Listening

There is an art to
listening.
To be absorbed in the fabric of a
voice...becoming echos in a familiar conversation once
told a thousand lives before.
Until stillness is the only truth to
hear

Politcal Rant of the Convention Season (#1)

I'm tired of politics. Yes, I'm going to sound politically biased here I'm sure - I usually vote Democrat. There are many reasons for this but the most ironic one is that I don't believe that the government should dictate marriage policies - marriage should be regulated while big business and manufacturing plants should be deregulated? This makes no sense to me. All government can be obtrusive at times - however I like the thought of government having my back in times of crisis. Could they do a better job of it? No doubt. But it's hypocritical to run on a platform of small government and then accepting the emergency handout funds. It's also hypocritical to stand on a platform and outright lie about the policies of your opposing party - this is true for Democrats and Republicans. And shame on any audience for not fact checking ANY speaker. It's nice to believe the words that we're fed but lies will always have a bitter aftertaste. So this is just a small political rant. It happens just a few times a year so thanks for being patient with me!

Peace,
Eric

Hung -Sau

One of the very first meditation techniques I learned many years ago was Hung-Sau Mantra meditation. I first read of this in Paramahansa Yogananda" Autobiography Of A Yogi. This book had a profound impact on my spiritual life that carries forward to this day. The meditation is a beautiful blend of breath, mantra and concentration on the 6th chakra - the spiritual eye. It teaches at one both detachment and devotion. It stills the mind to allow direction communication with God through the stillness of our thoughts. As Herman Melville states in Mobey Dick -" Silence is the only true voice of God" Lately I have felt called to renew my relationship with the Hung-Sau Mantra and the works of Paramahansa Yogananda again. The meditation technique offers real world benefits of calmness of mind, sharpened concentration and intuition. Right now it feels like coming home. I am always a little reluctant to switch methods of meditation as often it is a trick of the ego calling for something new to provide another distraction from the task at hand - namely limiting the sirens call of a ego driven life. Yet right now it feels more the call of spirit to listen just a little more deeply than perhaps I have been. It's time to listen, it's time to breathe and it's time to be.

Peace,
Eric

There Is No World (and yet you're it)

You whisper through my
Veins…almost
Soundless.
But I listen,
And respond…my pulse beating
Echoes only you can hear.

~
It's the world...and
beyond -
existing in flesh and thought and still
more - an unseen heart beating as
the soul of our connection.

You...are the world of my
existence.


~
The thought that we are separate - that we are apart through time and distance is the worlds great lie. There is no place where we leave off and the world begins. There is no space that falls between us that does not contain the thought of you - there is no world - only you in every possible dimension.

Survival

Today while running with a friend we were witness to a bloody scene - a hawk in mid capture of a small rabbit. The hawk flew away while we approached but didn't go far. The rabbit was still alive but was pretty far gone. We watched the hawk as we passed by - a beautiful creature. I said a small prayer for the rabbit and we left quickly hoping the hawk would return and end the rabbits sufferings. I briefly thought of ending the rabbits suffering myself but honestly didn't  know if I was capable with my bare hands and the hawk was pretty watchful - I definitely didn't want to tangle with him.
 My friend commented to me that blew a hole in my vegan theory (it's not a theory) - her line of reasoning is that nature is brutal and there is predator and there is prey. I won't argue this. I don't argue with hunters who hunt to solely to feed their family. I won't do it. I don't have to do it. So no reason for me to do so. Yes, nature is brutal. I felt for that poor rabbit and wished I could have helped her - yet I'm happy the hawk would eat and feed it's family. That's the duality of nature and there's a certain fierce grace at play here. I watch it unfold and I feel for each creature. The hawk soared high above searching for this rabbit that would become it's meal - there was hunger and need behind its motive. The rabbit fled, did it's best to hide and then fight. It certainly would not be able to over power such a large bird. Yet it fought for its life that it held precious. Perhaps at another time it would have out run the hawk, or hidden better - the hawk would fly away hungry - in search again for another meal. That's nature and that's the grace of chance. One died in ordered for another it live.
Nothing has to die - nothing has to die in a brutal fashion - for me to live. If I needed meat I could hunt and I would hunt. I'm just fine without it. To equate the scene of survival witnessed this morning with the suffering of animals trapped within the horrors of a factory farm is misguided at best and disingenuous as well. Spend an hour watching where your food comes from (hint - it's not the supermarket) and tell me otherwise.

