Coming To Your Senses

Coming to Your Senses, Kailua, HI, April 2020, Nikon D600 with FX 18-300mm VR lens, 300mm,
1/80 sec @ f15.6, ISO 160, -0.33 EV, no flash © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Did you stop today, and simply stare ... in Awe

Quiet those thoughts of past and future ... just Now

Hear the blood coursing, pulsing, throughout ... your Body

Reach down and pick your jaw up, off ... the Ground

Smile slowly, widely, unexpectedly ... and Radiantly

Feel your eyes welling-up, with tears ... of Joy

Muscles weaken, as you fall down, onto ...  your Knees

Remembering, Re-Member, not two, only ... One

Look more closely now and see, feel, hear ... the Flow

Arising and passing, only impermanence ... constant Change

Recognizing, Re-Cognize, there are ... no Boundaries

Seeing not, me, my, and mine, but effortless ... Inter-Being

The sun, the clouds, the rain, the ground ... cannot

The tree, the birds, the flowers, the fruit ... exist

The oceans, the mountains, one drop, one atom ... alone

Your ancestors, your mothers, your birth ... and death

In the beginning, in the end ... the Great Unknown

So today, in that profundity, what shall we do ... Now?

Slow-walking, in nature, just observe it ... All

Sitting, breathing, sensing, becoming ... Aware

... of your Sensational Life

You and Earth "Inter-Are"

"When you realize 'Heart' and 'Earth' are spelled with
 the same letters, it all starts to make sense." - Anon

What the heck does that mean?  Well it kind of means interdependent, and I know that sounds like new-age mumbo-jumbo feel-goodiness, but stay with me for a moment.

"Inter-being" is a term coined by Thich Nhat Hahn, a revered Vietnamese Buddhist monk that was once nominated by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr for the Nobel Peace Prize.

It means that because of this, there is that.  And without this, there cannot be that.  It's also referred to as "co-dependant arising".

We in the West, and especially in America, have a strong cultural ethos of Rugged Individualism and Independence.  Our story goes that we can pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps, and that we need not rely on anyone but ourself.  But this is just another myth, which is crystal clear with just a little discernment.

Without a healthy Earth, we cannot be healthy.  This is where our food comes from, where the water we drink and the air we breathe originate.  Without a healthy ecosystem, humans cannot thrive, and will not survive for long.

Similarly, our actions, individually and collectively, determine the fate of the Earth.  If we perform unsustainable activities, that by definition don't allow the Earth to recover and regenerate, then we will damage the Earth and its ability to support us.  Every action we take has consequences.  The car we drive (or choosing to walk), the food we eat (and how it is grown or raised), the source of our energy (and whether it is limited or renewable, polluting or clean, damaging to the environment when extracted or passively collected), etc.

Every action we take has an impact on the health of the Earth, which has an impact on our own health.  We are, in fact, literally interdependent.  And we each have in impact -- healthy or destructive -- on the other.  We therefore "inter-are" with the Earth.  This becomes more and more clear as we sit quietly, look closely at nature, and contemplate what gave rise to what.  In fact ... things just co-arise.  "Without this, that cannot exist."

So today, especially on the 50th celebration of Earth Day, spend some quiet time considering your impact upon, and dependance on, our fragile Earth, the varied flora and fauna that have evolved with us over the eons, and see all of the threads that interconnect us.  As John Muir noted, this "inter-being" is even bigger than that:

"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe" -- John Muir 

Walking Along The Way

Walking Along The Way, Pill Box Trail, Kailua-to-Lanikai, HI, April 2020, Nikon D600 with FX 18-300mm VR lens, 
135mm, 1/60 sec @ f10, ISO 200, -0.67 EV, no flash © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Have you been cooped up lately, while "sheltering in place."  Do you feel like getting outside and going for a walk?  Where shall you go?  Will you pick some destination?  I vote no!

After all, it's not about the destination ... it's about the journey ... it's about The Way.

