Rain

A pre-Spring rain storm has deluged my area this weekend. The power of wind and water is humbling.

When I encounter the unavoidable and uncontrollable effects of extreme weather, I try to use my powerlessness as a reminder of my true place on the planet and in The Universe. Rather than making it all about me, I try to understand that the "higher power" is simply the visible and invisible ecosystem within which I live, of which I am part. I am one relatively small creature in a massive ecosystem, relative to my size and individual, innate power.

Perhaps this is a key to why some members of the human species have taken a kick-the-dog attitude in their lives. Faced with their powerlessness in the face of their real place in Nature, they have retaliated against those elements in Nature which they can manipulate or destroy. They do this with a sense of impunity and entitlement, without regard to the ecological consequences for themselves, their fellow humans or the whole ecosystem itself.

This is not human ingenuity. This is a crime against humanity and our ecology.

The subtle and daily choices of the serious humanist in daily practice are sometimes exhausting. I often feel the temptation to say, "To hell with it!" And, sometimes I do simply go with the flow, when my energy runs out.

Each morning, however, brings an opportunity to start my practice anew, just as each moment is a decision, a cause, an effort. While water must seek its own level, we, as conscious beings, have the opportunity to actualize our own path, often against the gravity of human greed and indolence. It simply requires making that choice one moment at a time.

2010

As this ancient globe rotates its northern hemisphere toward the sun for another segment of its annual orbit, my head spins with concepts of time, aging and unfinished business in my own life. Hurtling through space sounds like fun. But, I realize I am the size of a bacterium on my vehicle. So the thrill must be sought by gazing at the sky with determined attention.

I have felt the earth move under me. It is an unforgettable experience. You'll know it when it happens. My most memorable experience of the ride through this tiny part of The Universe occurred around 2 AM on a January morning. I stood atop a snow-covered dune at Herring Cove, outside Provincetown at the tip of Cape Cod. Above, a clear sky allowed an unobstructed view of The Universe beyond. Twinkling colors amid unfathomable, cold darkness. Breathtaking.

In that moment of space travel, I experienced my oneness with the essence of all that shining energy out there. I experienced the weightlessness of my own energy field, the electric pulses which transmit feeling and thought beyond the confines of cellular walls. The energy of imagination. The flickering comprehension of timelessness.

Since then, I have carried the memory of that experience, locked in consciousness, like spice in a jar. I sprinkle it, when needed, upon my gravity-weighted life. It adds zest, perspective and refreshment. And, as I embark upon my 61st year on this planet, I hope to continue to look up from time to time, so I can enjoy the ride.

Shadow

I watched a shadow move today. It is a tremendous meditative exercise, which helps define your place in the Universe. Sitting on a planet, rotating on its axis and orbiting a star. Find a shadow on a sunny day which you can see in relation to a background, such as a building, a rock, a tree. Focus on an edge of the shadow. Note its relation to a fixed object in its background, such a a window in a building, a leaf on the ground, etc.. Now simply relax, get comfortable and meditate on the shadow until you begin to perceive its motion. Of course, you must then experience the realization that you and the object are in motion, while the shadow is relatively fixed by its relation to the sun. Feel the earth rotating beneath you. It's a great ride.