Long Walks On Leafy Streets

7/20/2016 Vista Sorrento Pkwy, San Diego, CA.
It is a beautiful summer day today and I am staying home with Prashant. I have been taking care of him for one day of the week every week. Even when classes are going on I can do this because we teach only four days a week. After several days of humid 90 degree weather it is a great relief to have a day like this. Apparently it is going to get really really hot this weekend, and they say this year is another record year for global temperatures, but that’s a different story. These days I try to simply stay in the present moment and the present action and not worry too much about other things. Hopefully through my actions I can contribute something but worrying is not going to help anyone.

I took him to Costco for a little shopping trip. Although South Dakota Avenue was a little congested with traffic, I enjoyed driving through the tree-lines street. I played south Indian classical music and started feeling calmer.
The last few days have been a little hectic because I have been trying to wrap up the proof of a problem I have been working on. I feel close to it but I am not sure. I have been thinking about it day and night and also waiting to hear from a Professor whom I wrote asking for his opinion. As I wrote earlier it has been an exhilarating experience but I must say I cannot wait to get it done and dusted. But here again the attitude of simply focusing on the present helps.

As mentioned before running long distance has really helped me in staying calm, among other things. Since coming back from San Diego I have run 13 miles during the past two weekends, mostly on the Rock Creek Parkway. I must say I am starting to feel pretty good about my running. On Saturday the 8th I ran in the evening in 90-degree weather and it was not pleasant. Although I ran around sunset the first 7 miles or so were difficult. I ran slowly - about 9.6 minutes per mile. Afterwards there was more shade and it got a little cooler and so it got a little easier. I ran all the way along the Rock Creek to the Potomac River and then along the river to just beyond the Jefferson memorial. Then I turned back and ran for another 2.5 miles to Dupont Circle. Those last couple of miles was really pleasant because it was dark by then and I was treated to the sight of the river gleaming under the lights of Georgetown and Kennedy Center. I ran the same route again this past Sunday. I started around 7.30 in the morning. It was great to run when not many people were out and to be able to enjoy the sound of the rushing creek. This time I ran a bit faster and was able to run 13 miles at a 9 minute pace. Although 9 minute pace is comfortable as far as breathing goes, even on a summer morning, after about 10 miles the legs start to get weary and one has to assert one’s will to stay calm and keep going. This is where running helps you train the mind to rise above the turbulence and keep a positive outlook.

Ultimately, spiritual growth is not just about staying calm and positive. To me it is about understanding the real meaning of life and learning to love all beings. I do think that everything in life teaches me something and helps me grow. But it is great once in a while at least to take a break from the grind of daily life and step back a little bit and get a fresh perspective. To recharge one’s soul, as they say. Such an opportunity arose during our trip to San Diego.

The Deer Park Monastery established by followers of Thich Nhat Hanh sits in the mountains near the small town of Escondido about 30 miles northeast of La Jolla, where we were staying. On the last day of our trip we drove to the monastery. It was a bit of an adventure because you have to go up a steep, narrow and winding mountain road. We felt a bit nervous, to be honest, driving on that road and for a moment it seemed like it was going nowhere. Finally we reached the monastery and walked around the hilly campus. We only had permission to walk the grounds and visit the main meditation hall and that is what we did. Save for a couple of monks and laypeople we had the place all to ourselves. The absolute stillness of the place was transformational. Perhaps all that running had prepared me for that moment but I felt the turbulence, the conflicts, and the endless chatter of thoughts within my mind simply disappear momentarily. It was as if I had been walking in the fog and suddenly the fog lifted and all I could see was clear skies.

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