Reset Monday

Monday is my day to reset for the week and get my ducks in a row - make some plans for health and home, and prepare for Grandson fun.

Because I'm working on a Slow Passion Project, to involve myself wholeheartedly with my priorities and stretch beyond the way I’ve always done things, I also want to figure out how to find the sweet spot, where I'm engaged and challenged, but not stressed out.

Agenda:
1. Read "The Sweet Spot"
2. Natural living

3. Shibashi
4. Big outdoor building projects

1. Read "The Sweet Spot":

Last week I I checked out this book by Christine Carter (2015), about "How to Find Your Groove".

The thesis is that when we hit from our sweet spot we have optimum power and the greatest ease; out of the sweet spot we feel friction, exhaustion, and stress. We miss out on the feeling of flow. "Being in our sweet spot is a felt sense; we know intuitively that everything is aligned. Our sweet spot doesn't require conscious thought; our unconscious mind tells us that we are there..."

Her equation is "Take Recess + Switch Autopilot On + Unshackle Yourselves + Cultivate Relationships + Tolerate Some Discomfort + The Sweet Spot" .

The first chapter is From Working Overtime to Enjoying the Seasons. It describes the life some young parents and professionals face, which sounds exhausting. That is not a life I ever had, but it's the end result of the Western paradigm that values work over life.

She talks about learning to "honor the natural rhythms of our days and our lives. ... We can take a school day approach to life, in which we work and learn and produce and create in predictable periods of time, and then we have equally predictable periods of play and rest and recovery."

2. Natural Living:

I've got a section in my Nature-Culture book called Natural Living, which is about ways to change your paradigm and have integrity with your whole life - causing less harm; using less plastics, less carbon fuels, and less processed foods; limiting waste by recycling, reusing, and repurposing material.

I think I need to add something about slowing down to a natural speed and finding a rhythm for each day that includes work and recovery - have a personal philosophy of life that mimics the seasons of creation and rest. I'm definitely in a work season, and my energy is high. I'm getting less sleep these days because I bounce out of bed very early, eager to write and study.

3. Shibashi:
Shibashi is a hybrid of Qigong and Tai Chi, that has been choreographed into a smooth, continuously flowing sequence of 18 movements that are precisely synchronized with deep, relaxed abdominal (Dan Tien) breathing. It's a gentle, beautiful, flowing routine that provides a prolonged feeling of wellbeing. Shibashi was developed in 1979 by Qigong Master Professor Lin Hou-Sheng.

I've practiced shibashi off and on for years but really want to make it a corner stone of my renewal / resilience practices going forward. 

I've decided to focus on one of the 18 movements each day for the next few weeks, starting with:

 

Opening Position (Wuji Stance) - Stand with feet shoulder width apart - arms hang down - palms face in to thighs - relax the whole body - knees slightly bent - clear the mind - remain in this posture for a few minutes. 

1. Commencing the Form – as the arms are raised, the body absorbs the cool Yin quality of Earth Qi, which calms the emotions. As the arms are lowered, muscular tensions are released. The gentle movement of the legs up and down alleviates pain in the knees, reduces anger and frustration, and lowers high blood pressure.

Turn palms to face backwards - fingers point downwards and slightly curved - breathe in - raise body - draw arms up to shoulder height and width - palms face down - elbows and wrists are slightly bent. 

Turn palms to face forwards - fingers point upwards and are slightly curved - breathe out - sink body down with knees slightly bent - draw arms down to thighs - palms face out to backwards 

Repeat 6 times.

4. Big outdoor building projects: 

My house care theme for this month is to get started on some big building projects - repair a windowsill, clear out the studio and build new shelving, repair the back deck, and reorganize the outdoor storage area. These are joint projects and my role is organizational and visionary.

This week I plan to:

• Clean the driveway and yard and get rid of garbage
• Clear the studio
• Strap the water heater
• Finish loan paperwork
• Draw plans.