2015 and Enlightenment

 As we start a new year, we all want to do better in some way.   For me, it’s about survival.  I don’t want to be dead at 60 I want to be the best I can be, so I have 3 years to get there.  I want to be a completely balanced 4-fold person, meaning the 4 main aspects of my life will need to be in harmony for a change:  physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.  Now there is a challenge for me!  Every time I try to contemplate this lately, including yesterday as I split kindling for the wood stove, Van Morrison’s "Enlightenment" inevitably pops into my empty mind - “Chop that wood, carry water”. 

It reminds me that the daily work of life carries on no matter our personal circumstances. 

           Wikipedia says: en·light·en·ment - noun - the action of enlightening or the state of being enlightened.  "Robbie looked to me for enlightenment". synonyms:  insight, understanding, awareness, wisdom, learning, knowledge. 

Though I cannot pretend to be actively seeking enlightenment -- at least not any more than we all are, to some degree, searching for meaning -- there’s something both soothing and empowering about losing oneself in a mundane task, about turning dish-washing or floor-mopping into a meditative experience.  For me its chopping wood.  And Van Morrison’s song inspires me.  He goes on to say, “What’s the sound of one hand clapping?”   But rather than spending an entire song trying to recreate the sound of one hand clapping, Morrison simpley says:

“..Enlightenment, don’t know what it is…” and  “ Every second, every minute, it keeps changing to something different…”

So as I start my new year, I will try to be mindful on what’s about me, and what I am doing, and will try to bring the 4 aspects of my life into balance.  And if I sing a little Van Morrison along the way, well, I will have a smile on my face.   You can list to the song here!