I have dwelled on "my energy" depletion and my emotions so much that I have forgotten to talk about my body. No, I'm not running yet but the biggest change I notice is that I am focusing on my body, my gait, my discomfort less! I have times of walking that I am not obsessing about my "imbalance", my "out-of-whackedness", my lameness. I have times of not thinking about my ambulation. I just walk. My discomfort is less in my hip so my mind doesn't go there. I don't fear falling, leaning to one side, or clumsiness quite as much. I am not flowing but I am way closer and it feels good.
This is a picture from the Eucalyptus Grove At UCSD -- my dogs' favorite walk. Upon our return from our adventure, I read this from Buddhist psychologist, Rick Hanson. I really resonate with this aspect of connection. Connecting is in 3 directions -- inside with oneself, with others and with the world. When we strengthen one direction, we simultaneously strengthen our general connection. This is guidance to connect more deeply with the world. What makes you feel connected? I'd like to know. Are we really so separate? The Practice Love the world. Why? Your brain evolved in three stages (to simplify a complex process): Reptile - Brainstem, focused on AVOIDING harm Mammal - Limbic system, focused on APPROACHING rewards Primate - Cortex, focused on ATTACHING to "us" With a fun use (to me, at least) of animal themes, the first JOT in this series - pet the lizard - was about how to soothe the most ancient structures of the...
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