an adventure of the mind...

Good Morning,

Last week I realized while I've been building up my physical adventure muscle, my mind has been getting flabby. I have it relatively easy here over-indulging in Audio Dharma talks with nothing to challenge my own understanding but the occasional poke in the nose from Miss Mitty (the poopy-pawed anti-meditator) kitty. : )

So, WWBTGD? (What Would Buddha Teacher Gil Do?)

I went on-line and found a Vipassana meditation and discussion group that meets once a week. I'd like to share a new adventure...the search for Sangha!!!, which basically means Buddhist community.

As you might imagine, Kansas is noooo Red Woods City, CA (home of Buddha teacher Gil). Instead of practicing within one's own building (such as the Insight Meditation Center), this Vipassana meditation is held in a room in a friendly church (see photo above).

It was a typical Buddhist meeting. 30 min. meditation, then 1hr. for a reading and peer-lead discussion.

My hopes of microphone audiences and floor with knee to knee zafus quickly vanished as soon as I entered the room.

Two middle-aged couples, "the regulars" sat quietly in hard backed chairs and said hello. A small but dedicated group I learned they've been meeting for 15 years. "Sometimes the group is larger" the woman said, “there are two others that come.”

That makes six. And plenty of available seating.

Instruction I received included to watch the breath wherever it enters the body. As soon as the mind wanders (which will be frequent and often) keep coming back to the breath. “Let thoughts come and go like passing train cars,” she said “notice them but don’t hop on…”

A bearded man with very flexible ankles sitting in full lotus nodded in agreement. He shifted and adjusted his zafu cushion striking a pose that suggested a bad back and closed his eyes.

I chose a seat hoping to help balance out the room (the moment seemed very Feng shui) and closed my eyes too.

Here’s my first thought…

I don’t understand exactly why people do this…I can achieve pain and deeper levels of concentration while running and it at least seems productive…

Diiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!!! Gary assigned "the bell of mindfulness" struck it three times…I dropped the thought and settled into the breath.

Wow that clock is loud. I wonder why they have a tick tock clock in a meditation room.

What the heck am I going to say about “my meditation” after the bell rings?...

Man I shouldn’t have eaten that bean dip.

What was the deal with those machine sculptures at the museum anyway?


How long was that? Are we done yet?

After 30 minutes I’d achieved a different kind of success. I made it 30 minutes on the cushion without falling asleep, checking my watch or leaving the room to use the restroom.

When I opened my eyes it became clear to me that I had also come seeking a greater purpose.

I chose this group for its goal: How to take the practice off the cushion and implement it in daily life. In other words, as Melanie the night’s appointed leader described it--How can we experience what we know of deep peace while in the messiness of living?

I love life. I love its complexities. I loved this question.

Unfortunately, the problem I learned in my Sangha discussion group is that there’s no pause button. No paper and pencil handy to jot down a thought to come back to…

I sat and listened as Melanie, a seemingly nice, intelligent middle-aged woman recounted her latest visit up to Minnesota to see her mother in a nursing home. Visibly reflective, she struggled through what to do about the latest problem...

“What can I say to a 300lbs. woman with Alzheimer’s who panics when she's in the Hoyer lift?”



This is an assistive device that allows patients in hospitals and nursing homes to be transferred between a bed and a chair using hydraulic power.

"What images can I give her?"

She looked directly into my eyes and our hearts connected. After a quick in breath I raised my eyebrows until my forehead puckered, put my hand a top my head and nervously pushed my ball cap down a little lower. “Oh, wow” I wanted something wise to say. Somehow it became lost in a minor detail given at the beginning of her mother’s story… “we went down to the dining hall with her…the only thing the ONLY thing she will eat now is bacon.”

Wise speech. I wanted so badly to practice wise speech but it had left me. What images might she use with a 300lbs. woman with dementia who only responds to bacon… to help diffuse the situation...that is kind?

When one sits with a Sangha you can’t help but ask what’s my role? What can I contribute to this group? I racked my counselor brain and the only suggestion I could come up with...

Use the flight of fancy to your advantage. Seize this brief window of opportunity to connect with the crazy.

Here are a few images she could work with...

Mom you are at Macy’s Thanksgiving Day and you are leading the parade help us land this thing!

Look mom the umpa lumpa's are here (nurse assistants) and they’re gonna help us get back home. Your job is to click your heals 3 times! Our job it to sit back and do what you say!

Her mother still thinks we are fighting WWII. Frame it as a military surveillance mission!...

General MacArthur just called…once we get you up there he wants to hear your thoughts on what you can see. You’re helping us win this war!

