Weekly notes related to explorations, workout and family
Explorations
I took a 1-day course of Vipassana Meditation meant for old students at Dhamma Paphulla near Tumkur. When I registered, I also looked up the date of my last 10-day course - it was 30 Jun 2004 to 11 Jul 2004. Anapana (mindfulness of breathing) is the first step of Vipassana meditation, and it’s been a personal superpower all these years. I have practiced it when I have been happy or sad, confused or clear, and disturbed or focussed; and I’ve always found more insight about the feeling, about me.
The one-day course was well organized, with select guided audio recordings of S. N. Goenka at the start and end of sessions. During the initial session, it rained, and for a few moments, I was transported back to the idyllic setting of my 10-day course at Igatpuri, when S.N. Goenkaji used to say, “Start again…, फिर शुरू करें”. And like an experienced sadhak, I observed the thought and moved on.
Workout
I did an average of 12k steps last week and kept the momentum on my resistance training. Typically, measuring the volume (reps * weight) per week is considered a good indicator of growth. For the last 3-4 months, I’ve been doing close to 30K Kg, while this month, it’s been close to an average of 40K Kg, with the number of sessions per week being the same. You can follow me on Hevy or Strava.
Family
Last week, Bengaluru experienced unexpected and heavy rainfall, with most parts flooded. Ibhan attended online classes for a couple of days—it was a first for him. We think he enjoyed it more, as he finally also got a chance to attend a remote meeting.