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darren_strangerIt's absolutely pissing down tonight.
I love it.
After being dry so long, the poor garden really needed a good bath. I've been keeping most of the plants alive with grey water (and occasionally giving in and using the hose on permitted days) but the big trees need a good soaking to get down to their roots. They also say we may get some thunder tonight, too, which would be nice as i missed the other night's storm in favour of an early night..
Elaine's working late tonight, so i did some patterns practice on the porch (ie Pyongwon along the narrow strip that's still dry) then decided to spend a bit of time meditating with the sound of the rain all around me as a backdrop. Instead of the usual seaside/sunrise/hilltop visualisation, i decided to try picturing myself sitting in a little shelter or pavillion in a rainforest, with rain falling all around and a waterfall nearby (sound effects courtesy of the leaking verandah). I imagined a break in the clouds to allow the sunlight through for relaxing the body from toe to head, and breathed in the fresh, swirling rainforest mist along with the sunlight to relax and refresh the body. There was a small lake at the foot of the pavillion, into which i let the emotional tension drain, and when i shifted to the hilltop, it was on a little platform overlooking mountains and forest instead of the coastline. It seemed to work just as well, though i need to get used to it to settle easily into the scene. The rain was really relaxing in the background, and i felt like i could sit there all night. I'm glad i took the time, as it's something i haven't done for weeks now.
On a related note, i've decided to take a more cautious approach to my plans for morning yoga and ease into it slowly. I had been doing several Salutes to the Sun in the morning before heading off to work, and it did feel good. Unfortunately my back did not agree and i couldn't be sure if that's what had caused a renewed stiffness in the lower back, or indeed whether it was a normal getting used to new exercise stiffness or an aggravation of my old problem. Not having an actual teacher to ask, i laid off it for a couple of weeks, and now i'm easing into it with just one repetition in the morning, along with my other stretches and warmups for t'ai chi (yes, i'm finally accepting you need to warm up even for that). And as my other concern was the effect of doing those sorts of moves 'cold', i'm trying to go for a brisk walk first to get the blood flowing a bit (though i have to try not to let it make me think of John Howard as it disturbs the positive mood i'm trying to build). Weather permitting, that should make a nice start to the day.
In less hippy news, loan for the new car has been approved, though the payments are going to be murder. Whatever we get back from the insurance for the old car had better go into that somehow. But speaking of money - there was an odd little moment of Consider The Lilies this week. We were utterly broke due to this car business, to the point where Elaine had no money for petrol or phone recharge and i was working out how many times i needed to do my run home from work to make my train ticket last til next payday, then yesterday Moishe handed me $150 out of the blue as a bonus, probably for all the last minute private jobs i've been doing for him. Looks like the Universe really does provide when it's needed sometimes.
And back on that hippy note, it's time to go.
I love it.
After being dry so long, the poor garden really needed a good bath. I've been keeping most of the plants alive with grey water (and occasionally giving in and using the hose on permitted days) but the big trees need a good soaking to get down to their roots. They also say we may get some thunder tonight, too, which would be nice as i missed the other night's storm in favour of an early night..
Elaine's working late tonight, so i did some patterns practice on the porch (ie Pyongwon along the narrow strip that's still dry) then decided to spend a bit of time meditating with the sound of the rain all around me as a backdrop. Instead of the usual seaside/sunrise/hilltop visualisation, i decided to try picturing myself sitting in a little shelter or pavillion in a rainforest, with rain falling all around and a waterfall nearby (sound effects courtesy of the leaking verandah). I imagined a break in the clouds to allow the sunlight through for relaxing the body from toe to head, and breathed in the fresh, swirling rainforest mist along with the sunlight to relax and refresh the body. There was a small lake at the foot of the pavillion, into which i let the emotional tension drain, and when i shifted to the hilltop, it was on a little platform overlooking mountains and forest instead of the coastline. It seemed to work just as well, though i need to get used to it to settle easily into the scene. The rain was really relaxing in the background, and i felt like i could sit there all night. I'm glad i took the time, as it's something i haven't done for weeks now.
On a related note, i've decided to take a more cautious approach to my plans for morning yoga and ease into it slowly. I had been doing several Salutes to the Sun in the morning before heading off to work, and it did feel good. Unfortunately my back did not agree and i couldn't be sure if that's what had caused a renewed stiffness in the lower back, or indeed whether it was a normal getting used to new exercise stiffness or an aggravation of my old problem. Not having an actual teacher to ask, i laid off it for a couple of weeks, and now i'm easing into it with just one repetition in the morning, along with my other stretches and warmups for t'ai chi (yes, i'm finally accepting you need to warm up even for that). And as my other concern was the effect of doing those sorts of moves 'cold', i'm trying to go for a brisk walk first to get the blood flowing a bit (though i have to try not to let it make me think of John Howard as it disturbs the positive mood i'm trying to build). Weather permitting, that should make a nice start to the day.
In less hippy news, loan for the new car has been approved, though the payments are going to be murder. Whatever we get back from the insurance for the old car had better go into that somehow. But speaking of money - there was an odd little moment of Consider The Lilies this week. We were utterly broke due to this car business, to the point where Elaine had no money for petrol or phone recharge and i was working out how many times i needed to do my run home from work to make my train ticket last til next payday, then yesterday Moishe handed me $150 out of the blue as a bonus, probably for all the last minute private jobs i've been doing for him. Looks like the Universe really does provide when it's needed sometimes.
And back on that hippy note, it's time to go.
