No thinking leads to only being. No worry, no fear.

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1. A Story

Do you ever find yourself feeling like a hamster running around in an exercise wheel in a cage? Or perhaps you feel the treadmill you run on in your gym is a metaphor for your life. Lots of sweat and hard work, but at the end of your workout you find yourself standing in the same place you started from.

For me, peace of mind is something I often find myself striving for, rather than simply allowing it to happen.

Recently I was feeling a bit frazzled, and I came up with a creative solution to help me deal with the stress I was creating. It was the first really hot day in Tokyo this summer. The temperature was 95F or about 32C and the humidity was 90%. Truly a day I was not looking forward to.

This is what I did to alleviate my pain- I poured myself a container of juice and filled my bathtub with room temperature water. Next I strapped on my trusty roller blades with the intention of skating much slower than usual, while working out for an hour and a half instead of my usual one hour time frame.

Off I went as I focused on maintaining a rhythm. I developed a four beat mantra and repeated to myself "Happy, healthy, God, love." "Happy, healthy, God, love." Two strokes of my roller blades for each word uttered.

I soon noticed I had a tendency to push myself to go at my usual up tempo speed, even though my intention was to consciously slow down. This realization led me to intuitively change my mantra to "Calm, peaceful, satisfied, happy." Changing my mantra helped me to keep a soft focus on moving at a more relaxed pace.

Needless to say, I lost my train of thought many times, and each time I realized I had lost my way I simply started in all over again. "Calm, peaceful, satisfied, happy."

Little by little I started to feel the effects of the heat and humidity. The more I felt the strain on my physical system, the more often I found myself losing my mantra, as I drifted off into thoughts of hardship and striving. I cautioned myself to stay steady while slowing down my pace. I was fascinated to experience how I habitually pushed myself to go faster, and do "more". Just like my everyday life!

"Calm (stroke, stroke), peaceful (stroke, stroke), satisfied (stroke, stroke), happy (stroke, stroke)." Somehow the whole experience finally started to sink in and make sense. I had moments where I was "only" roller blading, with nothing separating "me" from the asphalt. Nothing stopping me from being who I truly am.

Somehow I felt very liberated, and the road seemed smoother and my path more assured.

After an hour and a half of full engagement I slid up to my front door, went inside, took off my skates, and slowly drank a good deal of the juice I had set aside. Next, I took off my clothes and immersed myself in my tub. The feeling was truly sublime, and I found myself laying there for twenty minutes without a single thought.

As I came back into my more usual frame of mind I realized how wonderful it is to occasionally turn off the thinking mind. To simply be, without the need to do.

No thinking leads to only being. No worry, no fear. No thinking leads to the experience of "Calm, peaceful, satisfied, happy."

My encounter with liberation on a hot and humid summer day in Tokyo, is still fresh in my mind.

2. Commentary

Seishindo Theorem #13
There is a life force that animates every living being. We share this gift of life with all of creation. We do not "own" it.

Many people habitually restrict their life force when faced with what they perceive as "adversity." We restrict the flow of life by tensing our physiology, inhibiting the flow of our blood and oxygen, and restraining our movements and breath. Invariably this leads to excessive thinking that focuses on what "could" go wrong.

When we lessen the flow of "life," we lessen our ability to learn, be creative, and adapt. When we cultivate free flowing energy we open ourselves to receiving and being blessed by the dynamic flow of Spirit.

3. Practice

Walking with Grace and Power
This Practice builds upon today's story, and it is something I use on a regular basis. You will likely find this Practice serves you well in your daily life, as you come away feeling more centered and calm.

Please give it a try and write to us describing your experience.

4. Links

Gizmoproject.com & Skype.com
If you would like to save a LOT of money on international and long distance phone calls and you have a high speed internet connection, you should try either one of these services. If your friends have the same software installed on their computer you can call them for free! The software also comes for free! I haven't tried Gizmo yet but it is supposed to be good, alhtough I believe it is a bit more expensive if you are calling to someone's phone. Check out all of the extra services both sites offer as there are some very interesting possibilities. When in Japan I can call the U.S. for about 1.5 Euro per minute! The sound quality is excellent if your internet connection is fast enough, but important to know that occasionally your call will all of a sudden cut off and you will have to call again.

Private Sessions with Charlie Badenhop Atlanta: August 8, 9, 10 If you would like to: Explore core issues, such as your current identity, your health, or destructive habit patterns, Feel more fully alive and emotionally balanced, Explore the direction of your professional or personal life, A Seishindo in-person private session can prove to be of great value. Read more about how you can benefit from a Seishindo private session. Read what other people say about Seishindo sessions. If you think you might be interested in a private session, please contact Charlie directly at charlie@seishindo.org.

5. Suggested Music

"Touched by an Angel" - Various artists
This album is a compilation of inspirational pop numbers and many of the cuts really move me. The album showcases a diverse range of artists--Celine Dion, Deana Carter, soft-R&B group Uncle Sam, Wynonna, Bob Dylan. If you want to feel good, this is a great album to tune into. I regularly use various cuts from this album in my workshops.

6. Our subscribers' section

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A) Questions and comments relating to what you read here.
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7. Copyright

Unless otherwise attributed, all material for the newsletter "Pure Heart, Simple Mind"(tm) is written and edited by Charlie Badenhop ©. All rights reserved.

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