I hear persistent rumors that Alan Watts has died. In fact, some say it happened way back in the ’70s. I really should get into town more often. But when I do, I find that the more I learn, the less I want to know. Like that Watts is actually dead. Or worse yet, that…
Cerebral Earplugs
“Why do you meditate?” I asked a participant in one of my primitive skills workshops. “Because I don’t feel at peace,” she replied. “My mind is full of chatter.” “Why is that?” “Because of my busy, noisy life. I live in the city, I work all day, and there are always sirens, neon signs, phones…
Words of Love
Poets and writers will devote endless pages—even entire lifetimes—to capturing love with words. Or defining fear, greed, or the passion to follow one’s dreams. Someone who lives from the heart and knows love needs no words to describe it to someone else who lives from the heart. His or her communication is direct, from one…
The Last Wild Indian
Recently my mate Lety’s Ojibwe language teacher Makoons, along with her husband Errol, stopped by to visit. “Thirty years ago,” I told Errol, “I wanted to make a wiigwaasi jiiman [an old-time birch-bark canoe]. Someone told me about an old Ojibwe man named George McGeshick, who lived only forty miles away, near Iron River, and…
In Fear Lies Fulfillment
What is the draw of so many to incorporate pain and dominance into their sex play? Why are boldness and force part of the mating rituals of many animals? And why do some rape victims respond sexually and even experience orgasm? In our culture, where things are typically black or white, right or wrong, how…
A Small Bite for Calorie-Conscious Seekers
Wisdom from the sages can get pretty rich—chew on this for a lighter snack. A wise man is given a luxurious carriage in appreciation for sharing his wisdom. “Isn’t it great?” his family and friends say when they come over to celebrate. “You are so lucky!” The man only smiles and says, “Maybe.” For a…
Culture of Illusion
Last night I met with an old friend I hadn’t seen in over a decade. Over that time he has been one of the Teaching Drum Outdoor School’s primary benefactors, in addition to bringing me a wealth of inspiration. In the middle of our conversation, he paused and gave me one of his classic penetrating…
A Tool With Many Handles
Review: The Rhyming Tao Te Ching, by Cedargrove Mastermind Group, CreateSpace, 2011 Other than the Bible, there is probably no classic text more besieged with controversy than the Tao Te Ching. Was it written by one person, was it compiled, or was it transcribed from the oral tradition? Is it 2,300 or 3,300 years old?…
Honor Each Person’s Truth
A Beggar sitting beside the road asked a passing Sage for alms. “Are you extravagant?” asked the Sage. “Yes,” replied the Beggar. “Do you like lounging around drinking coffee and smoking?” “Yes,” the Beggar stated again. “What about going to the hot springs every day?” “Oh, yes.” “Also having a good time drinking with your…
So You Did (or Did Not) Like Avatar?
Your verdict may have to do with what you think of the major figures in the colonization of America, such as Christopher Columbus, George Washington, and Benjamin Franklin. Much of what we know about them and the colonization process is, well, not much about them or the process. George Monbiot’s “The Holocaust We Will Not…