Bodies and Trees

Are we our bodies?
We are our bodies.  

I saw a dead body 

and it certainly wasn't him.

What was it?  It was a body, 

not a person?  

It used to be a person 

but now it's a dead person.  

Very different.

When you see a coastal redwood

fallen

in a grove,

you don't think, "oh that used to be a tree." 

It's still a tree.

A fallen tree,

a dead tree,

but still a tree.

With bodies it's different.

A fallen human

is a dead human

is very different from a living human,

a standing human.

Our bodies ourselves,

we are the cells

and organs and

neurons and

synapses firings and

chemicals and

hormones and

bacteria.

And D. N. A.

We are our DNA. Experts say, 

so...

Dead bodies,

still the DNA,

still the cells,

still the blood

just sitting there in the pipes.

None of the humanity though, 

Still body. 

Not person.

Still 

in fake smiles 

and shrunken fingers,

so...

It's not just that

then is it?

Certainly it's not a soul

we have.

We apes

who are direct descendants

complicatedly selected

from from a million generations,

way back to great great great great grandmother

dividing organic molecule

on early earth.

Our souls are not more special

than the coastal redwoods

or virus influenza.

It took them

just as long to get here

as it took us. 

Just as earth-y as you and me. 

Because we can think

we think we have a special something

that sets us apart? 

No, souls have nothing to do

with our bodies or ourselves.

When we die,

it's because of our bodies.

Our bodies for some reason or other

can not sustain our life.

Our bodies are our own

life support system.

We only finally fizzle out

when the churning

and bubbling

comes to a steam train hissing stop.

Are we then,

the product of our bodies in motion?  

Like an electro magnet,

only producing a field

when the magnet gets

pushed past the copper wiring?

If there is no motion,

there is no life.  

Our heart stops.  

Our brain stops.  

Our cells stop

pushing us through the field generator that 

gives us ourselves.  

When our bodies stop, 

we stop being.

So it's not just the cells, 

it's not just the DNA, 

it's the cells and 

the DNA and 

the blood and 

the electricity in motion. 

It's the water being drawn up the roots, the 

putting out of needles, the 

photosynthesizing, the 

growing one ring every year, the 

capillary action.  

Action! 

In action!  

Inaction is death, being 

in action is being.  

For us bodies

and for those trees.  

Life is action.

Haves and Have-nots

I was talking with this woman the other day and she mentioned that there are a lot of undocumented Mexican workers in Ohio.  I was surprised that Ohio was a destination for Mexicans, but I suppose where there is opportunity, there will be people to take advantage.  We talked briefly about undocumented people and how they should or should not receive financial aid for college.  Her opinion was that "her parents waited their turn to come into this country, waited 6 years in Germany in a camp.  These people are coming over illegally, not going through citizenship programs and are taking our tax money, my money, for things like college education.  I have no problem with new citizens, they just have to wait their turn."  I guess I can understand her perspective on the issue.  She doesn't want others who go against the system to benefit from the system that she has decided to live in and trust in.  In fact, how dare they invade our home and take our resources?! 

Well, I have a different perspective and I am trying to figure out the best way to address our differences.  I feel that, were I one of these people living in Mexico and conditions were so bad that I would risk crossing the border illegally, not be able to see my family, and go all the way to cold-winters-Ohio, then I must be pretty desperate.  Who am I to deny these people some happiness?  Were our situations reversed, I would want to be treated with acceptance, not disdain.  Especially if I was brought over as a child with no free agency of my own, grew up and went to school here, and then wanted to go to college to get the life I have dreamed of.  To suddenly then not be able to move on only because I was undocumented, because my parents jumped the border with me as a baby, seems entirely unfair.

Here is another point illustrated later in our conversation.  Some poor kids in the Bronx received free laptops from the government.  This woman was furious that these kids were getting laptops with government money (her money, as she sees it) and yet she was unable to afford to buy those same laptops for her own children.  Why should someone who is on welfare, "abusing the system," receive something special while I am left with the bill?

I totally understand how someone could have that feeling of injustice.  Feelings are important, and that feeling means that you care about the stability of your family and probably gets to some insecurities about how much monetary wealth you have as a family.  But I propose a different direction for your feelings.  Instead of being upset that some poor kids in the Bronx got laptops, how about you be upset that super wealthy bankers are screwing over ALL of us "poor" people.  When you compare your own bank account to that of the kids families in the Bronx and then to the wealthy decision makers in our society, you will find that you are in a much more similar position to the currently "poor kids in the Bronx" than to the J.P. Morgan executives.  Instead of idealizing the wealthy for "making their way in the world," recognize that not only do they ABUSE THE SYSTEM they manipulate and control the system.  Be furious at them for making decisions to keep big business in control of our government, for taking huge bonuses while our economy collapsed, for spending more money on the business of war than the business of education or the business of keeping our planet healthy for future generations.

