Hello everyone!
I hope you are all well!
Did any of you watch the Olympics? I was torn about whom to cheer for. I’m South African but I feel at home in America and want nothing more than to live with my family again. I pray there will be a way. Even so, it was great to see Tatjana Schoenmaker win gold and set a world record for South Africa in the 200m breaststroke.
This was the first time I watched the Olympics and I watched a lot. There were two-to-four channels showing coverage at any given time, day and night. I really enjoyed it. The swimming was my favorite and I’m looking forward to doing open water swimming again one day.
In the meantime, I’ve kept up with my Pilates practice and it’s helped me understand my core like never before. I use that in my yoga now and am making a lot of progress. My injury is getting better all the time. It’s amazing how slow it’s taking, but also how much improvement I can feel at the same time. I’m persisting.
One thing that helps is that they installed seven satellite-radio stations through our TVs. I listen to the E.D.M. channel when I’m working out - great for energy and drowning out all the background noise. And if I can’t sleep because other people are playing their TVs with homemade speakers instead of using their headphones (they’re not supposed to but they get away with it) then I listen to the soft rock station and try to fall asleep with my ear buds in. It often works.
Even though we still need to wear masks Covid has been on the down low in here, until last week that is. We have forty people positive now - our population is 1500. They are contact tracing and quarantining.
Otherwise, I’m just about to finish two great books: “A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose” by Eckhart Tolle, and “Start Where You Are: A Guide to Compassionate Living” by Pema Chevron. They both seemed to find me at the same time, seemingly in response to prayers about what to do in order to stay above the challenges of my day-to-day living. Both books discuss a lot of the same principles and compliment each other really well.
One of the key topics they discuss is ego: human beings identifying with things (possessions, roles, emotions, etc); human beings having a tendency to act superior to others (often in hidden ways); and human beings having stores of negative, “heavy", reflexes. The advice is that through intention and effort we can dissociate from these superficial layers of existence and, instead, associate with our awareness, which exists independently of all that noise. The experience is one of being wide-awake and aware, but without thinking incessantly. It’s a life long journey of deepening attainment. But there we are said to find peace, wisdom, and compassion, despite the daily drama.
These types of books were a big part of my life in the past. I would listen to them as audio books while cleaning, walking, etc. I put a lot of work incorporating their teachings. I’m glad to have them back again - these words were fresh and have inspired renewed effort in me.
I’ve also made a new friend. His name is Thomas (he’s from Nebraska, the same place that Penny is from, in The Big Bang Theory haha). He’s a great conversationalist and is also really funny.
That’s about all for now. How are you doing? I’d love to hear from you. I hope you are well!!!
My next post will be the last of those college essays: “Why to Teach Meditation in Schools”.
Love,
Barrett
Check out my next blog: “Why to Teach Meditation in Schools”.
Comments