It's become almost a way of life as much as the technologies we buy and use. And now that I notice it, I feel I want to say something about it. I call it The American Reaction. It's so common in almost everywhere you go: workplace, media, home, schools, but mostly media-that omnipresent entity that has now become US and not THEM. But what do I mean by The American Reaction?
I began to notice something in my conversations with people that struck me as both disappointing and frustrating. At first, I thought I was having candid discussions about life matters in the teacher staff rooms, on the phones with friends long distance, and strangers in public. I didn't see it at first but now I do and perhaps you do too. It's this kind of commentary that reflects people's true feelings about what's happening in the world. Most of their words express thoughts and ideas about changes and even youth today. You know what I'm saying: "Young folks today" conversations abound. Political dissent over coffee and bagel. Religious criticisms at a local bar with a strange patron. And the most popular topic: CELEBRITIES. No matter where you go, Celebrity confessions pops up at some point and time.
Once I began to notice I was having that kind of discussion-this reaction to world events and changes-I began to feel a sort of emptiness and helplessness as though I had lost a friend or something precious. I saw that most people now were living with the American Reaction in their hearts. I heard deep from within that they know what to do and yet their lives was filled a lot of 'doing.' They watch the TV, read the papers, listen to the radio, and neighbors, church members, co-workers, teachers, and friends for the information, or news. And then it happens as natural as breathing: "No way!" "Are you serious?" "I don't know what's going on these days" and here's my favorite "The children of today..." That is one of the most common talks and gets a lot of reactions.
And this American Reaction I speak of is only our awakening. And our new awakening is simply a manifestation of our rapid growth & development of an identity on levels unseen in this human history. Could our reaction be an aspect of this new awakening we are experiencing on mass levels? Could it be just our wake-up call in a dream of our making? Could it be a transitory phase of mass ignorance?
Let's be honest: There is SO MUCH happening in our world, it is very difficult to keep up with a lot it, so naturally a lot will be missed and a lot we just don't know. But do we really need to know a lot of that stuff? Because we don't know about it, you can see how our reactive behavior becomes a part of our lifestyle, and how it is becoming 'food for action.' And as I began to see it more and more, I walked away feeling this 'gap' inside as though I was stuck in a human-made tornado in a bottle. 'Okay that was great! Now what do we do now?,' I would ask myself walking away from such conversational highs.
I didn't know what to do. I had to tend to business as usual. I had my own challenges. What could I say? What can I say? And that is what this American Reaction thing is about: after you have gotten pissed off at the world, the Presidents, your boss, the new restricive laws, the politics, the religions, the wars, the conspiracies, THEN WHAT? What do you do? And that is why I'm writing this blog.
Are you stuck in the American Reaction? Are you tired of hearing about this and that and feeling emptiness and hopelessness? Are you feeling depressed, angry, or anxious about things in your life? other people's lives? Maybe there is another of looking at it. Maybe I don't see it right now. How do you feel about this? What do you think about that? It's not that difficult to get people to become street commentators about what's going on in the world. Just get a camera and a microphone. Media does it all the time. Oh, and YouTube.
Robert Fritz in his bestselling book, The Path of Least Resistance: "Most people think that if you move from reacting against the circumstances you are in to responding to the circumstances you are in, you have made progress. Society itself has the goal of people responding appropriately to norms, manners, rules, ideals, common wisdom, and so on. While reacting seems different from responding, the causal power is exactly the same: the circumstances."
Fritz believes when we are reacting to circumstances we are not creating. We believe circumstances dominate our lives. So we never truly create what matters because we are reacting to what is rather create what we want. And in America, there is a dominant cultural paradoxical belief: we create our own destinies & we don't create our lives-certain powers that be are in control, and so we have no choice but to go along and yet if we work hard enough we can create the 'best life.' Our reaction represents no choices, no freedom, and so we become ignorant of our power, and helpless members of a godless race.
But I don't buy it. I am not going to live in the American Reaction even though its becoming more commonplace. I am not going to sit by and simply comment on world events or celebrity-talk any longer. If people want to do that, and it makes them feel good, then fine. There is a whole market for commentatorism. I'm watching fragments of events each day now but more importantly, I'm noticing my body as I listen and watch those events. How does my body feel as I hear the latest news? What happens inside my mind? What emotions are present? Unplugging from a lot of stuff 'out there' and plugging more to what's 'in here' is part of the awakening.
