Meditation

When I was working, "Thought for the Day" as part of the Radio 4 "Today" programme was part of my daily morning schedule. We still listen to Radio 4 in the mornings but not as avidly.

By chance we heard this morning's contribution while still abed. It dealt with contemplation or meditation. Its premise is that upon meeting someone the British tend to ask as their first question, "What is that you do?" Our Protestant work ethic makes us measure people by their occupation rather than what kind of person they are. Activity and being busy is an essential part of our mind set. In more enlightened cultures, the lack of activity is seen as the opportunity to contemplate or meditate. The speaker went on to say that this deep mental activity was not designed to solve the problems of the world, which in itself would make it a kind of activity. However the meditation allowed the thinker time to make sense of the world and to begin to understand it. The talk made me feel less guilty about my present state and begin to appreciate the opportunity given to reflect, contemplate and yes even meditate (sometimes even with my eyes closed). I do my exercises daily now on the patio (weather permitting) and though they are not very strenuous I love doing them out of doors and I love when the sun breaks through as it did this morning. I thought again this morning as I have on many mornings I would love to try yoga or Tai Chi in the salutation to the sun.

The main activity of this week is a "Specialised Annual Check" run by my GP. This involves 12 hour fasting before a blood test on Tuesday. I hope this will reveal the present level of my cholesterol as the only current reading I have is from 2003 - an odd state of affairs in the circumstances. I am also determined to make Leak and Potato Soup and Onion soup after last week's diet talk from the cardiac nurse - making your own avoids some of the salt traps inherent in commercially produced products.

The other activity is reading 15 plays for the Bench's Supernova 4 festival. The idea is to select 8 plays I consider suitable for production before settling on a final set of 8 after discussion with my two fellow judges/readers on May 24th. I love reading plays but it does require discipline, of which I don't have a great deal. I was also asked to think about a brief presentation at Thursday's Club Night of plays I think could be produced by the Bench: From the West End to East Street. I have a couple I would like to mention already and a new one hopefully arriving tomorrow. I hope not expected to produce excerpts for playreading as I now lack access to photocopying facilities.

Thoroughly enjoyed auditions for Measure for Measure yesterday. This is a set text production being produced and directed by Damon Wakelin for November. It will entail Sunday rehearsals but daytime as well as evening performances. We hope to know parts cast at end of week.

Collected photos from photographer yesterday in order to send off to one or two film extra agencies.

Mustn't get too busy otherwise no time left for contemplation or meditation, with or without eyes closed.