This woman said that she doesn't trust any politician any more and that the best thing to do is to hunker down and do what is best for your family.  Well that is exactly what the undocumented Mexicans are doing, and that is exactly what the "poor kids in the Bronx" on welfare are doing.  And that is exactly what the banking execs are doing.  I propose that rather than doing what's best for your own family, you have an extra dose of empathy.  Think about the families of those around you who are also invested in a system that is being controlled by a wealthy few.  Do you think these execs care one ounce about what happens to you or your family?  Do you think maybe your feeling of injustice are better directed at the "have-nots" trying to eek out a life for their family or the "haves" who are swimming in wealth while other starve, who are manipulating the system so that they stay on top no matter who is left dying along the way?

Three Guiding Life Principles

1) No whining.  Nothing is accomplished by whining except adding to the negativity of your life and the lives of those around you.  If something is bothering you then do something about it or don't.  Can you make a difference?  Then do that.  If that doesn't seem possible or desirable, then don't.  But don't pretend that you are powerless or out of control of your own happiness.

2) Be vegan.  To "be vegan" means to broaden your circles of compassion.  

Self <-- Everyone has that one.  

Family, community <-- Easy, everyone is genetically or culturally connected.  

Humanity <-- Getting harder as there are "other" cultures with different beliefs humans.  We like to barbarize and separate from "others."  

Animals <-- Vegan.  

All life, all of the Earth, all of existence <-- Enlightenment.  

Being vegan means to acknowledge that your taste buds are not more important that the suffering that 'meat production' causes to animals (including humans) and the planet.  Being vegan means taking control of your own health and body.  I'm not going to leave it up to 'them' to tell me what to put in my body and what is healthy.  They are interested in making money, I am interested in living.  Being vegan is the base level way in which we express our views about humanity, life, and existence; live with love, compassion, and intention, and know that what you put into your body affects what happens in your body.

3) Be Here Now.  The past has happened and the future is uncertain.  Remembering the past and planing for the future are important, but dwelling on either is stressful and not necessary.  Be here, wherever you are and now, whenever you are, with the people you are with, in the park you are walking through, chewing the food you eating, sitting on the train car you are on.  Be present.  It's so hard sometimes when you do something that you regret, you just want to think about it forever, reliving it, deciding what you wish would have happened.  Or worrying about a tough situation coming up, like a hard conversation or going to a new group for the first time.  It's so easy to play what you want to happen in your head over and over again.  But you need to trust that in the moment, you will make the best decisions possible and be the best person you can be, so start by focusing on the moment you are in and doing it here and now.

What are your 3 guiding life principals (or 3 of your principals so far)?  Please share them by commenting.

Humans and Other Animals

What is the major difference between humans and non-human animals?  Is there one?

This is the question that I think about when I have 5 minutes.  I've been thinking about this question for most of my life.

When I was a child, I though it was language.  Since humans have language and can talk, then that must be the major difference.  Our brains must be better in some way.  Well, it turns out that lots of animals have language.  Prairie dogs have language, for example.

Then I thought, okay, well it must be language AND opposable thumbs.  Without our ability to hold tools we would never have been able to get out of the dangerous wild and cultivate culture in our safe cities and buildings.  Well, is that really a separation?  Other apes have opposable thumbs and are quite intelligent with language.  Why don't they build houses and cities to protect themselves?  Besides, lots of animals build houses.  Birds and bees, for example.

It must be something else.  War?  No ants go to war.  History, I thought.  It must be history that separates us.  We have language and have history.  We develop skills and build off the past.  Education, and history.  But not just having a history, but remembering it.  Not only history, but future projection.  We can imagine what we want to do in the distant future and work towards that goal.

History and the future boil down to one thing; we are living inside of our own stories.  Stories of who we were and who we will be in the future.  We tell stories of fiction, we can tell lies.  We have the ability to tell stories.  Without this ability, we would not be able to work towards a goal beyond our immediate or short term needs.  Without story telling, we would not remember the past and then not be able to learn from the mistakes and successes of our ancestors.

Other animals that do not have story telling have a limited sense of the future and the past.  They are living in the moment.

Perhaps this is what enlightenment is, discarding our stories about ourselves and living in the moment; denying what it means to be most human and connecting with the rest of the universe.

Do other animals tell stories?  Do dolphins have a sense of their ancestors or do they know what kind of Dolphin they want to be in 5 year-cycles?  Or is that such a human concept that to put it on other animals is to deny them their own specialness?

What makes a Dolphin most different from other non-dolphin animals?

Elders in a Society of Youth

Our society does not respect it's elders.  Our culture focuses on and values youth.  Youth is manifested in the importance placed on good looks, material wealth, activity, speed.  In this society the elderly are burdens on the youth-ness of the young.  Burdens on their family, potentially financial burdens, burdens in terms of time needed to take care of the elderly.  Burdens on society for walking/driving/shopping too slow.  They get in the way and need to be taken care of.

I do not want to live in a society where I become obsolete and a burden as I grow older.  How can society change so that elders can be respected and be sources of wisdom and respect?

