Happy Jazzfest ya'll!
Its hard to say these words, let alone think them, and not be there in person for the actual festival. My world practically revolves around this magical occasion. What is Jazzfest you might ask? pfffttt ;)
Allow me to elaborate. The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage festival, otherwise known as Jazzfest, is perhaps the greatest festival on the planet. If you can show me another festival that has the food, the music, the people, the arts, the vibe, and the spirit of Jazzfest, I would be forever indebted to your graciousness. This year marks the second time, since 1996, that I will not be attending the beloved festival. It brings tears to my eyes to not be present for such a beautiful occasion.
The first time I missed this festival was two years ago, due to a departing relationship with my then girlfriend- the irony being I stayed in Montana to help support our relationship, only to watch it dissolve. The reason I am missing it this year is obvious, as my physical condition is not necessarily conducive to "festing". I see both of these reasons to miss the Festival as completely validated by the transformational opportunity that each one provided to enhance my life experience. Both are essential to shaping who I am today.
The first day of Jazzfest is always my favorite day as everyone is beaming with happiness, the energy of the festival so alive, pulsing with a spirited vibration. There are eleven different stages of various genres of music, three of them are tents featuring only Blues, Gospel, and Jazz. The other eight stages make up a plethora of musical tastes, including Funk, Zydeco, Pop, Reggae, Hip-Hop, Rock, Latin, Dixie, just to name a few. The golden rule of Jazzfest is- if you do not love what you are hearing then move to the next stage, because there is always something mind blowing going on. Usually its not so much about what you saw, its about what you had to miss to see what you saw.
People of all colors, all sizes, all ages, and all walks of life find their way to a colorful festival that is sure to please even the grumpiest of folks. The sense of community is overwhelming, especially considering 90,000 people can spend the day together dancing, celebrating, and enjoying the gift of life through music, food, and art. I urge you all to make plans to attend this magnificent festival in your lifetime.
I could write for days about the beauty of the festival, so I'll leave it at what has already been spoken. If you wish to tune in to the magic of Jazzfest, check out this link: http://www.wwoz.org/programs/live+events/112141+new+orleans+jazz+and+heritage+festival (click on Listen Now tab in the upper left hand corner of the page). WWOZ, the name of the radio station, will be broadcasting live all weekend. Jazzfest happens over two weekends, so tune in, turn up your volume, and get down! If you want to see/hear some late night action, look no further than Tipitinas for live webcasts! http://www.tipitinas.com/content/webcast/
Speaking of getting down, I practiced some yoga tonight. And I did my first down dog!! I have been dreaming about this day for months now. Even as I type these words, I am overwhelmed with joy! I actually rolled over, completely ecstatic, laughing uncontrollably and letting out sounds I can't even begin to describe. The closest I can identify these sounds with are the exact opposite sounds that I moaned immediately after smacking the tree. In other words these sounds were tones of delight, bliss, and splendor. I am so grateful for everything in my life; actually I am drenched with gratitude, like a frog swimming in a pond, and this blog is my lily pad.
I feel as if I have a new body when practicing yoga. I'm not doing anything strenuous or invigorating, so to speak, gentle and restorative poses still dominate my sequence. But throwing in a few cobras, headstands, and down dogs, makes me feel challenged, alive, and healed, respectively. My sense of atonement with what is taking place in my body while practicing asanas is completely profound. I can feel the subtle changes and shifts that I used to only be able to imagine. Alignment is a subject that I not only understand, but envision in each and every pose. This gift of awareness feels like a present straight from the heavens, though its been wrapped and delivered by all of the wonderful yoga teachers in my life. I bow to both with tremendous gratitude and appreciation.
Last weekend I attended a Reiki Level One course. So I am now certified to practice Reiki, mostly on myself, an ancient healing practice working with the intelligence of the body and the energy of life. I am excited to take this new understanding to deeper levels, so I'll ideally be working towards a Level Two course in the near future. I'm still amazed at the amount of talented healers, seekers, and wisdom in this corner of NW Montana. We are all so blessed to be surrounded by incredibly beauty and to live in such a powerful community. It's all happening!
Yeah, I just quoted "Almost Famous". I'll leave you with another quote from that hilarious film, another favorite of mine: "Be bold and mighty forces will come to your aid." Keep that in mind as you go throughout your life. It certainly has worked for me. Happy Jazzfest ya'll!
