Swimmers rage

[Jon]

I went for a swim this morning. I've heard it is supposed to be relaxing. So why is it I am going up and down the pool in a rage? There were about 4 people in there when I popped in. I found my spot and swam up and down. I was being overtaken by people who looked like they were training for the Olympics, splishy splashing me in the process, as I I cruised along in my snail pace breaststroke. Then, someone else came in the pool. It nudged me along closer to Mr Olympic himself, engulfing me in mini-tsunami's that threatened to get me wet.

But that wasn't all. The new person was not quite swimming in straight lines. Sometimes it would be straight, but then on the return length they would swim at a diagonal, interfering with my military precision straight lines. What's more, they seemed utterly oblivious that I was there, almost crashing into me on several occasions without batting an eyelid.

Next, I kept encountering a plaster, floating alone in my path. I swam 36 lengths, so had 36 occasions to look annoyingly at this impediment. It was fairly early in the day, and since I encountered a plaster, I thought the probability was that the others had their own plasters in their lanes too. So that would make 6 plasters before the day got going. Do people not use waterproof plasters, or perhaps it was one person covered in 6 plasters, all non-waterproof. They are probably currently bleeding to death, their open wounds being free of protection.

So, this grumpy old man was swimming up and down, finding it hard to shake these negative thoughts from his head. An activity that is supposedly relaxing turned into an exercise of what is wrong with people and the world. Fortunately, I had a nice sauna to look forward to. Nice and alone, no one to disturb me, reaching the peek of what I could stand, temperature-wise. That was until some bloke comes in and tips a ton of water on the coals.

Am I alone in my negative thoughts? Were all the swimmers in a state of bliss?

 

[The_Doc_Man]

I would say that you had anger issues that kept you from clearing your head. I find light to moderate exercise is a great way to empty my head (though in your other forum there are probably those who would say my head was already empty).

 

[Bee]

*peak.

 

[Uncle Gizmo]

Most people have this most of the time. An emotion rises in you, takes the fore and then you've lost. You lose your tranquillity, and become stressful! It happens to everyone, I even recall Eckhart Tolle saying that he was in a checkout queue and nearly lost his sense of presence! Next time you find yourself with a strong emotion rising, just see it, take note of it, there's no need to do anything about it, just get into the practice of saying here's the anger! With practice you can notice it more, and eventually you can decide whether you are going to let the anger take you over. I'm not saying it's easy, it's incredibly difficult. But that's really when you learn how to do it, when you get there once, you'll find it's very easy. But then the next time you try it's just as difficult! Next time you are swimming and someone cuts you up, (that's quite amusing!) think about your body, the muscles working, your breathing, focus on that. It's not like you bring the anger under control, you just won't have it at all, and it's not like you suppress it, it's just doesn't seem important. I can't explain it better than that really.

 

[Jon]

Perhaps it is a bit like meditation. You are not supposed to think of anything, clear your mind. But the whole point in meditation is redirecting your thoughts back to breath, or nothingness. Yet the harder you try, the more difficult it is. I should know because I've been meditating 10 minutes per day for a couple of years now.

It was more annoyance than anger. Yet I wanted to centre myself so that I was calm. But perhaps there are just certain things in the environment that shatter your peace, no matter what you do. For example, I might have a headache and there is a screaming child in my local Costa coffee shop, yet the parents just ignore it. Alas, human existence is suffering.

 

[The_Doc_Man]

Alas, human existence is suffering.

Ah, a true statement in Buddhism.

 

[Jon]

Indeed Doc. I've been learning the Four Noble Truths and Eightfold path using Supermemo. But I can never spell Buddhism properly!

 

[The_Doc_Man]

I don't think you can attribute THAT particular failing to suffering.