13 February 2024

Dragon Moon

 

  Last evening, the thin waxing Crescent Moon, on the third day of this Chinese New Year (the Year of the Dragon), sat low in the West.  Its orange fingernail shape faced straight down at the horizon, like a bright smile. 

  Temperatures and dewpoints have been fluctuating day to day, from relatively comfortable dewpoints to those considered "extremely uncomfortable/ oppressive".  Today is comfortable, but in the next couple of days we will be in the "oppressive" zone again – in other words, back to normal – for a long stretch. 

  On Saturday, we had some rain showers – rather rare for this time of year – and I followed the forecast and was prepared with an umbrella on my long walk.  My Merrell daypack's rain cover is excellent, so the only part of me getting wet was my sandaled feet.  I haven't worn long trousers in years. 

-Zenwind. 

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31 January 2024

Mornings

I am still enjoying the mornings waiting for the monk on the corner with Mother-in-law.  The waning Moon phases track the week, and Venus is sinking closer to the Sun each day. 

I am reminded of my childhood on the farm when I hear roosters crowing and smell chickens across the soi, and the rosy pre-dawn skies and easy breezes are like a summer morning. 

On weekdays, the corner is busy, with vendors selling food and folks walking to work at the electric company.  But on weekends it is deserted and quiet, and the security guards next door play some recorded Thai traditional music that I really like:  one stringed instrument with some kind of drum. 

-Zenwind. 

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30 December 2023

Tai Chi before Dawn

 

First hint of light.  Still.  Dry, comfortably cool.

Mother-in-law sits, waiting for monk.

Waning gibbous Moon, just past Full, going down in West.

Busy birds make a racket everywhere.

Physically, I explore all the stiff and sore spots in this old aching body.

Mentally, I float. 

-Zenwind. 

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28 December 2023

Two Monks Chanting in the Cold Morning

 

I am still accompanying Mother-in-law out to give alms to the monks at dawn.  She had an episode recently of dizziness when standing up to put food into a monk's begging bowl, falling back into her chair.  So, I've been taking her out in a wheelchair to the corner. 

The same monk has been coming by every morning, but last weekend a second monk came with him.  When they chanted their sutta together in Pali, they did it in a beautifully complex baritone harmony.  It was wonderful to hear. 

We have just had a few days of the coldest weather so far this winter.  Temps at night got down to 65*F – as cold as it gets where we live – and daytime highs only in the 70s.  The wind from the North was chilly in the morning, making us put on more clothing than normal (e.g., long pants and an extra shirt).  The dewpoints are as low and dry as they ever are, and I rarely sweat.  Sweet comfort!  But we will soon get normal highs in the 90s along with increasing humidity heading into the Hot Season by March. 

We do have uncommonly clear skies, and my new routine of getting up before dawn makes me appreciate this season even more.  I have been showing Tuk the Moon's phases in the mornings and evenings, as it cycles through the month.  And, we are watching Venus, the present Morning Star, slowly shift position in the East, observing it every morning at the exact same time from the same spot. 

The long New Year's weekend starts tomorrow, so our neighborhood will be deserted and quiet for a while. 

-Zenwind. 

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23 December 2023

Whacked My Back, Again

 

I re-injured my lower back again.  Three weeks ago, I was careless when sorting books and cleaning, bending and lifting.  I should have worn my lumbar-sacrum elastic back brace while doing it, but I had been feeling so fit for so long that I thought I was invincible.  My ruptured lumbar disc pinches the sciatic nerve, and the pain in my hips and legs makes it almost impossible to walk.  Bummer! 

I now have a newer back brace, longer, a better fit.  It helps during this period of healing, preventing further injury.  I wear it when active during the day.  I have been limited to very short walks (hobbles) to local grocery stores, and I take taxis to and from the train station rather than walking the mile distance.  I need to slowly build up my back muscles again. 

I had not been smoking any THC cannabis since the injury, since I didn't think exercising would be a good idea while initially healing.  Until a few days ago, when I took a two-toke micro-dose of C. sativa, and, without wearing my back brace, I did some carefully mindful Tai Chi.  It made me so incredibly aware of my body, my muscles, joints, sore spots, etc., and I very gently worked out a few kinks and stretched and explored my flexibility.  I felt much better for the rest of the day. 

But my back is still fragile, and I must not be careless and overdo activities until I'm healed and slowly build up muscle again. 

-Zenwind. 

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29 November 2023

New Morning Routine

 

With the Rainy Season ended and a cooler, less humid feel to the air, mornings are now very refreshing.  And, I have been starting a new routine of getting up and out before dawn. 

Tuk's mom has started to go out early again to give food alms to the passing monks, and I escort her out to the corner and watch that she doesn't fall down or wander off.  Her Alzheimer's condition and general old-age have made her unpredictable and frail. 

There are a couple of chairs on the corner where a food vendor has a cart, and Mother sits there.  On weekday mornings, the corner is busy with folks going to work at the electric company headquarters next door.  On weekends and holidays, it is deserted, with no food vendors, motorcycle-taxi drivers, or pedestrians.  But the monks always come by every day. 

