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Untangled
Untangled
Category:
Philosophy
Publisher: Dog Ear Publishing
ISBN-10: 1457518260
Type: Non-Fiction
Pages: 124
Copyright: March 27, 2013
ISBN-13: 9781457518263
Price: $9.95 (eBook)
A cross-country journey becomes the basis for self-evaluation, which highlights the journey we all must make in life if we're to achieve our goals and live a fuller, more prosperous existence.
Called a Walden for the internet age, Untangled encourages the reader to step back from the social media-centric, Twitter-driven world to focus on the things that matter. The author challenges the reader to recognize and embrace contemplation as a way to address the complexity created by the ever-increasing entanglements found in the volume, variety, and velocity of the sensory inputs in today’s world. Untangled draws from the rich traditions of both Eastern and Western philosophy to tease apart the hyperconnected web of the modern world. In an evocative and poetic fashion, the author encourages exploration of the three pillars of contemplation—silence, stillness, and solitude—in order to cope with entanglements. With a journey through the heart of Taiwan as a backdrop, Untangled uses highly approachable and rich metaphors to provide the reader with insights to untangle.
Excerpt
Chapter 1: Just Around The Bend
"All journeys have secret destinations which the traveler is unaware." ~ Martin Buber
We were a boisterous bunch as we began our hike across the island of Taiwan. A group of Scouts and a few adult leaders, we were all set and ready to go. Our backpacks were neatly packed. Our ropes were rolled and stored. With everything planned and equipment on hand, we could start.
From the beginning, we were surrounded by spectacular scenery. To the north, we saw mountain peaks; to the south, we saw another set of mountain peaks. In between were a series of beautiful canyons, pristine rivers, and picture-perfect farms. Our journey was to be through this fantastic scene into the heart of the island.
The region was formed starting millions of years ago. After the initial collision of tectonic plates, the beauty underlying it all was slowly exposed through erosion and cultivation.
Emergence continues here to this day as the landscape continues to be transformed by both man and nature. What is emerging is an impressive but daunting landscape. Like a classical Chinese painting which boldly and in detail depicts towering mountains, rolling hills, and rushing rivers, it is one of the most beautiful areas in the world.
What compelled us to leave our homes and to take this journey?
Human history is replete with stories about journeys and wanderings. The Buddha wandered. The Bible begins with human expulsion and subsequent wandering. The Odyssey was a tale about wandering. Moses was condemned to wander. Dorothy journeyed to Oz.
It is in our nature to journey. We are a nomadic people, and it is in our nature to want to experience and comprehend the world around us.
What did we expect to get from our journey?
We can choose to simply leave home and come back without any significant change. We can compact our journeys, we can take packaged tours in air-conditioned tour buses, and we can be merely entertained as we drive by the sights. We can pretend and falsely believe that we have engaged in a meaningful journey.
Our journeys do not necessarily promise transformation. Our journeys have no inherent moral character. Our journeys do not necessarily have to have any outcomes. Our journeys are only as good as what we offer of ourselves in the process. We can choose to not see the beauty around us. We can choose to not see the foundations of life or the pillars supporting our bridges.
We had yet to reach our first campsite, yet to unpack our tents and unroll our sleeping bags. We had left the jump-off point and were working our way along a relatively well-traveled path. We knew that we had hours and miles to go.
But the Scouts were already asking if we were at our first campsite, at our initial destination. Our response was that our destination was “just around the bend,” which became a commonly heard refrain during the course of the trip and came to symbolize the emergent nature of our journey.
As we go “just around the bend,” we journey to find a greater understanding. As we go “just around the bend,” we journey to find a continual emergence. As we go “just around the bend,” we will become entangled. As we go “just around the bend,” each of us can choose to use contemplation to make sense of the journey and entanglements. As we go “just around the bend,” we can see that contemplation is based in silence, stillness and solitude. As we go “just around the bend,” we can repack our mental backpacks, engage the world and awaken beauty.
We are all on our own journeys, with our own trail bends. Untangling through contemplation will allow us to become engaged and make sense of the journey. Untangling lets us make intentional choices. Untangling gives us an approach by which to choose and, in turn, to make the world more understandable.
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