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Friday, April 22, 2011
The inescapable necessity of practice
Sooner or later, on this path towards awakening, you realize the inescapable necessity of practice. These words come from none other than Paul Muller-Ortega; although I'm quite certain these words have been uttered in many different languages throughout many lifetimes. You didn't think everything would just happen without actually making an effort, did you? The cosmic humor is prevalent when confronted with the mind's undoubted laziness towards its own discovery.
Many of us spend a fair amount of time making sure we look good as we move through the world. Our society is practically constructed around looking good. We buy fancy clothes and shoes to match outfits, wear makeup to enhance our appearance; we are virtually obsessed with our appearance and how we present ourselves in the public eye. So in order for the body to look good, we exercise and we eat consciously, we provide the body with rest, we give enough water to the body, and so on and so forth. All of these contributions we provide the body with in turn actually make us feel good. It completes our character, so to speak.
What makes you think the mind is any different? Surely by spending our time doing "mindless" activities, such as watching television, specifically the dramatic doom and gloom of news or pointless reality shows, can be remotely equated with feeding our bodies junk food, like a gluttonous beast devouring that which continues to distract us from our own true nature or a real sense of identity. I'm not suggesting that watching the news is the demise of mankind, nor am I implying that if you watch TV you are effectively poisoning the mind; although there is something to be said about spending ones time in the dramatic roller coaster of supposed entertainment. So many of us spend a good amount of our precious time being spoon fed aimless drama after drama of other people's lives, or programs lacking any substance, all in the name of comfort. I'd say this is the opposite of practice that I speak of. Who am I to speak about this? I'm an avid soccer fan and I jump at an opportunity to catch a Barcelona game, certainly the same could be said about the idea of watching sports. It is my intent to point out the obvious, of which I will not deny for my own guilty pleasure. Contradiction is an interesting paradox.
I feel it is important to recognize the value of practice. By practice, I mean the practice of mindfulness. Reading a book, writing in ones journal, meditation, taking a walk, all are several examples of mindfulness. The more one engages in these healthy activities for the mind, the more one begins to realize the necessity of practice. The mind, like the body, becomes a product of everything you feed it. It needs to be stimulated and nurtured, just like the body, in a variety of ways to enhance the well being of how we experience ourselves. This gentle reminder feels like a soft kiss, tender and compassionate, full of love and splendor. We are here to remember why we came here, so these gentle reminders often serve as guideposts on the path of life. Teachers provide guidance along the way, like road signs, since the detours of life tend to pull and drag us off the avenue towards happiness.
I just finished a yoga workshop which was another amazing weekend. For most of the workshop I was in my wheelchair observing the participants and their practice. What a unique perspective to view a room full of various levels of yogis and yoginis performing asana. It was incredibly helpful to watch the variety of shifts taking place all around me as the teacher instructed the participants. I practiced when I could, mostly very gentle poses and anything on the ground. Many thanks are due to Debra Sykes and Bonnie Kiser, owners of YogaHeart for the graciousness in both inviting me to attend, as well as hosting Jimmy Bernaert. Jimmy is a certified Anusara yoga instructor, in his 60's, who lives in Hawaii. He is an amazing teacher and the experience of his teachings was a true delight. One of his quotes that I found particularly inspiring was "Yoga is not about the pose." That line really runs deep for me. All too often we are so focused on perfecting the asana that we lose the joy and true nature of yoga. It's not about the pose. It's about the practice. He also mentioned the more you practice, the more you realize how much yoga is not about the pose. Of course, he managed to incorporate the importance of the alignment with the pose, as well as the anuasara principles. However, yoga is meant to be enjoyed. This can be difficult to embrace when one is holding a challenging posture or pose. When the corners of the mouth are lifted and the breath is full, enjoyment magically surges out from our core with relative ease.
Speaking of relative ease, my physical condition is improving dramatically. If you have been keeping up with this blog, you would know that I have been upgraded to crutches. I love this new found freedom of being able to be upright once again. I was so enthralled with this mobility I decided to walk down to the lake yesterday. Those of you who have been to my place, know the distance it takes to get to the lake. Basically there are two options, 185 stairs to walk down (and then of course back up), or about a 1/4 mile gradual descent to make it to the lake. I chose the latter, on crutches, for my walk. Only half of the route is paved, the rest is fairly rocky. I didn't plan on going all the way to the lake, it just kind of happened that way. The further I got away from my house, the more thrilling the adventure become. I like to be a little adventurous from time to time, and I was anxious for a challenge, so this fulfilled my dare devil desire. Once again I realized that if I fell, I'd be in serious, serious trouble. Needless to say I decided to take it slow, steady, and easy. I did manage to make it all the way to the lake, and even went a little further to "my spot". I have a little sacred spot, where a small creek flows into the lake, that I enjoy sitting and contemplating from. I was overwhelmed with joy upon my arrival to this spot as it holds a very special place in my heart. Not only did I feel a tremendous sense of accomplishment, I felt immersed in bliss.
