Category Archives: Outdoors

SUNRISE… SUNSET…

Sunrise Qoahog Bay Harpswell Maine August 2024

One cannot read the words “Sunrise, sunset …”  without hearing the melody from Fidler on the Roof (if, of course, one is familiar with the musical). The words of lyricist Sheldon Harnick are both melancholic and eternally true.

 “Sunrise, sunset
Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly flow the days
Seedlings turn overnight to sunflowers
Blossoming even as we gaze.
Sunrise, sunset
Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly fly the years
One season following another
Laden with happiness and tears.”

 Indeed, as I write this short post, I am astonished that it is already September, sunflowers are prolific, and the days are flying by, “one season following another.”

Sophie, sharing the view from the deck with me – with interest!

  Rather than share my every thought, I encourage you, my friend, to pause a moment to observe your next sunrise and see what thoughts float into your consciousness.

 And then, perhaps, deliberately plan a little outing to the best possible place to follow the progress of a setting sun. When there are landmarks, like a treeline on the opposite shore, the progress of the setting is surprisingly rapid. Furthermore, it is always interesting to note that some of the most vivid colors follow the disappearance of the sun from sight, the afterglow. Does this tell us something about life’s experiences?

In any event, perhaps you might follow the process in the series of pics posted below.  Enjoy. And do pause to reflect on your own Sunrise and Sunset.

Sunset at Lookout Point Harpswell Maine August 2024

 

 

EMBRACING CHANGE

Seasons change and so must we. Do we embrace or resist the inevitable?

My dogs embrace the transition to autumn – the cooler air and scents of wildlife moving about in my woods. I, on the other hand, resist it all. I pile on the blankets at night and don’t want to climb out of bed in the morning. I wear layers and layers in my house and have already donned hat and gloves outdoors. No, it’s not really cold. Just wait until January – but I find myself clinging to the warmth of summer. (OK, that was a mixed blessing for so many this summer – I am not insensitive – but here we had SO much rain and only lovely little blocks of our usual.)

But the big picture  is how we react to change that is going to happen no matter what we do or how we feel about it. The leaves WILL fall and the furnace WILL eventually kick on. May I offer a few suggestions?

*Step outside our comfort zones – maybe daily, maybe weekly but make it a point to define what a comfort zone is and search for ways to tiptoe outside. Today, for example, I varied my usual morning trail walk with Sophie and Lizzie and went deeper into the woods past tall ledges that might, yes, truly might, house bears. No sightings. Phew. Maybe stepping outside means having a difficult conversation, or finishing a project, or committing to something – anything. It could be the usual – embark on a new sport or do something extreme or dangerous. But its doesn’t need to be huge. It’s just knowingly and purposefully stepping over that line.

*Speaking of outside – do we GO outside EVERY day? For some, this is a no-brainer. If we are fortunate enough to live in a place where outdoor space is abundant and welcoming, well, we are fortunate and therefore have no reason not to open that door and venture out. If we work outdoors, even if we need to get to our cars, or have dogs that need to be walked – again, fortunate. But sometimes we do need to pick ourselves up and spend time in outdoor awareness, noticing the terrain, feeling the air, observing the surroundings and listening. One of the advantages (yes, I count this as advantage) of having a dog is that he or she absolutely must go outside. Opening the door and granting pee time is not enough. Our furry friends need exercise so outside it is – rain, snow, sleet, hail – or so the saying goes. Invariably, we find that even the worst weather conditions offer their own benefits.

*Sign up for something. Take a course. Join a study group. Buy a challenging book. I am one who continues to study anything and everything about my work from listening to Podcasts to reading newly published books to online classes and training. But that’s easy. Taking a course in something a little different, is where I push myself. Recently I completed a highly recommended and deeply valued 6-week Lovingkindness meditation training program with the Vermont Zen Center https://vermontzen.org/  Adding this work to my daily habits has been a game-changer. I also pushed myself in a different but similar direction and joined a book club – even though I needed to bring a potluck dish each month – and for someone who does not cook, this was daunting! Through this group I am nudged to read books I would not otherwise have chosen and then be prepared to discuss, agree, disagree and hone my social skills.

*Reach out. Reach out to family and friends near and far. Visit, engage, text, Zoom, whatever. I really need to work on this. Do we get too busy to remember someone? Never. But sometimes we fail to let our loved ones know. And do we listen when we do connect? 

*And just one more suggestion from me – surely you will have oh so many more to add – enhance our daily practice of checking in with ourselves, experiencing gratitude (note – I did not suggest using words to express gratitude but to actually embody gratitude), perhaps spending a few minutes in silence or journaling. Some of us are familiar with Julia Cameron’s The Artists Way.  Talk about life altering! This is a 12 week study complete with daily and weekly assignments and is worth every minute. I first heard of this course from a favorite podcaster, Rich Roll, and have since found many who I respect have nothing but high praise for Cameron’s work. (One is Elizabeth Gilbert who claims that to this day she writes her “morning pages” and that her Eat, Pray, Love would never have been written had she not done The Artists Way first. When I read this, I thought ‘If it’s good enough for Elizabeth Gilbert, it’s good enough for me!’)

