There are a number of activities in life that truly encompass the challenges we face throughout life. Climbing is perhaps the greatest example, for it is as physically demanding as it is emotionally intimidating. The climb forces you to face your fear and conquer it, I should say, and all while challenging you to overcome the physical pain of doing so.
Just holding on can take it out of you. That’s the real lesson faced by beginners. However once we have the tools to survive, we simultaneously acquire all we need to go on and thrive. As with life itself the wide variety of routes up the wall, will naturally motivate you to keep pushing yourself to greater heights.
Belief coupled with perseverance is key. These ingredients become the perpetual self-sustaining fuel that ultimately propels us forward, riding the arrow of time as we make our mark on history.
In my case the conclusion of my first season of content has been one hell of a climb. Before beginning the leisurely stroll back to base camp, I shall naturally allow myself a moment or two to take in the sights as far as the mind can see.
Jack, Your mind's a hill,
That you can climb for thrills,
No need to find that Jill,
When you've got rhyming skill,
And the timings ill,
Each line becomes a siren shrill,
Reminding me to mine that hill,
Because I'm as high as a guy on stilts,
Aiming higher still,
With the fire builds,
A desires will,
That inspires chills...
Posted (10/12/18)
For our ancestors, the stamina required to run down prey over many hours was integral to their continued survival. So unless we suffer an injury, we generally always feel better from running. This is because it fortifies the body and mind since the exercise itself returns us to our natural state.
The ever present stress of having to find food may have abated, no longer the matter of life and death it once was. However, the positive impact running continues to have on our wellbeing is profound. The exercise invigorates the cardio vascular system, while simultaneously shaking up the chemistry within our organism. Stress is instantly reduced and often eliminated all together as the body and then mind focuses on the present.
Without even knowing it, all runners meditate. They have to in order to survive the physical suffering endured during prolonged exercise. By focusing in on the breath and cadence, every inhalation and step, we show ourselves in these moments that we can always keep going.
My advice is start with a gentle jog and see how far you get. You never know, you might find something good to eat. In truth, it makes complete sense to reawaken this primal practice of our ancestors, as it will ultimately boil down to a simple case of use it or lose it.
I don’t know why I wanna,
Hit the road like a runner,
But when I open up,
I’m ready to go hell for leather,
Like the Road Runner,
The soul brother of letting it go,
Whatever the road,
I’m ready to roam,
Only heading home,
When It’s seven in the mo,
Steady on, I just know I’ve woken up,
Ready to go full throttle,
Like a motto cross,
Forget the cycles of life,
I rode em off,
I know the boss,
He said your mind,
It’s like dynamite,
Just don’t go off,
I said hold on God,
This is the road I’m on,
I could only go on slowly rolling,
For so long,
Now to grow up,
And row beyond the phobias,
The tragedies and disease,
That have been holding us,
Forget what you’ve been told to trust,
It’s a total eclipse,
Mother Nature is adulterous,
Holding us in her grip,
While we float away oblivious,
To the rows of gifts that co-exist,
Within this oval abyss,
But at least to know it’s a gift,
Can be as good as it gets,
And that to me is the nugget kids...
Posted (15/11/18)
Commuting and travelling all over the place, we all need to get from A to B on a daily basis. Now ask yourself “How many of those journeys could have been taken on a bicycle?” I consider cycling to be the next best thing to flying, as you get to effectively sit down while sprinting. However, this appreciation hasn’t been enough to get me back onto my beautiful, not to mention extremely expensive, road bike. Hibernating for the last 3 years, the beast has been resting on the laurels of that life-changing triathlon back in September 2015.
My recent return to the pool has revitalised my attitude towards some of the other interests that I’ve been neglecting. One thing has quickly led to another so if things go to my spiritual plan then I anticipate going from strength to strength, hopefully culminating in signing up to another event in 2019.
In truth, I have only completed one race, and that was just a sprint triathlon. Yeah, whatever! It sure didn’t feel like a sprint, more like a lap of honour. It cemented in me the sense of achievement that has in turn enabled me to proceed with a renewed commitment towards my dreams.
After finishing that epic race, I was now ready to give all my time to rhyming. Quite simply I just copied and pasted the dedication and commitment needed to get me to that finish line. Overnight my relationship with my writings changed from hobby to obsession. The net result was that I became a relentless Wordsmith, working for the following 100 days in a row before taking a day off.
