Airscape

I was reading an article by John Kabat-Zinn and I was struck by several key observations but the one I wish to discuss briefly today is the idea of 'Airscape'. 

We are all very comfortable with the notion of 'Landscape' and idea of seeing some beautiful vista projected into our eyes.  In a simple way we 'take it all in'.

Airscape is a notion of taking in and being aware of the air around you as you move, breath and , of course, run. We are, after all, moving under a sea of air and gaining a real sense of this life giving mixture permeating inside and around us is a very relaxing way to look through the world.

Danny Dreyer of chi living also points to having a centred approach to your movement, physical and mental. What he points to is allowing your fullest attention to be brought to the 'Dan Tien' centre (3" below your naval) and moving this first as you initiate any level of interaction.  Clearly linking this with breathing through your centre and an awareness of 'airscape' gives a sense of stability and inner calmness.

This thinking and approach is now part of my running mind. Using holistic images and penetrative thoughts keeps me grounded.

I do meet runners who seem form pre-occupied to the point of being distracted. I get this point completely but finding the moment in every moment requires a different thinking, try it and see what it does for you?

improve by 1%

We can all improve every aspect of our lives! It can, however, feel so daunting to be asked to improve, and anyway what does it all really mean?

'Why should I improve? I am happy who I am, content living in the mainstream and no sense of dread, unhappiness, life is good for me! I earn well, have a good life and give generously, no-body has really complained about me :) .'

 In this context what is improvement??  I think we can answer this by looking at one of the key core principles of chi running namely a practice orientated approach. In Matthew Syed's book 'BOUNCE' he uses a key phrase namely 'purposeful practice'.

The  key issue with a practice is a sense of progress and improvement no matter how small.  Descarte uses the term 'soft machine' as a description of the human system;  this is entirely true as we are an organic and, sadly, dying animal that needs to constantly look at the working of our machine and apply changes such as feeding, exercise, cognitive and emotional inputs  to ensure our system is in balance.

So if we do not focus on improving our lives then perhaps we fall into emotional, physical and cognitive entropy. That is, we simply fall apart and use less and less of our internal systems and end up existing in the basic sense.

Rest quietly

I have read two very interesting books over the recent weeks, namely 'More fire' by Toby Tanser and 'Running with the Kenyans' by Adharanand Finn both were focused on the secret of the Kenyan running success. I could go on about a lot of interesting issues that were raised in these books but one of the things that stood out for me was the amount of rest the elite Kenyan runners had during the day, in between runs, and after major events.

This is very unlike the cross training military regime that some of the British Athletes undergo in their training, where, after a run, they go straight to the pool for 70 lengths and then gym work after that!   This made me think about rest or a better term 'quiet time'.   This distinction is not just a play on terms but  a fundamental attitudinal change to 'rest'.

For a long time Biologists who were studying the division of cells during the beginning of life could not understand the time lag between each cell division. On a cell level there did not seem much going on between each division cycle. Yet they made the important discovery that at the molecular level the 'quiet time' between division was where the re-ordering of DNA occurred.  This re-ordering of the next transition between two states was as vital as the division itself. Just because you could not measure it did not mean it had no value!

So, on a micro level it appears that a quiet time is required not only for replenishing energy supplies but also to align and direct DNA.  At the Macro level I have found over the years that a quiet time is needed by the brain to allow aligning up of physical and mental experiences.  How many times have you woken up with a realisation or an insightful thought that helped you solve a difficult issue or problem ?

Chi Running, Yoga and other mindful practices make a distinction about allowing the sub conscious and conscious mind to 'yoke', align and respond.  This cannot happen in a state of mind that is receiving inputs from external sources creating stimuli that your brain needs to respond to.  Allowing your mind some quiet time gives the body a chance to make sense at a micro and macro level. We all have had the insightful moment when our mind was not, apparently, thinking about a problem or concern and yet we see the solution with clarity and resolution.

I cannot stress enough that purposeful practice and rest is very different to 'down time' or recreational time.

So next time you rest make sure it is a 'quiet time'.

'Playing slowly is key' Mozart; Music, the mind and running

'When I do not practice for one day, I notice, if I do not practice for two days the audience notices'.

It is reputed that when composers visited Mozart for lessons, his first instruction was to ask the composers to write out all the scales! (if you are a musician, you know that there are a lot of scales to learn), insulted, but daring not to challenge the maestro they began the task.  People assumed that Mozart had some secret knowledge but this was not the case, the notes were the same, scales the same but his knowledge ran deep, connections made between areas of expression and areas of composition. Could you really have  a lesson with a genius and become a better composer? What Mozart was getting at was clear; know the fine detail, know the basics, without these then the building you construct through your knowledge is poor, out of sorts and not connected.  He is also reputed to have said;

 'it easier to play fast than it is to play slow, you can make mistakes playing at speed and no-one notices but is that music?

The two quotes combined give an insight as to what mastery is and how we need to ensure that our efforts are directed to maximise our talent; the first quote is about  recognising the need for practice every day; the mind is an amazing organ but the two examples cited above indicate that without practice, focus and purpose it loses it edge; you may for example (as an ex golfer) see a great shot and know exactly how to achieve it but repeating it is not the same; the  sub conscious mind has lost the connection between the conscious physical mind of choice and awareness. Physical activities such as swimming are the same, swimmers complete many lengths a day to help their body/mind connection between themselves and the water to be fully activated.  As an ex swimmer (as well:) )you lose the feel of the water if you are even a few days away from the pool.  Likewise running is not all about the hard runs or interval training; much training occurs on the long slow/easy days where you keep the mind sharp and concentrate on form.

climb with care:) 

Control, exertion, focus, alignment and one pointedness are at the heart of many creative things. I know Professors of Mathematics, Musicians, Artists and Authors; they all exude control; Controlling of your thoughts and giving it direction. Exertion; when to give the 'right effort'; Focus, the ability to bring into play all your abilities to solve, create or achieve.  Alignment, the idea that we need balance and harmony to maximise our impact and influence and finally One pointedness, that ability to scrutinise a key issue that matters.

So Chi Running is not bio-mechanical only, you can tell from my BLOGs the land where I come from but it is good to practice life affirming qualities that define who we are and learn a little of what it would be like to be a 'Mozart'.

