Swimming in the pool is cool, but the best is swimming outside at night, like in the river by my land. It's such a cool sensation to feel the upper few inches of warmth, the coolth beneath, watch the fading sunset glow, surrounded by grass and brush and trees. Later, when it's dark, there's a floating-in-the-centre-of-the-universe feel to it - kinda like skating on black ice on a big lake in the dark, only slower.
Swimming with the beavers can sometimes be a bit unnerving, knowing how they can immolate dogs in the water. Face the fear and do it anyway - probably nothing will happen (hasn't yet) and otherwise, it would make quite a story.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Pachamama Meditation
I have created a swimming meditation practice.
As I swim, I imagine myself as a villum, a little conduit between earth and sky.
I inhale to "pra-na-in" down to my perineum, then exhale to "pa-cha-mama" as I
squeeze down through and out my legs. For extra "grip" I usually bring my aneros _.
When monkeymind is on sugar, or something, I can focus on the technique
Sometimes I remember to keep 10% of the prana flow for myself - a pranic healing concept.
As I swim, I imagine myself as a villum, a little conduit between earth and sky.
I inhale to "pra-na-in" down to my perineum, then exhale to "pa-cha-mama" as I
squeeze down through and out my legs. For extra "grip" I usually bring my aneros _.
When monkeymind is on sugar, or something, I can focus on the technique
Sometimes I remember to keep 10% of the prana flow for myself - a pranic healing concept.
Yinning through Fear
Today was a bit monumental, and though I haven't been feeling a rush, I want to honour my achievement.
After a post-dawn Twin Hearts meditation in the lawn-labyrinth at my local church, I went to the pool. Last night I took a second kick at a liver/gallbladder cleanse. I was feeling OK; not strong, nor weak, just a bit loose ;-)
My usual drill for the past year or so has been to begin with swimming 3 lengths under water.
Sometimes I'm into it, sometimes I really don't feel like experiencing those really_need_air_now,
rubbery-limbed sensations. I do it as an exercise in focus and just_friggin_doin_it.
I noticed that I didn't have my goggles. OK, well, between the fast, and the cleanse, and the goggles, I had plenty of excuses to just do it next time.
Omitting all the mental seesawing, I decided to do just one length. I can do one length anytime, anywhere, no matter what... As I reached the wall, I thought, "hey that was easy, let's go back".
Eyes mostly closed, peeking to follow the line, having decided to "make the turn", I just kept going all the way.
Pat-Pat-Pat on the back, "You're Amazing!", mini-celebration and then on with the swimming.
I recognized later, in the shower, sitting on the floor crying in grief over loves lost due to neglect and klutziness, how much more traction I give negative emotions . They come unbidden - sometimes in the midst of (willfully) cultivating positive feelings, hang around for a while, and leave behind an afterblah. I make my Positive feelings more fleeting, slippery. They slip
away quickly, unless I will them to stay - then they leave shadows without much grip.
How to give greater weight to the "good" to achieve better balance ?
Anyway, I'm pleased that I overcame quite a chunk of self-induced fear in such a gentle way.
Sometimes yinning is everything.
After a post-dawn Twin Hearts meditation in the lawn-labyrinth at my local church, I went to the pool. Last night I took a second kick at a liver/gallbladder cleanse. I was feeling OK; not strong, nor weak, just a bit loose ;-)
My usual drill for the past year or so has been to begin with swimming 3 lengths under water.
Sometimes I'm into it, sometimes I really don't feel like experiencing those really_need_air_now,
rubbery-limbed sensations. I do it as an exercise in focus and just_friggin_doin_it.
I noticed that I didn't have my goggles. OK, well, between the fast, and the cleanse, and the goggles, I had plenty of excuses to just do it next time.
Omitting all the mental seesawing, I decided to do just one length. I can do one length anytime, anywhere, no matter what... As I reached the wall, I thought, "hey that was easy, let's go back".
Eyes mostly closed, peeking to follow the line, having decided to "make the turn", I just kept going all the way.
Pat-Pat-Pat on the back, "You're Amazing!", mini-celebration and then on with the swimming.
I recognized later, in the shower, sitting on the floor crying in grief over loves lost due to neglect and klutziness, how much more traction I give negative emotions . They come unbidden - sometimes in the midst of (willfully) cultivating positive feelings, hang around for a while, and leave behind an afterblah. I make my Positive feelings more fleeting, slippery. They slip
away quickly, unless I will them to stay - then they leave shadows without much grip.
How to give greater weight to the "good" to achieve better balance ?
Anyway, I'm pleased that I overcame quite a chunk of self-induced fear in such a gentle way.
Sometimes yinning is everything.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
