What is your favorite hobby or pastime?

What a question! How can I pick just one thing? There are so many things I like to do. How will I ever pick a favorite. I immediately start thinking about WHY I like certain activities.

Oh yeah, the things I enjoy most are the things that melt me into a different plane of existence. Now I can narrow it down to “Here Are a Few of My Favorite Things.”

Writing

I stepped away from writing for a while. Maybe you missed me. I started up, scheduling myself for three blog posts a week, while I work on my next book.

Oh my goodness.

Suddenly, I feel less sad. I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s spending time gathering my thoughts and expressing them succinctly. Maybe it’s total immersion in the process so nothing else can distract me. I sit down to spend 30 minutes writing and get up two hours later. It feels good.

Reading

Words that create images that are not real and still real at the same time. Stories make me think about reality in new ways. Fiction is my favorite way of discovering the truth.

Nothing can be better than non-fiction that awes me into awareness of worlds that exist beyond my knowing. And now I know.

Riding my bicycle

I feel like a kid again. Especially when I stand up on the pedals and coast down a hill. Nothing to think about, just ride like the wind.

Playing music.

No thoughts can invade my brain when I play my flute. The same thing happens when I practice the piano. I can play the flute well enough to join the choir. The piano is on a whole different amateur level. Amateur is a generous classification. I’m a learner. Still, it takes so much concentration that I can think of nothing else.

My favorite things give my brain a rest

And at the same time, they reinvigorate me. Perhaps they provide the perfect brain wave balance of Theta and Alpha, before I return to my normal Beta waves:

• Theta waves (4-8 Hz): Slightly faster than delta, theta waves are often linked to deep relaxation, creativity, and the twilight state between wakefulness and sleep. They’re like the misty fog that rolls in at dawn, blurring the lines between dreams and reality.
• Alpha waves (8-13 Hz): These waves are associated with relaxed alertness and are often produced when we close our eyes or engage in light meditation. Alpha waves are like a gentle breeze on a warm summer day, bringing a sense of calm and tranquility.
• Beta waves (13-30 Hz): Our normal waking state of consciousness is dominated by beta waves. They’re associated with active thinking, problem-solving, and focused mental activity. Beta waves are like the bustling energy of a city at midday, full of purpose and direction.

What are your favorite things to do?

Are they things that relax you or challenge you?