Where Does Freedom Live? (VIDEO)
Dalton Johnson seeks to answer the question, "Where does freedom live?" in his latest video from the UT desert. He spent a month climbing, canyoneering, and trail running around Moab, Utah. The visuals all come from the surrounding areas of Moab. In this project, Dalton visited Indian Creek, Arches National Park, and Canyonlands National Park.
Where Does Freedom Live?
Take a deep breath and close your eyes
Shut out the skeptical mind and listen to your foolish heart.
What do you feel between those thumps that keep you alive?
Is it an adrenaline spike?
Is it a chill down your spine from another’s touch?
Is it exhaustion from a day you thought could only be a dream?
Between the pulses, your heart is speaking, but are you listening?
During those sleepless nights, it’s telling you it’s time.
As you stare out the window, you can feel the pull.
Your life is calling to you.
When will you let the allure of the open road drawn you in?
When will you listen to your heart?
When will you be ready?
Regardless of when, please, relentlessly seek your freedom!
———————-
Dalton Johnson seeks to answer the question, "Where does freedom live?" in his latest video from the UT desert. He spent a month climbing, canyoneering, and trail running around Moab, Utah. The visuals all come from the surrounding areas of Moab. In this project, Dalton visited Indian Creek, Arches National Park, and Canyonlands National Park.
A Letter to Humanity
My name is Dalton Johnson and I am a wanderer with a camera, a pencil, and paper. Now, that may sound vague and entice you, but please understand, that means most would consider my days to be quite long and boring. Often you can find me by a river contemplating, dangling from a rope on the side of a cliff, struggling to breathe as I swim in alpine lakes, or walking for hours without an endpoint. The reason I am writing this letter is to spark your curiosity, foster your nurturing gifts, and to encourage you to spread your love.
To all those who decide to read this,
Thank you for taking the time out of your day, to read this letter. If you make it to the end, this letter was written for your curious, nurturing, and loving self. My name is Dalton Johnson and I am a wanderer with a camera, a pencil, and paper. Now, that may sound vague and entice you, but please understand, that means most would consider my days to be quite long and boring. Often you can find me by a river contemplating, dangling from a rope on the side of a cliff, struggling to breathe as I swim in alpine lakes, or walking for hours without an endpoint. The reason I am writing this letter is to spark your curiosity, foster your nurturing gifts, and to encourage you to spread your love.
Over the last five years, I have studied my actions, opened my heart, cried, closed my heart, and laughed. In the beginning, I thought I was lost. I did not know where I was headed, nor did I know what I wanted to do with my life. One could say I was your typical “failure to launch” or “unproductive citizen” yet nobody was guiding me. A helping hand did not look like somebody putting out their hand to lift me. Instead, a helping hand looked like Kiwi (a resident of New Zealand) offering me “biscuits and tea” because they felt bad for the guy cycling in the rain. In fact, I had been cycling for a week in the rain, but they did not know that.
As the years went on, I desperately wanted a mentor to lead me. I wanted somebody to help me along the way and guide me through this unknown world. While many gave advice, I never found that person who would take me under their wing. Emails were sent. Fourth and fifth follow up emails went unanswered. Showing up uninvited to people’s place of work, asking if I could help were rejected. Still no teacher. There came a point, I was laying in my tent, crying, as the words of all those I looked up to shared stories of mentors showing them the ropes.
Continuing down my path, I started to feel a bit insecure. I would lie to myself and built a world with blinders, telling myself that everything was going to be okay. To keep pushing and something will happen. Truth be told, nothing happened. No handouts, no fame, no wing to ease my flight. Self-help book after self-help book and motivational speech after motivational speech couldn’t solve the void I felt. Then, I gave up.
I turned my back and said, “Since everyone is too busy to help, I guess I will just do what I love and see what happens.” Turns out, when you follow your heart, the world begins to speak to you.
My wandering became focused on nature. I walked in the woods, climbed up rocks, swam in oceans. Curiosity spiked and questions about why did “X” happen, how long would it take for… to form, why do we all accept and agree to “XYZ”, and more went unanswered, but they were asked and observed. I started sitting and watching the sunset. Appreciating the smile on somebody's face as they walked past me. There was a relief that overcame me as I began to understand what I had already known as a kid. The desert flora and fauna started to show me how to survive the extremes. The forest inhabitants showed me how to balance excess and competition. The ocean and moon were experts in cycles and relationships. Fires, droughts, and floods no longer were a disaster, but an attempt to heal the wounds the earth had endured. The natural world became the teacher and mentor I had been seeking.
As the physical seasons changed around me, I could feel I was in a mental change of season. As a kid, I wanted to be a writer and travel the world, and following my heart had taken me to places I had dreamed of as a kid and allowed me to publish some of my words. While my traveling dreams as a kid were more romantic, liking riding off on a horse to see the world at sunset waving to my loved ones, the reality is my noble steed has been a bike, a car, and a couple of vans and my loved ones have been nowhere in sight as I set off midday. Instead, they all understood that I need to leave because there was something inside of me that nobody could stop without gratefully hindering both of our lives. This change in mentality brought new questions encouraged by my environment. Questions like why am I pursuing “X”, what am I willing to sacrifice to make “Y” happen, and, most importantly, how will I give back to to my teacher, Earth?
It was during this season that I began to understand myself, because I was merely a reflection of the world around me. But, how do you continue to nurture yourself if your environment is always changing? How can you be consistent at showing up and improving yourself? The answer is in the questions. Once one stops asking the questions, the nurturing stops. We are all able to reflect, but we must make time and be like the mountains. Moving slowly, but still moving. We can be like a lake reflecting the world around us because we are still, but under the surface we hold our current. To nurture ourselves takes time, patience, and continual effort. Luckily, we are social creatures and our environment is greater than the natural world.
As humans, we can converse and work together. We can show each other love and boost everyone around us. The way we present ourselves to this world is also a reflection of our environment. If we do not have time for Me, we do not have time for Others. If we continue to fill our schedules with meaningless work, we are dying inside. Our hearts can become tough, hiding us from those who want to help. From those who want to give a hand. If our pursuit is for material things, we must understand the long term effects of accumulation. Eventually, you will be so full, there is no space for perceived stillness and slow growth. Our commitments will jade us, preventing us from loving the environment we are apart. If we are a reflection of our environment, then our environment is also a reflection of us. If we exude love, then our environment will provide love.
As seasonal transformations take year after year, our effects on our environment are similar. The impact of a single generation can, and will, be felt multiple generations down the road. What we continually nurture, is what we will become. Think back to my efforts to become a mentee above. I was attempting to manifest a relationship that was only going to benefit one person, myself. I now understand why I was not mentored. If we hope to become better as a species, we must take the time to be still and think through our actions so that we may consider the lasting impacts of our actions. So, be your curious self, nurture from the heart, and encourage the spread of love amongst your environment.
Thank you for reading,
Dalton
Be a Kid Again and Ask, "Why? Why? Why?..."