Remember to pay attention each moment along your journey.  For that is your life.  And that is Life itself.  Can you sense it?  Tune into it?  Feel it?   Be it?

Be present.  Savor this moment.  Smell the fragrance of each flower.  Hear the call of each bird. Feel the texture of the tree bark and the unfurling leaves. 

This is holy presence.  Sacred awareness.  Can you feel it in your body?  Each step along the path. Really feel it.  Become one with the rhythm of your steps ... rhythm of your breath ... with the rhythm of Life. 

Then wherever you are is your current destination.  You are always right here, right now.  Never waiting to arrive, nor wanting something different from what is.  Again, that's Life you are witnessing.  But don’t worry, something different will present itself in due course. Then just be present for that.  

Look deeply inside and see what your heart's intention is. Open yourself to the splendor of Life. Be awed by its depth.  Notice the interdependence of all things.  Recognize both the impermanence and the continuity of Life.  See your role in this and Life’s role in you. 

May you dwell in the present moment and find peace and happiness in abundance. 

So depart with no destination.  Set no fixed pace.  Arrive every moment with each step. And be grateful for your blessings.  

And speaking of blessings, consider these words and images from Brother David Steindl-Rast:

On this Easter Sunday ...

Sunbeams over The Mokes, Lanikai Beach, Lanikai, HI,
April 2020, iPhone 11 Pro, © Steven F. Crisp 2020

... can we look within ourselves ... look deep inside our hearts ...  and live more like Jesus? 

While I am not a religious man, I am somewhat spiritual, and consider myself a seeker.  And I'm non-denominational when looking for wisdom that can challenge me to grow, to investigate what really matters in life, and to see what is true about myself and my fellow man.

So with that as background, I offer a few of Jesus' words to inspire your inner journey while promoting wise action:

... The kingdom of heaven is within you ... 

... Turn the other cheek ... 

... I will make you fishers of men ... 

... The truth shall set you free ...

... Love one another ... 

... Do not be anxious about tomorrow...

... Seek and ye shall find ... 

... Love your neighbor as yourself ...

... Love your enemies ...

... Do unto others what you would like done unto you ... 

 ... Forgive those who trespass against us ... 

... Forgive them, they know not what they do ...

There is a lot of practical ... and rather challenging ... wisdom within those few words.  

Think how one's life might change for the better just by making the intention to follow one of those "radical" ideas, let alone all of them.

Blessings to you on this Easter Sunday.  Here is my Easter bouquet just for you!

Plumaria Bouquet, Lanikai, HI,
April 2020, iPhone 11 Pro, © Steven F. Crisp 2020

Trapped in The Churn Zone

The Churn Zone, video of Kailua Beach on a calm day, Kailua, HI,
April 2020, iPhone 11 Pro, © Steven F. Crisp 2020

Have all the developments of late got you trapped in "The Churn Zone"?  That's where you try to control your mind, but your mind doesn't let you, instead it keeps ruminating and catastrophizing.

Trapped by the constant onslaught of the latest infection counts and mounting deaths.  Roiling the mind, over and over, each breaking news alert triggering fearful fantasies about what the future might hold.

In some ways, this is a natural reaction to the unknown.  Fear has its place in evolution, helping ensure we take immediate action to live today so we can pass along our DNA.  But that flight-or-flight threat is not what we're facing.  There is something different going on here.

In today's hyper-connected world, we receive a constant churn from the news media, from our local and national governments, from well-intentioned friends over social media, and also from our own imagination.  This creates "The Churn Zone" in your mind.

But not unlike the video clip above, that is not the whole picture.  It is not reality.  It is possible to quiet your mind so that you can address the fear, the anxiety, and the cortisol and shallow breathing that come with those reactions, right here, right now.

As a first step, how about reducing your news consumption, and unsubscribing from social media feeds that help create this churn.

Then you can try sitting quietly ... taking a few long, deep breaths to relax the mind and the body.  Tune into your body and see where the tensions exist, and relax those as well.