Borrowing once again from a favorite writer, Arthur Brooks, (paraphrasing from memory but you’ll get the gist), check in with a daily pyramid suggested by the Dalai Lama of first making sure we can define and live  in accordance with our moral values, then spending some time in meditation, and finally reading wisdom. (From Strength to Strength, Arthur C. Brooks, (2022) And you might also like his new book, co-authored with Oprah Winfrey, Build the Life You Want, The Art and Science of Getting Happier (2023) – trust me, not ‘just’ a self-help book!)

Enough? Probably never enough! But yes, we can flip it and embrace change, welcome the newness of each season, anticipate the possibilities and engage in that which touches the very edges of our lives. Happy Autumn from Vermont.

August Pictures Worth Far More Than Words

The month of August falls squarely in the middle of the Five Element cycle*. According to Gail Reichstein, Wood Becomes Water, Chinese Medicine In Everyday Life, “Earth is considered the prime stabilizing force.” Think also of the season, a time that brings spring’s seeds and summer’s growth to fruition, harvest, plenty. Think Mother Earth, nurturing, nourishing, balancing, accumulating, allowing and perhaps even sustaining deeply rooted hope. In today’s world of daily disasters, atrocities and frenetic technology, it is good to step back for a few moments and simply to be.

Recently I have stepped outside my comfort zone to join a book club led by my friend Ana del Rosal (https://www.mountainrosevt.com) and quip that by doing so I am expected to read books I may not have known of and, mostly, to contribute to potluck – my biggest step! Last night we discussed How to Do Nothing, Resisting the Attention Economy, by Jenny Odell. This read was not always easy, but certainly proved to be significant. Putting down our cell phones or moving away from our computers for even a short time, is certainly worth a try. Understanding the addiction to social media challenges our intelligence to find other ways to spend waiting minutes or begin the day.

One of my favorite things to do is practice framing and reframing. I use the latter for problem solving and the former to capture scenes when I choose to take a leisurely walk to simply enjoy the beautiful state in which I live. Yes, ok, I get it. When I actually click the button on my phone to take a picture and not simply file in my memory, yes, ok, I have not turned my cell phone off.

But when you see the pics I am sharing with you, perhaps I will be forgiven.

Today was one of those days – serious rain followed by sun then by clouds then by hot sun then by a good drenching while the sun was shining then by thunder and a downpour then by bright sun …..But walk we did. Coming upon a road closure with two Labs on leash was a real find! Even the invasives are gorgeous as they thrive. Driving home from the local market I was forced to stop to capture the view. Letting my girls play in the beaver pond was so breathtaking, I just had to whip out the phone … and you know what followed.

So, perhaps I pay even more attention to details when I try to frame a picture. Perhaps this falls outside of the “attention economy.” In any event, signs of August and Earth are crowding my lens and I am enriched by them. May you be as well.

Enjoy. Love from Sophie, Lizzie and me

 

*Five elements are Earth, Metal, Water, Wood, and Fire.

Past Peak and Still Beautiful, Natural Seasons and Life Cycles Suggest Each Other

Watching as the world around us transition from season to season circling the year’s clock face, pass through clearly defined phases and then reconnect to begin again is a lesson in change, adaptation, and light. Yes, light. If we look – really look – with our physical eyes, inner sight, mental clarity and creative vision, we learn lessons that support and sustain us as we move forward.

Watching necessitates a pause. Framing a vast scene or a tiny fragment for a photo or mental image is an act of simplification, magnification, wonder and respect.

Last weekend here in Vermont we were flooded with gorgeous, brilliant colors topped with a dusting of snow on our highest peaks. This weekend we are Past Peak and Still Beautiful. As I noted this on my walk, I was startled to realize that this is a meaningful concept indeed! How often do we admire an antique, painting, vintage clothing or older friend? How much do we appreciate the athlete who has transitioned from the prime days of record-breaking achievement to an athlete who, with maturity, coaches, writes, and reaches out with shared skills?

What of the senior executive who mentors and the musician whose tone becomes deeply resonant? What of the model who turns to design, the performer who directs, the parents who grandparent?

Is any of this less? Perhaps the transition itself is the learning curve to land experience as something useful rather than degenerative.

And yet, though Past Peak may Still be Beautiful, there is a demand for strength and energy.

In the world of health and fitness, we teach that as our bodies age, the absolute priority is muscular strength to enhance bone health and joint stabilization, mobility and balance.

Quite a few experts have quite a lot to say about this subject. Here are a few resources if you’re so inclined.

