California Roads

Finally the rain has stopped and I was able to hit the road. Ran around for an hour. Not sure how far - not sure I want to know right now. The good news is that I actually felt like a runner again after about 40 minutes of warming up. The picture is me (!) on Fruitvale Rd., which runs right past my sister's house.

No deep philosophy today, kids. Just the philosophy of "Start Again and then again. Without judgement" That zazen technique is sooo useful in so many ways towards making life a peaceful one. No judging. Just doing.

Om Mani Padme Hum

California Treadmill: Just Do It

Thanks to Corilee of Playin' the Edge for stopping by and offering encouragement. She has a great yoga site that's worth a visit!

I am visiting my sister in rainy, sodden, soaked, and drowning Northern California. I have been here since Wednesday night and it just will not stop raining. Sister has a treadmill though but I "forgot" my running shoes. So to keep my streak of three days a week intact I went out and bought some running shoes - Asics. To run on the treadmill. I hate running on the treadmill but its better than nothing. And as Corilee basically said just do it (which by the way Nike co-opted rather than created - see Zen footnote). So I did it. And I feel virtuous. Just like Corilee said I would.

Zen footnote: Shunryu Suzuki put it in his classic "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind" many years before the Nike co-opt: Our Soto way puts an emphasis on shikan taza, or 'just sitting.' Actually we do not have any particular name for our practice; when we practice Zen we just practice it. Even though we are sleepy, and we are tired of repeating the same thing day after day; even so we continue our practice. Whether or not someone encourages our practice, we just do it.