The walk down to the lake was more difficult than the walk back up. My left leg was actually shaking by the time I reached the sacred spot. I still am not bearing any weight on my right leg, other than a simulation of walking. Going back up the incline I felt supported by both my experience and my core strength. Physical therapy has aided greatly in my recovery, I have doing pool sessions two days a week with various movements. I sometimes feel like I am 95 years old while in the pool, partly due to the age of those around me in the pool and partly due to the fact that I am doing very basic movements that wear me out. Today as I was treading water, my therapist would throw a beach ball at me while I would then struggle to throw it back. I quickly became aware of the rather quick exhaustion of a simple exercise. And then I was using a kick-board to swim across the pool and I was literally not moving. My mind had me believing there was a secret current keeping me from propelling across the pool. Its simply baffling how difficult some of the simplest activities, in theory, can be.
It will not be long before I'll be rocking laps in the pool like Mark Spitz going for gold. Until then, I'll be treading water in the deep end of the pool. That's pretty much been a metaphor for my recovery process- I'm just treading water and staying afloat, vicariously imagining the days when I'll be back to walking on water again. It will not be long. I'm off to a Reiki workshop over the weekend. Yet again I have been invited to attend. How wonderful it is to have people in my life that care so much about my well being.
Thanks for reading. Don't forget about that inescapable necessity of practice. We all want to look good, right? Feeling good is pretty fun too. You know the drill :)
In light and love,
andino
Many of us spend a fair amount of time making sure we look good as we move through the world. Our society is practically constructed around looking good. We buy fancy clothes and shoes to match outfits, wear makeup to enhance our appearance; we are virtually obsessed with our appearance and how we present ourselves in the public eye. So in order for the body to look good, we exercise and we eat consciously, we provide the body with rest, we give enough water to the body, and so on and so forth. All of these contributions we provide the body with in turn actually make us feel good. It completes our character, so to speak.
What makes you think the mind is any different? Surely by spending our time doing "mindless" activities, such as watching television, specifically the dramatic doom and gloom of news or pointless reality shows, can be remotely equated with feeding our bodies junk food, like a gluttonous beast devouring that which continues to distract us from our own true nature or a real sense of identity. I'm not suggesting that watching the news is the demise of mankind, nor am I implying that if you watch TV you are effectively poisoning the mind; although there is something to be said about spending ones time in the dramatic roller coaster of supposed entertainment. So many of us spend a good amount of our precious time being spoon fed aimless drama after drama of other people's lives, or programs lacking any substance, all in the name of comfort. I'd say this is the opposite of practice that I speak of. Who am I to speak about this? I'm an avid soccer fan and I jump at an opportunity to catch a Barcelona game, certainly the same could be said about the idea of watching sports. It is my intent to point out the obvious, of which I will not deny for my own guilty pleasure. Contradiction is an interesting paradox.
I feel it is important to recognize the value of practice. By practice, I mean the practice of mindfulness. Reading a book, writing in ones journal, meditation, taking a walk, all are several examples of mindfulness. The more one engages in these healthy activities for the mind, the more one begins to realize the necessity of practice. The mind, like the body, becomes a product of everything you feed it. It needs to be stimulated and nurtured, just like the body, in a variety of ways to enhance the well being of how we experience ourselves. This gentle reminder feels like a soft kiss, tender and compassionate, full of love and splendor. We are here to remember why we came here, so these gentle reminders often serve as guideposts on the path of life. Teachers provide guidance along the way, like road signs, since the detours of life tend to pull and drag us off the avenue towards happiness.