Predicting this consequence was the real reason I signed up to the race in the first place. My collection has more than doubled in the preceding 3 years, so without the race I doubt I would be able to say that. The experience opened my mind to my true capacity, a capacity that continues to grow the more I build on the success of the past. The question then to ask yourself is: “What would you focus all your energies on if you suddenly woke up and felt super human?” For me the answer is obvious and that’s why I know it’s time to hit the road Jack.
They say ‘Hit the road Jack’,
I should know,
But it’s so whack!
Specially when you land,
On your own back,
In fact back in the day son,
When I roamed the roads of Spain,
That rugged terrain was,
A pain on more than one occasion,
I remember racing around like,
A Sherpa on a hike,
Up and down the mountain,
On my yellow mountain bike,
I was fine cycling round at night,
Until I suddenly learned,
Like frightening lightning,
To keep my lights on,
And take my time when riding,
The thing is I was slipping and sliding,
When I went flying,
And collided with a turn right sign,
On the bright side,
Before being made to taste the curb,
I swerved on the gravelly dirt,
Thought, it wasn’t my face that hurt,
Instead my knee was in a state,
Grazed in 3 places,
I cried like an infant orphan,
On a state hospital ward,
So of course to me,
It was agony for at least ages,
Thankfully though the stitches,
Taught me to be grateful,
Along with the plateful of lolly pops,
That was my reward,
For being such a brave fool...
Posted (25/10/18)
Ever since I was strapped to my first flotation device as a little boy by my grandmother and thrown into her neighbour’s pool, I have always loved swimming. This magical connection began on the outskirts of Orgiva, a medium sized Andalusian town at the base of the Alpujara mountain range in southern Spain.
The love affair continued into adulthood. However, it wasn’t until I joined a gym with a pool that the relationship truly flourished. I would go most days of the week, preferring the exercise of swimming laps to using any of the equipment that was on offer. For a good couple of years in my early twenties I swam at least 3 times a week. It felt great and I loved myself for it. Swimming has remained a steady part of my life but the connection no longer resembles that awesome period of prolonged commitment.
Every time I do it, I feel invigorated and that’s whether I’m crunching laps or just taking it easy. Of all the exercises out there, swimming builds you up while taking the least toll on your body. It is an incredibly easy and fun thing to do, especially for those of us that are a little older, since the practice will definitely help to keep us feeling younger for longer.
As I mentioned, I used to swim multiple time a week but over the last couple of years I have gotten out of the habit of going at all. In fact I hadn’t been for a swim this year until just last month. On reflection it’s clearly no excuse, but ever since committing myself to delivering on my monthly publication obligations, I have said to myself that I was too stressed to manage everything I needed to do at once.
Well, enough is enough, I’ve truly missed it, which begs the question, why did I wait so long before following up on what I knew in my heart was the only missing ingredient in my life. I guess the moral of the story is whatever you need to do in this world, don’t delay, start today.
Wait! What are you waiting for?
Get into the water mate,
And make waves like before,
Don’t duck and dive about,
Like a clown in an eiderdown,
Get inside your bathing suit,
And make it true,
It’s time to evacuate the lazy views,
Holding you in place,
Making you sedate and blue,
And if swimming isn’t amazing you,
Remember after just one session,
In the good old pool,
You’re sure to feel as cool,
As dolphins do in the open blue...
Posted (25/09/18)
Sounds obvious you’d think, but far too many of us are not managing to do enough of this. I suggest, it is not enough to react day by day to our needs by only doing as we please here and there, clearly more needs to be done so that we can maximise our time on this planet. If you agree, then you recognise the imperative in planning ahead and enabling our future selves to make sure we live as fulfilled lives as possible.
We know when things are not going the way we want. Sometimes however, we seem to completely forget who we really are and get used to a life devoid of many of the experiences that mean the most to us. In the process of neglecting our selves we lose touch with who we are fundamentally. This lack of internal harmony leads many to become quite unhappy, if not on the outside then certainly on the inside.
I believe if you have any respect for the self, then it is not okay to say you like things and then not do them, sometimes even at all. To avoid this unnecessary outcome, it is important to remember what you like by thinking about those things and keeping them in mind.
Many often seem to act on autopilot, slowly going nowhere fast. The result is, our dreams and our passions remain out of mind and thus out of sight. Thankful though, the solution is just a matter of perspective because once we learn to truly visualise the road ahead, we will inevitably realise a great deal more of the magnificence this life has to offer you and you offer it.
