Seminary studies and life have kept me busy and I have found it hard to “indulge” in blogging. How can I justify taking the time when there is so much to do! Also, much of where my heart is right now relates to my concerns about my elderly parents (at almost 82, I think my mom still doesn’t appreciate being labeled as elderly). If you’ve read my blog in the past, you know that my mom reads it. I haven’t been sure how to venture into this subject area without being overly concerned about offending her.
Tonight thanks to my husband (aka great spiritual teacher), I came face-to-face with the fact that I possess the same trait that is driving me crazy in my mom. He offered to head off to the laundromat by himself with our laundry while I stayed home and studied. Rather than happily accepting his generous offer, I was plagued with both guilt and “but you won’t do it like I do” thoughts. I was the only one who was surprised by this. He took my feeble protests in stride and didn’t have too big a smile when I admitted my wrong thinking. (I did remind him not to get on a high horse, that he isn’t perfect either.) So he’s off doing the laundry and I’m realizing that even if something comes back a tiny version of itself, it is well worth the gift I have received. Amen.
Lately I have been feeling grateful for how effortless my exercise habits have become. They are purposefully modest ones. My focus has been on making exercise pleasurable and doable. Now it is usually a matter of when, rather than if, I’m going to exercise. I’m especially happy that when I get stressed out my reaction is to want to get outside and go for a walk. I still dream of consistently attending dance classes or doing one of my longer DVD’s, but most days I manage to do the AM workout from 7 Minutes of Magic in addition to my walk.
Although I’m usually looking forward to my walks, I still have days that I struggle with resistance. Yesterday was one of those days. I just did not want to go and an internal conversation ensued. “I don’t want to go.” “Walking is good for you.” “Missing one day is no big deal.” “You know you’ll feel better once you get out there.” “It’s cold.” “Dress warm, besides walking will warm you up.” “I don’t know.” “Just go!” In the end I went because over time, I had developed faith in my walking practice. That I would feel better after I got out there.
Today we released our beloved cat, Tao, from her suffering. We are grateful for the blessing she was in our lives for the short nine years she has been a part of our family. I post this prayer in honor of her passing and with the belief that she died in the embrace of our love.
May all creatures be freed from their suffering
May all creatures be freed from their illness.
May those in fear be comforted
And those bound be set free.
May all creatures lost in this wilderness
they do not know
be guarded by the love of celestials,
and may they be led to a place
of everlasting peace.
Buddhist Prayer, adapted by Lynn L. Caruso Blessing the Animals: Prayers and Ceremonies to Celebrate God’s Creatures, Wild and Tame
P.S. Reading this old post (with favorite Tao photo) is giving me comfort. I had forgotten about the night she brought a dragonfly in from the balcony. I was laying on the floor and heard a strange buzzing sound as she ran past me. Then when the dragonfly got loose, my husband and I showed our true colors as we both ran for cover!
As my class in Theological Reflection comes to a close, I am feeling grateful for the introduction to theological perspectives that I have found very exciting. I am continuing to explore process theology and liberation theologies (look in My Library to see what I am reading). One of the most meaningful class discussions was about religious perspectives about Creation. Feminist and process theology understandings of all Creation as interconnected and Sacred particularly resonate with how I see the universe, from the magnificent trees that share my walks to the smallest creatures that I admire from afar to the animals with which I develop close relationships. All are Sacred to me and fill me with awe as I feel not only connected, but changed by my experience of them. As I prepare to leave for my second two-week intensive class, I anticipate the healing presence of the forest in contrast to the stressful environment of urban life.
I have a habit of listening to radio show podcasts on most of my daily walks. Speaking of Faith is one of two my favorites. After writing the last paper for my class, I decided to finally listen to the podcast of “Whale Songs and Elephant Loves.” The stories of whales sharing their songs and of elephants communicating beyond our ability to hear took on new meaning in the context of theological perspectives based on an interconnected Creation that is calling us to deeper relationship. I loved hearing the sounds of the whales singing and the elephants rejoicing as they reconnect with their family members.
Also this week, one of the barrage of Twitter posts in my TwitterFox stream had a link to this wonderful video of musicians all over the world lifting up their voices in the same call to community (excerpt from the documentary, “Playing For Change: Peace Through Music“).
One of my favorite spiritual practices is walking a labyrinth. I was introduced to it years ago at a New Year’s Eve candlelight labyrinth walk. I’ve been hooked ever since and would do it more often if we had an accessible one nearby. On Sunday we put out our fabric one (similar to the picture) for the Sunday morning service. I’m the Chair of our Spiritual Practices Council which planned the service. I was the main speaker and my sermon was titled: “Finding Your Center in the Midst of Chaos.” After the service one of our congregation members, psychology professor Dr. Robert Thayer, came up to me and we talked about walking the labyrinth in relation to his research. He was familiar with labyrinths but it was his first time actually walking one.
“The best and most reliable way to improve your mood is to take a brisk, ten-minute walk. No kidding. If you are in a bad mood (and perhaps semiconsciously craving a sugar snack, a call to a friend, a trip to the mall, a cigarette, a cup of coffee, a shot of tequila, or whatever) the most reliable way to immediately start to feel better is to take a brisk walk. Taking a walk may not come to mind as the best choice, but the research says that it is best.”
Through my own experience I discovered the importance of walking in terms of health and stress-relief. Dr. Thayer gives us specific language which describes states of energy and tension that work together for optimum happiness and effectiveness. Not surprisingly, high energy and low tension is the best combination. In the next article, Kiesling makes a more direction connection to spiritual practices such as walking a labyrinth.
“The beauty of Robert Thayer’s mood research is that it is so firmly grounded by the documented experience of thousands of people. He can say with authority that the best ways to improve mood are to take a walk or talk to a friend or meditate or pray. Meanwhile, other researchers, such as James Rippe, M.D., at the University of Massachusetts, have expanded on that work to test combinations: Are walking meditation, prayer-walking, and mindful exercises such as Tai Chi more effective at boosting energy and reducing tension than walking alone? The answer, not surprisingly, is yes. Combining prayer or mindfulness with walking turns out be a “double dip” of happiness.”
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