Mindful Moments

One of my personal goals this year has been to practice mindfulness. In a perfect day I could stop once every hour to be mindful of my surroundings and my breath, taking no more than 30 each time. When I first set the goal I didn’t realize how challenging it would turn out to be. 

In the beginning there were times when I thought of the practice as a nuisance and found myself tense, wanting to rush through the breaths to get it done quickly. I remember thinking my desire to rush through was an indication of needing a lot of mindfulness practice. Thinking back now, I realize part of the issue was also my approach. I was trying to force something that wasn't working. My approach at the time was fixed and didn't serve me in that particular moment. 

It's interesting how this practice has changed from the beginning of the year to now. I started with an hourly alarm on my Fitbit that helps as a reminder to stop, breathe and be in the moment. There are times when this works wonderfully as intended and other times where it can be disruptive given the circumstances. Even though the alarm doesn't always work, it is a much needed poke throughout the day to help keep me mindful and continue with my practice. 

In addition to the alarm, I've found other ways to trigger a mindful moment. Waiting in line or stopped at a red light are great opportunities to practice being mindful. 5 - 30 seconds is all that is needed. The trick is to remember to take advantage of these moments. Like anything we do, it takes practice and some days I'm more successful than others.

My perception and knowledge of mindfulness has grown over the year and continues to evolve. I find myself looking out the window more often and enjoying the view. Even a cloudy and rainy day brings me joy. And there are times now when this happens naturally without prompts. Practicing mindfulness has increased my ability to recognize and feel gratitude.

I've accumulated more tools than what I started with as I continue to work on adding mindful moments into my day. There are times when practice consists of a brief & simple pause to look out the window or a more intentional practice of deep breathing and awareness of self or surroundings. I've recently added in a new tool and have started to focus on visualizing my heart with each breath, working towards brain and heart coherence, which I'm really enjoying.

I still struggle with consistency most days and at times quality, but I am slowly developing and deepening my practice. 

Totals

Push ups & Sit ups: 800/28920
Hand form: 13/389
Weapon form: 15/415
KM: 31/1112
AOK: 24/959
Sparring: 2/157
Blogs: 1/37
Yoga: 1/18hrs
Tai Chi: 14/523
MM:24/726

Do This, Do That

Something I noticed after being back home for only a few days is how quickly negative thoughts start to pop up. I should do this, or I need to do that, etc, etc. I label them negative, because there is resistance attached to them. I understand their value and yet I still push back and procrastinate. Mediocrity pulls at me and then there is a measure of guilt.

I was trying to hold onto and incorporate some of the vacation mode feeling into my day to day routine once I returned home. Life has a different feel and pace while on vacation and I feel more alive and connected to the world we live in when I travel. I love feeling more relaxed, where time and choices are more my own while making connections with people and places along the way.

As I thought more I realized these thoughts weren't negative on their own. It was more how I was perceiving them to be. I could actually view them as welcome reminders and helpful in accomplishing my goals. Instead I viewed them as tasks to do, adding to the potential weight of my day. 

I always have choices and I know I have the ability to control the narrative inside my head with practice and time. Mediocrity is in the nooks and crannies all around me and takes ongoing effort to recognize and reduce. The good news is I'm not clinging to mediocrity, I'm exploring the world and I'm exploring myself even if it's messy at times. 

Totals

Push ups & Sit ups: 1470/28120
Hand form: 10/376
Weapon form: 7/340
KM: 214/1081
AOK: 80/935
Sparring: 10/155
Blogs: 3/36
Yoga: 3.5/17hrs
Tai Chi: 20/509
MM:62/702

Getting Lost

Navigating my way around unfamiliar territory can be difficult and time consuming. Maps and directions can be helpful, but still challenging to use. I try to be extra careful and even when I've checked and rechecked, and think I’ve got it, the circuits in my brain just don’t connect properly. Because of this I really try to focus on my surroundings and using landmarks to help. 

My second day in Florence I had booked a full day excursion and needed to arrive at the meeting point by 8:45am. According to Google Maps it was a 11 min walk. I gave myself an extra 30 minutes and still didn’t arrive until 8:44. I got lost quite quickly, within a few blocks of my hotel. With paper map in one hand and Google maps on my phone I stopped and recalibrated to continue on. It wasn’t too much longer I could see I was getting farther instead of closer to my destination. The extra minutes I had given myself were quickly disappearing. I knew in order to arrive on time I was going to need some help and there were no taxis in sight. Drastic measures were needed. I approached a delivery driver, a lady walking by and a random guy sitting parked in a vehicle. Everyone did their best to help with limited English, guiding me a bit further to my destination. 