Now, just quietly follow your breath.  Put your attention on your nostrils, and physically feel each breath that comes in and goes out.  When your mind starts to churn again, gently, kindly, bring your attention back to your breath.  And repeat for as long as needed, going deeper to "change the channel", so to speak.

This is one way you can quiet those churning thoughts in your head.  Look at the video, and notice how that churn zone is only where the waves meet the shallow depths of the shore line.
If you can get past the churn zone, you see the water is deep and clear and calm.  You have that reservoir throughout your body.  You can connect with those reserves through sitting meditation (breathing as above), and also by walking meditation, outside in nature, if possible.

Look deeply at Life as it is unfolding before your eyes.  That is Life, in the present moment.  The only place where Life exists.  Find the calmness that so easily lets the paddle-boarder remain balanced and upright, out beyond the churn zone.

Namaste.

...................... Yes, We're ... Connected ....................

... the title really says it all ...

... though we lost touch a while ago ...

... first Vipassana Meditation Retreat complete ...

... and it blew my mind ...

... many experiences I hope to write ...

... in a while, for some time to come ...

... today I found this song for you ... 

... plus the lyrics to help you see ...

... have a glimpse of my last 10 days ....

... and see that we're connected ....

... yes, we're connected ...

"Connected" 
Luke Dick 
9/16/12 

While I turn the pages of my book 
Across the world the author cooks 
She pours the wine, while I break the bread, 
Because we're connected 

Roots beneath my family tree, 
Deeper than the eyes can see, 
All tangled up like spiderwebs, 
Connected 

Drums in the darkness 
You can feel the pulse 
First there was star dust 
And now there's us 
All I ever was, 
All I'll ever be, 
Connected 

Can you still hear that cosmic spark, 
Cannons blasting in the dark, 
When we blew out like grains of sand, 
Connected 

Drums in the darkness 
You can feel the pulse 
First there was star dust 
And now there's us 
All I ever was, 
All I'll ever be, 
Connected 

So, pour the wine, I'll break the bread, 
We're all tangled up like spiderwebs, 
And here we are, still grains of sand, 
Connected.

“When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.”  -- John Muir

Behold the beauty in this world

Beautiful Graffiti, Waikiki, HI, December 2014, iPhone 6, 29mm, 1/60 sec @ f2.2, ISO 40, 0 EV, no flash © Steven Crisp

Can you imagine stumbling upon this graffiti while roaming around town?

The buildings in this area were generally decrepit, and yet someone created and shared with everyone this amazing artwork, painted on the corner of a building!

Simply amazing!  Beauty can be found anywhere one looks closely enough.

Do not be dismayed by the brokenness of the world. All things break. And all things can be mended. Not with time, as they say, but with intention. So go. Love intentionally, extravagantly, unconditionally. The broken world waits in darkness for the light that is you.

L.R. KNOST

And perhaps more importantly ... what are you doing today or tomorrow to make this world a more beautiful place?

The world is not waiting for someone to heal it.   It is only through the power of our own intention, that we will mend what is broken, that we will shine our light and illuminate the beauty for all to see.

What you are, the world is. And without your transformation, there can be no transformation of the world.

J. KRISHNAMURTI

What makes a house a home?

Family Cookie Jars, Amherst, NH, June 2016, iPhone 5s, back camera, 
29mm, 1/64 sec @ f2.2, ISO 32, 0 EV, with flash © Steven Crisp

So what does make your house into a home?  Is it the size of it?  Its grandeur?  The number of bathrooms?

How about the amount of stuff with which you can fill it?  I'll have to ask you to trust me on this one, but that's not it ;-)

I've come to realize that less can really be more.  A few special possessions in an otherwise light, open, and airy space.

And what if we really prioritized simplicity and aesthetics over size.

Maybe emphasized minimalism and affordability over life energy expenditures.

Maybe thought about getting down with the Joneses, rather than keeping up!