Here’s what we need to do,
Before life gets blown apart,
Left for dead alone in the dark,
Get smart people!
And follow your heart,
It’s been with you from the start,
It not only knows your path,
It knows your past,
The hope it harvests,
Is known to last long after,
We turn to hopeless bastards,
It’s no disaster,
Cos we know,
The road was ours once...
Posted (15/08/18)
The detrimental effects of insufficient sleep can build up over time and leave many of us at risk of a wide range of illnesses. Fear not, for we have an unlimited supply of the best medicine we can get. Sleep. Make no mistake, the body needs this precious time to heal itself, so it should make sense then not to stand in the way of this process.
We can all agree that sleep is seriously awesome and since it always feels good to get some you might naturally assume that we would all be getting enough. However, in this age of endless distractions that is simply not the case.
The continuous stream of input the modern world has to offer has ultimately led to vast swathes to mismanage their regenerative needs. It has been suggested that as many as one in two of the population routinely get by on 6 hours or less. Our bodies are clearly crying out for more but unfortunately optimum sleep is not widely viewed as vital to our wellbeing because we can survive on less.
We should think of sleep however in the same light as oxygen and water, two essential ingredients for our continued survival. This type of thinking would help many make sure they maximised their ability to flourish and in the process make the most of their lives. It really should not be underestimated what can be achieved on the back of a good nights sleep.
Every spirit is powered,
By the way we spend our limited hours,
Just take a look at the way,
An infant baby behaves,
It’s favourite state,
Is to remain sedated,
Safe in its happy place,
That’s until it needs its nappy changed,
Indeed, but our needs haven’t changed,
And yet in the main we’re not acting right,
Sighing and constantly unsatisfied,
While sat awake late at night,
Watching nonsense on satellite...
Posted (03/07/18)
I’ve had a lot of people tell me that they prefer reading a book as opposed to listening to one. Fair enough, however my feeling is why not do both. In some cases I have found that the voice of an accomplished reader can enhance the experience. Admittedly though, this can go both ways.
As far as the Alan Watts audio books are concerned, they are simply recordings of intimate lectures he gave on the nature of the mind, religion and our relationship with the universe. Reading these words for yourself simply wouldn’t do them justice, for the substance of Dr Watts ideas along with the warmth and wit of his delivery all raise his collection to the level of timeless classics.
I could easily let Dr Philosopher take over and wax lyrical about Alan Watts and all that his teachings have to offer. However, my message here goes beyond any particular philosophical approach to life. I am driven to urging each and every one of us to maximise our existence. The key ingredient is learning, in all its forms and at any time of day, in my opinion audio books don’t attempt to replace the printed word, they simply expand the reach of those precious words to many more ears as well as eyes.
Time and again I find his audiobooks manage to calm my mind, giving it peace in amongst all the chatter. Whatever you want out of life, understanding the nature of the voice within is going going to make it significantly easier to accomplish. Alan Watts is part of the reason I don’t stand in my own way anymore and I mean that from a physiological as well as psychological point of view. I am far more at peace with my shortcomings than ever before. Finding this inner calmness has been the catalyst to making much better decisions. I have thus rewritten my self image and this time with a happy ending in mind.
Alan Watts was a man and sage,
That had a lot so say about Man,
And what not to say,
To your God damn aching brain,
As it plays it’s crazy games,
It's safe to say these days,
That most want to switch lanes,
But can't stop fixating on the mistakes,
The trick is to not stay,
Another day in dismay,
Just take each day as a gift gained,
This way we can take a stand,
And liberate our fate,
With stake in hand...
Posted (08/06/18)
I understand the idea of having a cold shower seems like complete madness to many people. Clearly it can be quite unpleasant at first but don't be fooled by these initial impressions and certainly don't be too quick to dismiss the cold as the enemy. While it may seem like a powerful foe, the cold is in fact an ally.
Our overprotected, centrally heated, easy going modern lifestyles have meant that many of our natural defences are are deeply out of practice. As a result we have grown soft and we have grown weak. They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, cold exposure is perhaps the greatest validation of this saying.
The cold challenges our autonomic system to stand up and be counted. This is our fight or flight response to danger, in this case the danger being hyperthermia. Remarkably your body is prepared for this situation and acts immediately to raise your heart rate to increase your circulatory system and protect your vital organs.