The last person I approached was an older man on a bike. Communication was a combo of Italian, English, some hand gestures and my map. He was thankfully able to point me in the right direction, and off I went again. Thankfully he watched and followed after me when I veered the wrong way at the end of the block, (the street had split, one of those fork in the road moments). I was redirected and made it to my meeting point with a combination of running, jogging and speed walking. I made it just in the nick of time, most likely looking like a crazy tourist along the way.

Imagine being in a different country and foreign city by yourself. Add in massive crowds of tourists almost everywhere you go. It can feel chaotic at times and also have a beautiful flow of movement and synchronicity when you stop to breath it all in and appreciate life and how we all contribute.

In Florence the vehicles move around differently, with pedestrians and traffic merging together at times. Designated crossing areas with lights are available at times, but don't always need to be followed. Pedestrians crossing against lights could be locals or tourists, so watch, learn, have respect and apply common sense.

Awareness is needed  as is the ability to make adjustments on the go. Following directions is even more challenging because signage which is usually found on the side of a building can be faded or difficult to locate, or not even present at all. Some streets are straight, many curve or angled and often split into two streets. Unfamiliar sights, sounds, smells and languages are everywhere.

I remember feeling my anxiety start to climb and stress levels rise as I became aware I was temporarily lost in a foreign city, on my own and the clock was ticking. I also remember feeling a strong sense of determination! It was able to stop and breathe momentarily, making mental and emotional adjustments while in motion and ask for help. It was that awareness and ability to make adjustments along the way that helped me to regain some control over the situation. Setting aside my fear and asking for help numerous times is what got me to my destination. 

As I sat on the bus enjoying the relief of having made it and ready to enjoy the day ahead, I thought back to the past 45 minutes. Sparring came to mind right away. Wow, I had made use of the many lessons and tools sparring provides. Stay calm, breathe, assess, recalculate, make adjustments in the moment, be decisive, be proactive and make use of your environment. 

I also learned more about myself, what I'm capable of and expanded my bubble. And I practiced my sparring which I know has helped to stretch and strengthen the lessons taught and I've gained more appreciation. Thank you again to my Kung Fu training. Sparring can be applied to many things. An adversary/opponent could be a person, place or thing. It can also be a battle with myself or often all of the above. Having this experience is an expansion of knowledge, perception, ability and self.

*Numbers to follow next week.

Traveling Lighter

I’m currently enjoying the beautiful city of Venice and the surrounding islands. It was a bit of a challenge to get here after flight delays and then having our Toronto to Venice flight completely cancelled. There were baggage issues, a night spent in a Toronto hotel and the hassle of trying to rebook a flight that would get us to Venice and our ship in time. With everything going on my travel companion made the decision to not continue and go back home, which leaves me traveling on my own.

Fast forward 5 days and my luggage has still not arrived. It was flown to Paris and then Venice 2 days ago and is now with a courier, but still hasn’t been delivered. ‘This is the day’ has been my moto for the past 3 days and still no luck. I’ve been very patient and calm until yesterday afternoon when I returned from an outing and the luggage had not arrived.

What does this have to do with Kung Fu? Pretty much everything. With the luggage issue I’ve been able to stay calm, and focus on what is important so I can enjoy my trip. It’s amazing how little one can do without. I’m managing issues, figuring out how to get from point A to point B, and adjusting to being on my own while in Italy. 

I’ve stepped out of my social bubble and met new people everyday, getting to know wonderful guests. Stepping into the dining room on the first night by myself was difficult and also the beginning of a wonderful week. 

The continuing story of my delayed luggage is the talk of the ship, having only minimum clothes to work with. Over the past few days I’ve been able to find 2 new bottoms to mix and match with the 2 shirts I have. The frustration and disappointment did get to me at one point and a guest was very kind to lend me a dress to wear the next day. 

Patience is a word I’ve heard repeated many times this week. I don’t think of it as being patient though, for me it’s more about enjoying the trip, the destination and the people. Making the choice to be in the moment has helped immensely. I’m taking sights, sounds and smells in and breathing mindfully. The luggage will eventually sort itself out. Only I have control over myself and how I react and respond to a situation. 

I’ve learned I can pack smarter and am very capable of packing much lighter. I even ventured out into Venice on my own without getting lost in search of a few more items of clothing, as it’s looking like my luggage may not catch up with me before I disembark. 

