| On the road to enlightenment, don't forget to laugh....... | | | | are necessary in terms of moral issues but they have |
| It's been called the " id" by Freud, and hedonism by | | | | no meaning when it comes to trying new things. Yet |
| zealots. In truth, the animal self is the part of us that | | | | when we make a mistake we are often the first to |
| reacts naturally. Labeling this limits our experience of it. | | | | notice and hope to God no one else does. Nobody |
| Still for the sake of reference I'll describe this very free, | | | | likes to feel humiliated. Most of us are concerned |
| intrinsically joyful aspect of being as "animal." Animal | | | | about looking foolish or feeling like we're on display to |
| encapsulates it. The living world seeks out pleasure | | | | be laughed at. Interestingly, feeling humiliated and being |
| and avoids pain without fear of appearing lazy, foolish | | | | humiliated are two separate matters. I once watched a |
| or greedy. The irony is that for many animals this | | | | show called Pet Star, where an anteater was called to |
| creates productivity, dignity and unselfishness. By | | | | perform an exceptional feat: Climb up a ladder, eat |
| looking at their actions from a spiritual rather than | | | | from a bucket, and climb back down. His trainer/owner |
| biological viewpoint we have a tool to unhinge | | | | watched anxiously as the scaly critter ascended the |
| ourselves from our hang-ups. | | | | metal stairs. There were a series of clunks on his |
| You otter play | | | | journey as his tail patted the ladder and a louder clunk |
| Almost all animals play and act silly when young. | | | | when he reached the bucket. He had tipped it over. A |
| Otters continue this into old age, making him a fun furry | | | | heap of berries and throngs of audience members |
| dude to be around. They romp, wrestle, snow slide, | | | | bore witness to shame. But it wasn't the anteater that |
| chase each other and play catch-and-release with | | | | cringed- it was the owner. The blushing young man |
| their dinner. Most of us, myself include, are not nearly | | | | proceeded to stammer out excuses for the creature, |
| so free spirited. For example, I haven't tobogganed | | | | which by this time had climbed down and was happily |
| since I was eleven and my romping is confined to a | | | | eating his dinner off the stage floor. Under the glaring |
| spirited jog. I could learn a lot from an otter. Most | | | | stage lights that illuminated his owner's red-face and |
| important: Play is good. | | | | sweaty brow, no change could be found in the |
| Play is good. We forget this in our rush to achieve and | | | | anteater. He was intent on claiming his berry-delicious |
| amass. In the otter's game of dinner lost-and-found he | | | | reward. Whether or not anyone was impressed didn't |
| shows us that losing can be just as much fun as | | | | matter. |
| winning. This is contrary to ego but so is spirit. In the | | | | That anteater didn't catch any awards that day. He did, |
| otter's dinner-game he loses lunch but finds freedom: | | | | however, capture my heart. I remember what that |
| He doesn't need to eat if he doesn't want to. Spiritual | | | | anteater taught me: There are many mistakes on our |
| aspirants who fast for greater consciousness believe | | | | way to victory, and others may have not feel we |
| the same but have a lot less fun in the process. The | | | | have earned it. We can let this bother us, or like the |
| otter has a better idea. He relinquishes without regret | | | | anteater, we can dine on what we deserve. |
| or strain. | | | | Failure is relative |
| Dances with spirit | | | | Though his efforts were obvious the anteater didn't |
| Play is one of the few ways we can lose ourselves | | | | perform as desired by others. The anteater dealt with |
| without trying. Caught in the moment we may realize a | | | | this in a better way than most people. Unlike the |
| meditative type bliss. Dance can feel like play but for | | | | anteater we try to interpret other's interpretation of us. |
| some it is meditation. The spontaneous spasms that | | | | This is agony for both inner peace and performance. |
| characterize ecstatic dance allow us to express spirit | | | | When feeling like we've failed we interpret every blink |
| with the body. When else can we do this? Compared | | | | as shock and mouth twitch as dismay. This creates |
| to ecstatic dance our movements are rigid as a | | | | the disappointment we fear. We can turn a stumble |
| robot's arm. When did we become so reserved? Play | | | | into slapstick if we have the confidence of Chaplin. |
| and dance help us to become more spontaneous. For | | | | Similarly, a misplaced streak on a canvas can create |
| some this will be met with cheers. For others, and | | | | abstract perfection if we desire. Either way we must |
| unfortunately, jeers. It takes courage to march to the | | | | persist. What if the anteater was to stop striving when |
| beat of a different drum. Yet in practicing courage we | | | | applause wasn't forthcoming? Motivated by the end |
| develop it. Dancing our private dance in front of the | | | | result instead of appearances he continued. All he won |
| marching crowd is a challenge. | | | | was some berries, but then again that's all he wanted. |
| Besides unknotting our muscles, ecstatic dance unties | | | | Getting what you want |
| our mind. Though historically this practice has been | | | | What is your heart's desire? If it doesn't seem |
| thought to exist only among humans it seems that the | | | | important to others you may be told, or may feel that |
| otter, with his flipping and wriggling, would make a great | | | | your efforts are wasted. It's not. Nobody has the right |
| ecstatic dancer. Unlike us he doesn't wait for the music | | | | to determine the value of your dreams. This is |
| to start to move in a musical fashion. His body is free | | | | between you and the Universal Source. As natural |
| and expressive. He chooses to move with the fluidity | | | | beings our desires are natural, and as long as they |
| of waves rather than the rigidity of trees. We have | | | | don't harm anyone it is our divine right to aspire to |
| the same choice. We don't have to jump in the water | | | | them. Whether you want enlightenment, a BMW or the |
| to enjoy this experience. Mind-body exercises like | | | | ideal vitamin regimen your work will be rewarded. This |
| pilates, yoga and tai-chi cultivate this creative body | | | | is providing that you keep trying. You may not get your |
| motion. | | | | prize in the way or at the time you first imagined, but it |
| Joyful errors | | | | will come to you. Just remember to dance and play |
| People make mistakes; animals evolve. We judge | | | | along the way. This will make the journey a lot lighter. |
| ourselves so harshly. Distinctions between right and | | | | |