The "awe" of Young Mind

[strawdog65]

Young Mind

 

 

In our western society we are taught, at all costs,

to hold on to youth. we are inundated by advertising

constantly reminding us of the importance of being

young.

 

It's no wonder that as we age, we look for meaning

when, before as youngsters we were to busy to care.

 

From the Taoist perspective, this is an interesting concept

to me. Being young is more than a physical determination.

One can be young in the sense that they have cultivated

the openess of a young mind.

 

Even as the body begins to fade the prospect of a youthful

mind is a comfort. We all have it, even it it exists buried

beneath the mess that is life, it's there somewhere... just look for it.

 

What is a youthful mind?

 

To me it is a mind full of awe.

 

The awe of new eyes upon a world that is fresh and uncorrupted.

 

It can be said that unfiltered optimism, is a type of awe.

 

Like the awe of a day when the sky is bright blue, and the clouds

are reminiscent of types of animals, like a great zoo in the sky.

 

Or the awe of finding the Love of your life, and looking into their

eyes and for the first time feeling you have arrived home at last.

 

Awe is to me inspiring, magickal, majestic, humbling and hopeful.

 

It is sad that, as we are brought up in society, much of the awe of

our youth is lost to the hurt of lessons learned.

 

Disillusionment of what we desired as the youth we were, in

conflict with the reality our lives become, is common to us all.

 

Does this mean that the spark of youth is lost?

 

As we age, how is it we can preserve this "young Mind"?

 

I can usually tell when I am in my "young mind" mode, it happens

when I am interested in something or talking about something of

great interest, and I catch myself being negative about what I was

thinking about moments earlier as being great.

 

It is the voice of "experience" (age) saying

"wake up you fool, it will never work!"

 

Should I blindly listen to this voice?

Or should I temper this voice with the knowledge that sometimes

the voice of our present "reality" is a limiting factor of our future?

Limiting our actions based on past fears, is the outcome of any

decisions made when this mind occurs.

 

I believe it is an incredible resource within ourselves to tap into

the optimism and uncorrupted nature of our youth, and bring some

of that "mind" into our everyday lives.

 

It is this mind that makes it ok to be silly and say yes to something new,

something the voice of age and reason would say no to.

 

So, get in touch with that young mind, let that silly nature return,

look at that giraffe in the sky and say giddy up!

 

It can certainly do us no harm.

 

 

Peace and silliness!

[Otis]

Peace and silliness, indeed!

 

Oh, how sad it is that "maturity" has taken on so much mis-meaning. It should be "centered, humble, patient, open-minded, etc." But it also picked up all those unfortunate negatives, like "don't be foolish, don't play like a kid (or with kids), don't look at things from strange angles, don't, don't, don't ...."

 

The "don'ts" are about appearing mature, of course, and have nothing to do with actual maturity.

 

The genesis of this, as I see it: kids realize soon that adults have all the power in the world. So kids start cultivating their internal idea of what an adult is like, and try to shape their newfound egos in that direction. But a kid's-eye-view of adulthood has "don't" and "no" written all over it, because that is what they so often experience. That is why, if you watch kids playing with dolls, you'll often hear them giving the adult dolls dialogue like "don't do that", "be a big boy", "that's not allowed", etc. Even between kids, you'll often overhear some of them taking on the adult roles, and telling their peers that they "can't do that", "it's against the rules", etc.

 

As we grow older, we pick up more of the actual meaning of maturity, but what tends to really matter (in terms of how people interact with us) is whether we've mastered the appearance of maturity. So we naturally keep playing the role of "mature", and we become boxed in by our "don'ts" and "no's".

 

That's part of the reason why part of my practice has been to make play with adults an important part of my life. I have been creating play videos of various types with dance friends of mine for the last few years. Often I bring some kind of props to dance with me, and then distribute them afterwards, while people are still energized and youthful. The play that arises is unplanned and undirected, and becomes the raw material for my videos. For example:

 

[TaoBee]

Peace and silliness, indeed!

 

Oh, how sad it is that "maturity" has taken on so much mis-meaning. It should be "centered, humble, patient, open-minded, etc." But it also picked up all those unfortunate negatives, like "don't be foolish, don't play like a kid (or with kids), don't look at things from strange angles, don't, don't, don't ...."

 

The "don'ts" are about appearing mature, of course, and have nothing to do with actual maturity.