How to decide, learn from the simple act of running

We make a lot of decisions during our busy lives, some seem more important than others; some get more attention whilst others simply get lost in the activity of busy-ness. Can you remember all the decisions you made today? Of course not! Some decisions I make occur in an instant; I am still a practising teacher and students throw issues and questions that require thought and action almost at the same time but not in any order. I repeat thought then action.

What we are really talking about, however, is  reflection in action and reflection on action. Both have resonance as a teacher, first if a student comes to you with a concern you should think about the possibility of establishing a connection and a learning opportunity. Simple responses give simple actions; my philosophy is to always try and empower students to think for themselves; the only way to do this is to rephrase questions and get them to see things in a different manner. This would be, for me, reflection in action. If I go away and think about the days activity and change or critically analyse my performance or learning experiences then this would be reflection on action. 


We run , at times , to get away from decisions, we run to flee from responsibility, to be free from the chains of life, people and stuff. You hear it reading certain running books, A sense of freedom. Of course we are not free and never will be; we are surrounded by decisions at all levels and we need to understand that we cannot escape being human. Being human is to be part of a community, a tribe with our own kin. We are judged not by running away or by being super fit but by how much we respond, listen and help others. Humility and quiet compassion are the tigers in our hearts.

I enjoy, however, making running decisions! It has helped me further in developing my decision making, thoughtfulness and mindfulness at all levels. I regard these decisions as 'sharpening my saw' and help support other decisions in my life, those that impact and influence other people for example. A nice and simple way of practising making decisions and about being observant is simply put your watch on 10 minute repeats; as you run observe everything around you, draw in the surroundings and focus on your internal sensations; chi running is excellent at creating a meditative platform to allow this refocus; as soon as the 'beep' goes for 10 minutes review your body and surroundings; what did you see? how did you feel? all workouts do not need to be a 'beasting session' some can be this deep balanced state of drawing and breathing in the external to the internal; just like a door, we should be able to move inside to outside with ease; no distractions, no tension, no feeling of being 'ill at ease'. 

About a week ago I decided on my run to extend it by another mile; why? well I felt good, it was extremely hot (25C) and it the extension would make me run on the coastal paths (ie cool breeze).  I could have laboured and continued running on a shorter, faster route away from the coast but learning to own decisions and owning your programme is empowering.  I felt good with the choice of route, content with the outcome and more balanced as I walked home from my regular cafe at the finish line:)

So decision making is easier if you are aware of what will be influenced by your choice, behaviour and/or plans.   All of this implies that you need to be a lot more observant of yourself, you cannot live your live by moving through it and not feeling each moment. Chi Running and walking are an excellent way to improve mindfulness, clarity and focus, develop fitness and give YOU the tools to own your life.

The sleep of the Just

The above title was a phrase that was oft used by a very good friend of mine. He used to say it after we had a good walking and climbing day in Skye and a few beers:)  'and now for the sleep of the just' he would state in a pompous manner before we climbed the particularly steep sets of stairs at the 'Old school house' in Carbost.

 I  love sleeping in Scotland, (I know a bit weird, how can you look forward to a Holiday and think of the sleep?) in particular I remember one sleep (?) a few years ago that really made me think about the true benefit of mindfulness and yoga practice.

Road to applecross, it is tough

We were staying in a lovely village called Badachro, opposite Gairloch, on the west coast of Scotland;  that is ,me, Phil and his wife, my great mate Sid, and one or two others.  This particular day I decided to revisit my old cycle route and cycle around the Applecross Peninsula via the only way and that was to cycle over the Bealach-na-ba(photo) which is a mere 2000 feet of climb over 6 miles. I will not go into the details here but I had a 'grand day out' on my tod and we all met up back at the Badachro Inn for a few tales and share the days exploits.

it is a bit steep this Road to Applecross

These pictures are not any old pictures, oh no these are THE pictures of the night before the SLEEP.    I can hear you thinking, 'Nick was a bit worse for wear when he  hit those sheets' but you know as well as I do that alcohol induced sleep is not a good sleep.  So after only two beers  of good ale we headed back to the lovely cottage pictured  and had a grand meal. Food always tastes better when away and after a hard day's activities.  

Beer in Badachro before the sleep

I was sleeping in a single bed in a room all by myself. The bed was in the corner of the room away from the window and the air around the bed felt cooler but not cold. There were quilts and blankets for warmth and two pillows..ummmmm. Now, I digress again,  I hate tidy beds with hospital corners and ironed sheets, why? Well I used to be a member of HM Armed forced many years ago..specifically Lieutenant Royal Navy (C033560K SIR!) as part of the induction process I attended Britannia Royal Naval College (BRNC) where we learned not only navy stuff but also how to fold, iron and clean; in particular how to present your bedding for officer inspection rounds. It got to the point where we so sick of getting ripped apart that we slept on the floor for one inspection so our bedding would pass??  The psychological battering has meant that I hate, detest neat beds and will disrupt folded sheets, blankets and duvets for a relaxed messy bed........So, I return to the SLEEP.

Rose Cottage Badachro;

 I remember lying underneath the quilts with my arms out of the bed and relaxed on top of the quilt. I can actually remember closing my eyes and then .....nothing, not a memory or a stir. Without any sense of anything at all I woke; what was the strangest sensation was not that I forgot were I was (this happens) but that I woke in EXACTLY the same position, the sheets had not moved, my arms had not moved, I simply slept in complete peace. Even more striking was the state of my mind, it was as if somebody or something had wiped my mind and I was starting again from another place. I understood immediately in that small time frame what the term Zen mind, beginners mind, truly means. Yoga , mindfulness, meditation are good wholesome practices but there must be a lasting reason and for me it was the ability to jettison and begin again everyday, in an uncluttered fashion. 
From that moment on, my yoga practice became more balanced and as a result, from one sleep, I changed my direction and attitude towards life. Capturing this feeling of complete freedom means having to be empty and live in a  less cluttered state of mind. It also means cutting ties, expectations from others etc. Chi Running helps this process that is all.  


What does sleep do for you? 

Personal Bests are not necessarily fulfilling

me on a good day

By the way these BLOGs are written to challenge my thinking, I just write down them down! I always try out arguments and do what I reckon you should do and that is perform 'thought experiments' and take them to the next chain of the 'therefore'..

