The benefits of meditation are remarkable and continue to be documented. The practice has been shown to reverse heart disease, enhance the immune system, reduce pain and create feelings of calm and general grooviness. The problem is that sitting meditation requires the ability to sit still; which for many people can be a real obstacle to success. If you are stressed out and haven’t found a regular relaxation practice that works for you, perhaps a journey into the labyrinth is just what you need.

I had my first labyrinth experience on a breezy afternoon in San Francisco’s Duboce Park, making sure I was nice and pre-stressed by illegally parking to get there. Labyrinths have been used as a meditative tool by many cultures including Celtic, Mayan, Greek and Native American since prehistoric times. I already felt more connected to humankind as I thought about the mega stresses that people were dealing with thousands of years ago and was impressed that such varied cultures had caught onto this practice.

Labyrinths are often confused with mazes, but there are a couple of key differences. A labyrinth has only one winding path, you can’t get lost (physically anyway) and there are no minotaurs waiting to eat you. Also, labyrinths are flat and the path is never concealed. They can be made of almost any material but the most common are stone, masonry, tile or canvas. The labyrinth at Duboce Park is sandblasted into the concrete and includes a table-top finger labyrinth for the vision impaired. The typical practice is to walk from the outside to the center, pause for contemplation and then retrace the path back to the beginning.

The labyrinth adds some action to the quiet and focus of meditation and asks you to observe yourself on the journey. There are lots of different ways to approach the process of walking a labyrinth, from focusing on your breath, the feel of your feet (bare or not) on the path, your God or something else in your life that needs attention. You can see the labyrinth as a metaphor for the many journeys of life and also as adding some helpful structure to your meditative practice.

After my walk I felt calmer, more connected to my own body and more in the moment. I wonder what that the labyrinth has in store for you?

All stressed out with no where to go? To find a labyrinth near you visit the world wide labyrinth location.

http://wwll.veriditas.labyrinthsociety.org/

More information on walking Meditation (no labyrinth required)

www.wildmind.org/walking/introduction.com

Online labyrinth tool (no walking required)

http://www.gracecathedral.org/labyrinth/interactions/index.shtml#

Yoga is supposed to make you feel good. It is supposed to clear out tension blockades, release energy to flow like fresh mountain spring water and open up, relax and harmonize the body. It is true that the practice of yoga can accomplish corporeal and spiritual magic, but if the yogis around me have their feet twice wrapped around their heads while I struggle to bend over, angst becomes the order of my day.

Yoga is not supposed to be a competitive sport (though I have heard of yoga competitions).  If only taking off my westernized, capitalistic view point was as easy as taking off my shoes and socks at the studio door. I bring my perspective with me and it causes me to suffer and because they keep reminding you to be in the present moment, I am much more aware of this suffering then I would usually be. From my vantage, most of the people in my yoga classes are “better” then me. They are more flexible and more balanced. They can do the poses as shown without the support of the three bricks, two blankets, a strap and a crane. I know that I should love and honor my body where it is at, but it is difficult when it appears that the bodies around me are in better places. Sometimes the flexy bodied people make inane comments and then I feel a bit better. “They may be more flexible, but they are a bit idiotic.” It is a small and dark comfort.

I see them in headstands, their bodies taut and balanced, their shoulders limber and strong and I try not to hate them. I resist the childish urge to knock them over like a stack of blocks. I try to distract myself with sexy thoughts of the instructor, something I am an experienced expert at. Sadly even that leads to pain as I realize that a yoga instructor would want to have superhuman, inverted, levitating yoga sex. I probably wouldn’t be up for it and who wants all those yoga blocks in bed anyway?

And then, when I have myself worked up into a respectable tizzy I remember who I should really be comparing myself to; my neurotic family. They are charming folk, all of them, and they can’t help it if they make more money then me, drive nicer cars, vote Republican and only recycle if a hippy stars knowing on their legs. All of them, with the exception of my 2-year old nephew, are stiffer then me. They have superbly tight and knotty hips and hamstrings and practically have to UPS their socks to their feet in the morning. They have more energy blockages then the 405 Freeway at 7:30. My father who has taken up yoga in his 60’s cannot sit in simple cross legged pose without several assistive devices.

When you are dating someone you can look at their parents to see what you might be waking up to in 25 years. In this way I look at the members of my family, particularly the older ones, to see the conditions and maladies that I want desperately to avoid. I’d like to avoid osteoporosis, limited movement, pain and the inability to have a conversation without quoting conservative talk radio. I try to keep my eye (both inner and outer) on this prize as I twist and strain and attempt to transform my body into a flexible, harmonious playground.

I know, I know, I’m not supposed to compare myself to other people, even my own family, but I consider this a stepping stone on the long path to enlightenment. I often dedicate my practice to my older self. The self that I hope will be more enlightened, agile, and active for a very long time to come.

