Raking

Most mornings my mind feels like a New England sidewalk in Autumn, littered with the dead leaves of old habits, anxieties and baseline physical discomforts. I sweep them into a pile and slowly burn them away with the practice of exercise, relaxation and organization. I find the computer helpful for this. I go on line and seek information to rake away my obstructions to informed and logical decisions. This produces a second dawn. My mind clears. I breathe deeply. I see a better path to whatever the future holds.

Scuffing my way through the detritus of habit, anxiety and pain all day would not serve me well. Practice is the remedy. With a practice based in developing awareness and progressive action, I am able to clear my path at the beginning of each day. It is littered every morning. And every morning requires the practice of opening a better path. I believe this is simply my human condition. The only way to an effective practice to keep my way clear is more practice.