MONTREAL Je t'aime - part II of III

Here is part 2 of our great Montreal expedition. We're still in the park in this entry. Jim and Rod are at our little picnic site and you can see the trees behind them. If you look real close at the tree on the very left you'll see a band around its base and a guy standing to the right. The band connects a slack line to the tree between the whirlygigs that Jim and Rod are holding up.

This is what happens when you put the lines up, give people the opportunity to drop in a little coin into the box (which you see on the far right tree) and let them go at it. If you have a drop of acrobatic blood in you, and I do, you'll find this irresistible. No, this is not me. I did take my shot at it though and Jim has the pics in his camera, which, if they're not too unflattering, I promise to post when I get them.

And this is what happens when you get really good at it. This guy is just coming down from a jump. He was jumping and dancing and running across the thing like there was no gravity. On another line a young woman in a simple summer dress, in bare feet, looked like an angel simply walking with such control, posture and grace that it took my breath away.

Meanwhile, in a field up the hill a battle was raging. Maybe raging isn't the right word; notice the smiles on the combatants faces. Anyway, these "re-enactors" were having a great time with their home-made weapons consisting of foam and wood and lots and lots of duct tape (Red Green would be proud). Two groups gather at either end of the field and then begin to advance.

They pick their target, the dust rises as they move closer and the battle begins.

If you get hit in the arm you have to put it behind your back and use your other one. If you're caught in the leg you have to jump around on the "good" one and continue the fight. And, if you're mortally wounded you fall where you were struck down as war is waged all around you. Once a side is defeated everyone regroups and it all begins again.

I swear, everyone was enacting their fantasy that day or at least letting the child in them come out and play. So I took out the juggling balls and amused myself. People watched, they enjoyed and then moved on. I was just one of the gang of all ages having fun.

TO BE CONTINUED...

MONTREAL Je t'aime - part I of III

Last Sunday Rod and I were hanging out with our friends Kathy and Jim and their son Chris on Mount Royal in Montreal taking in the "tam tams" as Kathy calls it. We got there around 2pm and the festivities were in full swing. People were gathered in groups scattered around a square playing drums of all kinds. Although there were other instruments present in some of the rag-tag bands, the focus was on the beat of the heart of mother earth. For hours on end a steady driving rhythm pervaded the airwaves enticing you (well OK, me and a few hundred others) to dance, sing, hoot, and clap or simply soak in the atmosphere from a distance.

People playing, dancing, singing and just enjoying the scene.

This happens every Sunday, weather permitting during the summer and is an event not to be missed! We brought a picnic and found a nice place under some trees to act as a home base from which to take in all the activities around us and people watch. Rod said it was like a flashback to the '60's, but I felt it offered the freedom and opportunity for people of all ages to play un-self-consciously; such a rarity these days. As you know, I'm big on playing so this is one of the many reasons why I feel totally at home here. There is a gaiety and abandon that is embraced in this fantastic city that I have not found in Ontario.

Around the perimeter of the statue vendors sell their wares.

Notice the curious man considering his next purchase.

Curious man, having made his purchase,

heads home after a day of fun and sun in the park with the "tam tams".

And here is our memento, all cheery and whimsical, at home in our little back garden.

Notice the rainbow effect on the lense?

It makes the picture look like an action shot;

as if the whirly gig is spinning, smokin' fast.

It's not, the air was still yesterday.

Just like me as I try and "land" and take hold of my everyday life once more after 8 days in glorious Montreal.

TO BE CONTINUED...

optical illusion

I just looked over the last post.

WOW, I look like an amazon!

Truth is I'm 4'10".

I'm not tall, the ceiling is very low.

Maybe I should have kept the illusion going.

Oh, well the truth is out now.

in the bat room

I usually begin hanging from the pelvic swing

with this pose, click here to see.

And, then proceed to the version below.

I am not actually touching the mat here.

Notice the shadow on the green mat.

To release the back in a little different way

I then do these 2 versions beginning with

the less dramatic pose above followed

by the one you see below.

