The philosophy is not the lazy mans path that it first appears as. The pleasure of the philosophy is in the work that it requires. Life is a whirling ball of energy, and it stretches exactly the length of the universe. It doesn't need to be recognized, it simply is. It is us who must recognize it... and we all do, to different degrees. The degree to which you regognize life is the degree to which you are alive. You see, the universe seeks to invest in you, in fact, there is nothing but opportunity for the flow to whirl through you. At the other end of your body is your opportunity to invest back. It is through that second investment of energy that we free up room for more life to enter and pass through.
But we don't always live, do we?
We feel life enter, and have a deep fear that it will leave us, never to grace us again. Instead of investing what flows in, we hang on to it... exactly as the expression goes; for dear life. Once we stop the flow, and break the circuit, our wish comes true, and life fails to grace us again, as we are no longer playing the game. The beauty of the game we've been dealt into... we all win. To play the game is to win.
The turn of the coin: Life rarely provides as we expect it will. Because of this, most of us break down our own circuit. We think we know best how life is to provide. And that provision is for our known bodies. Well, I think the body I've been recognizing as Tyler MacAllen is the smallest part of him. And what it thinks it needs, or even wants, is only the smallest part of the needs and wants of life.
How is it that you know that Life will provide? Well, thats the easy part, and the hard part. Its called faith. Its the easy part because you don't have to do anything... just know that as long as you: walk the path, play the game, do the work, love the people, see the beauty,... whatever, life will provide. The hard part; to have faith, you have to know how to forget your definition of yourself. It can be tough to do, but for me, its been the only rewards I've seen.
So I have a couple fears. One of which we've been over. Neeedles. Bastard needles!!! Hate 'em. They don't seem to fit into the philosophy. They are preventative, right? I mean, if I truly have faith, why should I need an immunization? Well, I made the investment anyway, took my damn shots... and look where I am. In a mountain jungle paradise surrounded by good food and better people.
The second big fear... Heights. Especially bridges and cliff edges. Something about having ground beneath you only emphasizes the fact that there is none ahead of you. Its just scary. Alas my good friend Ben from london says, "Sure, Sure, Right" The philosophy is great, but when you fall you die. Thats it. No more life. Done.
But remember the second part... "Life doesn't necesarily provide as you think it will"

Yeah, when the MacAllen boys get together, we do stupid things.
Try something for me today. Forget yourself for a minute. Its scary, but it feels great.
WOW WHAT A LEAP. Were you up falling down or down leaping up? Nice job on your essay... I've heard you tell of your (this) philosophy before - but its good to see it written down. I visit you guys every day and love your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteI'm an old guy living in Seward,Alaska.Enjoyed your site.Your "Great Leap" philosophy is so right on.Especially the caveat of not being able to know how the universe will answer to your call in that great quantum leap of total self-surrender.You must have experienced several such answers,judging by the certainty in your pronouncement.I also know why you don't speak of the particulars of those special moments of your experience which became the bedrock of your philosophy...they are so miraculous,so bizarre,so totally unbelievable,that people will think,when describing what had happened, that you must have been on acid or something when those things occurred.But you know,they happened,just as you tell it.I told of mine only a handful of people,knowing that people,especially who actually confess to believing in miracles,won't believe yours.Miracles for them only happen in some distant history,not in this present life,and certainly not to you,who doesn't go to church or the synagogue,or whatever.
ReplyDeleteOk,just wanted you to know,you are not traveling alone,Hart.