Shundo David Haye – Zen Priest

So we settle into a springtime punctuated by news of more war and destruction. The clocks have gone forward; the north wind blew the dust away and then subsided to leave us a warm weekend. The temperatures dipped for a couple of days, but are climbing again.

Last Sunday’s outing around Oyster Point was quite the workout – seven miles in warm conditions, which I could feel in my legs afterwards. We tried to watch a documentary after dinner, but I could not keep my eyes open. 

My back mostly continues to heal – I was offered some energy-based body work which was very helpful in terms of allowing me to visualise places that were stuck, or were working too hard, or not working at all. I have tried to remain mindful of movement and posture. Since we have installed a ramp for Georgie to be able to get down the back stairs, which she does quite confidently, we don’t have to pick her up three or four times a day to take her outside.

After a couple of weeks of not riding – while it was nice to rediscover how many hours there are in the day when I am not spending several of them in the saddle – it has been great to get back on my bike again, and feel the exhilaration of setting off in the fresh morning of a beautiful day – even if I don’t have much endurance at the moment. It’s enough to get some miles in my legs when I can (it’s harder to do a serious ride in the morning and a roam in the afternoon these days).

There were firecrackers all weekend for the lunar new year; this coming next weekend there will be a surfeit of green around the city. I have a weekend off roaming coming up, which I need to keep building into my calendar to be able to switch off for an extended period. We are planning a weekend of spring cleaning; I have been feeling that surge of energy that comes with the season, the blossoms and the brighter weather, and we might as well capitalise on it.

Tonight I will be at Zen Center offering the online group at 5:30, if you are able to join, and staying on for sewing. I am making what seems to be steady progress on my rakusu and okesa, and I hope not to be too rushed by the time they are needed later in the summer.