A potato and a carrot are hitch-hiking at the side of the road when a cyclist comes around the corner and runs down the potato.
The next day the carrot goes to visit his friend in the hospital. The potato does not look too good.
“Tell me, doc,” says the carrot anxiously, “do you think my friend will be okay?”
“He may recover,” replies the doctor, “but frankly, for the rest of his life he will be a vegetable.”
One of the reasons I go for cycling is that I don't want to end up as a vegetable. A life without any vigorous activity like running, jogging, cycling, breathing or going to the gym is akin to a vegetable's. Only when one is religiously into any of these activities or all of them can one discern the difference. Otherwise we tend to take misery to be normal and excitement to be happiness. And both are two sides of the same coin. They keep you depressed after the initial euphoria subsides.
My goal is to complete a 100 mile bike ride. And towards this end I have been going on long rides almost every day. And when I don't get to go on my rides, I go for a 10 km jog or do an hour of intense breathing exercises to compensate for the bike ride. Today was one such day where I couldn't go for a ride. And neither for jogging. So I settled down for an hour of breathing to lift my energy levels. Tomorrow I wish to go on a long ride: a 50 km-odd ride followed by some trekking to a hill-fort in the vicinity. Till then keep biking and have fun.
My mission
To jog-bicycle around the world, climb the mountains, swim the seas and soar the skies. Since they are not remotely possible, I settled for a daily dose of spiritual triathlon -- jogging, cycling and meditation -- necessarily in that order. My idea of a spiritual triathlon is 10 miles of jogging and 10 miles of cycling followed by an hour of meditation. I sincerely feel that not less than a spiritual marathon can tame the mind and mould it the way you want it to. So go ahead and have fun taking a dekko at my spiritual athleticism. But don't forget to drop in a word or two on how you feel about my blog and my way of life. Your advice is always valuable to go that extra length to the Garden of Eden
Food for cycling thought
A Zen Teacher saw five of his students return from the market, riding their bicycles. When they had dismounted, the teacher asked the students, "Why are you riding your bicycles?"
The first student replied, "The bicycle is carrying this sack of potatoes. I am glad that I do not have to carry them on my back!" The teacher praised the student, saying, "You are a smart boy. When you grow old, you will not walk hunched over, as I do."
The second student replied, "I love to watch the trees and fields pass by as I roll down the path." The teacher commended the student, "Your eyes are open and you see the world."
The third student replied, "When I ride my bicycle, I am content to chant, nam myoho renge kyo." The teacher gave praise to the third student, "Your mind will roll with the ease of a newly trued wheel."
The fourth student answered, "Riding my bicycle, I live in harmony with all beings." The teacher was pleased and said, "You are riding on the golden path of non-harming."
The fifth student replied, "I ride my bicycle to ride my bicycle." The teacher went and sat at the feet of the fifth student, and said, "I am your disciple."
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