     Sports movies can captivate and inspire us at anytime, but they are especially potent when we are 12. Our kiddo selves don’t pick apart obvious plot twists, feel manipulated by overly dramatic musical anthems or stop to wonder about the improbability of certain scenarios. “Vision Quest” is a movie that I loved as a much younger, aspiring athlete and I hoped with the innocent heart of a child that my old favorite had not aged as badly as an old wrester’s knees.
     I’m happy to report that Vision Quest is everything a 1980’s sporty melodrama should strive to be and more. It takes place in Spokane, Washington and stars a very young and super fit Modine in one of his first leading roles. Modine plays Louden Swain, an unassuming 18-year-old who wants take on “Shute”, the state’s best wrester. Shute is rumored to eat kitten ears for breakfast and likes to train while balancing telephone poles on his back. As Louden’s wise short-order cook mentor says so well, “This might be the sort of move that a reasonable man would want to avoid.”
     Indeed the odds are stacked against our questor as he tries to lose an obscene amount of weight (to make the 168-pound category), dodge the advances of a gay tai chi master, score the hot she-drifter who happens to have moved into his bedroom (see above for improbable scenarios) and get his article on the clitoris finished for the school paper; all while preparing for the wrestling match of a lifetime.
     Luckily, Louden does not have to do it all alone. A quirky cast of characters and some of the most inspiring hair music of the 80’s are there to help him through the rough patches. We can’t help but be lifted as Survivor and Louden, sporting his shiny silver and red rubber track suit, run together through the dark city streets. Heat stroke, dehydration and metabolic failure be damned! Together we can do this.
     The wresting sequences are beautifully shot and do justice to the incredible strength and fitness of any solid high school wrestler. These guys (and now girls) demonstrate the awesomeness that can be achieved with basic equipment like a jump rope, a pull up bar and a person’s own weight (check out the scene of them doing sit-ups on each other’s backs). These are functional athletes who balance strength, flexibility, endurance and the confidence to wear man leotards while going through puberty.
     I’ll skip being tossed like a sack of potatoes on a regular basis, but it is important for all of us to be fit enough to avoid and recover from falls. And working out with a purpose and a vision, it sure beats the alternative. Training like a wrestler is not a bad idea, just skip the singlet and cauliflower ears.

“Dangerous When Wet” is a film from a simpler time; a time when you could call a family film “Dangerous When Wet” and nobody thought anything dirty was going on. DWW chronicles the adventures, both aquatic and musical, of country girl Katie Higgins, played by sassy water diva Esther Williams. Our reluctant hero is part of the Higgins clan, a vigorous bunch who rise early each day to partake in synchronized calisthenics and rituals involving wheat germ. The family certainly has their health, but what they don’t have is a prize winning bull. When an opportunistic traveling huckster rolls into town Katie seizes the opportunity to land her stud (in more ways then one).
           
Her quest leads her to Europe, where with the assistance of a handsome Frenchman, she begins a valiant attempt to swim the English Channel. As far as settings for light hearted aqua comedies go, this icy and treacherous body of water is certainly a unique pick. Swimming the channel is serious business. Its 20 miles across and even further when tides and navigation are factored in to the mix. I was amazed that women were even allowed to attempt the treacherous swim back then (the film was made in 1953). Keep in mind that it wasn’t until 1967 when a woman first completed an official marathon. The swim across the channel is brutal and can take upwards of 16 hours. In her weaker moments Katie isn’t sure she’s up to it.
          
It isn’t difficult to get swept up in her valiant, Technicolor voyage. Will she save the farm? Will she give in to the advances of the charming Frenchman? Will she make it across the unforgiving channel? And all without ever wearing pants.
           
I love this movie because it shows a strong athletic woman being supported by a cast of adoring and inept men. Nobody would fault Katie if she dropped out, married a farm boy and became the female equivalent of that prize winning bull. Her delicate bare feet tip toe along between the lines of the feminine ideals of the day and athletic excellence. The film isn’t slap sticky like some of her others and includes an animated underwater scene featuring Tom and Jerry (man, can that cat swim!). Esther’s gorgeous stroke, not too much music and a story of underdog triumph make this a film that is difficult to resist.

1. Exercise is almost always more fun then work, but often times less glamorous then the multitude of tempting after work activities. If you take care of your workout at lunch you won’t be tempted to skip it later.

2. Working out at lunch breaks your day into two manageable chunks.

3. A noon time workout will give you a blast of energy that will carry you through the mid-afternoon doldrums. Don’t listen to what your jealous, back-biting, self hating co-workers say about you actually taking a lunch. You will be more productive, and sexier, in the afternoon. Remember, you get paid for what you produce, not for holding down your chair.

4. If you don’t feel particularly competent or appreciated at your day job, a workout can be just the thing. The burst of endorphins will help prop up you flagging self-esteem and if you do something you enjoy eventually you will be good at it. I don’t care what your boss, girlfriend and mother say, you can do something right.

5. You only have about an hour so your workout will be intense and efficient. A great use of your valuable time.

6. Having a workout planned is a great excuse not to go to lunch with annoying co-workers.

7. You’ll be so hungry after you workout that even a healthy, fiber rich, tasteless lunch will taste great.

8. Working out in the early morning (especially if you are over 30) can be a creaky and uncomfortable experience. By midday the body is warm and ready for action.

9. Because you’ve got to get out of the office. Stretch your muscles, feel the sunlight on your pasty skin, get some perspective.

10. You will have your evenings free. Learn a language, go to the ballet, tame of herd of wild guinea pigs. The world is your oyster!

What obscure 1976 film features the following?

Scantily clad body builders posing atop a bus cruising down the streets of Birmingham, Alabama.An inspiring musical montage featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jeff Bridges finding redemption through recreation (including the sadly endangered sport of racquetball).Leotard clad Sally Field looking fantastic and fit enough to actually fly without the help from God or any other fancy nun get-up.A water skiing dog.Give up…“Stay Hungry” is a film that I stumbled upon while seeking out my latest Gilmore Girls fix (judge me if you want but those sweet, sexy Gilmore Girls never do). Arnold’s oiled up and flexing arm dominated the cover and since I am a muscle whore I couldn’t help but grab the box. All I can say is I didn’t know what the hell to expect and the unexpected is exactly what I got.The characters were lovable, the premise vaguely preposterous and did I mention there are blue grass fiddle players? This film takes place back when the fitness industry was a new born and still gleaming with sweaty afterbirth. But Stay Hungry is much more than a fitness time capsule; its a story about the redemptive qualities of found families, fitness and love.So rent it, oil up, grab your free weights and hit play. Only your neighbors will regret it.