Friday, July 29, 2011

Evolution

"Does it feel weird?"

A mix between loss and gain. Opportune blessing strung together through separation and farewells.
How does it feel? How's it going to feel?

As more and more of my past is trimmed away I keep wondering how this is going to all turn out. My mind pacifies itself envisioning scenarios of other world views. But, how can I envision the world to come without the lenses only experience can provide?

I think the trick to evolution is letting go of all this. The filters that disguise our reality eventually inhibit our experience. The optometrist told me I have perfectly healthy eyes as I sat wondering why I was paying for a new pair of glasses.

What is it like to leave the door open on your future? Does it feel weird?
Only if you are tied to your past. Some of us are... painfully so.
Evolution doesn't often happen without some discomfort.

Every time a bird moults its feathers, and a snake sheds its skin, as painful as it might be... new opportunities emerge. Minor adaptations that can build into competitive advantage... or increased cooperative associations! 

Your mind has the same potential. By shedding your mental dialog which, for all intents and purposes, is the skin of your mind, you open yourself up for new opportunities... 

Evolution.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Ready or not...

My bag is packed. Yes, I said bag. As in singular.

Ok, so I will have a second bag... for my books. Aside from that, I have consolidated my life for the next year + into one bag. It's a beautiful thing and I'm still having a hard time grasping it.

It's like it's all happening of it's own accord now. A flow.

Maybe more like a torrent?

By the end of the weekend I'll be for all intents and purposes, homeless. Really, that is to say, I will not have my inviting bed and only a hardwood floor to lay my head. Well, thats not true either.

Now, lets be completely honest... the point of this blog post is not to waste your time with silly exaggerations because...
Ready or not - IT'S TIME TO PARTY!

You are cordially invited to my Permaculture Adventure Kickoff!

When: Saturday, July 30th at 8pm -- until the party ends.

Join me at the Deadend Homestead:
3616 Pennsylvania Ave
Austin

Hope to see you there!!

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Minutes from freedom

I'm continually humbled by the generosity and genuine graciousness of my community. Everyday I'm reminded of the great gift I've been given in this life... that really, IS this life! It's powerful stuff and it deserves constant acknowledgement and reverence.

It's hard to comprehend that less then a month from now this journey that has been nearly a year in the making will officially be in full swing. Granted, I'm not stepping on a plane until Mid-September. This often leads people to the impression that my experience doesn't start until my flight. I've learned that my experience is not defined by airports and long-distances but, rather, by experience itself... and, since even before this journey was conceived, my experiences were driving me to this point. If it were to all end here, I'd have no regrets!

That is not to say that the experiences to come aren't themselves full of excitement... quite the contrary! What I'm trying to express is the recognition I've come to that, although I'm approaching a whole new chapter of my life, I'm not starting over... nor will the next chapter be somehow independent from this one. Essentially, the way I look at it, I've already begun this journey... in fact, I've been on this journey for a long time now. Each chapter has been unique and interesting and held an excitement all it's own but never has one chapter been independent of all the rest.

Even in the day in and out routines of modern work life I've been traveling and building upon the book of my experience. Sure, those chapters might bore you to tears and seem to drag on and on... not all the chapters in an adventure novel can be about slaying dragons and exploring unknown territories! Some chapters are about character development and setting up the story. An author sacrifices these details at his own peril... and we, without clear vision and zeal, can easily fail to see how a moment of drudgery can lead us to pure ecstatic freedom [if only for a moment]! 

So, when I'm asked, "how much longer before you start your journey?" I find it hard not to question what the person's definition of this journey is. Mostly, when asking this question, it seems what people really want to know is "what's your timeline?"

With all my material possessions being divvied out amongst friends and family, my residence for the over the past year already rented to new tenants, and the training of my replacement at work... it would seem pretty silly for me to say that I've not already begun!

Where does this "new chapter" begin to unfold, you ask? Well, on Friday, July 29th I'll celebrate my last day at Wheatsville Co-op. That weekend will also mark the moment in time where my home will officially transfer into the hands of it's new tenants. That may be the most definite mark of this transition. At that time I will move from a life dominated by obligations and responsibilities to one defined much more by inspirations and aspirations.

"Oh, but you still have a long time to go before you leave. What are you going to do until then?"

Yes, my flight does not leave until September 14th. And yes, That means I have a whole month and a half with no job and no home. What am I going to do for a month and a half?! [feel free to imply deep tones of sarcasm to that statement]

I have some plans. I have some ideas. Most of all... I have nothing to hold me back! What will I do? I'll live a moment of freedom! A moment of unscripted vitality! Yes, a much deserved vacation!

If you know me well enough... you know that I find it hard to not be productive, even while I sleep (yes, I listen to audio books sometimes when I sleep... it's educational). So, even this "vacation" is not intended to be a laze fest. I want to take this opportunity to return some of this beautiful and amazing gift to those who've shared so generously with me. 

On this new chapter I've yet to embark, but the journey has been underway for the entirety of my life up to this point... thank you for being apart of that!