words and art by w a l t e r w s m i t h

Posts tagged “Mountains

The Narrow Way: Choosing a Path

When we find a path that leads back to ourselves, we discover things anew

In 2002 I moved from Philadelphia to South Carolina. It was a time for a deliberate and conscious change. The beautiful natural landscapes of the Carolinas, Tennessee and Georgia all provided a sharp contrast to the harsh urban decay of what was becoming, in some parts, the City of Philadelphia. It was a very positive move for me, and I immediately embarked on a journey to rediscover some important sustaining elements of my life i.e. Mind, Body, Creativity and Spirit. I call them my Four Jewels.  The very first thing I did when I arrived was go up into the mountains. I hiked, explored and found beauty, space and peace. Hiking as an adventure has a wonderful aspect to it, that is physical, emotional and exploratory.  Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina is home of the Mile High Swinging Bridge and various trails. It is one of the highest peaks east of the Mississippi. While walking along the bridge, above the beautiful gorge below, one can begin the journey of self discovery. And in doing so, find a subtle, yet profound emergence of the meaning of man and nature as one.


The Narrow Way / The Bridge to Knowing

The Narrow Way / The Bridge to knowing begins with your daily meditation practice

We often try to understand who we are through the process of knowing. In doing so, we come face to face with a peculiar dialectic.  That peculiarity is how to bridge the awareness of being the knower and the known. To do this, one must understand that everything in awareness is known because of you. Our perception of the things around us is derived from an ever changing inherent existence. Things can never exist upon their own power, nor can the awareness of things be from the thinking mind alone. We exist in that place in between the two — You are Knowing. It is the state of Knowing that frees us from the misconceptions, the untruths of the object / known relationship and the subject / knower relationship. We begin the journey with our daily practice in meditation, and move forward when we let go of ourselves and the world around us and just Be That which Is.


First thoughts to my friend Leslee

The View
The View

The View from our mind

Hi Leslee,
What a powerful vehicle blogging will be for you. You are insightful and thoughtful in your perspectives on mindfulness. I will enjoy gaining wisdom from you and sharing my thoughts with you as well. While reading your first blog, I sat quietly for a moment and pondered on the pursuit of being one with our lives in all its fullness. It can be challenging to let go of our fears and attachments, however the journey and the enlightenment found therein is the most important thing.

Thanks again, and I hope our communication about ideas, art and life grow.

Your friend in Spirit and Love

Namaste
Walter


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