this weekend i finally got out on the water. the cold rainy spring, the massive flooding here in the st louis where the two largest rivers in america converge, the new job - all conspired against me doing one my favorite things all year...getting onto and into a good sized body of water. beautiful day with friend jeffe and his speed boat. there were a hundred boats on the sandbar in the missouri river we ended up at ranging in size from little fishing boats to half million dollar yachts and all kinds of people playing frisbee and volleyball and barbequing.

and i did the coolest thing while we were chillin at the sand bar at the long tree filled island. some of you may remember that i enjoy doing tai chi. i like it much better than yoga in that there is a flow to the movements that really resonates with me, body and mind. there is one move where at the end you bring this little ball of energy you worked on generating between your palms and you push it into your dantien (a chakra or spiritual body point right below your navel) and yea I know its invisible and all, but it always, always, sends out this little wave of warm tingly feelings outward from my stomach area. Weirdest dang thing. not logical at all, but still undeniable from an experiential standpoint too. but i guess if you consider that all matter is energy and we are just batteries made of meat for using and releasing some of that energy, its not so far fetched.

anyways the sandbar from the beach went out a ways into the river which is still pretty high and strong (from the recent floods) with a 7 or 8 mph current. I went out almost chest high and the fast moving water is wanting to push me and it required a fair amount of balance and strength just to stay in one place. and I had the idea to do tai chi. after a few minutes of adapting myself to the new much heavier medium, I totally got into it, and it was not only a good workout but forced my movements to be absolutely aerodynamic. now I so want one of those little forced current lap pools to not only do laps, but also this vigorous new form of tai chi.

yes i live in st. louis, about as far from large bodies of water as you can get, but somehow manage to keep water in my life still. one day i will buy another sailboat and actually take advantage of the charterers license i worked hard to obtain, and sail the caribbean as was my original plan. until then, i play with the cards i've been dealt, and enjoy the game as much as i can. which some days is much easier than others...especially when i'm on a boat on a beautiful day.

posted by bluematrix at 07/30/08 17:54 | link | comments (8)