Gym-Nestics

Sometimes we surprise ourselves. I did! After what felt like an eternity of putting one foot in front of the other, chipping away at the fallout from a separation via various means (yoga, ocean swims, meditation, network chiropractic and EFT), whilst being saddled with the lion's share of care for a small person, and chronic body ache, I did something uncharacteristic- I joined a gym! Not just any gym. Mine has crèche, a café with a licensed bar, comfy chairs, free wi fi, a quiet 'ladies only' area and two saltwater pools. The wet area (pool, spa, steam room and sauna)  is clean, with a pleasing view of the garden via a large sunlit window. Not to mention there is a choice of yoga, pilates, tai chi, and pump classes, most of which are available during the day while B is in school and the place is quiet.

It's almost as though the clouds parted enough to find the momentum and to be in 'the right place at the right time' for a good deal that costs me no more than the 'one-yoga-class-and-a-couple-of-swims' weekly routine I am used to.

The last two weeks have been an experiment- time spent trialling a few options and group classes. I'm pleased, and not exactly surprised, to find that I like Tai Chi the most. I admire the integrity of the cute young Asian-Australian teacher. It's like a dance- all standing poses, but nothing held for too long, so my aching feet and hips rejoice. I've also experimented with pilates, pump and yoga...all good options but perhaps not my 'thing', and a tad demanding of my sore tootsies. Tai chi is it, for now, on top of any cardio workout I do.

I love that I can nip to and from this place, en route to and from my son's school. Indeed a quirky, unexpected aspect of joining has been that I have had chance encounters with other Mum's from our school- sometimes we converge in the spa where there is time to chat and relax. And bitch about being single Mums!

The thing that blows me away is how comfortable I am to stay there for periods of time...relative to any gym I've ever been in. It's like a home-away-from-home, a nest that I can hang out in. I  love that  there is included  wi fi- how marvellous that I can noodle away, doing this kind of thing, in between doing stuff to take care of my body! I'm starting to identify my favourite spots- the small set of chairs near the window on sunny days, furthest away from the doof music and the black Jamaican-English guy with the Londoner accent, who loudly conducts business from  the adjoining executive lounge, which has glass walls but no ceiling!

Now is a time of observing- experimenting with how much is enough and what feels right. At the moment, it all feels unusually effortless. Can it be that the EFT, the clearing, the support from a bunch of other  HSPs dispersed across the globe and converging in cyberspace, the inviting of all sorts of hopeful, restorative practices have finally started to pay off? I hope so- time will tell...

Next Generation Gym, Bibra Lake

Gadget Lad

Don't get me wrong. Gadgets have their place. I myself am the proud owner of a smartphone, a laptop, a digital piano, an "ay carumba!" recording device for song demos which is the envy of most blokes, a camera with Super high definition video capability and a downstairs router which talks to the one upstairs.

And sure, computer games are fun. It's just that my son, my only progeny, the sole product of my loins, is not yet seven. I breath such a sigh of relief when I see him climbing trees, and befriending fellow climbers of his own age, instead of dumbly installed in front of the tube- or asking to be- again.