It's fun to stay at the...

I need to renew my membership at the Y. Havent been in a pool for months.

Swimming is moving meditation when youre not trying to accomplish anything; when youre not consciously trying to better your previous best time; when youre not trying to get a better physique; when youre not trying to get from here to there. Swimming is moving meditation when youre just swimming.

When Im swimming, Im aware of my breathing. I have to be, unless I want to breathe in a lungfull of chlorinated water. Breath: the very action that keeps us alive and yet we take it for granted. While swimming, you cant. I am in touch with the very source of life. I am aware of my body. I consciously try to move effortlessly, not fighting the water. If my movement through the water is effortless, then I know Im doing it right. I know Im offering as little resistance to the water as possible. Flowing as water flows. When it's effortless, time stops. If it werent for the tiles in the pool, I wouldnt even be aware that I was moving.

There is a clock at the end of the pool at the Makati YMCA where I swim. After a session, I look at it and if I see that time actually moved a lot faster than I thought while I was in the water, then it was a good swim.