In yesterday's post, I mentioned that I was going to take an Epsom salts bath - to try and avoid any post-Shiatsu soreness. Well fortune was not soaking down on me last night (OK - I know that makes no sense). Or it could just be that I got side-tracked and never got around it. Social media be damned!!
So today was the day. I woke up feeling a little bit sore, not just-did-a-crazy-bootcamp-class sore, but a little achy. After dropping the kids at daycare and doing some work, I decided to have that bath. Epsom salts, jets on, reading material - the whole bit.
So today was the day. I woke up feeling a little bit sore, not just-did-a-crazy-bootcamp-class sore, but a little achy. After dropping the kids at daycare and doing some work, I decided to have that bath. Epsom salts, jets on, reading material - the whole bit.
I went in search of something to read in the bath, and found (to my surprise) my copy of the Tao Te Ching. I must have had that book for almost 20 years. I also took along Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet and a book of Shakespeare's Love Sonnets (you know - just in case). The bubbles on the proverbial water (seemed like a bad idea to eat cake in the bath) - I lit a couple of candles. I can't think of the last time I lit candles while taking a bath. OK - it was midday and totally bright out, but still, it felt very luxurious.
The water was almost painfully hot; the jets were set for 20 minutes and I was all in ... literally. I cracked the Tao Te Ching, read the foreword (don't think I'd done that before), and couldn't put it down. Turns out - I am kind of a Taoist, and I didn't even know it. I think during my contemplative 20s I might have suspected. Do they have churches? I guess if I'm going to be a Taoist, I should learn about these things. I earmarked a page that inspired me, and then another, and basically every page I read is now earmarked.
So maybe I'm not really a Taoist but I'd like to be one. Is there a website where I can, you know, join? I'd love to see that membership card. I doubt there'd be a free latte on my birthday.
At any rate, I thought I'd share one of the pages that inspired me.
The water was almost painfully hot; the jets were set for 20 minutes and I was all in ... literally. I cracked the Tao Te Ching, read the foreword (don't think I'd done that before), and couldn't put it down. Turns out - I am kind of a Taoist, and I didn't even know it. I think during my contemplative 20s I might have suspected. Do they have churches? I guess if I'm going to be a Taoist, I should learn about these things. I earmarked a page that inspired me, and then another, and basically every page I read is now earmarked.
So maybe I'm not really a Taoist but I'd like to be one. Is there a website where I can, you know, join? I'd love to see that membership card. I doubt there'd be a free latte on my birthday.
At any rate, I thought I'd share one of the pages that inspired me.
In dwelling, live close to the ground.
In thinking, keep to the simple.
In conflict, be fair and generous.
In governing, don't try to control.
In work, do what you enjoy.
In family life, be completely present.
When you are content to be simply yourself
and don't compare or compete,
everybody will respect you.
Do your work, then step back.
The only path to serenity.