Equilibrium

Mountains can be climbed with as little effort as possible and without desire. The reality of your own nature should determine the speed. If you become restless, speed up. If you become winded, slow down. You climb the mountain in an equilibrium between restlessness and exhaustion. Then when you’re no longer thinking ahead, each footstep isn’t just a means to an end but a unique event in itself.
– Robert M. Pirsig 

(On an aside, before I get to the quote, the Wise Connector on Twitter today, asked his readers to describe their favorite people to hang out with in three words. He has 531 responses so far, but these same words are seen most often in the answers: funny, loyal, positive, real, authentic, kind, honest, curious, smart, creative and adventurous. Would you answer the same way? I thought to myself, the person who I hang out the most with in my life, is myself. Do I make myself a good person to hang around with? Food for thought . . . . )

Robert Pirsig wrote Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. I read this quote yesterday and this line really stood out to me: “If you become restless, speed up. If you become winded, slow down. You climb the mountain in an equilibrium between restlessness and exhaustion.” This quote obviously doesn’t just apply to hiking up a mountain. It applies to our lives. How many times do we decide to “push through” something, often ending in less than satisfactory or even disastrous results? Or at other times, do we waste our restlessness on bad habits or impulsive decisions, instead of using that time to focus that energy on pushing through on to our goals? When we say that we want balance in our lives, we are talking about that “equilibrium between restlessness and exhaustion”. This is a good thing to ponder. When in your life do you feel most exhausted? Are there people, experiences, places, situations etc. that continually exhaust you? What can you do to limit this exhaustion? What do you do when you feel restless and bored? What do you do with that extra energy? Is what you do with your restless energy fruitful and propelling you forward, or is it just wasted, frenetic energy? Maybe creating lists of what to do when we are exhausted and what to do when we are bored, would be helpful reminders because tired minds aren’t balanced, and wired minds aren’t balanced. They don’t make the best of guides.

My daughter has been taking two online college accounting courses over the summer, and she is following a technique that she read about, where she studies for 25 minutes and then she gives herself a five minute break. She was amazed yesterday, how productive she was, completing her assignments using this system. She had found her equilibrium. She was even and productive. And she felt really good about it.

You are climbing your own mountain, of your own life. “The reality of your own nature should determine the speed.” If you become aware enough to make adjustments when you are feeling exhausted, or when you are feeling restless, your speed will be in perfect cadence with your intermittent goals. You will reach the apex of your life, one step at a time, enjoying each footstep as a “unique event in itself.” We see the same words all of the time, when describing a state of peace and serenity: Balance. Equilibrium. Awareness. (essentially staying in NOW) Just like climbing mountains are achieved by many hikers, all of the time, every day, all over the world, we can have the same success and enjoyment climbing the mountains of our own lives: Being fully aware, one step at a time . . . .

Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.