“No, no, it’s not books at all you’re looking for! Take it where you can find it, in old phonograph records, in old motion pictures, and in old friends; look for it in nature and look for it in yourself. There is nothing magical in books at all. The magic is only in what books say.”
“When a man does not dwell in ego, then things will of themselves reveal their forms to him. His movement is like that of water, his stillness is like that of a mirror, his responses like those of an echo.”
Stay connected with nature, it is a portal to the mind of God. Take a walk outside in the morning and feel the sunshine on your face. Take off your shoes in the park and feel the earth beneath your feet. Walk outside at night and breathe the coolness of the air. Stare up at the moon and the stars and feel their mystical light at play in the sky and upon the objects around you. Interact with your dog or cat in a mindful, attentive way – talk to them, pet them, look into their eyes, and realize that there is a spirit behind those eyes, looking back at you. Go where there are trees and notice the color of the leaves, the movements and sounds of the birds, the changing of the seasons. Go to the ocean or to a river and walk along the edge of the shore, breathing the air, listening to the movement of the water. Take the time to watch a sunset – to really watch a sunset – from start to finish. There are a multitude of life-affirming gifts all around us, if we are just willing to slow down, seek them out, and mindfully experience them.
Happy New Year, everyone. I wish you all a year filled with health, happiness, and life-affirming experiences around every turn.
“Simplify. Get rid of all that is unnecessary. Wabi-sabi means treading lightly on the planet and knowing how to appreciate whatever is encountered, no matter how trifling, whenever it is encountered. Wabi-sabi tells us to enjoy the unencumbered life. Obviously, leading the simple wabi-sabi life requires some effort and some will, and also some tough decisions. We still live in a world of things. But wabi-sabi is about the delicate balance between the pleasure we get from things and the pleasure we get from freedom from things.”
There are many meaningful phenomena which contribute to the enjoyment of a truly rich and full human existence – spirituality, art, love – music, poetry, dance – visionary experience, wonder, joy – hope, faith, and even the mysterious world of dreams – all of which live comfortably outside the purview of the intellect. We must use different tools, then, different parts of our perception – different parts of our very being – if we wish to effectively address these factors and understand their true essence. It does not suffice to approach them with classical modes of science. We cannot adequately explain them with calculations or mathematics. Even the standard rules of logic and causality fall short in these high-minded endeavors. We must instead employ our intuition, our powers of attention and abstract thinking, and tap into our spiritual consciousness to properly experience, understand, and divine the value and meaning contained in these elements. And in doing so, the rewards are immense. We expand our minds. We enrich our spirits. We improve the quality of our lives greatly, in a multitude of ways that defy linear explanation, but which are undeniable in their beauty, depth, and value.
“In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and the sharing of pleasures. For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.”