 

The genesis of this, as I see it: kids realize soon that adults have all the power in the world. So kids start cultivating their internal idea of what an adult is like, and try to shape their newfound egos in that direction. But a kid's-eye-view of adulthood has "don't" and "no" written all over it, because that is what they so often experience. That is why, if you watch kids playing with dolls, you'll often hear them giving the adult dolls dialogue like "don't do that", "be a big boy", "that's not allowed", etc. Even between kids, you'll often overhear some of them taking on the adult roles, and telling their peers that they "can't do that", "it's against the rules", etc.

 

As we grow older, we pick up more of the actual meaning of maturity, but what tends to really matter (in terms of how people interact with us) is whether we've mastered the appearance of maturity. So we naturally keep playing the role of "mature", and we become boxed in by our "don'ts" and "no's".

 

That's part of the reason why part of my practice has been to make play with adults an important part of my life. I have been creating play videos of various types with dance friends of mine for the last few years. Often I bring some kind of props to dance with me, and then distribute them afterwards, while people are still energized and youthful. The play that arises is unplanned and undirected, and becomes the raw material for my videos. For example:

 

 

 

Oh how I love the video

 

"Adults" should always remember to play...to have a happy mind. Maturity is often overrated. You are correct, unfortunately maturity is confused with Do Nots.

 

I am often asked "and how old are you again?" because a moment of silliness overtakes me. Some days the silliness happens often!

 

Have a happy mind!

 

Peace and love!

[Otis]

I am often asked "and how old are you again?" because a moment of silliness overtakes me.

That's a great compliment!

[C T]

A small contribution to this thread....

 

 

(the secret of staying youthful lies in the ability to serenely rest in the unseen spaces between moments, and not in seizing moments as they come and go, a practice that many seem attracted to. the wonders of all existence unfold in the illuminated gaps between thoughts, between one waking moment to the next, between one action to the next, between one world to another.... this is why it is said that the Tao that can be named is not the true Tao. Why cant it be named? Cos where it is found, the mind cannot go....)

 

May all be forever young!!

[TaoBee]

Young Mind

 

 

In our western society we are taught, at all costs,

to hold on to youth. we are inundated by advertising

constantly reminding us of the importance of being

young.

 

It's no wonder that as we age, we look for meaning

when, before as youngsters we were to busy to care.

 

From the Taoist perspective, this is an interesting concept

to me. Being young is more than a physical determination.

One can be young in the sense that they have cultivated

the openess of a young mind.

 

Even as the body begins to fade the prospect of a youthful

mind is a comfort. We all have it, even it it exists buried

beneath the mess that is life, it's there somewhere... just look for it.

 

What is a youthful mind?

 

To me it is a mind full of awe.

 

The awe of new eyes upon a world that is fresh and uncorrupted.

 

It can be said that unfiltered optimism, is a type of awe.

 

Like the awe of a day when the sky is bright blue, and the clouds

are reminiscent of types of animals, like a great zoo in the sky.

 

Or the awe of finding the Love of your life, and looking into their

eyes and for the first time feeling you have arrived home at last.

 

Awe is to me inspiring, magickal, majestic, humbling and hopeful.

 

It is sad that, as we are brought up in society, much of the awe of

our youth is lost to the hurt of lessons learned.

 

Disillusionment of what we desired as the youth we were, in

conflict with the reality our lives become, is common to us all.

 

Does this mean that the spark of youth is lost?

 

As we age, how is it we can preserve this "young Mind"?

 

I can usually tell when I am in my "young mind" mode, it happens

when I am interested in something or talking about something of

great interest, and I catch myself being negative about what I was

thinking about moments earlier as being great.

 

It is the voice of "experience" (age) saying

"wake up you fool, it will never work!"

 

Should I blindly listen to this voice?

Or should I temper this voice with the knowledge that sometimes

the voice of our present "reality" is a limiting factor of our future?

Limiting our actions based on past fears, is the outcome of any

decisions made when this mind occurs.

 

I believe it is an incredible resource within ourselves to tap into

the optimism and uncorrupted nature of our youth, and bring some

of that "mind" into our everyday lives.

 

It is this mind that makes it ok to be silly and say yes to something new,

something the voice of age and reason would say no to.

 

So, get in touch with that young mind, let that silly nature return,

look at that giraffe in the sky and say giddy up!

 

It can certainly do us no harm.

 

 

Peace and silliness!

 

 

Silliness Rocks!

 

Optimism gives one a different view of the world. It gives you the ability to see past all the garbage. Being an optimist myself, I have been told in the past that I am "unrealistic" (I noticed that pessimists often label themselves "realists"). I do not view myself as unrealistic...merely positive.