Now if you think I'm crazy just wait until you see the 'Ice Man', Wim Hof and his outstanding achievements. He has become super human and as far as he is concerned, it's all thanks to regularly exposing his mind and body to the icy cold water. In conjunction with a simple yet profound breathing technique he has opened up his powerful method to the world. Knowledge is clearly power, so why not empower yourself with this free and naturally enriching knowledge.
If your mind is quite sour,
And your life lacks the right power,
It might be time to act,
And try a nice cold shower,
There's no debating facts,
If you take it up,
And turn the tap daily,
You will feel so elated,
Your soul will levitate,
So simply don't wait or hesitate,
Go ahead and tolerate,
As cold as you can take...
Posted (03/05/18)
I don't claim to live a perfect life, nor would I want to, in my opinion the game would be over the moment I did. Having said that, I want to keep improving. Throughout our lives change is inevitable, however growth is not. Most of us aspire to improve our lifestyles in some way or another. The defining difference between those who manage to keep evolving and those that don't is ATTITUDE. This critical catalyst is a force that has to come from within. As with all things in life it ebbs and flows like the wind.
If you want to keep going in the right direction, my advice is don't look back. The future is what matters most of all and the best way of focusing on it is by doing something positive now. Whatever timescale you are working to it is important to set targets and goals to clarify your path ahead. Don't worry if these behaviours and activities change over time, we are constantly changing, so your vision for your future will naturally change too. It's only when minimal change is occurring that the alarm bells should start ringing.
(Posted 02/04/18)
WISE MIND FRAME
Come along,
And see that life's a dream,
It's never too late,
To become who you might have been,
All along,
You just needed to ignite the seed,
And I don't mean light some weed dude,
Just do as you mean to,
And be true to your mind,
As you fight and strive,
To let the light stream through,
All we need to do is think a bit,
Especially when the answers are at hand,
Like our fingertips,
Just to exist is a gift,
You see; The past can be forgiven,
Since the present is a blessing,
That’s taken just as swift as it's given,
Appreciation is the wise mind frame,
That elevates the brains awareness,
In times of strain,
To a state of fullness again,
All the same,
The name of the game,
Is to maintain the fort,
And remain on a plane of thought,
That stays the course...
At the time of writing this article the human race was incapable of unaided flight. This is a genuine limitation, an important limitation to be aware of when standing on a balcony or cliff edge. Knowing your limitations can be useful even life saving at times. In most cases however people tend to assume limitation where they don't exist. These limits in the mind manifest to actually limit the mind itself.
The end result is that we suppress our capacity for growth and in turn prevent ourselves reaching our full potential. Why choose limitations over growth and learning from new experiences.
My advice to anyone who feels like they are holding themselves back is to jump start the process. Be brave and commit to a challenge you've always wanted to take on or wished you could but simply didn't try because of a fear of one thing or another. Sign up to a race, join a class or pick up an instrument, whatever the case may be the hardest step is always the first. Thankfully you can get that bit over and done with quickly, so you can focus on the rest of your life and all the possibilities that lay ahead.
(Posted 28/02/18)
HIGH TIME WE TRY
Life is quite fine,
If you like trying,
Otherwise you might find,
You're always running out of time,
Like a sky dive...
Wherever you place your self on the scale of healthy eating, we can all do with fine tuning our diets. Now I'm not about to suggest any particular nutritional style over another. We all have different needs and requirements so my advice cuts through all the hype and gets straight to the point. Firstly, educate yourself as to which foods are good for your wellbeing, paying particular attention to SUPERFOODS, these are foods that are rich in nutrients, which in turn have significant benefits for your mind and body.
Secondly be brave and find out which healthy foods you like and eat more of them. If you don't do it then it won't happen. The idea that change somehow occurs at some point in the future when you're good and ready is a deliberate delaying tactic by the misguided and unwise self in us to impose its will. It is very clever because it pretends to agree by suggesting change will happen at some point. The tragedy is however, that as ever there is no time like the present.
Posted (31/01/18)
ALIVE AND WINNING
Life is for living,
Death is when we give in,
Until then I intend to give it,
One hell of a kicking,
I'll never let the lies,
Wreck my rhythm,
Always set my sights on winning,
And willing to rectify,
My position,
If I find I've stepped the line,
I just remind my mind,
To get to trying,
Since I can testify,
It seeds the wisdom,
To forget regret,
And be forgiving...