tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3965076219235086304.post3365734350998897661..comments2024-02-24T00:41:37.836-08:00Comments on The Buddha Diaries: DiagnosisPeter Clothierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11525159413387378704noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3965076219235086304.post-40937099956098970782007-03-14T11:12:00.000-07:002007-03-14T11:12:00.000-07:00Ah, impermanence. I like the elliptical machine. I...Ah, impermanence. <BR/><BR/>I like the elliptical machine. I carry a lot of weight in the front and have some back pain from that and the elliptical seems to be easy on the back.They call him James Urehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05171585857015973860noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3965076219235086304.post-24241163039839137872007-03-13T17:47:00.000-07:002007-03-13T17:47:00.000-07:00The doctors said that the stress pole vaulting cau...The doctors said that the stress pole vaulting caused my back to go through ended up deflating the bottom three disks of my back, which messed up the whole thing. I've ended up, with the help of a year of solid physical therapy, being able to have full function again with minimal pain at night. Now I've gotten myself into cycling, fantastically fast and low impact.Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07072259264111848667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3965076219235086304.post-67242631252809082532007-03-13T16:55:00.000-07:002007-03-13T16:55:00.000-07:00Thanks for the responses--and the tips. Curious, ...Thanks for the responses--and the tips. Curious, Mark. Any idea what caused your spinal stenosis at so young an age? Then again, maybe I've had it since that age, without knowing it. Lots of backaches to tell the tale! Cheers, PaLPeter Clothierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11525159413387378704noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3965076219235086304.post-46227196799039463912007-03-13T16:10:00.000-07:002007-03-13T16:10:00.000-07:00P: I am going to check into the public pool down a...P: I am going to check into the public pool down at Riverside Drive and Los Feliz Blvd, to see if there is a time of day when all the kids aren't there, and start swimming. Probably first thing AMs.If you wish, I can tell you my finding. Right now the pool isn't readyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3965076219235086304.post-45068160106712040262007-03-13T12:25:00.000-07:002007-03-13T12:25:00.000-07:00How strange that you and I have that in common. M...How strange that you and I have that in common. My doctors diagnosed me with moderate to severe spinal stenosis when I was 17. I pole vaulted for the better part of five years and, although I was very successful, I had to stop at the pinnacle of my career due to the sustained back injuries it caused me. My doc said my back condition at 17 is typical of a 70 year old man! Kinda eerie. <BR/>Moral of the story for me was that I shouldn't attach happiness to things like pole vaulting and earthly success. Stuff like that is fleeting and can be taken away at a moments notice. Enjoy it, yes, but don't build your welfare upon it. <BR/>By the way, I recommend swimming. Fantastic exercise that won't hurt your back.Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07072259264111848667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3965076219235086304.post-83312047100999394272007-03-13T12:06:00.000-07:002007-03-13T12:06:00.000-07:00P: You know what I would say, but will anyway. Inc...P: You know what I would say, but will anyway. Increase your yoga. Which came, by the way, from Taoist ideas, of positing movement against rest.<BR/>I can send you a link for a video of Tai Chi exercises. I'm tellin ya, they're great! You could even invent your own stretch exercises by doing what feels good.<BR/><BR/>Discipline, discipline. Buddhism is high on discipline, is it not? If your practice isn't working, increase your practice! If that doesn't work, increase your practice.<BR/><BR/>tip for the aging of mind: Get a couple easy to open clips and a chain or strech cord,etc, like a pocket watch fob, and attach your keys to your belt loop. Your "tether" reaches the ignition. Therefore, you can't get out of the car without the keys! Simple. Put your wallet on one too, even the young do it.<BR/><BR/>If you can't go off and into a monastary, some organization will free you up for peace of mind.<BR/><BR/>Monk story. <BR/>I was in Koyasan, religious mountain monastic enclave, Japan, staying in one of the many Buddhist monasteries there. We went into town to the Post Office and to look around. Lee went in to the PO, and I stayed outside to take pictures of some pilgrims on the street. Many Japanese travel their country visiting important temples and wear these white shirts with red stamp imprints all over the backside from each monsastery visited. One guy had over thirty.<BR/><BR/>When a new Toyota van pulls up in front of my camera, and a monk jumps out. It was a little bit of a shock, a monk in a new car. The contrast. Could have been any guy. He just happened to be in monks clothing. I went there to see the old. How well integrated this monk was in contemporary materialistic society. They must have done away with that daily chain of begging monks through town some time ago.<BR/><BR/>Funny. We want to be more like monks. And they want to become more like us, using modern things like faxes, cell phones, cars, advertising techniques, raising money schemes, etc, etc. I met a young one in Hawaii who watches TV!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com