 

A youthful mind can be found at any age...I have seen it! Its an awesome thing to behold.

 

Let the silliness begin!

 

Peace and Love

[TaoBee]

That's a great compliment!

 

 

Why thank you...I believe it is as well !

[pennyofheaven]

Young Mind

 

 

In our western society we are taught, at all costs,

to hold on to youth. we are inundated by advertising

constantly reminding us of the importance of being

young.

 

It's no wonder that as we age, we look for meaning

when, before as youngsters we were to busy to care.

 

From the Taoist perspective, this is an interesting concept

to me. Being young is more than a physical determination.

One can be young in the sense that they have cultivated

the openess of a young mind.

 

Even as the body begins to fade the prospect of a youthful

mind is a comfort. We all have it, even it it exists buried

beneath the mess that is life, it's there somewhere... just look for it.

 

What is a youthful mind?

 

To me it is a mind full of awe.

 

The awe of new eyes upon a world that is fresh and uncorrupted.

 

It can be said that unfiltered optimism, is a type of awe.

 

Like the awe of a day when the sky is bright blue, and the clouds

are reminiscent of types of animals, like a great zoo in the sky.

 

Or the awe of finding the Love of your life, and looking into their

eyes and for the first time feeling you have arrived home at last.

 

Awe is to me inspiring, magickal, majestic, humbling and hopeful.

 

It is sad that, as we are brought up in society, much of the awe of

our youth is lost to the hurt of lessons learned.

 

Disillusionment of what we desired as the youth we were, in

conflict with the reality our lives become, is common to us all.

 

Does this mean that the spark of youth is lost?

 

As we age, how is it we can preserve this "young Mind"?

 

I can usually tell when I am in my "young mind" mode, it happens

when I am interested in something or talking about something of

great interest, and I catch myself being negative about what I was

thinking about moments earlier as being great.

 

It is the voice of "experience" (age) saying

"wake up you fool, it will never work!"

 

Should I blindly listen to this voice?

Or should I temper this voice with the knowledge that sometimes

the voice of our present "reality" is a limiting factor of our future?

Limiting our actions based on past fears, is the outcome of any

decisions made when this mind occurs.

 

I believe it is an incredible resource within ourselves to tap into

the optimism and uncorrupted nature of our youth, and bring some

of that "mind" into our everyday lives.

 

It is this mind that makes it ok to be silly and say yes to something new,

something the voice of age and reason would say no to.

 

So, get in touch with that young mind, let that silly nature return,

look at that giraffe in the sky and say giddy up!

 

It can certainly do us no harm.

 

 

Absolutely no harm at all I do agree. It is like looking at life with fresh new eyes with an empty mind ready to filled with the joy of living!

[manitou]

Wonderful video, Otis! Those adults were engaging in some serious mayhem.

 

I've noticed another thing about youthening in our brains as we age into spirituality. The rest of the world, especially the chronic critics, will see you as as naive and unsophisticated. It takes a certain amount of boldness to truly be free, uncritical, open-minded, full of wonder, childlike. Others will regard you as a fool. It's not for sissies.

[Otis]

Wonderful video, Otis! Those adults were engaging in some serious mayhem.

 

I've noticed another thing about youthening in our brains as we age into spirituality. The rest of the world, especially the chronic critics, will see you as as naive and unsophisticated. It takes a certain amount of boldness to truly be free, uncritical, open-minded, full of wonder, childlike. Others will regard you as a fool. It's not for sissies.

Thanks, Manitou, for the good words. I had a lot of fun creating that video with everyone.

 

I agree what you say about the reaction of "the rest of the world". Of course, it wasn't that long ago that I was also sitting back and judging.

 

Thankfully, I have several very childlike and playful people in my life, who inspire me toward play as practice, play as a way of living.

 

Two of those friends who inspire me collaborated with me on this video, a public-interaction goof about an OCD Batman and his mischievous arch-rival:

[manitou]

This one is over the top. We have an old spaniel that is around 22 years old. She was on her way out about 6 months ago - lost control of her bladder, can't see through the cataracts, you get the picture. At the time she was dying, or so we thought - I placed a rubber sheet under her one night because I just 'knew that was the night'.

 

Next morning, she was still there. The next day we happened to bring home two adorable 6 week old puppies. They were crawling all over her - I felt terrible, tried to keep them away - but lo and behold the old girl got up from her deathbed and is raising these two! This was six months ago. You ought to see this old spaniel bounding up and down the basement stairs with these puppies. I think she's working on her second 20!

