Celebrating my birthday in Florida
Whew, it feels great to be back. I went to Florida for 2 weeks as a kind of working vacation. I thought I'd be blogging from Florida; the lack of good internet connection (I was in a rural area) and being busy kept me away. I did have time for reflection and contemplation though.
When I got back home last week, there was a huge stack of mail and emails waiting for me. It was a big stack, but not as big as my stack of laundry. My national certification as a massage therapist is up for renewal at the end of March, so I worked on the renewal forms and took an online ethics course for it. Basically, it was a full week of taking care of the details of living life. That plus reviving after a long drive home.
Last night, I watched a movie called Enlighten Up. There's a scene where BKS Iyengar, founder of Iyengar Yoga, is being interviewed. He said the first 6 years of his practice of yoga was all about his physical health. During that time, he did not consider the philosophical or spiritual aspects of yoga. He said something like, "How can you think of philosophy when you can't even stand up?"
That reminded me how lucky I am to have a life where I can spend time in contemplation. The odd week of busy-ness which keeps me from writing and looking internally is rare these days. That's in part due to taking time off from running my business and living in the barn. But it's also due to being fortunate enough to be born in a country where basic needs are more readily supplied than in other parts of the world. It's due to having good health and a working mind. The causes and conditions of personal growth and creativity are complex, but obviously they start with having basic needs met.
In the next week, I will be sharing some of the thoughts and insights I had while on the road. I looked into doubt and belief, pre-determination and free will, and happiness in general. So stay tuned to read my musings on these subjects & more :).
