Saturday was a great day for me. I woke up at about 4 AM and readied myself for yoga, knocked out a couple of emails, and came up with a few titles for blog entries.
I took Tom Clark's Anusara Inspired Yoga class Saturday morning at 8 AM. It was wonderful being in class again. My quads, hamstrings, shoulders, and glutemus are very sore this morning. It was a great class and I believe a good time was enjoyed by all. My Saturday morning yoga class Rocks! Tom has a great ability to descriptively instruct students into postures in a fun, powerful way. I was stoked when Tom had us do a Hunumanasana, the splits, in a standing position. I was honoring my edge and Hanumanasana on the ground would have been way to much for me to do as I just had some fancy, knee surgery done on November 1, 2007.
Tom is my inspiration for practicing yoga. I started practicing yoga in 2002 after my ex-wife and I decided to part ways. I was doing a gentle yoga through my work at lunch time. I was training my awesome, German Shepherd Dog "Mojo" in dog obedience and a friend of mine in the class invited me to check out Tom's Ashtanga Yoga class at Four Winds Yoga.
The Ashtanga Asana (physical excercise) practice is very athletic. This appealed to me as I was doing some weight training, martial arts, running, and had started mountain biking again. I like to sweat. One day I did Tom's class after a 33 mile, 6,000 foot elevation gain, loop on the Alpine Trail in Oakridge, Oregon. This ride was with the "Paul's Group" and other hammers. I felt good after the ride. I had to dig deep to complete Tom's Ashtanga Yoga class that evening. That was the last time I did a vigorous mountain bike ride followed by Ashtanga.
I will write more about yoga, Tom, and my yogic path in a future blog entry.
Today is a cosmic milestone birthday for Tom. Happy Birthday Tom. The Beatles have a rockin' good Birthday song and here are some excerpts from the Beatles, "Birthday".
I'm glad it's your birthday
Happy birthday to you.
I would like you to dance--Birthday
Take a cha-cha-cha-chance-Birthday
I would like you to dance--Birthday
Dance
I'm glad it's your birthday
Happy birthday to you.
It feels good to be back on the mend physically. I set up my road bike on a trainer this Sunday and I broke a good sweat on a quick, little, yet intense 30 minute ride.
Saturday I also went to the Eugene Holiday Market at the Eugene Fairgrounds, http://www.holidaymarket.org/. There is so much cool stuff, entertainment, food, and nice people at the Holiday Market. I am going back next Saturday after yoga and buying a wicked, cool broom and a bellows for my wood stove. I may pick out a way cool gift or even several next Saturday.
Last Saturday I bought Frog's new joke book, and a beautiful pair of turquoise earrings for my mom. I also bought a night light crafted out of a tuna can. The can has been shaped into the form of a sea turtle and is painted beautifully in the cool color spectrum. The sea turtle means longevity to me and the cool color spectrum is good for my healthy tissue and does not excite my brain tumor.
A couple of months or so before being diagnosed with a brain tumor I had Netflix mail me the movie Gandhi with Ben Kingsley in the lead role of Mahatma Gandhi. Wow! That Ben Kingsley can act. I finally understand Gandhi's courage. Gandhi's courageous practice of peaceful resistance was brilliant. Gandhi often called his tactic "non-violent disobedience" but I believe there is more power in positive wording. We could fill a good chunk of hard drive with Gandhi wisdom, but I want to share just two Gandhi quotes with you today.
"All my actions have their rise in my inalienable love of mankind."
"It is the law of love that rules mankind. Had violence, i.e. hate, ruled us we should have become extinct long ago. And yet, the tragedy of it is that the so-called civilized men and nations conduct themselves as if the basis of society was violence. "
Perhaps all my talk of Peace and Love concerns people that I may no longer have the strength and courage to fight. Please, let me put any doubt or fear you may have to rest. I fight best when I am relaxed and love is in my heart. Thank you Master Redwood Forest.
Saturday, for the first time in a long time, I listened to allot of my old Rock and Roll in my most excellent black, Jetta, GLX. I listened to Led Zeppelin Runes, Rush 2112, Warren Zevon, Stone Temple Pilots, The Sex Pistols, and Pink Floyd. I flashed back to my days with Dave McKnight.
Dave is a man after my own heart and I love you brother. Dave and I have been friends since 1983 when we met in the steamy, tarantula and bushmaster infested, black palm and ant tree ridden, killer bee haven, jungles of Panama. We have always felt a calling to protect those that cannot protect themselves. Dave, a physically impressive man, has a great heart and mind and does not use his martial abilities unless there is no other option. Dave peacefully pulled my tail out of more than one fire in my younger days at the "Howard Air Force Base Officer's Club" and in "Dodge City" (Downtown Panama City).
Dave and I were in the only United States Army Airborne Infantry Company in Panama together. We parachuted into Honduras on some classified mission to chase away some force of fighters that were feeling their oats. Something about a company of bad ass paratroopers falling out of the sky can have a calming effect on reasonable people. We did lots and lots together but I'll elaborate more in another post as I clearly see this post is getting as long as the two times Dave, I, and the rest of "Lost Ranger Company" humped from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean across the Isthmus of Panama.
I am not a "Mandy Pandy". My point of the Panama flashback is that I am back in that relaxed, ready to fight place I was in when I was in the Army and training for my black belt with Master Redwood Forest. I am actually in a better place with the peace that yoga has given me and the love that I feel from my friends, family, and community. Today I start chemo therapy and do Day Zero of radiation therapy.
Day Zero is a kind of mock up of the radiation treatments I will be blessed to receive over the next 33 days. We sang Silent Night the other day at my community church and this line hit me pure like a side kick from Master Be.
Silent night, Holy night
Son of God, love’s pure light
Radiant beams from thy Holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
My intention of radiation therapy will be simple and just two thoughts, "Radiant beams of love's pure light with the dawn of redeeming grace." and "At last the sun is shining, The clouds of blue roll by, With flames from the dragon of darkness, the sunlight blinds his eyes.", Led Zeppelin and J.R.R Tolkien.
When I arrived back home about 7 PM my parents had decorated the outside of my home, organized my office, and had a magnificent meal of lamb hot and ready for me. I am very grateful for their kindness. I am receiving wonderful care here at home. I will tell you, it is pretty sweet being that 45 year old man who still lives with his parents.
'Tis the season of Peace and Love.
Be well,
Jack
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