As we age (I know, not what we all want to acknowledge) we begin to rely on our past experience. Fortunately, our experiences have kept us alive and thriving over the last “X” number of years. Unfortunately, this experience removes the natural curiosity we had as a kid, potentially blinding us from seeing this world as it presents itself to us. Our experience allows us to see “between the lines” and blocks us from being surprised by one’s actions. Yet, what happens when we can no longer surprise ourselves? Have we become stagnant? Well, that is possible, but there is an easy way to get out of that rut. Simply, be that annoying a kid again, and ask yourself “Why?” until you can’t go any further.
As we age (I know, not what we all want to acknowledge) we begin to rely on our experience. Fortunately, our experiences have kept us alive and thriving over the last “X” number of years. Unfortunately, this experience removes the natural curiosity we had as a kid, potentially blinding us from seeing this world as it presents itself to us. Our experience allows us to see “between the lines” and blocks us from being surprised by one’s actions. Yet, what happens when we can no longer surprise ourselves? Have we become stagnant? Well, that is possible, but there is an easy way to get out of that rut. Simply, be that annoying a kid again, and ask yourself “Why?” until you can’t go any further.
Why Ask Why?
Asking why leads to an open-ended answer that usually can not be expressed in a single word. Why takes time to think through. Often, why questions are loaded with background knowledge we must sort through. If we rush a why question, we either end up lying to ourselves, and others, or reinventing the story to quickly sum up days, weeks, even years of experience. So, asking why forces us to slow down, be honest with ourselves and others, and to acknowledge those unaddressed wounds we have been hiding.
Want to learn more about WHO questions or general introspection? Click the word.
The Power of Why
The power in asking why goes well beyond honesty, a forced reduction of speed, and healing wounds. The true power of why is in the relationship we build with ourselves. Our true mission in life reveals itself to us as time goes on, only if we ask why. As we understand ourselves better, we can see the patterns we want to change or grow. As we grow into the best person we can be, through understanding ourselves, we can help others by endlessly pursuing our why.
How Many Why’s Should I Ask?
If I were to give you a blanket statement, I would say five times. However, there are occasions 18 whys are required to get to the root of my reflections. Other times, it only takes three why’s. So, there is no recipe, however, there is a solution; ask yourself why until you can not answer any longer. That would be a great start!
How Do I Know If I Am Lying to Myself?
We are all stuck in our own lies and there is no way around that besides hitting it straight on! You must get real with yourself and build a checks-and-balances system. For myself, this is between my journaling, my daily actions, and my SMART goals. My SMART goals keep me on track, my actions are my daily intentions, and my journaling practice is the reflection that holds me accountable each day. Develop a system for yourself. This could be a calendar or this could be a vision board. There are lots of ways to work through your lies.
How to Begin Journaling with Why?
Journaling has been the best practice for me to sort through my lies and slap me in the face when I am BSing myself. I’ll admit, I tell myself that I am doing well in my diet… then I eat a box of Oreos. When I record in my journal “I ate a box of Oreos” and also try to write, “I ate well today” in the same sentence, I know something is off! So, how does journaling and why go together? If you select specific topics to focus on, you can assess yourself each day on how you are progressing towards your goal. If you slip up, the journaling will catch you. If you are doing well, the journal will congratulate you.
Let’s keep with the diet theme. If you want to focus on your food and beverage intake (which I call diet) while journaling each night it could look something like this:
-Write the facts: “I ate an egg and spinach omelet for breakfast. Lunch was a turkey sandwich. Dinner was Mac and Cheese. Sadly I ate a box of Oreos. On the bright side, I controlled my caffeine intake with one cup of coffee.”
-Assess and ask your FIRST why: “Why are you sad about eating a box of Oreos? I was having a bad day after my dog died and I am focused on not drinking caffeine. Usually, I would have had six cups of coffee.”
Now, that is getting somewhere!
-SECOND why: “After my dog died, why did I feel I needed to consume something to make myself feel better? I called three friends and nobody picked up because they were at work.”
-THIRD why: “Why did I call these three people and not somebody who doesn’t work, like mom? I didn’t want to bother her.”
-FOURTH why: “Why don’t you want to bother her? She has called me three times and I have forgotten to give her a call back because I am stressed about work.”
-Fifth why: “Why is returning mom’s phone call easily forgotten? I don’t really know, maybe because she is always there for me and I am embarrassed to call her when I have problems. After all, she raised me and has already dealt with so many of my problems.”
At this point, we can see eating a box of Oreo’s is not the problem, that was just the bandaid we slapped on to sort through our own lies and pains. We should have just called mom, cried a little bit about our dog, written a country song, and been proud we only drank one cup of coffee.
Conclusion
The above example is a bit strange, but you can get the point of how our fixation on a single action usually is not the issue. The issue is usually something deeper that we must address and work on. Asking why takes time, so make sure to allot yourself 10ish minutes to ask these questions. Rushing the why’s is only a disservice to yourself. Be kind to yourself and promote growth. As you discover who you are and what your why (sometimes called a mission statement) you will help improve the world. Keep up the work and stay positive. Most of all, live your dream life!
How can Ikigai improve my life?
Most likely you have not heard of Ikigai, however, its background story and correlation to the Japanese island, Okinawa, which is home to the most centenarians in the world gives this Japanese practice an unparalleled lifestyle design resume. Living in the west, we have a consumer-based society, where our value is based on our belongings. That is not the case in Ikigai.
Most likely you have not heard of Ikigai, however, its background story and correlation to the Japanese island, Okinawa, which is home to the most centenarians in the world gives this Japanese practice an unparalleled lifestyle design resume. Living in the west, we have a consumer-based society, where our value is based on our belongings. That is not the case in Ikigai.
What is Ikigai?
The word Ikigai loosely translates to “the reason for living.”
What is Ikigai based upon?
Ikigai has four categories to consider. Each category has the same weight in life, however, finding the harmony between all four allows you to live your Ikigai:
-What you love
-What you can be paid for
-What are you good at
-What the world needs
The Ten Principles of Ikigai according to Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles:
1. Stay active and don’t retire
2. Leave urgency behind and adopt a slower pace of life
3. Only eat until you are 80 percent full
4. Surround yourself with good friends
5. Get in shape through daily, gentle exercise
6. Smile and acknowledge people around you
7. Reconnect with nature
8. Give thanks to anything that brightens our day and makes us feel alive.
9. Live in the moment
10. Follow your ikigai
A great video:
Four Ways to Improve Your Perspective On Society
The societal climate appears to be hot and toasty. Often, the rhetoric is negative and disapproving of our society, yet what are you doing to make it a better place? How are you creating an environment for others to see the good in society? Below are four ways to connect with other humans and improve your perspective on society.
The societal climate appears to be hot and toasty. Often, the rhetoric is negative and disapproving of our society, yet what are you doing to make it a better place? How are you creating an environment for others to see the good in society? Below are four ways to connect with other humans and improve your perspective on society.
1) Hug Often
Sure, we can shake hands, but you lose the opportunity to put a smile on somebody's face. A hug is an embrace with another human where we connect and build trust. You can feel their heartbeat, their touch, and vulnerability to open their arms, exposing their vital organs. Hugs that last 30 seconds, or longer, have shown to reduce anxiety in both participants. So, hug often!
