Tuesday, August 16, 2011
A Human-being Living in a World of Human-doings
To date myself, most people spin like 45's, some even 78's, while I'm more of the 33 rpm ilk. (For the unenlightened youths, there was a time when the preferred medium for musical storage was vinyl discs. Different types, of which, spun at different speeds.)
When life is driven by aggressive ambition to accomplish and achieve ever more, lists become oppressive and schedules are stretched until the seams split. Living adopts an intensity, not unlike that required in serious sporting endeavors. Life is seen in a different time frame and felt with a harsher intensity. Priorities and motivations get skewed. And, as most can't imagine life as being legitimately interpreted when it's seen from another's window, they feel no need to learn to relate in another's language, or see the world in a different light.
To be honest, I've seen the world as a mad rush to an imaginary finish line, and I really have no desire to shift back into that head-space in order to connect with those caught up in it. More is not necessarily better. Too much, by definition, is worse.
There are inherent, sympathetic rhythms that all of the natural world moves in accordance with. They tick in time to an intergalactic metronome and are expressed in universal and personal, seasonal and timeless, planetary and particulate scales. It requires uncommon (though not unnatural) openness and sensitivity to feel and act in conjunction with these universal tides.
We are well served by syncing up and living in consort with the rest of the orchestra. It brings us peace, helps us to connect with our intuition and allows us to realize our potential in arenas we'd, otherwise, never know were possible. This, in itself, makes the practice worth while. The ease and synchronicity that infuse life, as a result, are convenient bonuses.
But the go-getters and do-morers of the world have largely lost the sense, and remembrance, of what it feels like to be connected in such a way. They carry on at break neck speed with little in their sights besides their fantasies of fulfillment. Thoughts consumed with planning and scheming, listing and dreaming.
Can such an person even comprehend the worth in befriending a bug, listening to leaves or losing one's self in the reflections dancing on the surface of rippling water?
It is, of course, common to find people comfortable with and capable of embracing multiple view points. But the bulk of societies current seems to gravitate into the rapids. And, as much as I like shooting real rapids, on the river of life, I prefer to enjoy the scenery, listen to the birds, sing to the squirrels and graze with the clouds.
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Do you think it could be possible to find the harmony in the task at hand, even if that task is scheduled, stretched and in need of more hands than Kali herself? In other words, I'm wondering if I can find this place where ever I am, or if the task at hand is an insurmountable barrier?
ReplyDeleteSoccer was a good training ground for me to practice maintaining hyper intensity and cool calmness simultaneously. Not that I ever perfected it. No doubt, there are others who naturally gravitate to a speedier pace than me; but from my perspective, I pretty much always see mistakes made and creativity skipped whenever someone is moving at break neck speed. As usual, we need to strive for balance.
ReplyDeleteWe can always remove ourselves from the moment, or rather, not take it personally or let it "get to us". I've been able to do so in some wildly disturbing scenarios. But on a practical level, for most mere mortals, I'm afraid that there are tasks or schedules that are inherently unbalancing.
It's really a matter of getting inwardly quiet and standing a step or two removed from yourself, but if the task requires constant thinking, that could make it harder. We can observe our thoughts dispassionately, but that takes some "skill". Even if you're able to detach and feel more in step with the universal tick-tock, the time line may not let your actions be so. But sometimes discordance “works”. Maybe you need to listen to some more avant-garde jazz to get your brain acclimated.
But ideally, when you're “in the zone” time slows down – like in sports or battle or improvising – and you can groove with the 16th beats.
ahhh, jazz. good metaphor. Thanks.
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