Life On A B-I7

Remembering Alex Pretti

A poem by National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman.

We wake with no words,
just woe & wound.
Our own country shooting us in the back
is not just brutality; it’s jarring betrayal;
not enforcement, but execution.
A message: Love your people & you will die.
Yet our greatest threat isn’t the outsiders among us,
but those among us who never look within.
Fear not those without papers,
but those without conscience.
Know that to care intensively, united,
is to carry both pain-dark horror for today
& a profound, daring hope for tomorrow.
We can feel we have nothing to give,
& still believe this world waiting,
trembling to change.
If we cannot find words, may we find the will;
if we ever lose hope,
may we never lose our humanity.
The only undying thing is mercy,
the courage to open ourselves like doors,
hug our neighbor, & save one more bright, impossible life.

This poem brings tears to my eyes.

The execution of an American citizen legally carrying and disarmed before he was shot 10 times in the back while being restrained without resisting should be enough for any American, Christian Nationalist or Goth Tattooed Barber, to say enough is enough. The President of the United States is a bigoted, narcissistic, megalomaniac. If you follow him, you need to ask yourself, is this really the teaching Jesus would have me follow? (Or, if you don’t believe in Jesus, how about any decent human being?)

TM Mantras for Self-Practitioners

These mantras were taken from Wikipedia. They are not “official” TM mantras but they are similar in spirit and practice to a mantra you would be given by an official TM instructor. The purpose is to provide a soothing sound that you can use to help you settle into a deeper state of consciousness without prompting your mind to draw images or thoughts during practice. Choose a sound the works best for you.

• Shama (pronounced “SHAH-mah”)
• Len (pronounced “EE-ehm”)
• Enga (pronounced “ENG-gah”)
• Kirim (pronounced “KEE-rim”)
• Shirim (pronounced “SHEE-rim”)

Transcendental Meditation (TM) is a simple mantra-based meditation technique introduced by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in the 1950s​.

Repeat your chosen mantra and let thoughts come and go as they please. (This is the opposite of Mindfulness.) Practice for 20 minutes twice a day, typically soon after waking up and again later in the day. The first practice of the day is recommended before coffee or breakfast. Sit comfortably, set a timer if you prefer. Relax and breathe before starting the mantra. Begin by letting the mantra work its way into your mind naturally. When your practice is finished, keep your eyes closed and allow yourself to slowly return to your day. If you find your mind carried off by thoughts during your practice gently remind your mind to return to the mantra. This is a natural part of training your mind to settle and meditate. No two practice sessions are alike, it’s best to approach a session without expectations.

The benefits of this meditation are achieved by regular practice. Journaling after a practice session is optional but may have additional benefits if you are the sort of person that enjoys writing. Don’t worry if you are doing it “right” or “wrong,” the key is to be consistent and do the best you can, after all, that is why it’s called “practice.”

What’s Wrong with Book Clubs?

It’s certainly okay to pick up a book simply for the pleasure involved. I find myself taking a slightly different approach. I prefer to read with purpose. A lot of people in book clubs aren’t reading with purpose. What does it mean to read with purpose? Not all books were written for all people to pick up at any time. Your brain and hence your reading experience will benefit most when you read material your mind says you need now. Pick and choose what you are craving at the moment, even if it’s not a work your neighbor tells you is a “must read.” The question then comes down to, how to read with purpose? The short answer is, read what you are curious about at the moment.

One way to do that is to read books around a topic that you are interested in. This approach will help you to link knowledge and absorb what you are reading more deeply. This could even mean bypassing good books, or even leaving some books unfinished, that’s okay. Life is short. Dedicate the time you have for reading to a higher purpose. There is no reason to read a book that does not have something that increases our knowledge or gives us some insight that we are seeking when we reach the end.

Now that I have that off my chest, I will say I occasionally attend my neighborhood book club meeting. I don’t do it for the reasons stated above simply because the group is usually not reading works I would have chosen. I do it to be a good neighbor. Interaction of this sort is another form of nourishment, it’s just not one that feeds my curiosity or enhances my knowledge of myself or some topic that is exciting to me.

Wait List

I’m on the waitlist for Adventure Cycling’s 50th Anniversary North Star tour. That is the epic ride from the home base of Adventure Cycling, Missoula Montana, to Fairbanks Alaska.

That ride is a 61 day self-contained adventure over paved and gravel roads covering 2,800 miles. Not for the feint of heart. This would be the culmination of a touring career. If I don’t make the waitlist I’m planning to take on the ride solo.

Maps

Some say using Apple Maps is a sign of weakness. I’ve heard this from loved ones and also from my neurologist. I contend that using Maps is a way to make driving more fun. It allows me to focus on the road, the surface conditions, the curves, the behavior of the cars around me. It also, gives me the freedom to observe the scenery around me! I just have to say, give it a try, you just might find, like I have, it improves your driving experience, both from a safety and from an enjoyment perspective.

