Keep a keen sense of observation … NOTICE

Summer has found itself comfortable here on The Ledge. Simple things take place at the moment, appreciating the cycles of life through the observation of the Moon Calendar I take time to notice. The past four days of the Hawaiian Moon Calendar (check out the sidebar for more on the Hawaiian Moon Calendar) were the 'ole days ... times when Pete and I restore and slow even more. Living on the Ledge in the Woods is priming us for a life more in sync with natural patterns. Pete and our friend "Anna Paint" who shares her land with us are playing Scrabble. It's a routine the two old dears engage in to pass time companionably, and in the process something happens with the synapses in their brains. Across the strawberry fields I hear them in Scrabble conversation ... not hearing them exactly I simply notice they are engaged.

The mid-morning sky is delicious ... clear, and exquisite a background to the tall rising firs growing slowly around the Vardo. Our lives include many journeys; some extensive and repetitive others tiny and almost unnoticed. With the challenges of living with a long-term and surprising illness like chemical sensitivities and environment illness the quiet moments and still times need a different sort of attention. Without the cloak of defensiveness I notice my body is disoriented: like at night when the light of sun, street lights that are completely void here, and the empty night sky. It is so completely dark within the walls of our Vardo I seek the flannel curtain and draw it back just a bit to give me perspective. Claustrophophia? Perhaps, or maybe a bread crumb ... simply reaching for the bread crumb in my familiar fairy tale of a transforming life.

An update and seven-day report on Bounce and Shaking. It really works wonders. It's fun, moves lymph like the massages that I've not been able to have for years and I had a chance to share the simple jirations with our MCS Seattle friends. So, early this week in a North Seattle Park three friends and I did the Bounce and Shake moves. Two minutes of movement and goofiness. And then stillness, notice the tingling. "That's the lymph moving!" "That's amazing. That's all it takes?" "I believe so." "Wow." The 'ole days of the moon happen approximately ever 2-3 weeks and are a perfect time to restore and attend to the maintainence I lose track of for any number of reasons. I notice the small routine fits gently into my day without extreme, adds a quality of goodness that I can feel and is easily shared with friends.

Lovely morning.

Bounce and Shake ... a good health practice idea

I collect a lot of toxins and toxics during a day, and don't exercise regularly. There's no excuse for that, life simply gets full and yet I know my body needs to move. I'm a Scorpio woman and in the view of astrology Pluto, the ruling planet of Scorpio went retrograde in April and will be in retrograde until early September of 2009. This is an excellent time to re-view and reassess my choices and my relationships with this dear self. I found this article while linking from one site to another. It's something I'm going to try this today in our wee wheelie house and then outside in the blustery air.

Here's the link to the entire article on Lymph Health on Lynn Koiner's Website.

EXERCISE: While all exercise stimulates the lymph, jumping on the rebounder is the best. If you do not have room for a rebounder, a jump-and-shake exercise works just as well. With feet slightly apart, you jump just a little and then shake the body. It is similar to dancing in African tribes that bob-and-shake type of dance.

The bounce and shake routine gets your heart pumping and your body moving so that your metabolism starts working. Follow the following steps to do the bounce and shake:

Standing with knees slightly bent, feet comfortably apart, bounce up and down easily without lifting heels off the ground
As you bounce, let your arms hang, relaxed, by your side. Shake your hands

Nod your head up and down in a comfortable range of motion, 2 to 4 inches
As you nod back and look up, breathe in through your nose to the count of 5, and then exhale to the count of 5 as you lower your head

During the first minute, breathe through your nose; During the second minute make a noise originating from the base of your throat – like snoring; Then breathe in through your nose, and out through puckered lips, as if blowing out a birthday candle.

Stop bouncing and shaking. Take a moment to feel the vibrations you have created throughout your body.

ATTENTION: The superficial lymphatic system is located in the sub-dermal layer just beneath the skin. It is continuous throughout the entire body — There are also deep lymphatic systems but by working on the superficial lymphatic system, you can affect drainage throughout the entire lymphatic system.