Journeys and Star Gazing

I didn’t set out to become fit, or to impress anyone. I just wanted to keep walking without falling, stay sharp enough to finish the books I’d started to write, and live each day without the fog that sometimes creeps in with age.

At 73, I’m not chasing youth – I’m cultivating presence.

Now, six days a week, I walk. I breathe with awareness. I chant silently at sacred spots on my path. And nine months ago, I added resistance training-push-ups, planks, step-ups, squats, rows-interspersed through the day. Just two months, I added short bursts of High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). I do them twice a week, guided by the terrain of my walk: downhill, uphill, then level. On Mondays I just do the downhill burst. Wednesdays, I do the full trio. It’s a ritual now. It makes me feel alive.

My balance has improved. My mind feels clearer. This is no longer ‘exercise’-it’s my ritual of self-respect.

My Weekly Flow

Monday: Full Resistance x 2 + Brisk Walk + Short HIIT (Downhill only)

Tuesday: Moderate Walk only

Wednesday: Brisk Walk with Full HIIT (Downhill > Uphill > Level)

Thursday: Resistance x 1 + Gentle Walk or Mobility

Friday: Full Resistance x 2 + Brisk Walk

Saturday: Moderate Walk + Spiritual Walk or Breathwork

Sunday: Full Rest – regeneration, stillness

Exercises I Do

• Push-ups (standard & inclined) – upper body & core strength
• Plank (1-minute) – core, posture, breath control
• Step-ups – leg strength, joint health, mobility
• Squats – total lower body strength
• Toe-ups – calf & balance strength
• Dumbbell Curls/Rows – arms and back
• One-leg Balance – fall prevention
• Farmers Carry – grip, core, posture
• Ankle/Reaction Drills – agility and coordination
• Spiritual walking – silent prayer or chanting during walks

Why Weekly Rhythm, Not Daily Routine?

“I train by the week, not by the day – each step a note in the symphony of staying.”

• Recovery is sacred – Effort and stillness must dance together.
• It builds sustainability – A weekly rhythm avoids burnout.
• It respects cycles – Like moon phases or seasons.
• It fosters joy, not guilt – Each day plays a role, even rest.

For Anyone Wondering If It’s Too Late

• Start with walking.
• Add one strength move.
• Rest often.
• Make it yours.
• Make it sacred