We’re all yin and yang. Balance is key. Please see the humor (or lessons?) in this post.
The word “spirituality” seems to be tossed around pretty recklessly. “Are you spiritual?” comes up nearly as often as “what’s up?” does in casual conversation. I always want to follow up with “what the fuck is spirituality?”
Truthfully, it’s a leading question. “Spirituality” is such a nebulous concept, everyone holding a different definition. More significantly, there is no one who is 100% rational and analytical all the time and no one who is 100% spiritual. We walk away from that exchange having learned nothing about the other person.
If you’ve been spending time with us for any length of time, you know that my mind is driven by analytics. I like proof; I want science and data to back up my rationale. But a tiny little mountain town outside Colorado Springs has me on the opposite side of my own spectrum. Sometimes your surrounding environs forces you to take pause and connect with the mountains or a river. I fully acknowledge that I may have been forcing myself into that state. Whether it was the draw of nature or a momentary self-fulfilling prophecy, it felt good to get lost.
I set out for a walk considering the power in the crazy rock formations littering the Colorado landscape. I was momentarily distracted and inspired by a street performer, a young girl playing the violin. As I continued my rambling ways, I ran across a river blocked by a “no trespassing” sign. I despise these and completely ignore them whenever possible. I’m sure that comes from my father, who always hopped the chain link fences to pick fruit on our walks when I was a kid. The gift and the curse of having a rule-ignoring mentor.
The mountains and rivers are definitively inanimate objects. Science is clear on this point. However, in the moment, they feel full of life. A short period outside of the daily rush feels affirming, creating its own form of spiritual recovery. That recovery is directly related to health and well-being. Without mental rest, there is no strong mind.
There’s no data that can measure this, no scientific study that can prove I was more connected to the flowing water. There doesn’t have to be. I will continue on, mining for evidence, and I’ll enjoy the irrational interludes as they come.
Finally, I’ll laugh at myself and realize the utter delusion that just occurred. I have no proof that I was even here in Manitou Springs…wait, the pictures.
Warped mind,
Kap