In the following podcast, Dr. Gabrielle Lyons makes no bones about it (pardon the pun) – strength training, cardiovascular exercise and HIIT (high intensity interval training) are a must!  (She is also an advocate of substantial amounts of protein but I won’t touch a nutritional topic – so many options to be suggested!) https://drchatterjee.com/the-critical-importance-of-strength-training-and-eating-more-protein-with-dr-gabrielle-lyon/

Arthur C. Brooks is a popular author whose latest book is From Strength to Strength, Finding Success, Happiness and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life. I’m taking my time with this one as there are gems on each, page. You might also enjoy this podcast conversation of Brooks with Rich Roll:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XE0giQ4znNw

From the get-go Brooks is encouraging. Using science, experience, research and logic he proposes that the beautiful mind of a younger person utilizes “fluid intelligence” and later, mature folks use “chrystalized intelligence.” To tease you I will share his quote from British psychologist, Raymond Cattell:  “When  you are young, you have raw smarts; when you are old, you have wisdom. When you are young, you can generate lots of facts; when you are old, you know what they mean and how to use them.” (Is your interest piqued?)

I also love the way Brooks connects physical, mental and spiritual fitness. He, himself, has a practice that is significant and actionable. He advocates clearly defining one’s moral values, daily meditation and daily reading something by a great thinker, words of wisdom.

Within the principles of the Five Element Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine, we have fully entered the time of year associated with the Metal Element and find ourselves involved with the process of refining, honoring wisdom and self-knowledge. (Past Peak but Still Beautiful?) As Gail Reichstein writes in her excellent book, Wood Becomes Water, Chinese Medicine in Everyday Life, the emotion associated with this time of year is grief. “Grief also teaches us what we value in our lives and in the lives of others, giving us the opportunity to redirect our energies toward becoming who we most want to be.”

Further study reveals that Metal represent both the seeking and that which is found. Coincidental to Brooks and Cattell, Reichstein writes that “the soul of Metal is wisdom …Wisdom turns experience into understanding, allowing us to know more about the present because of what we have learned from the past.” She further states that “The soul of Metal also creates teachers; those who pass their wisdom on to others.”  I think everyone is on the same page!

Continuity. A circle. As green leaves become vibrant with reds, yellows and oranges creating a spectacular vista, they then fall to the ground to become nourishment for future growth. But even in their transition, there is beauty. There is a time and place for value, opportunity, energies and self-actualization. There are lessons to be absorbed simply by sharing breath and space and light, by walking through the calendar year with the natural world as our habitat and companion. And, when we are “Past Peak, it is Still Beautiful.”

From Strength to Strength, by Arthur C. Brooks, Penguin Random House, 2022.

Wood Becomes Water, by Gail Reichstein, Kodansha America, 1998.

STEP OUTSIDE FOR A DOSE OF LIFE

Seen through the lens of spring. lf

Today, late May, 2022, here in Vermont, the outdoors is making a spectacle of itself. Myriad shades of green are flourishing, dark brown earth is cracking open as seedlings pop through. Brooks and streams are flowing, days are lengthening, lilacs and other blossoms scent the air and animals of all species are up and about. We need only step outside for a dose of life.

GERTRUDE

Tragically there is also an elephant in the room. Meet Gertrude. My granddaughter named her when we addressed “the elephant in the room” a few months back. Here she is again. First, this is a somber weekend celebrating Memorial Day. Then, recent, horrific tragedies here in the United States have broken our hearts. There is much being written and spoken about compassion – how we desperately need to experience compassion for ourselves and for others, how we need to transcend pity and practice compassion as action. Step outside for a dose of compassion?

Indoors, we are surrounded by boundaries. At times we build floors and ceilings and walls in our thinking as well. Sometimes those internal, mental structures are related to the physical space in which we live and move and eat and sleep and breathe. In a sense, we are our own contractors. In a sense we strive to create conflicting elements of comfort and security, beauty and functionality, wealth and simplicity. Perhaps there is a fine line between what imprisons and what sets us free.

Who knows where the trail may lead? lf

Outdoors, square footage becomes environment and personal space spills into the universe.

Being outside is not always lovely. There are bugs and creepy crawly things in the summer and cold and ice in the winter. There are scary things like forest fires and floods and ice storms. But there are also innumerable, and often undefinable, glimpses of life itself.

Have you heard of Forest Bathing? It’s a real thing. Originating in Japan, it’s been around for awhile and is promoted as an antidote to stress. (You can do the research on this one; I have other things to share with your right now.)

Nearly hidden. lf

To be honest, I was not a huge fan of being outside until recently, thanks to my chocolate Lab. I had been a city girl living in Baltimore and Manhattan. (Can’t get much more city than that, right?) Later I participated in outdoor activities, but as soon as they were done, I headed inside rather quickly. All that changed when Sophie needed time outdoors often and every day. No matter how much I complain, once outdoors, I am happy. On my walks with her I am mindful of where I step, what I am brushing up against, what is happening overhead, the feel of the air on my skin and the abundant sounds – all there for the noticing, if I’ll just notice.

