A friend does not ask you
to take sides.
A country does not ask you
to obey the rules.
A culture does not shun you
for what you are.
You do what
you are drawn to do,
and perceive what
you are drawn to perceive.
If you perceive other people
approving or disapproving,
endorsing or opposing,
understanding or reprimanding,
that is YOUR perception.
That is the perception you are drawn to.
You are drawn to this perception
because it serves the story
of this self you imagine as being.
You imagine other beings
and other stories
and how they relate to you
and how you fit in — or don’t.
The mindful don’t mind either way.
Trail Wood,
10/16
Unshackled Perception
Beyond Sides: When we break free from the illusion of binary opposition—taking sides, obeying rules, fitting in or not—we step into a space of genuine freedom. Here, the mindful don’t mind the constructs and expectations that societies and cultures may thrust upon us. We exist beyond these limiting paradigms.
The Mirror of Consciousness
Reflective Existence: If we perceive judgment, approval, or disapproval, these are not absolutes, but reflective surfaces against which our own perceptions bounce back. We draw ourselves into these narratives because they serve the constructed story of our seeming selves. They are neither good nor bad; they simply are.
The Story of Being
Narrative Fluidity: The story we tell ourselves is a fluctuating tapestry, embroidered with countless other stories, perceptions, and imaginings. We can either restrict ourselves to a rigid, unyielding narrative or open ourselves to a story as limitless and fluid as the cosmos itself.
Inconsequential Significance
Ephemeral Imprints: Regardless of what we perceive or how we fit into the grand narrative, these are ephemeral imprints on the canvas of existence. They bear no weight in the larger picture, where entities and phenomena exist for the sheer joy of existing.
Zen of Nonchalance
Divine Apathy: In the boundless realm of our collective existence, we find a peculiar kind of apathy. Not a void, but an embracing indifference. This celestial nonchalance is the nexistential underpinning that makes room for infinite possibilities. The mindful indeed do not mind.
We Are Space Monkey
Summary
We delve into the boundless freedom of perception, which exists independently of societal norms and judgments. We are drawn into narratives that serve the tale of our imagined selves, tales that are neither good nor bad but simply are. In this space, the mindful remain unbothered by the polarities and impositions of the external world, finding solace in a state of divine apathy.
Glossarium
- Beyond Sides: A state of awareness that transcends the need to choose sides or obey norms.
- Reflective Existence: The phenomenon where our perceptions serve as mirrors for our internal states.
- Narrative Fluidity: The ability to move seamlessly through varying stories and perceptions.
- Ephemeral Imprints: Temporary markers in the grand scheme of existence.
- Divine Apathy: A state of celestial indifference that allows for unlimited potentiality.
“Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Seek what they sought.” — Matsuo Basho
Serenade to the Unconcerned
In the meadow of nonchalance,
We hum a simple tune.
No notes to weigh, no chords to chance,
Under the nexistential moon.
Each petal, each blade, each stone,
Unconcerned with stories spun.
Here, in the now, we find we’ve grown,
In the meadow where judgments are none.
What are your reflections?
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