I just finished a yoga workshop which was another amazing weekend. For most of the workshop I was in my wheelchair observing the participants and their practice. What a unique perspective to view a room full of various levels of yogis and yoginis performing asana. It was incredibly helpful to watch the variety of shifts taking place all around me as the teacher instructed the participants. I practiced when I could, mostly very gentle poses and anything on the ground. Many thanks are due to Debra Sykes and Bonnie Kiser, owners of YogaHeart for the graciousness in both inviting me to attend, as well as hosting Jimmy Bernaert. Jimmy is a certified Anusara yoga instructor, in his 60's, who lives in Hawaii. He is an amazing teacher and the experience of his teachings was a true delight. One of his quotes that I found particularly inspiring was "Yoga is not about the pose." That line really runs deep for me. All too often we are so focused on perfecting the asana that we lose the joy and true nature of yoga. It's not about the pose. It's about the practice. He also mentioned the more you practice, the more you realize how much yoga is not about the pose. Of course, he managed to incorporate the importance of the alignment with the pose, as well as the anuasara principles. However, yoga is meant to be enjoyed. This can be difficult to embrace when one is holding a challenging posture or pose. When the corners of the mouth are lifted and the breath is full, enjoyment magically surges out from our core with relative ease.
Speaking of relative ease, my physical condition is improving dramatically. If you have been keeping up with this blog, you would know that I have been upgraded to crutches. I love this new found freedom of being able to be upright once again. I was so enthralled with this mobility I decided to walk down to the lake yesterday. Those of you who have been to my place, know the distance it takes to get to the lake. Basically there are two options, 185 stairs to walk down (and then of course back up), or about a 1/4 mile gradual descent to make it to the lake. I chose the latter, on crutches, for my walk. Only half of the route is paved, the rest is fairly rocky. I didn't plan on going all the way to the lake, it just kind of happened that way. The further I got away from my house, the more thrilling the adventure become. I like to be a little adventurous from time to time, and I was anxious for a challenge, so this fulfilled my dare devil desire. Once again I realized that if I fell, I'd be in serious, serious trouble. Needless to say I decided to take it slow, steady, and easy. I did manage to make it all the way to the lake, and even went a little further to "my spot". I have a little sacred spot, where a small creek flows into the lake, that I enjoy sitting and contemplating from. I was overwhelmed with joy upon my arrival to this spot as it holds a very special place in my heart. Not only did I feel a tremendous sense of accomplishment, I felt immersed in bliss.
The walk down to the lake was more difficult than the walk back up. My left leg was actually shaking by the time I reached the sacred spot. I still am not bearing any weight on my right leg, other than a simulation of walking. Going back up the incline I felt supported by both my experience and my core strength. Physical therapy has aided greatly in my recovery, I have doing pool sessions two days a week with various movements. I sometimes feel like I am 95 years old while in the pool, partly due to the age of those around me in the pool and partly due to the fact that I am doing very basic movements that wear me out. Today as I was treading water, my therapist would throw a beach ball at me while I would then struggle to throw it back. I quickly became aware of the rather quick exhaustion of a simple exercise. And then I was using a kick-board to swim across the pool and I was literally not moving. My mind had me believing there was a secret current keeping me from propelling across the pool. Its simply baffling how difficult some of the simplest activities, in theory, can be.
It will not be long before I'll be rocking laps in the pool like Mark Spitz going for gold. Until then, I'll be treading water in the deep end of the pool. That's pretty much been a metaphor for my recovery process- I'm just treading water and staying afloat, vicariously imagining the days when I'll be back to walking on water again. It will not be long. I'm off to a Reiki workshop over the weekend. Yet again I have been invited to attend. How wonderful it is to have people in my life that care so much about my well being.
Thanks for reading. Don't forget about that inescapable necessity of practice. We all want to look good, right? Feeling good is pretty fun too. You know the drill :)
In light and love,
andino
Friday, April 15, 2011
Spring inside perception
Spring has arrived here in Northwest Montana and brought about a fresh new perspective. With new growth all around, it reminds us that we are all budding with possibility this time of year. Its time for us to cultivate the seeds we have planted this winter; that is, of course, the ones we choose to nurture and grow. The long bright days allow even more opportunity to enjoy the light and seize the day. The return of color has painted the landscape allowing for splendid views and green hillsides and blue skies. The lake has finally melted and now the water glimmers from rays of the sunshine, a dazzling jewel of a sight. Ah yes, welcome spring, its really wonderful to see you again.
The thawing of the lake was a magnificent process to witness. As long as I've lived here, I have yet to be present for the entire process of when it thaws. This is about a week long ordeal to watch, and the shifts that transpire are fascinating. Once the ice begins to crack, creating fault like lines across the frozen lake, the water is revealed as it awakens from the winter slumber. Next are the huge icebergs that resemble a mirage of glacial mass moving ever so slowly across the lake, with a very spotted like surface from all the varying thickness of the ice. One evening the sunset lit up the water in between the icebergs while dusting the ice itself with an orange hue. It reminded me of those push pops you get from the ice cream man, so delicious!