2) Share Meals with Others
Who doesn’t enjoy eating some good food? Why not invite friends over for dinner, share lunch with a co-worker, grab coffee with a stranger. The food and/or drink is just an excuse to listen and talk with another human. Going for a walk and talk with your neighbor or a phone call with a friend all work the same, but the goal here is to talk with a person, preferably outside of your echo chamber.
3) Dance Under the Stars (this is my favorite)
Logistically, I understand this can be difficult to orchestrate, but when the opportunity arises, never turn it down! Better yet, suggest it because who knows the next time you will be in the situation. When we dance we move with somebody, thus we learn how to give and take without overpowering the other. So, even if it isn’t under the stars, go dance. Go laugh. Go enjoy yourself with others.
4) Send Appreciation Letters to Loved Ones
When was the last time you sent somebody a handwritten letter for no reason? I’m not here to remind you of all those letters you should have sent, we all know we should have sent at least 100 two years ago. The key here, make it easy. Say you love watching Netflix and drinking wine, or beer, after work on the couch. That is awesome and sounds relaxing. Why not have blank cards, stamps, and a pen next to you? Who knows, maybe you’ll write 101 letters!
Conclusion
Here are four ways to connect with humans on a positive front. It might be the case that somebody doesn’t want to dance to share a meal, don’t take it personally. Act with good intentions and be a kind human. You’ll begin noticing this world is a beautiful place filled with lots of kind and generous people.
Four Steps to Unlocking Your Day: The Traveler's Mindset
We all have 24 hours in a day and you can choose to spend those hours however you wish. It does not matter if you work a 9-5 or live in a van. We are the creators of your schedules. We are the puppet master pulling our strings. Our actions are ours alone. Why not embrace the traveler’s mindset and get the most out of your 24 hours?
Carpe Diem, or Seize the Day, is what it means to be a traveler, but why? Often times we only visit a place once, which means all the excuses you use while at home won’t work. There is no tomorrow, only today. There is no next time, only this time. Now, what if you could take that mindset and apply it to your daily life? While there might be limits to your audacious adventures when you are traveling, I have been curious and practicing how I can use the traveler’s mindset to unlock my days. Using this mindset, I have built a life on the road that works even if you live the 9-5 life. And the best part, it’s easy to start!
The first step is realizing what it means for you to seize the day. Maybe it is sipping Mai Tai’s on the beach, or maybe it is climbing a glaciated peak in a remote mountain range, either way, let’s make that a reality! Take out a pen and paper, jot down what you dream of doing, then walk away to grab a cup of coffee and think to yourself, “Yup, you had a sweet idea!” Now, since you are at home and probably not in Tahiti, it is time to get creative.
Let’s use the the Mai Tai on the beach example and say you live in Minnesota. How do you sip Mai Tai’s on a beach in Minnesota in the dead of winter? You fill your living room with sand, begin a quest to make the best Mai Tai in the world, turn up the heater, and live steam the sunset over the ocean. Maybe toss in some tiki lanterns for some added flare. Now, I know this may see extreme, but if you wanted to sip Mai Tai’s on a beach every day for the rest of your life, yet you live in Minnesota, wouldn’t this be a pretty comparable solution? Think of all the crazy and wild solutions you could create. All you have to do is step outside of the sand box!
The second step is to create a sense of urgency, or ephemerality. While starting was easy, I think this second step is the most difficult. When you are traveling, the reason you go see the Eiffel Tower when it is pouring rain or walk around the pyramids during a heat wave is because you don’t have another chance. However, once you are home, going to the park is old and becomes a task. Why? Because it is always there and you know it’ll be better another time. So, how do you overcome this? You create urgency by reducing the comforts you have.
For example, I love being at the ocean or in the mountains. I want my whole life to bounce between the two, catching the best swells and squeezing in weather windows. So, I packed everything I needed into a car and left the comforts for another person. While I admit I have gone to the extreme, I wake up at the base of a climb or next to a beach where I can surf every morning. If you decide to take this route, decide what you won’t give up, ask yourself why, then decide if you can live without it. Each thing you keep, make sure it adds value to your life.
The third step is to build your group of friends who motivate you. Who likes doing everything alone? At some point, pushing yourself becomes a task that is easy with a friend. There is quote that I learned while teaching in outdoor education that goes something like, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” I believe this to be a truth. When you are alone, you are responsible for everything, which means there is nobody but yourself to hold you back. However, if you build the right relationships, those which promote growth, you end up going further because you have the support you needed.
The last step is to go freak’n live your life! Yup, it is that simple. You now know what you want, you don’t have that comfortable couch whispering, you had a long day, come watch Netflix and chill, and best of all you have friends that call you to do the things you love!
We all have 24 hours in a day and you can choose to spend those hours however you wish. It does not matter if you work a 9-5 or live in a van. We are the creators of your schedules. We are the puppet master pulling our strings. Our actions are ours alone. Why not embrace the traveler’s mindset and get the most out of your 24 hours?
Good Reads to Inspire You:
Micro-Adventures by Sir Alistair Humphreys
Vagabonding by Rolf Potts
Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris
**When using these links, I make a small portion of the sale. There is no additional cost for you.
Asking “Who”: Understanding the Who Question Generator for Introspection
Who questions are a great place to start whenever you are trying to take a deeper dive into your cognitive process. The reason, people are often the trigger, or influence, into why we didn’t stick to our truths. In our hearts, we know what is correct, but often it is our environment that changes the typical results for what we want to achieve. Please note, this influence can be both, constructive and destructive.
Asking “Who”
Understanding the Who Question Generator for Introspection
Who questions are a great place to start whenever you are trying to take a deeper dive into your cognitive process. The reason, people are often the trigger, or influence, into why we didn’t stick to our truths. In our hearts, we know what is correct, but often it is our environment that changes the typical results for what we want to achieve. Please note, this influence can be both, constructive and destructive.
From personal experience, I would say influence from others often lead to better results. Just think about your running buddy, your climber partner, or your co-worker. In most situations, the aid of another will help you make a sound decision. There is a quote from Kurt Huhn that goes something like, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” Stay positive, work together, and also remember introspection is about discovering YOUR cognitive process. These actions are YOUR actions!
Who are the players in a “Who” question?
A "who" question is all about taking note of who you are with during the time at which you made a reaction. This reaction could have been positive or negative, but make sure to take note of who surrounds you. List out everyone, even if they a person didn’t seem to have any influence what so ever.
Where do “Who” questions live?
Who questions are a simple observation of your surrounding or future. When it comes to reflection, take note of the people in the room. I like to ask “who” upfront because I know that there are a few people, like my family and closest friends, that I rely on to be an audit for my ideas. So, I often ask "who" questions quite often when selecting a person to bounce ideas. When looking at the past or towards the future, "who" questions are great for seeking support!
When to use a “Who” question?