 

We've always had a sense this dog was on the shamanic side.

[manitou]

Cute second video - are you Batman, Otis?

[strawdog65]

Thanks to everyone for the great responses!

 

It is a cool thing to share stuff that is so liberating

and reminds us of what we are at our most simple

of natures when we allow that young mind to return.

 

It makes me think of maturity and how uncomfortable

it can be when we are faced what we were as youth,

as compared to what we become if we allow it.

 

Is it so terrible to be ill at ease with maturity?

 

As I age I am befuddled by the unbridaled,

unmitigated, downright nasty, sacastic people

that profess to be living their lives happily.

 

Is sarcasm and negativity something we are endowed with at birth?

 

Or is it a learned anti-attribute?

 

I wonder.... Since I spent a good deal of my own time

prior to the last say, five years, being sarcastic, and living

within my own petty negative feed back loop that was my

life, is it a natural thing to be sarcastic?

 

I'm trying to think of when was the last time I came across

a young child (2-3 years old) that was sarcastic, and I'm

drawing a blank.

 

Is sarcasm evident in young children?

Or is it only as we age that sarcasm develops?

 

I think it is age related myself.

 

As an adult I have several clear memories of when I was

very young. I remember watching on TV as the first man

landed on the moon, seeing Neil Armstrong leap off of

that ladder and touch the Moons surface in his bright white

spacesuit. Even at 4 years old I new it was something big.

 

Even younger than that, perhaps my first and most oldest

conscious memory, is of the time I was left on the topmost

front step for a second too long, and the wind blew the door open

knocking me off and me landing on my head on the concrete

two steps down below. I have had the scar of that event

etched plainly into my forehead all of my life. When people ask

about it I tell them the story, and conclude with telling them

"see I've been a butthead almost all my life!" Thanks mom.

 

Along with the events that were historical both for me personally

and world-wide, there are the numerous other happenings that

I remember that were simple instances of awe.

 

The first time I saw a butterfly or a lightening bug... oh how we(my sister

and I)used to love to catch them in a jar and place them beside our beds,

falling asleep to the luminecsent throbbing light of their every move.

 

Then there was the time I was eleven and was playing in a field when lightening

struck a nearby tree. The power of the sky was made clear by the tree

shuddering as limbs broke off and fell to the ground smuldering from

the awesome display of pure energy.

 

Of the time when I finally understood that all those lights in the night sky,

were far away worlds, and that the light we were seeing was ancient light

that had traveled lifetimes to arrive at my world so I could see it.

What an awesome realization!

 

The awe and wonder of the young mind.

 

How many instances from your childhood can you recall that encapsulate

the moment you witnessed something for the first time, and were so

enrapt with what you saw, that the image is as fresh and new as if it

was yesterday?

 

Reconnecting with those memories, re-experiencing the awe and mystery

of those moments long past, but forever preserved in your own memory,

that to me is a great way to bring back the beautiful awe of young mind.

 

Give it a shot!

 

What incredible indellible moment comes to mind from

your youth that was an experience of awe and mystery?

 

Peace!

[Otis]

Cute second video - are you Batman, Otis?

Thanks, Manitou, but I actually was behind the camera on this one. I produce and edit all the vids, but we take turns being camera op.

 

Here's a short one that I'm in. Practiced facing my lingering homophobia by cross-dressing and going strutting on Beverly Hills' Rodeo Drive:

Edited January 7, 2011 by Otis

[Otis]

Of the time when I finally understood that all those lights in the night sky,

were far away worlds, and that the light we were seeing was ancient light

that had traveled lifetimes to arrive at my world so I could see it.

What an awesome realization!

Yeah, I'm a huge fan of nature and science documentary, because they spark exactly that kind of wonder. They're great at busting up my provincial notions of what nature, intelligence, and order are like, as well.

[manitou]

Sarcasm and negativity. Always my sword. Go for the jugular before they're able to respond. Before they can get to me.

 

That was the mindset that I grew up with, that I was a cop with, and that I became an alcoholic with. it was absolutely my protective armour throughout my adult life until I had to find a way to stay sober. (12 steps). That was the mindset that I had to change 180 degrees in order to find the comfort zone in life that wasn't connected with that brewing internal dissent, aggression, and ugliness.

 

The thoughts can come back instantly, if I'm not mindful. My internal sarcasm is a low-lying creature that lives under the bridge and if I'm not in a balanced state, can raise its ugly head and be real hurtful. I always suppose that it's gone now, that I've grown beyond it. But I can hear its distant rumblings under the bridge. He's still there.