As I get older I have a lot of questions about my running performances and what they really mean to me.  What is performance? Who am I performing for? Am I really going to compete or am I going to complete?  These questions need answering, or at least I feel they need answering?  I am even unsure of the word 'performing' in the context of me and running?  When I look at the dictionary definition of 'performance' there are a number of synonomous definitions   such as execution, show, accomplishment and the one, I feel is more me, is the word fulfillment.

fulfilled? I was :)

So, let me try that word on my practice of running. Do I find it fulfilling, does it fill me more than the simple act of running. Can I use the running experience as a fuel that I tap into and use in other areas of my life?  If I focus on times and events would I personally find this fulfilling?  I think the word has more longevity than 'performance' as this can be a temporary shot of accomplishment, that drifts away from you as you look towards the next event?

 Let us say you broke the world record, that is an amazing achievement, it is highly accomplished but would you find it fulfilling?  Some great sports stars who possess fantastic talent do not appear to have this fulfilling experience linked to their achievement and performance?

So after much thinking and mental argument in my head here are my lists of reasons why running allows me to have a fulfilling life,  a full life, a balanced life, a compassionate life and a giving life. Now, I do other things as well such as tutor, cook, practice Yoga, teach a little and read etc so all of these things contribute but since this is a kind of running blog then let us stick to running. So here we go........

I take a small camera. Notice everything:)

• To continue to have good aerobic capacity for my age
• To have a good diet
• To improve my vegetarian cooking skills
• To be able to run at various distances between 1 mile and 20 miles in complete control; that is to be always focused enough to complete either a half marathon or less including the Puma trail series
• To enjoy Hills  :)
• To stop and look at the scenery and enjoy nature and the feeling of oneness with it
• To find lovely trails using my 1:25000 of Northumberland and write about them
• To have various workouts over the week that are planned and thought through on a weekly and sometimes during the workout. That is change the workout during the run!
• To have a positive attitude toward events and plan these with care to ensure no impact on family life
• To try and find a running partner to run on a regular 1/week basis? or 2 week/month basis.
• To be generous and attentive to people around me
• To continue to have a sense of personal practice, being careful to allow others to share, grow and develop
• To help young people in developing their attitudes and support them when in need

Over to you; why do you run?

Practice is different to training

'The hall mark of practice is wholeness, wholeheartedness, not being in conflict.......it is not about pushing through the pain or overcoming pain, no pain no gain.  If you are having to be brave and courageous in order to stoically withstand excessive intensity you are pushing too hard, you are fighting.  Never fight yourself, yoga/running is not about fighting.  Intensify when appropriate. Practice skilfully.  The optimum degree of intensity is the amount that elicits your fullest attention.’  

The above quote is from 'Erich Schiffman' and is a very sensitive way of dealing with the term 'practice' . You may remember I used this in my first BLOG but this quote is a fundamental in my view,personal growth and practice.  On first reading it may appear that there is an avoidance of intensity or 'pushing hard' but I feel that this is not the case.  As you gain mastery and confidence you gain further insights into how your practice works.

 In this instance I will refer to running and not YOGA with  one or two examples.  One of the best pieces of advice I have received from an experienced runner was not to do too much, too soon, too quick. When I began to run again  7 years ago after a 20 year rest:)  I did all three badly:) I would run too quickly and not sustain it, run too far and exhaust myself to the point of sleeping all day and too many runs during the week which meant injuries never really healed.

tools need toolmakers and tool users

Listening to yourself whilst running is a skilled and deliberate act.  When I practice running I have the same attitude now as I do with yoga. In other words, you give your fullest attention to all the detail that is around you. I mentioned in my previous BLOGs about tuning our instrument and likening a chi running and walking class to tuning instruments. We are all different so we sound and contribute to different parts of life's rich orchestra.  In a sense you are developing a runner's ear and just like learning how to play an instrument you begin to appreciate your ear for running.

maps are good but do not blindly follow

This attitude is not an immediate given, it develops, grows and evolves. Learning from your mistakes and understanding your body and how it moves is a better place to be than reading and transposing programmes onto your body. Programmes can help but they do not know you as you really know yourself. Another quote 'what is good, what is not good, do I really need to be told?'.   Do you really need to be told that you have run too far, pushed yourself over the edge, completed one too many hills or started your long run then to watch externally as it ends in a fast progression (negative splits) .

Chi Running is an attitudinal difference as well as the mine field of bio-mechanical advice.  It gets you into the right place mentally through listening and acting on your form through clear signposts. These are directions to follow but NOT I repeat NOT the given route to blindly follow. A centred approach to running is the template for life; if you give yourself time to listen to you and your inner cues then you will eventually give more to others, moment by moment. Breathing in each interaction and noticing each metaphorical step as you really notice and act on each step as you do through chi running.

My friend died

The title says it all really. A good friend passed away a few weeks ago.  I received the news at 9.30 on a Sunday morning, as soon as I heard the voice I knew.  Sid had died of a massive heart attack after feeling unwell for  a few days.

I liked Sid a lot, he was generous, kind and thoughtful; he loved company and being part of a large crowd but he was equally happy with small groups of people playing games and idling the time away.  What was most interesting about Sid was his chosen lifestyle.  He owned a camper van, music equipment and left much of his 'stuff' dotted around in very well ordered boxes in other people's houses.  I do mean very well ordered boxes as well. When I went up to see Phil my other good friend, Sid had left much of his stuff in the spare room.  It saddened me to see evidence of Sid around the room, his clothes, boxes and equipment.

 I was drawn to a little box that opened with a fabric hinge and fabric ties around the sides, this was his writing box.  My thoughts were just what value Sid placed on writing. His writing box had an assortment of pens, envelopes and paper, all neatly stacked and I remembered Sid flicking through this box when the mood took him to write to people.

The reason I am saying all this, is that Sid died with no immediate family, he was not married, had no children and no home.  However, he was rich in the fundamental aspect that I think is missing from a lot of what we do now. He learnt the secret of giving, being compassionate and living to the full in a very ordered and precise manner.  His service was not Christian, he was cremated at Melrose crematorium and his ashes were set sail on a little paper boat from Lindisfarne island.   A few hundred people met in the ancient market village of Belford , Northumberland and they had, by all accounts, a ball:)

Sid had found his secret to living a life that gave more in value to everyone he met.  He had his faults mind, everyone does but I shall miss Sid.  We spent a long hour up in Skye drinking in the pub in Carbost after a days walking, or a few hours 'jamming' on guitars and keyboards...stupid texts and stupid juvenile behaviour from blokes who should know better.



