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 :)