And, this one I’m saving for my mom (who will never tip the scale quite that heavy...)

Mom when the sling starts to feel snug around you pretend you’re a pretty mermaid. You’re going to be free in a moment floating back out to sea.

WWBTGD? As many of you know, when I find myself stuck in a tough spot I like to ask the question...What Would Buddha Teacher Gil Do? I smiled a gentle "wow that's tough" and let the moment go.

What did I learn from my first Vipassana meditation and discussion group adventure? In short, Buddhism isn't a religion of faith it’s an invitation to try it out for yourself and I did! Meditation can produce surprising results...when practiced among Sangha and provides the tools to develop the mind muscle. I'm going back in there tomorrow to adventure on!

Weed it out Wednesday,

Amanda

p.s. sorry Monday Morning News took a long weekend : )

A Water Ski Adventure!

Good Morning,

Being a SUPER fan has it's pitfalls...I'm still a little bit in the dumper from the loss yesterday. I have expressed my thanks and gratitude elsewhere but can not repeat myself enough...

THANK YOU TEAM USA for taking us on the incredible journey! I have always been and will remain a fan for life!

What watching this tournament has done for me has been that it also reminded me of a truth I'd forgotten. I will ALWAYS be an athlete for life. As my own kind of "highlight" real, I wanted to share some of the best moments from A Day at the Lake, 2011, an event I went to last Friday put on by the Rehabilitation Institute of Kansas City.

BUT before I share my slide show...

I wanted to take a moment to answer a few questions I've received:

Q: Have you ever water skied before?

A: No, I've done adapted snow skiing a few times which was AMAZING in terms of freedom and challenge. I tried water skiing once prior to my injury (at age 12?).

Q: Is it hard to get up in the adapted ski?

(No...not with proper adjustments. : )

A: On my first attempt I went a total of zero feet. When the handle and rope ripped from my grasp, the only thing that popped up and out was my body. There is a built in hold for this problem. Those who lack enough grip strength have the rope secured in between two pieces of hard rubber on the front of the ski. Rope (not arms) can then be popped out once the skier is up. On my runs, I chose to leave the rope in the hold and used weight shifts to steer.

Q: Is it hard to balance?

A: Balance on an adapted ski is easy to maintain once the ski is up and tracking behind the boat. Once you start to execute cuts and turns or wish to go outside the wake balance is probably like any other ski experience. It takes practice.

Q: What's it like up there?

A: The ride inside the wake is for the most part smooth but due to the wide flat surface area of the ski in rougher waters it can get a bit choppy. If you have sensation, you will know when you have pee in your bladder.

Q: The rainbow rope?

A: Like all water skiing a lot depends on the driver. Mine was Darrell. A seasoned boatsman with well-tanned skin and remarkably bushy white eye brows. What I liked most about this guy’s guy was his steadiness on the throttle and his PRIDE. As only good fortune can have it, sometimes ignorance sends a beautiful message. Not only did Darrell represent for all men wearing wrap-around, visor glasses but he also unknowingly used a rainbow colored tow rope (a universal symbol of gay PRIDE). There were two boats taking people out that day and I just happened to get lucky being assigned to such an encouraging and supportive craft!

Q: Even despite your magnificent wipe outs would you do this again?

A: Honestly, right now I don't know. I feel old.

There are 5 hand signals you need to know. Thumbs up, faster, thumbs down, slower, slash neck immediate cut it, pat top of the head I’m done, and whirly bird, let’s go around again. I used none of these as my wipe outs were significant and severe enough to communicate their need.

As photos will reveal, and as many of you know, I have been watching quite a bit of World Cup soccer lately. Like Abby "the time is now" Wambach I decided I’m going for it! The rope tightened and I cut hard left skipping outside the wake. As I made my outside run, I looked up timing my perfect cross. I hit the edge of the wake on the left. "Oh. yeah!," I smiled, I cut across to the right, then threw my body like Abby...leaning, reaching fearlessly for the header. Then WHAMMO!!!

I have no memory but what at least five people have reported this is what happened next...

Behind the spray and splash of white water I disappeared. I and the ski went underwater completely sideways. Darrell cut the engine but I was NOT done! With my cat quick Hope Solo instincts, I read the situation (@#$!^&) and REACTED!...and popped up! Unfortunately, by this time there was too much slack in my rainbow rope so I crashed.

I had water completely up at least five orifices…The rescue crew dove from the jet skis and swam to my side.

So...again, I don't know. It's going to depend on how much more water I think I can hold in my nose.

Okay, : ). Here's the show. Adventure on!...



Happy Monday,

Amanda