It begins - the short version
It started about a month ago when the phrase "I will rush no more!" popped into my head. It came somewhat out of the blue, but not really since I have been thinking about quality of life and pace of life for some time now.
But the phrase caught and summarized a significant part of my thinking and it was easy to remember - that's a big plus. I started to put more energy into it by sharing it with some others and the response was very positive. They listened. They "attended" and became receptive and seemed to be trying it on for size for themselves, and wondering how that would manifest for them.
A few weeks ago I read an article in the Boston Globe about the trauma unit at Boston Medical Center. A senior nurse, Patty Harrison, was quoted as saying: "You're always so close to death here, I walk out of here with an appreciation of life." It reminds me of Don Juan of Carlos Castenada fame, who suggested that a person of intent, of power, chooses to make "death his ally."
I believe he was talking about cultivating a sense of immediacy, a sense of presence, a kind of fear and trembling and awe and mindfulness all rolled into one. A willingness to be, to do, and to move, at times fast, but not to rush.
Then last night I had a dream in which I was on the shore. I saw a "buoy" off shore a bit. Then I was on a wooden deck jutting out into the ocean with an old friend. The "buoy" was just about to hit against one of the pilings and I knew that could create problems but it was just bumping up to the structure. The water then was much closer to the deck and in the dream, I was looking at a very large wave which was coming right towards me. I took a breath and found myself saying "make yourself into a compact ball and see if you can ride it out."
I guess this was me connecting with an original part - the "boy" - in a context of a sea-change moment.
Let's just see how all this rolls and bounces.
2 comments:
Hi Tim,
I am just becoming acquainted with your blog.
"I will rush no more" stimulates so much thought here.
The manic rush to action and reaction is an endless drain. Some have always found a way out of this manic feedback.
I love Thoreau and the Tao.
Thoreau said, "in proportion as we simplify our life, the laws of the Universe appear less complex..."
Its taken me many years to find this truth growing deliberately in myself. It now seems like a "golden key".
In proportion as we simplify our lives ... it all just becomes easier and better.
I'm reminded of the advice given to people who become lost in the "wilderness". The first law of reaction to the discovery of being "lost" is ... DO NOTHING. Sit down and gather yourself.
The natural reaction is to quicken the pace, even to the point of panic. It is said that a "fanatic" is someone who redoubles their effort when they have forgotten their goal. By this measure, it seems fair to reflect that our culture is manic and fanatic.
"Don't just DO SOMETHING ... sit there" may be the proper first reaction to a fanatic life. The wisdom of inaction ... of shutting down the panic and action in favor of calming the pulse, emptying the head and regaining a poised and relaxed awareness.
I think Thoreau (and others) have discovered this phenomenon.
It would seem the destination is less important than the pace. Maybe I'm just a slow old man now, but I move much more slowly. It all feels better that way. Nature helps a lot in this slowing because of a natural fascination and awe for everything that is happening in roadside ditches and along the edges of woodlands. If I move too fast, I miss everything important. If I move slowly and without extreme agenda, I not only SEE much more, but my calm natural center grows all by itself.
One needs not even an agenda of personal growth. One needs only to turn off all the cultural tapes and let the natural pace of things take over. "In proportion as we simplify (and SLOW our lives and our head noise) the Universe becomes more clear and cooperative.
I've learned that my single most important "job" is to Listen ... really listen for the pattern language in Nature that requires sauntering in all forms. I travel no where fast now. If a distant appointment requires an hour of normal travel time, I allow it four or more, and seek out the back roads and trails that will allow me to saunter without fanatics up my back. If the fanatics join me on these paths I happily pull over so as not to impede their rush. I arrive at destinations with calm and energy intact.
How I move is more important by far than where I am moving.
I lived with my wife in an insulated tent (a yurt actually) through five winters in snowy haven. These were the best five years of my life. We had 432 feet of living space with no electricity, no phone, no running water. I learned to chop wood and carry water. It changed me forever. Nothing "primitive" about it ... only primary. First things growing from a calm and unhurried mind. A fresh mind.
I think you have found a similar path.
No fear. Good journey.
be well
vinekeeper
Vinekeeper,
Thank you so much for visiting and leaving a comment, not the first comment on my blog, but the first comment to my first posting.
And I could not have wished for more robust input.
To your "I'm reminded of the advice given to people who become lost in the "wilderness". The first law of reaction to the discovery of being "lost" is ... DO NOTHING. Sit down and gather yourself." I would add the following.
One of my additional mantras is" "if you panic you won't know what to do." I think a guy called Buddha said it first.
Secondly, I came across another suggestion for whenever a person finds him/herself alive after a catastrophe - approximately: As soon as you can after the catastrophe, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and get yourself back on track based on the resources currently available to you.
If you ever start a blog would you let me know so I can link to it.
Be well,
Tim
Post a Comment