The Tao of the Treadmill
Really tired after five hours of driving yesterday plus a TV interview and a restless night’s sleep...it is 7.30am when I push open the gym door, walk to the open lockers and stow away my bag. I Look around, there are probably 4 others in the room at various machines doing their thing, one is my husband who is set up and going even though he walked in only seconds before me.
“Darn those ear phone thingies they always get tangled no matter how many times I untangle them.” Plug my Ipod into my chosen treadmill, set up my workout....60 minutes duration; speed at 6 KPH; incline at 4; want my heart rate to sit around 140...high I know for my age, according to “average” figures..but perfect for me to get up a good sweat and still be able to breathe. “Average” what is average? I think to myself as I press “Start”.....got to stop striving for average and just be me, “Unigue”. I am also thinking how glad I am I learnt the art of walking meditation when I was very young. I had four babies then, ran a business as well as working three jobs and had no time to set aside just to meditate in silence and on my own. It took awhile but I learnt to put my body in automatic, set my mind and soul free to focus and fly wherever they needed to go and still be able to spring back into action if needed in my physical reality.
I have one last look around at the space I am in before my treadie reaches full speed and “Adagio for Oboe......” finishes. Don’t know what the rest of it is because I have searched for that piece on my Ipod and have never found it but it is always the first thing that plays when I train. Just one of life’s beautiful mysteries, don’t you just love them....I gave up trying to figure out what they all meant years ago and am happy in the not knowing.
Before I know it my body is in automatic, My mind and soul are focused and I really HEAR the words, I am still very aware of where I am and what I am doing and yet I am with John Farnham.....”There’s no ghost in us from the past that we can’t shake, have a little faith in us.....There’s no history that we can’t remake...have a little faith in us...there’s no destiny in us we can’t create...for all we know the best is yet to come...have a little faith in us...! I am totally with you John.
Somewhere between Roy Orbison’s “Blue Bayou” that fills my mind with turquoise seas, white sands and soft breezes.....and The Hollies...”All I need is the Air that I breathe and to love you”...I am singing to my husband and the beautiful world in which I live....my body calls me back to stretch out my left calf a little, ah all fixed !....Oh I am falling into Barry White...”Can’t Get Enough of Your Love Baby!” and I am swirling in a space dance with Paul.
I travel through “Life is a Roller Coaster” ...”If tomorrow never comes.” ......And am just really getting into Darren Hayes and his “Good Enough”......I Like everything that Spielbergs done.. would I be good enough, would I be good enough......ummmm! BEEP< BEEP BEEP!! What the!!!...I am back in my body, the treadmill is slowing down, THAT WAS AN HOUR !! Yes it was! as I see my workout stats come up on the monitor.....and as I turn to my left, Paul is watching my return to this reality we are in together. ......we smile at each other as I step off the treadie, wipe the sweat from my face and notice my T-shirt is drenched.
My morning meditation and workout in one, all done. My mind is calm, my heart rate and breathing is normal within seconds and my heart and body is filled with love.....I am energised and ready for all the day will bring.