Well to that end, I commend to you this Top 5 video of my favorite Tiny House blogger:

And even if none of those tiny homes resonate with you, I'd recommend you check out his channel.

He does a great job showing eclectic and novel structures, and there are ideas buried inside each home.

Think about how much benefit can come from thinking small rather than going big.

And think about the financial freedom that would provide.

Enjoy the exploration!  It's a big, bright  ... tiny house ... world out there!

It's time to smile, isn't it?

Sunrise Sky and Reflection, Tucker Pond, Salisbury, NH, July 2017, 
Nikon D600 with FX 16-35mm VR lens,16mm, 1/640 sec @ f10, ISO 125, -0.67 EV, no flash © Steven Crisp 

"The breezes at dawn have secrets to tell you.  Don't go back to sleep!
You must ask for what you really want.  Don't go back to sleep!

People are going back and forth across the doorsill where the two worlds touch.

The door is round and open.  Don't go back to sleep!"  ― Rumi

Dear friends,

I can think of no better way to kick-start the new year.

Please take time to celebrate the fact that you are alive ... Today ...  At this very moment.

Savor, savor, savor ... and smile ;-)

Will you make a date to watch the sunrise?

I can think of no better way to welcome in each new day!

And afterwards, perhaps, you will watch this:

The video is a wonderful overlay to his words of wisdom.

And it is short.  Short enough to ... watch ... every ... single ... day.

You are awake.  And you are alive!  Please smile, and just become present.  Become aware!

And then be joyful!  Namaste

The Gift of Presence

Twin Island Sunrise, Lanikai, HI, February 2016,  Nikon D600 with FX 28-300mm VR lens, 

40mm, 1/2000 sec @ f4, ISO 800, -1 EV, no flash © Steven Crisp 

Happy New Year's Eve!   Let's bid an Auld Lang Syne to 2018, and get a jump start on 2019!

And look, here is a gift for you.  Who doesn't enjoy a beautiful sunrise, with colors bursting forth in a few short minutes, bringing warmth to your face.

But the real gift is Presence.  So please unwrap your presence to this very moment.  Remember that each day is a new beginning, and be grateful for each breath you take, and the fact that you are alive.  It's so amazing when we are truly aware.

Please enjoy this poem.  Namaste!

“If you love someone, the greatest gift you can give them is your presence.”

—Thich Nhat Hanh (born 1926)
Vietnamese Buddhist Monk, Teacher, Author, Peace Activist

What is this? Quite simply ...

Calligraphy by Vietnamese Buddhist monk and author, Thich Nhat Hanh

I came across an article from the online version of Lion's Roar magazine.  I really love the simple, yet deeply profound writing of Thich Nhat Hanh.  He has been such a luminary for our time.  Here are some sections that spoke to me:

Our true home is not in the past. Our true home is not in the future. Our true home is in the here and the now. Life is available only in the here and the now, and it is our true home.

Mindfulness is the energy that helps us recognize the conditions of happiness that are already present in our lives. You don’t have to wait ten years to experience this happiness. It is present in every moment of your daily life. There are those of us who are alive but don’t know it. But when you breathe in, and you are aware of your in-breath, you touch the miracle of being alive. That is why mindfulness is a source of happiness and joy.

We spend so much of our mental energy and thinking mind focused on the past and the future.  And yet we can, if we choose to, drop the thinking mind to be fully alive and experience the world, as it is, right here, right now.  And only in the here and now.

Most people are forgetful; they are not really there a lot of the time. Their mind is caught in their worries, their fears, their anger, and their regrets, and they are not mindful of being there. That state of being is called forgetfulness—you are there but you are not there. You are caught in the past or in the future. You are not there in the present moment, living your life deeply. That is forgetfulness.

The opposite of forgetfulness is mindfulness. Mindfulness is when you are truly there, mind and body together. You breathe in and out mindfully, you bring your mind back to your body, and you are there. When your mind is there with your body, you are established in the present moment. Then you can recognize the many conditions of happiness that are in you and around you, and happiness just comes naturally.

