7th Septemeber is a day off

Traveling to Harrogate in the afternoon. The black clouds on the way:



At work between 8pm and 8 am.

6th September - slothful baby

Wake up after a deep and restful sleep, almost like a baby, but one that likes sleeping too much and gets up too late. I begin with some Chi Kung which is such a gift, then morning sitting.

After breakfast the landlord comes and we have a good talk about the plans. He is a good man, very empathic. After this I call old friend Jakub in Poland, this wasn't actually intended at all, I just found myself dialing his number, still remembered after 4 years of not calling. In the meantime receive welcomed email message of advice. Things are more clear.

Go out to the bank but this branch is not open on Saturday. I take this picture - the Mosque and the Evangelical Church in Rusholme, just within 200 metres away from each other:



AT lie-down, bliss. Then lunch and listen to the talk followed by some practice, like: Jotd, guitar, then reading and more guitar refreshing J.S.Bach repertoire.

After this I go out to old place in Levenshulme to collect the letter and meet the friend from Israel. She'll be coming back home soon... While walking in the rain a thought flies by - it took me some time and preparatory work to be ready to begin work on some specific practice. In some cases 4 years to open particular door, or should I rather say to notice there is a door.

Back home, eat toasts with camembert and tomatos, mmm.

I'm low on energy - rest much needed ! First AT lie-down, then send some study related emails, journal. It's 23.33 pm now.

I'll be leaving to Yorkshire tomorrow, staying until Thursday.

5th September - good sleep

A day begins at 6.10, feel blunt and bit out of tune, sitting helps.

Ania finishes her night shift at 8 o'clock and we drive to Leeds where I catch up with emails and she is doing some cooking. I find a book in my box which should be useful these days: Adler's How to read books.

More traveling at 12.30: Yorkshire -> Lancashire.

And then not much to be said about today really. A usual practice and some email catching up. I also have some nice chat with new housemate George.

The highlights of the day are reading from the ARC material and guitar work. Practice 1st primary with care - anyway with or without it it is a baptism of fire indeed for George who is staying upstairs. Also some work on the Driving Force, at least George doesn't have to watch the tight lips, to see the positive side of things.

It's 23.27, Soon to bed ... The last Chi Kung newsletter arrived today with an article 'how to sleep like a baby'. Sounds like something for me ! One of two recommended approaches is to relax the centres.

4th September - Harrogate

A day in Yorkshire:

It begins in time & good tone, early rise in Marek's flat and getting ready for job. Usual proceedings.

Most of the time during the day is spent at work: 8-20 shift. A group of home residents are visiting Scarborough on the bus today and I join them with the team of carers. Good event, it's very important for them to leave the walls of the home from time to time and go away, even if it means getting some rain ! The highlight of the trip is the sea, of course, and fish & chips with freshly caught haddock is just great.

I'm positively tired at the end of this. Walk back to Cheltenham Mount apartment, then decide to walk to good old Valley Gardens looking for some quiet place to do some chi kung and to cool down. It's very dark, and while I'm sitting quietly one man slowly passes by once, then another time, on the third occasion he stops few metres away. There's some tension in the air and after a while I drop the exercise, say 'good evening' and chat with the visitor. His name is Peter and seems to be bit nervous at first, but we break the ice and talk for a while. Then it's time to go back to the apartment. We talk with Marek about some possible plans for the end of the year, then it's time for JOTD.

Borrowed Vodafone mobile USB modem is working fine, so the internet is available. That's good. I check email, some journals & ARC site.

A good day in terms of practice, it's events inviting me to be more intelligent and creative about it.

It's 00.12 now.

3rd September - help

I wake up at 8.30 this morning, slothful start of the day, no good. During the sitting the previous landlord that cheated me just recently comes to my mind few times - I find myself not able to forgive him, well, not yet - hopefully. But acceptnace is possible...