The porch has provided such a wonderful perspective lately. As if I need any reminders about how beautiful Montana is, yesterday a bald eagle flew by at eye level and circled down to the lake. I chuckled in amusement at how I was able to see this from my porch. There is also beaming sunshine, providing incredible warmth, that I love basking in every chance I get. Equally fun is closing the eyes while the sun is shining brightly, then barely opening them allowing for the moisture from the eyelids to create rainbows. This has probably become one of my favorite pastimes. Sometimes while sitting in the sun, I feel the warmth of my heart and imagine that the heart shines very similarly like the sun, outwards an all directions.
Lately I have been venturing even further from the porch. Its simply astounding how quickly perspective can change by moving a mere 15 or 20 feet. This helps me recognize that no matter how difficult things may seem, a clearer perspective is just a few steps away. There is always a new opportunity that exists, it just takes us to realize this to make it available. So many perceptions to ponder; such as, more than just bones fracture in traumatic situations. And our world is filled with different traumas, some physical, some mental. Our views and perspectives can quickly become jaded from even a traumatic mental injury, especially one that is reoccurring over years, from an assault of agenda, whether it be someone, something, or some cause, or even political, righteous, or self inflicting, all leading to potential for a fractured mind that will eventually need time to heal. Our society seems filled with people who have fractured minds. Its a good time, right now, to focus on healing.
I went to the doctor last Monday. I was hoping for the superstar news of him saying how wonderful everything looked and I could go ahead and start leaping out of his office with joy. Actually I was just hoping he would give me clearance to walk. I got half of what I hoped for, since I'm able to use crutches now for the left leg. It'll be another three to four weeks before I will bear weight on the right side. The news about my right leg resulted in my expectations to be disappointed, yet again. Funny how these expectations tend to set up only to be knocked down; and like a little kid bowling, we continue to re-set the pins each time to keep the game going. That same disappointment turns into motivation when we let it go and decide to move forward.
Anyway, back to crutches, yeah! The house looks completely different standing up, its as if I am in a new place all of a sudden. The crutches arrived yesterday and I took them for a test drive around the house. Everything was great, I spent about 15 minutes on them before my leg decided that was enough. Then I had a moment of vulnerability when I tried to sit back down in my wheelchair, and all of a sudden, for a brief second, I'm going backwards and the wheelchair was not there. Thankfully the wheelchair was there, it had just moved enough for my arm to miss the handle and cause a mild panic. None-the-less it reminded me that if I take a fall right now I am screwed. So I am doing my best to honor the fact that my body is still healing and I'm allowing that to take place without any added stress.
I am headed to a Anusara yoga workshop this weekend, with Jimmy Bernaert, a certified teacher from the Big Island of Hawaii, down in Pablo (just outside Polson). I am pretty excited to be attending this workshop, even though I'll be chilling in the wheelchair. Actually, I'm thrilled to be able to soak in the whole experience. I attended the Polson three hour class last Sunday for the first time. It was great crawling up and down the stairs, hanging out in the wheelchair and doing mostly restorative stuff the entire practice. It was wonderful to be part of the community once again, especially this kula that reached out so deeply following the accident. What a treat to be able to spend the weekend with everyone once again at Jimmy. I'll be able to participate on a very minimal level- although I'll be visualizing some incredible poses during the parts that I'm not practicing asana. Should be a great weekend! Especially since now with crutches, I can actually pee standing up again! It has been a while now since that has happened :)
May the new growth of Spring inspire you to cultivate seeds for whatever you wish, perceive, or imagine for yourself.
The thawing of the lake was a magnificent process to witness. As long as I've lived here, I have yet to be present for the entire process of when it thaws. This is about a week long ordeal to watch, and the shifts that transpire are fascinating. Once the ice begins to crack, creating fault like lines across the frozen lake, the water is revealed as it awakens from the winter slumber. Next are the huge icebergs that resemble a mirage of glacial mass moving ever so slowly across the lake, with a very spotted like surface from all the varying thickness of the ice. One evening the sunset lit up the water in between the icebergs while dusting the ice itself with an orange hue. It reminded me of those push pops you get from the ice cream man, so delicious!
