Emptiness Tour - 2021 - Florida, South Dakota, Colorado, New Mexico, And Points Inbetween


 
Emptiness, in Buddhism, is the goal one should attain in this lifetime in order to achieve true happiness.  Nirvana is not akin to the Christian concept of "heaven" - it is, rather, the end of our struggles lived out through many reincarnated lives - vanishing into nothingness in the afterlife.  Mindfulness, or other popular meditative practices, is meant to achieve the result of emptiness of mind without the cosmic theology.  In either case, one becomes an observer who is not affected by the ups and downs of life.  Ideology has no place in this empty world.  Magic is the result.

I can think of no better teacher than nature.  "My thoughts are scattered and their cloudy" (Simon & Garfunkel - Cloudy), and dealing with weather on a motorcycle can absolutely be Zen.  Unlike stormy weather, clear skies do not inspire poetic description.  Two instances from last years tour bring this truth to light:

  1. Las Vegas, NM to Taos, NM:  A crystal clear blue sky with only one small cloud hovering in the distance.  Where did that cloud come from?  Riding up toward the mountains, in low 90's temperature, I saw the small cloud get closer.  Within a flash, it went from 90s to mid-50's, heavy rain, lightening, and thunder.  Two minutes later, in the 90's again and crystal clear skies.  What the hay?  What just happened?  The strangest weather event I had ever experienced.

  2. Taos, NM to Alamosa, CO:  Around 1pm, I was riding through the desert landscape when I saw a wall of pitch-black clouds in the distance - it was black from left to right across the entire horizon.  How far away was this storm beast?  I did know that the closest city (safe cover) was 20 miles to the north (according to the road sign).  Would I make it?  Dread increased with each mile I rode toward Alamosa.  The storm was right in front of me (100 yards?) as I passed the sign welcoming me to Alamosa.  I saw on my left a farm feed store (Monte Vista Co-op) with an open bay - so I zipped inside the bay.  Thirty seconds later, 60 mile an hour winds, hail, lightening, and rain descended.  The store owner came through a door to the bay, and we talked while I sat on a feed bag.  He was very supportive and interested in my adventures.  I learned about Alamosa and his family.  After the worst of it, I rode off in the rain toward Salida, CO.  

In the first instance, troubles can be unexpected, and in the second instance, you see it coming.  How you deal with it is more of a state of mind.  Riding off in the rain is accepting your situation and learning to enjoy it.

This year, I feel like people do not know how to react to the world.  People do not want to accept the world as it is, yet they are not sure really what they want in life, or how to make it better.  They are not happy with blue skies and they want to avoid the rain.  Art (whatever form) is what we need: it can be either descriptive or prescriptive (can be both at the same time).  We need a prescription for life - maybe emptiness, joyful acceptance of all, is what we seek.

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