Peace,
Eric

Trail Running

I love runner (as if that wasn't obvious) but especially trail running. Eve though it has been limited lately to 1-2 times a week it still holds a valuable and special place for me in my training and racing plan. There is something infinitely more primal about running on the trails through the deep woods. The movement is different and the terrain itself forces a runner to be more aware, more mindful. This sharpens the senses, the mind and the body at the same time. It becomes a bit more meditative as well as our awareness increases through this sharp focus. With the body moving in a more fluid motion the smaller muscles as well as the core gets a tremendous workout that is missed with regular run running. I know that with a proper mixture of road and trail I am a much healthier as well as happier runner. If you're a regular road runner it is well worth the effort to find some time to hit the trail.

Peace,
Eric

Freddie the Cat

I have a very sick cat. My wife and I rescued this cat from a farm up in northern Pennsylvania - he was just a dirty little kitten that was looking for attention. There was a threat that he might not last too long up there as he was always getting underfoot - plus there were foxes, bobcats and coyotes out there. Didn't seem like we had much of a choice but to take him home and he immedietly fell in love with being an inside cat - and he loved being with people. He still does. Even being deathly ill right now he will seek attention from people. He's a very affection cat. His name is Freddie by the way - named for the late great Freddie Mercury. So that cat is part of our family and I ask for thoughts and prayers for his recovery. Thank you.

Eric

Fit and Healthy?

I know a lot of very fit people. I am friends with elite ultrarunners, marathoners, power and Olympic lifters and top level martial artist. Everyone of them can do some very impressive feats within their competitive realm and a few even step beyond their specialties and compete at high levels in other arenas as well. However I'm not sure how many healthy people I know. There are different measuring sticks to distinguish the two and they are often confused - dangerously so. There is no doubt that a bodybuilder is a extremely fit athlete, same with an ultrarunner - two different arenas, tow different builds and training modalities. Yet their health can be nearly the same - dangerously so. Unless the internal is addressed - cholesterol, blood pressure, sugar - there is no clear picture of health. And unless a proper diet is followed then health will always be less then optimal. I won't address what a proper diet is here - my position for what I believe is best is quite clear on the matter. But I will urge everyone to do some research, get their blood work done and other health screenings and make any necessary dietary adjustments from there.

Peace,
Eric

Two Runs

Today was a tempo training run - a fast pace that takes a certain amount of concentration to hold. Not an all out effort but still you're working fairly hard. I love tempo runs. I also love the long, slow run. Different and similar reasons for both. The long run allows me to relax and enjoy the scenery, talk with fellow runners and allow my mind to wander. I have had some of my favor poems magically appear in my mind on these runs - if I'm lucky they stay with me until I can write them down. These are incredibly enjoyable runs.
The tempo run is about concentration. The pace isn't so bad that I can't talk - but a conversation would take the mental edge I'm looking for away. This run is all about motion and with a concentrated mind the pace allows me to become part of the scenery - I run with my surroundings, dissolving into the pureness of nature, motion and effort. It's meditation in its finest form.
All runs offer something.
We just need to find the grace of their
offerings.

Peace,
Eric

Sickly Vegans?

In a country facing a major health epidemic - 42% of the population will be obese by the year 2030 according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - I find it ironic that people are concerned about my health as a vegan. Everyone I talk to seems to know a "sickly" vegan who can barely get out of bed. Meanwhile the country is getting fatter and sicker. Frankly, I don't see the sickly vegans - and I hang out with quite a few vegans. We run ultra marathons together and lift weights together. I watched many win medals at the recent Olympics and thousands compete in triathlons, fight in MMA, box (or used to box - Mike Tyson) and play football. Look around  - look anywhere - America's health crisis is evident. And those people aren't vegan. Of course some people who don't eat meat won't be mindful of what they consume and will be sickly - they're a vast minority. This is why I generally prefer to use the term Plant-Based Diet because if enough plants are consumed (not vegan friendly junk food) then it is all but impossible to be sickly. Plants make you strong.

