Posted in 100 Days of Fitness, 100 Days of Peace, tagged ego, ego mind, fitness, meditation, sitting, tennis on March 16, 2012| Leave a Comment »
Emotional state today: Up
During this morning’s sit, I observed my ego mind as being very similar to a person who thinks he’s much smarter than he is and so he keeps butting in with suggestions and comments that are not helpful even though you’ve already told him to shut up.
Instead of doing a workout at home today, I played tennis. I also wrote and sat for meditation. So another 3 for 3 day!
Posted in 100 Days of Peaceful Productivity, productivity, tagged 100 Days of Peace, 9 to 5, boundaries, exercise, guilt, life, meditation, Peace, productivity, rituals, sleep, tennis on July 2, 2008| Leave a Comment »
Relying on the 9 to 5 work-day structure was effective for me today. The first thing I realized is that 8 hours is not a lot of time. Throw in a couple of appointments, some phone calls, a lunch hour…that doesn’t leave much time for project-related work.
Makes the issue of boundaries that much more important. Boundaries is something I will be exploring in depth.
The second thing I realized is that I really, REALLY like clocking out and going to do something social. Today I played tennis. And it was guilt-free, in part because I knew I worked pretty consistently up until that point.
The third thing I realized is that my personal morning rituals actually take some time. Things like meditation and exercise are rituals I don’t like to rush. Completing them in time to sit down to work at 9 means being disciplined about getting up by a certain time. Which for me means being disciplined about getting to sleep by a certain time the night before (it’s almost midnight as I write this, so you can see that I will need to focus some attention in this area, too).
And in the spirit of full disclosure, I didn’t totally clock out at 5. I started working again at around 10 tonight. Important work that I’m happy I gave more time to. It was a conscious choice I made. And again, I could make it happily because I did take time to have some fun after 5. A nice harmony.
Posted in 100 Days of Peace in Uncertainty, uncertainty, tagged 100 Days of Peace, be present, being present, choice, library, life, Peace, present moment, Staples, Sunday, tennis, uncertainty, waiting on April 18, 2008| Leave a Comment »
I’d like to share two experiences that are similar in details but different in mental structure, so I experienced them quite differently.
Last Sunday, I was scheduled to meet a friend to play tennis. I had some photocopying to do at Staples, so we agreed to meet there. I finished early and found myself waiting. It was a beautiful day. And although I had lots of stuff on my list at home that I could be doing, all of it was at home. There in front of the Staples I had an opportunity to just be. And I loved it.
In my mind, because I couldn’t do any of the things on my list, I had permission to simply be present. To enjoy the people around me, to enjoy the beautiful weather, to enjoy the present moment.
Contrast that with my walk to the library yesterday. I sat in the beautiful courtyard in front of the library. It was another sunny day. Leaves fluttered down all around me. Yet my mind was racing. I was there by choice, and at any time I could stand up and walk home and get back to all of the things that needed doing. And I could not find a way to give myself permission to be present.
Well, that’s not true. I was able to achieve a presence in the chaos of my mind. “Okay, so this is what my mind is doing right now.” And there was a subtle peace that came. But still the tension to move forward, to get back home, to do, do, do.
This is something I will continue to explore. The freedom of waiting and how to cultivate that by choice.
Posted in 100 Days of Peace in Uncertainty, uncertainty, tagged 100 Days of Peace, anxiety, coaching, Eckhart Tolle, email, guitar, inner body, life, meditation, Peace, Sunday, taxes, teeth, tennis, time, time management, uncertainty, wisdom teeth on April 13, 2008| 1 Comment »
It is Sunday again, and there is much I would like to do today. Here is my list:
Enough on that list to make me anxious if I choose to be. Add to it that my appointment to have my two wisdom teeth extracted is tomorrow.
Centering and grounding myself helps. Feeling the inner body, as Eckhart Tolle teaches. And acknowledging the structural element of any anxiety I feel today — recognizing it as conditioning and not reality.
And not looking at the clock all day. Wow, I just now realized that checking the time is a key ingredient in this recipe for anxiety. “Time’s running out! Oh no!”
Maybe true time management is not looking at the clock. 🙂
100 Days of Peace 