That's promising. And refreshing to know!
Thursday, October 21, 2010
The American Reaction: Getting a Grip on Awakening In Times of Rapid Changes
It's become almost a way of life as much as the technologies we buy and use. And now that I notice it, I feel I want to say something about it. I call it The American Reaction. It's so common in almost everywhere you go: workplace, media, home, schools, but mostly media-that omnipresent entity that has now become US and not THEM. But what do I mean by The American Reaction?
I began to notice something in my conversations with people that struck me as both disappointing and frustrating. At first, I thought I was having candid discussions about life matters in the teacher staff rooms, on the phones with friends long distance, and strangers in public. I didn't see it at first but now I do and perhaps you do too. It's this kind of commentary that reflects people's true feelings about what's happening in the world. Most of their words express thoughts and ideas about changes and even youth today. You know what I'm saying: "Young folks today" conversations abound. Political dissent over coffee and bagel. Religious criticisms at a local bar with a strange patron. And the most popular topic: CELEBRITIES. No matter where you go, Celebrity confessions pops up at some point and time.
Once I began to notice I was having that kind of discussion-this reaction to world events and changes-I began to feel a sort of emptiness and helplessness as though I had lost a friend or something precious. I saw that most people now were living with the American Reaction in their hearts. I heard deep from within that they know what to do and yet their lives was filled a lot of 'doing.' They watch the TV, read the papers, listen to the radio, and neighbors, church members, co-workers, teachers, and friends for the information, or news. And then it happens as natural as breathing: "No way!" "Are you serious?" "I don't know what's going on these days" and here's my favorite "The children of today..." That is one of the most common talks and gets a lot of reactions.
And this American Reaction I speak of is only our awakening. And our new awakening is simply a manifestation of our rapid growth & development of an identity on levels unseen in this human history. Could our reaction be an aspect of this new awakening we are experiencing on mass levels? Could it be just our wake-up call in a dream of our making? Could it be a transitory phase of mass ignorance?
Let's be honest: There is SO MUCH happening in our world, it is very difficult to keep up with a lot it, so naturally a lot will be missed and a lot we just don't know. But do we really need to know a lot of that stuff? Because we don't know about it, you can see how our reactive behavior becomes a part of our lifestyle, and how it is becoming 'food for action.' And as I began to see it more and more, I walked away feeling this 'gap' inside as though I was stuck in a human-made tornado in a bottle. 'Okay that was great! Now what do we do now?,' I would ask myself walking away from such conversational highs.
I didn't know what to do. I had to tend to business as usual. I had my own challenges. What could I say? What can I say? And that is what this American Reaction thing is about: after you have gotten pissed off at the world, the Presidents, your boss, the new restricive laws, the politics, the religions, the wars, the conspiracies, THEN WHAT? What do you do? And that is why I'm writing this blog.
Are you stuck in the American Reaction? Are you tired of hearing about this and that and feeling emptiness and hopelessness? Are you feeling depressed, angry, or anxious about things in your life? other people's lives? Maybe there is another of looking at it. Maybe I don't see it right now. How do you feel about this? What do you think about that? It's not that difficult to get people to become street commentators about what's going on in the world. Just get a camera and a microphone. Media does it all the time. Oh, and YouTube.
Robert Fritz in his bestselling book, The Path of Least Resistance: "Most people think that if you move from reacting against the circumstances you are in to responding to the circumstances you are in, you have made progress. Society itself has the goal of people responding appropriately to norms, manners, rules, ideals, common wisdom, and so on. While reacting seems different from responding, the causal power is exactly the same: the circumstances."
Fritz believes when we are reacting to circumstances we are not creating. We believe circumstances dominate our lives. So we never truly create what matters because we are reacting to what is rather create what we want. And in America, there is a dominant cultural paradoxical belief: we create our own destinies & we don't create our lives-certain powers that be are in control, and so we have no choice but to go along and yet if we work hard enough we can create the 'best life.' Our reaction represents no choices, no freedom, and so we become ignorant of our power, and helpless members of a godless race.