Who questions are for the past or the future, but often asked during reflection. If you are setting goals, this is a great time to ask yourself, “who would be a good person for me to talk with/meet?” Meanwhile, if you are reflecting, a who question is a great time to ask, “Who has helped me grow in the last three months?”
What role does a “Who” question play?
A "who" question brings awareness to the situation at which you were in. Think of a who question as an auditor, selector, or identifier. When asking yourself who during reflection, often this is to identify who was around during a spike in your emotions. For example, if you had a fresh, bad breakup and you are at a party, then your ex walks in with a new date, you probably felt something! Maybe, later on, that night you did something you weren’t happy about. Maybe it was because you saw your ex and your heart was hurting, maybe it was something else, maybe it was both. Sorting this example out would be a great discovery of your emotional process.
Now, maybe you are trying to do have your portfolio reviewed but want somebody to look it over before submitting it. Does selecting your best friend or your mentor, make the most sense?
How to use a “Who” question?
Since a "who" question is an identifier to your surroundings, you use this question to set the scene for yourself. The expression, put your name in the hat, comes to mind. When asking this question, you are putting people into the hat, so you may assess their role in your goals or reflection. Make sure to add a lot of names, then take them away as you realize they did not fit your situation.
Why ask a “Who” question?
Overtime asking “Who” surrounds you will help guide you towards the community that lifts you. As you take notes on the people around you during positive and negative experiences, you will be building a list of people that boost you up and a list of people that do the opposite. As time goes on, surround yourself with those who lift you. For those who constantly bring you down, I encourage you to talk with them and share what you have found. Be kind and supportive as you would want to be supported!
Conclusion
A who question is a starting place for introspection and goal setting because it identifies the potential influences that you can semi-control in the future. This world we live in is yours to develop. You take control of your life, oftentimes by taking control of your thoughts. With control of your thoughts, you will be able to decide where you will go. However, if you let others drive for you, then you will end up where others want you. So, be the driver of your own life.
Introspection: Discover Your Cognitive Process
Another way to think of introspection is the discovery of one’s cognitive process. I use the word discovery because I do not think nearly observing nor examining is enough. To discover something, one must be curious to look around the corner, poke and prod, asking questions you may not want the answer to, but know it is important to find out. Also, I change the mental and emotional process to cognitive because one’s cognition also adds the senses to the process.
In this next series, I will be taking a deep dive into introspection, the basis of the six question generators, how to use it, and leave you with a list of questions to take your self-love and self-discovery to the next level. Today, I will share what you can expect over the next few weeks.
What is Introspection?
The observation, or examination, of one’s own mental and emotional process.
Another way to think of introspection is the discovery of one’s cognitive process. I use the word discovery because I do not think nearly observing nor examining is enough. To discover something, one must be curious to look around the corner, poke and prod, asking questions you may not want the answer to, but know it is important to find out. Also, I change the mental and emotional process to cognitive because one’s cognition also adds the senses to the process.
The Six Question Generators
At first, this may seem silly, or at least it did for me. However, you will get the hang of it, if you practice, and asking these questions will be like second nature. The good news is, you learned these questions in 2nd or 3rd grade!
Who
Where
When
What
How
Why
Yup, those are the question generators that we all know and will soon come to re-love.
How to use introspection?
Introspection is a tool and a muscle, but it can also create anxiety. The good news is, once you learn how to use your tool, you will be able to see recognize the anxiety building habits and address them.
In the most simple way, introspection is about giving yourself permission to set aside your emotions, for a brief moment, and objectively ask six questions. These six questions will help you observe your mental and emotional process, so you can begin taking the next steps you need to take.
To start, below is the most basic flow:
The event which triggers a mental or emotional habit
Remove yourself from the scenario
In a space you are alone and safe ask yourself:
Who was I with? Who was I not with? Who did I want to be with?
Where was I? Where did I want to be?
When did this happen? When did I want it to happen?
What was my emotional response?
How do I want to respond in the future?
Why was my reaction different than how I want to react in the future?
Conclusion
I look forward to taking a deep dive into each of the following sections over the next few weeks. Also, my goal is to help others be able to understand their process, so they can choose to pursue their own path in life. Have a wonderful day and, as always, if you have any questions or comments, please reach out!
Fifty Questions to Ask Yourself: When You’re Questioning Your Path
When we begin questioning the path we are on, oftentimes it is because we are in downtime, or are not seeing the results we had expected. The fifty questions below are a way to work through these downtimes and remind ourselves of what we are capable of doing, remind ourselves of the successes we have had, and to begin pointing your compass towards your true north.
When we begin questioning the path we are on, oftentimes it is because we are in downtime, or are not seeing the results we had expected. The fifty questions below are a way to work through these downtimes and remind ourselves of what we are capable of doing, remind ourselves of the successes we have had, and to begin pointing your compass towards your true north.
Who
Who are five people that influence me?
Who are five people that I look up to?
Who do I wish to become?
Who am I afraid to become?
Who has helped me grow?
Who can have achieved what I want to achieve?
Who will help me through this transition?
Who can I help?
Who can I mentor?
Who will hire me?
What
What is this path supposed to look like?
What do I do when I am bored?
What are the three goals I have?
What am I afraid to do?
What have I recently achieved that helped me grow?
What holds me back?
What am I good at/have a passion for doing?
What can I teach?
What can I give away, for free, that will help others grow?
What is the am I not willing to give up to pursue my dreams?
Where
Where does my favorite food come from?
Where does my least favorite food come from?
Where do I want to live?
Where do I not want to live?
Where do I wish I was right now?
Where do I need to be to achieve my goals?
Where do my dreams take me?
Where can I add discipline to my life?
Where are the people who I can help?
Where do I not what to be in life?
When
When can I start?
When will I consider myself able to move onto the next thing?
When can I begin teaching others?
When am I finished with the path I am on?
When will I know if I am on the correct path?
When was my last success?
When was my last challenge?
When was my last celebratory worthy moment?
When will I reach the next celebratory worthy moment?
When will I have time for reflection?
Why
Why have I not changed my course?
Why do I fear to do something?
Why do I not want to become… (see the answer to question 4 under “who”)?
Why am I questioning my current path?
Why did I begin this path?
Why am I willing to change paths? Or, why am I not willing to change paths?
Why can’t I change paths? Or, why can I change paths?
Why am I excited about tomorrow? A month from now? A year from now?
Why have I committed to my last three biggest commitments?
Why do I love the current path I am on?
Conclusion
Now that you have taken the time to sit down and think about what, where, when, and why you are on your current path, what is your plan of action? Where do you go next? Take some time to map this out and begin pursuing your dream!
The Balance of Fire | Learning to Recognize the Cycles in Life
Cycles define our lives. We ebb and flow, much like the tides pulled by the moon’s gravity. Some cycles are short, while others last a lifetime. Our relationships, our work, our creativity all require attention (the flowing) and withdrawal (the ebbing). Recently, I have been wondering what would it take to control these cycles. Are they controllable? Well, my intuition lands on a simple answer, no. No, I do not think we can control these cycles, but we can learn to recognize and embrace each orbit.