 This is really so.  I find it is often easiest to experience this way of living when we are connected to the natural world, experiencing the animals, realizing the dance of life all around us, and seeing everything as interconnected (literally).  It is Spring now as I am writing this, and to witness the rebirth of plants and trees and animals that had been dormant or hibernating -- is really awe-inspiring -- something you "feel" rather than "think about".  Hence the connection with your body; itself an integral part of nature's unfolding.

The past is gone, the future is not yet here, and if we do not go back to ourselves in the present moment, we cannot be in touch with life.
-Thich Nhat Hanh

This is *your* time -- how will you use it?

Do you ever think about all the people that lived before you were even born?

Have you ever looked at old family photograph or antique portrait, taken back when photography meant 8x10 cameras on tripods with long bellows and and a blackout cloth?

Did you looked closely at their faces?  Perhaps you noticed a sparkle in their eyes -- the spark of their consciousness recorded in those photos?

As a teacher of mine once said he used to love to view such old photographs, even of total strangers, because it would remind him:  "that was *their* time ... now this is *my* time."

And this is also *your* time.

For the people in those old photographs, that spark is now extinguished.

But yours is burning as long as you are alive.  How brightly it burns is largely up to you.

The Summer Day 

—Mary Oliver

Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean -
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down-
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don’t know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn’t everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?

The Obstacle

The Obstacle, Before the Dawn at Tucker Pond, Salisbury, NH, June 2017, Nikon D600, 19mm, 1/800 sec @ f5, ISO 1250, -0.33 EV, no flash © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

The Obstacle

It floats out there, somewhere. 

In my mind?  No, farther. 

At the edge of dusk-dawn. 

Glimpsed, like a threat. 

Unwanted, but not to be ignored. 

Submerged for one moment, bobbing up the next. 

Caught in my mind stuff. 

A blemish to be photoshopped out:

not natural, not perfect. 

A thorn in my mind. 

Salt in my wounded ego. 

The sun is rising now.  Birds sing. 

A small turtle meanders;

head up, head down, breakfast underway.

Mist swirls along a glassy pond

Propelled by warming zephyrs.

A hummingbird flits by, stopping to wonder 

about my stillness.   Is that bright jacket a flower?  

She finds the feeder instead.  Two hummers now 

flit in and out like passing thoughts.

A subtle wake emerges, as the beaver serpentines on stage, 

wondering who is the watcher from afar.  

And why are you kneeling in the morning glow?

Almost free now. Flowing with the turtle. 

With the beaver. With the hummers nearby. 

I look up and Bang!  My obstacle is back 

like a beaver tail-slap. Right smack in my sight-line. 

What just happened?  

Was it worth the loss of peace?

The sun now warming my face. 

Sunglasses deployed to shield the fusion reactor. 

Shivers turn to warmth. 

Petals glisten as dew drops fall. 

Ahhh. You're back Now. 

Don't go back to sleep.  You have arrived.  

Be my guest. Please stay for a while. 

Here is a gift for you - this present moment. 

That obstacle you were so fixated on 

is just a part of what is. 

Like the great heron that stands 

in the shallows. Watching. Motionless. 

Until startled, it takes flight. 

The obstacle is not a "problem" to be solved. 

Not a conversation to be rehearsed 

over and over; talons grabbing into you 

like unexpecting prey. 

It just is. Neither good nor bad. 

Only thinking, thinking, and 

more thinking, makes it so. 

Presence brings back the panorama. 

The beauty and serenity. 

The dance of light. The break of dawn. 

The ripples in the stillness as we, 

collectively, breathe in and out. 

You can see those ripples now. 

The sunshine blushing behind clouds.  

Ripples shutter glances of sky, water, 

and the muddy bottom. 

Sunlight teasing now.  Please take a little off.  

Don’t reveal too much too soon. 

