Tag: yoga for running

Is yoga and ChiRunning the answer?

Last weekend, Angela James and I, along with two musicians and eight Donald guarding Chi Runnersparticipants, had a fantastic time at the ChiRunning and yoga retreat at Monkey Valley. It was the most beautiful time of year, with flowers of dozens of varieties in bloom, the grass waist-high, and visiting birds of many colours flitting through the willows by the creek. We had delicious meals, moments of quiet contemplation during the morning meditations, exciting discoveries about ChiRunning, relaxation and enjoyment during the yoga, and incredible fun around the campfire with the sing-along, guitar music, cello numbers, and smores! We went for a swim in Missezula Lake, and some of us ran back to Monkey Valley from there. It felt like a real blessing to me to see the posse of runners up ahead, running along the logging road. As if my heart’s desire had been answered by sharing this magical place with other runners.

Last entry, I was musing about how I am being called to serve my people. Last summer (or maybe the summer before) my friend John Harper had asked me the astonishing question Camp fire“What if the universe doesn’t want you to do anything?” The heart of this question, it seems to me, is considering the possibility that I don’t have to crawl a hundred miles on hands and knees, but can just let the soft animal of my body love what it loves (to paraphrase Mary Oliver). That is, maybe there is nothing in particular I need to do. Just be. Maybe I don’t need to stop the oil eruption, or change the way Canadians feel about banking, forever (my current client’s dream), or lead people on intensive vision quests in the wilderness. Maybe I can just be an ordinary person, and see what unfolds.

The yoga and ChiRunning retreat unfolded with absolute ease from the moment I took Angela’s workshop in January. Certainly there was some hard work involved along the way, especially in cooking for 12 people, but there was a flow and element of surprise and delight throughout, such as when my friend Darch offered to come a day early and help out. It seems to me that this type of flow and ease is what I long for, and what seems like true guidance Meal time in the log cabinabout direction. I continue to hold the question as my summer unfolds, with another trip to Monkey Valley coming up and then the annual Diamond Approach summer retreat at Asilomar later in August. Maybe my desire to serve in some big, special way is just an ego trip, and all I need to be is an ordinary person, special just because I am, just like you are special just because you are.

Top photo: Joe Charron. Middle and bottom photos: Lorinda Wei. 

Spring elixir brings surprise offerings

It’s a glorious spring day in Vancouver. Happy first day of spring, everyone! Angela James - Vancouver's only chirunning instructorThough the blossoms have been on the trees for months, today spring is officially here, with a hazy blue sky, soft sunsine, pink and white blossoms, and tender new spring green life everywhere. There’s something about that fresh tender green of new leaves that infuses my soul with the same tenderness.

Thursday, running along the Trans-Canada Trail, I noticed this greenness all along the path, in the moss and ivy, salmonberry bushes with their bright pink blossoms, and green grass pushing up among the dried brown grass from last year. New life arising out of the remains of the old life. May these spring blessings infuse your soul with fresh life, optimism, and tenderness for all living creatures.

Yesterday I met with Angela James, the ChiRunning instructor who taught the workshop I attended in January. At the workshop we had talked about how well yoga would complement the ChiRunning, and yesterday we put together a ChiRunning and yoga retreat at Monkey Valley on July 23 – 25! The cost is $375, and includes delicious organic meals, camping accommodations, and instruction in both ChiRunning and yoga. Plus Angela will be providing healthful Rooibos tea. There will be lots of free time for walking through the woods, hanging out by the creek, and toasting marshmellows on the campfire in the evening. Angela is a lovely person, very energetic and positive to be around, and I know that everyone who’s around her feels uplifted by her energy. I think we’ll make a terrific team. I’ll be teaching the yoga portion, offering the yoga routine I’ve developed over the past eight years to complement and support my running! See here for more details.

Sad news about the Vancouver marathon. I’ve been sick for the past three weeks, which put a major crimp in my training schedule and caused me to miss a key long run. So I’ve had to bow down to the truth of my limitations, and scale back to the half-marathon on May 2. I don’t feel too discouraged, as I had that marvellous experience of going further than I’ve ever gone before in the 33 KM run I told you about. I still aim to do the full marathon one day, perhaps for my 50th birthday! Oh wow, that is so hard to believe, 50 is just six years away. But today I am feeling the spring energy bring a lightness to my spirit, so let’s all go out and soak in the sun and smell the elixir of spring in the air.