aloha every day

aloha every day

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Live in the now!

“The real zen of surfing, for me, is being in the moment, completely. As the wave presents itself, you do what is possible or what is asked of you to do. You find that line, you find the timing, & it’s just strange how if you do an off lip at the right section, it sets you up for the next section perfectly. There’s some kind of connection between people and the environment that seems so natural and when it’s done the right way & you see someone link things together on a wave in all the right ways,  it’s like that thing already existed and that’s exactly what was supposed to happen. My ultimate goal is to tune into that at all times, my ultimate in life is to feel like I am really in tune.” -Kelly Slater

Yesterday, I decided to start and end my day at the beach.
The decision was simple, really.
Rather than trying to "beat the traffic" right after work,
I made inner peace my priority.

I brought my camera with me,
as taking pictures at the beach is one of my favorite things to do alone.

In my head the entire day was the quote from Kelly Slater (above) that I had read the day before.
The key to surfing is being "in the moment."
Okay...
in the moment...
for my day, that meant:
If I'd rather go to the beach than sit at home,
I would need to forgo the fear of what the traffic "might be like" later.
Check.
If I passed someone while walking on the beach
and wanted to say "aloha"
I would say it without wondering if they would then think of me as strange.
Check.
If having a 2nd cup of coffee would enhance my enjoyment of the moment,
I should get it without taking more time to consider whether that coffee will keep me up through the night.
Check.

I could go on,
just to say,
I LOVE LIVING IN THE MOMENT!

I have always been a planner.
I plan meals
I plan schedules
I plan lessons
I plan the most efficient route for running errands
I plan my clothes for the next day
I plan.
I plan because I appreciate efficiency.
I don't like wasting time.
or money.

But what has become reality to me in the last, say, 48 hours, is that:
In following prepared plans ALL THE TIME, I miss A LOT of what life has to offer 
IN THE MOMENT!!!!

Take this picture from yesterday, for example:

What a moment!
I was there! 
In THAT moment!
I had to focus very hard to catch this moment,
but I was willing to sit in the moment
because I love photography...at the beach...by myself.

Here are a few other shots from yesterday :
(If you click on them, you can enlarge them)
Good morning Cardiff!

...and I'm back for the evening...


 Good night Cardiff

Live in the moment.
Be in the now!

aloha.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Impatience

When I was a Girl Scout, we learned a song that went a little something like this:
"Have patience, have patience,
Don't be in such a hurry,
When you get impatient,
You always start to worry..."

Now, I have always been told that I am a very
PATIENT
person.

However, I am finding myself quite 
IMPATIENT 
lately.

Particularly with this guy:
 We planted this gardenia bush back in July and it is finally blooming.
Mid-winter
Yikes.

The things is,
I LOVE GARDENIAS
and this particular gardenia has looked like it does above since the beginning of Decemeber.
That is NO JOKE.
Open, little gardenia!
I want to see your beautiful petals!
I want to smell your creamy scent!
Open NOW!

Or should I practice the patience at which I am apparently "good"?

 'Till then, here's our view from dinner yesterday:
aloha

Monday, January 2, 2012

I resolve to walk lightly

This year
I resolve
to walk lightly

aloha.

...and...(breathe in)....OOHHHMMMM....

I've been in a blogging rut.
Not because I don't have anything to say (that rarely happens),
but because I haven't had the clarity to focus on one thing lately.
I've been "all over the place." 

Today is the last day of Winter Break.
Nick had to go into work, so I got up early.
Lit some candles.
Sat up nice and tall, 
and said,
"Oooohhhhmmm."



-5 minutes later-
I realized that my thoughts were like the candle flame in front of me.
They are mostly focused around one wick.
Sometimes they are calm and shoot in the same direction as the wick,
 but sometimes they dance around that wick; bouncing, jumping, twirling toward the breeze.
 Realizing this, I relaxed.

I relaxed into acceptance.
My ever-moving thoughts are fine!
I simply need to remind myself to slow down and capture those thoughts before I lose them or compound them with others.
I need to focus on one thing before moving to the next.

Most times when I meditate, my thoughts are reminiscent of scene in Eat, Pray, Love where Liz is meditating for the first time in the Ashram in India.  Shortly after she starts, her thoughts have wandered into decorating her meditation room at home.  Her thoughts are all dancing around the meditation wick, but they are keeping her from actually meditating.

Calm the breath...
Calm the body...
Calm the mind...

WHY is it so difficult to calm the mind?  
Some days, I blame it on distraction, and aren't we Americans masters of distraction?
Other days, my brain is "on overload."  I'm keeping too many ideas trapped inside.

Our thoughts are a lot like our digestive system.
What we keep trapped inside only festers and enhances discomfort until we 
let...it...go

...oooohhhhhhmmmm...

aloha