Joseph Campbell
Posted by creining | Filed under Personal
If you follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living. Wherever you are—if you are following your bliss, you are enjoying that refreshment, that life within you, all the time. ~ Joseph Campbell
I recently borrowed Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth from the library. It is an excellent six part television documentary that was originally broadcast on PBS in 1988. I wanted to discover, challenge, think about, recreate my belief system.
The first thing that I would say about the program is that there is so much depth to the dialogue he has with Bill Moyer. Topics and thoughts that had my head spinning, my mind racing. I felt that when Campbell stated some of his more challenging or difficult viewpoints I would convince myself that I understood. But, I’m also of the viewpoint that if I think I understand something, that I get it, than I probably don’t. It was an enlightening experience and a great catalyst for thinking about belief systems.
I am going to write about a few of the topics that really resonated with me. The first was when he was talking about the source of life. Well what is it? No one knows. And he thinks that it is important to live life with a knowledge of it’s mystery and your own mystery. He mentioned that a lot of people in therapy, when they find out what it is ticking in them they get straightened out. They become more balanced and live with less anxiety.
Second, he talks a bit about dragons in mythology. When Moyer tries to relate that to a persons life Campbell states that the real dragon is in you, it is your ego. Your ego is what you want, what you believe, what you can do, what you think you love and all that. The aim of your life. The issue is that it might be too small, it pins you down. If it is simply that which what your environment tells you what to do than it certainly is pinning you down and your environment is then your dragon. Moyer then asks how do you slay that dragon in yourself, what is the journey you have to make. The general formula? Follow your bliss. If you are doing what you want to do because you choose to do it and you are happy to do it that’s fine, do what you want then. There is no dragon to slay. But, if you think I couldn’t do this or I couldn’t do that than you are not following your bliss. I think that is simple enough to follow; that is what is so beautiful about it.
Third was about nirvana. Nirvana is a psychological state of mind, it is here in the middle of turmoil. It’s the condition that comes when you’re not compelled by desire or by fear or by social commitments. Where you hold your center and act out of there. No one can tell you how to do that, it can’t be taught. This is something that I would like to explore more. Do I have to become Buddhist to achieve nirvana or can anyone achieve it? I think anyone could strive for it and the ideals outside of the formal path that Buddhists take.
Fourth, was about the whole planet as an organism. The idea that I came out of the earth. I am the earth. I am the consciousness of the earth. My eyes are the eyes of the earth and my voice is the voice of the earth. I love this way of thinking, it makes me feel a lot more connected to the world and everything in it. I never believed in a god or a personal god, I always thought that the earth was my god as it gives me life by the sun, the water, the air and the food it provides. I also have always believed that I am just a consciousness and that my body is a medium for that. Eventually my body will have served its purpose and my consciousness will be free to inhabit another transport.
Fifth, Campbell said that it’s important to have a sacred place. Whether it’s a place or an hour in the day where you don’t know about any news, or people or tasks or what you owe people. It’s a time to bring forth what you are and what you might be. Creative incubation. At first nothing might happen there. If you have a sacred place and use it and take advantage of it something will happen. Most of our action is economically or socially determined, it does not come out of our life. What is it I’m intended to do? I’m always doing something required of me. Where is my bliss station?
Lastly, God. He who thinks he knows doesn’t know. He who knows that he doesn’t know knows.
A great story Campbell told about a priest he met at a gym. The priest sat down next to him and it went like this:
priest: are you a priest?
Campbell: no.
priest: are you a catholic?
Campbell: i was, father.
priest: do you believe in a personal god?
Campbell: no, father.
priest: Well, I suppose there is no way to prove by logic the existence of a personal god.
Campbell: if there were father, what would be the value of faith?
priest: nice to meet you.
And the priest hurriedly walks off.
