Opening Comments from Bob
Page: Obviously, this page is from the December Issue. Besides the two poems, A Special Prayer for You and A New Year's Prayer, which appeared a number of years ago in the newsletter, the vignette about taking a risk, worth the risk...:-) There are also winter pictures of the Midway area.
Winter has arrived in Midway, Utah.
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Two Poems this Month
A Special Prayer for You
May the infinite world
that exists without and within
be your playground.
May the mountains you climb
never be insurmountable.
May you understand that the life force
flowing within your veins
also flows in all living things.
May you be grateful for each breath,
for each is a gift.
May love surround you
as you love others.
Wherever the journey leads,
may the Smile of Peace
be upon your countenance.
Comments: No matter your faith or lack of it, please accept this poem with the loving intent it is offered.
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A New Year’s Prayer
May the winds of happiness and joy
surround you.
When sorrow arrives,
may the love of others support you.
May we touch lives,
remembering that the atoms
we breathe contain the essence
of all who came before.
May your new year be filled
with inner peace.
Comments: None needed.
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Vignette: Take A Risk
Many of us prefer the status quo, be comfortable and minimize taking risks. For after all, there are many things out there that can kill you or upset our daily lives. In a sense, we like to build a cocoon around ourselves to protect us from the unknown. Sadly, as most discover, we are not always successful as unannounced health or financial issues arrive at the most inopportune times. I learned early on that taking risks usually enrich life. However, with age I find myself less likely to take them.
Recently, I stepped out of my comfort zone. While I tried to find someone to accompany me on my venture, I received "no" for a variety of reasons. Thus, with a bit of trepidation, I signed up for Robert Peng's weekend qigong course at a location called 1440 Multiversity in Scotts Valley, CA, a place I could barely find on a map. Thoughts such as "I won't know anyone there." or "What happens if I have a health issue." or "I have only read about Master Peng and know little of his qigong style." or "I am not as young as I used to be. Will I be able to handle the physical aspects of the training?" or "Will the snows be so bad through Parleys Pass that I couldn't get to the airport?" These were just a few of the thoughts that led up to the day of my departure. If I could, at the last minute I wanted to cancel.
While I realize to many of you, this venture appears to be rather safe and non risk taking, but for me I was taken out of my comfort zone. In the end, the adventure was fabulous from the place I stayed (See recommendation below.) to the course content. I learned so much about health options for improvement to simple techniques to deal with daily issues to exercises that are low stress on the body. In short, I foresee more workshops with Master Peng, who by the way has led a very fascinating life.
Once again, I reaffirmed a lesson that I learned long ago, taking a risk offers opportunities to enrich life and sometimes allows us to take a leaf forward into the unknown but one filled with glorious rewards.
As you enter this New Year, I suggest you set a target to take a risk, not necessarily to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro but perhaps a baby step outside your comfort zone. A new, richer world may wait you!
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Recommendation: 1440 Multiverity, Scotts Valley, CA
As
many of you know, I have been a tai chi instructor for a decade. During the last months I have been immersed in qigong, the perfect complement to tai chi. This ancient art focuses on energy (qi) and healing. I decided to attend Master Robert Peng's workshop in early December. It was held at 1440 Multiversity, an upscale retreat center in Scotts Valley, CA. In the vignette you read about the workshop. However, in this section I am focusing on the facility where it was held. The ascetically, gorgeous campus is geared toward ecological friendliness. My room for the three days was not fancy but comfortable. The automatic lighting system was at first intriguing as the environmental wisdom became clearer. The mostly organic meal options were fabulous! Any taste preference was available from vegan to carnivore! If you are into yoga, tai chi, qigong, other mind enriching options or if you want to simply get away and do some hiking on the nature trails, I suggest you check out 1440 Multiversity. Below are pictures of the dining hall and a night shot of some of the walkways. By the way, the campus is hilly; expect to burn off a few calories.