But I don't buy it. I am not going to live in the American Reaction even though its becoming more commonplace. I am not going to sit by and simply comment on world events or celebrity-talk any longer. If people want to do that, and it makes them feel good, then fine. There is a whole market for commentatorism. I'm watching fragments of events each day now but more importantly, I'm noticing my body as I listen and watch those events. How does my body feel as I hear the latest news? What happens inside my mind? What emotions are present? Unplugging from a lot of stuff 'out there' and plugging more to what's 'in here' is part of the awakening.
That's promising. And refreshing to know!
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Live Free And Silly!
I am free to be me. I am free to be me.
I live free. And feel silly.
I am free to choose my life.
I think free.
I create my own history.
I create my own life.
I am not a husband,
And I don't own a wife.
I define my own universe.
Here I am. Living, breathing,
Knowing, going, creating,
Flowing.
I am what I choose to be.
Free. I like me.
I am a different history.
I am free to be me.
I am free to be me.
I am free to be me.
Nothing defines me:
Religion, medicine, education, race,
Politics, and all those human things.
I am what I choose to be.
I am that I am.
I am soul living as flesh.
But I am soul more than flesh.
Can you find me? I have no history.
Not in books, tv, movies, magizines,
I am not a mystery. Simply breathe
And you will see. I am. Feel. I am. Real.
A silly self you see.
I am many things, many worlds, many places,
Living among boys and girls.
Beautiful creation. An imperfect perfect design.
In my time I live with an open mind
In this world, as body, my soul evolves,
Expanding, knowing, showing, growing, flowing,
Unto the further reaches of humanity,
Rising I am not a mystery.
I am the river. I am the mountains.
I am the sky. I am the sun. I am the light.
I am the earth. I am you.
I am me. I am that I am.
I am what I choose to be.
I am feeling the silly
Just breathe and fly with me.
And live free!
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Messages from The Goatheads: How Small Things Can Make A Big Difference
How can something so small teach you something so BIG? Well, it can. It happened to me starting years ago when I began riding a bike around the city of Santa Fe. I didn't drive a car so I rode a bike for 12 years. During that time, I had a problem that was very difficult to solve: Goatheads. You probably know them and seen them and even stepped on them yourself. They are these tiny seeds that grow from weeds. I didn't know anything about them until they began showing up in my bicycle tires. Yup. When goathead season arrived I would get a flat tire. And it was annoying. Frustrating. Especially if I had to go work and when I got there I had a flat tire. Sometimes I was near a bicycle shop and take it for a fixing. Other times I had to fix it myself with patches, glue, and all.
But there was something I began to learn each time this goathead thing happened. Awareness. After many flat tires, I began to see that the goatheads were teaching me to be aware of not just where I was going but mostly where I am. Rather than settling for the angry part about the goatheads which is usually the case, I began to watch where I was riding as much as where I was going. And it was difficult for a very long time to maintain such awareness.
And now the goatheads have returned. I don't ride my bike anymore because I drive now. But lately they have been showing up on my front porch and in the house. Because they stick to my shoes, and I walk through the house, the goatheads have returned. Lately, I have been pricked by a goathead and it hurts! There is no blood. There is only a small pain like a needle at a doctor's visit. It is painful. So I told myself, or rather I knew intuitively, that the goatheads had a new message for me again. Be aware. And that's what they are teaching me. To be aware of the ground beneath but not afraid. Pay attention to its beauty.
How can something so small teach me something so BIG? It can. It will. Just pay attention to the little things. They have a lot to teach you, and share with you. I didn't get this at first because I believed I was being punished, or that I was having a bad day, but it was nothing personal towards me. That was the first thing I needed to learn. And the second thing: the gift of Nature.
The smallest things in Nature can make a big difference. Goatheads, bugs, flowers, plants, leaves, snowflakes, raindrops, stones, and every small creature can bring a great shift in our awareness of self.
The message from the goatheads is that "We are small, yet we are important just as much as the house you live in, the water you drink, the clothes you wear, the pets you play with, and the stones you love."
Knowing this makes a huge difference in how I see goatheads now, and in a larger sense, LIFE. I see that small things can make a big difference. They can make us see things we don't usually see, feel things we may not like to feel, and do things even that we may not prefer to do.
I notice them now. I sense them outside and inside. Sometimes they surprise me. But I'm not angry like I used to be.
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