The Poor Boiled Frog

I'm amazed at the amount of misinformation people purposely carry with them regarding their diet and health. It seems that in order for us to continue eating and living in a certain way we must refrain from gathering knowledge and applying even a bit of common sense. I don't mean this in a harsh way but as Paul McCartney once stated  -"if slaughterhouses had glass walls we would all be vegans." We simply can't think of where are food comes from or what it's doing to our health and the planet while continuing to the same habits. I don't believe it. I often liken it to the (horrible) analogy of the Boiled Frog Syndrome - if someone (not you or I) dropped a frog in a pot of boiling water it would immediately hop out (or we would save it!) but if a frog was placed in cool water with the heat gradually increased it would slowly cook to death as it adjusted to the heat until it was too late to act. On a more personal level - how many Big Macs would we eat if we immediately gained 40lbs, or cholesterol jumped 40 points along with our blood pressure? How many cigarettes would we smoke if we suffered emphysema with every one? Not many I would suppose. Yet over time we are become the boiled frog due to the heat of our thoughtless habits.
I recently urged a friend on Facebook to not worry about what she eliminated from her diet but to rather concentrate on what she can add in - fruit, vegetables, whole grains and legumes, seeds- more plant based foods in general. Another friend chimed in that he grew constipated just by reading my statement. Amazing. Someone actually believes that fruit, vegetables and grains cause constipation? And meat would fix it? That's misinformation. And it's damaging. For everyone.

Peace,
Eric

Sway

Wind,
Nothing but its
Caress…swift in the
Void of its giving.
And still each leaf sways
Grateful in its
passing.

~
So much unnoticed - as if our eyes were meant to
view the world but not the secrets of its
gifts.
Yet grace appears in the faith beyond
our senses...it's the sway of leaves
dancing in an unseen breeze.

There's a holy breeze constant in its giving...close your
eyes and sway

Practice

I was talking with a friend this morning about emotional trigger points - how it seems that we have forgiven a person or issue and out of nowhere a trigger point is targeted and we are right back at square one in dealing with our resentments. We talked about layers of forgiveness and it was only later that I realized that I was off base in my thinking on this matter. There are no layers of forgiveness. Forgiveness wipes the slate clean and we are free and it only takes a moment of true forgiveness to give us this freedom. However there are layers to our resentments and some are buried so deeply that we do not even realize they are still present. Other times we unwittingly hold on to our resentments as a means of justifying a behavior or action that we wouldn't condom if the matter was truly forgiven. For whatever reason the resentment(s) still linger. And that's why we practice forgiveness - as many times as needed. Until the resentment is no longer present, the trigger points are disarmed. We practice until we are free.
However long that takes.

Peace,
Eric

Company

A very fun, tough, hilly 20 mile run with friends today. It brings to mind an interesting thought that almost always seems to bear out - it's not where you're running but who you're running with that makes all the difference. The hills flew by today not because they were easy or my legs were strong - but because my heart was light and my mind occupied with fun conversation. It helps, it makes a difference. I'm usually a solitary runner but today was a wonderful reminder of what it's like to run in the company of good friends.

Peace,
Eric

Everyday Tantra

Everything is Tantra. Or better said still everything in life offers itself towards Tantric practice. There are many definition of Tantra and there are just as many Tantric practices. This little note here is not going to be an introduction to Tantra - that's beyond my scope and way past my limited practice. However I do want to make the point that that root word of Tantra - Tan - is Sanskrit for expand and the goal of Tantric practice - to expand past the duality of our conception into the non-dual reality of our true being. Or put more simply - expand past the borders of our everyday reactions. Think of it as an alchemical process of turning the lead of mundane living into the gold of spiritual awareness. So every day, every moment presents itself as a practice. Traffic, long lines, rude behavior - it's all a Tantric practice to expand - to transmute energy from the lower base of reactions to the higher art of clear vision. With clear vision we perceive only love and love never calls for a reaction but for response - we respond to love with love.
And that's our practice for today.
Practice - however many times as needed.
We're already perfect.
We just don't know it yet.
But we will.
With practice.

