to ourselves, and everything around us. Rather than categorizing reality into Facebook Status Updates – “likes” and “follows.”
This moment, right now, sore back and cold coffee in hand – Is just a moment a time, we don’t have to be stuck here forever now do we?
…
Daily Meditation:
Speaking of Being and Doing: Artsy Wheels <- amazing story!!!
”Being” lies at the very heart of my mindfulness practice. Oddly enough, “being” has required more practice and training in order to overcome my natural habits and biases … Be well this weekend, and please take care!
Winter Balance
Posted: February 7, 2014 Filed under: Meditation, Yoga | Tags: blogging, compassion, cycling, exercise, family, fitness, free range, freshly pressed, friends, gluten free, Gravel Grinder, happiness, health, hipster, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, Mindfulness, motivation, musings, natural, nature, nebraska, Omaha, paleo, passion, perspective, pilates, recovery, running, snow, trail running, weather, whole foods, winter, WOD, yoga, Zen 13 CommentsWhat good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness–
Its early on a Sunday morning in Eastern Nebraska. The temperature is below zero and bone-chilling. The moon, still glowing, casts a pale and cold shadow upon the newly fallen snow. The last light of distant stars sparkle brilliantly, dancing as the world is still, and glistening.
…
I bring my cold hands to heart – centre, my palms pressing actively together to bring warmth and presence, the tips of my numb thumbs pressing into my layered sternum. On a deep inhale, I raise my arms in a gentle sweeping motion, turning my palms outward toward the sparkling sky … Balancing myself before starting off on an aimless ride to nowhere in particular.
Daily Meditation:
Cycling (any outdoor activity) during the long Winter months is purely about finding balance, flow and our true selves. Cycling early on a cold winter morning, encourages me to look mindfully into the furtive places of my mind, from which I can view information from my past, this cold moment – slowly and gracefully.
Be well this weekend and please take care!
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!
Fool in the Rain
Posted: March 5, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: blogging, exercise, fitness, free range, Giving thanks, gluten free, gratitude, happiness, health, Hesitation, hipster, hope, intensity, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, motivation, natural, nebraska, Omaha, paleo, passion, perspective, running, star wars, technology, trail running, walking, weather, WOD, yoga 10 CommentsThe most wasted of all days is one without laughter-
There is a glitch in the system. Being grateful, humble and full of joy is inherently easy when the sun is shining, when the kids are being good (for once) when our dreams start to come true, when the world seems to be for our taking. There’s always a “but” and today’s but is a biggie, like Sir Mix A-Lot big! But … Gratitude is a glitzy system. Are you grateful when you step on a Lego at 5am? When your perfect treadmill trot goes sideways? When you quite can’t find stillness, awareness and comfort in your daily yoga practice. Every door seems to be slamming us in the face? F! Gratitude!!!
“This is the last time I step on a mother bleeping Lego …” Like any system, the system of gratitude relies on triggers. Sometimes it takes a smack in the head, a Lego, someone saying “Hello and Good Morning” with a genuine smile. Some may find an early morning run a rather pleasant trigger, a cup of coffee or snuggling with a loved one before going to work. Small, grateful triggers to set the tone for the day.
The Workout-
Open the door to happiness in your life, step outside, begin your day with a smile, join a friend for a workout – walk – run – yoga … whatever.
Notes:
What was your grateful trigger this morning? What small moment changed your outlook on the day and brought a smile to your face? For me, I simply stepped on a Star Wars Lego piece, I think it was a Light saber?!?
CultFit 