Organica

Three Peaks

Over the past few years on this path I have noticed 2 very strong evolutions in, or around, me.  They seem at time, contradictions to each other.

As I have aged, and become more physically frail, I have become less attached to this physical state.  I think that I am more appreciative of being a physical, feeling, sensing creature.  I have lived long enough to have experienced many truly enjoyable moments that were of this body I live in.  From the simple joy of the warmth of sunshine on my skin, to the complexities and mystery of physical/emotional love, as a witness to art, as a creator of art, as a son of another human being, as the father of another human being, in deep sorrow and in extreme joy, in fear and in peace I have experienced a truly wonderful existence.
And I am pretty sure that this will end with my death.  At least I have nothing to show me other than this mind/body relationship will cease at my death.  So, I am deeply appreciative, but not attached to these things, this way of being.  Nor am I held by the suffering of this same condition.

In this growing awareness of my own experience in this life, I have also become more aware of the experience of others.  Aren't all people, all things in this same temporary condition?

As I raked the leaves and dried twigs away from the large boulder so as to create an area that I could land on easily, and not possibly twist an ankle as I practice my climbing, I notice the small plants that are just coming up with the arrival of Spring.  I also notice the beetles and ants crawling, and the holes in the peat that are probably the burrows of small animals, voles, mice and such.  I hesitate, and hold the rake.  I consider the work of these animals, the efforts of these small plants.  I consider the lives that I will disturb, disrupt, and possibly end by my actions.

All life exists only at the cost of other life.  That is the defining part of our situation.  Though we cannot change this situation we can consider the suffering we are responsible for in our efforts as we go thru in  this life.

Most of "Organica" (a term I am using to refer to all things. beings, my knowledge of this world) appears to kill to live, the suffering that is brought about by this act could be referred to as necessary.  As a human being, the killing and suffering I cause has little to do with my need to live.  I need water, air, and food, yet most of what I do, like writing this blog, costs so much beyond what those basic things cost in the death and suffering of the rest of "Organica".

Humanity, our societies, have pretty much removed the possibility of living a simpler, more direct life, if it were what I were to choose.  How does a person walk the planet with out a job, paying taxes, being a citizen of a country, owning things.  Who would want to.  Well some would, do, I suppose.

This does not prevent me from considering the way I live, the way, and to what degree, I cause the suffering and death of the rest.

We as humans seem different from the rest.  We are either gifted with a communication skill set that puts us outside of the rest or we are handicapped from a communication skill set that keeps us outside the rest.  No one can say.  But we do have the ability to think and choose and communicate within our own species.  We do have choices in how we go about this life.  We may not be able to exist with out taking other life, but we can choose what we would choose for our own lives, which I would guess something to the effect of "though I know I must end this way of existence at some point, I would like to suffer as little as possible and be given respect and love while here".

How much do I need?  At what cost?  At who's expense?  What do I do that causes the suffering of others (as others might ask what they do that is suffering to me) ?

At some point we might ask ourselves why we would cause this suffering in others, but that is a much more difficult and complex question, with many paths to explore, like a clown car that has more clowns coming out of it than seems possible or reasonable.