Snippets of My Day

#1 – I read Wendell Berry's Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front during my Monday 6:30 am Copper Falls Poetry Hike. I said after how that poem has been an important one for me for over 20 years and that his line, “Be joyful though you have considered all the facts,” was one I especially needed to hear in my 20's. A woman on the hike asked for the author and name of the poem again because her son is really pessimistic about the world and she wanted to share it with him.

#2 – I have a lot of flexibility in my position at this retreat center, and so I was able to rearrange my class times last week before I submitted my schedule so I could attend the faculty yoga session from 9-10 am. The instructor was here last year and someone I knew I enjoyed. She said there are so many people now who are teaching asana (physical postures), that she now focuses on the philosophy and other aspects along with it.

This I love. We did a little singing/chanting, some postures and then she talked about the wider yoga philosophy.

#3 – I cheered on a few staff after they returned from a multi-night hike. They said they were just talking about me and that the hiker sign out board wasn't kept up the first summer they were here.

#4 – In the afternoon I taught my “Meditative Doodling” class. At the end when I asked people how they felt, a woman shared she was trying to watercolor earlier that day and had been frustrated by not being able to create what she had in mind. She said this on the other hand was freeing.

#5 – I'm leading a Sitting and Walking Meditation class tomorrow morning. The location where we are to meet got put on the schedule incorrectly. This has led me to adjust the class and do something different than I usually do, which I am looking forward to trying.

Back in the Village

#1 - I have been having a fairly frequent experience the last few months of waking up around 3 in the morning and then being awake for an hour or so.  My doctor said it is normal to have sleep or wake cycles and we just often don't notice them as much when we are young.  She told me to get out of bed and go in a different room and do something quiet, like read or a puzzle, and then when I'm tired again go back to bed.

I've been away from home a little over 2 weeks and last night was the first night I woke up and was awake for a bit.  Most nights I have been sleeping straight thru.  And even last night it wasn't frustrating at all.  

I have been sleeping well.

#2 - There is such a range of hiking experience here.  I just saw a staff member walking by that did an overnight by herself last night over 10 miles away, so over a 20 mile walk.  I'm in awe.  At the same time I asked another staffer today about a hike and she said it was the first hike she had taken in her life.

Each Sunday here I have a "hike haus open house" to answer questions and get people familiar with the place.  I had my first one today and I love it.  There was a large church group that had never been here before so I think I recruited many of them to the short 6:30AM poetry hike I lead on Monday mornings.

(There were only small patches of snow at the end of this hike, but it was fun to see because I did this hike a little later last year and the snow was gone).

#3 - I also had my first dish team of the summer today and it is great to just be able to jump in and help/to know what I am doing.

#4 - Another staff member sent out a message to have a lodge cleaning meeting on Tuesday.  I am super grateful someone else is taking the lead to organize this!

#5 - I picked up Seven Years in Tibet at the library here Friday and I'm already on page 200.  I realized that the Dalai Lama's 90th birthday falls on a Sunday, which is perfect because I often lead a sitting and walking meditation class on Sunday mornings. I can dedicate that class to him and use some of his quotes (as part of my job)!

 

A Few More From Oregon

 

P.S. I didn't get sick.

A Week In Oregon

I wasn't thrilled to be returning to the city (I'll post some more Oregon coast pictures later), however I joined the Portland Market drum jam with some shakers they had for people to grab and had a great time today.

I got a sore throat last night, and now I'm a bit anxious, hopefully it is just a sore throat, people do just get sore throats right?  However

A. I got Co-Vid when I traveled last year, and maybe the year prior as well (I took the test too early).

B. I have someone I knew 20 years ago that I was going to meet up with tomorrow that lives in the Portland area and she just emailed that she tested positive for Co-Vid. (I knew she wasn't feeling well a few days ago but figured she'd be better by tomorrow).

So I guess I should pick up a test tomorrow but wait until later in the day for 48 hours after symptoms onset.

Sigh.

I hope I feel better as opposed to worse in the morning.