THE INDIAN GURU

For years I have been a fan of fasting and meditation as tools of body mind health; but this is totally and amazingly, extraordinary.

BBC World Health Debate

I attended the BBC World Health Debate in London as part of the audience. It is very interesting viewing:

JOYS AND WETNESS OF LONDON MARATHON 2008

Variety of humanity, is the phrase one could describe April 13th, 2008.
A Sunday that was cold, foggy, wet yet so full of heat, passion, frenzy and attitude. We should learn NOT to judge life by weather but, spirit.

Runners of all sizes, manners and age.

FRIENDLY AND HELPFUL STEWARDS...
Now and then I would see a face I knew, yet so slow was I (in glee ) that the straggling runner would be gone. Take Sofia. I hadn't seen her for ages and before i knew (this is Sofia) she was off...oh shit. Too late. Cheer, watch, or take photos? The other hidden, mini marathon.

A day called people...

THESE MASSAGE GIVING VOLUNTEERS FROMALZHEIMER SOCIETY OFFERED FREE SERVICES TO THE RUNNERS.
Funnily...
One of my main intentions was to cheer and photograph the Maasai Warriors who had been all over the news for days, yet failed. As soon as the Sextet appeared chanting and doing their small Morani step dances,
I was spell bound, screeching and screaming like a maniac, forgetting I had a camera. By the time I remembered, my hands were shaking like a hungry rattle snake and they, like Sofia, were gone. Doing a marathon is not easy, I tell you.

KENYANS : SAMMY, BRENDA, DENNIS, WINNIE, KENTE(who also raps), EDWIN. PROUDLY WITH THEIR FLAG AFTER WITNESSING MARTIN LEL WINNING THE MARATHON AGAIN THIS YEAR.
Yes.
I grew up amongst the Maasais and being shit "scared" of them in Arusha, north Tanzania. They had a reputation for short tempers. Once I witnessed a fight between a Maasai and a Hehe (another warrior tribe who had fiercely fought the Germans during colonisation under Chief Mkwawa
in 1890’s in South Tanzania). We all circled them watching, stupefied expecting kilograms of blood, to be honest. In the ensuing scuffle and battle, the Maasai was so angry and swooning that he was drama in itself. Guess what ? There was no fight; as we ended up laughing at the unfinalised, spectacle. From that day in early 1970's, I concluded like any impressionable boy, that Maasai were better at killing lions more than foolish boxing.

CHARITY FOR CHILDREN WITH LEUKEMIA...

The London Marathon presented humanity at best.

RICHARD ALL THE WAY FROM BOLIVIA
TAKING VIDEOS...

The cheering voices of especially ladies, friends urging and egging friends and family members on, people with disabilities, those who had lost energy but kept trekking mouths open, knees almost sagging and breaking, all manner of artistic and trapeze clowns, happy ones, sad ones, old and young; middle aged; black, white, brown; athletic or frail, all here in multi-layers, en masse.
RUNNER GRAHAM MAIRS, FROM MANCHESTER.
SNAP OF HIM AND MYSELF BY HIS WIFE. HAPPY TO HAVE FINISHED RACE IN ONE PIECE.

It was especially great to see the onlookers tagging in the rain, watching the runners running in (and against) the rain.

DAY OF FEET , WATER, PANTING AND UMBRELLAS.


I recalled when I used to run long distance; the feelings that go thru you: wanting to give up, in pain, fighting and enjoying at the same time. At times you swear you shall never do it again; somehow, like a career sinner, you return.
To life...

First time I...

was
Born I learnt that breathing in

nature

...is the FIRST thing You do and the LAST
Thing you will ever do.

every other Thing ....you Experience .................................................In the middle and centre

Is- a -long-sweet -sour-milky-murky-gorgeous journey…


a long up and down, left and right, safari…

between that
Beginning and…ever lasting

.... yet start of another deep, deep infinite ...cycle....

...so be reminded to be in nature, to breathe, to swim, to exercise, to jog, to walk, to whistle. Love thyself and respect these skins and barks and leaves and waves of our creation and health.

First time I...

rode a horse

was on this beach in Búzios, near Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, 1990.
We had been swimming and enjoying the waves of the Atlantic ocean. Days and hours gone. Then it got monotonous. Out of the blue appeared this little boy with a horse. You paid him a small sum for a couple of lessons. Things like that always happen in Brazil.
They also unfold more details...
The boy was accompanied by his parents; they had more horses and were hiring them to other people on the "praia" (beach in Portuguese). I always thought riding would be scary but all what that cool smart boy did was to show me the ropes, and let me carry on with it. A good teacher, they say, makes a good student.
Sometime later, I met the boy's family and rode much more...
They were "ciganos" or gypsies.
All they did was hire horses; thats how they made their living. I found out that this very beach had become well known back in the 1960's due to none other than the famous French actress, Brigitte Bardot. She was filmed on the same spot that the horses galloped. On the same fresh air we breathed and that wonderful calm boy, not more than eight years old, yelling: Vai! Vai! ................go on! go on! ....great little teacher.
He must be a grown up man by now.
And that horse?

And the photographer?

Regina Celia Sampaio...