Charles’ Web Log

An Adventurous Life !

‘Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. To keep our faces turned towards change and behave like free spirits in the presence of fate is strength undefeatable.’
—Helen Keller

una vita avventurosa (an adventurous life)
Even though we go about our daily lives as if we know with complete certainty how everything is going to unfold, the reality is... Nothing in this life is certain. Everything is in a constant state of flux. Most of the time, it may appear as though there is security in our lives and we are in control, but the truth is, as Helen Keller so succinctly said, ‘Security is mostly a superstition’. Look around and try to find ‘Security’ in the natural world. It simply does not exist. We can avoid disaster and improve our chances of living a healthy, happy life simply by asking ourselves in each moment, ‘Is what I am about to do going to cause harm to my health and well being or is it going to nourish me?’ Pausing with a few deep breaths and listening with the heart is a sure fire solution to making the right choices in every situation. Guaranteed!
If we are truly aware in each circumstance where our absolute best judgement is required, we will receive a message, sometimes quite subtle, but nevertheless, as beings inextricable interconnected to the natural world, the message is always there. Oftentimes it appears as a tingling sensation somewhere within our subconscious. And then there are the ‘not so subtle’ hints we receive to stop and change direction such as a sudden foreboding feeling. It is these signals which we oftentimes choose to ignore. And this is what gets us into unnecessary trouble. If we could just first pause, breathe deeply, and feel into our bodies, then something miraculous happens. Our ‘heart energy’ takes over and the way is clearly revealed. We all have what is commonly known as intuition, discernment... or one of my favorite words: perspicacity. The problem is that we have become so disconnected with Nature, that we have nearly lost these abilities. But the good news is, we can never completely lose our connection to the Natural world, because we are Nature.
Anicca (Nothing is Permanent)

Anicca is an ancient Pali word which means Impermanence as it relates to the relative world of human existence. I first heard this word in the mid-eighties while attending a meditation course at a center in rural Shelburne Falls Massachusetts. Sitting on the floor on a thin cotton batting cushion and feeling weird and uncomfortable, I tried to stay focused and derive some benefit from this course. The teacher was a small, round, squinty-eyed, Indian man with the happiest smile I’d ever seen. He called himself Goenka. Just Goenka. The longer I listened to him speak, the more relaxed I became and the searing pain between my shoulders and knees seemed to fade and disappear for brief periods. He kept repeating, ‘Anicca, Anicca, Constantly changing, Constantly changing.’ At this time of my life the concept was difficult to completely comprehend. These long years later, the simplicity and profoundness of this small Indian man’s words guide me on my path.
Buddha, Christ, Lao Tsu, Mohammed and other Mystics taught that there is no permanence anywhere. They each experienced, through deep meditation, the arising and passing away of all things. They offered a way to end human suffering through simply relinquishing our attachment to things in the physical world. They recognized that all things are comprised of conditioned states and that there is no permanent essence to anything. This includes our physical bodies. Taking good care of the body through healthy nutrition, exercise, and spiritual practices is essential for our continued development. The problems arise when we become overly attached to our appearance and, by association, the material aspects of our immediate environment. The notion of having and enjoying nice things is a natural modern human trait. Attachment to these things is where we lose our true essence...Our real freedom and Spirit of Adventure. Sooner or later, everything becomes Compost. Everything on this planet. Our physical body grows old, begins to break down, and eventually dissolves and disappears. But, as the great Mystics taught, the real us, our spirit, consciousness never dies. In the modern societies of this world, we spend obscene amounts of time, energy, and money attempting to preserve and maintain something that is destined to wither away and die: Our physical body. Again good nutrition, exercise, and spiritual practices are essential, but beyond these, nothing else is necessary for pure, unalloyed happiness.
All suffering and discontent end the moment we embrace our true nature which is ‘Spiritual Beings experiencing Human-ness.’ Let go of your attachment to staying young, amassing material wealth, being famous, or finding the perfect romantic partner. Just be. Have faith that there really is a power that knows what we need and will always take care of us. In the words of my Indian teacher, ‘Just Be Happy, for no reason.’