Zen & Litigation

Can the two co-exist peacefully? I'll find out soon enough at a weekend retreat and workshop at the Green Gulch Farm during the latter part of September. The workshop is entitled: "Finding Equanimity in a Difficult Profession." I'm very curious about the other participants, especially as to what their life experiences are and of course, the types of law they practice.

Its been awhile since I've been on a retreat, so I'm really looking forward to this. I was at a silent retreat a couple of years ago at Spirit Rock which was extremely difficult for me. For those of you who really know me, keeping quiet is not my strong point---especially during a meal. Being mindful and introspective for prolonged periods of time also proved to be difficult. Ironically, though, at the end of the retreat, I felt refreshed and uncluttered, so I guess I was able to calm my "monkey mind" for a bit.

As this all relates to running, I find that by mile 4, my mind is totally void of any noteworthy thoughts. The first 3 miles are the toughest, since I'm trying to get my breathing rhythm and loosen my muscles and from miles 4-7, I'm free as a bird, just enjoying the scenery. This is a vast improvement from last summer's running experience, which my main focus then was survival.