Stress has been provoking my blood pressure. I’ve read that hand gripping exercises can lower it although it’s not clear why. Maybe it’s because the repetitive motion of squeezing and unsqueezing improves blood vessel elasticity.
At the market I saw some nice juicy oranges just waiting to be squeezed.
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Versailles’ Bassin d’Apollon was designed by Charles Le Brun, originator of the Louis XIV style.
Louis XIV was known as the Sun King thus linking him to the sun god, Apollo. In the fountain, Apollo is seen coming out of the water with his four horse chariot. Unfortunately, the pompous Le Brun made the mistake of depicting Apollo rising in the west rather than in the east making it difficult for the sun to know should it stay or should it go.
And while the sun god was trying to decide which direction to go in, Triton rose from the waters and splashed him away.
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When I was a small girl, it wasn’t a fashionable place to go. Maybe that’s why we went. One muggy summer morning, my mom packed up the car and drove us to Rockport with its beige colored sand, wobbly fishing piers, and numerous seafood diners.
On the beach I collected buckets of sand to build a castle. Once it was finished, I watched in awe as the waves came in and swept it away. But I didn’t care—it wasn’t the castle that had made me happy. It was making it that had given me a thrill.
Today I feel like making castles.
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(from My Imaginary Diary)
The pandemic has criminalized hugs but not our need for them. When we hug, we release oxytocin, a hormone that helps us bond with others. Bonding is important—it’s like a glue that can keep you intact when you’re about to crumble. But if you’re alone, best grab for a pillow.
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“Hugs strengthen the immune system [Oxytocin helps reduce blood pressure and stress hormones].The gentle pressure on the sternum and the emotional charge this creates activates the Solar Plexus Chakra. This stimulates the thymus gland, which regulates and balances the body’s production of white blood cells, which keep you healthy and disease free.”
Lately I’ve been spending more time than usual in the bathtub. I slide deep down into the tub so that the water can cover me with its warmth then try to float–mentally of course. Because when you float, you let the water carry your weight and everything else seems lighter.
Some thoughts are so heavy I could drown.
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