Chris

aka Zenbow: Finding My Balance with Spock and Zen

I’ve always admired the Star Trek character of the Vulcan named Spock and his calm, logical approach to life. He doesn’t let emotions rule him, but he doesn’t deny them either—they’re just part of the equation. That feels a lot like Zen to me: staying grounded, present, and letting things be what they are without overreacting. Life throws a lot at us, but there’s something powerful about finding balance—where you can think clearly, act calmly, and still stay true to yourself. I am lacking these and am out of practice.

That’s why I’m re-starting something, a practice I’m calling “Zenbow.” It’s my way of blending Spock’s logical clarity with the peaceful awareness of Zen. Maybe it’s taking a quiet moment to breathe before making a tough decision or finding simple joy in the rhythm of daily life. Perhaps it is how I manage stress and…traffic. Whatever it looks like, Zenbow will remind me to stay steady, centered, and open to whatever comes my way. It’s not perfection—it’s progress, one calm, logical step at a time.

Just a quick glance at some improvement and some disappointment regarding this year’s physical fitness.

2024 started out just fine because I was active and mobile outdoors and then the trend stopped between mid-February and mid-May. This was due to the relocation effort and a catalyst for improvement after that.

All of a sudden I had more chances to get fit and it paid off brilliantly. We signed up for a fitness center and worked out 6 out of 7 days from that week. I acquired a bicycle and used it. The refreshing pool was perfect for swimming laps and increasing cardio. I loved all of this.

I don’t think these stats are accurate and Apple Fitness doesn’t show me how many hours of traditional weight training I have done, which is odd to me. I will dedicate one more year to the Apple Watch and Fitness plan before I seek another option (looking at Garmin.)

Starting this week, I’ll be active in the field burning those calories, walking, lifting and sweating. After the holidays, I am committing myself to enhance this with more training time. Training in the gym, in for the swim (once the pool is repaired), home yoga, and more cycling time will all be given their time and attention. I am hopeful that those numbers will reflect the sweat.

Damn.

Apparently I say this same thing every year on my birthday as evidenced by my “On This Day” script I built in the Archives page.

My mind has been drifting lately and I am all over the place. Reading a book hasn’t been interesting, I am consuming an unhealthy amount of movies and shows, I’ve limited my time at the gym or on the bike. I’m mindful enough to notice the inner workings of my mind going to crap but not mindful enough to do what’s needed to change the situation.

I know that there’s a way out of this and it only requires some dedication, some patience, some slack and the knowledge that I will start to focus on what I enjoy again.

Back in the saddle again, even though it was for only ten minutes and 1 mile. I spied a little burrow owl along the way too.