In addition to all this, there will be scheduled air, rail and bus transportation strikes for the next 3 days, potentially affecting my train to Florence on the 8th. I have to tell myself it’s all an opportunity to make adjustments, see what I’m capable of and increase my knowledge in the world of travel. And through all of this, take advantage of being in the moment and enjoy life and my experiences.

Are You Sure?

 All of us are only human, and we have wrong perceptions every day. Our spouse or partner is also subject to wrong perceptions, so we must help each other to see more clearly and more deeply. We should not trust our perceptions too much – that is something the Buddha taught. "Are you sure of your perceptions?" he asked us. I urge you to write this phrase down on a card and put it up on the wall of your room: "Are you sure of your perceptions?"

There is a river of perceptions in you. You should sit down on the bank of this river and contemplate your perceptions. Most of our perceptions, the Buddha said, are false. Are you sure of your perceptions? This question is addressed to you. It is a bell of mindfulness."

– Thich Nhat Hanh

I feel this blends perfectly with my Kung fu as it changes and evolves. And it serves as a reminder when I am doing a form or technique that feels great to practice exercising my limited perceptions. 

There is aways room for growth and expansion when I keep an open mind and an open heart.

Unexpected Challenge

During Thursday nights class we were challenged to do our weapon form in a 4 - 6 ft square space. My space was 4 ft square and with my straight sword measuring about 2 feet long it took up half the area.  Moving through my form I was able to adjust stances and even switch leads to keep my feet within the space. Keeping my body within the square was doable, my sword however was still a problem and encroached on more space outside of the square than I felt was acceptable. So I turned my focus to the sword and worked on ways to keep the sword within the allotted space as well. This was even more challenging as it required making adjustments 1 or 2 moves ahead. 

The lesson was much different from training at home in a confined space and yet very much the same. At home I feel restricted because I'm trying to keep 100% true to the footwork within the sequence of a form. With Thursday's lesson I was contained, but didn't feel restricted. So what changed? The difference was mindset and perspective. I felt challenged in an environment geared towards learning and of course there was the desire to not stab my neighbour. 

I learned I thrive in an atmosphere of challenge where the opponent is myself and I learned my ability is greater than I realized. Knowledge and skill surfaced. I was able to make the necessary adjustments and move as needed. I was almost surprised at how doable it was to adjust for a much smaller area and I found myself really enjoying the lesson. Now I need to fine tune and develop flow, which will come with practice.

Totals

Push ups & Sit ups: 760/26650
Hand form: 18/366
Weapon form: 16/393
KM: 31/867
AOK: 24/855
Sparring: 6/145
Blogs: 1/33
Yoga: 30/13.5 hrs
Tai Chi: 13/489
MM:20/640

Time Well Spent

My time is always well spent attending 2nd degree brown belt class. I gain insights and almost always leave feeling like I've added some fuel to my motivation tank. The class is an opportunity for me to stay connected, learn and reinforce existing knowledge.

These moments inspire and motivate me, even if it is only for brief moments of time. Even the small efforts build to become solid foundations. All it takes is a seemingly simple conversation or interaction with like minded people. I'm learning more and more it is not about focusing on what you aren't doing and more about focusing on what you can do and doing it. 

This past Saturday was no exception and I've compiled some notes and take aways to help create better sign posts for my journey and potentially others as well. 

Begin Anew - Stop looking towards the future to begin anew. Stop wasting time and apply this to every  day and every moment of the day. 

Start now! Take action, initiate!

Recognize and take advantage of opportunities - Thursday was a great example of this. I had briefly considered not going to the Kwoon last Thursday night. It had been a difficult day and I was tired both physically and emotionally. I knew with it being an informal class time I would have the opportunity to do some training and after a brief mental battle, I grabbed my bag and delivered myself to the Kwoon. The positive energy and having all that space to move was wonderful!

Smile - I can create joy, happiness and positivity in my life with a simple smile. I challenge everyone to smile just because and be aware of the feeling it gives. For me it is an instant feeling of joy, awareness and being 100% in the moment. So why don't I do this all the time? Hmm, I'm going to add a smile into my mindful moments throughout the day.

Be in the moment!

Fix inconsistency, look for ways to apply yourself - This connects perfectly with all of the above. Taking advantage of opportunities, beginning anew, initiating and smiling more are great ideals to work towards and build consistency.

Totals

Push ups & Sit ups: 940/25890
Hand form: 15/348
Weapon form: 14/377
KM: 37/836
AOK: 23/831
Sparring: 3/139
Blogs: 2/32
Yoga: 30/13 hrs
Tai Chi: 15/476
MM:17/620