Cycles define our lives. We ebb and flow, much like the tides pulled by the moon’s gravity. Some cycles are short, while others last a lifetime. Our relationships, our work, our creativity all require attention (the flowing) and withdrawal (the ebbing). Recently, I have been wondering what would it take to control these cycles. Are they controllable? Well, my intuition lands on a simple answer, no. No, I do not think we can control these cycles, but we can learn to recognize and embrace each orbit.
Defining a cycle
By no means am I a scholar, or a practitioner, of the Hindu tradition or Buddhism, however, both teachings reference a cycle in relationship to our spirit. Both of these teachings focus on a multi-life experience upon this planet. What we do in this life, directs how we will be present in the next. Moving away from the dogma, yet applying the concept to a single life, we begin noticing how our actions are apart of a cycle. Remaining on a grand scale of a single life, the cycle transitions from no-life to creation to no-life. The cycle is also present in something as routine as making a meal, no-meal to meal to no-meal. Now, how do we begin recognizing a cycle?
Recognizing a cycle
As cycles come in levels of complexity and length, becoming aware of a cycle adds to the layers of awareness in a person’s life. To begin recognizing, we must be open. To be open means, we are able to reflect upon our actions without an emotional connection. To do so forgiveness must be granted and boundless love must be shared. Cycles follow a similar pattern, which are ingredients, balance, and imbalance. To maintain consistency, I will use a fire metaphor.
The Fire
The cycle of a fire is much like life. There is no fire until the building blocks come together; a fuel source, oxygen, and heat. Once these building blocks come into contact with each other under the correct conditions, a fire begins. The duration and size of fire depend upon the building blocks. Once there is an imbalance, too much or too little, of a block then the fire extinguishes. The fire may have passed, but the cycle has not ended. Once the conditions are just right, another fire will burn.
Ingredients
What does it take for a cycle to exist? For a fire, those ingredients are a fuel source, oxygen, and heat. For tea, those ingredients are boiling water, parts of the tea plant, a vessel to mix the parts and water. The number of ingredients dictates the complexity of a cycle. The complexity I am referencing is the likelihood of the ingredients finding the balance for a cycle to spin another orbit. One important consideration when looking at ingredients is to remain objective. For a cycle to exist, it only needs the building block. The subjective considerations are the nuances that define the duration and size of a cycle, which are important when trying to control a cycle but clutter the mind when trying to recognize a cycle.
Balance
For a cycle to begin, a balance must occur within a spectrum of acceptable ingredients. Notice, there is not a need for perfect conditions, only the need to fit within an acceptable range. Discovering the balance of a cycle follows the scientific method. If we know the ingredients, then all we have to do is continually test different conditions until the cycle begins.
Imbalance
If a cycle is currently flowing, then the way for it to stop is through an imbalance. As a fire loses oxygen, it will suffocate. As a fire burns all of its fuel, it will extinguish. As a fire is zapped of its heat, the fire will freeze. These imbalances are the cause of growth and destruction. If a fire is in a controlled fire pit, then the lack of surplus will not allow the fire to grow. Yet, once there is an abundance of ingredients, then there will be exponential growth, as is the case in a forest fire. The defining characteristic of imbalance is its ability to grow or destroy a cycle, but isn’t all growth destruction?
Why should we recognize cycles?
Recognizing cycles adds a layer to the recognition of this planet, society, and our own life. We may become aware of the cycles of love. We may become aware of the cycle of the stock market. We may become aware of the cycles of rain. Each cycle we begin to recognize helps us make decisions for the future. They help us plant our crops, invest our money, and share our hearts. As an open person, you will begin connecting with more than your needs, but the needs of others. These others are not only other humans but are everything from your dog to your food to your world. So, why wouldn’t you want to be able to recognize cycles?
Release your Inner Child
In the world of taxes, mortgages, car payments, student loans, utility bills, etc. we—or at least myself—fall into the trap of forgetting to play. I don’t mean going out with friends or surfing your favorite break. The play I am talking about is the kind you enjoyed as a little kid. Growing up in a rural place, I often played naked in the backyard during a rainstorm with my GI Joes or I was pretending to be Tarzan climbing trees. While I keep my nudity to a minimum these days, I hope you get what I mean.
In the world of taxes, mortgages, car payments, student loans, utility bills, etc. we—or at least myself—fall into the trap of forgetting to play. I don’t mean going out with friends or surfing your favorite break. The play I am talking about is the kind you enjoyed as a little kid. Growing up in a rural place, I often played naked in the backyard during a rainstorm with my GI Joes or I was pretending to be Tarzan climbing trees. While I keep my nudity to a minimum these days, I hope you get what I mean.
Often on an assignment, the deadline and the need to capture a moment for a client puts me in a serious mood. Focused and aware. This focus is rigid. When this rigidity begins creeping in, I feel stiff and the enjoyable part of my career, taking photos, starts to feel like work. Thankfully, I have the pleasure of creating with awesome people who always find a way to bring out the child in me and in this world. Often, these images are not the ones selected by a client, but they are the ones which help me snap out of the serious mindset, allowing me to create some of my favorite work.
To give a perfect example of this child-like fun, I was shooting landscapes and products for two different companies around Death Valley. The timing was critical for the light. I was in my head about the location (because I didn’t want others in the background in a popular place) and it was my first time working with both companies (and I was responsible for pushing their brand identity into a new market). As the light changed from golden towards midday, Hailey started to play in the sand. It reminded me of the playground at the lake I grew up going to. I asked her to start tossing the sand around.
The sand got everywhere! We had fun! We played! We were kids!
Once back to the van, I started going through the images. The morning session was solid, but the frames following our giant sandbox experience were the ones both clients selected. I am excited to say, both companies have been stoked with the boundary push of the for their brand, which has even lead to new client acquisition for both. Also, to nobodies surprise, both companies laughed at the sandbox images!
So, make sure to get out and have fun. Go play like you are a kid!
Snowy Morning in Joshua Tree
Stepping out of the van, the temperature is 29 degrees Fahrenheit, there is a fresh layer of snow in the desert. Quickly closing the door in hopes of keeping my partner’s warmth within, I begin to wander. The goal, return with a few images I can be proud of on this unique morning. I mean, how often do you get to see snow in the desert?
As the wind pushed the van around, sleet pattered against the exterior of my metal box. It is 5:22 am, about an hour before the time I wanted to wake up, but I know now is the time. I kiss my partner and roll out of bed. My feet land on the chill of the floor, I grab my journal and head to the front seat to get some thoughts down on paper.
As I wait for the sun’s rays to work its way into the atmosphere, I flow atop the yoga mat, loosening my body for the wandering that is soon to come.
Stepping out of the van, the temperature is 29 degrees Fahrenheit, there is a fresh layer of snow in the desert. Quickly closing the door in hopes of keeping my partner’s warmth within, I begin to wander. The goal, return with a few images I can be proud of on this unique morning. I mean, how often do you get to see snow in the desert?