Don't spoil the anticipation.  
But that is future stuff.  
Stepping into the river of time. 

Instead I see only ripples in the clouds. 

Ripples on the water. 

Ripples in this moment of now. 
And now. And once again.  

Each one fresh. Reborn. Always unique.  

Come join with me.  Relaxing into peace.

Let's float with ease

among these spaceless ripples 

in this timeless moment 

called Now.

The Canopy

The Canopy, Kailua Beach Access Point #91A, Kailua, HI, October 2013, Canon PowerShot S90, 6mm, 1/30 sec @ f8, ISO 800, 0 EV, no flash © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

There is this magical place, on the way to the beach from where we first lived in Hawaii.  A healthy Banyan tree is flourishing in the sand at the beach access point.  It's not the largest tree, to be sure.  You might not even notice it while driving down the road.  But if you are walking past it, on your way to or from the beach at dawn or dusk, you will surely hear the tree -- it is alive!

In the canopy, largely hidden from sight by the dense foliage, are hundreds and hundreds of roosting birds.  And at the turn of each day, they are very chatty.  Cannot-hear-yourself-think chatty! 

And that is good, because our thinking can oft times inhibit our appreciation of the sensory world; of paying attention "now."  And what might our mind be thinking about?  Just about any thing other than our immediate and felt experience.  

So thank those flocks of birds, and anything else that jolts us awake or applies the brakes to our locomotive brain.  And be reminded of this:

"Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares
which will not withdraw from us.
We need hours of aimless wandering,
or spates of time sitting on park benches,
observing the mysterious world of ants
and the canopy of trees."

~Maya Angelou

When is a Question more important than an Answer?

Who am I?, Lanikai, Oahu, HI, 2/1/15, Nikon D600 with FX 28-300mm VR lens, 300mm, 1/250 sec @ f5.6, ISO 640, -0.67 EV, no flash © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Once upon a time, I went through a mid-life crisis.  It was the good kind, not the red corvette and trophy blond kind ;-)

During those tumultuous-but-introspective days, a group emerged, somewhat as a parody of my state of mind, called "The Seekers".  It was pretty normal for every group gathering to end up discussing some of my "urgent" questions.  Who, what, where is God?  Is there a personified God?  Which religion has the Truth?  Etc.  While I may have made the gatherings somewhat stimulating, I know I also challenged a lot of deeply-held beliefs, and that is not the best way to win friends or influence people ;-)

I also read -- a lot.  And I was quite inspired by all of this.  To the point of having brief glimpses of what some might call "the divine", "satori", or the "true self".  I wrote about them on this and some of my other blogs.  But emphasis on the world "brief".  Good news:  I knew (aka experienced) that there was something there.  Bad news:  easy to lose that state, and hard to get it back.

But the end result of this wondrous 10 years or so was that I had in fact "found my answers".  I was no longer a "Seeker".  When you feel you understand the "Truth", or at least believe you have an understanding of its fundamental nature, so much of our religiosity and consumerism and modernity becomes clear as nothing more than a side-show spectacle.  So it is pretty easy to drop.

But another thing happened on the way to understanding ... I lost my voice ... my creative muse.  Where the heck did it go?  And why?  Well today I was reminded of the answer to those questions.  Which is somewhat ironic, as the real answer is the title of this blog post -- "When is a Question more important than an Answer?"  When you are looking for the meaning of life.

Meaning -- at least for me -- will not come by finding answers, but by remaining open to the great mysteries and eternal questions.  Not by understanding the evolutionary purpose of our biological life, true as that may be.  Meaning for me, will come I now realize, by continuing to delve deeply into the inner life -- my inner life. 

Recently, I made a significant decision to retire from the one and only company I have worked for my entire adult life -- 37+ years with one firm.  Pretty unheard of these days.  But October 3rd will be my last official work day.  While day-to-day activities will continue to demand much of my time, I've now realized just how essential it will be to dedicate as much quality time as I can to asking Questions.

