About two weeks ago I learned a neat story from some Native American teachings. It was from the work of Don Coyhis and The White Bison Society. Don uses the Medicine Wheel teachings along with the twelve steps of Alcoholic's Anonymous, but taught in a culturally relevant manner. Don and the White Bison Society teaches Wellbriety. Some very deep teachings.
Don teaches that we have two viewpoints from which to lead our lives. One is the mouses'. The other, the eagles'.
The Mouse is low to the ground and can only see so far into the distance. Even short grass can seem like a formidable jungle to a mouse. A mouse's life is reactive and comes from a sense of fear, insecurity and worry. A mouse is always running in fear of being caught.
An Eagle soars above the earth. The Eagle can see vast distances and has a very large perspective on what is happening. An Eagle's life is one of vision, faith and freedom. An Eagle is one with the sky...flying in joy.
We as humans have the ability to see the world from both viewpoints. Some of us live as mice. Some of us live as Eagles. It is important to understand that we can actually choose which viewpoint from which to live. Which do you prefer?
Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen
You know the laser beam scanning device? A red laser that forms a horizontal line - they use a similar thing in shops to scan barcodes and more elaborate ones to scan objects and buildings to form 3D computer images.
ReplyDeleteThe laser is effectively operating in the 2nd dimension. To it, the 3D room or object can only be seen bit by bit and must be pieced together later.
To the laser the 3rd dimension is like time, impossible to see as one and a bump or curve imminent or far away can not be known. We with out 3D vision can see that whole room or object in one.
So the mouse is operating closer to the 2D. The Eagle is master of the 3D. Who though does not fear the next bump in time, or consider the next thing coming?
It must be a master of time (perhaps someone you speak of in your next post Enter The Gates) who is able to master that vision.
Of course this is not as telling as the simple and natural version, The Eagle and the Mouse, but it may help someone who reads to see it in their own way.
Thanks.
Ta-Wan: Thank you for the new way of seeing the eagle and the mouse. I love it!
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