And there are stories. So many stories. The world around us is sharing story after story. In the winter, the predawn sky is breathtaking, hinting of the hours to follow. In the summer, the sunset draws the curtain on another long and glorious day – of what? Memories?

Mrs. Snap on my patio. lf

Perhaps this turtle has a story to tell or is looking for a place to lay her eggs. (not on my patio, if you please, Mrs. Snap)

Sunbathing or curious? lf

Perhaps this chipmunk is dreaming of riding a Peloton like mine. (as I was doing when I took this pic.)

Rose-breasted Grosbeak JH

Perhaps a bird is looking for a new eating establishment or a raccoon is reacting to sounds nearby.

Yes, meditation might take place on a cushion, but mindfulness can happen anywhere. Just a few minutes to focus our mental camera on a close up or panorama, just a few minutes to hear leaves rustle or  birds sing, just a few minutes to breathe in clean air and exhale what is stuck inside us, just a few minutes….

Ready to Bolt!  JH

(And yes, I am writing this from Vermont. I am no stranger to city life as I mentioned above so those thoughts are for another day. I can share with you though that I am well aware of the privilege of being able to walk outdoors in safety, removed from most crime and in a clean environment.)

So much of what we do is practice. We do it again and again to establish a habit, improve a technique, gain insight or become more familiar or comfortable with a concept, a value or a belief. Therefore, I encourage us each to pack up our mental camera, leave behind our digital devices, and step outside for a dose of life. But be careful. If you practice this repeatedly, you just may establish a new and lasting habit!

MAMA BEAR and other notes


Mama Bear borrowed from donnaashworth.com

Recently I was called a Mama Bear. I’ll take it. I was in a meeting with a professional, my daughter and son-in-law. At one point, quite unexpectedly and out of character, I flared with outrage and strong, protective language at the way my children were being treated. (I believe it stunned my daughter, but I’m sure I heard my son-in-law cheering in the background of our Zoom call!) I don’t really know how this landed because I needed to excuse myself from the call, but was later teased as their Mama Bear. Again, I’ll take it.

Bears. What do they mean to you? Do you have bears in your life – figuratively or literally? I certainly do. 

The Green Mountain National Forest, and more specifically the Camel’s Hump State Forest, are just outside my door. It is therefore no surprise that black bears, who find this an ideal setting in which to live, breed and raise their young, are my next-door neighbors.  For the most part, they are good neighbors. They have yet to knock on my door, but they have walked within yards of my home. They keep going, though, as there is nothing to tempt them and, if she notices, my chocolate Lab, Sophie, will make quite a fuss.

In fact, it is Sophie about whom I worry the most. Her habit is consistent; her bear-sighting behavior is always the same. First there is that bear barking – it is unique to bear sightings and I know immediately what’s up.  In the car she will turn circles barking all the time and I know to look roadside for a bear.  Off leash, she will dart in the direction of the bear – but run in very large circles around it until it trees.  She will then return to me begging to show me what she has done. No thank you. Let’s walk quietly and steadily home! [Note: I avoid the woods in the spring when the babies are very young and stick to the dirt roads. I also leash her for much of our travels. A bear and dog dispute is not something I want to incite or witness.]

But let me go back to some of what I have learned. First of all, here in Vermont, we have BLACK bears. I first learned this a few years ago. I was hiking a 4000’ trail in New Hampshire on a day when there were very few cars parked on the lot below so allowed Sophie to hike off leash. At one point she ran just ahead of me, around a sharp turn, and I heard a voice shout – “OH (expletive-expletive)! If this is a bear, I’m dead!” (Note, Sophie is effusive in her greetings.) Within seconds several other young male voices laughed and teased the first male and began to play with Sophie. One reminded him that if, in fact, this had been a brown bear, he would be dead.

So, what’s the difference? I learned from my brother that Brown bears come in two sizes – very, very large (the kind you see on videos scooping up salmon; in Alaska they’re Kodiaks) and Grizzlys, considered a subspecies of the Brown bear. I prefer to meet up with neither. We normally associate Brown bears with the western part of the U.S.

Last year there was a video (that went viral) of a Mama Bear in New England doing her best to usher her cubs across two lanes of stopped traffic. It was endearing. However, it is perhaps best that Mama Bear was only frustrated by her young and not by the spectators. Human parents with multiple babies could certainly relate. In fact, for us human parents, the Mama Bear instincts are not only understandable and relatable, but also to be respected.

Which brings me back to my Mama Bear story. In 2000, I found myself unexpectedly single and in Santa Fe with my daughter who had just graduated from high school. It was meant to be a family celebration but became something much different. With my daughter’s help, I connected with the strength that I would need to go forward and recognized that the small, stone bear I purchased had special significance for me and for the years ahead. In Native American tradition, bears symbolize physical strength, leadership and are known as the “first helper.” Bear paws are a symbol representing inner strength. My new little figurine of a Zuni bear signifies The Guardian of the Earth. A heart-line arrow going from head to heart symbolizes a warrior’s heart, strong like the bear’s. If no longer a wife, I would be forever a Mama Bear. Today my bear sits on my desk next to my computer monitor. It has traveled many miles and through many situations since the year 2000.

