The Fortress of Solitude

The studio is a place to quiet the mind.  It never becomes completely silenced, but the volume is turned way down.  Morning routines tend to be the best at awakening the mind, especially for a long and fast-paced workday.
So why do we have to practice the mind?  The mind needs exercise just like the body.  It needs to "exercise" the negativity out of the body.  What we find in meditation is a wandering thought process taking us into "what if" situations.  The more I breathe out the "what ifs" of the past and future, the more room I have for the "what is" of the present.

In practice, the world seems to stop while I understand how it goes.  Time stands still while I gain the understanding on how to maintain life in steady motion. 



 

Serendipitous Connection

During my daily burn, Kim's message was about putting others ahead of your own personal gains to help others achieve success.  She began with a story about a mentally challenged child playing baseball with some "normal" kids.  The kids had to let go of their competitive desire to win the game and give this child his moment of glory.  A touching story indeed.  I came to the class with the intention of going about 80% effort in preparation for Ashtanga the next day.  I did not think much about the message. 

I got home and started my usual routine of drinking coffee and perusing social media until I saw my neighbors stuck in their driveway.  Without hesitation I went outside in sub-zero temperatures to offer assistance. The young couple told me they had been digging their car out for an hour.    A few seconds following the rescue, my other neighbor got stuck.  Once again, without hesitation I rushed to help her out.  No problem.  The coffee and laptop were still there. 

This is not a story of heroics or a time to boast.  It is a story to weather the elements and help others in need.  The serendipitous connection of Kim's message to the early morning events was uncanny.  Today the universe spoke to me.

Reset Focus

It's not always Yoga that resets the focus.  It could be the bright and shiny smile on your child's face or a message from an old acquaintance. One message in particular spoke volumes to me the other day.  Here is her update (names have been replaced):

Don't drink and drive! I hate February 8th. It was this day - 15 years ago -that Billy and I got the call that my sister Mara had been in an accident, was dead, and she had killed a 73 year old grandfather, Martin, in a head on collision. She could never have lived with herself had she made it knowing that her actions ended someone else's life. I am thinking of Martin's family today also as... they remember and wonder what life could have been with him still here-like I wonder about Mara. She was a good person who made a terrible, terrible choice. She never meant to hurt anyone, but she did. So can you if you drink and drive or let a friend/someone you know or love drink and drive. So don't. I miss her dearly. RIP Mara and Martin.

 

This resonates with me for a myriad of reasons but in my early 20s the days were numbered.  Those were some dark times but on 28 MAR 2006, the Universe decided enough was enough.   I had a divine intervention or moment of clarity.  I began to take care of my physical and spiritual self.  I knew if I continued on with the lifestyle of that timeframe, I would hurt someone.  I freed myself.

 

 

The Inner Soldier Revolution

For quite some time I hit a weight-loss plateau.  I tried Advocare, Shakeology, Garcinea, NO-xplode, ketones, Cardio-Cuts, and every type of protein shake imaginable.  I did Insanity, P90x, and every kind of Bro-Workout Maxim had to offer. The results were minimal.  I did get stronger, but trying to crash diet along with these "methods" resulted in failure.  I was doing it all wrong.  How very American of me to try and 'microwave' my fitness and health. 

Then, my wife and sister-in-law dragged me to a Hot Yoga class. I had done Yoga before and new about its benefits but never took a liking to it.  Loosely translated Yoga means 'yoke'.  You literally harness your mind and body to work together.  The answer to my problems did not lie in some 'elixir' or 'miracle shake'...it lied within. That was 3 months ago and I have been hooked since.  I have gone from a 38 to 34 inch waist...but that is just a mundane detail.

My brain is like a well oiled machine...for a 37 year old.  My memory has improved (drastically), and my approach to problems is more methodical.  My hockey game is back to the '1995' in me.  I can see the ice better and my stride is more fluid.  As much as I despise running, it is a lot less stressful on my mind and body.

2014 will be an interesting Revolution around the Sun.  For all this time I have been looking externally for "the answers", only to discover The Inner Soldier.