Almost immediately, my eyes begin to water as the wind attempts to blow me off the cliff. Each step lands with a crunch from the frozen earth. My hands, even though they are covered by gloves, are losing feeling. Escaping the winds barrage, I dip behind a rock on the edge of a cliff. Pulling out my camera, I am ready to start creating.
At this point, my memory of the morning is blank.
There is a feeling when you are on the right path in life that motivates you to keep going. Waking up any hour doesn’t become a chore, but something you look forward to experiencing. For myself, the opportunity to get out of bed and be splendidly surprised by this world has no price tag, nor can I think of a greater way to live. When I find myself in the position of living in the present, I lose all sense of worry or grandeur, I am simply living. The voices in my head have stopped arguing, I hit my flow state, and experience my surroundings.
This loss of memory is just that, me flowing through life.
Walking the road back to the van, I am hiding my hands in my pockets. My camera battery has indicated that it is dead, but really it has frozen. I can feel the windburn setting in, yet my body is warm. Actually, my body is hot. Crawling into the front seat of the van, I try to be as quiet as possible, for my partner is still asleep. Taking a peek over my shoulder, she looks absolutely beautiful as she continues to sleep in the back.
Turning my gaze to the camera’s viewfinder, I scroll through the images. I may have achieved my mornings' goal.
A Name for Everything: Tips for Becoming a Digital Nomad
Until this past weekend, I had no idea the term “Digital Nomad” existed. Turns out, earning a living through a digital medium, like photography, and living on the road or in a nomadic style, makes you a digital nomad. Low and behold, I can call myself a digital nomad. Thank goodness I have another box to fit within! As I scrolled through the wiki page, I realized the box which fits me best is a sub-category of nomads called Van-dwellers. For some odd reason, I like the term van-dweller more than van-lifer. I wonder if anyone else has these same thoughts? Anyways, I digress. I wanted to share some tips and tricks I’ve learned as I dawn this fancy new Digital Nomad title from these past 4-years of roaming.
Until this past weekend, I had no idea the term “Digital Nomad” existed. Turns out, earning a living through a digital medium, like photography, and living on the road or in a nomadic style, makes you a digital nomad. Low and behold, I can call myself a digital nomad. Thank goodness I have another box to fit within! As I scrolled through the wiki page, I realized the box which fits me best is a sub-category of nomads called Van-dwellers. For some odd reason, I like the term van-dweller more than van-lifer. I wonder if anyone else has these same thoughts? Anyways, I digress. I wanted to share some tips and tricks I’ve learned as I dawn this fancy new Digital Nomad title from these past 4-years of roaming.
Be an autonomous learner
Unfortunately, there is no guide map nor “how-to” when it comes to envisioning, designing, and building your life. So, in the beginning, you will have more questions than answers. If you are able to understand how you learn best, answering these unknowns will provide relief. This relief comes from a build-up of confidence. Now, you may notice there is a cycle between knowledge and confidence. With each turn of the cycle, better choices happen to allow you to execute your goals. At times not knowing can be scary and even daunting, especially in the beginning, however, once you understand how you learn, you can teach yourself anything, building your confidence and relieving your worries.
Less you have achieved, before starting, the better
With a beginner mindset, you will be more open and free of routine. This allows an innate level of curiosity that will narrow and specialize as you design your lifestyle. If you are accustomed to living in a house or apartment, reducing your belongings, that have now become trappings, is difficult. Letting go of your things which showcased your successes hurts, but, in the end, it is worth it. On the contrary, if you have nothing, it is easy to leave, but the financial stress may be high. Setting goals, finding creative solutions, and building confidence can help in both cases.
Create your lifestyle, then find the right job
Understandably, this seems like backwards advice, but hear me out. If you are trying to design your life, but you do not know what you want to do, that is perfect. If you knew, you would already be doing it. Since you are taking the chance to learn through the school of hard knocks, you have the opportunity to find what is right for you. Life can take you in all sorts of directions; if you are open to learning the process—as an autonomous learner should be—then having a career, in the beginning, will only distract you. As your journey unfolds itself, you will learn what you need and what you want. At that point, you ask yourself, “How can I do this for the next three years?” Or, if you are one of the lucky ones, “How can I do this for the rest of my life?”
Have a vision, write it down, don’t be afraid to change it with time
A vision can be VERY vague. To give you an example, my initial vision was, “How can live within nature?” That question I asked myself became my life. I wrote it down and learned how I could spend every day outside. In my second year on the road, I slept under the stars over 200 nights and the rest were spent sleeping in a car that was too small for myself. That was as close as I got to the goal, but then things changed. I asked myself another question, “Could I become a photographer and still be under the stars?” Fast forward a few years, here we are, I am a photographer and I am loving the ups and downs!
Now that I just talked about myself too much, here are some bullet points:
-Dream up something, make sure it scares you a little. If it doesn’t scare you, it isn’t big enough!
-Write it down on a piece a paper, ideally a place you can see it multiple times. The dashboard of a car or the inside of a computer is a great place!
-As time goes on, ask yourself if your dream is still correct for you. If not, pivot. If you have achieved your goal, ask yourself, “How can I push this further?”
Final Take Away
With all this said, the key to success as a digital nomad, a van dweller, an entrepreneur, a family person, or anything in life follows an outline. Be able to learn anything. Decide what you want to learn. Build a life around what you are learning. Make sure to dream big, get started, reassess, and persist. I wish you the best in your journey and please reach out if you have any questions. I enjoy hearing from you all.
My Perfect Day: Tea Time on the Side of a Mountain
Then reality hits me and I’m brought back to the present. My hands are relatively warm, my feet hurt, but my heart is filled with joy. Not far off, I can see the tents. Once there I will sit with others, and share a cup of tea.
Tired, out of breath, yet a smile on my face. I am on my way down the mountain, which, for me, is typically the scariest part of the trip. Each down step crunches as the spikes from my crampons dig into the frozen surface. My exhausted mind wanders off, but my eyes gaze upon the landscape. In the distance, more snow-covered peaks shoot up from the ground. The clouds are below me. Gosh, those must be some tough plants, I say to myself as I stare at the green in the valley below. Then reality hits me and I’m brought back to the present. My hands are relatively warm, my feet hurt, but my heart is filled with joy. Not far off, I can see the tents. Once there I will sit with others, and share a cup of tea.
Each crunch brings me closer to that warm drink. Down-climbing, rappelling, and always trying to catch my breath. Life up here isn’t easy. Reminding myself that the place I had dreamt of standing, the top, was only halfway. Sometimes, I wonder what my top will be in life? Will it be today? Hopefully not, for there is much more to attempt.
Fatigue sets in as my backpack rocks back and forth. The ridge-line drops on both sides into the abyss. Now is not the time to be thinking about the future. A breath in. A breath out. After a few more, I regain my focus. One foot, crunch, in front of the other, crunch. Some of the easiest things in life appear to be the hardest; breathing, walking and maintaining focus.
Life in the mountains shows the value of every breath. While the air is thin, the struggle to breathe is often brought on by the views which the English language can’t explain. The fears that overcome me, I struggle to convey. Feeling your heartbeat spike, knowing that just cost you another two breaths.
