Doctors's Orders

January 3rd, 2012.
For two days, that have now passed, I've resigned to my bed. Doctor's orders. This Centre for fasting  has been my hospital since my arrival. We intended to be here for a five day medically monitored period of fasting. Due to catching a virus the day before, which came to full fruition while we were on the train headed for Kobe, I have been ordered to stay isolated in a private room while they monitor my recovery.
At first it seemed this was bad timing, catching a virus and then falling sick on the day we travelled to this Centre for health. Fortunately the residing Doctor and Sensei of this institution took pity on me, allowed me to stay under his care so that I can recover. Allowing a person infected with a virus free in an institue where people are without food for many days could be dangerous. I felt sorry for arriving in such a state with a temperature of 39°C (102.2°F). From one point of view, I am actually fortunate to be here now, with this virus. I might not have come, so I'd be alone in Tokyo, without knowing where to go, or what to do. I could manage it, but it would be hard and stressful to get around with such a high temperature, alone in Tokyo.

Aco is here with me. She is in this Centre, but roaming free as she will with the rest of the people. She has visited me a few times a day and brought tea. I am grateful. She is in her third day of fasting, feeling a bit dizzy she says, and with a slight headache. She was worried that she might catch the virus from me. I dont blame her.

Besides my state of health, my time here has been enlightening in a way. A retreat from the daily search, and the heavy desire for food. To be honest, I haven't though much about food, if at all, since being here. I have had some meals while being here, doctor's orders. But they were small, and I did not eat more than half of the amount that was served. I'm starting to enjoy the feeling of spaciousness in my gut and intestines. Physically and Mentally I feel light, soft, less distracted by an habitual magnetism toward eating food. Most of the time eating is done out of habit rather than necessity. I might have thirty minutes without being occupied, and almost every time I am sure, the mind, or I should say the stomach conscience raises it's monotonous plea for something to fill it up, to satisfy and pacify it.

I just had a meal, again, only eating half or less. Yesterday, around the same time, I ate less than half. Within the next hour I was violently shivering with a cold sweat. Aco thinks, it was a reaction from eating food. I agree. Whatever virus I have caught, it clearly doesnt like food. I have barely been to the toilet in three days. My body seems to want to deal only with fluids at this point. So it is logical to think I should only consume fluids while my immune sytem fights this virus. However, contrary to this logic, I have been told to keep eating while I recover.
Today might mark my ascent out of this illness, my condition has improved. That has eased my mind. No more fever reducing pills from now, Doctor's orders.

Enoshima Island

 I went to Enoshima Island, Kanagawa near Katasegawa bay, two days after visiting Oyama-san. I bought a round trip ticket from Shinjuku station. The travel agent, did not give me a good deal. He thought, I could save money just buying a round-trip, instead of a Kamakura-Enoshima day pass. In fact, it would be cheaper to buy the pass, since it gives you access to all the sights which anyone who visits the area would naturally want to see and have to pay for individually without the pass. Regardless, I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. I wish Akiko and I could visit such a place together.

 There is a lighthouse tower on the island. I bought a ticket, and went to the top. There was a good opportunity to take some photos from the high position. It was a beautiful day. Again, I owe my gratitude to Akiko's Sensei, for recommending the location. According to Sensei, the pair, Enoshima and Oyama, are connected in spirit and energy. For a long time, people have traveled from Oyama-san, to the caves at Enoshima. They are believed to be connected as yin and yang. Oyama being Yin, Enoshima Yang. Power-spots are common across Japan. This is a wonderful land, and a wonderful way to observe the power of our home world. Japanese heritage and religion is enriched by a deep sense of respect and appreciation for the land in which they have lived for many ages.

 Fuji-san

The Enoshima Iwaya Caves, Connected by a walking path.

Many people were on the Island that day. Here are some, fishing and playing, with Fuji-san across the bay.

Mount Oyama, Kanagawa.

 Photos taken during my adventure climbing up Mount Oyama in Kanagawa. From waiting at a bus stop below Oyama-san, to reaching the top, and Shoujin Ryoori nourishment when I reached the bottom four hours later.

Oyama Cable Car takes people up the the hiking path.

Many Trees, and steps on the way up. I feel appreciation for the natural ancient mountain environment.

 Beautiful Yellow Leaves above.

I could see Fuji-san. Who's summit was covered in clouds.

 At the Top.

 Tofu-Ryoori, Shoujin-Ryoori. My favorite cuisine.

The day that I climbed up the mountain, I didn't eat anything until I returned at the bottom of the mountain. It was 17:00, I felt refreshed, and appreciation for this day, this place, and for the fine delicious considerate cuisine of Japan. Shoujin-Ryoori, Buddhist cuisine.

Back at Lucas Camp #26 (first day completed, a fresh approach to working)

I am trying to adopt a new approach to my life at work. Out of habit, As I work, I rush and as the days pass, my mind becomes more and more agitated. Most of the time it is necessary, to work quickly. Working in a kitchen can be hectic at times. I have learned to work as quick and as hard as I can manage, to prevent being caught behind and swamped with too many tasks and not enough time to complete them.
I have had two weeks off before coming back to work this time. To be honest, while I was home I felt pretty tired and run down, I couldn't enjoy my time off. My last hitch at work left me feeling drained, tired, tight and sore.
I realize that I feel down when I am sore and tight, the physical sensation of stress remaining in my body causes me to feel burdened, heavy. I am reluctant to stretch and practice Kikou and zazen because the weight of my sensations gets the better of me. So this time I am starting a new approach to work, to act more carefully while I work. I hope, by being more attentive to my needs and caring for my body and mind as I work, when I return home after two weeks I will enjoy my time off and be more productive.

