(Mindfulness and the Spin of the Ball)

The first skill needed for the inner game is called ‘letting it happen’. W. Timothy Gallwey, “Tennis: Playing the Game.”

In my cozy, book-lined blog workshop, I have been trying to write a post on meditation and its first cousin, mindfulness.  Because I am a neophyte practitioner of these time-honored arts, I decided to start with a subject that I know more about: tennis. What has that time-honored sport got to do with mindfulness, you may ask? Please read on.

There are few things that you can’t do if you are willing to apply yourself.

Greg Lemond

INTRODUCTION

“Go get some exercise!” Great advice! After all, the mental and physical health benefits of daily exercise are tremendous. For folks like me who practice self-care to manage depression, it has been wonderful to experience directly what studies show:  Regular, modest exercise is at least as effective as antidepressants. Healthy Living.

So, why is it sometimes so bloody hard to follow this great advice? What follows are some thoughts on how to actually look forward to exercising rather than dreaming up excuses not to.

In the middle of one of my selfish woe-is-me rants about being cooped up during the pandemic, I ran across this beautiful prayer written by Cameron Wiggins Bellm, a Seattle mother of two, a Russian instructor, and a blogger with a great first name.

(Smarter cycling in the smartphone age.)

Having talked a bit about bike riding in my last post, Cycling For Justice, I want to share some risk mitigation tips I have learned training for and struggling through long organized rides since 1996. Note that I am not using the words “safe” or “safety.” As with anything worth doing, cycling has a number of risks. Although they can’t be eliminated (even by the most zealous helicopter parents), here are some tips for reducing them:

(A Dime per Climb)

I had intended in this week’s post to explore mindfulness and meditation, strategies in the self-care tool kit. Instead, I want to talk today about issues of racism that have been highlighted yet again by the May 25 murder of George Floyd, and by the homicides of so many other innocent black victims, by police sworn to serve and protect them. These slayings have re-focused national attention on, and raised fundamental questions about, the deeply embedded racism against blacks in this country:

So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear…is fear itself.

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Introduction

I can’t remember when I first heard those famous words, but I’m glad I remember them now. They will live in famy. (This is my blog so I can make up words if I jolly well like.) They are as timely, necessary, and inspirational now as they were when FDR addressed a terrified nation in 1933.

I watch my dogs. They throw themselves into everything they do; even their sleeping is wholehearted. They aren’t waiting for a better tomorrow or looking back at their glory days.

Abigail Thomas, A Three Dog Life

As the dark pall of the Corona Virus continues, forcing us into isolation, uncertainty, and fear, I am continuing to pursue and to share methods of self-care. In this post, I talk about how to turn a mundane dog walk into an oasis of mindful calm.