And to what end?  I don't know, for sure.  And that, my friends, is a part of this adventure we call Life.  Anyone wish to rejoin "The Seekers"?  Everyone is welcome.  The goal is not so much to challenge, as it is to be open -- to new questions, new insights, new experiences, and to uncertainty.  I can think of nothing better to spend my "retirement years" on.  Oh yeah, and having some fun all along the way.  Welcome home, I say.

Oh one more thing.  It was this interview with Jacob Needleman (for whatever reason) that inspired me to think these sorts of thoughts again.  That's probably more a reflection of my state of mind, than this interview per se, but who knows -- it might be helpful for someone else as well.  Enjoy, if you are so inclined.

To breathe or not to breathe

Surely we must breathe.  It is one of the most basic, automatic things we do.  And if we don't, we die, right?

Surely we must eat.  Again, same words.  But what is really true about either statement?

We don't need to breathe all the time.  Just take a look at this beautiful and peaceful dance between a freediver and a whale shark.  So much time without a breath.  We can train our minds and our bodies.  And then we can be somewhat more in charge of who we are and how we are.

And what about eating?  Well I'm doing a bit of an experiment lately.  Been doing it for a little under a month.  It's called intermittent fasting (IF).  And basically, it means not eating for the majority of the day.  Or alternatively, eating during a relatively short period of time during the day.  Perhaps a 6 hour window to eat, and 18 hours not eating.

It's just another form of fasting.  Something that has been done for millennia -- both borne of necessity, and of choice, often associated with spirituality.

I'm not drawing any conclusions so far; the experiment will continue for the foreseeable future.  Except two things.  First, when I don't eat in the morning, I'm no longer hungry either.  I'll either drink water and/or black coffee.  I really enjoy how it makes me feel.  Second, I am as a result, much more mindful about whether I need to eat due to hunger (or other conditioned signals).  Much more so than I was before.  I think this is perhaps the greatest benefit.

I'm sure I am eating less each day than if I was not IF, so that will contribute to some weight loss, but so far, nothing dramatic.  Maybe 5 lbs over 3 weeks.  But maybe you have heard the term:  Hara Hachi Bu.  It's what the Japanese call eating until you are 80% full.  Still a little hungry.  Not stuffed to the gills ;-)

It is the place I think I want to be.  This little article has a quick summary on it:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/irene-rubaumkeller-/not-overeating_b_969910.html

So anyways.  We must breathe, but we can control those conditions for when we breathe, how frequently, and how long in between breaths we want to go.  And the same is true for eating as well.  Who would have thought you could learn that from a video of a lean freediver and a whaleshark ;-)

Enjoy more by doing less.  Namaste.

To run or not to run ...

The Run, Mill Trail, Mont Vernon, NH, 7/14/16

So today I went for my first run in quite some time, and my first run since being back in NH.  I set out with no plan, and followed my nose, stumbling onto a new housing development, which happened to have a development map, and along side the development, there was a trail shown.  So I thought, why not do trail running rather than asphalt running.

It took me through the woods, and eventually came to a stream with rocks available to cross, as seen in the picture above.  Very nice, if somewhat buggy.

And why did I choose to run, rather than not to run, today?  Was it because of my recent drives on back country roads that I had run in my earlier years?  Or thinking about the cooler temperatures on the summer mornings?  Or coming across a field mouse, tripping over himself to get out of my way?  Or that giant fungus about two feet across at the base of a might oak?  Or the dogs quietly observing me -- good boy?  Or the gentle babble of slow moving water in the stream?  Or is it the not-knowing of where one is headed, but trusting one will find their way home?  Or perhaps that gentle tightness in the stomach, perhaps there is some fat-burning underway?  Or the light sweat, that actually tingles the skin as it begins, making you think a mosquito has landed?  Or those crazy deer flies that buzz incessantly?  Or listening to my favorite Buddhist teacher (Gil Fronsdal) in my ears?  Or anticipation of the cool shower as I head down my driveway?

