In the rhythm of the landscape

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Kennemer dunes 360° today. Energy [ results ]

Min/max temperature: 11°C/20°C; humidity: 66%; precipitation: 0 mm; sea level pressure: 1019 hPa; wind: SE 8.0 km/h; visibility: 10.0 kilometres; Waxing Crescent Moon, 10% visible

"The battlefield is symbolic of the field of life, where every creature lives on the death of another. A realisation of the inevitable guilt of life may so sicken the heart that, like Hamlet […], one may refuse to go on with it. On the other hand, like most of the rest of us, one may invent a false, finally unjustified, image of oneself as an exceptional phenomenon in the world, not guilty as others are, but justified in one's inevitable sinning because one represents the good. Such self-righteousness leads to a misunderstanding, not only of oneself but of the nature of both man and the cosmos. The goal of the myth is to dispel the need for such life ignorance by effecting a reconciliation of the individual consciousness with the universal will. And this is effected trough a realisation of the true relationship of the passing phenomena of time of the imperishable life that lives and dies in all. "

Joseph Campbell in 'The hero with a thousand faces', page 238, first published by Princeton University Press, USA

"You are in danger of falling into a bad way if you wander and choose the wrong path, for the slightest error in judgement can have grave consequences. […] In daily life as well as in [ training ], it is necessary to have an ample and broad mind and to carefully keep it very straight, not too tight and not at all loose. In order not to have your mind too much off to one side, it is necessary to place it in the centre and move it calmly so that it does not cease to move even in moments of change. […] Even at a calm time, the mind is not calm; even at a moment of great speed, the mind is not at all fast. The mind must not be carried along by the body, nor the body by the mind.

[I]t is appropriate to keep the face neither lowered nor raised, nor leaning nor frowning; to keep the eyes unperturbed, the forehead without wrinkles but with creases between the brows; not to move the eyeball and not to blink, though keeping the eyelids slightly lowered. In this way you shape a beautiful, luminous face, keeping the nose straight and the lower jaw slightly protruding. Keep your neck straight, putting some force in the hollow of the nape; lower your shoulders, with the sensation that the torso from the shoulders down forms a unity; keep the back straight, do not stick out your buttocks, push your force downward from your knees to the tips of your toes. Advance the belly slightly forward so that the pelvis does not lose its stability […]"

Miyamoto Musashi in Kenji Tokitsu's 'Miyamoto Musashi. His Life and Writing', page 151, 152, first published in 2000 by Editions Desiris in France

"In chill earthly mist [...] rolling heavenward [...] one midwinter afternoon"

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Kennemer Dunes, today. Running [ discovery ]

"I'm an old man now, and a lonesome man in Kansas but not afraid to speak my lonesomeness in a car, because not only my lonesomeness it's Ours, all over America, O tender fellows-- & spoken lonesomeness is Prophecy in the moon 100 years ago or in the middle of Kansas now. […] I call all Powers of imagination to my side in this auto to make Prophecy, all Lords of human kingdoms to come Shambu Bharti Baba naked covered with ash Khaki Baba fat-bellied mad with the dogs Dehorahava Baba who moans Oh how wounded, How wounded Sitaram Onkar Das Thakur who commands give up your desire Satyananda who raises two thumbs in tranquility Kali Pada Guha Roy whose yoga drops before the void Shivananda who touches the breast and says OM Srimata Krishnaji of Brindaban who says take for your guru William Blake the invisible father of English visions Sri Ramakrishna master of ecstasy eyes half closed who only cries for his mother Chaitanya arms upraised singing & dancing his own praise merciful Chango judging our bodies Durga-Ma covered with blood destroyer of battlefield illusions million-faced Tathagata gone past suffering Preserver Harekrishna returning in the age of pain Sacred Heart my Christ acceptable Allah the Compassionate One Jahweh Righteous One all Knowledge-Princes of Earth-man, all ancient Seraphim of heavenly Desire, Devas, yogis & holymen I chant to-- Come to my lone presence into this Vortex named Kansas, I lift my voice aloud, make Mantra of American language now, I here declare the end of the War! Ancient days' Illusion! and pronounce words beginning my own millennium. Let the States tremble, let the Nation weep, let Congress legislate it own delight let the President execute his own desire-- this Act done by my own voice, nameless Mystery-- published to my own senses, blissfully received by my own form approved with pleasure by my sensations manifestation of my very thought accomplished in my own imagination all realms within my consciousness fulfilled 60 miles from Wichita near El Dorado, The Golden One, in chill earthly mist houseless brown farmland plains rolling heavenward in every direction one midwinter afternoon Sunday called the day of the Lord-- Pure Spring Water gathered in one tower where Florence is set on a hill, stop for tea & gas."

