I drove to San Francisco and set off along the sandy promenade by the Bay, then crossed the Golden Gate Bridge and popped under the bridge and onto the Coastal Trail in the beautiful Marin Headlands.
I’d planned to run/hike 30 miles, but my stomach was woozy; I was feeling too lousy to be enthusiastic about an all-day run.
I’ve learned that if I can make my breathing calm, my mind gets calmer and my inner world becomes more peaceful and happy. While jogging over the bridge, I had practiced deliberately making my breathing deep and slow, and I had begun to feel quiet and joyful, even though my tummy was still queasy. I thought, “This is my real Self, calmly riding above the body but deeply focused and aware.”
I crested a rise and this is what I saw. (I often carry a small camera on my runs.) 
I ran and fast-hiked for seven hours and finished feeling cheerful and strong. The “halo” around my head on the film was caused by the sun reflecting in the fog. It wasn’t a spiritual experience, but it symbolized in a sweet way the inner connection I was feeling with a higher source of happiness.