The porch has provided such a wonderful perspective lately. As if I need any reminders about how beautiful Montana is, yesterday a bald eagle flew by at eye level and circled down to the lake. I chuckled in amusement at how I was able to see this from my porch. There is also beaming sunshine, providing incredible warmth, that I love basking in every chance I get. Equally fun is closing the eyes while the sun is shining brightly, then barely opening them allowing for the moisture from the eyelids to create rainbows. This has probably become one of my favorite pastimes. Sometimes while sitting in the sun, I feel the warmth of my heart and imagine that the heart shines very similarly like the sun, outwards an all directions.
Lately I have been venturing even further from the porch. Its simply astounding how quickly perspective can change by moving a mere 15 or 20 feet. This helps me recognize that no matter how difficult things may seem, a clearer perspective is just a few steps away. There is always a new opportunity that exists, it just takes us to realize this to make it available. So many perceptions to ponder; such as, more than just bones fracture in traumatic situations. And our world is filled with different traumas, some physical, some mental. Our views and perspectives can quickly become jaded from even a traumatic mental injury, especially one that is reoccurring over years, from an assault of agenda, whether it be someone, something, or some cause, or even political, righteous, or self inflicting, all leading to potential for a fractured mind that will eventually need time to heal. Our society seems filled with people who have fractured minds. Its a good time, right now, to focus on healing.
I went to the doctor last Monday. I was hoping for the superstar news of him saying how wonderful everything looked and I could go ahead and start leaping out of his office with joy. Actually I was just hoping he would give me clearance to walk. I got half of what I hoped for, since I'm able to use crutches now for the left leg. It'll be another three to four weeks before I will bear weight on the right side. The news about my right leg resulted in my expectations to be disappointed, yet again. Funny how these expectations tend to set up only to be knocked down; and like a little kid bowling, we continue to re-set the pins each time to keep the game going. That same disappointment turns into motivation when we let it go and decide to move forward.
Anyway, back to crutches, yeah! The house looks completely different standing up, its as if I am in a new place all of a sudden. The crutches arrived yesterday and I took them for a test drive around the house. Everything was great, I spent about 15 minutes on them before my leg decided that was enough. Then I had a moment of vulnerability when I tried to sit back down in my wheelchair, and all of a sudden, for a brief second, I'm going backwards and the wheelchair was not there. Thankfully the wheelchair was there, it had just moved enough for my arm to miss the handle and cause a mild panic. None-the-less it reminded me that if I take a fall right now I am screwed. So I am doing my best to honor the fact that my body is still healing and I'm allowing that to take place without any added stress.
I am headed to a Anusara yoga workshop this weekend, with Jimmy Bernaert, a certified teacher from the Big Island of Hawaii, down in Pablo (just outside Polson). I am pretty excited to be attending this workshop, even though I'll be chilling in the wheelchair. Actually, I'm thrilled to be able to soak in the whole experience. I attended the Polson three hour class last Sunday for the first time. It was great crawling up and down the stairs, hanging out in the wheelchair and doing mostly restorative stuff the entire practice. It was wonderful to be part of the community once again, especially this kula that reached out so deeply following the accident. What a treat to be able to spend the weekend with everyone once again at Jimmy. I'll be able to participate on a very minimal level- although I'll be visualizing some incredible poses during the parts that I'm not practicing asana. Should be a great weekend! Especially since now with crutches, I can actually pee standing up again! It has been a while now since that has happened :)
May the new growth of Spring inspire you to cultivate seeds for whatever you wish, perceive, or imagine for yourself.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
There are some appointments you just can't miss
No matter what takes place in life, occasionally, there are appointments that you just can't miss. Attending the Paul Muller-Ortega meditation workshop and initiation in Seattle, last weekend, was one of those appointments. Naturally, the title of this blog post is a quote directly from him. I had been looking forward to this occasion since last October when I had the chance to hear him speak at a weekend workshop in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. To give you an idea of how profound the experience in Seattle was for me, well, I'll just say that what took place at the initiation and workshop made my accident seem like child's play. That's about all I can say at this time.
Being in a wheelchair was certainly not going to stop me from attending this event. In fact, it actually helped serve as motivation to make the trip happen. It seems that anyone who heard about my excursion to Seattle wanted to cast shadows of doubt about whether it was a good idea for me, since I still can't walk, to be driving nine hours. Thankfully I had the assistance of two very good friends who accompanied me on the drive to Seattle, although I was on my own for the adventure back to Montana. Getting out on the open road was a treat, especially with such good friends, as the scenery was magnificent. Driving in the Northwest reminds me why I live in this beautiful part of the country, where splendid landscapes meet the vast and open skies of adventure.
