Technology

I've spent the last two weeks in a silent (non-speaking) retreat in the little cabin that sits on the property's edge. No cell phones, email, internet, movies, radio... I did have contact with Susan and periodically saw the front page of our local paper. It was time to meditate, contemplate, and do some of my spiritual practice. This is part of a dream to be stewards of land where we could meditate and where others could come to do that too. It isn't an uncommon Oregonian dream to have the 5 acres, trees, and a creek running through the land... well, for the moment that is what we have.



Our lives are so filled with technology. I like my devices: digital camera and recorder, Blackberry, internet searches, streaming videos, scanners, photo printers... Yet, it is soooo refreshing to leave it all behind and listen to the birds, rain on the metal roof, wind rustling through the cottonwood. There is something very healing and sane about being outdoors and paying attention to the winds of the mind- a gentle breeze and often hurricane force winds.

One of my concerns about technology is that people spend more and more time with only the people, ideas, and things they like and agree with. There is something to be said about having people around who see things differently, challenge our perspectives, and prove us wrong. During our life in Brownsville I was a part of the fire department for 13 years. I was a progressive, environmentalist, yoga teaching, bike riding guy with many around who were traditional hunter/fishermen/loggers/farmers/millworkers. They were the salt of the earth and reinforced for me that there are many ways to provide service, kindness, and compassion in this world. It is so easy to cast a broad net about "those people" and keep ourselves huddled into our corners while tossing out disparaging comments that stereotype others.

If you have never read Wendell Berry, I encourage you to. He writes a lot about the land and people who live on the land. He wrote a piece, "Why I am NOT Going to Buy a Computer". Here are his nine principles. Though I don't agree with all of it for my life... it does give us something to consider:
1. The new tool should be cheaper than the one it replaces.
2. It should be at least as small in scale as the one it replaces.
3. It should do work that is clearly and demonstrably better than the one it replaces.
4. It should use less energy than the one it replaces.
5. If possible, it should use some form of solar energy, such as that of the body.
6. It should be repairable by a person of ordinary intelligence, provided that he or she has the necessary tools.
7. It should be purchasable and repairable as near to home as possible.
8. It should come from a small, privately owned shop or store that will take it back for maintenance and repair.
9. It should not replace or disrupt anything good that already exists, and this includes family and community relationships.

During the retreat I did do some writing. (Written with a fountain pen... one of the things I love to do. There is something very pleasing about feeling a nib cross a sheet of paper and periodically to place it into a bottle of ink for refilling.) One of the concepts that came to me was about the external and internal evolution of humans. It seems that an underlying imperative for the human species is to grow. In our prehistory, it seems that we were a pretty vulnerable species and the one thing that we developed was the capacity for higher order thinking. Which led us to the use of tools and technology. From the 2001: A Space Odyssey image of the primate hitting with a Tapir bone we have progressed to drones killing without any "one" there. We can either grow outwardly or inwardly. Whereas the principle growth principle for our society is through extending ourselves through external devices... we claim more territory through a Google search, we expand our knowledge, we grow by consumption of things.

Other cultures have developed extremely rich inner worlds. Delving into a deeper understanding of life, the land, and the cosmos. I think both inner and outer growth have been beneficial and I think we need more inner growth. Maybe spending time outdoors would help. It might be too much to hope for people to take 2 weeks a year to meditate outdoors, but it is a nice thought. A friend of mine revealed to me a syndrome that children are suffering from: Nature Deficit Disorder. Since we live in a rural area I know kids get outside a lot, but not so in many of our urban areas and the gaming universe.



Our land is abundant right now. The garden is full of squash, pumpkins, kale, pole beans, potatoes, gourds, tomatoes, hot peppers and other things. Our corn has all been eaten. The remaining artichokes and sun flowers are filled with bees gathering pollen. The blackberries are full, ripe, sweet. Apples are tempting us to pick them. (This morning, as the sun was rising, I was sitting on the deck and watched a turkey jump up and hit one of the apples to the ground.) The poison oak and blackberry leaves are turning to orange and red. The mornings are much cooler (44 this morning) and the days warm (80). The smells of cottonwood, ripened apples, and a rich mixture of life and decay. There are so many things I can "capture" and share: images, words... but as yet there is (yet) not a way to share the rich fragrance of a Fall here or the feel of the chill morning after a summer of heat. It is the smell that brings so many warm emotions to me and memories. Memories of salmon spawning on the Skagit River, walking in the foothills of the Cascades, of youth in Washington State wandering the forests, rivers, and mountains.

A few things as I wind up this post:
First, I think I have figured out the technology of "feeds". So, I will hopefully have a way for you to automatically get an email saying there is a new post (if you sign up.)

The second (and most important to my heart)
My nephew flew out of the U.S. last night on his way to Kuwait and, soon, to Iraq. Whatever your persuasion or feelings about the war- please send David your prayers and good wishes (plus some for his wife and 2 year old child). He is near and dear to my heart- it was extremely hard to get his phone call last night and say good bye.

May all beings be kept out of harms way.

Joseph