Each footstep has been a struggle for the last 18 hours. The weight of plastic boots is heavy. My quads are burning. If only I could get enough oxygen into my lungs, I might be able to relieve some of the ever-building lactic-acid.
Fading in and out of the present, I use this as a defense against the pain in my body. Letting the mind go, my body can take over. However, if I am unable to dismiss my thoughts, then anxiety builds. Learning to control my mind will be a life-long journey.
I would be lying if I didn’t admit that my ego gets in the way. Often, pushing me beyond my known limit. Maybe that is where I am at, right now. Walking down a mountain from a challenge I gave myself when I was 22 years old. Who would have thought it would have taken me 8 years to make this trip? Surely, I did not.
I want to say it is curiosity, but maybe it is the ego which challenges arrive. Regardless, working to accomplish the goals we give ourselves leads us through a purposeful life. Where will my next challenge begin? Will it be an ego trip or founded in curiosity? These are all questions I ask myself as I silently sit in the tent with a few others. Reflecting upon the experience, drinking tea we had all looked forward to once we left the summit.
Life’s a Marathon, Not a Sprint
Growing up I was constantly reminded that, “life is a marathon, not a sprint.” My mom, coaches, teachers, and other adults would tell me this almost daily. At times, I thought they were all in on a cruel joke! I hated these reminders! They did not make sense, why would you tell somebody that has a goal to slow down? Devoted to a pool, putting in 3 hours a day staring at a black-line does something to your mental state. I just wanted to go faster.
Growing up I was constantly reminded that, “life is a marathon, not a sprint.” My mom, coaches, teachers, and other adults would tell me this almost daily. At times, I thought they were all in on a cruel joke! I hated these reminders! They did not make sense, why would you tell somebody that has a goal to slow down? Devoted to a pool, putting in 3 hours a day staring at a black-line does something to your mental state. I just wanted to go faster.
A quick side note about swimming, feel free to skip this paragraph. For those of you who have met or dated dedicated swimmers, or maybe is a swimmer, will understand the different mental state I am referencing. Like, who in their right mind wants to wake up at 4:00 am to be in a cold pool, wearing a speedo, unable to see the sunrise because you are staring at the bottom of the pool, and then go on with the rest of their day like it never happened? On top of that, have you ever realized that swimmers not only smell like chlorine and have fried hair, but they also train WAY TO MUCH! Swimmers become quite strange people if they stick with it for a while!
Once I entered college, my coach quickly noticed my work ethic. At some point during my freshman or sophomore year, he pulled me aside and told me to stop training so much. Not a typical thing to hear from a coach. During that time, he convinced me to take a week for spring break and go backpacking through Zion National Park with the school's outdoor club. That trip rekindled my love for the outdoors, but I was still focused on playing sports at college. One teammate in specific came up to me in the library and said, “Yo man, you kinda scare me, you are like a robot.” I laughed and headed home to sleep. Obviously, I wasn’t a robot!
As the years past and I started to dabble my feet in the world around me, I fell off the band-wagon of working hard. Or, at least people stopped telling me that I scared them. Maybe my human-self began to poke out. Maybe something else got me moving in another direction, but, I didn’t feel any different. The routine kinda killed me, especially when graduation rolled around. Unsure where to go or what to do, I decided to cycle around the South Island of New Zealand upon graduation.
During the decompression trip, I filled three journals with subconscious thoughts. Sleeping in a tent and riding every day, all day long, gave me the ability to work out some of my mental blocks that the routine had created. Ironically, I was still bound by routine for I had to return home and get a job. At least, that is what I thought. Six months later, I was living in a car, had endless time, and not much money, yet I was finally free. As six months turned to a year, which turned to two, all those people who were playing a cruel joke on me switched up their rhetoric. Now the broken record sounded more like, “You are just kicking the can each time you take a trip. Why don’t you go finish your master’s degree and get a real job.” Scoff.
The next three years of freedom got me to where I am today; living in a van and photographing for a living. My freedom is almost unparalleled when compared to those who told me to get a job. Ironically, they are now telling me, “it looks like you might have done things right! It only takes 20 years to become an expert in the field. I hope you are looking forward to putting in your time.”
Maybe, growing up as a swimmer defined me. Maybe, I would be doing something else if my coach had not told me to train a little less. Maybe, I would be right where I am regardless. All I figured out thus far is we all run our marathons at different paces.
The Modern Hero
A hero must give back all that was unrightfully inherited. The fight is no longer against nature, but against the constructs confining ourselves. Relearning how to trust others, share, and care for the land. If we want freedom, we must live out our contracts we have made, attempt to not pass on any obligations to our children, and work towards surrendering to the misfortune we have created. Learn the impacts of what we have created, feel the suffering, and heal each other. Our modern hero is not the one pushing the boundaries of what stuff can do, but those pushing the boundaries of how love can heal.
Growing up in a small town, I dreamed of experiencing this planet's beauty. “I want to see the world,” I would tell everyone. Adventures from the Magic Treehouse books and the History Channel got me excited for what was out there. Discovery Channel shows on ancient civilizations peaked my interests. Myths and tales of heroes overcoming challenges drove me to build a similar life. Something I couldn’t find in the farm town I was raised.
One of my earliest memories is from a neighbor who showed me a slideshow on his computer of mystical places he had just returned from; Stonehenge and Rome. As middle school came around, history class studied the Samurai as well as Pharos. I built a model Roman bathhouse with my Dad while studying ancient Europe. From there my personal fascination with ancient life boomed. I consumed everything I could about the Greeks, Mayan, Inca, and Chinese focusing on their hero stories. Hercules was my favorite, but that was because of Disney.
Next came my love for explorers. All would kiss their loved ones goodbye and hope to return from their impossible task to tend the family farm so future generations would prosper. Maybe for several years, they would encounter the unknown. Some would board ships, drop their sails, and set off hoping a sea monster wouldn’t swallow them whole. Others would saddle their horse and ride off into the sunset, with a locket and a handkerchief tucked tightly against their chest from their bride to be. Why they never left in the morning still bewilders me.
All of these characters acted in the name of love. Pushing themselves beyond what they could imagine, into an unfamiliar mental and physical territory. Devoted to their task, they would spend years, if not a lifetime to overcome the challenges put in front of them. The shame of retiring unsuccessful was too great, so they pushed on. Learning about the world allowed them to understand what they could achieve. Limits no longer existed as they stood at the ship’s bow in an 80-foot swell. Courage, stupidity, determination, and, above all, love drove them to success.
I wanted to make my life one of those hero stories, but, in a world on the precipitous of self-driving cars, social media, border control, and consumerism, is there still a hero story to write? Google will tell us, all the three-headed dragons have been slain. Sleeping in a trees will get you put behind bars. With an eight-second attention spans of and divorce rates creeping around 45% how can one consider setting off on a journey in the name of love and prosperity for generations to come, when out of sight, out of mind is today’s reality?
