What Was Revealed – 100 Day practice

What Was Revealed – 100 Day practice

This isn’t the most powerful question in the world –

Is today a good day to die?

This is –

Is today a good day for Suzanne to die?

Holy Poop! If I have any doubt about the nature of life and death, this question will flush it out. If I have any doubt who my wife, Suzanne, truly is, this question will slap me awake.


A Refresher –

My friend and colleague, Kim Ivy challenged me and her students with maintaining a practice for 100 days. It’s a traditional Taoist idea.

I took it on.


My Practice

My practice was to show up every morning at the beach on Lake Washington or on the Salish Sea, practice Taiji (Tai Chi) or something similar in order to be present enough to be able to say wholeheartedly, “Today is a good day to die!”

In order to be able to say that wholeheartedly, you have to be present. No mind chatter. The grasping, clinging ego never thinks it’s a good day to die. When you’re present, the ego is gone. You are free to say, “Today is a good day to die!”

My beloved Zen teacher, Genjo, said, “That’s all well and good William, but how about a good day for Suzanne to die?

“#@$%** you and the horse you came in on,” I said.

Genjo just laughed, of course.

I found this second question – Is today a good day for Suzanne to die? – most revealing. If you ask my ego, there is never a good day for Suzanne to die.

You may have guessed that someday it will be the day that Suzanne dies. I may be lucky enough to be there. We have been married for nearly four decades. We’re likely to be married until death do us part. So this practice has a point to it, doesn’t it.

In order to say – Today is a good day for Suzanne to die -- wholeheartedly, I have to be deeply present. I have to know who she is at the deepest levels.

I showed up every day for the 100 days just like the US mail – through rain, wind, cold. Some days were a tad sloppy, others fully transcendent as you might expect.

One day slipped my mind completely due to a change in routine.


The Surprises I Discovered

At some point, moving through my morning forms, I would open to the vast magic of life unfolding in the present moment, and I would find Suzanne right there, in the infinite moment.

One day she was in the curvature of the earth. Another in the Lombardy poplar, another in the cherry blossoms. Each day she appeared. Each day she appeared in a different guise. Obviously on each day, I could say, “Today is a good day for Suzanne to die.”

Blessings,

William

P.S. You can Learn 'Secrets' that Most People Will Never Know About How to Really Benefit from the Vibrantly Potent, Martial Art Form of Standing Meditation...

Give us 35 minutes listening to this playfully powerful conversation, and we, William Wittmann and Kim Ivy (www.EmbraceTheMoon.com) will reveal the power and magic of standing meditation. "This is fun. This is easy. This is hot."

Go for it =>

http://www.bodyandsoulmentor.net/getstandingmeditation.html

Colonoscopy Fun

I had the scoping today, an easy procedure, and as you may know, now being recommended for everyone starting at age 50.

In my face as I waited, I read a plaque that announced, colorectal cancer has the 2nd highest high kill rate amongst cancer patients, BUT if detected early by colonoscopy people have nearly a 100% chance of survival. It’s one of the good news stories and a no-brainer.

Dear One, when your doctor recommends it, GET A COLONOSCOPY .

Luckily, you can prepare by reading hurmorist, Dave Barry’s -- A Journey into My Colon and Yours – before you get yours.

I was fortuanate enough to read this a couple of days before mine. I laughed ‘til I couldn’t breathe. I laughed ‘til tears came. My laughter drew inquiries from the Mysterious Madam Ling from three rooms away.

OK. You turned 50. You know you're supposed to get a colonoscopy. But you haven't. Here are your reasons:

1. You've been busy.
2. You don't have a history of cancer in your family.
3. You haven't noticed any problems.
4. You don't want a doctor to stick a tube 17,000 feet up your butt.

Let's examine these reasons one at a time. No, wait, let's not. Because you and I both know that the only real reason is No. 4. This is natural. The idea of having another human, even a medical human, becoming deeply involved in what is technically known as your ''behindular zone'' gives you the creeping willies.

Read the rest here http://www.miamiherald.com/418/story/427603.html

The good Mr. Barry goes on to talk humorously of embarrassment and other such things. He doesn’t skip the real-as-death reasons for getting checked.

I have a friend dying of colon cancer. Five years back I lost Paul. My buddy lost his father to the disease. And others … I don’t want to lose you. Get checked. If you let the inner child out, you can even have fun with it all.

Certainly, I will die of something, but today it appears that it won’t be colorectal cancer. If you’re over 50, get checked.

Blessings,

William

P.S. All the way through the prep for the procedure I used the easy method you can find in Amazingly Content to be content, obviously. I tested myself by asking, “Is there anywhere you’d rather be?”

I could honestly answer, “No.”

I was in love with all I saw and heard. Amazing.

Amazingly Content -- How to Be in Love with All You See & Hear,
And Be in Harmony with Family, Friends & Work works magic.

You can find out more here. Go for it http://tinyurl.com/6ybefp