Surfing rules!
Welcome to my rant! I hope you enjoy your stay.
I was listening to an author being interviewed on the radio this morning. He is a keen surfer and from what I could gather, from parts of the interview I caught, was that he travelled around the world interviewing surfers and really searching for that core reason why it is such a popular pastime. What is it about surfing that makes it so addictive?
The happiest man on earth is a Buddhist monk. They measured his brain activity during meditation and compared it to other so called 'happy' people. Well, the monks results were off the page, no one could touch him! A lot of the surfers that this man interviewed were very deep, spiritual people and this was their religion, this was their place of happiness, their 'alcohol and drug addiction' if you like.
A surfer from Hawaii spends his time travelling the world teaching his principle of surfing to big shot corporate types. The way that the corporate world is moving these days means it has become so demanding and so many of the teaching analogies have now become meaningless in motivating the up and coming. I may be wrong in naming Kerry Packer here, he was mentioned but i can`t recall if it was here exactly - anyway, this really rich man saw a photo of this surfer on an incredibly huge wave and knew this was the man that he wanted talking to his employees. For a man to go out there and face a wave like that, risking his life for that one surf he knew must have a mind of steel, a determination and focus that he wanted his employees to have. The surfer isn`t rich, in fact he continues to live a very modest life because he lives in the moment, he spends his money when he has it on whatever.
And that`s what this book is apparently about - living in the moment (and surfing!). He talked about how we are all so future driven, always looking forward, always worrying about the future, that we forget to live in the present... and to REALLY live.
And that is a huge principle that surfers live by.
So often you hear about people being stereotyped. Surfers are bums. All people who live in trailers are trailer trash. People with less 'respectable' jobs must be lazy and stupid.
I wonder...
I have a friend who went into rehab for her drinking problem. She is the kindest, loveliest person with a heart of gold who would bend over backward to help anyone. She once told me of people in rehab - of how they are stereotyped = useless drunks right? Lazy people with no ability to resist temptation. Well, how wrong that stereotype turned out to be. The stats of highly intelligent people in rehab is shocking - people who just feel like utter failures to society because there is nowhere for them to just be.
The mistakes that we make in life, the wrong turns that we take, the places that we find ourselves - how different would life be if we could forget about all the money in the world? Forget about driving a fancy car and living in a fancy house. I wonder why people cannot see that some goals are not material - some people do not strive for that kind of life. Is it so wrong to live a life of utter happiness, of helping others and following YOUR dreams? Or is that just a path of laziness, of taking the easy way out and a sure fire way to notch up a whole heap of regrets in later life? I wonder how many people in the world are simply overlooked, how many intelligent, creative and caring people jump off buildings everyday, how many truly misunderstood people there are out there living the life that has been created for them by 'society'. Who is society anyway?
I want to run away and be a surfer
I was listening to an author being interviewed on the radio this morning. He is a keen surfer and from what I could gather, from parts of the interview I caught, was that he travelled around the world interviewing surfers and really searching for that core reason why it is such a popular pastime. What is it about surfing that makes it so addictive?
The happiest man on earth is a Buddhist monk. They measured his brain activity during meditation and compared it to other so called 'happy' people. Well, the monks results were off the page, no one could touch him! A lot of the surfers that this man interviewed were very deep, spiritual people and this was their religion, this was their place of happiness, their 'alcohol and drug addiction' if you like.
A surfer from Hawaii spends his time travelling the world teaching his principle of surfing to big shot corporate types. The way that the corporate world is moving these days means it has become so demanding and so many of the teaching analogies have now become meaningless in motivating the up and coming. I may be wrong in naming Kerry Packer here, he was mentioned but i can`t recall if it was here exactly - anyway, this really rich man saw a photo of this surfer on an incredibly huge wave and knew this was the man that he wanted talking to his employees. For a man to go out there and face a wave like that, risking his life for that one surf he knew must have a mind of steel, a determination and focus that he wanted his employees to have. The surfer isn`t rich, in fact he continues to live a very modest life because he lives in the moment, he spends his money when he has it on whatever.