And then I became fearful of bears. I thought I could avoid hiking trails with signs warning of bears, but they are everywhere. I was not fearful for myself, but for my dog. However, as she matures and as I begin to connect more with Mama Bear, I am more respectful than afraid. Yes, I realize something could trigger a bear’s reaction or there could be a rogue bear out there somewhere, but for the most part, it is best to coexist peacefully and give them space. Oh that we could do that as humans, right?

It is April as I write this. I have learned that cubs are not unlike puppies, born about 8” long and weigh 8-12 ounces. By the time they emerge from their dens they are only 4-8 pounds but are able to follow their mother around. It is no surprise, therefore that Mama Bear is protective. I have also learned that Mama and babies will most likely remain in their habitat above me and away from civilization for a few months yet. Though there is controversy over their habit of hibernation or denning up, it seems that our bears might appear randomly throughout the season if the ‘climate changes’ warm up enough to tempt them outdoors. In fact, during a thaw in February this year, to my great surprise, Sophie treed a young bear (probably 1-2 years old) who had ventured outside his winter home apparently alone.

I return to the Mama Bear identity one last time. Perusing the internet I found one statement in an ad for what was dubbed a Mama Bear fleece, that stated: “tough mamas maximize every day.” I also landed on this: “The real definition: A mama bear is a mama with boundaries. A woman who parents the best way she can, for her child, and a woman who doesn’t apologize for her choices. A mama bear is a woman who asserts herself in any way as a parent. She says ‘no’”.  Mama Bear. I’ll take it.https://abigailgranner.com/2020/11/01/what-mama-bear-really-means/

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Note: I take issue with this survey of black bears in Vermont! The bears in my neighborhood stroll, unconcerned, across patios and along country roads. By later in the summer, when readily available food in the woods is not so readily available, “our” bears have no problem searching dumpsters, around outdoor grills and even through an open door if they happen upon one.  However, I do live in a region where bears find a natural habitat.  https://vtfishandwildlife.com/learn-more/vermont-critters/mammals/black-bear

However, note that a more recent notice mandates bear boxes and other bear prevention practices for hikers on the Long Trail. Bears are proliferating and are savvy. They know that hikers bring food. Hopefully they do not leave food.

https://www.greenmountainclub.org/hiking/wildlife/

This is a fascinating report on bears that you might want to take a few minutes to read:  https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/denning.htm

OUTDOORS-a very personal perspective

“May you experience each day as a sacred gift woven around the heart of wonder.”     John O’Donohue

OUTDOORS

For three decades my habitat was a studio. Not just any studio, mind you, but two distinctly different and amazing studios. First, there was the studio in Baltimore. I began ballet lessons with the reigning royalty of classical ballet, Carol Lynn, way way back when I was just 4 years old. Miss Lynn’s kingdom was the huge ground level studio in the Peabody Conservatory of Music, Dance Department. Miss Lynn was respected far and wide as a leading expert and to study with her was deemed a privilege. The studio space was from another epoch. Gorgeous, worn wooden floors vibrated with the energy of movement over a century. Three story high windows needed to be raised and lowered with a 20-foot-long pole – or longer, I can’t really remember. Needless to say, the ceiling was waaaaaay up there. Massive mirrors covered one entire wall. A balcony lined another wall for visitors and critics. A graduate student from the Conservatory piano department accompanied classes on the baby grand in the corner. One door led to an open marble hallway and another to dressing rooms that in turn led to a courtyard. It was magical. I left this studio in my early teens to study in NYC where another old and fabulously worn studio became my home.

An old school ballet studio as Edward Degas saw it

I had been accepted as a working student and was mentored by the incomparable Margaret Craske, literally world renowned as a teacher and ballet mistress to the Royal Ballet of England, personal coach to Margot Fonteyn and Rudolph Nureyev when he defected from Russia, and later as teacher and coach to the Metropolitan Opera Ballet and others in the U.S. The old Met studio was definitely a Phantom of the Opera setting! It was even more abused than the studio in Baltimore but reeked of ballet and opera history. Any hour of the day or night, it seemed, there was always something going on from classes to rehearsals to ballet to opera to set design, and so on. Children in the school delighted in appearing in operas that called for them while dancers in the company showed up reluctantly at 10 a.m. for professional class and singers straggled in late afternoon to move clumsily through some type of choreography for whatever opera was being rehearsed at the time. After a rickety ride up an old elevator, we would wind along back halls and climb up to a creaky catwalk along one side of the studio, headed to the dressing room and trying not to make a sound that would inevitably illicit a frown from below.