Today
Posted by creining | Filed under Personal
I wake up. I’m glad that I’m in a warm bed. I can appreciate the fact that Rocco likes to sleep next to me. I lay there thinking how happy I am that I get to experience another day of life. The sun cuts in through the blinds reminding me about how good it will feel when I’m outside with the sun hitting my face while my eyes squint. A smile comes across my face when I step into the hot shower. I appreciate the fact that I have running, hot water. I appreciate the fact that I have a place I can call home. After I finish getting ready I head to the kitchen to take my vitamins with some orange juice. I eat some fresh fruit. I’m glad that I am able to buy these things at the co-op. I am happy to support this business and what they stand for. I lace up shoes and head out the door eager to start my day. I stop by the coffee shop happy to see who’s working. We banter about what what comes to mind. I love the smell of the coffee shop; glad to take that first sip. I have a smile on my face as I head back outside. I appreciate that I have a job that I love. I speed down the street taking in the neighborhood and how much I love living here. Looking forward to the day, the people I will talk to, the laughter and joy I will have. That other person wasn’t really me, I’m not draped in that anymore.
My life 2009 to 2010
Posted by creining | Filed under Personal
In my post a year ago, My life 08 into 09, I had a list of 7 things I wanted to accomplish. Well, I didn’t get them all done but that’s not a bad thing at all. I accomplished all my goals in 2008 which I felt really good about but it also caused me to become burned out and to miss living in the present. I learned a lot between about living my life during 2009. Here’s what I mean.
I have a tendency to always look ahead to tomorrow or the next month or even years ahead. I don’t think that it’s necessarily bad to look ahead and have personal or professional goals I want to accomplish or places I want to visit. However, I do that too much and it begins to dominate me. I remember when I was a little kid I couldn’t wait to be older so I could do more things. Get a job, drive a car, stay out until curfew, move out of the house, go to college, get a real job, buy a house.
Just a few years ago I would lie awake and think about all the things that I had to get done at work the next day. Or what I needed to do to plan a trip that was a year away. And on and on. I’ve found that there is very little I can do about anything in the middle of the night, except sleep.
I would start to think that I only have this one life and yet there is so much that I would like to do. So that lead me to try to orchestrate my future and the outcome is that I start to miss out on what is happening now. I start missing the journey because I’m wasting so much energy planning the future.
So I’m working on learning to live in the present, in the moment. Being aware of the journey and forgetting about the destination. I don’t want to sacrifice the present for the future because I won’t feel any accomplishment until I reach that goal. Wash, rinse and repeat. I don’t want to live that way.
This doesn’t mean that I have to give up all future plans. Living in the moment doesn’t mean to throw out all responsibility or become cavalier about everything. I have bills to pay, groceries to get, a house to clean, family to visit, deadlines for work. I just don’t choose to obsess over my future. I like to strive for a balanced awareness of my past, present and future with the present being my fulcrum on life’s see saw.
I like the way my life is now. I have more freedom to do what I want, when I want to and with whom. So now I would definitely say I’m living for happiness and satisfaction today. I know that I’m not going to be happy every day, but satisfaction with life covers a lot of ground.
After having said all that, my goals for 2009 were:
- Find and purchase 5-10 vacant wooded acres in Wisconsin (I didn’t do this; I still want to and this is going into my 10 year plan)
- Camp at Dells of Eau Claire, Nelson Dewey and Point Beach state parks (did it, loved it!)
- Vacation on Holbox Island, Mexico (we did this over my 30th birthday, a hidden gem!)
- Travel to India (I spent 16 days in Southern India, a wonderful adventure!)
- Fly fly fly (a trip to Washington Island is in order) (not this year)
- Design and start a half-sleeve (I have ideas of what I want but this is something I am not going to rush)
- Road trip! Wyoming (Yellowstone), Washington, Oregon, Arizona (Grand Canyon), Colorado (not this year, I didn’t even have enough vacation to attempt this!)
And I am making some 2010 goals. They are not too aggressive as they have been in the past and I’m not going to obsess over them or be upset if I don’t accomplish them.
