I'm in the office, 'the clubhouse', working through my to-do list and one of my actions is 'to write more and put it on the website'
I've got the sound of waves playing on spotify in the background, the blinds are drawn, its the middle of the day and I've just got the two lamps on, a coffee and it's just me and the keyboard at my desk.
Writing this is a practice. Being aware of everything, what I can hear, smell, see, feel. I feel zoned in typing this. Hyper aware.
Sometimes I sit at this deck with my to-do list and I can't get going. I just stare at it knowing 'I need to get started' but it feels heavy. Even starting to type this I'm like where is this going, what do I even need to say, what do I write about, and it's those thoughts that then feel heavy and draining and put me off.
Paragraph 4 and I'm smiling, the words are starting to flow more easily, my heads feeling lighter, I'm not thinking as much, it's becoming more of a flow.
Just start.
That photo of Jack Scott on the ridge looking down over the edge with MARA there with him, feels important, it feels like everything.
In black and white it looks classic, old, but it's the future. It's now.
Jack looks like an astronaut on another planet. Up there on his own, feeling things, learning, experiencing so many things that most of us don't know is possible to experience.
It's not another planet. It's this planet. We're on it too. Those feelings, experiences and learnings are just here. Just up the road. It's right in front of me. It's whether I choose to get up there. Choose to start walking or running. That's the first step.
And getting to where Jack is there on that mountain, not only physically but emotionally, mentally, spiritually takes practice. He's at the top on his own at the moment for a reason. Right now it's difficult to find the entry point to these experiences.
There's plenty of companies that sell trainers, the equipment, the functional stuff you need to make your way up the mountain.
And there's a lot of content now to help you find your way and learn what to take, how to train physically for a hike, a climb, or a long run.
But to take a pilgrimage. To go to the places that Jack does, within.
That's the difference.
That's Jack's edge. He goes to places emotionally and spiritually that many don't, to go to places physically that many haven't.
It's more than physicality. It's mental and emotional endurance, spiritual strength. That's all within.
I'm going into my head again, thinking about this too much. Bring myself back. Back to the photo.
When I really look at it ... what do I see ... what do I feel ...
Freedom.
Peace.
I can feel it through him.
And not only will he feel that there on the ridge he'll bring that feeling of stillness back down off the mountain with him, back into daily life.
When life then happens and comes at you, if you're at peace, if you feel still, you're able to deal with so much more and you can move through things far more easily.
No matter how much discomfort and difficulty comes into your life, you'll suffer less.
My experience is that from there it's a practice of remaining in that state. If I don't practice, that stillness slowly fades and fills with noise from 'outside' of me. From there it becomes more difficult to deal with things, to cope, to express myself.
And so a daily and weekly practice becomes essential, or a regular pilgrimage like the one Jack is on in the photo where you go further, is what I need to stay in touch with peace. With MARA.
The future of MARA is that more people feel this, experience it, understand it.
More astronauts. More discover this planet. And we share it.
There's more to come. There's so much to share I worry that I can't get it all down in one post.
I just need to remind myself to focus on the practice, just to keep writing and to focus on that.
If I keep up this practice, just sitting here in the dark with my keyboard, I know the teachings, the philosophy, the stories, will flow.
However it comes through, the practice is just in being with it ...
and from there it will flow.