Running has made sense of this to me..just to let you know where this was going.  I have not run 'away' from this news but ran to own it and understand it. Apply what I have learnt focus and really appreciate what life can be about.    Keep practising!

On standing

I was reading 'light on yoga' the other day......or at least some of the introductory text on the basic asana 'tadasana'...the mountain pose. 

I had not read the description of the effect of this asana and how to perform it for a very long time. I think I had become mildly arrogant of knowing the movement hence no need to revisit the basics of Yoga.  After all I have been studying and practising for some time,.... he says.

B.K.S Iyengar states in the book

 'people do not pay enough attention to standing......their body weight is thrown on one leg, or on their heels or outside of their feet..........By standing correctly, the hips are pulled in, abdomen contracted, one feels light in the body and mentally agile'






Learning to stand, aligned and gentle is the beginning of the root cause of good running and walking. What I still find amazing is that by focusing on gently engaging your core and being aware of your weight you not only feel lighter but your mind also feels sharper and more aware.

Observing my breath, walking lightly, keeping my face relaxed and tongue passive I become much more in tune with my surroundings.  I am present in time and not simply being busy from one task to another.

This is the beginning of 'letting go' and recognising that our previous mental state is not as calm as it should be. I have likened this before to a jungle full of chattering monkeys' in the tree tops. A lot of conversations going on in our heads but we are not fully observant are in tune with any.  

Learning to simply stand and simply walk does actually take time because we get lost in moments as we go about our busy-ness but being present and mindful allows us to take in more and be in tune with our surroundings and people.

One of the side effects of good standing and walking is the excellent preparation for running. I simply do not think about 'running' but just about  extending that feeling into increased cadence and no more.

A simple message today with a simple tool but again simple does not mean easy :)

Buddhism is not the title!

new dawn

Over the next few blogs I will be reflecting on the writings of Stephen Bachelor, an ex tibetan and zen buddhist monk, who now practices in Northumberland. He stresses, and I agree with him, that Buddhism is not a religion (in fact the term Buddhism is a  Western term) and that all can practice 'Dharma'( the action of practice no matter what faith or belief system.) In this short article I simply set the scene and ask questions in the hope you may also reflect and think deeply about your purpose, meaning and contribution to life.

One of the key elements in Dharma practice is letting go of anguish and I share with you my deepest experience in coming to terms with that and arriving at who we are and what we should do with our time?

'I am avoiding a thought and it troubles me.  I skirt around it and look at as if looking down a dark pit, unearthly sounds rise up from this place. It is not a place for the human soul but it needs investigating....
Much of our lives are spent avoiding the deepest of troubling thought and that is the thought of our death, the final breath, the act of passing and of course decay.'

the mind of a child

This thought was in me for a long time, but I learnt to embrace this and allow it to penetrate my core.  I needed to make sense of this to move forward. Stop breathing and you die, you could die anytime, anywhere, any place.  Amazingly I argue that this thought is required for a transformative experience.

Stephen Bachelor in his book 'Buddhism without religion' asks this question and focuses on 'death meditation'.  From this angle it would appear deeply troubling as we might end up with the outcome that all is meaningless and there is nothing at all to pursue.

through the gate

In my view this is incorrect and the main thrust of the argument is that by focusing on death we come to the point of 'now, here and present'  This is where I am and I need to focus and be mindful on everything I do here.  Emptying our lives of much excess, materialistic greed, quick fixes and ego, is in my view the key to developing a deeper sense of purpose and view on our place in the world.

Simple practice, can put much anguish to rest; learning simple things and taking time to learn is not easy. Real learning is not only a competence experience but an emotional one. Chi Running, meditation, yoga and other 'arts' point to this and thus allow a more balanced and deep perspective of our relationships, work and overall purpose.

In practising yoga and chi running one learns the benefits of 'gongfu', which in Western parlance is 'deep learning'.  Surface learning is akin to ploughing a field very quickly and having narrow, shallow furrows, plants and crops take hold look good for a few months but then die off. The farmer may have a quick harvest but no more.  Deep furrows takes time, planning for personal growth requires patience and an awareness that we are not in complete control of all things. We can then harvest plentiful crops from our mind field and share with others.

 None of this is easy, I am as guilty as others for the quick fix, the new shoe, the running kit, answering the email but not really answering anything!  The quick meeting with no real outcome......BUT bringing your awareness to these issues helps immensely. Running can help develop this as a pointed out in my previous blogs;  to be honest solo running is my joy not the big races or events I like the benefits of mindful practice and focus in a quiet natural environment.  So next BLOG what is Dharma practice?

saying goodbye (the act of transformation)

storm clouds build in our lives

Finding out about people, what makes them tick, what motivates them and how they perceive themselves is part, I believe,  of the overall makeup of a coach.   Responding and listening to people during the process of the learning is important because even though the lesson seems fixed, the translation of the material either physically , emotionally or both is always varied.

As a teacher and teacher trainer for many years, I would always stress to new teachers that the construct is one area.  The blueprint to follow, but how that blueprint is followed and interpreted  is dependant on areas such as previous experiences, mood, physical and mental confidence etc.  so teaching people an awareness of themselves is not easy.  The detail may seem straightforward but easy,...no way.  

I had a 1-1 chi running session a little while ago.  The lady was lovely, obviously had had an active life and was keen to learn to run better.  She had got into the dreaded injury cycle of recovery and injury.  The way she approached her recuperation was to fight her self fit.  Beat the injury demons through shear strength and stoically withstand all that was thrown at her.  

When we worked through the material she was incredibly attentive, thoughtful and I felt was fully appreciative of the overall approach.  When I watched her run for the first few times it was clear to me that her translation of the overall approach was to use this as a way to fight herself out of injury into a new place.  We studied the video and we could both see that the drive, the push and the over stretching was all too apparent.  