- Camp at Sidie Hollow County Park
- Trip to Alaska, Anchorage to Denali
- Travel to Argentina
- Fly fly fly (a trip to Washington Island is in order)
- Learn about investment real estate
Madison area small business resources
Posted by creining | Filed under Personal
I have been kicking around the idea of starting a small business. I don’t know when, or how or where or what but it has been a dream of mine for awhile. I’ve found some good resources in the Madison area that I want to start looking into. These are:
Madison Area Technical College (MATC) Small Business Entrepreneurship Program
Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Network (WEN)
Wisconsin Small Business Development Center (SBDC)
Sugar Skull Tattoos
Posted by creining | Filed under Personal
I have been wanting to get a tattoo, for awhile. I am finally set on a sugar skull. Although I don’t want color. Maybe with the inscription of the the dates 6/15/1946 – 9/27/2006 for my dad.
Some of the ones that I’ve seen that are generally what I like:
sugar skull
My life 08 into 09
Posted by creining | Filed under Personal
Early in 2008 I put together a list of goals I wanted to accomplish. They weren’t fancy lofty goals by any means, they were attainable things I could actually do if I put my mind to it. I find that it helps to write these down on a small piece of paper and keep them in my wallet as a constant reminder. I’m happy to say that I got it all done in 2008 but at times was a blur!
2008:
- Visit Miami (had a great time visiting with Korre)
- Buy a BMW (got fed up with Zimbrick BMW, bought from International Autos)
- Renew my GCFW and GCIA certifications (my good-for-4-year SANS certs)
- Get promoted to the Senior position (I also celebrated my 5 year anniversary at work)
- Hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in Peru (amazing, amazing, amazing)
- Finish my Private Pilot’s License (after close to two years, I can finally say I’m a pilot)
- Find a great woman to date (hi)
- Visit Amsterdam (traveled solo for the first time, which I recommend for everyone)
- Visit San Francisco (was work related but got to do some exploring)
2009:
- Find and purchase 5-10 vacant wooded acres in Wisconsin
- Camp at Dells of Eau Claire, Nelson Dewey and Point Beach state parks
- Vacation on Holbox Island, Mexico
- Travel to India
- Fly fly fly (a trip to Washington Island is in order)
- Design and start a half-sleeve
- Road trip! Wyoming (Yellowstone), Washington, Oregon, Arizona (Grand Canyon), Colorado
Yurting
Posted by creining | Filed under Personal
One of my dreams is to buy 5-10 vacant wooded acres in Wisconsin, within an hour or two drive of Madison and preferably with a stream meandering through. After buying such a parcel I would love to put up a year-round yurt. After looking at most of the companies that sell yurts, I think that Pacific Yurt offers the best product. I came across this list of places on the Pacific Yurt website that have their yurts. In Wisconsin, the Tranquil Timbers and Wagon Trail campgrounds, both in Door County look good. I’m going to plan on staying in one this summer.
Think for yourself
Posted by creining | Filed under Personal
Throughout human history, as our species has faced the frightening, terrorizing fact that we do not know who we are, or where we are going in this ocean of chaos, it has been the authorities, the political, the religious, the educational authorities who attempted to comfort us by giving us order, rules, regulations, informing, forming in our minds their view of reality. To think for yourself you must question authority and learn how to put yourself in a state of vulnerable, open-mindedness; chaotic, confused, vulnerability to inform yourself.
Timothy Leary
touche, life
Posted by creining | Filed under Personal
I’ve been singing in the car, smiling at strangers, losing my father without making a reconnection, buying new socks, putting on my flannel sheets, losing a really special connection with someone, playing in the autumn leaves, helping someone find their lost cat, smelling the grocery store, crying, looking out the window, laughing, learning from my mistakes, watching the sun come up, trying to live life by the day, and believing it all makes me better.
The Dentist
Posted by creining | Filed under Personal
I had a cavity between two teeth that had to be drilled and filled today. My dentist has a TV in every patient room always with Fox News right-wing propaganda on, however he also has a pen like camera that he can use to show you what he sees with your teeth on the TV. I had him take some still shots with this camera. This picture is of drilling the first tooth. The white substance is tooth enamel that is turning into a chalk like substance and the dark area is the cavity:
This picture is showing the additional tooth being drilled. The darker area on the second tooth shows decay further along:
The cavities were completely drilled out after this. And the picture of the restored teeth. Good as new!:
This type of cavity is due to not flossing and it will only be caught on xray, so floss ladies and gentlemen!