For my friends Toke and Silas and their learning mates in Kufunda who train in the arts of peaceful warriorship in the dojo there, using swords and inquiry to acheive clarity and peace.:
One day Soshi was walking on the bank of a river with a friend. “How delightfully the fishes are enjoying themselves in the water,” exclaimed Soshi. Hi friend spoke to him thus: “You are not a fish, how do you know that the fishes are enjoying themselves?” “You are not myself,” returned Soshi. “How do you know that I do not know that the fishes are enjoying themselves?” – Kakuzo Okakura
“How can we know if we do not ask? Why should we ask if we are certain we know? All answers come out of the question. If we pay attention to our questions, we increase the power of mindful learning.”
— Ellen J. Langer The Power of Mindful Learning.
[tags]toke moeller, mindful learning[/tags]
This is not about connectivity or the web, but about being so open that your whole life is a full on sensual conversation with the whole world. For those of us who use the language of words, we usually refer to this as “autism.” But find about ten minutes where you can have some quiet and reflective time to yourself and watch this video: In My Language
This is perhaps the most profound elucidation I have ever experienced of what sensing is. When you have finished watching the video go to Amanda’s blog where you can read her further thoughts on autistic liberation. And while you are there, copy the definition of freedom in the top left hand corner, print it out and post it on your refrigerator:
free ·dom /fre ´edÉ™m/ n. release or rescue from being physically bound, or from being confined, enslaved, captured, or imprisoned [Old English freo. Ultimately from an Indo-European word meaning “dear, beloved,” which is also the ancestor of English friend.]
I am moved deeply by this.
Update: Amanda – who goes by the nickname silentmiaow – has joined the incredible discussion at MetaFilter
[tags]autism, freedom, autistic liberation[/tags]
“One does not become enlightened
by imagining light,
but by making the darkness conscious.”
– C.G. Jung
Photo by flyzipper
Working with groups, I sometimes experience a kind of stillness where I think people become more present to that subtler and deeper sense of connection and belonging. It’s the sort of silence that transcends the efforts of efficiency experts.
The above is a photo of a rock I balanced on the rim of the crater of Halekala on Maui last week. I think this captures something of what Johnnie is talk about.
(more of my rock balancing efforts here)
Just back from Maui, quickly becoming one of my favourite places on earth next to the little Pacific island I live on. Two weeks gloriously unplugged, so out of touch that my mother in law had to phone us from Vancouver to pass on a tsunami warning last week. I spent the fortnight boogie bording at beaches like this one – kamaole Beach in Kihei – as well as getting hosted by a myriad of fish on the near shore coral reefs at Ulua Beach, Keawakapu and Ka’anapali. I picked up a boatload of music, mostly slack key guitar stuff and some traditional mele chants (a great album from Charles Kau’upa). We ate great food, fesh pineapple and papaya, coconut candy and taro chips and bannafruit crisps and one of my world to-die-for foods, an ahi fish taco from Maui Tacos. We headed up to the crater of Haleakala on a clear, spotless afternoon, in contrast from the socked in visit last year. I’ll post up a few photos soon.
I was incredibly fatigued after the stretch of travel and work last fall and i’m bracing for an even heavier schedule this winter and spring. But for now, i’m back to an impending snowstorm here in Canada’s southernmost fjord, relaxed, a little tanned and ready to go.
Photo by Weave