Month: August 2017

If the sun disappeared only for a moment…

“The Universe is under no obligation to make sense to you.” – Neil deGrasse Tyson

I find it funny how despite my blog having a space theme, I’ve never actually once talked about space. I haven’t even alluded to why I chose the name “To the Moon” other than a brief paragraph.

Last week was the solar eclipse. I would say the “Great American Eclipse” yet the stars aren’t something that can be owned. When we look up at the sky, we are looking into the past and in a sense, our future. The universe is filled with possibility and is beautifully chaotic.

When we think of the universe, we think of a painted canvas, a sort of cosmic gallery of beauty. At least, that’s what we’d like to see. Every time I look up I see darkness, with only the brightest stars shining; only once have I seen the universe in it’s full majesty.

And I never have forgotten that moment, out in the mountains, away from the city lights. And instead of seeing darkness, I saw the most beautiful hues of blue as I saw our galaxy for the first time. Not darkness, but as a river in the sky, weaving itself into a tapestry of twinkling stars. And perhaps this is the first time I realized the world was bigger than just Portland, Oregon. That I was nothing more than a speck on the cosmic scale.

Perhaps this is what first inspired my Wanderlust and taught me to dream, back when I said I wanted to be an astronaut when I grew up or better yet, a space traveler, time lord; a time when the sky was the limit and when a dream was never too big. I’ve been searching my whole life to recreate that moment, camping out all night in a field, freezing but more connected than I had ever been…

In college I was always busy and a lot of the time I would walk back home late at night. There’s something serene about looking up at the night sky and wishing… To look up and realize that whatever is going on in your life right now, “life goes on”.

So come last week, I was excited. I live on a glorified hill in the city and it’s a few minutes walk to the top. And I watched. From beginning to end, I watched. And a curious question popped into my head as the moon passed, “How little sun we need to survive”. Even at a sliver before totality, it was light and I was warm. Then I watched as the sun “set” all around, the intense shadows before an infinite sunset. I felt the temperature drop as day became twilight and then back to day.

Nature is beautiful and it’s a tragedy that we’ve fallen out of touch with the beauty of the world, let alone the universe. Some spend their entire lives in boxes and don’t even realize they’re in prison. People came together for a brief moment and it’s a shame that like the eclipse, it was but a fleeting moment. I put my faith in the stars; call me a dreamer, but when you look to the stars, tomorrow has already happened, it just depends on where you’re standing…

Thanks for reading! If you’re wondering where I get all my cool space photos, they’re from the NASA home page. The photos are on the public domain, which makes acquiring them hassle and worry free as the copyright doesn’t exist or has expired. Anyways, did you see the eclipse? Want to talk about the mysteries of the universe? Feel free to comment below!

Great Gatsby: Worth a read?

The Great Gatsby. The book most read in primary school. Did I read it then? I actually can’t remember. But I’ve read it now. And what did I think? Well… Let’s first talk about what it is.

The narration is from the perspective of Nick, a classy, honest dude who moved East to New York. The book is set in the 1920’s or better known as the roaring 20’s in the US and at it’s heart sets up a great mystery. Early in the story Nick meets his neighbor Jay Gatsby, a mysterious individual who perplexes the relatively reserved Nick. Gatsby is a man who has extravagant parties and has a taste for the finer things in life.

As the book progresses, we learn more about Gatsby and his past, uncovering the mystery of why he’s called “The Great Gatsby”. Woven into the plot is a tale of unrequited love and really goes to show that it’s about the journey, not the destination.

Why you should read

The book is beautifully written. When you read the book, it’s as though you’re in the 20’s and right there alongside Nick. The book has plenty of twists and leaves you questioning if what you’re told is the actual truth. The book steadily ramps up and the climax does not disappoint when you finally reach page 180. The writing is easy to follow and it makes for a quick, enjoyable read.

My recommendation?

I give “The Great Gatsby” 4 out of 5 stars. While not perfect, it comes close. It’s a great book and certainly worth your time.