The elderly today, unfortunately grew up in a society that placed value on youth and material wealth.  These current elderly spent much of their lives focusing on material success, not spending the time they needed on developing themselves as great people who have wisdom and a deep understanding of life and balance, qualities that are to be respected in old age.  They themselves can feel that they are indeed a burden on the fast young society around them.  Couple that feeling of having lost what is most important in society (youth) with the way society treats the elderly and portrays them in the media, and you have a self perpetuating and self fulfilling prophesy.

To be respected in old age, one must live life in a way that promotes self reflection and the pursuit/acquiring of wisdom.  In a society where people grow up doing those things the elderly can and will be respected.  If the wisest among us are held as the heroes, not the richest and most beautiful, then the elders will be the heroes, not the movie stars, musicians, politicians and models.  You can not attain deep wisdom by the time you are 30.  Youth will not be the most important thing.  Aging well and good will be the most important bar to which people are held.  To live this way and encourage others to do so is to change the values of society in which we live and in which we will live when we are the elders.

Now, this issue is actually much more complex than what is described above.  My own grandfather (as many of you are probably thinking now) is an example of a great man.  There is so much to look to him for in terms of examples on how to lead a good and love filled life.  He lived a humble life style, surrounded by family, and always staying positive and optimistic about life's challenges and mysteries.  But unfortunately for my grandfather, he is starting to feel that he is becoming someone who needs to be taken care of.  He's beginning to feel that he could be a burden on those around him and on society.  If he grew up, rather than knowing that one day he would become a burden in old age, knowing that he would be a respected member of society, he would have a completely different mindset.  He may have gone through life searching for the answers to secrets to happiness instead.  Instead of being a family hero, he could be a hero to society.

Thoughts

Those that are always
          thinking
Think they can think themselves
          to salvation
Their thoughts raising them up above
          their own beastly nature
Much higher, happier than the
          thought-less
Who not much higher than the noble
          apes
Float thoughtlessly on the tides
          of emotion.
But you'll never break through
          because
Thoughts never lead to nirvana.
Only un-thoughts.

A World Without Reason

Someone recently learned that I was Vegan.
   For what reasons are you Vegan?
   "For all of the reason," I said.  "Environmental reasons, ethical reasons about the way that other sentient animals are treated, the working conditions for the humans working there, for not supporting the massive corporations operating under these practices..."
   "Health reasons?"
   "Health reasons, yes, for sure.  Good one, I forgot that.  Yes, heath reasons.  I want to live as long as possible.  Why are you not vegan?"
   "I eat the way I do because, it's the way I always eat.  I love the taste of the food I eat.  Meat, cheese.  I couldn't give up cheese and dairy.  I WOULDN'T give it up. I love it.  Well, meat, I could give up for a while, but not dairy.  Not cheese."
   "Eggs?" I added.
   "Eggs, yeah, that would be tough.  I mean... some things you just don't need a reason for.  It's just the way things are."
   Some things you don't need a reason for...  I totally disagree.   If we do not act with the reasons in mind, then we are acting as a society without reason.  We actually need to have reasons for the things we do.  Let's consider the option of living in a society without reason.

We are now in a society full of people acting without reasons behind what they do.  In this world actually there are some reasons, like, "I like they way it tastes", or smells, or looks, or feels to the touch.  These are known as selfish sensory reasons that only benefit one person, the experiencer.   All other reasons in this society are forgotten.  Here people act on instincts and their sensory reasoning.  In this world, companies are making lots and lots of money because no matter what the cost to the lives of the less fortunate, or the planet, they can do whatever it takes to make their products cheaper and more efficient, saving as much money in production as possible, just to sell their product to the population who acts without reason.  They put up huge signs around the cities where the reasonless live and put advertisements broadcasting out on every television and on every page on the internet.  These signs show the people what is normal, what looks good, what it means to be successful and what it means to be human.  Luckily for these companies, through repetition, even the smartest of the reasonless people can not block these messages from getting into their subconscious and the people believe everything that the advertisements tell them!  Now people think that one specific body type is sexy, they know what to eat and what to wear!  Anyone doing anything different from what the companies say, IS different.  Not normal.  All the while, as the reasonless people eat the right things and wear the right clothes, the companies providing them of course, somewhere, they are making these products.  But since the conditions of where these things are made are of no consequence to the reasonless people, they go right on with life, not giving it any consideration.  "It's just the way it is, we have to accept that."  The companies could literally torture the animals that are being made for food, literally destroy the mountains and pollute the air to get the energy to run their machines, could pay the workers in their factories nearly nothing to produce their goods (giving no regards to their personal safety), could literally poison the people consuming their products, and the reasonless people will keep on doing all the things that they are told.  "It's juts the way it is.  I mean, it tastes good, it looks good, it feels good, it smells good, it's cheap, it's what my parents did, my family wouldn't like it if I did it any other way, it's normal.  I could never give it up."