.......................my body has fallen in step with the natural order of things and I have begun to rise each morning without the aid of the alarm clock. I throw a little water on my face and enter my place of meditation. I go through a series of gentle stretching routines.....reaching high with one arm at a time - as though I'm picking apples. I then move on to rotating my hips gently in a circle using an invisible hoola-hoop: first one way and then the other.
........................Standing with knees slightly bent, shoulder wide, hands hanging in front on my body with palms facing in, I breathe in using short bursts of He-He-He-He-He - and breathe out with Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha....for half a minute. My body gently bounces with the inhale and exhale and I gently exaggerate it. With practice I will lengthen the time.
........................Standing with knees slightly bent, shoulder wide, hands hanging to my sides, I gently twist; first to the left and then to my right creating enough momentum that my arms rise like empty sleeves. When turning left, my right hand slaps my left side. When turning right, my left hand slaps my right side. A gentle left...right....left....right for a minute or two or three.
....................I stoop and light some incense (sandalwood is my incense of choice) as I prepare to sit for meditation. I use a traditional Zen bench as a kneeling position favors my physical limitations. I have also used Zafu and Zabuton as well as a simple chair. After finding my sitting position I gently roll in a circle until I find my center. Sitting with my spine erect, not stiff, I settle in.
Pretty much like the beginning of our meditation sessions in Wudang...we sat lotus (or in my case, half...).
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