I waken early. The air is still, save for the faint rustle of breeze in the big maple outside the east window.

I lie on my back, giving myself a Reiki treatment. I’ve a pain in my abdomen, slight nausea. Slowly, the heat begins to flow under my hands, so faint that at first I think I may be imagining it, then spreading through my skin, muscles, bones, organs–warmer and warmer, now hot. If I saw my body from above, would my abdomen glow like hot coals?

The pain subsides, my muscles ease, and soon I am smiling a Buddha half smile. Calm. At peace.

Breathe
In, long and slow

Out, slow and long

The pain in my stomach is gone. I take a deep, cleansing breath, move my hands to my eyes, which ache these days.

Too much sun perhaps, too much reading. A vision comes, of walking in the hills with no purpose but to enjoy the day, watch the sun rise, take in the Fall colors and textures, scan the long, wide vistas, lie back against the earth, eyes closed, and let the sun’s warmth penetrate.

My palms begin to sweat, signalling time to move on. The ache in my eyes is gone. The first thing I see when I open them is a bright kaleidoscope of stars through the skylight above our bed. I smile and stretch–long, long, longer.

Murgatroid The Cat stirs, stretches across my feet, then pads gently up my torso and settles on my chest, her face nearly in mine. She purrs so loudly Cheyenne stirs, reaches a hand to my thigh. Her hand is cool from resting outside the covers, counterpoint to my hot hands and Murg’s warmth.

Murgatroid’s heat penetrates my chest, suffuses my heart and lungs, and I breathe more deeply.

Cheyenne turns over, facing me, opens one eye. “Hi Murg,” she says, reaching to pet the cat.

“What shall we do today,” Cheyenne asks.

Today is Sunday. Neither of us has village chores. Last night, we agreed to enjoy a totally spontaneous day.

“I was thinking of taking a long walk across the hills, lie in the grass, stare at the clouds. I would love to see the sun rise from the top of the butte.”

“Good idea!” Cheyenne is out of bed and in the shower in a trice.

“Well, Murg, guess we should move too.”

Murgatroid looks me in the eye, settles her body deeper onto mine.

“Okay, a little more Reiki.”

I place my hands on either side of her body. She purrs louder. My hands tingle, and I wonder if their heat flows through her body the way her heat is flowing through mine, slow as pahoehoe.

Murg closes her eyes, smiles, then leaps away as quickly as Cheyenne moments ago.

I stretch again, give thanks for this moment, this cat, this healing, this day, throw back the covers and set my feet on the cool slate floor.

Suddenly I feel the presence of my grandmother–her voice, her sweet lilac scent, her favorite rise-and-shine mantra:

This is the day the lord hath made
I will rejoice and be glad in it