Yeah, it's one of those reasons for sure.  Maybe all of them.  I'm just glad I laced up the shoes finally.  Hopefully, more to follow.

To trust or not to trust ...

Directed and edited by Peter Sharp.  More at The Liberators.

Video from KarmaTube

To trust or not to trust ... perhaps that is the question?

Our reptilian brains have evolved to distrust "the other".  This has served us well from an evolutionary standpoint, where our basic survival was at stake.  But now, in an ever expanding, connected, enlightened world, where civilization has helped to provide for our basic needs, is this who we wish to be?

I mean it is a basic question -- is the glass half full or half empty?  Are you a trusting person or not?

It sort of "defines" your world view.

And yet there is a persistent drum beat of skepticism, cynicism, and out-right fear mongering that makes up much of the current day information feeds.  It takes a strong-willed person to ignore the "click-bait".

I have always been served well by conceptual test if a given idea is a good one or not:  does it scale?

Just imagine two worlds.  One world in which there is no trust, every stranger is assumed to be a foe, or out to take advantage of us, where we close up and constrict at every interaction and exchange with others.  Or another world in which you give each person you meet the benefit of the doubt, an assumption of good intent as the basis for interaction, allowing us to be open to new possibilities or new experiences.

To me there is only one answer to the question "to trust or not to trust."  Decide which world you want to live in, how you wish to go through this world, whether you will be at peace with your fellow man.  Or better, be at peace within yourself.   And feel the connections, community, and support of others.

Just like the young man in the video.

Oh, and I trust my next post will not have to wait another three years.  That was a bit excessive.  ;-) Let the games begin!

What if you just turned off the TV?

Just turn it off, Graffiti in Tel Aviv, Israel, November 2012, Nikon D600 with FX 28-300mm VR lens, 
32mm, 1/100 sec @ f3.8, ISO 400, 0 EV, no flash © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

No, really.  What if you turned off the TV?

    Not - watch less of it.

    Not - just keep it on "in the background".

    Not - save it only for your favorite shows.

    Not - play it back from a DVR and therefore skip through the ads, on your own schedule.

    Not - only catch up on the news.

What if you just turned it off, and never turned it on again?

    "Oh, that's just not possible.  Why in the world would I do that?"

Ah, but it is.  At first I didn't think so either.

I knew I never really liked watching the tube.  For me, it was all consuming.

My wife, however, really could have it on in the background, and still do other things, like quilting, embroidery, and amazingly to me, even read a book.  Right there on the sofa, while the TV is blaring away.

But me?  I just could not multitask in this situation.  If the TV was on, I was watching.  Even stupid shows.  Mindless, lowest-common-denominator stuff.

And then one day, it just happened.

The TV was turned off, and it was never turned on again.  I credit my wife for this decision.

The TV wasn't evil to her; just a tool, like the internet.  But I guess she too noticed it somehow had become a time sink.  And so, when I came home from work one day, the TV was off.  After dinner, the TV stayed off.  And it was never turned on again.

And instead, in the evening, after an unbelievable home-cooked vegan meal (I am such a lucky man), we tend to read now.  And during the day, and on weekends, we have more free time to pursue our interests, or spend time outside in nature.

So did turning off the TV profoundly change our lives?  I'd say, "yes and no".

"No," because all we did was turn off the TV.  Anyone can do it.  In fact all you really have to do is not turn it on.  So really, it is the art of just saying "no."

And "Yes," because we actually did it.  The intention was made, and the decision followed.  Bravo.

And what I realize is, this is something that can be applied to any part of your life.  You really are in control of your life.  In this case, where and how you choose to spend your free time.

And if you can control that aspect of your life ... what other changes do you long to make?  Perhaps with the additional quiet time now available to you, there will be more time for introspection and reflection.

And this can allow you to create the life that you have always wanted.  Or just follow your nose to see what the next surprising decision might be.

Just by turning off the TV.