Allen Ginsberg from 'Wichita Vortex Sutra' (1966). Available as Pdf online.

"[...] Do not let yourself be guided by the feeling of love ."

Miyamoto Musashi (1584 –1645) 'Miyamoto Musashi, His Life and Writings', page 222 by Kenji Tokistu, translated by Sherab Chodzin Kohn, first published in France in 2000

Meanwhile back at the car

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Zandvoort aan zee, 360°, today. Raise [ and shine ]

Above: car streching

Min/max temperature: 3°C/10°C; humidity: 65%; precipitation: 3 mm; sea level pressure: 1014 hPa; wind: North 19.3 km/h; visibility: 10.0 kilometres; Clouds: Few 853 m.,Scattered Clouds 1005 m .; New Moon, 0% visible

"The wise do not hold opinions.
They are aware of the needs of others [...]
The wise are shy and humble.
They behave like small children.
To the world they seem confusing.
Yet people look to them and listen."

Lao Tsu in 'Tao Te Ching', translated by Gia-fu Feng and Jane English. Originally published by Knopf, New York, 1972

The way of the blood

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Haarlem, today. Flow [ focus ]

Above: Four days after surgery (EVLT: Endovenous laser treatment) there already is improvement in the treated varicose vains-condion (compared too what, you may ask? True, nothing to compare it with, you will not find one post-training-picture -- PGIA -- without long-trousers on this website -- too anxious to show that, I was). Though, under the knee and above the ankle varicose veins are still visible -- it can take up to 6 months to finally disappear -- 4 days after surgery there already is -- apart from the tension/pain relief -- also visual improvement. Visible is the vain in the upper part of the leg (on the shadow-line). Initially a thick, snake-like tube, laying like the root of a three sometimes surfaces trough a road cracking the asphalt, appearing from underneath the skin -- now looking more like a scar. Right beneath the knee brushes have shown up, caused by the operation. Both the 'doable' experience of the operation itself and the results, make the treatment (EVLT) -- when 'suffering' from the disadvantages of varicose veins and the potential risks that come with them -- a highly recommended undertaking. Despite -- or even better: just because -- all the horror stories people will find when searching the internet (it seems the whiners have a monopoly on populating all the -- medical -- fora, complaining about just anything). Love, trust and make friendship. Overcome anxiety, go where the fear is, learn to feel at ease.  (topic to be continued)

Min/max temperature: 9°C/18°C; humidity: 64%; precipitation: 0 mm; sea level pressure: 1020.88 hPa; wind: North 9 km/h; visibility: 10.0 kilometres; Clouds: Few 914 m .; Moon: Waning Gibbous, 89% visible

During the operation I enjoyed a pleasant conversation with both the surgeon and the well-educated nurse. I asked the surgeon whether he was -- and if so -- where his fascination for vascular surgery came from:

"Yes. If you know the way of the blood, you know where to find everything inside the human body."

Dr. A. Rijbroek, surgeon, personal communication during EVL treatment in Haarlem, 10 May 2017

"The meaning of emptiness is space where there is nothing, and I also envisage emptiness as that which cannot be known. Emptiness, of course, is where there is nothing. Knowing that which does not exist while knowing that which exists -- that is emptiness… He should know that true empty space is there where the clouds of uncertainty have completely dissipated… Think of the void as the way and see the way as the void. In emptiness the good exists and evil does not exist. Knowing exists, the principle exists, the way exists, and the mind -- is void.

Miyamoto Musashi in Kenji Tokitsu's 'Miyamoto Musashi. His Life and Writing', page 328, first published in 2000 by Editions Desiris in France