At this point I decided to take her down to our local beach, shoes off and run with her. I ran with her for several small gear 1 gentle intervals, going back and studying her footprints.  I recorded several times and although the footprints improved, her lightness and overall posture relaxed I still felt that she was 'doing it for the camera'.  We had another conversation and this time I asked her to pretend to run away from her old self.  Literally peeling here self from her standing form as she moved and transformed to her new body image.    I even insisted that she said 'goodbye' to her old self as she started her run.  

growth needs to be small but beautiful
(that way you will hold onto it :) )

Even I was amazed at the transformation between assumed relaxed state and a true deeper more resonant state of focus.  You could see the tension in the shoulders disappear , the legs relax and the arms just swing and initiate.  All this was possible because she could relax around that core.  There was no tension and areas of real obstruction, or mental barriers between her perception and the reality of what she was trying to do.  

Same material, but the approach had to be different.  If life was simply following the blueprint then we would not be engaging in free choice, creative moments or acts of inspiration.  

On Emptying

To be human is to live through a myriad of emotions as we voyage through our lives.  Coming to terms with these emotions, I feel,  is a must for the human condition.  Avoiding and building layers around ourselves to become a 24-7 world simply deflects what our heart tells us. 'we need to seek space to find out who we are'.  

mmmmm

We are surrounded by inspirational people , places, works of arts and music. We can dip our toe into the ocean of ideas and come into contact with people who have had the inspiration or overriding desire to express the human condition in many forms.  

My favourite artist is Rothko, my favourite music is African, my favourite subjects are mathematics and music. I love poetry, the world's greatest poets do not waste one word.  As Dana Gioia said 'Poetry is the art of using words charged with their utmost meaning'

Lenses on our lives are made through the simplest of activities. The clearer the lens the more you will see humanity and this world for what it truly can be.  

Purity of thought, clarity of words, how we relate to others and what we give to humanity define us.  Running, for me, has allowed me to see this  in an uncluttered and simple manner.  We do not need to make our lives full to live, we need to empty to be! 

A poem by Mary Oliver

You do not have to be good

You do not have to walk on your knees

For a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.

You only have to let the soft animal of your body 

Love what it loves.

Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.

Meanwhile the world goes on.

Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain

Are moving across the landscapes,

Over the prairies and deep trees,

The mountains and the rivers.

meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue sky,

Are heading home again.

Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,

The world offers to your imagination,

Calls to you like wild geese, harsh and exciting-

Over and over announcing your place

In the family of things.

On saying 'thankyou'

Do you ever say 'Thankyou' to yourself?  Are you ever grateful and compassionate to you? In this very brief discussion I look at the possibility that the answer to most of our woes is to focus on inner compassion, letting go of anguish beginning with the simple word 'Thankyou'. I am not talking about being over generous, greedy or even the word which is often used as a positive but I still view with suspicion namely pride.  Personally the flip side of pride is jealousy.  

We start, however,  with a radio show ( I think radio 2)  I was listening  to.  On the show  Archbishop of York (Dr John Sentamu)  was discussing how he approaches the beginning of  each new day.  I was struck by one thing  he said and one thing  alone and it was this; every time he wakes up for a new day he always begins the day by saying 'thank you lord'. 

I thought long and hard about this, it seemed so simple, but, as  I thought about it, a gradual sense of growing awareness seeped into my consciousness.  'Thankyou, hmmmmm'.   Worth a try I thought.  So I resolved to say Thankyou the next morning.  As I opened my eyes the next morning I remembered my promise to myself and I  focused on a good breath, deep and pure and on the out breath saying 'Thankyou' to myself.

The sensation was good, cleansing; it felt that any anguish was being let go.  Of course this  is the whole point of Buddhism and meditation but here was an answer and action that came from the left field.  I enjoyed the sensation of  saying Thankyou to 'who or what ever'.  

So I began to say Thankyou whenever I felt a little stressed or busy, peeling the carrots, doing the ironing!  Why say Thankyou to these things? It is simple really. The reason I say Thankyou is because I can peel carrots, I can do the ironing and I can cook etc.  the act of saying thankyou to the simplest of things brings an awareness to that act.  I also say Thankyou before running and after running.  If the run has gone well and achieved some good form a Thankyou for that is good but I also focus on the route, what I saw and noticed on the way.  If the run was curtailed or changed because I felt a little out of sorts then good, I acted and changed and was observant. No harm there!  

Again I stress the simplicity of this action is fundamental in achieving an empty state of mind. We tend to go from task to task and not observe our moments. This very simple action  can make us be more in tune and thankful for the small things in our lives.

Worth a try? 

Tuning our Instrument

One of the analogies I use when teaching chi running is the idea that we are musical instruments that need tuning up.  In particular I focus on the principle that we are  both stringed  and wind instruments and that the quality  of the sound produced  is linked to the construct of the instrument and how you play it.  This idea helps people appreciate that we are all in need of aligning and  regular tuning and that the wind (our breath) is the key to the sound their  instrument makes.  

This helps a lot of people who approach form analysis in a heavy handed manner.  That is, they would like instant or quick results after the session.  The instrument analogy is a strong one because it allows the principle of practice and mastery to be understood.  When you first begin playing an instrument one can feel clumsy and a little out of sorts. 'Getting it'  takes time and although we would love to play fast pieces of music there is a deep understanding that practice makes perfect.  Running in my mind is no different from any other skill.  As you understand your instrument, alignment and breath you will get the best out of it.  Even as we get older your will simply sound different.  Not as fast but perhaps more graceful, thoughtful and at peace with the simplest of activities.  

This analogy helps further when developing the idea of practising with control and the common error of aiming too high for speed and impressive short times early in the development of mastery when of course all good musicians would say learn to play slowly and well and only increase your speed when you have mastered the basics.  This is true of many many things in life not only music and running.  

The best recreational activities are the ones that can help us become a more focused, compassionate individual who grows and becomes more sensitive to the needs of others and is much more in tune with what the present can give. They also impact on how we interact in other areas of our lives.  In a study at Southern Illinois University it was concluded that individuals experiencing leisure activities to the fullest have:

•A feeling of freedom

•Total absorption in the activity at hand

•Lack or focus on self

•Enhanced perception of objects and events

•Little Awareness of the passage of time

•Increased sensitivity  to body sensations

•Increased sensitivity to emotions

So by using the metaphor of an instrument that requires constant tuning and developing a mastery by practice we can see that really we are approaching a deeper state of awareness in ourselves. In gaining mastery of ourselves we must have the correct effort, complete focus and a deep calm resonant state to perform at our best. 

