So behind... or am I?

I am longing to blog, to write, to think, to focus on my thoughts and funnel them into a collection medium of some sort. So why don't I set aside the time to do it? Why am I so distracted? I have spring fever I know. I realized that yesterday while sitting on a patio having such an incredibly thought-provoking conversation with a fiction (non-fiction inspired fiction, I'd call it) author (friend of a friend who was also there and engaged in the convo) called Adrian Tilley sipping a glass of pinot grigio. Well I can't say I'm not thinking or even communicating my thoughts, as I am... maybe even more than usual. I had some really engaging dialogue with Fanny while having a fantastic brunch at my favourite Life Cafe in Soho and then again with both Adrian and Fanny on aforementioned patio. I had a fantastic meeting on Saturday with my supervisor -- fish physiologist and comparative physiologist extraordinaire, and while generous and fun to be around can be kind of a big-headed, insensitive guy sometimes -- along with my collaborator who is visiting here for a year from the University of Xiamen. So, it was a really great weekend for communication, and I came off of both days, Saturday and Sunday, feeling really positive and articulate. Take note, I came out of my science-based meeting on Saturday feeling SMART!

Actually, I have had some incredible conversations over the past few weeks... too many examples to even name, perhaps, now that I am trying. The experiences that are most profound

centred around my visit with Kelly. She is my very, very good friend... I

call her my soul sister, was in town visiting for 2 weeks (see last post on Maintaining). I would say that we had several opportunities where inspiration was inescapable, and the mood fostered some great dialogue. For one, we spent a day on Lantau Island to see some fishing villages as well as the world-famous Tian Tan Buddha, the largest outdoors free-standing buddha in the world. I challenge the person that isn't inspired by at least a bit when hiking up to a buddha that stands 25m and is surrounded by some of the most beautiful tropical vegetation and seascapes you could imagine. This photo is actually my own... yes... it is that incredible!

Then we took a side trip to Malaysia for a long weekend. Of course we were traveling together, which elicits some interesting conversation regardless, but we were also in several situations where thoughts came up that may not have under other circumstances. We tried new food, we learned a couple words of a new language (Malay), and of course we saw new countryside and experienced new cultural traditions. There was a moment at the Sri Mariamman Hindu temple in town where music was playing and we were both nearly in tears, as it was so beautiful. On another day, we took an hour-trip out of the city centre to see the world's tallest Murugan

statue situated in front of the gorgeous Batu caves, an all encompassing Hindu place of worship, solace, comfort, inspiration (see photo to the right, also my photo!). Murugan is perhaps the most popular Tamil Hindu deity of all, which says a lot because Hindus have so many deities! There is a long-standing thought that Hindus "worship" 330 million gods, which makes Christians and those from other monotheistic faiths not too happy. I don't think they'd be called gods, for one... deities more appropriate. And many scholars will argue that there is no way they could even have named 330 million! Have you seen the names to some of these? Lots of letters! I've read that the number 330 million was simply used to give a symbolic expression to the fundamental Hindu doctrine that "God" lives in the hearts of all living beings, which is most beautiful. Furthermore, I think this is an ideology that most can appreciate, respect, and embody regardless of professed faith/religion or lack thereof... if everyone just took a moment to really think about it. As you can imagine, Kelly and I were compelled (at one point in particular) to discuss how we were completely, 100%, and thoroughly overwhelmed with how vast the Hindu faith is and how neither of us knew even an ounce of it.

I guess I've been blogging in my head... definitely about the past two or three weeks of life-altering, once in a lifetime experiences. I have had some really interesting thoughts about yoga and other life happenings as well, one of which has led me on perhaps a wild goose chase to find a sculpture of the chin mudra... I'll save that for another post.

Regardless of the schedule I keep, I am, right now, at this moment realizing how freeing and exhilarating it is to take everything from my head (crazy place) and make some sense of it on the screen or a page. Thank you for inspiring me... for your comments (keep 'em coming, they FUEL ME!!!)... and for your support!

2011 has a very inspiring feel so far!

1Jan11, 2:30pm Hot yoga with Michael Lau

2Jan11, 8:45am-7pm day filled with a long hike through the mountains in the Northeaster New Territories

3Jan11, 7am: Hot yoga with Michael Lau

4Jan11, 6:30pm: Hatha yoga with Shirley Wong

Wow, what a year so far, and I'm at this moment only 71 hours into it! I have so much rolling around in my head, as I have been thinking A LOT over the past few weeks, let alone over the calendar year transition. Some of it will most definitely have to wait for a future post. Meanwhile, I'll see what comes together here, right now.

First off, I want to mention that I am inspired... daily... hourly even! Just on this... the world wide web... the triple-w, ha ha, I am consistently inspired by my closest friends and family, by old acquaintances from years past, new acquaintances from last week, and even perfect strangers. I think I could read my twitter feed all day and barely have a moment to sip my coffee between connecting with recommended blogs, news stories, and viewing twitpics. I know everyone is on the internet and social media for different reasons. I, for one, am on the internet to stay connected with friends and family, as I've mentioned so many times when creating this blog, and that is probably the most common use. Ok. Secondly, however and sometimes primarily, I connect because to me my network is my catalyst... my network catalyzes my thoughts and actions through inspiration. All of you... you trigger great things in my brain, heart, and soul... you make me want to read more, write more, think more, talk more, love more... it's fantastic! So, thank you. Here are a few bloggers that have either been inspiring me for years or literally only a few days, respectively... thank you...

...for telling it like it is but in a mindful way, for concomitantly dissing and embracing yoga and yogis and unnamed black stretchy pants, for your honesty, for being damn prolific, and for posts such as "Confessions of a Buddhist Dumbass", you make me feel like the path to spiritual enlightenment (or whatever that means to me now and in the future), is possible... you know, for us every day people: Elephant Journal

... for pointing out the interesting, funny, and momentous in and around Vancouver, for your energy and vigour for life, your travelbug, your planning and goal-setting, your ability to celebrate your accomplishments and encourage others to do so as well, and last but definitely not least, your open love for Oprah: Gotcurls

... for digging deep into the core of yourself and others and trying to understand and give meaning to life, love, success... some via yoga and meditation, some via your innate healing and empathic self, for reaching for the stars and goal-setting, yet for also being ok with whatever the day brings: inspire.believe.embrace

... for having the courage to keep setting new goals, despite having everything you have always wished for and worked for, and openly admitting that, for being honest, for using your blog as an opportunity to explore how you can find new ways to make the world a better place, for reminding and covertly encouraging the rest of us to set goals in the most success-possible way, and most importantly to me, for reminding us how important it is to be happy, and what that might be: What to wish for next?

... for finding a creative way to combine you and your life partner's genius ideas to share with the rest of us in the blogosphere, for the great recipes obviously, for the laughter, for being light-hearted, yet curious and genuinely interested in life and happiness, and for being honest and true to yourself while maintaining a sense of humour: A Closed Mouth Gathers No Food

Others worth mentioning because they also inspire me:

Ecocentric

Care2

Dr. Weil

Intent

Good

Isn't it great that we are living in a world now where an inspiration can be merely a click away?