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Flying Away

Not knowing means to be open to all eventualities, to not prejudge a person or situation. If your mind is full of preconceived notions, there is no room for an unbiased view. It is like when your hands are full of objects - you cannot pick up anything new. A closed mind causes separation and suspicion. Like an umbrella, a mind is only useful when it is open.-From "Zen in the Workplace: Approach to Mindful Management", Tricycle, Summer 1996.



A few days ago I turned a year older and gave thanks to a body that continues to improve through yoga. I'm always pleasantly surprised when I move into poses that felt impossible a few years, even a few months ago. Then, during a long conversation with a friend, I caught myself continually moving into position to reply, rather than just listening to what was being said. My mind felt old and cluttered and I felt the urge to wipe away worn out beliefs and opinions. What a perfect time for a vacation!

Tonight I fly to Barcelona and I'm looking forward to new and different sights, sounds, scents and tastes. When in France and Italy, I want to re-view those places once visited, but this time with a wider focus. I'll be spending time with friends I've known for decades (do not read "old") so I'll listen to hear them speak in a different voice, if they choose. Then when I fly back home to Hawaii, I'm going to unpack my memories slowly and fold them neatly away so that they'll always be accessible, but not clutter the rest of my new year.

Photo: A former umbrella shop in Barcelona by Juli Modul

Happiness Is In Our Hands

We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.-Frederick Keonig



Have you ever been inside of a box just big enough to hold your entire body? I remember feeling safe, secretive and secure...for about five minutes. Then I'd want to stretch my arms and legs and burst out of it like a hatchling. There was always a flash of freedom for all of my senses when I finally stood up, looked around and took a deep breath.

Slight changes in routine this past weekend had the same effect on me. Yoga classes were canceled on Saturday in observance of the 4th of July, a friend came to town for a visit and I also had a chance to see relatives that I hadn't seen for over a year. There's nothing like seeing your world through the eyes of others and I plan to make the following a regular part of my life:

Alter Time Schedules. You might find a better way to do something, or learn to appreciate what you've got going.

If I make it to the Keauhou Farmers Market on a Saturday, I try to get there early, around 8am, so I can take my fresh veggies and flowers back home and leave in time to teach my 10am yoga class. This Saturday we got to market after 10am, the sun was higher in the sky so it was hot and the energy was different and I decided that I preferred getting there early, even if I felt a little hurried.  I'll now look at my early but small window of time as a chosen pleasure, rather than as the "only time" I can make it to market.


Fill in the blanks: "I don't ____ ____", then go do it.This weekend I said, "I don't watch tennis." My house guest got up at 3am to watch the Wimbledon finals and on Sunday I caught the end of the Men's Finals and loved it. I would have missed it if I had stuck to my pronouncement. I want to be more cautious of my absolute sentences or at least be sure that they end with the word "yet".


See Things for the First Time. Again and Again. My aunt has been having difficulty with her short term memory for a few years and last night while at my home for dinner, she kept asking who the tall man in the room was. When told that he was my son, she'd of course remember the little boy she used to lavish affection and gifts upon. "Oh my, you've grown up to be so tall and handsome", she said, every time she saw him anew. My son's grandparents, wife, and mother-in-law were also there to bask in her compliments, every time she said it.

It was the perfect illustration of how good thoughts and words can elevate the emotions of those around you. I don't think anyone felt sad last night about my aunt's fading memory, she kept us all happy. Now if I can only remember to do the same...

Photo: by Kona photographer E. Franke.