The “old” Metropolitan Opera House where I had the privilege of performing as a young teen.

My early years of “outdoors” were spent primarily at a stable in the few hours I had outside the Peabody. My other passion was horses, but it had been predetermined that I would become a ballet dancer. My mother had been a singer and had sung at the Met so I was destined to follow, one way or another. Later I walked the streets of NYC as I hurried from residence to studio and back again.

Fast forward. Ultimately I returned to Baltimore where I replaced the retired Miss Lynn and the Peabody studio became my domain. I became a college student at Johns Hopkins University where I also taught and later I transitioned to the gym. When it was time to move on, I did. I trained and taught and made my way through parenting and aerobics, from personal training to Yoga.

Outdoor hours spent at horse shows – here Teague and Ernie compete during Vermont Summer Festival.

Later, in Vermont, I had horses and skiing and soccer and all the wonderful things that we enable here in this beautiful state. But, even though I mucked stalls early in the morning and exercised my horses regularly, I never really did think of it as being, well, the “outdoors.” It was simply where I did what I needed to do.

Sunset at Lookout Point, Maine

Over the years, running, cycling, and oh so much driving, the outdoors always remained simply a place in which my activities occurred.  Fast forward again. For a few summers I had the good fortune to spend a month on the coast of Maine where I watched the sun rise from my deck and crossed to the other side of the peninsula to watch it drop below the horizon across a cove. Sunrise and sunset bookended days that began to embrace the outdoors as more than simply space. Relaxed walks on trails, meanderings along the coast, awakened a sense of pleasure before unknown. And then came Sophie. My amazing chocolate Labrador Retriever did the trick. I traded driven goals for pleasant outings. I left the world of road cycling to hike the steeps of Vermont and New Hampshire, always with my beloved dog. I learned that to breathe in fresh air, to pause to look at tiny snapshots of nature, and to stand in stillness to honor grand vistas, was good for the fitness that I now teach – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.

sophie

morning coffee in the all-too-short Vermont summer

Today, thanks to my faithful companion, I live in a home of peace, harmony and beauty. There is no questioning – it’s out the door first thing every morning or I will be reminded that someone needs to go into the woods! In the summer I enjoy my coffee on the patio before I begin my work for the day; and in the winter I love to watch the moon rise over the mountains spilling light on snow-blanketed terrain.

Though I continue to teach and write, and though I continue to spend hours each day in physical activity, I now do so with the constant reminder of the outdoors connection. Possibly, it is why we live in Vermont. The outdoors is safe. The outdoors is clean. The outdoors is free.

City dwellers – I know you are both privileged and neglected – been there, done that. With luck you may enjoy “my” outdoors on weekends or vacations. But, as much science is revealing, even opening a window or putting green plants in our homes, can be helpful. I urge us all to consider moving what we can to the outdoors or bring what we can of the outdoors to us. As the world addresses environment, may we all make the available environment a significant component of our habitat – the habitat in which we live and work and play and grow and love.

photo courtesy of Jim Heins

MANY VERMONT ROADS TO FITNESS, A LOCAL APPROACH.

Fitness and well-being are journeys unto themselves. The pathways to self-care are as diverse as each traveler. Curiosity, motivation, energy and good, old-fashioned stick-to-itiveness are tools equally important as any physical attributes of strength, flexibility or genetic advantage.

One benefit of our months of dealing with a Pandemic seems to have been a renewed awareness of the need to take care of ourselves, especially in light of our need to connect with and care for others any way available. The internet is flooded with You Tube, Zoom, and subscription classes in everything from weight training to Yoga (and my personal obsession, Peloton!).

FALL FOLIAGE – AN ANALOGY

Here in Vermont we see many enjoying the outdoors.  In a recent post Governor Scott wrote:

“Fortunately, we all live in Vermont and it’s one of the most beautiful times 
of the year for us. So, I hope many of you can take some time this weekend,
get yourself a maple creemee, enjoy the foliage, visit a state park, climb
our beautiful mountains, whatever you can do to take care of yourselves
because your mental health is important as well.”

So, yes, one of the paths to mental and physical health is making the best use possible of outdoor activities. We are learning we do not need to participate in organized sports or events to do so. I read daily of individual and small group adventures on the Long Trail, Lake Champlain or a country road and applaud the efforts demonstrated – surely with good results.

There are online communities that offer guidance and dedicated programs as well as inboxes full of opportunities and advice. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to fitness, there are certainly multiple approaches. Surely one will fit! Recently a young soccer player told me of her struggles to adjust to a new position on the field. I suggested that she take several mental “jerseys” to her practice and consider each to represent a position. When her coach tells her to go in to play center-mid, for example, she should pull that jersey on and go do it. This concept fit. Can you do something similar?

Note, too, that some find contemplative wanderings satisfying while others need a challenging hike or long cycling hours. More and more we recognize the need for multiple types of fitness – physical, mental, and spiritual. Once again approaching individual fitness from many roads is significantly important – cross training if you will.

