The life-raft

 Some thoughts, starting with waking.

We're all in life rafts.

What if there's a leak in my/our raft?

OK, deal with the feeling, go back to the image.

Patch is needed. Much as all my medical issues - some of which have patches, some just lead to bailing the water, so I don't drown. With lungs my primary week link I think drowning is likely as a legitimate worry.

Then I realize my skin represents my raft...somewhat impervious to the environment, it allows me to float along in this sea of life.

Mmmm, I'm my own life raft.

My nebulizer each day is a saline solution, which is like the salt in the ocean, in our blood. It helps clear out mucous, and my sinuses benefit first...along with coughing which is good in this case. The air in my small apartment is then saturated for about half an hour. I have a couple of medicines which I can also inhale. They don't seem to change my ability to breathe, so I just do them and wonder if they are really helping. (I'll check with my pulmonologist again in a week.) I now have an air-purifier which has different colored lights indicating when the saline and other chemicals have been cleared from the air.

I'm also looking forward to that doctor's visit to obtain his opinion of the CT scan I had last week of my lungs. The Bronchiectasis leaves damage, as well as pneumonia which I had last year in September. I want to see what my lung-status is now before I can consider some major changes in my life.

 sometimes this is the feeling I have

The feeling I want to have

Listening to stars

 

 “In The Lost World of the Kalahari, Laurens van der Post writes about living among the Bushmen of the Kalahari Desert and describes how shocked they were that he couldn’t hear the stars.

At first they thought he must be joking or lying. When they realized he really couldn’t hear the stars, they concluded he must be very ill and expressed great sorrow. For the Bushmen knew anyone who can’t hear nature must have the gravest sickness of all"

Have you watched "The Gods Must be Crazy" lately. I think I'm going to look for it now. I need to see this perspective on life again.

Considering my Online Life

Some interesting things to consider, thanks to  "Online Rhythms" Slowing Down the Quick-Step of Social Media, by Eline Kieft's Substack newsletter, which she announced she's dropping for now.

Reflections for Living Well with Digital Time

When you are online…

1. Before you open an app or your inbox, take a moment to tune in what you are actually looking for in that moment. Distraction is fine, but usually not so nourishing…

2. What happens in your body while you are scrolling, reading or replying? Check your breath, jaw, shoulders, eyes, chest and your emotions.

3. Do you stop when you have had enough, or do you keep going out of habit, fear of missing something, or because you’re engrossed without realising?

4. Afterwards, does it feel like you found what you were looking for? More spacious, alive and connected, or… more drained, frustrated or fearful?

Applying the Archetypes

1. What kind of content inspires and nourishes you? Call on the distinguishing energy of The Warrior, who protects what is sacred. Say no to what you don’t want. Only invite what feels live-giving.

2. What happens if you let unread posts or messages accumulate without turning that into a story about failure or lack of discipline? Call on The Healer if you need to re-weave a story.

3. Whose rhythms are you really living inside, and what kind of rhythm would feel more truthful for you right now? Call on the Mystic, who bridges times and worlds, and who knows all is connected, also when you aren’t online!

4. If you were choosing your online life for nourishment rather than visibility, productivity or consumption, what would you do differently this week? Call on the energy of the Mother for nurturing creation.

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My comments as I copied this, wanting to consider it further...

I have to concentrate beforehand to find the thing I want to accomplish...to add something, to find something, to express something. 

I often do become aware of my body when reading on line...usually to protect my eyes from sunlight on the side which triggers migraines. Today I became aware of how I hold my mouth.

I'm definitely engrossed, and enjoying reading here. Blogs provide not only windows into others' lives, but sometimes they comment on my blog, and then I can reply if there's something interesting said. This has allowed it to become social media for me.

On the other hand, I read Facebook for more news stories, videos, and keeping track of several interests...like the Buddhist Monks Walk for Peace. There I am much more careful what I read.

Most of the time I do feel more connected, inspired, and educated when I move away from the internet.

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I'll consider the Archetypes in the future.