Body as Body

I've picked up attention to the body again. It seems I'd put that away for a time, after a few years of participation on a highly competitive dragon boat team.


The time demands for that and for deepening Zen practice was leaving little room for niggling details like work and going to the bathroom.
But as I've started to become alarmingly dependent upon my elastic-waisted yoga pants for daily wear, and noticing a very bad attitude towards work creeping in, it is clear that there is a major element of self-care missing from my repertoire. Exercise.

I do not mean the kind that you picture a person at the gym in some cute outfit sweating profusely. I just don't push myself that hard (well, unless I'm on a team), and I have learned that is not even necessary or realistic when I am exercising alone. I am talking about gentle, steady, regular, loving body movement.

Children and dogs respond so beautifully to structure and routine, and the fact is, us grown-up people are no different. So I am mothering myself with a gentle structure for adding in some exercise on a very slow and steady incline.
I started by checking out one of the *free* yoga classes at my gym, which is on my way home from work at a perfect time. I have committed to one night a week for that. Even though it is not the awesome and spiritual experience from my very favorite yoga instructor at the fancy studio a mile and a half away, my body actually does not care one whit! My body was seriously grateful.

And... given that Monday is Camp Laura Day, there is no reason for me not to go to open practice on the dragon boats every Monday morning at 9am. Open practice is aptly named. It's open to anybody who wants to just show up and paddle for an hour on the Willamette. It's hosted by the Golden Dragons, the team made up of seniors 50 and older, whose median age is something like 70 (They have an 82-year-old who may be throwing off the curve).
This fabulous arrangement does not require membership on a team, commitment to go to any races, or even the expectation to work very hard. Competitive team practices used to include a break about halfway through, in which we'd hear various announcements about technique, practice, working harder, race logistics, proper diet and hydration.

These open practices also stop halfway through for announcements. The two or even three (!) boats full of seniors will stop paddling, grab hold of each others' boats, then a call goes up for any announcements. Moments later, someone will stand, get everyone's attention, and then tell an old-people joke. Usually the punchline gets repeated a couple times down the boat for those hard of hearing.

The two women sitting behind me absolutely never stopped chatting for the entire hour of practice. They were undeterred by drills, closed-eye exercises, race pieces, or even the announcements!

So that's Monday mornings.

And that's it so far. That's enough. Yoga once a week, gentle paddling with the elders once a week, and anything else is just bonus. I am not a person who can get away with not exercising. They've done studies pitting very gentle -- like 20 minutes of walking 3x per week -- exercise against prozac, and exercise won.

Duh.

There's no way for me to have any clarity of mind and heart without moving this body. It's actually amazing for me to consider almost no difference between moving the body and loving the body. I have come such a long way!