Today, I made time to sit down, have some tea, have a healthy breakfast, and bowl of Miso Shiru for dinner. I also went for a run after I finished work, massaged my shoulder and leg, and practiced Kikou before having a shower.
In town, along the way to Roma, where the bus makes a stop for lunch in Miles, I bought Oat milk and Soy Milk. From home I brought with me, Linseed bran, Flaxseed Oil, Rakanka, Japanese Black Tea, Dashi, Miso Shiru, Chamomile Tea, Dried Shitake and Wakame.
I will do my best to not let my habit of rushing and being tense at work lead me to a worse existence. I know it is up to me to take control and act wisely, making good effort to stretch at the end of the day, to release myself from the confines of a tense body and mind, and try to have a more gentle state of mind as I work. Instead of allowing myself to be more tense then is necessary, as I usually do, all the while waiting to enjoy my life when I get home. My time off is hard to enjoy when I have spent two weeks allowing the tension to build up in my mind and body, and basically deny my conscience it's inherent nature, to wisely influence my actions.
I am alive, wherever I am, and however bad or good I may feel. I am still living. Life will not wait for me. I'll do my best to take better care each day.

While I was running, there were rain clouds all around. The rain did not fall on me, I was lucky.

Who and What are we mining for? How selfishness can contribute to world pollution.

Hello All.

This post originally started as an email. There was an article on the BBC news website which I found today about the side effects of drilling for resources such as gas. I wanted to share it with friends and family . While writing what I intended to be a short, "for your information" style email. There were many thoughts coming to mind. After 15 minutes I realized this was no longer the email I originally intended to write. So, I copied and pasted what I had written, in this post. I never sent the email. 

Here is the BBC news article about the possible pollution that drilling for natural gas produces.

Regretfully, I work in the mining industry, catering for a company that drills for coal seam gas. The position is only temporary, but by having this job, I unintentionally support the industry. I'm not proud of it. I dont have the power to stop these companies from mining in ways that pollute the environment. It is up to a select few, who have power to make big changes to stop the polluting of the earths pure waters and environments. I would happily give up this job in an instant if it would cause the end of pollution produced by industry. All I can do is gently express myself and hope that my actions have in some way touched another person in a way that might cause them also to strive to create a more considerate lifestyle.

Awareness and consideration does ensure the gradual reduction of carelessness. It is not a necessity of living, to pollute without care. Proper care can be employed, people only need to care more about the aggregates which make up their life, body and mind, the whole world, rather then only caring about the profit they can make and eventually loose when their life ends. 

What will we leave behind when we die?

A pile of bones, dust, and depending on what we have done in our life possibly a heap of trouble and hardship because we cared not for our world.

I think we need time to learn, time to slow down, and develop a lifestyle that is more considerate.

We all need to support our lives, but more importantly we need to care. We need to act with care and regard and respect the aggregates as the manifestation of the one life force... the many forms make a complete life. WIthout an inclusive view, we become selfish. Perhaps it is selfishness that grows into inclusiveness. Many people, including myself, need to make mistakes before we see that we can reduce suffering in life. Sadly, many people never find truth in suffering, they go on suffering and cause suffering until they die, and the effects of their actions produced by their suffering mind leaves traces of that sorrow behind.

Is that what our society is creating?
Why are we mining? Why are we polluting the earth?
Yes we need comfort, we need warmth in the winter, but we also need to be careful.
Haven't the brilliant minds of our time invented ways to harness electricity that leaves less of a trace, that better suits the environment?
WInd, Sun, Water, there is so much power in this earth already.
The world powers need time, to slow down, to re-configure their order to encourage a cleaner environment.

I wish it will happen, before too long.
Many people are already suffering from the effects of industrial pollution such as polltued water from mining, and radioactive fallout from nuclear power, how can these obvious facts be ignored?

I realize I do not have to power to make big changes in this world, I can only take care of myself and try my best to treat people and this world with kindness and appreciation.

To walk the path of life in kindness and to be considerate, I need to realize that although it is me who makes choices and lives in this body and in this world, I cannot walk the path alone. Taking care of myself while walking along with life is different then being selfish. We have to take care of ourselves to support a mind and body in which our realizations grow. But, If I think I can walk a path alone, as if I am different from all others, I am walking a selfish path. To support this world I need to unlearn what I have learnt, to let go of my selfish mind, to see that the whole universe is included on that path. There is no path without this life, no life without all things that exist.

To be selfish is to pollute the world with selfishness.
We should open our hearts to the sky above and give thanks to the universe for this brief existence and encourage others to be kind by being kind ourselves.

"Pay attention to all the leaves, the flowers, the birds and the dewdrops. If you can stop and look deeply, you will be able to recognize your beloved manifesting again & again in different forms. You will again embrace the joy of life." Thich Nhat Hanh