"Imagine you are hugging a tree"

Back to Zen Boot Camp today after an absence of three weeks. Not a moment too soon, I can tell you. Thankfully no vulnerable jaw/tooth/ ache!

"Does that say Tao?" my son says as I put on my uniform. "We have the same at my Kung Fu class!"

He then went on to show me some of the moves they are taught, the fist and elbow punches and I say "Don't you swivvle your right foot when you do it? We do!" "No," he answers and there we have a lovely little bonding session right there in my bedroom.

We're going to have another little bonding session later aswell!

It's not my Master who said "Imagine you are hugging a tree," it's my son's. At the end of his class on Tuesday, his Master told the group of children, to close their eyes, then feet apart, bend their legs, and hold out their arms as though they were hugging a tree. - for one minute!

I saw my son open his eyes, I saw him flag. It's hard! (So was punching with 1kg weights today but I did it without stopping for a break!)

Kung Fu homework is to do the hugging a tree exercise twice. We're going to do it this afternoon. On our balcony!!

I'm going to go first, with him timing me, then he will go.

Yesterday I spent hours on the Heath, leaning against a big Oak tree. This morning before Boot Camp, I was there again, sitting on the grass, head resting on the bark.

My suicide dreams upset me alot but in a way, they seem to bring me back to what's important.

That I'm alive.

That knowledge is a start for me.

I am alive.

You are alive.

I hope that can be a start and not an end if you are depressed.

Imagine you are hugging a tree x