Peace,
Eric

For The King

Thirty Five years ago today we lost the great talent of Elvis Presley. I actually remember the day well - I had always liked Elvis and my neighbors were very big Elvis fans. We listened to Love Me Tender in his honor and watched Elvis movies late into the night. In the passing years I have rediscovered the raw talent of early Elvis and the soul searching heart ache of the later man. He was a man who knew something was missing from his life and along with the pills his search consisted of spiritual traditions both East and West. It's been said that the Tao De Jing was the last book in his possesion the night of his death. Clearly he was more then the pills and booze and women - he was much like you and I and our own search for spirit. Our path may (hopefuly) take more constructive turns but make no mistake we are often as lost as Elvis in his sad last days. I know I have been. I have been blessed with my own addictions that have led me towards a more lasting inner peace -and the inward search continues. I'll one day arrive (to find there was really nowhere else to go) and I hope Elvis has arrived as well. He desreves Peace. We all do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAR_pdLCThI&feature=related

We Are

With eyes closed...I feel your
world against me -
Even in the distance of a
thousand worlds
away.

~
And distance is truly an illusion of sight and mind. I am no farther then a reach of arms and closer still I am drawn against you in a breath of carried air. There is no place where you leave off and I begin - we are as the tree and sky and the crush of space
between them.
We are the spread of branches held
against a welcome
air.

We are..even in the distance thought
between us.

State Of (My) Running

July was a serious month of intesne racing and it carried over into July. Time to back off a little bit and begin to focus on a series of races for the fall. Coming up is the Air Force Marathon on September 15th. I hope to Pr this race and run it in under 4:00. Oddly enough I have never been able to bring it all together for a marathon. This could be the one. I have focused on track and tempo work while keeping my long runs steady. I'm 5 weeks out from this so my plan is to hit 16 on my long run Saturday and the next two weeks do a 20 and 22 miler before tapering.
The week after AFM is my favorite "mini ultra" Conestoga - It's a 10 miler that runs like a 50k and often takes nearly as long. This is one tough little race and it will be year four for us on its trails. After that it's on to Baltimore Marathon - exactly one month after Air Force and one month before Stone Mill 50 Mile. Baltimore will be a sight seeing training run - mostly for fun and stamina but if I can manage to get a little speed in there I will - the 4 hour mark would be nice. Baltimore is not always kind to me. Between Baltimore and Stone Mill lies some possibilities. Mostly just training and increase the volume but there's a chance for a 50k thrown in or the Columbia Metric Marathon.
I have raced close to 20 times this year and have made steady progress with some PRs thrown in - I would like to keep that steady and I'm watching my recovery to make sure it will. That's where my running is right now - thanks for reading!

Eric

A Coyote Prayer

And the coyote
Howls
at the glowing moon.

Yet what secrets will the moon
whisper back?

Perhaps only the coyote
and the moon
will ever know
for sure.

And Aahhh...such crazy wisdom
shared between the two.

Tonight
I too will howl
and share my secrets
with the moon.

And perhaps
she will whisper
something
soft -

Just for me to hear.

~
The world speaks and we too are
language told in
motion -
We are whispered from a
birth of soft expression and carried to
a point of love returned.
We are the language of the world...spoken in a
circle.

Race Recap - Ben Moore Half Marathon and AT&T Sneaks Come Out At Night 15k

Tough but fun weekend of running! First on Saturday was the Ben Moore Memorial Half Marathon. Ben Moore was an Annapolis running coach who trained thousands of people for the Marine Corp Marathon and the race is held on the his old training course. Ben must of been a very tough man because this course is no joke - tough and hilly. Ben passed away from cancer several years back and this race is held in memory. It is quite away to honor a legend because a runner definitely won't forget the last hill which feels thrown in for pure evil fun.
This was a second year running the half and it falls exactly two weeks after Catoctin 50k - there's no quick recovery from CAT so any run that feels like a success is indeed a success. I took over 5 minutes off my time from last year - ran the race strong but conservative and finished 3rd in my age group. Not my fastest time in a half but I am certainly happy about the morning run! It's an early morning race sponsored by the Kent Island Running Club and Race Director Ron Bowman does a fine job taking care of all of his runners.Ben Moore would be proud of this race and the great runners who show up every year. As always a measure of success in a race is evident by the quality of the volunteers and the Ben Moore Half displayed this perfectly. Thanks to all who showed by - handed out water, directed traffic and runners and cheered us on!