Extremes in running.....

Not quite, but in my training to be a chi running instructor and now a practicing chi running instructor I have been intrigued in meeting these ultra marathon runners.  For those who do not know the term these are  people who run more then a marathon length for an event.  Some events such as the Marathon des Sables run across the Sahara for 150 miles or other events, such as the Itarod trail, run  the 1000 miles across the Alaska wilderness following the husky race track which is used in the winter for the sleigh race.  Some of my chi running colleagues regard this as small fry!  My friend Purna ran 3500 miles around the same New York City block in 50 days, his aim was to achieve a form of transcendental meditative high.  Another colleague, Marion,  thinks nothing of running for 6 hours on a beach or running for 24 hours around a 400m track.  I am an infant in the eyes of these distance monsters :)

I am smiling as I  write this because when I discuss the reasons why I run with these people, they are  fundamentally the same as the reasons why they run. Increased clarity of thought, focus, sense of balance, mastery of breath and improved feeling of well being.  

I , though, have an obsessive background. I have a feeling that if I pursued ultra marathon running or iron man events I would ask all to follow in my wake , my sense of personal balance would be lost. Also I have the T shirt in two ways, one physical and one mental. In my brief stint in the armed forces I spent two weeks surviving in the New Forest. We were chased by Royal Marines, starved, forced marched for 24 hours and I  lost about 2 stone in weight, I know about exertion and focus and to be honest I survived. 

I come from the generation whose parents fought in the 2nd World War.  My Father never talked about it but I got the sense that because he survived the atrocities and true horror of war he was content with this so called mundane life.  He would repeatedly say ' you have no idea!'. Perhaps because our path is not full of life and death choices that some of us strive to be questioned in an extreme manner?  In addition nursing a terminally ill child for two years leaves deep scars that heal well if you know what to avoid.  Running to the point of extreme endurance I think would open these wounds again.  Leave well alone :). But you enjoy them ok!

Another key issue that seems to reappear in the distance running literature is achieving a sense of enlightenment, a sense of deep realisation of who you are and your place in the Universe.  Many people come to running after surviving ill health, psychological problems or simply feeling overwhelmed about their responsibilities in the world. A good way of thinking about this is seeing a stable and wholesome self as securely suspended by strong cables. These cables would represent love, family, community, relationships and basic needs.  If you replaced these cables by very many fine threads then perhaps you could see these threads as quick fixes, short relationships, meaningless friendships, materialism and a sense of always reinventing yourself according to your immediate position.  It takes a great force to break many thick cables and sadly it does happen but more often than not a simple swipe of a sharp blade will cut many or all the threads.  Many people have a life suspended by a multitude of thin threads.  They feel that these are required and that allowing more thin threads to further suspend their lives will bring meaning and purpose to their lives.

I have been challenged to re think and re-script many times in my life. My conclusions are that one needs to identify those threads that need to be replaced by strong cables.  However, and this is important, if you are not compassionate to yourself,allowing yourself time to grow in physicality and emotional maturity then you will never find these cables out. In other words what do we really need to live? The level of maturity a person has is how much they can dispose of and still be content.

Unbelievably running does just that, if you allow yourself to focus on  running as a process for you and not simply an outcome to be squeezed into a challenge frame of mind then you learn to be compassionate to yourself, your awareness of who you are becomes heightened and, if following a form based approach to running, then your understanding of what a moment can bring becomes clear.  When I teach chi running I emphasise that I am not teaching a static fixed movement that is rigid but an awareness that the window of balance is fluid, this moves depending on the surface, gradient or just with you.

This has strong links to Iyengar yoga asanas where the appearance of a static posture is very deceiving, when in posture the movement is either internal, focusing on energising lines and alignment or external by focusing on small body corrections to allow for the further  flow of energy to run smooth across and around your body. 

An example in my own running practice has been focusing on my hands during running. Such a small thing I hear you say.  Well my right wrist has a habit of dropping and my thumb does not point 'thumb to nipple' instead it moves horizontally.  It takes a good deal of concentration to focus on correcting this but strangely my running feels more fluid when the alignment issue has been corrected.  The parallels to yoga practice are clear.  It took me a good 2 years to turn my arms correctly in a certain yoga posture.  The result? A more aligned, controlled and engaged form that was controlled by me.  

So much to think about , in the next article I am going to give you my secrets on how to defeat stress and anxiety and allow a more compassionate self to flow out into the open.

We are hard wired to Run

As part of my part time freelance lifestyle I also happen to be a maths tutor. I really enjoy this role as I can see young people grow in confidence, not only in tackling a subject they had found difficult, but they also seem to develop a new found aura of confidence.  Interestingly enough, parents also report that their whole child's demeanour seems to improve?

The other day I was tutoring a young man and the conversation turned to the general idea of how we learn, I know , I can hear you, this is no normal tutor.  Anyway my thoughts to turned to Noam Chomsky who wrote extensively about many things but in particular he wrote about how we acquire and develop language. Basically, he argued, we are wired for language, when we are born we acquire language provided we are placed under  the right conditions for this to happen.  Our circuits for language just need tuning and refining.  It is all there in our brains ready for the triggers and switches to be turned on.

Speaking to my trustee I discussed the idea of speaking mathematics and training your mind to initiate learning through dialogue.  The point being that we are hard wired for mathematics as we are in language acquisition. So for the session I insisted that he spoke out his thoughts when solving the set problems.  This practice of focusing your language as you think slows your thoughts down , encourages reasoning and reflection and also promotes deeper 'thought furrows' in your mind.  Quality thinking penetrates your mind and has strong comparisons to the Buddhist approach  of mindfulness.

It does not take a great leap  to deduce that our human minds are different from other animals because we think mathematically, artistically, philosophically, have a complex language and  of course we also have the ability to make tools.   

Where is the running I hear you cry!  Well our bodies are the hero. I am amazed just how adaptive and how quickly our bodies  change when we begin to exercise. Equally I am amazed that even those people who live unhealthy lifestyles , overweight or simply sedentary in the extreme can respond so well in such a short space of time to adding some activity and changing their diet.   

