A Cartwheel On The Sand...
This afternoon we walked along a beach that seemed to go on for ever; it was also nearly empty. We happened upon a few people swimming; then a man trawling with a net for something in a shell, maybe crabs, we couldn't quite tell. A boy was fishing all alone; he was squatting down doing something with his line as we wandered by him, his focus absolute. On the way back he was sitting with the line stretching far out in the sea, he beamed at us as we passed. A naked man lay relaxing at the top of the beach, quite well hidden - except I spotted him - by the jungle behind him, he was burnished golden all over, the sun his friend.
We walked along in the surf, Anadi, who was feeling better and better as the day wore on was suddenly moved to do a cartwheel on the sand...
And as the time went by and we walked and talked, I asked about the Buddha... We are here where he is worshipped and therefore where Christmas is not celebrated; Anadi told me the story of how he was born into a wealthy family and he was destined to be an emperor. When he was a baby his parents took him to an astrologer who told them that he would either become a ruler over men or he would become enlightened; there would be four signs that the Buddha would see that would tell which way he would go... His father then made efforts to keep him in the palace grounds by ensuring he had everything he needed; but the Buddha atill found his way to see the four signs that changed his course. The signs that opened his eyes and his heart were illnes, ageing, death and a monk... and the rest is history!
As Anadi told me the story I was aware that here we were on Christmas Day walking for miles on the beach and he was telling me a story about the Buddha, when in the UK around the time he was telling me the story (4pm here, so 9am in the UK) all over the land the story of baby Jesus would be being told...
And these two babies grew into enlightened men and both wandered the land teaching the same thing... They taught about love and surrender of attachment to everything worldly; they taught that there is more than we see in this paradigm, and that this earthly life is not the most important thing...
We are on the up from our Thai Tum... But Anadi still didn't feel up to exercising again this morning, so he dropped me off at the gym and went in search of a cup of tea...
There was just me and another man in a yellow T shirt there...
He was training with intent and was very strong... At one point we acknowledged one another and then got on with what we were doing....
I rowed for five kilometres today on the Concept 2 rower, but first I did half an hour of stretching and bit of strength and conditioning work....
I did a few chin ups... And the man came over to me...
'I have never seen a woman do that before', he said... 'What sport do you do..?'
We chatted for awhile, and I discovered that he had been a really good wrestler in the past...
He then told me that his work takes him into the desert and the mountains and that they need local guides to help them find their way...
He said that on one occasion they had a young boy as a guide who ran in front of them for four hours; they were in cars trying to follow him and it was hard to keep up; he just ran and ran for hour after hour, he seemed tireless and he drank no water and ate no food in all that time ....
He then spoke of a man in this seventies who he met on his travels too; another guide who ran up the mountains like it was the easiest thing....
I was inspired...!
Later
We are just off out for our 'Christmas meal!'... A year ago today Anadi proposed to me over dinner...
What an amazing wonderful adventure has since unfolded travelling side by side with Anadi James Taylor...!
We have just phoned home to our families in the UK... It was lovely to catch them all as they were unwrapping presents, drinking champagne and making stuffing, which seemed to be 'going wrong' in two households..!
And my sister Rosy, who is an accomplished rower both in the Concept 2 and on the open water, gave me deeper insight and understanding for my concept 2 training... She has already advised me to keep the stroke rate at 21 and I was saying to her that I find it difficult to do, it creeps up, and 'seems' easier when I put more effort in to stroke faster....
She agreed it 'seems' easier, but it isn't of course, and that it feels hard because it takes concentration to keep it at 21.... And this is what gave me the understanding...
Of course it takes mental concentration to keep it at 21 but the benefits are worth it, the efficiency and speed and the overall performance are all improved.
And I saw that concentrating on keeping the stroke rate at the ideal rhythm is a perfect metaphor for being mindful in every moment; to clear every single disturbance within, it feels hard, takes effort, feels easier sometimes to ignore.... But in truth it is the only way for an ultimately joyous clear ride.
Later still...
We have just come back from a wonderful dinner, we arrived at the restaurant and I think we must have looked like we had come for a special night out, because the restaurant manager suggested we had a drink at the bar while they made us up a table in a little gazebo on the beach!
We then enjoyed our first proper meal since 'The Thai Tum' and sipped our first cocktail for such a long time that I can't recall when we had our last one...!
It was a very magical first year anniversary of 'when Anadi popped the question' dinner indeed...