After a recovery smoothie, a little rest and some pushup - it was on to the AT&T The Sneaks Come Out At Night 15k in Baltimore city. This was a race to help the homeless and is brand new to the community - seemed a perfect way to get some high quality racing miles and no some good for a worthy cause. It also seemed like a good challenge and it certainly was. The race was held in Druid Hill Park not far from the zoo. Those who have run the Baltimore Marathon or Baltimore 10 Miler would be familiar with the area. It's hilly - but not quite as hilly as Ben Moore. But at this point in the day it didn't take much to turn a hill into a mountain.I should have adopted the same conservative approach that served me well at Ben Moore but I was anxious to see what my legs had left so ran a bit faster at the beginning. I held up well up to the last two miles when things slowed but at the point I wasn't racing and was just happy for the miles and the cool breeze of an approaching storm. I did manage 8th in my age group and over 22 quality race miles for the day. And it was fun! Again a big thanks to the Sponsor Charm City Run and all the volunteers. And a special mention to Judith who won age group at Ben Moore and placed 2nd at Sneaks Come Out At Night - strong running!

Next up is the Air Force Marathon September 15th (unless something else pops ups - like a Memorial Day 5k) Until then it's some rest and more miles.

Thanks for reading,
Eric

Long Day Of Racing

It was a long day racing. Race reviews will be written tomorrow but for now it was 3rd in age group at The Ben Moore Memorial Hlaf Marathon this morning. A tough hilly course. And this evening was 8th in age group at the AT&T Sneaks Come Out at Night 15K. So that's roughly 22.4 miles today total all done at race pace. Good day of training and a fun day of running!

Peace,
Eric

Flight

As if birds…surrendering to
The air –
We dance in the flight of
Our own imagination.

~
And all that we do begins in the mind - a world exclusive to the flight of
thoughts before the grounding force once spoken.
Dream beyond censure and speak only of a
coming truth yet unseen by
common eyes

Yet To Be

and I thank you...in the void of
who I am there is grateful
recognition -
of who I'm yet to be

5ks for Fitness

It's been my experience that those wishing to make the greatest changes in body composition are those that pick a race or goal slighter "bigger then themselves". A little bit of fear is a wonderful motivator but too much fear can keep us frozen in place - immobile in face of our challenge. 5ks and then faster 5ks are great races to build on for fitness gains and weight loss. The first race maybe just about finishing and if trained correctly everyone in decent health will be able to finish a 5k. From that point on it's about faster times - which lead to more fitness and taking the steps that support our goals. We start eating better, resting more and training smart. 5ks seem to held weekly in most areas near even the smallest city so we can race often and gain valuable experience. After some time with 5ks (and we always return to 5ks - they're always a challenge) we can begin to look for greater challenges and up our goals with a certainty that we can achieve them with the right effort - 10ks lead to half marathons and then too marathons and ultras. I've seen it happen countless times. Set the goal. Don't settle. Work hard.

Peace,
Eric

Storm

Stillness gathers
between
drops.

Listening to the
rain,

I hear the silence of
the storm.

~
Unspoken and the void is
large yet still but a
breath between
us


~
Words don't serve to fill a space but to act as a bridge...touching sides of
spirit in an holy act of union. Between all things - thoughts, words and
objects is the void that is sacred of itself.
We enter the void in silence.
And carry still the quite nature of its
essence in steps that have us wander
distance from our soul.
Yet we never leave.
For truth...this essence is our
home.

Empty Hands

There is no object to be
craved.

Desire stands alone.

In thoughts...we strive for what is
absent from our grasp.

And yet my empty hands are filled
with pleasure.

When my thoughts hold only
you.

