DANCES OF UNIVERSAL PEACE: three day immersion

April 13, 2026

At some point I’ll get an email with the photo of our entire group, 60 strong, including 6 incredible musicians, and numerous dance leaders.

This year’s Midwest DUP Retreat was located at the
Lindenwood Conference Center, Plymouth, Indiana, about 3.5 hours from here (Bloomington).

A fabulous event, all around, food, lodgings, beautiful large lakefront room for dancing, on and on. And of course the beautiful souls who long to connect, and do.

Here’s a photo with a backstory: Liz, the woman on the right, Liz, and I have a hilarious relationship, which shocks others at times, like yesterday, when I yelled out to her, as she came in the room, “Hey, are you still in a bitchy mood?” or something like that, and we both dissolved laughing. The woman on the right, Tijali, new to our group (but not to the Dances) was the one who was shocked, though instantly got in the spirit of our sisterly rapport. The sweet man, Kim, is someone I have been present with at I think every single DUP event I have ever attended in the midwest (I’ve lived here for over 23 years, and was going to Dances in Montana and Colorado when I lived in Jackson WY ) — ever since 1996 I think it was.

I credit my main daily spiritual practice — to encounter, or even as I just pass by strangers while meeting soul to soul through the eyes — to this DUP practice.

The entire weekend felt like a blessing. Plus, I noticed that this morning I am starting out again very slowly. Not because I’m “tired,” but because I got in the habit, over 48 hours, of actually being present. Plus, hardly even noticed that I was off-screen for 48 hours . . . usually when I deliberately go on a 48-hour screen fast, I have a great deal of trouble, the habit is so strong. But this weekend, my attention was redirected from that little tiny staticky dot dot dot dot to the swelling/subsiding ocean of love that envelops us all, whether or not we “know” it.

DETAILED DAILY HEALTH ROUTINE: because, “at 83, the alternative is entropy”

April 8, 2026

I decided I would list, one by one here, my daily health-oriented routine, as the most obvious way of indicating how detailed has become my current schedule; in fact one might call it tedious, or even obsessive. In any case, VERY focused on maintaining health; way more so than at any other time in my life. Which is not surprising, since, at 83, the alternative is entropy.

So here are some initial notes, ones I took down this morning. All of them focus on how and when I move my body, and what I put into my body, on a daily basis.

On arising:

(Anywhere between 5:30 and 7:00 AM)

First, quick shower, ending with a cold water splash over entire body.

Next: Take supplements and start chai elixir to boil.

Supplements: Vitamins: B complex, liposomal C, D3; Chaga, zinc, Magnesium Glycinate, NAC, Quercitin, Juvenon Blood-Flow 7. (Supplements ramped up during covid and stayed that way)

Chai Elixir ingredients: star anise, fennel, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, black pepper, turmeric.

I prepare seven little bundles of these ingredients at a time, and drink four to five cups a day steeped from each bundle two days in a row. (I began this practice 6 months prior to covid.)

Then, I do my early morning Exercises: 15 minutes

• 100 bounces on trampoline
• Chikung and various squats
• 5 different arm exercises with 5-pound weights, five times each

 

Reading and Drinking:

Then I sit for an hour in my favorite chair while drinking two cups of Chai elixir and reading. I start with a book, and end up with iPad (usually Twitter/X).

• First cup augmented with: a dollop of black seed oil, tbsp coconut butter, tsp creatine, tsp Manuka honey, dollop MCT oil, 2 0z coffee.
• Second cup augmented with: 1 tsp Cho Wa.

 

From that point on, until noon, I eat and drink nothing.

For the past year or so, I’ve been doing intermittent fasting: two meals, both within six hours, and 18 hours off (except for the 2 cups of special tea in the morning). No gluten, processed food or seed oils of any kind. Which means I must make all my meals from scratch, using fresh local ingredients, where possible. Emphasis on protein (meat, nuts, eggs), plus some veggies, good carbs (from veggies, except for the non-gluten bread), olive oil, and a bit of fruit.)

 

9-10 AM

Exercise: WALK, or hike, three-to-five miles depending on direction, and if car is needed to get to forest trail, with dog, but no electronics.

10 – 11:30 AM

Blog or similar

11:30 20-minute readings out loud on phone from various books for 60-year old son Colin (paralyzed and with horrendous nerve pain: see (colincudmorehealing on caringbridge.org, where I post daily on his current condition).

Noon: lunch

Usually: soup, homemade or from Bloomingfoods coop, augmented with more veggies and meat, gluten-free toast with butter and almond butter. A bit of fruit.

1-2 PM Nap.

2-4 PM various errands, daily, weekly tasks, etc.

(Today it’s finishing this post!)

4-4:45 Exercise: Yoga, Chikung, Taichi

5-6 PM dinner

Usually salad and/or fried: greens, root veggies with meat, plus avo and hard-boiled egg.

 

(Fast from then until next day noon, except for two cups chai elixir in early AM.)

6:00 PM Exercise: second WALK. 1/2 mile to 1 .5 miles, depending.

7:00-8:00 PM From April on for three seasons: work in yard, garden, etc.

8:00 Compose post on caring bridge site regarding son Colin’s day.

8:15 – 9:15 PM read, usually iPad

9:15 PM bed, and read, again iPad.

What, if anything would I like to change in my daily routine? For years now, I’ve been trying and failing to wean myself from reliance on ipad back to physical books. Would like to retrain brain to delve deeply and at length rather than glancing off one thing to another . . .

Oh, and I haven’t mentioned my fairly recent dental routine. Okay, tomorrow. It’s complicated. And a priority, given that, other than my tremor (which chiking and taichi keep at a certain level), my main bodily issues center on teeth and gums.