On scheduling and still seeking balance

Now available -- my contributions noted in the acknowlegements

In terms of Shim Gum Do training, making it to practice/class eight times in four weeks would probably be marked down at the low end of the acceptable commitment level.

But scheduling those four of those eight days in the first week, missing everything for two weeks, then attending four days in a row in the final week, is DEFINITELY not a good idea, as my aching back, shoulders and stiff knees will attest today.

I’m still, it seems, working through some of the fallout from the Dark December of last year. This is a pattern I need to be aware of -- when I start to feel better, I often force myself back to full steam before I’m really ready because I'm on the upswing and I don’t want to disappoint. Indeed, I practically turned into a vampire in terms of my hours of wakefulness for about two weeks -- literally falling asleep at dawn and awaking at dusk or later on a few occasions.

That said, in terms of sword practice, I’ve learned and am etching into memory (both mental and muscle) the Fourth Sword Form along with the Second Fighting Form. And next week I’m due to learn the Fifth Sword Form, which will be the three elements I need to master for my test for Green Belt.

I am reasonably confident that if I maintain a relatively consistent schedule of three or four classes per week (two or three during the week and Saturday), I should be in good shape for the test the weekend of March 20.

And as an additional incentive to ensure I’m at class regularly, as of next week, I’ll be joining the inhabitants of the temple for dinner on Wednesday nights. Hopefully this will also help me feel more connected to the community there (two of the three other adult ‘beginning’ students -- not black/brown belt or above -- actually live at the temple). It’s a feeling I had when I was around frequently while working on the poetry book and that I’ve kind of missed since finishing that project.

It will also likely help me, at least in part, in achieving better eating habits both in terms of remembering to eat both regular and healthy meals -- a pretty key part of achieving emotional and spiritual health, at least for this fellow.

In more Quaker and explicitly spiritual matters, I’m also excited to be a (small) part of helping my fellow YAFs step up our commitment to supporting each other in spiritual and emotional matters by being part of the group helping to bring forward a proposal for forming a committee to work on the pastoral care needs of the community. Thus far, that’s meant being part of a conference call and being willing to be a part of another, but hopefully I’ll also be a resource for (if not a member of) the committee when it comes together.

(Monkey)

I’m also starting to do more to put into practice an idea that germinated on the drive home from the Midwinter retreat -- forming an affinity group of fellow YAFs in the Boston area. For those not familiar with Quaker terminology, an affinity group is simply a group brought together by an interest, leading or calling around a particular topic -- even if that topic is as simple as mutual support and fellowship. It won’t be ‘striking while the iron is hot’ given that I’ve let a month lapse since the initial idea and tentative inquiries about who would be interested, but better late than never.

It’s (another) new year after all. Happy Year of the Fire Monkey!