One of the things I love about playing tennis is the way I so frequently catch myself in the act of negative talking or thinking. Each ‘I’m so stupid’, or ‘How could I have missed that shot?’, or ‘Another double fault, #$@&%*!’ is an opportunity for rebooting the network. An opportunity to wake-up to the present moment. Without static, without the interference of derogatory dialogue.
It’s a gorgeous day here on Mitchells Island – twenty degrees c. (70 degrees F.) – with a light breeze. Spring blossoms are plentiful in our gardens, and I’ve spotted various species of birds building nests. A bevy of ducks have been parading their young around our property, an area relatively safe from predators.
Another day in paradise, you could say, and you’d be partly right. Except for the fact that it has scarcely rained this month – 2.5 mm. – that’s all. On the other hand, the Manning Valley has been burning for weeks. […]
I’ve been thinking about friends today as I farewelled Heather and Rick this morning, heading off to Canada for 3.5 months.
I have a relatively small family of blood relations, and they are all in the U.S. This makes friends I have in Australia precious to me.
If you are blessed to pursue the vocation of yoga teacher, you make many friends. The line between student and friend gets blurred easily and, to mind, fortunately. I’ve befriended students and they have me for 35 years. There’s something special about relationships that develop out of the yoga connection. […]
Over the years, I’ve seen that the people who get most out of yoga are the ones who take on the challenge of doing home practice. A teacher worth her salt is the one who encourages her students to do a little practice at home.
Well, I have to admit that The Amazing Meeting did live up to its name in yesterday’s afternoon session. The grand daddy of all the skeptics, James Randi, was there. (Where’s there? The Grand Lodge of the Freemasons – The Masonic Centre in Castlereagh St., Sydney, of all places.)
Randi’s age is up there in the mid-80’s or so, and he’s got a story or two or twenty to tell about busting the woo-woo out of any unscientific or new age thinking/inventions going around. […]
When I went out to the Yoga Shed this morning to do my practice, I had no idea what day it was, but then I remembered.
I’ve alway been amused by the fact that one of the most important days on the Australian calendar often coincides with the U.S. mid and full term elections. Of course, we’re talking Melbourne Cup Day. A day that features fascinators, top hats, and invariably, like today, a downpour to favour mudders and drizabones.
The U.S. midterm elections are considered to be a watershed and likely to reinvigorate Republicans in Congress. […]
When I first moved to Australia from the U.S., I was much more of a free spirit than I am now. I was a flight attendant for T.W.A. for three years before landing in Oz and I didn’t even quit the job; I just took a leave of absence in case I wanted to move back “home”.
I would say that I didn’t have a sense of place, not even my birthplace, Chicago. I’d lived in N.Y., several suburbs in L.A., and Tucson, Arizona. […]