2013.01.21 _ 06

Managed to meditate right after bringing the kids to school, before starting anything else. It actually is the easiest time to do it, when I can ignore the resistance.

And this same resistance comes up during the meditation too, and changes it from an opportunity to get to know myself better into something to be endured until the time is up. As if I have an unlimited supply of time...

::: Shovels crushing ice
::: Dismantling old ideas
::: Breaking new ground edited 14:30, 21 Jan 2013

Today has been quite a positive day. I think its great to be able to do these 99days with you all. sending a hug to everyone (((()))))

Storm : Thank you for telling about the memorial service - it did make me ponder about the person that was there for you when you moved continents - its what ubuntu is all about - I know moving to another place so far from your home - is tough and a friendly face means all the world.

Metta time : Today I didn't do metta meditation but I pondered a lot about kindness and how it appears daily in my life - and during the day I was trying to "become it" as much as I could.

Quiet time with trees and stars : No real quiet time today - need to keep working on this.

South Africa - a moment of ponder, thanks and musings : Today I spent most of the afternoon listening to Freshlyground - the ultimate RainbowNation band. So truly south african and still so universal. At their live show some time ago - I experienced such kindness and fun and acceptance ... that I rarely see otherwise in daily SA life. They are truly a gift.

I was already in bed (reading) when I remembered that I hadn't sat today. So I got up, wrapped the quilt around my shoulders and had a surprisingly calm ten minute letting-go session. I felt myself putting down, setting aside, all manner of burdens, like taking off a suit of armor piece by piece, without really being able to say what the pieces represented. It was somehow just an image that worked.

I relied on OF to get my meditation in today, but one of the biggest problems I have with meditation is my tendency to compose my entry here instead of concentrating! since we do a "check in" at OF I had double trouble and so devised a mantra of "I'm doing this for me, not anyone else" timed with my breaths, worked quite well once I got the rhythm. edited 03:07, 22 Jan 2013

Appreciating everyone's postings and sharings including Storm's musings stirred by the passing of your old warm friend. These moving moments in life. Posting this at the end of my day when I am actually feeling quite tired, ans so searching for 'what to say'. Feeling more in touch with clarity today, even though it zips off in an instant without announcing its departure! Perhaps appreciating every moment no matter what it brings is at the heart of the matter.

a proud man, coughing in the theater, less embarrassing than to cry

Body: This is actually something from yesterday that I forgot to post. It's a long comment so I'll leave it at this one alone today...

I had asked the organizers what I should wear to the memorial service and was told "semi-formal rather than casual." So sweat pants were out. But what else did I have?! Amazingly I found a pair of suit trousers that I must have acquired years ago in the UK for an interview, maybe for the US embassy. I had no idea why I'd shipped them over from the UK. Why was I still keeping them, as surely they'd been too small for me for years? But I tried them on anyway.

But since losing 40 lbs, incredibly I fit into them again. Mrs. Storm thought they looked so good and (blush) I looked so attractive in them, she even had me walk ahead of her up stairs so she could get a "better view". ;-)) And she even - jokingly - that she'd better keep a tighter hold on me during the memorial service in case I was descended on by other women there!

Inappropriate or disrespectful behavior for the occasion? Not a bit! My old friend, whose service we were attending, would have certainly had a twinkle in his eye. :) As Shaw said, "Life does not cease to be funny when people die any more than it ceases to be serious when people laugh."

My meditation for today was to read everyone else's comments.(it is already tomorrow) A joy for you all to share. Perhaps tomorrow (later today) I will take a break from being too busy for myself and continue once again.

still in passage, going home tonight ... yoga rahasya.