Gift of the Sea

We have so little faith in the ebb and flow of love of relationship - we leap at the flow of the tide and resist in terror its ebb - we are afraid it will never return.

We insist on permanency, on duration, on continuity, when the only continuity possible in life is as love is in growth, in fluidity.

Security in a relationship lies neither in looking back to what it was in nostalgia, or anticipation, but living in the present relationship and accepting it as it is now. For relationships, too, must be like islands - one must accept them for what they are here and now, within their limits - islands surrounded and interrupted by the sea, continually visited and abandoned by the tides. One must accept the security of the winged life, of ebb and flow, of intermittency.

Each cycle of the wave is valid; each cycle of the tide is valid; each cycle of a relationship is valid.

From Gift of the Sea by Ann Morrow Lindergh.

Horse-ing

As soon as I managed Surya Namaskara without any difficulties namely NO headache, NO pain in left ear and left base of the skull and most important NO MORE dizziness - I knew I am ready to ride again.

It’s felt so good to be able to do ‘normal’ things that I used to do before the accident – riding is one of my greatest joys. I love the feeling of the ‘wind’ blowing onto my face, it’s closest to flying and gives me the sense of freedom. It became apparent to me that my fitness was important at this point due to long absence of any kind of physical exercises.
Body awareness and conditioning will not only make a difference in my approach to riding but it will made a tremendous difference in the way the horse approaches his time with me. If I am tight or rigid, unfit and out of balance and rhythm with the horse’s movement, both of us will wear out much sooner than necessary. The position and ability to remain flexible and rebalance with movement can change the amount of density and pressure the horse feels on his back. Riding is one-on-one communication, a working, moving lasting partnership and I love every single minute of it.

Personally I believe the best way to ensure longevity in riding is through stretching and strengthening exercise on a regular basis. Stretching regularly will greatly decrease the overall soreness while strengthening is key to the female rider’s upper body protection.

Areas specifically need to isolate and stretch for best results are the inner thighs, hamstring, quadriceps and back. Gaining strength in upper torso will improve posture and balance while in motion.

I will be

Today I want to do things to be doing them, not to be doing something else. I do not want to do things to sell myself on myself. I don't want to do nice things for people so that I will be 'nice'. I don't want to work to make money, I want to work to work.

Today I don't want to live for, I want to live.

My prayer is - I will be what I will be and I will do what I will do.

All I want to do, need to do, is stay in rhythm with myself. All I want to do is what I do and not try to do what I don't do. Just do what I do. Just keep pace with myself. Just be what I will be.

I will be what I will be but I am now what I am, and here is where I will spend my energy. I need all my energy to be what I am today. Today I will work in rhythm with myself and not with what i 'should be'. And to work in rhythm with myself I must keep tuned in to myself.

I have been given another day on this beautiful place. Another day to hear, read, smell, walk, love and yoga-ing. I am alive for another day.

I think of those who arent.