And that`s what this book is apparently about - living in the moment (and surfing!). He talked about how we are all so future driven, always looking forward, always worrying about the future, that we forget to live in the present... and to REALLY live.
And that is a huge principle that surfers live by.
So often you hear about people being stereotyped. Surfers are bums. All people who live in trailers are trailer trash. People with less 'respectable' jobs must be lazy and stupid.
I wonder...
I have a friend who went into rehab for her drinking problem. She is the kindest, loveliest person with a heart of gold who would bend over backward to help anyone. She once told me of people in rehab - of how they are stereotyped = useless drunks right? Lazy people with no ability to resist temptation. Well, how wrong that stereotype turned out to be. The stats of highly intelligent people in rehab is shocking - people who just feel like utter failures to society because there is nowhere for them to just be.
The mistakes that we make in life, the wrong turns that we take, the places that we find ourselves - how different would life be if we could forget about all the money in the world? Forget about driving a fancy car and living in a fancy house. I wonder why people cannot see that some goals are not material - some people do not strive for that kind of life. Is it so wrong to live a life of utter happiness, of helping others and following YOUR dreams? Or is that just a path of laziness, of taking the easy way out and a sure fire way to notch up a whole heap of regrets in later life? I wonder how many people in the world are simply overlooked, how many intelligent, creative and caring people jump off buildings everyday, how many truly misunderstood people there are out there living the life that has been created for them by 'society'. Who is society anyway?
I want to run away and be a surfer
Postmodern Critic
Daily Inspirations
Relativity Watch
Padsoc
How's your writing going, Ash? I haven't been able to get on MSN for about a week or so...
Photography Tips
MS Paint Art
katyzzz
Kalikapsychosis
Id love to surf - love that moment of standing on the board and communion with all things as I glide down the wave. However, the ocean and I tend to fight when Im in her depths, so Id probably just get dumped. We talk fine in the shallows....
It is mountains that give me her peace. The whispering of waves is comforting but it is nothing like the ecstasy of wind tickling trees over the mountains curves....I visit the sister sea, and enjoy her, but always return home for the mountains.
Loving the way your thinking right now ash
Mum's Word
Today is the wrong day to be asking me "what the hell does it all mean?"
I wonder how many people in the world are simply overlooked, how many intelligent, creative and caring people jump off buildings everyday, how many truly misunderstood people there are out there living the life that has been created for them by 'society'.
I've been doing a lot of soul searching lately and discovering why I am the way I am; the people and circumstances that moulded me and I often think if that didn't happen, I would be a different person...a better or more successful person maybe? I don't know.
Like I said, today is the wrong day to delve into this with me. I could be hear for hours.
Love & stuff
Mrs M
Love Speaks
Food Slate
Coincidentally, I've been having an ongoing *debate* with several of my friends on this. I think we sometimes (most of the time?) get so caught up with what's expected of us -- be it within the family, society, etc. that we forget the moment/now is more important.
I too think many people are misunderstood...and usually by the people called 'society'...
Gonna be mulling more on this...
Australian Traveller
Flashes of memories
I have to try and find this book - it was such an interesting interview I can only imagine what the book is like.
Writing has kinda come to standstill for me at the moment. Life has been pretty hectic and I haven`t really felt inspired recently. c`est la vie
Ash
Australian Traveller
Flashes of memories
how true! hahaha in more ways than one!
Ash
Australian Traveller
Flashes of memories
what a beautiful response! Having come from a landlocked country I never really saw much of the ocean until I moved to England and lived near her pebbly shores. Oh then the power of water really began to soak into me.
I admit I love the mountains - their majesty and rough beauty is unrivalled... but the sea has something.....
I tried surfing - once! Ended up with a bruised chin, gashed foot and bleeding knee! It was certainly an entertaining afternoon - I`m more of a snorkeller
Ash
Australian Traveller
Flashes of memories
hhhhmmm I dunno from how you come across on Orble I reckon you are pretty much UP there with the best?
It seems weird that people are content to plod on and get on with life whilst we spend our days constantly searching... I mean what are we are searching for? And why is it so bloody draining?
I hope you have found some of your answers whilst you were soul searching Mrs M!