Teaching a Yoga class a few days ago I suggested that our fall foliage is somewhat analogous of the times. We are living in chaos super charged with fear, sorrow, rage, uncertainty and angst. At times it is as if we are caught in a whirlwind of events over which we have no control and can only experience from a distance. At other times we are touched by the struggles of family, friends and our local communities.

THE ANAOLOGY CULMINATES

Liken the chaos to the foliage – vividly colored leaves screaming their brilliance from their branches only to be caught by the wind and rain as they swirl and collide on their route back to the earth where they lie in what? – Peace? Submission? Death? Renewal?  Hmmm. Perhaps that is our experience too as pandemic, politics, economy, fear, courage and kindness scream, collide and ultimately find stillness in some sort of unity.

And what is the bottom line? Keep on keeping on? Attend to our self-care the best we can? Support our local businesses and communities? Put on our game jerseys and play our positions?

In any event, it is all a journey. Whether we are seeking fitness, or health, or financial stability, or peace – it is all a journey. May we see the beauty along the way, connect with each other (distanced, of course!) but always continuing the journey with curiosity, motivation, energy and good, old-fashioned stick-to-itiveness.

BEAUTY

RETURNING? I DON’T THINK SO. Reimagining a new way to teach and train in studio, gym, outdoors or virtually.

 

It’s not just the large gym or small studio in urban or rural U.S. Globally the fitness industry is metaphorically scratching its head wondering how to handle each day. Though there is no one who is able to predict the future, it is becoming increasingly clear that a “return” to life as it was before the pandemic (and it’s not over yet, oh dear) is not a reality. Can we patch things up and do a mockup of something similar? Can we limit numbers, insure spacing, sanitize endlessly, mask uncomfortably, and provide safety assurances? Is that even productive or wise?

finding ways to distance and pause

This post is not yet another diatribe about the state of today’s world financially, socially, politically, or medically. It is a small voice from the small perspective of a small town in Vermont. I am a Personal Trainer and Yoga Instructor and, primarily because I have participated in many activities and am constantly studying anything available relative to my work, my depth of information and practice is appreciable. Over the years, working one on one, in small groups or large classes, as a director of a gym and as an athletic coach for individual sports, I have watched participants, sometimes reluctantly-sometimes enthusiastically, strain, drive, compete and press towards goals on individual paths. I, too, became obsessed with heart rates, watts, mileage, speed, power and an infinite variety of numbers to measure everything from fuel to output to recovery time all designed to indicate success or failure.

Savasana

Fortunately for my own personal well-being and hopefully for that of my students and clients, I have become passionate about the practice of Yoga – whether it is Yoga for Athletes (my introduction to Yoga with Sage Rountree), Vinyasa (thank you Freeport Yoga Company and Kripalu) or the complementary practice of Yin Yoga (Josh Summers and Terry Cockburn, Summers School of Yin Yoga). I can speak only from my very small dot on the map of “return.”

Who knew? Those of us who have spent 200, 300, 500, 1,000 hours in Yoga Teacher Trainings, specialty courses, even in cadaver labs as we have learned about the thousands of years old Yoga theory and practice, anatomy, even how to teach; who knew that we would need to add a crash course in technology and become adept at something called live-streaming, recording or Zoom? Who knew we would suddenly need to learn to teach a different way – and, for that matter, to learn a different way as we joined other students in other teachers’ virtual classes? Who knew we would be faced with legal technicalities, internet crashes and how to create space in which to teach, adapt or purchase camera and sound equipment and on and on and on. 

Perhaps the trickiest hurdle has been connecting with our students and providing them with practice and support that is worthy of their fee. In the beginning many teachers offered online services as a gift. The next step was an honor system. Then links and passwords needed to be purchased and voila a new industry was born. Recently I listened to a mind-boggling podcast about a new wave of abuse – no, not the inappropriate touching scandal that has suddenly vanished – but the abuse of instructors who are paid a set sum to teach their class and then forever after their videos are sold with profit only to the business owner. Ouch. (And, as I have used the word “small” frequently in this post, please note that in the small studio where I work this is a completely foreign concept. We are all in this together supporting each other and our lovely leader, Ana. http://www.mountainrosevt.com) Just sayin’

quiet trails for exercise and contemplation

But there are beautiful and significant observations to be made as well. As soon as it was deemed safe to go outdoors, masked and spaced, individuals and families, thrilled to be able to do so, were out the door walking, running, hiking, strolling, climbing, cycling and paddling. Gone was the drive that forced such an adventure. Exercise, action, the outdoors, all became a privilege and, in this new light, became gifted joy.

Community has been redefined. Even the tiniest connection – a phone call or text, photo or face time, card or package – is duly appreciated forging bonds replacing tenuous strands. And in my own small (there’s that word again) world of Zoom, those minutes of unmuted video before and after a teacher-led practice are golden; they are fun and sensitive and compelling moments of genuine community.