The key difference in chi running is that the process of running is defined. If you take the example of the tutee he simply wanted to 'survive' each mathematics problem and 'get to the end'.  Many runners who first attend my chi running classes have cottoned on to the  fact that there must be more to running then simply the end product. Some are intrinsically aware that following this programme or that programme have the external measures of time but perhaps the holistic sense of activity is not being answered or even asked.  In other words they arrive home from a training session in a more stressed state of mind because they have not achieved the specific outcome.  In Chi running the process and signposts of form are as  important in raising your awareness of the present. Your running furrows become deeper: you appreciate metaphorically and physically each step.  Chi Running improves mindfulness, enhances your quality of thought and gives a sense of balance.  This is above and beyond the physical benefits of running which there are plenty.  

What I would say to those people who are performance based or at an elite level may need to reexamine the question of training.  The benefits of mindfulness coaching and meditation together with exercise create, in my view, a more resilient and focused athlete.  

In my previous article I discussed the term Dis- ease.  Our constructed society focuses on the next thing, the qualification to enable you to......., the coaching certificate so that you can.......almost a sense of badge collecting.  Find a crafts person making something, drawing something,  watch their focus on the exactness of that moment, they realise that each part of the process depends on the previous action.  There is no ego attached to this; the whole process is an act of giving yourself  up entirely to the creative process.  Think about  treating your running as learning a new skill. It takes time to apply the chi running focuses and develop a sense of craft to this but as your senses develop take in each moment; then the act of running becomes a form of meditation. 

Wherever you go, there you are!

I was surprised to see so many had read my previous article and how many had recommended it to others via Facebook!  Many thanks it pleased me to think others found it of value.  So, inspired, I have dared to write another article about running and yoga. 

The title may confuse people or it may at least feel a little unclear about the aim of this short article.  However the key point I want to get across is that many of us spend too much time on the 'next thing' with too many distractions around us and not enough time focusing on the present, the now; the things that matter to us may be future based but you can do a lot of good by focusing your attention on the moment and letting go of the chattering monkeys' in your head.  

Clearly I must return to my home base of meditation, yoga and Buddhist thought to answer these concerns and why I think the simple act of running can help so much if approached from a different viewpoint. Before then let us remind ourselves of the quantitative evidence about exercise.  

There is clear physiological evidence that exercise is mentally good for us, seratonin levels rise and our 'feel good' outlook increases.  Exercise has lasting effects on us and is not isolated at the point of exercise so all this is a good thing.  I would, though, like to ask what motivates us to run? Do we approach running and exercise as an escape from our daily lives which are uneasy in terms of balance, relationships and direction? Do we use exercise as a sort of shield that needs thickening up on a regular basis from the daily onslaught of work, tasks and simple survival.  Is it possible for exercise and the act of running to develop clear thought and careful attention to detail in terms of work and relationships?  Can running do this?  

Jon Kabat-Zinn in his book 'coming to our senses' points to a requirement in society to come to terms with our dis-ease. In the book he clearly details the benefits of mindfulness and the practice of meditation in developing this laser light awareness of breath, self and of a deeper awareness of others.  He suggests, I agree with him , that we are ill at ease with ourselves and the uneasiness is countered by busy-ness and distractions from the moment by moment issues that we all must face.

When you run are you dominated by thoughts of time, training and the next challenge?  Do you need these challenges to motivate yourself to  run?  What if there were no challenges at all. No T shirt or medal would you still run? Are you running to lose weight and look better?  I understand  completely about the benefits of training, competition and challenges. You can use these to hone your skills, improve your performances and do some great work for charity. But as a yogi, there are no competitions or performances only you.  The principles of yoga are based on alignment of the mind and body, yoking and tying the two together with the postures.  It is not about who is the most bendy, supplest and who looks good.  You focus on you and where you are at the moment.  Postures come alive with that focus on energy, breath and alignment.  What is interesting is that as you develop practice then this practice informs and changes your life.  You become present and aware of self and your surroundings.  You certainly become more in tune with people and resonate an awareness back. 

So now we come to running and the development of this point in your running practice.  This though is my first point. Your running practice, not competing, not completing just the process of running.  Chi running does focus on form and the meaning of that in your running in terms of the biomechanics and efficiency however it also clearly stresses identifying clear signposts in your body to align and focus on.  Hence it equates in my eyes  as a yoga posture with clear benefits equal to yoga.  Either way minimalist running insists that you must attend and be attentive to your form and feet.  You are more in tune with the environment and as a result more mindful and thoughtful. 

Approaching running  as a practice I have found that I naturally run more.  In terms of training terms I have increased my volume for  running but only as a natural consequence of form development and extending time spent running matched to aerobic improvement. This does parallel well with a yoga posture I know  and have finally come to terms with.  'Dog with head down' is, in yoga terms, a resting posture. When I first met this I could hardly keep the form for a minute!  It was so tiring and stressful. Now 15 years in, yes it is a resting posture, I understand the form and my body has conditioned itself to focus on the key elements that bring the posture together.  So there is the parallel with focusing on your form as a runner.  Fluency develops with time and provided you have the correct signposts at your disposal then your practice develops at the correct rate for you.  

The best effect of form running is that this does influence you outside of your running time. As you become more aware of your body and it's responsiveness to different environments   You become more acutely aware of your inner you (breathing) and how you respond and engage with the outer you(improved relationships, calmer, focused, steady, time for people) . 

A lot to take in and I suppose it again may challenge some.  Finally if people were more mindful, compassionate and understanding would we be in this mess now?  It is such a shame but I have not heard those words being used in the very senior debate that world leaders are having re the world and it's economy. Perhaps they should run? :)

The Art of Nothing Special

Let me start with a phrase from B K S Iyengar one of the great yoga teachers of our age who stated  'western minds and eastern thoughts' as a way of understanding the mutual strengths of both apparently opposing philosophies.   When one thinks of running I reckon most people think of a hard rational training approach to their running development, this would include training programmes, the science of shoes, competition and the like.  This, in my view, would be the western mind.  When one thinks of yoga and other alternative forms of exercise I think most people view them as a soft option, holistic and soft and fluffy around the edges. A lack of impact in an exercise regime that needs a clear outcome.  Sound familiar?