Thanks for reading! The next book on my list is “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho, which I’ve only heard great things about. Already read “The Great Gatsby”? Feel free to discuss in the comments below, just be wary to avoid spoilers when you post.

 

9 months of meditation: Has it been worth it?

The short answer, yes. The long answer, also yes, but longer. So full disclaimer; as much as i’d like to say I’ve meditated every day as I set out to do, I haven’t. In my defense however, progress is not a straight line. When you attempt a new habit, you will have your ups and downs but the idea is to stick with it until you set a new bar for yourself. without further ado let’s start with the most important question.

Why Meditate?

Let me set the scene. I had just come back from Germany, awaiting my kingdom upon my triumph return home. I had my head held high and was ready to seize the world. But as life would have it, my kingdom had turned to ash. My hero’s welcome was using all my available energy to put out fires and keep ships from sinking. In the first time in years, my journal failed me. You know things are bad when Mike Cole is carrying around a stress-ball at every waking moment. All my systems were collapsing and even my books couldn’t save me this time around. But if you know me, I carry on to the bitter end. So I rebuilt my old systems.

I started with 5 minutes a day and went from there. It was hard at first but got easier over time. When I was able to do 5 minutes on a consistent basis, I bumped it to 10, which I think is the perfect amount. But once again, why would you want to meditate? Couldn’t those precious minutes be put towards something more valuable? Well…

Imagine you have anxiety. Scratch that, don’t imagine; everyone has anxiety. What if I told you your deepest fears could melt away and that your clouded mind could become clear? Well, that’s meditation in a nutshell. The hard part is sitting down and making it a priority. As I’ve deemed it, meditation is kind of like hitting the reset button. Done right, it’ll clear the clutter and allow you to focus. Meditation in the morning can set your day up for success.

What is meditation?

Before I started, I looked up different techniques online. I couldn’t find a proper explanation and this frustrated me. Some people go to the extreme for meditation and when they try to explain the experience, it comes off as gibberish. If you look up mindfulness, you’ll get close but still it reads more like a self-help book more than anything else. So what I did, is simply combine the pieces I liked and then simply started meditating. After a few times, I got a feel for the experience and refined it to what is a mix between the spiritual and the mindfulness techniques your friendly neighborhood psychologist would tell you about.

My Techniques

So the idea behind meditation is not necessarily letting go of the negative thoughts inside your head but rather acknowledging them and moving forward. What most don’t realize however, is meditation is not simply an emptying of the mind, it’s a process of clarifying thoughts, much in the way we feel refreshed after sleeping. A good thought can branch out much like a tree and instead of trying to focus on nothingness, simply follow the thought and the thoughts thereafter. Think of yourself as a leaf flowing down a river, perhaps imagine a gentle breeze with branches gently swaying in the wind. A leaf in a river simply is and does not work against the current.

That’s only the first half. The second half is focusing on your body. It can be as simple as breathing to start but eventually you’ll want to focus on nerves. Find the tension in your body and simply be aware, massage, wiggle your fingers, pay attention to dexterity, etc. If you’re uncomfortable, adjust yourself. Listen to the wind blow, the sound of your breath, the gentle trickle of water from a fountain.

There are few ways to do meditation wrong. However, if you want more guidance, here’s a few suggestions. Buy a sleeping mask. If you find yourself reaching for your phone, this will prevent that. It will also block out light and should you open your eyes you will simply see darkness. If you have raw emotion and simply can’t get comfortable, let your meditation posture reflect that. Try leaving one hand open and clenching a fist. The open hand should relax and the clenched fist should control. Over time you’ll most likely end up with both hands open, pressed together in the center.

If you’re looking for a spiritual aspect to meditation but don’t want to turn into a monk, try going into meditation as your time to connect with nature. Sit outside under a tree or leave a window open. Simply learn to appreciate the present moment.

Thanks for reading! It’s been a while since I’ve done a self-improvement article and it feels great. I hope you find the advice helpful and feel free to share and comment below. If you have your own technique or a personal story, I’d love to hear it!