We began the trip with a quick stop at the healing waters of hot springs. It had been five days since my previous visit to hot springs, and there was a noticeable difference in this short amount of time regarding how my body felt. This set the tone for the rest of the journey, inviting a calming and relaxing feeling for the long drive. I drove for the first 4 or 5 hours, then relinquished the duties to an experienced road tripper, none other than Mikey Howell. Mikey and I have actually seen something like 28 Phish shows, traveling to each one together, so having him behind the wheel is like putting the car in auto pilot.
When we arrived at the Columbia River Gorge, we were graced with brilliant sunshine and warm weather. Welcome Spring! A perfect place to take a break..
Aside from the workshop/initiation, Seattle itself was quite an experience. Being in public, while remaining in a wheelchair, takes tremendous courage and perseverance. Everywhere I went I suddenly became the elephant in the room, although it helped that I was comfortable with my situation and who I am. There is a sense of accomplishment being handicapped and still living life to its fullest. I have great compassion for those who spend their lives with disabilities.
The nice thing about being in a wheelchair is that people go out of their way to accommodate you. The annoying thing is that people tend to treat you like you are special or there is something wrong with you. After so many experiences in the chair, the best advice I can provide for those who are unsure how to deal with someone in a wheelchair, specifically regarding conversation, is to treat them like a human being. Talk to them openly, honestly, and with dignity. Go ahead and ask them, if you are wondering, why they are in a wheelchair. More than likely they will be happy to share their story with you. Its interesting how people are affected by talking with someone in a wheelchair. I have often heard comments such as this frequent one: "Gosh, I thought I had problems in my life and then I look at your situation and you can't even walk!" Yeah, it sort of puts things into perspective, doesn't it? I don't mind, however, the affect it has on other people, nor their comments however petulant they can be. I do enjoy crossing paths with those who have heard about my experience, or read this blog, and have thanked me for my contributions, as well as shared their experience with me about how inspiring I am to them. These are the moments that fill me with gratitude and purpose.
Dining in Seattle was another highlight of the trip, mainly the two sushi outings and a trip to a James Beard Award finalist, Sitka & Spruce. I had to use my name, so to speak, to secure a reservation as they were full when I called three days before to request Saturday night. It is certainly a major perk to be a notable chef, particularly when I choose to dine out. My entire Seattle experience was enhanced by good company, mainly a beautiful young woman, Lori Call, whom was gracious enough to allow me to stay at her and her brother's place. Soaking in the hot tub each night while overlooking the hills of West Seattle was as enjoyable as the laughter and good times.
The city is full of attractive people. A vibrant energy seems to pulsate throughout Seattle. I love visiting cities for this very reason. I prefer to live in the majestic mountains of Montana, however, as the hustle and bustle does not appeal to me like the solitude and quietness does. How wonderful it is to experience the best of the both worlds, mainly being able to return to a place of peace, comfort, and tranquility that I call home.
Montana is finally beginning to show signs of Spring. The colorful array of sunshine and new growth is returning to light up the world, as are the long days. The lake I live above is beginning to thaw out, even though a layer of ice still dominates the surface. It will not be long before the water will reflect the rays of sunshine, shimmering and sparkling like precious jewels. And I'll soon be kayaking through those reflections with the lake to myself, blissful occasions are on the horizon!
I am getting a little impatient now that my body is growing stronger each day. I am ready to leave the wheelchair behind and start walking. I am scheduled to see the doctor again on Monday for another round of x-rays. I am hoping he will give the clearance and the go ahead to begin weight bearing. I can already stand up even though I've been advised not to. Of course, I had to test the waters to see if it was possible. Driving back to Montana, on my own, felt like a huge conquest. Pumping gas was a little challenging, as I had to use my walker to complete the task. I met a dear friend, Kristin Hertz, at hot springs and we soaked for four straight hours. My world seems to include lots of hot springs lately. I'll likely be going back this week.
Thanks again for reading this blog. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. I leave you with a quote from Paul Muller-Ortega: "We are all swimming in an ocean of our collective vibrations. You with every action, every thought, with every impulse, affects everyone and everything else."