This one here is a little tricky. You have to keep the rope to the inside of the knees and ankles and squeeze towards the middle. This is when it really helps to have a butt, the bigger the better. I find it demands a lot of trust in my abilities as it feels as if I could slip off at any moment. However, this is exactly what makes it such a great technique to practice as it is this very quality that enables me to descend into handstand. I'll talk about this and demonstrate it in another post.

default of de-mind

In his article HYPNOSIS AND MEDITATION, which appeared in the Dec. 2009 issue of the JOURNAL OF HYPNOTISM, Philip H. Farber, CH introduced me to the concept of a "default network" — a set of neurological processes — of the brain. He says that when your brain is not occupied with conscious activity the default network kicks in with random activity (stories, daydreams, memories etc). As I understand it, if we don't fuel the flames of the story (and its attendant thoughts, emotions, judgment, drama, fear etc) or try to push the story away, it will "flash off" like steam from a boiling kettle and be replaced by others. Over time the stories will diminish and calm mind will break through with greater frequency.

In this blog entry of MENGSTUPIDITIS, Chade-meng Tan states that when we stop agitating the mind it becomes calm and clear and happiness is revealed as the default state of the mind. Deepak Choprah is in agreement and adds that we can't just will ourselves to be happy. We must work to let go of the "baggage" (aka karma) that we've accumulated in this life as well as past ones, attain a calm mind through meditation practice and then we will discover that happiness resides underneath all. Nothing can make me happy; happiness just is.

Throughout my lomi training and in the works of Abraham channeled by Esther Hicks the concept that happiness is our birthright was oft repeated. Some people are blessed with having a naturally happy and optimistic nature. Perhaps, subconsciously, they recognize more often than most, when they can choose between sadness and happiness and choose the latter. It has been proven that these fortunate types experience more success in their lives. Their success doesn't make them happy, rather their happiness draws successful outcomes to them.

Much of my meditation practice is spent observing thoughts, emotions and sensations as they pass through my mind while maintaining the non-judgmental stance of the observer. If I stop agitating the mind I witness the movement of energy in my brain as the default network of the brain in action; then I can discern when the default has gotten stuck on a thought or emotion, indicating in all probability that karma is affecting my present situation and actions.

But just how does one let go of this stuff? Emotions and thoughts can be explored through journalling, inquiry and reality checking, while: dream work, shamanic journeying and spiritual/energy based body work such as Lomi bypass the conscious mind and clear the way for resolution on other levels.

Lately, due to my virtually daily viewing of FIFA World Cup soccer, my default seems to be set on the sound of Vuvuzela's. It is said that if one was to go out into deep space, where there is no external sound at all, the universal hum of "OM" could be detected; the sound underlying all. Well, it feels like I'm actually hearing the Vuvuzela's as they are being played; that I'm connected to the world wide buzz of humanity.

Ah ha, maybe that's why the wasp has been attracted to our house and has been building its nest outside our door!

Distinguished elder gentleman

This is Morgan, my friend Pam's cat.

As you can see he is quite a beautiful fellow.

What makes him quite exceptional

are

his

ear tufts

I have never seen this feature on a cat before.

He didn't always have them.

They grew in his old age, making him look

like a distinguished elder statesman.

mood swings

(cartoon copyright Nance Thacker 1990)

(click on image to enlarge)

Yup, I'm not proud to admit that this really happened. Within the time span of a few clicks of the remote my emotions travelled from superiority to envy and returned to rest in the more comfortable superiority — and I didn't have to do a thing but lift a finger.

I was watching TV when I saw this item in a newsmagazine about a young woman who was helping save Jaguars in some country and realized that she was in fact the sister of a woman I went to school with from kindergarten to grade 13. I don't know, the fact that she was someone who had an upbringing not unlike my own touched something in me wiped out any accomplishments I'd achieved and made me wistful for paths not taken. Here she was making a real contribution to the world and living this exciting life and here I was in channel surfing in suburbia. Where had I gone wrong?

The actions of these 2 women had no real bearing on my life and actions, I remained on the couch a non-involved observer of life. Though, in truth, someone's failure to attain excellence doesn't make me successful any more than someone's excellence makes me a failure but I catch myself in this mind trap on occasion.

I've often wondered why the media often creates, falls from grace of successful and powerful individuals with such relish. One minute you're the golden child and then next a pariah. Is it because we find it difficult to truly celebrate the success of others without feeling it somehow reflects badly on us and in our hearts their fall assures our superiority? Is it because, underlying admiration, envy and remorse always exists? Is it because it's easier to witness someone's fall than it is to strive for grace ourselves? What makes us say, "it looks good on ya"?

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This post was prompted by watching the media frenzy that's been growing around Abby Sunderland and her family. I have a new appreciation for the social media of blogging and facebook as through these mediums you can get the perspective and truth straight from the horse's mouth. Check it out at ABBY'S BLOG and on her facebook.

(Note: names used in the cartoon are fictional)