Best Of

@Jeroen said:
AC is kind of an American thing, in Europe very few houses have air conditioning.

Interesting. Not totally familiar with the climate, but I don't think you have areas like the American south where its regularly above 40 during summer. I live pretty far north and make little use of the AC personally, I work outside during the summer and do my best to stay in the shade, or start at sunup and quit before noon on very hot, humid days (upper 30s C generally). I'll open the windows at night and close them back up in the morning. Most days that keeps things cool enough, I'll generally sit and sleep with a fan blowing at me. At the same time I'll notice other units in my buildings pretty much running it full time, even when its not that hot out.

Also, being used to the heat makes it seem less hot, if you're someone who works inside with AC all day, stepping out even into moderately warm temps feels hot. Meaning the more you use AC the more you'll feel the need to use it.

I'm not sure I totally agree with that, there are definitely degrees. Working in software at a small company where everyone cared about the product more than personal reputation was definitely among the easiest jobs. Settled work, a common goal, intelligent and highly educated people, it was very possible to breeze through the days.

Working for big blue chips where there was a lot more ego and ambition to advance was definitely more challenging. But I can imagine many lines of work that would be more so.

@lobster said:
Due to my one Buddhist precept to sleep on a low bed, I sleep on a floor.

I have also been keeping this precept of late, one of the corners of my bed broke and now my matras is resident on the floor. Wonderful unintentional precept, the universe is obviously taking care of me…

In Buddhism, the development of martial arts was nor for warfare, but for both self defense and as a training medium. Martial arts are used primarily to aid in training the initiate's/student's mind and to bring both body and mind into a harmonious unity.
It is in a way, similar to riding a motorcycle. The ride must simultaneously be centered, focused, in he moment and broadly aware of all that is around him or her. Riding becomes a sort of meditation, clensing the mind, creating an alert calmness. A silent joy of being. Martial arts, when observed beyond the physical aspect, ultimately do the same thing.
Just food for thought

Peace to all

Please understand that the Four Foundations of Mindfulness are in fact intertwined. They are broken to four for purpose of description and function. Liken it to the aspects of riding a bicycle. In describing the aspects of riding a bicycle, where each part is separately described. However, while initially, trying to focus on each separate action, the rider begins to coordinate the different aspects into one smooth action of riding the bicycle. Just so, in applying the Four Foundations, each is viewed as independent, separate from the others. Eventually, the Four meld into one blended foundation, the Four are applied as one without need to concentrate on one or another. They all blend, again, as one. In description, many parts. In practice, the many parts become one seamless whole.

Peace to all