Summer Solstice

What a great place to spend the summer solstice, on Cape Cod. It gets light quite early, so I was up with the sun. My aunt has a wonderful mature perennial garden with an old stone bench. I did meditation sitting on that bench with a perfect view of her full-bloom garden. The birds and insects were very active but because it was so early, I heard very little car or people noise. It was really quite memorable. Tomorrow I will try walking meditation, something that in the past I usually find irritating to do in a group because it is so extremely slow-moving. I have never actually practiced walking meditation, but the garden is so appealing. So I will give it a try. Narayan teaches that the Buddha suggested that we practice meditation while walking, sitting, standing and lying down.

The program I am attending is actually quite fantastic. Most of the programs I have attended over the last 20+ years have been OK, but this is a real stand out. I am actually excited to get back tomorrow. These two teachers founded the Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy about 5 years ago and they offer a year-long program. They are based in Cambridge. I have considered doing it in the past but the timing wasn't right. I really like one of the teachers in particular. It is a very rich area of study and practice. I was considering it in 2008 but then got diagnosed and the year got complicated.

My uncle went to the ER today with heart irregularity. This has happened a few times in the past. He drove himself to the fire station and from there he was taken in an ambulance to the hospital. By the time the docs got around to offering him a treatment, his heart had regulated again so they did nothing to him. He came home and got up on the roof -- very high!! -- to fix the fan. That's him. It's going OK between us. I feel as if I'm walking on egg shells. I think about what to say before speaking in my usual spontaneous way. So far so good. I love my aunt dearly and am willing to be here in spite of some/a lot of discomfort.

We kayaked for a while, then later I walked (fast) while she biked (slow). We have always had a lot of fun together and laugh often. Tomorrow she wants to go to the Cape Code bike trail after my seminar. She is really something at 81 years old. She is a real inspiration for healthy living and being fully engaged in life as an older woman.

image by Indu Eerikal, Angor Wat