~
There is no place where we leave off and the
world begins...we are continuous and
ourselves the lone desire that
seeks to only know
ourselves

Forgive The Toe - And The Door

I always return to forgiveness. Daily life brings thousands of slights imagined into existence for the sole purpose of the ego's satisfaction in its pursuit of separate identity. Forgiveness heals these slights in a peaceful balm of unity-  there has been no wrong - there can be no wrong in a singular expression of life. Yet the ego sees things differently - the ego sees things separately. Spirit sees all things as one. It's the spirit that forgives. If we were to walk into a door and stub our toe - would we blame the toe for hurting? Would we blame the door? We could, I guess, but what purpose would it serve? Momentary relief? Not really - the toe still hurts and the door is still there. That's the ego seeking blame. Shut the door, soothe the toe and be more mindful of our surroundings - that's the spirits council. And that's the basis for forgiveness and a peaceful mind.

Peace,
Eric

The Mr. Rogers Philosophy

What if Mr. Rogers was right all along? I simple invitation to be a neighbor, to be a friend - what if we extended this from a personal level to a local level and further still to a global level. Maybe I'm naive and too simplistic - but maybe not. If we simply refuse to view another nation as an enemy or potential enemy perhaps their point of view would change towards us. This doesn't necessarily mean letting our guard down or inviting danger into our homes or country. We can be for self-defense and still be open to the point of views of others. Every view has a point for the simple reason that another holds it dearly - it should be heard, understood and maybe even compromised with. But never rejected out of hand - that's how resentments are fostered - and enemies made. Being gentle with others (people and nations) is a sign of strength. We can afford to kind, to be giving and to welcome dissenting points of view because we are strong. Our strength comes from a higher source and won't ever be compromised. It's worth a thought - or two.

Peace,
Eric

To Call Forth The Stars

The night spreads to a blanket
of stars and moonlight.

We lie on our backs in devotion
to the sky.

All is quiet in this temple.

Opening your hands...you reach
into the night -
as if to call forth something greater
than ourselves.

And the grace of this simple
gesture -
punctuates a silence
deeper than we both can know.

And into this void...we cast our
prayers.



~
True prayer is given to silence - a void left by
spoken word and returned to
original voice.
And we converse with intent...our desires
met in quiet anticipation.
They have been
answered.

Unexamined Life Rant

It is said that Socrates' once stated "The unexamined life is not worth living." and that is quite a bold statement. Yet in the day of heightened social media where broad communication and inter-action takes place it seems that the vast majority of us live that silent horror. In recent conversations on the Chic -Fil -A controversy and again on veganism the bottom line was often brought to my attention with a simple statement -"but it taste so good" That's the reason to continue eating at an establishment that financially supports hate groups - and no I'm not talking about first amendment issues (I could care less what the CEO says or believes but I am interested in where his money goes after being given to him by an unsuspecting public) I wonder if people knew this would they still be so eager to have a "Chic-Fil-A Appreciation Day" I certainly hope not. People are eager to believe what best serves their interest and appetites. So it doesn't pay to examine where our meat comes from. One chicken sandwich doesn't make much difference anyway does it? Well, it does to the chicken facing a tortuous life. But lets not think about shall we?
Self-examination means that all our most cherished beliefs should be put forth beneath the light love and understanding. Which belief no longer serves? Which belief limits the expansion of life? Yours and mine?
The Bible is often referenced to support a long lived patterned of abuse and prejudice. Yet in what ways might our own unexamined beliefs twisted the holy word? We are fond to point a finger at Muslims who seem to practice a perverted form of Islam but the same finger can easily be reversed in our direction. Are we practicing the way of Christ or words misinterpreted by man and used to serve the will and ego? Here's my answer - I don't know. And most of us don't. It's been left unexamined for too long now. It's time to ask ourselves some questions. And be prepared for some answers we may not like.

Peace,
Eric

Listening With The River

To sit and listen with the
river...

As a breeze whispers secrets
through the grass.

And birds sing nothing to the air but
the carried flight of their
expansion.

The river moves in stillness.

While I sit in the quiet motion of
my thoughts -

Listening with the river.

~
There is a conversaton.
Beyond thought and words and the language of
the world...there is the whispered voice
of nature.
Secrets are shared.
Listen


,

Seamless

At the far end of
my gaze...

There are no distinctions.

The world falls seamless to
my eyes.

And at some point the world becomes less in its distiction of duality and there comes a truth merging right before our eyes - a flow of deep reality and all things are now one thing- with no loss of truth or beauty yet gained in a greater understanding of what is really seen.

Peace,
Eric