The First Rule

The first rule of hiking and camping I was taught as a child was, "whatever you bring in, you take out". I have returned to many of the places I visited in my youth and have seen first hand how much damage can be done if this simple rule is ignored. We live amidst a consumer-based society with delusions of sophistication, that is only just beginning to evolve out of the "throw-away" mentality. An appreciation and respect for nature and life is growing, but we still have far to go.


Record

" ... for it is the doom of men, that they forget" - Merlin, from the movie Excalibur.

Whatever your experience(s) while you gazed, meditated and soaked up the aura of the place, take another photo or two before you leave. Not just "happy snaps", try to capture a little of the essence of the place.

Later, when you recall your experience from your journal entries (Rama recommended keeping a journal) and you look at the photos you've taken, look to see whether there is a difference between the first photos and the later ones. If the later ones are more striking, it is because your "seeing" saw differently (of course, if they are not, you might have to consider improving your knowledge of photography and/or getting a better camera ;-)

PS: At VayuLila we'd love to hear about your adventures. If you wrote a short article or story (with a pic or 2), we could start a section on Experiences at Places of Power.


Summary

You are energy! You live in a world of energy, which you appreciate via the energy called perception and store via the energy called memory. The experience, the recollection, the journal, the photos ... all just energy ... reflected in the endless strands of eternity. It is only mind that sets us apart, that distinguishes us as separate from experience. Through meditation, the practice of mindfulness, and the appropriate management of our personal energy resources ... we have the opportunity to reconnect with eternity. Enjoy!




NEXT   The Etiquette of Power Places