Reverb10 :: Body Integration

I've decided to be a part of Reverb10. It's a 31-day blogging challenge where you reply to the daily writing prompts that are designed to get you to reflect on this past year as well as provide some insight for the upcoming year. I'm going to give myself 5-7 minutes for each post.

Day 12 :: December 12, 2010 :: Body Integration

• This year, when did you feel the most integrated with your body? Did you have a moment where there wasn't mind and body, but simply a cohesive YOU, alive and present? (Author: Patrick Reynolds)

It's true that I really did plan to blow off this prompt for Reverb10. Just wasn't feeling it. Probably not feeling it because I have not been in tune to my body this year. So sad.

I mean, last year I got up at 5a twice a week, just so I could go rowing on the Nile. But that's quite a sacrifice with my teaching schedule and getting to work on time. And I went sandboarding last year too. What an adventure ... busted my knee up pretty good though.

Me after my sandboarding spill in Siwa, Egypt (Nov, 2009)

So that leaves me with nothing but some sedentary habits for this year: take a one hour commute each way to work and teach all day at least twice a week. My only saving grace for taking care of myself on those long and crazy days is that I make myself go to the gym on campus: it's new and it's fancy. After 30-45 minutes in the gym on the elliptical machine, I'm all good, refreshed and sane again.

But there's still hope for more body integration. I'd planned on buying a bike after I had such a good time in the "Biking Depression Away" event in Cairo. Supposed to go and buy a bike tomorrow in the hopes that I'll ride in the morning at least once a week. In the voice of a superhero, "Mind and body - UNITE!"