Day 16

Selfless Service.

That was what today was about, and that is what my training consisted of, that was my practice today. No "Project: Tip of the Day". No emails. And no "physical" training. As much as my ego was aching to go for a run on our family farm, to feel the sacred earth beneath my feet, it wasn't going to happen. Or, in order to make it happen, it would come at a cost greater than the value of the run.

There is a difference between living a "No Excuses" life, and a life that is too rigid and uncompromising. In Asian philosophy, there is an often used analogy which states that during a snow storm, the mighty oak tree stands tall and unyielding to the snow as it builds on it's branches. Eventually, a branch of the tree might snap under the strain of the weight. The branches of the willow, on the other hand, begin to bend under the weight of the snow until the snow gently sluffs off onto the ground. Obviously this is how we should approach the "weight" of life, yet it's also the approach we should take with our training. The challenge is to understand when we are being too rigid and when we are being too soft; to understand when we truly need to yeild and when we are making excuses. This is the art and spiritual dimension within our training and our life.

So, tomorrow I am arising waaaay before everyone, lacing up the trail shoes and spending some time communing with body, mind, breath, spirit, God...

In Peace,
Chris