Being in a wheelchair was certainly not going to stop me from attending this event. In fact, it actually helped serve as motivation to make the trip happen. It seems that anyone who heard about my excursion to Seattle wanted to cast shadows of doubt about whether it was a good idea for me, since I still can't walk, to be driving nine hours. Thankfully I had the assistance of two very good friends who accompanied me on the drive to Seattle, although I was on my own for the adventure back to Montana. Getting out on the open road was a treat, especially with such good friends, as the scenery was magnificent. Driving in the Northwest reminds me why I live in this beautiful part of the country, where splendid landscapes meet the vast and open skies of adventure.
We began the trip with a quick stop at the healing waters of hot springs. It had been five days since my previous visit to hot springs, and there was a noticeable difference in this short amount of time regarding how my body felt. This set the tone for the rest of the journey, inviting a calming and relaxing feeling for the long drive. I drove for the first 4 or 5 hours, then relinquished the duties to an experienced road tripper, none other than Mikey Howell. Mikey and I have actually seen something like 28 Phish shows, traveling to each one together, so having him behind the wheel is like putting the car in auto pilot.
When we arrived at the Columbia River Gorge, we were graced with brilliant sunshine and warm weather. Welcome Spring! A perfect place to take a break..
Aside from the workshop/initiation, Seattle itself was quite an experience. Being in public, while remaining in a wheelchair, takes tremendous courage and perseverance. Everywhere I went I suddenly became the elephant in the room, although it helped that I was comfortable with my situation and who I am. There is a sense of accomplishment being handicapped and still living life to its fullest. I have great compassion for those who spend their lives with disabilities.
The nice thing about being in a wheelchair is that people go out of their way to accommodate you. The annoying thing is that people tend to treat you like you are special or there is something wrong with you. After so many experiences in the chair, the best advice I can provide for those who are unsure how to deal with someone in a wheelchair, specifically regarding conversation, is to treat them like a human being. Talk to them openly, honestly, and with dignity. Go ahead and ask them, if you are wondering, why they are in a wheelchair. More than likely they will be happy to share their story with you. Its interesting how people are affected by talking with someone in a wheelchair. I have often heard comments such as this frequent one: "Gosh, I thought I had problems in my life and then I look at your situation and you can't even walk!" Yeah, it sort of puts things into perspective, doesn't it? I don't mind, however, the affect it has on other people, nor their comments however petulant they can be. I do enjoy crossing paths with those who have heard about my experience, or read this blog, and have thanked me for my contributions, as well as shared their experience with me about how inspiring I am to them. These are the moments that fill me with gratitude and purpose.
Dining in Seattle was another highlight of the trip, mainly the two sushi outings and a trip to a James Beard Award finalist, Sitka & Spruce. I had to use my name, so to speak, to secure a reservation as they were full when I called three days before to request Saturday night. It is certainly a major perk to be a notable chef, particularly when I choose to dine out. My entire Seattle experience was enhanced by good company, mainly a beautiful young woman, Lori Call, whom was gracious enough to allow me to stay at her and her brother's place. Soaking in the hot tub each night while overlooking the hills of West Seattle was as enjoyable as the laughter and good times.
The city is full of attractive people. A vibrant energy seems to pulsate throughout Seattle. I love visiting cities for this very reason. I prefer to live in the majestic mountains of Montana, however, as the hustle and bustle does not appeal to me like the solitude and quietness does. How wonderful it is to experience the best of the both worlds, mainly being able to return to a place of peace, comfort, and tranquility that I call home.
Montana is finally beginning to show signs of Spring. The colorful array of sunshine and new growth is returning to light up the world, as are the long days. The lake I live above is beginning to thaw out, even though a layer of ice still dominates the surface. It will not be long before the water will reflect the rays of sunshine, shimmering and sparkling like precious jewels. And I'll soon be kayaking through those reflections with the lake to myself, blissful occasions are on the horizon!
I am getting a little impatient now that my body is growing stronger each day. I am ready to leave the wheelchair behind and start walking. I am scheduled to see the doctor again on Monday for another round of x-rays. I am hoping he will give the clearance and the go ahead to begin weight bearing. I can already stand up even though I've been advised not to. Of course, I had to test the waters to see if it was possible. Driving back to Montana, on my own, felt like a huge conquest. Pumping gas was a little challenging, as I had to use my walker to complete the task. I met a dear friend, Kristin Hertz, at hot springs and we soaked for four straight hours. My world seems to include lots of hot springs lately. I'll likely be going back this week.
Thanks again for reading this blog. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. I leave you with a quote from Paul Muller-Ortega: "We are all swimming in an ocean of our collective vibrations. You with every action, every thought, with every impulse, affects everyone and everything else."
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