Since his first days on the planet, until quite recently, mankind has faced a daily struggle for survival which occupied virtually every waking hour. He was built for this, mentally and physically and survival was heavily dependent on an understanding and appreciation of the natural world. What to do with ever increasing amounts of leisure time was a non issue. We’re now learning that we’re not, as a species, prepared, intellectually, for finding meaning in our existence as we are lying around like slugs, staring at our cell phones and pretending that we all have IQ’s which are all actually about 45 points less than we believe them to be! In short, we’re clueless about most things dealing with living in harmony with our planet. The levels of frustration anger and violence will only increase. Your wonderful piece certainly provides an alternative path, but….we’ll have to turn off Instagram and trade in our cell phones for a few pounds of humility.
Hi Wendy. Thank you for this. I resonate with your offering here. Many people have rejected direct experience of their own basic nature, prefering instead to take "refuge" in the intellect and the mistaken belief that we can dominate the natural world. Technology purports to increase connectivity but omly makes it worse since technological connections can never fully replicate real life connections, ultimately reinforcing disconnection.
For me, healing happens as I slowly increase my capacity to tolerate the felt sense of connection to myself, to another, etc. When I have a tender moment with someone, can I tolerate what arises in me or do I want to move away from it?
Thank you for sharing this so beautifully. I completely relate to what you’ve said about the challenge of staying with that felt sense of connection. For me, it’s very much a practice of slowing down and noticing what arises in the body before the mind rushes in to analyze or protect. When I can stay present with the sensations — even the uncomfortable ones — something softens, and a deeper sense of connection becomes possible.
So yes, I experience that same edge you describe: when intimacy or authenticity appears, my system sometimes wants to pull away. But the healing seems to come from allowing just a little more each time — trusting that my capacity to remain open will grow with gentleness and curiosity. And this is, in essence what it means to be human, what many have seemingly lost in an increasingly technological world. The intellect is not a satisfying refuge for me anymore. It doesn’t fill the void.
Yes! A little at a time. The word I like for that is titration. One drop at a time. Nor is technology for me as it once was when it was all shiny and new.
Since his first days on the planet, until quite recently, mankind has faced a daily struggle for survival which occupied virtually every waking hour. He was built for this, mentally and physically and survival was heavily dependent on an understanding and appreciation of the natural world. What to do with ever increasing amounts of leisure time was a non issue. We’re now learning that we’re not, as a species, prepared, intellectually, for finding meaning in our existence as we are lying around like slugs, staring at our cell phones and pretending that we all have IQ’s which are all actually about 45 points less than we believe them to be! In short, we’re clueless about most things dealing with living in harmony with our planet. The levels of frustration anger and violence will only increase. Your wonderful piece certainly provides an alternative path, but….we’ll have to turn off Instagram and trade in our cell phones for a few pounds of humility.
Hi Wendy. Thank you for this. I resonate with your offering here. Many people have rejected direct experience of their own basic nature, prefering instead to take "refuge" in the intellect and the mistaken belief that we can dominate the natural world. Technology purports to increase connectivity but omly makes it worse since technological connections can never fully replicate real life connections, ultimately reinforcing disconnection.
For me, healing happens as I slowly increase my capacity to tolerate the felt sense of connection to myself, to another, etc. When I have a tender moment with someone, can I tolerate what arises in me or do I want to move away from it?
Thank you for sharing this so beautifully. I completely relate to what you’ve said about the challenge of staying with that felt sense of connection. For me, it’s very much a practice of slowing down and noticing what arises in the body before the mind rushes in to analyze or protect. When I can stay present with the sensations — even the uncomfortable ones — something softens, and a deeper sense of connection becomes possible.
So yes, I experience that same edge you describe: when intimacy or authenticity appears, my system sometimes wants to pull away. But the healing seems to come from allowing just a little more each time — trusting that my capacity to remain open will grow with gentleness and curiosity. And this is, in essence what it means to be human, what many have seemingly lost in an increasingly technological world. The intellect is not a satisfying refuge for me anymore. It doesn’t fill the void.
Yes! A little at a time. The word I like for that is titration. One drop at a time. Nor is technology for me as it once was when it was all shiny and new.