The Zen of Cycling

As I've grown older, I've also grown more spiritual. I've come to believe that there is more to my Being than the thoughts that I think and the actions that I take. Like many others, I believe there is a spirit within me that is shared by all living things -- an invisible energy field that gives life to what we perceive as the physical body. I can feel a connection to this, as well as the beauty, power, majesty, and wonder of the natural world in an unlikely place -- on the saddle of my bicycle.

Cycling -- specifically, outdoor cycling on a moving bicycle -- is the only form of exercise that I've ever enjoyed. All others feel like manual labor. I readily accept the fact that walking on a treadmill or stair master will improve my cardiovascular health, but that doesn't make me enjoy it any more. As I see it, if the best part of an exercise regimen is its completion, then it's clearly not "my thing."

Cycling is "my thing." At some point during each ride, the feeling that I am sitting on a bicycle and moving my legs to propel it forward gradually fades away. At that time, cycling is no longer about exercise . . . it's no longer about getting somewhere . . . it's no longer about the destination. Instead, as the saying goes, it's the journey that matters.

For me, cycling provides a doorway to a Zen-like state of mind. Everyday thoughts and worries are evicted from my mind. As the steady stream of constant thoughts becomes quiet, I feel the oneness that I have with the world that I ride through. As this Zen-like state of mind replaces my normal way of thinking, I feel and appreciate my surroundings. I sense the flow of air across my body. I hear the sounds of nature near and far. I feel the rhythm of my own pedaling and the life energy contained in my own breathing. My focus changes . . . like changing channels on a radio . . . to another frequency, where babbling voices are replaced by a relaxed (yet alert) awareness. My goals become simplified -- like perhaps reaching the top of the next hill. There is no past. There is no future. There is just NOW.

Doctors and journalists often remind us that aerobic exercise is critical to our health, and that one of the main reasons that obesity is such a problem in America is that few people exercise on a regular basis. Although the physical benefits of exercise are certainly valid, there is another, equally significant, benefit of finding a form of exercise that you enjoy -- a mental health/stress reduction benefit. It seems that any activity that allows us to quiet the steady stream of thoughts (many of which are counterproductive to our mental health) is beneficial to good health. By embracing the Zen of any sport, you can benefit in mind as well as body. For me, this happens whenever I ride my bicycle. For you . . . well, you must find your own path, grasshopper.