There isn’t room for these stories in today’s chapter. A hero must give back all that was unrightfully inherited. The fight is no longer against nature, but against the constructs confining ourselves. Relearning how to trust others, share, and care for the land. If we want freedom, we must live out our contracts we have made, attempt to not pass on any obligations to our children, and work towards surrendering to the misfortune we have created. Learn the impacts of what we have created, feel the suffering, and heal each other. Our modern hero is not the one pushing the boundaries of what stuff can do, but those pushing the boundaries of how love can heal.
You Can’t Fall off a Mountain
The quote, “Ah Japhy [aka Snyder] you taught me the final lesson of them all, you can’t fall off a mountain…” said Kerouac to Snyder on their way down the Matterhorn in Northern Yosemite. While this quote shows the playfulness of Kerouac trying to understand there is meaning in every moment of life if you are willing to listen. While scrambling to the top of the Matterhorn is a physical accomplishment, the quote takes the physical and becomes metaphorical. Once you have reached a goal or the top of a mountain, it can not be taken away from you.
“Ah Japhy you taught me the final lesson of them all, you can’t fall off a mountain.”
The Background:
The Dharma Bums by Jack Kerouac is the book that changed my mind about reading. Before picking up his book, my mind was made up; I hated reading. For some reason, I ended up with Kerouac’s novel about Zen Buddhism in the 1950s. Maybe this book came into my life at the perfect time, going into my Junior year of college. Which wasn’t the best time; I played water polo for Santa Clara Universities NCAA team and had to red-shirt because I tore my labrum in a practice, relationship trouble smacked me in the face, and I began to realize the plans I had played out in my head were no longer pointed towards my north star.
If you don’t know much about Kerouac, you should give him a quick Google search, but if you are feeling lazy here are some highlights that I have clung onto: The Beatles credit their name to Kerouac, a beatnik is pretty much a modern-day #vanlifer, Kerouac wrote Big Sur as a single run-on sentence, all of his books are fictionalized auto-biographies, and sadly he drank himself to death.
The Dharma Bums plot is the meeting and development of a bromance between Jack Kerouac and Gary Snyder through Zen. Now, by no means is this book a textbook on Zen Buddhism, nor would I even say The Dharma Bums is about Buddhism, but Zen is mentioned in almost every chapter. The irony is comical and the lessons on freedom and unlocking the self are thought-provoking if you give Kerouac’s words time to digest.
Why this quote:
The quote, “Ah Japhy [aka Snyder] you taught me the final lesson of them all, you can’t fall off a mountain…” said Kerouac to Snyder on their way down the Matterhorn in Northern Yosemite. While this quote shows the playfulness of Kerouac trying to understand there is meaning in every moment of life if you are willing to listen. While scrambling to the top of the Matterhorn is a physical accomplishment, the quote takes the physical and becomes metaphorical. Once you have reached a goal or the top of a mountain, it can not be taken away from you.
Just for fun, I am going to poke some holes in the quote. It is true, you can’t fall off a mountain, but you surely can fall down a cliff. Once we reach a goal, we can choose how we share our accomplishments. There is a right way and a wrong way, which has to do with our ego and how we accept/reject society's norms. If one decided to leap off a cliff, they would surely fall and… yup. Think about the people who accomplish something and take their sharing to far, the essentially jump off the cliff. A perfect example of the wrong way to come down the mountain. The irony in jumping off a cliff is the quote remains true, you can’t fall off the mountain because a mountain continues even after the cliff. Getting to the top of a mountain is only halfway, you still need to return safely.
As a person who enjoys a good scramble to the top of a peak, I deeply relate to this quote. However, at the time of reading The Dharma Bums, I did not have much outdoor experience. Kerouac’s novel sparked the kindling that lay inside of me which asked a simple question, “Why am I living?” Without knowing, this novel altered my path and directed me to where I am now… living in a van, pursuing a photography/writing career, and spending as much time as feasible possible wither in the mountains or the ocean.
The Mosquito
Please understand this piece is supposed to be an exaggerated metaphor on human’s relationship with the constant struggle of living. The mosquito, a tiny little pest that all-to-often ruins my day, represents all of the little struggles we run into throughout our daily life. The ludicrous examples of “attempting” to fix the problem are how I feel we try to handle the continual onslaught, oftentimes overworking ourselves just to solve something we could ignore or prevent with an extra layer of clothing. The third paragraph is a metaphor for hiding our problems inside of ourselves instead of addressing them with a conversation that would be uncomfortable. Often I would say the lack of vocabulary, structure, and timing around communicating feelings is the beginning of the discomfort.
During the endless battle of mosquitoes barraging you in the spring after a wet winter, I swat. Swatting away each little bite they take, drawing some blood with each attack. They are everywhere. Hiding under the table, in the hoodie, when you round a random corner, they are there. They get a little bit of extra attention as I try swatting away their annoyance, yet I make no progress. They are still there throughout the spring, into summer, the fall, even through the cold of the winter. Then, what do you know, they return in swarms whether the winter was wet or dry.
As humans, we have done our best to destroy these little bugs. We have resorted to dropping poison from planes, spraying the side of the roads with pesticides to kill their eggs, and pollute our water to try to kill these mosquitoes. So, we kill ourselves to destroy the annoyance of something smaller than the tip of my finger.
I hear us complain from inside of our wooden caves, cooled to the temperatures that keep our bodies from sweating. To avoid a little bug bite, we hide inside of our homes where we have ample food and enough space to forget we are stuck indoors, growing weaker. Our bodies degrade as we hide from the mosquito. Luckily we have stocked the house full of food, there is a way to get rid of our feces, and water endlessly flows from a metal tube. Once night comes, we have captured daylight in glass that turns on and off by the switch of a button but make sure to keep the door closed because those bugs are attracted to the glow. If you get bored, we have created a way of tuning out of the world around us by engaging with a screen that has never-ending artwork in the palm of our hands.
If we are lucky enough to have another life inside our cave, we probably do not even know they exist three-quarters of the time. Only during feeding times, breaks in the scrolling, and when mustering up the courage to brave the mosquito attacks do we acknowledge that another life is present. We could learn to learn the benefits of this little David’s, but why would Goliath endure discomfort?
A note from the author:
Please understand this piece is supposed to be an exaggerated metaphor on human’s relationship with the constant struggle of living. The mosquito, a tiny little pest that all-to-often ruins my day, represents all of the little struggles we run into throughout our daily life. The ludicrous examples of “attempting” to fix the problem are how I feel we try to handle the continual onslaught, oftentimes overworking ourselves just to solve something we could ignore or prevent with an extra layer of clothing. The third paragraph is a metaphor for hiding our problems inside of ourselves instead of addressing them with a conversation that would be uncomfortable. Often I would say the lack of vocabulary, structure, and timing around communicating feelings is the beginning of the discomfort.
Maybe, if our government would allow the education system to teach soft-skills there would less suffering on this planet? That is just my opinion.
In the end, I hope this piece makes you a bit uncomfortable, makes you laugh at yourself, and then gives you the freedom to have a difficult conversation, do something you feared doing, or simply allow you to go for a walk with the mosquitos.