Praxis

Wiki defines praxis as the process by which a theory, lesson, or skill is enacted or practiced, embodied and/or realized. And so it seems that if knowledge and realization are the ying, then praxis has got to be the yang. It also seems that while the ying in this case is more of an organic, implicit unfolding, driven largely by circumstance, curiosity, and intellectual integrity (read: traits that are largely outside of our control), the yang of praxis is where the real action lies. If there is any substantive free will, I suspect it is right here, in my capacity to align my actions with my highest aspirations.

Alas, it is also amazingly difficult. Ha! Could it be any other way? No. Such is the price of free will. If there is any..

I have over the years become more able to observe and identify the various narrative flavors of my auto pilot existence. And a recent realization, one that has taken many months to fully come into focus, led me to observe the ever-present narrative of maximizing and advancing my own standing in this world. The continuous drive to be better off. It shapes and propels much of my drive, whether it is to get somewhere faster, save more money on car insurance, or so organize my afternoon as to derive as much enjoyment from it as possible. I am simply often hyper-aware of how this or that affects me, and what I can do to possibly make it better. FOR ME.

Now, this isn't all that out of place (I suspect most folks have this software running too), and, after all, it is great to save money on car insurance. Yet I have now come to realize the price I pay for running this narrative on an ONGOING basis. Put simply, it's suffering. Given the limited resources, time, and control over what actually happens, it seems the drive itself sets me up for continuous, unsatisfied yearning. One that keeps me in a perpetual state of stress, and even more importantly, one that's not aligned with one of the highest of aspirations - peace of mind.

Darting from one section of a department store to another the other day, I suddenly became aware of how miserable I felt. The drive to get my shopping done as quickly as possible, along with continuous deliberations on all things value and utility, were simply stressing me out. And then suddenly I heard myself say out loud... "Relax dude." I not only thought and said this, I also followed up with some deep breathing, slower walking, and a bit of a grin. Just like that. The result, however tenuous and short-lived, was less stress and a little more peace. I had to utter that "relax dude" a few more times, and in general the whole shopping experience was a lot more tolerable. What I specifically noticed was that it took not only awareness, but also a bit of work - a conscious intervention into the auto pilot.

Here is to praxis then. And to peace of mind. And to 50% off sales!

Moment

Last night Alvie (1.5 now) and I went out for a walk. The age of inquisitive curiosity has kicked in, and as we entered the elevator, I found myself beginning to explain to my daughter the amazing concept of the vertical dimension. Or put another way, the simple idea of how we live above ground level, and that DOWN is where we were going. I even picked her up and we both stared through the little elevator door window at the lower floors gently gliding upwards.

This wasn't the first time. I have tried this from many an angle - from outside pointing at our windows, from inside looking out the window, from the elevator, even the stairs. But this time...

As we neared the ground floor, the elevator slowed down and the image of the well lit lobby came up as if in slow motion. The door opened, we stepped out, and I ended my brief lecture with a final "See?". It was then that time stopped. Alvie's eyes bulged out, her mouth opened slightly, and a long and suggestive "uuuh" escaped her mouth.

There it was - right in my arms - a mind expanding. It blew my mind. For a brief moment, there was no past, no future, no narrative. There was simply awe. It reduced me to the simplest form of witnessing something wonderful.

This moment alone could be the answer to so many questions.