I realize this is a yoga-related blog site so I will suggest  you envision cactus arms or maybe even khapalabhati breath, should you envision the latter as a regular exclamation/exhalation.

This summer I am spending a lot of time traveling the speed induced highways of Routes 283 and 222, on my ways from Lancaster to Harrisburg or New Jersey.  Everyone is in a hurry.  Once upon a time I was one of those aggressive drivers who always had to be first. It was a fun game to dart in and out of spaces in the flow of traffic.  By now I am just a PIA elder who sets cruise control at the speed limit when I am in the limited single lane of the 6 mile construction site.  Control freak to the nth I suppose.

Anyhow. When traveling, I have often noted that you can tell the age of a bicyclist by the way he or she signals a turn.  At one time, to pass  your drivers test, you had to stick out your arm and point to the left,  bend your elbow  to put your fingers skyward ( and perhaps give the finger) to show the right turn, and drop your arm straight down to signal slowing or stopping.  I still make those signals when I am in a line of bicycles making a turn or a slow or a stop.  It feels right.

The first patented mechanical turn signals were registered in 1925. The first flashing lights were installed by Buick in 1939-40. This was very helpful during rain and snow, especially, because, back then, you had to crank the window up and down to stick your arm out and get all wet and cold.

Anyhow, the other day I remembered something even deeper in my mind. Honking. When you wanted to pass a car ahead of you, you honked to signal your intention. As I recall, you honked twice to say “I’m coming around” and someone ( perhaps a courteous driver who had just been passed ) would honk once to say ” All clear. You made it.” With all that was going on then – window cranks, tiny rear view mirrors and an even tinier back seat window in my VW Beetle – a lot was happening.

Cruise Control. What a fantastic advance.  So, yes, this is a yoga blog. Being in a really fine state of meditation. THAT feels like cruise control.  What say you?