Postcards from Equanimity # 005
What did the earth say to the giant rock hurtling through space in its direction?
Comet me bro!
How is your fall going mon ami? For some reason I have never been crazy about the word friend in addressing an actual friend. Crazy, I know. It isn't really an issue only I am slow to come around on some things, as we may discuss eventually. So 'mon ami' just sounds so much better, no? A rose by any other name perhaps? But I digress. (Already?!)
I had an eventful middle of the year, partly from the unrelieved monotony of many summer days, though that may be hard to explain. The highlight of the summer was a short trip to NYC with family and friends. I will write about it at a later date.
I hope we are settling into the idea that these postcards are not as regular as the moon circling the earth rather more like a comet that takes longer to come around. Yup, I'm that tiny white dot at the bottom left, coming back around again! 🙂
When last I wrote to you there was a monumental task ahead; I may have thought it would be a short hike up a hill known to me but it turned out to be a strenuous climb up a proper mountain that was a new beast. In literal sense it was my goal to read the original paper by Abraham Maslow, 'A Theory of Human Motivation', originally written in 1943. I won't lie that it was a dry start. But once I got into it I found it to be quite insightful. I aim to share my reflections in the coming months.
Okay, you know you want a preview. A few simple, clean observations:
The idea that our basic drives don't entirely explain our behavior fully leaves room for the ethereal nature of what it is to be a human, and not another animal. Maslow acknowledges this unique trait readily but doesn't explore it in much detail in this paper, leaving the introspection up to the reader.
Religion is one form of "world-philosophy" that allows humans to organize the universe into "some sort of satisfactorily coherent, meaningful whole..." This is in part motivated by safety-seeking, a second level need.
The biggest takeaway from reading that article was that the hierarchy and its basis are far more nuanced than is made apparent in that pyramid schematic we have all seen. And so there will be much to contemplate on repeat reads. I look forward to carving it up some more and bring you choice pieces to bite into.
When I delay writing the underlying emotions of doubt and fear are borne partially from the relative lack of safety in leaving the comfort of my mind, and sharing words with others, knowing full well that they may be rejected or ignored. Overcoming this doubt is the goal, and the path to growth.
While I have been moving like a glacier through a trough I am fortunate to have a great peer coach and also friends who are encouraging. As I said earlier, sometimes we are slow to come around. But adversity in various arenas may actually cause us to grow in a way that we didn't think was possible. In my case working my body through Pilates has helped me understand the saying shared by the Buddhist Zen and Stoic traditions:
"the obstacle is the path."
What does that mean to you? Have you explore zen philosophy or the stoic tradition? I am still racking my brain on creating a way where we can discuss these things as individuals and as a community. I am not sure what level need that is on Maslow's hierarchy. Well, I have an inkling but I really want to hear from others too.
Here's my invitation to you : think about how your summer transpired. Was there any sticky point? How did you overcome it? And if not how are you working through it?
Y'all are most welcome to write back. I'd love to hear about your experiences.