An invitation and The Beach Boys
Thank you for being patient and receptive.
If I offer you nothing else in this life, may it be a reminder that allowing yourself to embrace life, exactly as it is, can open up unimaginable possibilities that will surprise, delight, frighten, humble, and renew the wonder that you may have forgotten in your childhood. And before you ask, no prior experience is necessary, no fine print, no sales are final, not void where prohibited, offer not subject to change, yes CODs.
What a weird sentence to write...
The zeitgeist leaves its mark on everything that humans do.
I make no judgments about the statement above. It is a reminder to always look at the context, or to check our assumptions. One of the greatest pitfalls we can encounter in working with tools and techniques that deepen our awareness is to forget to examine the beliefs, desires, and assumptions of our own mind, but also of the traditions we are connecting with.
It is a rarity to encounter spaces, public or private, that are not impacted by the culture of consumption or convenience. Whether we like it or not, spiritual communities, practitioners, and traditions are not inherently removed from the historic and current context of life. The views, attitudes, and beliefs espoused, whether inherited or current, are all touched by the minds and lives of the people who carry them into the world.
Another great pitfall is the fantasy that spiritual practice, or deepening our awareness of the nature of life, will somehow transform us in such a way that the world will no longer impact us. We can so easily imagine a bigger, brighter, shinier, "higher" version of ourself that is beyond the fetters of this cruel and unforgiving world. Just writing out that sentence makes me laugh, and breathe a sigh of grief and frustration. Rather than make a judgment, I offer to you that one of the greatest acts of service to ourselves, and therefore each other, is to retire our spiritual fantasies. Watch the short video to hear the invitation:
Inspired by The Beach Boys - All This Is That