Chapter two
Learning, Growing and Healing
Most mammalian species are born with only two things to be concerned. They both deal with survival. The first is their personal survival, staying warm enough, and ingesting the required amount of nutrients to stay alive. The second is procreation, to ensure the survival of the species. Once upon a time that is what occupied our days also. Somewhere along the line something changed for us. We became supposedly smarter. I’m sure for some, there is a longing for that simpler existence, but it definitely was a harder time.
There are many stories and myths that explain what happened. It is said that Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit and for doing so, were expelled from the garden. My only question is where did they go? There were no cities. In fact, back then I believe it was pretty much all garden. I’m sure not the modern concept of nicely tilled rows of vegetables and symmetric orchards was true, but I’m pretty positive it was mostly water or green space.
There is a story where the humans ate the ‘love apple,’ which was be forbidden, as it was poisonous and took a psychedelic trip, expanding their consciousness beyond that of the mind of the common ape. Then through this mental breakthrough at some point, they learned through a system of trial an error, how to harness fire, use tools, do things like learning to grow their own food, eventually inventing the wheel. Which lead us to our modern day cornucopia of creations, large and small that make our lives much more complicated then just eating and breeding.
Like all other life forms, it was still necessary to learn what was not instinctual, like eating and walking and coming in out of the rain. Like most animals, our parents taught us what to do. That is until at some period in history, they became too busy to teach their young. At that time, those allowed to ‘learn,’ were shuffled off to schools. Over time this system has grown into institutions for the creation of consumers, (see chapter 1 Things) where students are funneled into slots to fulfill the capitalistic promise. Once enrolled, children are divided into tracks based upon intelligence, aptitude, strength and coordination. During this education, it is determined what would be the placement which best benefited our great society and students are given guidance on how to achieve those goals. Those unwilling or unable to follow the path ascribed to them, due to extenuating circumstances, would be placed in minimum wage jobs, given government assistance if they are unable to perform such work, or remanded to jail if they were totally unwilling to cooperate. This path, if closely examined, sometimes leaves an empty feeling, like in the song when the singer bemoans, “Is that all there is?” The current inadequacy of this system, in many cases, fails to provide a meaningful life, leaving some grasping for a deeper sense of being. When that is not achieved within in the confines of “supposed normal routine,” it leads to substance abuse, depression or other forms of illness.
So under an attempt to live within the confines of ‘Natural Law’ what should we learn? Natural Law instructs us that the achievement of harmony and balance is the only requirement. This regimen is lacking from the curriculum of most of our bastions of education. It most often has to be learned through experience by the principle of cause and effect. Although I’ve been wandering this earth for 69 plus years, I learn every day, how out of sync I often am. And if it is a good day, I discover what it is I’m doing which makes me so and can somewhat correct it. One thing I have learned is that when I am closer to the balance point, when the give and take of the ‘flow’ is harmonious, the more my life seems to be. This is what I believe is meant by ‘Growing.’
TO FLOW IS TO GROW
TO GROW IS TO FLOW