I don’t think there’s any real reason to drive without maps. YMMV.

Meditation Journey Begins

This morning I meditated for twenty minutes before my little shrine here at my writing desk. I call it a shrine but I’m not really invoking any deity in this practice. I’m just trying to get in touch with myself. This is a relatively new routine, but already I’m feeling comfortable with it. I was going to take up TM, but my engagement with the local TM instructor here in Central Oregon left me uncertain if the two of us should proceed. So, as a result, I’m striking out on my own meditation journey with high hopes that I know as much about my body and its needs as someone that doesn’t know me.

ICE

Let’s get ICE off our streets and into our beverages.

I’m not making light of our situation. ICE is focused on rounding up the wrong people. Illegal immigration is not a felony. There are plenty of felons in Washington D.C. that should be arrested and brought to justice before we get obsessed with illegal immigration.

Conspiracy

The only conspiracy in America is the conspiracy by the current administration to convince Americans that there are conspiracies in America.

George Orwell put it succinctly in the novel “1984.”

”The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears.”

To see the truth takes discernment and willingness.

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 129

There are three question that we should keep foremost in our consciousness throughout the day:

1. Desire. Are we letting it dictate our actions?
2. Impulse. Are we acting impulsively or for the right reasons?
3. Reason. Are we using reason to guide our actions?

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 128

Look at the world around you and seek out that which is good. Once you notice the good around you, acknowledge it. This will free you from the evil that would otherwise weigh you down.

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 127

The more desires we have the less free we are. Our goals need to be in keeping with our means and our ability. Having goals we cannot achieve binds us and ultimately inhibits our growth.

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 126

While money is important for living, having money never fixes what is wrong inside of us.

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 125

Spend a few minutes at the end of each day examining how you lived. If you don’t take stock of your day you will be prone to repeating mistakes over and over. Writing is practicing. Writing at the beginning and end of each day is good exercise for your mind and can help you grow.

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 124

The secret to life, according to Marcus Aurelius, is to keep an untroubled spirit. In other words, think positively not negatively. If you hear someone speaking negatively, consider it chatter and dismiss it. “The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.” Mind and reality are a closed loop. Thoughts create words, words create actions, actions create thoughts. It all starts with your mind and how you engage it.

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 123

1. Don’t start your day by picking up your phone.
2. Don’t eat in a hurry.
3. Drink water before coffee.
4. Avoid things that cause stress.
5. Avoid overexposure to noise.
6. Go outside.
7. Pay attention to your breathing.
8. Don’t end your day by picking up your phone.

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 122

Don’t spend time overthinking the simple stuff. Invariably the small things take care of themselves. Our job is to take care of what is in front of us, whatever that is today. Focus on that and do the best we can. Getting lost in distractions or other people’s business prevents us from reaching today’s goal. By approaching today’s goal with clarity we will not only achieve that goal, but as an added benefit, we will also achieve serenity.

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 121

Pick out someone wise and study them. Observe what they do as well as what they don’t do. Make it your job to emulate them to the best of your ability. Let them serve as your model and your inspiration.

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 120

Ask yourself this question whenever you are about to find fault with someone: “What fault of mine most nearly resembles the one I am about to criticize?”

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 119

Restart life every day. Make an effort to see the same things in a different light. What happened yesterday is in the past. The door is open for us to move forward. We have the power to restart.

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 118

Epictetus asks us to consider three questions each morning:

1. What did I do yesterday that did not move me toward serenity?
2. What did I do yesterday that was unkind, unsocial or uncaring?
3. What changes do I need to make today to avoid these failures?

Answers can be obtained by spending a few minutes meditating on our experiences from yesterday. We can’t progress unless we understand what it is we need to be doing.

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 117

Take time to pet the cat. He needs love as much as you do. By giving love we will ultimately receive more love in return. Often it will come to us unexpectedly.

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 116

We all have times of success and times of failure. Life might be easier for some than for others. There is only one thing we need to focus on, that which is in our control. The things that are not in our control, if we spend too much energy on them, will move us away from our goal, not closer. What matters is our choices. Think before choosing.

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 115

Look at the world like a poet or an artist. Learn to see the beauty in ordinary things. Observe and take note. Doing so will reveal to you the beauty in the world and your reward will be greater happiness.

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 114

We have our work, and as the saying goes, “our work will set us free.” That is not talking about the work we do to earn a living. That is talking about the work we do to make ourselves a better person. Our work directly plays into the quality of our life and how well we are able to deal with the world around us. We have the best teachers in the world: The Stoic philosophers, the Hindi philosophers, the Chinese philosophers, the Christian philosophers, and so many more. All we need to do is realize the path is their for our understanding and put in the work.

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 113

Rote behavior is the death of all creative thought. “Because that is the way I have always done it” is no answer. Everything requires thought and questioning. Always ask, is this really the best way to do what I am doing? Always ask, is this the right reason?