I am a yogi first and a runner second, I happen to be a chi running instructor ,  Iyengar yoga student with 15 years experience and a keen tour cyclist. I do 'stuff' to keep myself fit,mentally, as well as physically.  I have, thanks to my PE and Maths teaching background, a lot of 'coaching awards'.  So I understand about technique, drills and performance related targets.  They do work but I believe there is a missing element when one only approaches exercise in this manner.

Let me first explain why I practice yoga.   I will then briefly discuss how I changed my running programme to fit my overall well being philosophy. I  can only give signposts here but I have recommendations for further reading at the end of this article.

When I first began yoga it was three weeks after we lost our first daughter to tragic circumstances. A friend recommended the class and to be honest I needed something after two years of all consuming care, hospitals and the ultimate decision any parent would wish to avoid.  I was, in a sense, I believe ripe for re-scripting my views on exercise.  I should explain that in my twenties I was somewhat of an exercise junkie, long distance swims, cycling, weights etc were all consumed with a desire and perhaps even a narcissistic passion.

My time in the armed forces demanded competition and physical exertion. Put these two together and you have a description of me of old.  Attending yoga class for the first few times I focused on the territory I knew and could achieve.  That being 'who is the bendiest, who can keep the pose for longest'. I attended with a group of three other men; we certainly enjoyed it but again the desire for fitness was all consuming.

To cut a long story very short, yoga is not about exercise.  Yoga is about gaining an understanding that mind and body unite together through the asanas (poses) which are bonded by the breath ( the wind of the instrument).  Over the years I have learnt to be compassionate and generous in practice. To still my mind and focus on the now, the moment.  The outcome of yoga permeates life and as a result I have to come to terms with what mental and physical well being means.  The problem with yoga is that benefits are not immediately apparent ( western minds again). We demand immediate results, the now and do not pay attention to the process.  Yoga demands that we evolve in practice and grow mentally, becoming more resilient to what life can and does throw at us.  I am not sure a pure exercise regime does that.

Now we come  to running, as much as I love yoga I also love to run. The joy in simply being outside ( I stress here natural trails, beaches and mountains)is a real stimulus and gives further balance.

This was not always the case and even when practicing yoga I would run in a more muscle orientated manner.  This was fine to about mile 15 but bad form would take it's toll and I would collapse with foot injuries, Achilles strains or muscle pain.  What I did not realise but do now is that yoga is, of course, practised in bare feet.  We focus on strong feet being the initiator of a good line through your body including your core.  By strapping my feet to heavy trainers I lost my connection with my feet;my breath became ragged and I defaulted back to 'muscle man running'.

 Understanding that minimalist/barefoot running is not  a fad but about tuning into your environment in a more natural and instinctive manner.  For example, your body makes micro adjustments when you run barefoot in the sand. I get most of my chi running students to do this exercise on my local beach.  As a result of forming a running practice that focuses on good form ( chi running) then distance finally speed one recognises that fluency in running is achieved by practicing slowly, correctly and persistently this then is finally transformed to speed ( I must digress, Mozart is reputed to have said 'it is easier to play quickly and make mistakes, but is that music?).

Let me now share some thoughts from Shunryu Suzuki a Zen practitioner and master.  The book is recommended for reading among others at the end of this article.   I will take a few of his short article headers  and amplify the point through to what I think about when I run. it may be challenging for some of you to see running in this way.  I will be honest with you, it was for me but I had had enough of battling with time/speed and a former me that was no longer relevant.

BEGINNERS MIND

In Japan the word ‘shoshin’ means beginners mind.  Approaching your running in a beginners way every day means stripping bare all misconceptions, failures and successes.  Practicing means beginning again and focusing as you would as if you were learning fresh, from the beginning. Yes, learn from previous but do not cloud your mind in assumption  of knowing.

BREATHING

 Here I challenge you to observe every single breath when you run.  View your in breath as entering your inner world, the out breath as entering the outer world.  Thin long breaths through your nose work so much better than through the mouth, if you are gasping for breath and breathing hard then you are past your edge, slow down and breath long and thin.  when you observe your breath in this manner you are in tune with you, and interestingly tension in shoulders, legs and arms disappears.  Even if you get a few seconds of this feeling you will understand its potential.  Barefoot running or minimalist running heightens this sensation and, as I have found, my feet relax through this breath and I run quieter, more controlled and in tune with my surroundings.

NOTHING SPECIAL

Running is a simple practice, if you practice it everyday you will feel the power of attaining nothing special! The challenge here is to realise that yoga and running I believe give us humility in practice.  When I finish a run or complete yoga practice I do not feel the need to speak.  I am nothing.  Our lives seem to about attaining things, wealth or stuff.  Have you ever thought about attaining nothing. Run with no desire to attain.  If you find this difficult run at least once a week with no Garmin, no landmarks, just you and your breath and observe the effects.

Of course I could go on and I will not attempt to replace thousands years of philosophy but I would like to leave you with a sentence or two from Erich Schiffman about effort and practice.  

'The hall mark of practice is wholeness, wholeheartedness, not being in conflict.......it is not about pushing through the pain or overcoming pain, no pain no gain.  If you are having to be brave and courageous in order to stoically withstand excessive intensity you are pushing too hard, you are fighting.  Never fight yourself, yoga/running is not about fighting.  Intensify when appropriate. Practice skilfully.  The optimum degree of intensity is the amount that elicits your fullest attention.’  

I hope this article makes you reflect on what running and practising running can be about.  It may challenge a few of you but  I believe that is a good thing.  Below is a brief bibliography of books that I have read and placed in order of 'flow'.  Enjoy!

RUNNING BOOKS

Chi running 2009. Danny Dreyer

RUN: The mind-body method of running by feel. Matt Fitzgerald

The runners body. Ross Tucker and Jonathan Ducas

YOGA AND MINDFULNESS

Yoga the spirit and practice of moving into stillness. Erich Schiffman

Light on Yoga.  B K S Iyengar

Coming to our senses. Jon Kabat-Zinn

Buddhism without Beliefs.  Stephen Batchelor

The art of Happiness. HH Dalai Lama

Healing Anger:The power of patience form a Buddhist perspective HH Dalai Lama

Zen Mind, beginners mind. Shunryu Suzuki