Hugs
Ash
Australian Traveller
Flashes of memories
something must be in the air - we are all on similar paths
expectations are plain and simply EXPECTING TOO MUCH!!!!! You have all those expectations of society and then the extra ones of family and after a while you begin to lose focus of the expectations that you have of yourself. Are they the most important ones? Or do we need to find a balance between them all? ssssiiiggghhhh I wonder if it gets easier as you get older? For me it just seems to have got more confusing!
Happy mulling!
Ash
Mum's Word
Love & stuff
Mrs M
Celebrity Obsession
When did we decide that success was measured by your bank account, the size of your house and the number of kids you managed to produce??? I know people who earn well in excess of $200K a year, and it's never enough for them.
I had friends who were nagging at me to buy a house for the last couple of years. But I wasn't ready. While they sat in their houses, I was travelling the world. But for some reason, because I didn't tie myself to a 25 yr mortgage they were more successful than me??? I don't think so.
But then, I hear just yesterday I was introduced to this guy who works at my company. After meeting him, I was told all about him. A couple of years ago he decided that he had enough money and all the 'things' he really needed. But he enjoyed working. So for the last couple of years he's worked full time but the equivalent of 3 days per week salary he donates to charity and just lives on the amount he would make working 2 days. I think that's a beautiful thing. If ever anyone had doubts about the 'good' in people (and it's a little too easy to say that the world is full of people who don't care...blah blah), I'd refer them to this man.
Crikey, I've babbled on a bit!!
Hope you're well Ash
Kylie
Australian Traveller
Flashes of memories
I don`t think you ever stop - the day you do... may as well jump off a bridge I reckon!
Would love for you to share some answers though
Ash
Australian Traveller
Flashes of memories
wow! those are some amazing stats right there! I think i need to take up surfing then?!?!?
that`s exactly it! success is measured in so many ways i just wish that people would let everyone live according to how they measure their own success. However, it seems to be the norm - that everyone must be successful by what they own. Don`t get me wrong I don`t have a problem with people who own their own house, drive fancy cars - whatever. They worked for their money and they should be allowed to do what they want with it. I do draw the line where that becomes the measure of success though. Plus, at the same time, people who do not want those 'things' for themselves should be allowed to carry on as they like without judgement.
Like you say you have decided to travel over the past few years instead of buy a house. I know if I had stayed put i could have bought a house by now too - would it have made me happy? No.
beautiful indeed! wow!!! I wish there were more people like that in the world. Good on him.
I agree that too often we focus on the BAD in the world and not on the GOOD. I know everyday I get bombarded with... 'you are wasting your life.... you should have a house and man and kids by now.... you will end up a lonely old woman one day if you don`t watch yourself.... ' oh my word it gets tiring after a while.... makes you start to HATE money and material things!
I enjoyed your 'babble' Kylie. Love it when people 'babble' !
Have a superb weekend. Hope your Team wins and your internet gets sorted out too
Ash
Killer Beats
Ramble On
Hipnotherapy
I believe that happy people are far more focused on the little victories and miracles than the problems. Instead of getting caught up in fear and worry, they see the good possibilities in each situation. They have confidence in their ability to cope, and they live with a sense of purpose. There is a great article in Time about this Time article
Hang ten sister and bring on th happiness!
Mis
Australian Traveller
Flashes of memories
Thanks for the link that`s a really interesting article....
whew! that`s quite a large undertaking hey?!?!?! I wonder where this will go re: meds wise. The more you think about it the more this is a fascinating branch of psychology actually.
I wonder if, in our technologically advanced world of computer games and fancy gadgets, we have actually forgotten how to properly entertain ourselves? I spent a day out in the garden today, planting and digging and getting dirty just like I used to when I was a kid and I feel more energised now than I have in years!
Thanks for the link Mis... it has got me wandering! You live up to your name that`s for sure
Ash
Killer Beats
Ramble On
Hipnotherapy
I am glad that you enjoyed the article. You know me always random thinking and lots of wandering......
Mis
Australian Traveller
Flashes of memories
A perfect combination!
Ash