An easy day today, only 20 km on soft paths. Finished at 11.45, we are trying to time things so that we get into town before siestas and having a couple of easier days (I almost feel guilty having it so easy-almost!). Today we stopped at El Burgo Ranero (love these names!) two days from Leon (do I keep saying two days to Leon? this time I mean it). It is all getting easier mentally and physically and we are soon heading into mountains (what a masochist!), La Sierra Cantabrica, we will climb higher than we did in the Pyranees!
Zen walking the camino
Einstein showed us that space and time are relative. On the Camino I find that the more one focusses on the finishing time and destination the further away they get. The only answer is zen walking (whats that you ask, let me explain)
In 450BCE Shakyamuni aka the Buddha developed a pragmatic philosophy (later to morph into various religions). He stated that life is often characterised by dissatisfaction/unhappiness/existential angst. The cause of this discontent is the mind, our attachment or aversion to things (I would love to be walking on flat ground, damn this flat ground what I wouldnt give for hills. I wish I had more ...., I wish I didnt have to ....etc). His prescription for peace of mind was the 8 fold path, one of the 8 is Right Mindfullness. A major aspect of right mindfullness is meditation (recent research into the brain, in particular the research into neuroplasticity -- in short the brain is now known to prune and grow new pathways throughout life, you can teach an old dog new tricks!- has shown that meditation over time changes the structure and functioning of the brain.).
Zen walking- Set a rythmn with your steps, count out each step, up to 20 then another 20 and keep going till you have a good pace going.
Now focus on the breathing, count each in breath up to 20, then another 20 till you settle into a groove.
Now try releasing the mind, let it float like a balloon in the breeze, dont let it settle anywhere. You are now Zen walking and time will fly and distances contract.
Zen walking the camino
Einstein showed us that space and time are relative. On the Camino I find that the more one focusses on the finishing time and destination the further away they get. The only answer is zen walking (whats that you ask, let me explain)
In 450BCE Shakyamuni aka the Buddha developed a pragmatic philosophy (later to morph into various religions). He stated that life is often characterised by dissatisfaction/unhappiness/existential angst. The cause of this discontent is the mind, our attachment or aversion to things (I would love to be walking on flat ground, damn this flat ground what I wouldnt give for hills. I wish I had more ...., I wish I didnt have to ....etc). His prescription for peace of mind was the 8 fold path, one of the 8 is Right Mindfullness. A major aspect of right mindfullness is meditation (recent research into the brain, in particular the research into neuroplasticity -- in short the brain is now known to prune and grow new pathways throughout life, you can teach an old dog new tricks!- has shown that meditation over time changes the structure and functioning of the brain.).
Zen walking- Set a rythmn with your steps, count out each step, up to 20 then another 20 and keep going till you have a good pace going.
Now focus on the breathing, count each in breath up to 20, then another 20 till you settle into a groove.
Now try releasing the mind, let it float like a balloon in the breeze, dont let it settle anywhere. You are now Zen walking and time will fly and distances contract.
holy crap, you've broken through some sort of mysical,mental,astral barrier of some sort.
ReplyDeletegood news,i knew it was out there somewhere, and in fact could be broken with the sort of mental manipulations you have just displayed.
damn,i really would like to be there.
keep it up,i'm living precariously through you both.
J.
Yes Jason, I know called myself The Enlightened One and will be available (at a small cost) to show you the path!
ReplyDeleteWhat is there left to say but,
ReplyDeleteRemember to stop and smell the roses fellas.
Because,
Although there will eventually be an end to your journey,
It is the journey that matters in the end.
Thank you for letting us journey with you.
Loving it all.
Hey Rosco
ReplyDeleteAs you were posting your last comment I was emailing Ruben, and asking him whether they were getting to smell the roses. Great minds thinking alike?
Maybe the zen walking is key to mentally/physically managing the hard bits. When you're floating like a balloon do you also get to 'pay attention' ( ie to the roses)
I love the zen stuff: 'Zen and the Art of Camino Walking'.
But I also love the vivid descriptions of the buzzards, fascist inn-keepers, Finnish angels and dishes of inky squid....
Looking forward to the mountains
We're there with you....Kerry