After breakfast leave to Citizen Advice Bureau to look for advice on how to solve my deposit problem. I intend to do it in a positive manner, well, we'll see ! Anyhow, the office is busy and I'm asked to come on another day and arrive earlier. In the meantime get another phonecall with extra shift to do on offer, so that's good.

Back in the new flat, this one feels more like home. I'm inattentive and low of energy - ask for help, and help is available. I have shower then some practice session, looking at it more as means than an end in itself:

First AT lie-down to reconnect with the body and myself. Then JotD and guitar: 2nd primary into 4th primary into 28 bars. Foundations.

Lunch time, soon to leave. Something changed in the flow of the day and respond to it the best I can, follow the flow ...

Now leaving to Leeds/Harrogate for the day shift tomorrow. The next journal will be on Friday, unless it'll be possible to access internet before.

It's 15:07 o'clock.

2nd September - the first full day

It feels strange to wake up after such a long night. It's 7 o'clock and it's cold, a first full day in the new apartment is ahead. I lie in bed for few minutes, taking time to wake up, then walk to the nearby park to do some stretches. It's easier to wake up in the cold.

I warm up with the herbal tea and do morning sitting. In the meantime sun comes up bringing nourishment and warmth - I need sun. Also the activity in the street increases, some people start walking, I can even hear some geese, sweet sound to my ears, these must be pond-based ones from the park.

A busy day ahead. I spend the morning writing emails, some job-related phone calls, all this goes smoothly. I also meet my new flatmate with his girlfriend. She'll be coming back to Minnesota tomorrow.

I have a lovely lunch brought by Ania - golabki and spicy cake. After this chill out, listen to some MySpace music - it's free and some of the bands I wanted to listen to again are there, like Gordian Knot.

A noticeable transition in the day, something has changed in the air, kind of 'beginning again'.

AT lie-down, allow the back to lengthen and widen. Good prelude for practicing with the instrument, approaching it with a greater sense of body presence now. One hour of this - I'm working toward a simple, clear and positive aim.

It's raining outside, good weather for the reading ! AAD connection, then first reading of the first chapter from the JGB book - a part of Applied Reading Circle study.

It stops raining so do Jotd outside the house, doing what is possible with what is available. The next door neighbors pass by and I say hello and introduce myself - the old lady doesn't speak English, so her little grandson (my guess) translates.

Then I go out to do the shopping. After this write several emails, one of them to Manchester based AT teacher, a difficult message I postponed for some time. Once I finally clicked on 'new message' and began writing from the feelings all this imaginary anxiety was gone and the words just flew.

Later on a welcomed message from a friend, and yes, it can be felt. Ah, and by the way - I'm finally writing at the proper desk sitting on the proper chair - a luxury - huray !

Evening meditation marks a transition day in the evening, again. It's dark outside, time to wind down. I have dinner then relax...

At 22 o'clock have a skype meeting with friend Marcin in Tychy. Updates, catching up, some GC related, good to stay in touch. We are going to meet in October on the Course in Spain.

Journals and bed. It's 23:58

1st September - at the new place

That was a pretty long day - 31 hours non-stop. It began with moving to the new apartment in Rusholme, only few minutes away from where I've stayed over the past 2 months. Ania comes to help with this.

After this we drive to Leeds, it's raining. We eat dinner at Ania's place - an African spicy soup with fufu and lamb made by Kofi. It's superb and warms up nicely.

Then it's a nightshift at the care home in Harrogate, from 8 till 8. We have a very good night and I'm full of energy at the end of it.

I go and visit Marek at his place. He prepares some mango & potato salad, very delicious and rich in flavors.

Marek:



At one point the wave of tiredness comes, of course - I have coffee. Take the 12:23 Leeds bus catch a bus to Manchester. I decide to walk from the centre to Rusholme to get the sense of the neighborhood. Back home and winding down.

It's a transition time. Also the reading group inaugurates today, beginning with the initial 8 weeks period.

It's 17:49 o'clock now. Soon to bed, ideally I'll sleep through until early morning, well, very early morning will do nicely too...