05.13.10

#30DaysOfContent Day 11

#30DaysOfContent
Day 11
Today I am at war.
The lizard brain wants to dig in, declare war, take no prisoners, kill’em all and let god sort’em out.
And my presence wants to lay down, unattach, and let it all go.  Give it all away.
To be angry, to be sad, to feel something strong about something in your life is a reflection of your attachment to it.  You’re being defined by it.
To allow events to transpire around you, to feel the associated emotions and recognize them, accept them at face value.  To experience without judgement is to be present.
But how many of us can do that?
When presented with hard choices, how many can say “This is terribly sad, but this too shall pass”?
What I have been struggling with, is very personal.
And I want to rage, I want to fight and I want, as someone said to me recently, my pound of flesh.
But I have been thinking about that.  What does that get me?  Revenge?  Vengance?  Equality?
But how would any of that bring what I desire – Inner Peace?
Can being vindictive make me happy?
Will I be a better person in the future because of it?
Will I look back on this time, and consider it a defining moment in my life and something that I am proud of?
Or will I look and see regret that I acted poorly?  That I chose self over right?
I have been working towards a theme, something that is (in my mind) makes sense… The parallels between Eastern Philosophy (be it Buddism, Confusionism or Taoism, but mostly Taoism) and what it takes to be a good brewer or even a bike racer.
If Tao is the way, “this too shall pass” is a tool to follow the path.  And it parallels RDWHAHB, which is the mantra given to any new homebrewer when asked is they should peek, or check or make adjustments along the way…
Relax, Don’t Worry, Have a Hombrew…
Or in the words of Douglas Adams:
Don’t Panic!
-g

#30DaysOfContent

Day 11

Today I am at war.

The lizard brain wants to dig in, declare war, take no prisoners, kill’em all and let god sort’em out.

And my presence wants to lay down, unattach, and let it all go.  Give it all away.

To be angry, to be sad, to feel something strong about something in your life is a reflection of your attachment to it.  You’re being defined by it.

To allow events to transpire around you, to feel the associated emotions and recognize them, accept them at face value.  To experience without judgement is to be present.

But how many of us can do that?

When presented with hard choices, how many can say “This is terribly sad, but this too shall pass”?

What I have been struggling with, is very personal.

And I want to rage, I want to fight and I want, as someone said to me recently, my pound of flesh.

But I have been thinking about that.  What does that get me?  Revenge?  Vengance?  Equality?

But how would any of that bring what I desire – Inner Peace?

Can being vindictive make me happy?

Will I be a better person in the future because of it?

Will I look back on this time, and consider it a defining moment in my life and something that I am proud of?

Or will I look and see regret that I acted poorly?  That I chose self over right?

I have been working towards a theme, something that is (in my mind) makes sense… The parallels between Eastern Philosophy (be it Buddism, Confusionism or Taoism, but mostly Taoism) and what it takes to be a good brewer or even a bike racer.

If Tao is the way, “this too shall pass” is a tool to follow the path.  And it parallels RDWHAHB, which is the mantra coined by Papazian given to any new homebrewer when asked is they should peek, or check or make adjustments along the way…

Relax, Don’t Worry, Have a Hombrew…

Or in the words of Douglas Adams*:

Don’t Panic!

-g

*and don’t forget towel day is fast approaching.

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