The following is a sample of what’s been goin down in my Livin the Moment 2012 Program:
A cruiseship docked in a tiny Greek village.
An American tourist got off the boat, ventured into the village, and saw a Greek fisherman.
He complimented the Greek fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took him to catch them.
“Not very long,” answered the Greek.
“But then, why didn’t you stay out longer and catch more?” asked the American.
The Greek explained that his small catch was sufficient to meet his needs and those of his family.
The American asked, “But what do you do with the rest of your time?”
“I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, and take a siesta with my wife. In the evenings I go into the village to see my friends, dance a little, drink a bit, and sing a few songs. I have a full life.”
The American interrupted, “I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you. You should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the revenue, you can buy a bigger boat.
“With the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one and a third one and so on until you have an entire fleet of trawlers. Instead of selling your fish to a middleman, you can negotiate directly with the processing plants and maybe even open your own plant.
You can then leave this little village and move to Athens, London or even New York City! From there you can direct your huge enterprise.”
“How long would that take?” asked the Greek.
“With the power of the internet and if you make the right hires, this can happen quickly…a few years,” replied the American.
“And, after that?”
“That’s when it gets really interesting,” answered the American, laughing. “When your business gets really big, you can go public and make millions!”
“Millions? Really? And after that?”
“After that you’ll be able to retire, live in a tiny village near the coast, sleep late, play with your grandchildren, catch a few fish, take a siesta with your wife, and spend your evenings singing, dancing, playing and drinking with your friends…”
The Western Circumstance
Can you relate to the above story?
The yogis call it “The Western Circumstance” or the confused pattern by which we spend our health to attain wealth only then to turn around later in life and spend our wealth to reattain our health.
My friend and recording artist Wade Morrissette (rocks!) calls it ambition without purpose, which of course is a sociological pandemic in America.
Songwriter John Prine describes it in his classic Angel from Montgomery:
“How the hell can a person
Go on to work in the morning
Come home in the evening
And have nothing to say.”
Soulless Living
You, I, we…need the antidote to this spiritual anesthesia; or we will continue to remain “unconscious,” bound, and tied to the whipping post…lashed relentlessly by the forces of desire, envy, need, and greed.
As the guru Osho said, “Unless you want to wake up, unless an intense longing to wake up arises in you, no possible help can be given from the outside. But if you want to be awakened, then all possible help is available…it’s so simple: Snap your fingers, slap your face, and wake up!”
NOT TOO LATE
As mentioned at the very top, the above story about the Greek fisherman is excerpted from my Livin the Moment 2012 Program.
It’s just one of a year’s worth of stories, challenges, videos, and dreams that fuel the engines on this journey.
Many of you have asked if it is too late to sign up and the answer is: you can still join us!
Throughout the year, I’ll do my very best to snap, clap, and whistle in the hope to break you (and me) from any unconsious habits so that we may do as the great Marley commanded: WAKE UP AND LIVE!
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