 

I'm pretty sure my sarcasm developed young because I never seemed to fit in with anything or anybody - I'd get rejected from clubs in high school and I was so damned hurt about the social difficulties that I developed this nasty aggressor that lashed out first. Jeez, my folks even threw a birthday party for me once when I was about 10 and nobody came! Seems like this was constant, I really must've been an odd kid.

 

But here's the odd thing about stuff like this. If I were brought up absolutely perfectly in a perfect family and with a perfect personality, would I have chosen the path of spirit that I chose? No, I suspect not. I wouldn't have needed to - life would have been wonderful just as it was.

 

I'm guessing that pretty much all of us who end up places like this have some skewed backgrounds. But we seem to be the same ones who are concerned with cutting through the maya.

 

Long Live Maladjustment.

[TaoBee]

Thanks, Manitou, but I actually was behind the camera on this one. I produce and edit all the vids, but we take turns being camera op.

 

Here's a short one that I'm in. Practiced facing my lingering homophobia by cross-dressing and going strutting on Beverly Hills' Rodeo Drive:

 

Lol song is stuck in my head now..."I taste just like candy"!!

 

Love the hot pink hair

[manitou]

I just love you, TaoBee! You are adorable! What a wonderfully free spirit.

 

My question - did it help remove the residual homophobia? I would think this extreme imprint to the opposite would go a long way. Very creative therapy!!

[TaoBee]

I just love you, TaoBee! You are adorable! What a wonderfully free spirit.

 

My question - did it help remove the residual homophobia? I would think this extreme imprint to the opposite would go a long way. Very creative therapy!!

 

Why thank you...I resemble that remark

 

You are very intuitive...which I knew from reading your posts...as I said before I had been watching and reading for quite some time before joining and I just love reading yours

 

TTB is a learning experience for me....for sure!

 

Love and Peace <3

[strawdog65]

Hello Everyone

 

 

I am still interested in hearing some stories of

your own YoungMind experiences.

 

Surely I am not the only person to be able to

remember the awe and mystery of my youth?

 

I love a good story.... who's got one to tell?

 

 

 

Peace!

[manitou]

This isn't so much a young mind story as a young mind habit.

 

Try laying face down on the grass, which has its own grounding benefits. Then, once you get bored with that, start looking closely at the grass close to you and see all the different little people in there. You can make out a whole society sometimes. Plenty of grass manitou....

[Otis]

Long Live Maladjustment.

Here! Here!

[Otis]

My question - did it help remove the residual homophobia? I would think this extreme imprint to the opposite would go a long way. Very creative therapy!!

Yes, it has helped. I've been politically pro-gay, ever since I knew gay people (in college). And I dance with gay men, and have had several gay men as roommates.

 

But there's still plenty of knee-jerk mythos inside of me about "gay" and "straight". These days, I don't like to think of myself as "straight", because it has so much baggage connected to it. It should just mean "I'm sexually attracted to women, rather than men", but it has also taken on all kinds of worthless connotation like: "don't appear gay", "don't talk this way", "don't hold your hands this way", "don't, don't don't".

 

I am realizing how much of an imposition on my freedom the concept of "straight" is, and so I also see the value in challenging those internal myths, putting myself in the supreme "uncomfortable position" of being blatantly obviously undeniably gay in a very public setting, and still have fun with it.

 

That's why I needed to go walking on Rodeo Drive, because it was the single worst place in L.A. to be that hot pink prostitute. Perfect!

Edited January 11, 2011 by Otis

[Otis]

And yes, I think this is appropriate for a "young mind" thread.

 

Back to the innocence of a day in which boy friends could hold hands without paranoia and we would kiss our fathers on the mouth. Back before we learned that "faggot" was the worst insult you could receive on the school yard. Back before the difference between genders was really that important. Before we felt we had to prove ourselves.

[strawdog65]

This isn't so much a young mind story as a young mind habit.

 

Try laying face down on the grass, which has its own grounding benefits. Then, once you get bored with that, start looking closely at the grass close to you and see all the different little people in there. You can make out a whole society sometimes. Plenty of grass manitou....

 

 

Hi Manitou!

 

I see you see little people of the lilliputian variety!

Watch out that they don't try to capture you!

 

They could be miniscule zombies only interested in some

scrumptiously fresh brains!

 

I still look at clouds everyday and wonder at all those

animals in the sky.

 

Peace!