A young blonde female stock broker was bored with driving her BMW. It lacked individuality, and besides that every other girl in the office had one. She fancied something a bit more individual, perhaps a MG convertible.
That week she visited her local car dealer and spied a beautiful Jaguar XK140 convertible. It was wonderfully restored and she fell in love with its gorgeous red paint job. An empty check stub later, and off she was tearing down the leafy country lanes enjoying her beautiful new car. Her long blonde hair was flowing in the wind, music blaring from the radio, what could possibly go wrong?
At that thought there was a splutter from the engine and the car slowly coasted to a stop. She got out and lifted the bonnet and concluded after a few minutes that she didn't have a bloody clue what was wrong. Luckily she had her mobile phone with her and a quick phone call to the AutoClub and a short wait saw a bright shiny yellow van pull up behind her.
"That's a lovely car," said the mechanic. "What seems to be the matter?"
"Well, it just conked out I'm afraid."
"Let me have look." He set to work and ten minutes later the engine was purring like a cat again.
"Thank goodness," she said. "What was the matter
"Simple really, just crap in the carburetor," he replied.
Looking shocked she asked, "Oh, OK... How many times a week do I have to do that?"
Everyone who knows me asks me for tips on how to go vroom on their bikes, if at all they buy. And the first question they keep asking me is: How many times a week do I go out on my bike? I tell them it is not how many times you go about, but how passionate you are about changing your lifestyle. Everyone wants a method to take up something. And no one wants to do anything just for the pure joy of it. They don't realise that once the madness called method creeps in, it becomes like one of those office jobs. "But," they say, "if we don't have a way of doing things, how do we do them?" "Can't anything be done just for the heck of it?" I tell them. "For the pure joy of it?" They are so used to thinking in terms of corporate goals and rules, that they don't seem to be convinced with my answer and think that I am a nerd. And I repeat once again. If you can't do anything just for the heck of it, you don't have the inclination to savour the simple joys of life. It's like a kid riding a bicycle. Does he ask you for a method to bike? Not that I know of. He sees how you bike and once he learns it, he is off for the joyride of his life. However much you try to convince him, he wouldn't get off his bike. And that is the kind of attitude one should have if one seeks to appreciate cycling or jogging or meditation. Just for the pure play of it.
Except for the ride to office, couldn't go for long a bike ride today too. But managing to do the breathing exercises in the morning to keep myself in my elements. And spend a full one hour breathing my lungs out. I feel fresh and fully charged with energy once my exercise is over that I am ready to take on the world. But I miss my bike rides. Once my assignment is done, I will go on a 100 mile ride to make up for the loss. Anyone wants to join me?
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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