Interdisciplinary Psychology:

Beautiful Day Activity

            My beautiful day happened the week before we went to EMP when I was down in the Bay Area on business.  I took a side-track from work and drove through the wine country up to Harbin Hot Springs.  I hadn’t been to Harbin for about 15 years and it felt good to go back.

            My beautiful day started by waking up on a really comfortable bed with soft white sheets in an interesting structure, a Buckminster Fuller style dome.  The inside of the dome was curvy and white like an adobe dwelling.  There were lots of triangular windows and I could see that it was a beautiful day outside.

            I slept in as late as my body wanted to, which ended up being well into the morning.  My sweetheart was with me and for once he didn’t hog the bed or steal all the covers.  We both really needed the sleep and it felt good to not be on a schedule. 

            Once we were up, we walked to the hot springs about a half mile away.  Along the way I savored being in the California woods filled with bay, madrone and pine trees.  The dewy grasses smelled so good as the sun hit them.  That smell is pungent and sweet, unlike the scent of Western Washington that tends to smell more earthy and moist.  We walked alongside a creek for part of this walk, and I could feel the coolness from the little creek and hear the melodic sounds of water flowing over rocks.  It made me feel very fortunate to be on this beautiful planet.

            Once we reached the hot springs, I was so pleased to know my sweetheart was fully self-sufficient and didn’t feel a need to follow me around or stay close to me in this new environment.  I really wanted some time to meditate in hot water and say my prayers.  I’d had a major business meeting a couple days before and my mind was full.  I wanted time to just “be” instead of thinking, working and creating.  My mind needed a vacation as much as my body!

            I found a spot on the long bench-style ledge inside the main hot pool.  A lot of people were standing in the pool but I prefer to sit and seating is limited there.  Some Daphne bushes were blooming in pots by the pool and the beautiful scent kept wafting down to me.  It is one of my favorite fragrances, a cross between lemons and gardenias.  To me, the arrival of Daphne always heralds Spring.

            I closed my eyes and said my prayers for a long time, until my hands were completely pruned up from the water.  It was really easy for my mind to stay focused, despite the fact there were so many people there and people were coming in and out of the pool and showering behind me.  I found myself focusing on my prayers and being in the moment instead of mulling over my new business concerns and looming school projects.  I loved having this quiet time.  When I was ready, I went into the super hot pool, which is much smaller and adorned with gorgeous metal work railings all around and various statues in the middle.  I was in my element as the heat of this water penetrated into my bones.  It was completely relaxing.  After turning into a noodle, I slowly climbed a staircase behind the hot pool and walked into the cold plunge.  I noticed the hillsides around the pools were covered in bay trees and it reminded me of the hill behind Angela’s house, where I spent countless days in my childhood just running around or hanging out in the “little house” Angela’s brother built on that hillside.  It was our get-away during our teenage years when our families annoyed us.  I resolved to gather several leaves to bring home with me since bay is one of my favorite flavorings for soup and beans. 

            My sweetheart and I were both done about the same time, in the late afternoon as the sunlight was turning golden.  We went back to our dome, which we referred to as our pod, and I spent the rest of the evening lying in bed reading a fiction book by my favorite author, Linda Hogan.  This was pure bliss for me.  I was with my sweetie but he was absorbed in his own reading and hanging out on the couch.  I am someone who needs my own space, but I like sharing that space with another person.  The whole day was utterly rejuvenating and relaxing, and we both slept for about 12 hours that night and woke up naturally before having to drive back to Oakland to catch our flight home.  We stopped by a fancy bakery while driving through Napa and I ate a croissant stuffed with cream cheese, smoked salmon and capers.  It was sinfully delicious!  Though someone once told me calories don’t count when you’re on holiday.

            I usually consider it counterproductive to take time off during a busy quarter but I am changing my mind about that.  I think it actually gives me more energy and makes my work more effective, because I’ve been getting tons of work done since getting back.  I have a challenging essay-writing project for another class and I have consistently written one 10-15 page essay per week since returning from California and I’m pleased with the direction of my work.  I believe my time at the hot springs helped me regain my focus.  I also got to visit my mom while I was down there.  She is 80 and while she is incredibly spry, every moment I have with her is a gift.  She is one of my favorite human beings of all time and we always thoroughly enjoy ourselves when we are together.