Inserting stillness, a by-product of Yoga, everywhere and anywhere.

Virtual hugs are bogus, are they not? Those foolish little emoji of the smiling face with 2 arms? Give me a break. I’m not so sure about the etiquette of a handshake, but we will hug again. We cannot resist! But perhaps we will retain some of the goodness of this experience. Perhaps we will live a cleaner and simpler life. Perhaps we will offer and receive touch untainted by skepticism or misunderstanding. Perhaps we will gratefully relish the effort to proactively care for our own well-being in order to reach out to others in our lives. Perhaps we will loosen the fetters of restrained emotions and be honest, sharing and, yes, grateful. Perhaps we will find cause for happiness in things as presumably insignificant as a buzzing bee all the way up to financial stability or a clean bill of health.

Perhaps we will like taking a Yoga class in a new setting, bringing our own props, and washing our hands.

create a personal home Yoga space

Perhaps we will even like participating in a Yoga practice in a virtual community, as we say, “live or later.” Perhaps we are ready for what is new and not a mended version of what was before. Perhaps.

FIRST TRACKS. JANUARY 1, 2020


First tracks. Looking ahead at unspoiled terrain inviting your footprints; looking back to see where you’ve come from. Ah, the symbolism is rich, is it not?

Be bold, step out into a place where you’ve not been; be confident, knowing that if you make a wrong turn you can always retrace your steps and begin again.

Don’t forget signs that guide along the way!

Alone or in community the significance is sweet. January 1st is as well. It’s not only the first day of a new year, it’s the first day of a new decade. What will we do with it?

What did we do with the previous one? (begs a recap, doesn’t it?) My own 10 years were packed with personal, professional and athletic challenges and successes, bursting at the seams with change, yet always marching forward on the same path with the same private yearning to be a better and more worthy human being. I need to work at bravery and have found myself well beyond my comfort zone far too often, But, you know what? My comfort zone has grown! And so have my practices, goals, and preferences. Expansive living may be a product of age. Is time flying by too quickly? Yes! I have so much I want to accomplish – but don’t we all? (And, BTW, if I let concerns about aging creep in, I need only remind myself that there are people running for PRESIDENT who are older than me. I’ve got this!)

New Year’s Resolutions may be passé, but setting achievable goals is always in vogue. When I work with a client, I might ask – and why are we doing this? What is your target area? Can you feel your muscles, bones, whatever, respond? Do you understand why this or that is important?

When I teach a Yoga class I might ask what is your intention for this asana, this practice, this day? When I invite someone new into my BCBS hiking group, The Hiking Connection, I ask them to realistically define their hiking goals over the course of multiple months.

As athletes, fitness enthusiasts, parents, and friends it is worthwhile to identify wants, needs, risks and rewards, to set meaningful goals and then do the work to achieve those goals.

There is always a first step, perhaps those first tracks. How relevant is it to lace up your running shoes, walk into a gym, dive into a pool, pump up your bike tires, click into your bindings or step onto your yoga mat.  The rest will not follow until you make that first move, and what may follow just might be the revelation of first tracks into what is unknown.

While this is all poetic and lovely to ponder, it is also a call to action. Nothing, absolutely nothing, will happen unless you do it. (I will forever appreciate the Nike “Just Do It” slogan!) It is not a matter of perfection, beauty or winning. It is a matter of knowing what tools are in your tool box, which ones need sharpening and what others you might need to work to acquire. Making the most of your physical strengths and weakness is only a piece of the pie. Consider motivation, enthusiasm, a positive outlook, the hunger to learn, a willingness to share, the determination to see it through and the wisdom to make good choices.

There were many moments during this past holiday that I thought – It just doesn’t get any better than this. I awkwardly dragged in my Christmas tree, managed to set it up and trim it without incident, then turned off all the lights to sit and soak up the silent beauty.  It just doesn’t get any better than this. I snuggled my 4 grandchildren in a pile of quilts, blankets and pillows for our vacation sleepover making plans for snow play the following morning and giggling over the onslaught of Sophie’s kisses. It just doesn’t get any better than this. I wrapped presents, tying them up with love and thought It just doesn’t get any better than this. I made it a point to pause early each morning with my first cup of coffee and my Sophie in my lap (sort of, she’s awfully big for that but tries) looking out as the day began to dawn and thought It just doesn’t get any better than this. As a teacher sitting quietly observing diverse students in my classes during Savasana, connection palpable, I thought It just doesn’t get any better than this. And today, headed out into the woods with my precious pup, softly crunching new snow under my boots and laughing at her antics as she ran and rolled in the fabulous white stuff, I was convinced that It just doesn’t get any better than this.

May you have many, many such moments in 2020 and may you reach many, if not all, of your goals and carefully structured expectations. Namaste. Happy First Tracks!