Archive for August, 2018

More Dog Days of Summer

August 24, 2018

Mindfulness Revisited

I recommend taking a peek at my previous blogs on this subject before moving on:

Merriam-Webster Says

Synonyms of mindfulness (according to Merriam-Webster):
  • Attention, awareness, cognizance, consciousness, ear, eye, heed, knowledge, note, notice, observance, observation
Words Related to mindfulness (according to Merriam-Webster):
  • Hyperawareness, hyperconsciousness
  • Advisement, care, concern, consideration, regard, watch
  • Apprehension, discernment, grasp, mind, perception, recognition, thought, understanding
Near Antonyms of mindfulness (according to Merriam-Webster):
  • Disregard, neglect, obliviousness, unawareness
Blogger’s Disclaimer:  Rather than provide a primer on mindfulness in this post, given that I don’t consider myself an expert, my thought was to share some road signs on figuring out for ourselves how to manage our lives in a more sensible, peaceful manner. The following Daily Word content consists of an article and four affirmations that you might find useful in achieving “inner peace”.
Pink Floyd: Breathe (in the Air)

 

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Affirmations from Daily Word

My regular readers know that Daily Word is part of my routine to kick-start my day. I’m including some samples and links to the Unity web site, which is well-organized, should you want to subscribe and/or look for specific information on line.

Opportunities for Mindful Meditation by Katie Hawthorne (Daily Word, August 2018)

  • “As I focus on the present moment, my day flows and things seem to happen in timely ways. I find myself saying Yes! to each one”. (Daily Word, 8/23/18, “Present Moment”)
  • “I know the importance of a balanced life, and I am mindful to set aside time for rest and rejuvenation”. (Daily Word, 7/12/18, “Refresh”)
  • “I am made of light. I AM the light. My mind and emotions reflect the balance and purpose of this universe”. (Daily Word, 7/21/18, “Harmony”)
  • I express the peace and love of my Christ spirit. I make a conscious choice to be calm and centered. I begin by asking myself, What is preventing me from experiencing peace right now? (Daily Word, 4/21/18, “Inner Peace”)

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The Dog Days of Summer

August 17, 2018

Running and Close Encounters with Dogs

Running obviously is a physical activity, but along with the endorphin effect it often provides serendipitous experiences. I’ve mentioned my dog encounters before.

On one very warm and sunny day in Portland, running along the Willamette River, my friend and I needed a pit stop so we stopped at a park that had restrooms. I should mention that we often stop during a run to commune with our four-legged friends, the friendly ones at least. It was at the park we met Possum, whose owner was giving him a drink. He was a cool dog with an unusual coat. The owner told us he was a Catahoula. Doing some research later, I discovered that he was a Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog, which apparently became the state dog of Louisiana in 1979. The owner said that he was a Katrina orphan that they rescued and brought to Portland when they moved here. I thought it was an interesting story.

One More Dog Story

On another run, by myself this time, I met Bruno the Pit Bull. I always ask if a dog is friendly and if it’s OK to approach the animal. Two ladies were walking Bruno, and they said it was OK. Big, but only six-months old he was a beautiful animal. We were talking about the undeserved reputations that Pit Bulls have, as being vicious. Bruno was very friendly. Not everyone agrees on the breed’s inherent personality, but here’s a bit of information. Personally, I’ve met a lot of very friendly pit bulls and some not so friendly other dog breeds.

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