Funny how perspective works. The temperature for our morning run was 19 and the windchill dropped it to about 10 or so. Normally that would be quite chilly, but thanks to the temps of the past couple of weeks it felt almost balmy. It reminds me that perspective is up to me to choose.

After my run I laid down for my breathing practice, the first time I’d done it in a little over a week. I’ve got a lot of excuses for the practices missed, but none of them are good. The fault is 100% mine as I didn’t place the value on it as I should have and did not maintain my discipline to the practice as I should have.

The practice started out very rough. The first breath hold was just over a minute, and that had been a struggle. The second got a little better. Something changed on the third one and the change flowed right into the fourth as well. Once I was finished I was very surprised to see that I’d set a new personal record at just under two and a half minutes!

What changed? This…

These images appeared in my mind’s eye. The inner monologue of my voice shut up completely. The stress of life faded away into nothingness. There was only a shifting back and forth from one image to the next.

The beauty of Alaska laid out in front of me as if through a slightly opaque window. My blackout sleep mask blocked all the light from the outside world while my mind eliminated the blackness in front of my eyes.

I was in Alaska on the shore of Resurrection Bay taking the in the epic view surrounding me. Only a little sliver of my being knew I was home, the rest walked along the rocky beach as I explored the pictures and where I’d been before.

The deep state of serenity I went to while breathing helped to relax my body more than ever. I’m kicking myself a little though. How much longer would I have held if I had been on track with my practice and hadn’t lapsed for a week? Would I have had a few more seconds in paradise? What an excellent motivator to continue working at it.

Thanks!!!