Barefoot, with orange robes and begging bowls, they reach every neighborhood.  The Theravada/Hinayana school of Buddhism upholds the tradition laid down by Gautama himself:  monks must be "homeless" (i.e., owning nothing; living communally at a temple) and they rely on the lay community for all food and support.  The lay community members get, in return, a blessing chanted in Pali by the monk, as well as having "made merit" (i.e., added to their lifetime record of good deeds so that they may get a good rebirth, aka, better karma). 

After leading Mother out to her chair, I usually retreat back to our courtyard where I can be out of sight but still keep an eye on her.  (I use this time to loosen up with Tai Chi and calisthenics.)  When the monk is finished and leaves, I go out and escort her back to the house. 

The Loy Krathong festival was on this last Monday's Full Moon, although food vendors and music have been active in the evenings for the last week on the main street nearby.  I didn't mingle with the festive crowds as in other years; I just went out to see the Moon in our now-clear skies.  

-Zenwind.  

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03 October 2023

Siam Paragon shooting

 

There was a fatal shooting at the Siam Paragon shopping mall – one of the finest department stores in the city – late this afternoon.  I was at home, but I easily could have been there, since I often shop there and visit their cinema plex; also, I usually pass through that mall once a week enroute to elsewhere, as it is a train hub. 

One of my favorite Rock bands is playing within walking distance from there tonight, and I almost went into the city to hear them. 

It is one shopping center that I know very well, and it has become extremely popular and crowded with the recent surge in tourism. 

The news is still coming in.  A 14-year-old Thai kid was arrested – and the asshole had an American flag on his hat.  Bangkok is freaking out, and I think there will be a new air of fear after this. 

-Zenwind. 

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27 August 2023

Moon in the Trees

 

That’s the way I’ve always loved seeing it, a phase of the Moon riding medium-high on the horizon, occasionally peeking through the branches and trunks of trees as I stride on. 

It was a First Quarter the other night, and after the rain stopped, I donned flip-flops and ventured out onto the wet evening sidewalks.  It was a grocery expedition to neighborhood stores further down the road, and the fresh and relatively cooler air was rejuvenating. 

It had been cloudy, but on my way home I was surprised by the Moon peeping at me from behind trees on the other side of the street.  A little satori in the quiet night. 

-Zenwind. 

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31 July 2023

Rains, Movies, Exercise, & Dharma Day

 

I have not been writing much, but I have been exercising faithfully, and that makes me feel incredibly good.  There is a spring in my step, and I feel like a healthy animal, prowling through the jungle.  Although I have the increasing pains and weaknesses of aging, I still feel young at heart.  I think that I will never grow up. 

And, I have been reading obsessively – mostly biographies, histories, philosophy, and world geographical news.  So much to learn; so little time! 

And, I’ve been catching as many movies as I can.  Since DVDs are no longer an easily obtained source of seeing films that I missed in theater, I have to see them in their original showings here.  Oppenheimer is still in the theaters, and I am amazed at the range of its script, of its incredible cast, and its overall great production. 

In the last month, theaters here re-played the 20-year-old trilogy of The Lord of the Rings, and it was wonderful to see it on the big screen again.  The audiences were small, but I noticed some of the same people showing up to see each of the three films – die-hard Tolkien fans! 

Our Rainy Season continues, but it is drier than other years, raising fears of drought for farmers, as the reservoirs are low.  Yesterday, I did a long march in a light rain, only needing an umbrella when in exceptionally windy spots.  It was a delightfully cooler march than normal, since there was no brutal sun on me. 

Tomorrow is Asalha Puja, “Dharma Day”, which commemorates Buddha’s First Discourse, outlining his fundamental therapeutic advice:  the fact of Dukkha [look it up]; Letting Go of our negative reactions to this reality; Experiencing the Cessation (aka, Nirvana) of these disturbing reactions; and a Path of ethical behavior to integrate these enlightened insights into our lives. 

-Zenwind. 

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09 June 2023

Rains & Cannabis Day

 

I vowed to outrun the rain today, so I started my walk much earlier than usual after reading the weather report’s timing of today’s rain.  I still carried a big umbrella.  I did my seven-k marching loop (climbing only six pedestrian flyovers en route, out of a possible 12 or so).  The pavements were dry, and the sidewalks were quite empty for a Friday. 

Last Monday, I had the same goal, but the rain outran me.  It caught me just after I competed the halfway mark on my loop, and it came down hard and windy.  My Merrell pack has a good rain cover, but the umbrella I packed was the smallest and most compact that I have, and it did a poor job of defending from the heavy blowing rain.  I arrived home a bit wet.  So, it will be only serious umbrellas from now on. 

Today is Cannabis Day in Thailand, the one-year anniversary of the de-listing of cannabis as an illegal drug.  Good grass with high THC is available everywhere, and it sure has turbo-charged my exercise habits in this last year, making me feel healthier than in many years.  Two tokes, followed by intense Tai Chi, range-of-motion calisthenics and careful stretching, and I hit the pavement.  Great workout.  There was no direct sunlight because of the clouds, so it was a much cooler walk than any in recent months. 

Blessed Coolness.  Zen Delight. 

-Zenwind.  

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