If I were younger, I might follow that five-word sentence with “#truth”. My life experience and my experience as a physician tells me that the best prescription is to move. Movement in a physical sense, of course. A way to clear the mind, an invitation to breathe deep, a chance to let life slow.
Movement Heals in Other Ways
When we move things emotionally, we heal in other ways. We push past those things holding us back, letting go of things that no longer serve our Highest Self. This is not always easy, often requiring us to face things we have tried to suppress and ignore.
Movement is not always easy. But movement always heals.
Energetic and Spiritual Movement
We can also create movement energetically and spiritually. These are the moments where we face our deepest thoughts and identity, connecting to the sacredness of life. Prayer, meditation, and service are some of the many modes of transportation in this realm of movement.
Writing to Heal
When I think of Writing to Heal, I think of movement. The book is inspired by movement of physical, emotional and spiritual varieties. Many of the pieces written in my heart during runs. The process of writing itself was movement for me toward healing all of the wounds inflicted by COVID. I always reminded myself of this – the writing would be strengthened if I didn’t worry about writing for others and instead wrote as movement for myself. I trusted that this would translate to helping others move.
I am excited to share this pandemic journey to healing with my brothers and sisters. I expect that Writing To Heal will be an antidote for stagnation in all of our lives.
As the younger ones would say, #movement heals #writing_to_heal_book Find more information about my book Writing to Heal here…
Anthony Fleg, MD / MPH
Anthony Fleg is a family medicine physician, a healer whose work is grounded in love, culture and community. He is originally from Baltimore, MD and has three younger brothers…Anthony lives in Albuquerque, NM with his wife Shannon, a Dine’ (Navajo) woman who guides him in life’s adventures. They co-direct the Native Health Initiative and have four children (Nizhoni, Bah’Hozhooni, Shandiin and Sihasin) that are the center of their lives
Growing up in the Catholic Church, the word “forgiveness” always fascinated me. Every so often, we would be coerced to attend the Sacrament of Confession, where we would start the visit by admitting to the Priest, “Forgive me Father, for I have sinned. My last confession was decades ago, and since then I have committed so many “sins.” It baffled my mind that as a teenager I was committing a sin for doing things that teenagers naturally do like desiring to be with girls my age or sneaking a beer after a Saturday night basketball game with my friends. I often wondered why I needed to beg for forgiveness from someone else, when I felt that it was me at the end of the day who needed to forgive myself when I wasn’t at my best.
As I have come into my own as an adult, I have come to peace with the fact that I am not perfect and never will be. Like many others, I have done things to hurt the people closest to me and for that am very remorseful. This is not to knock on the Catholic Church as I am grateful to have met some very inspirational human beings who live to serve others. But one thing that has come apparent to me over the years is that you really don’t need anyone outside of yourself to learn how to forgive or to have the power to be forgiven.
Hurt
I am so grateful for my family and friends, but just as I have hurt others, some of the people closest to me have hurt me the most deeply. People who I have loved deeply have taken advantage of me, wished bad for me behind my back, and betrayed me at the times when I needed them most. Others have seemingly lost their way due to the weight of the world, that especially in these times, sometimes seems unbearable and overwhelming. Even further, I believe that there exist people and forces in life who desire to cause havoc, pain, and death to oppress or suppress those who are dissimilar from them.
My journey towards forgiveness probably started a few years ago, when I passed through some of the most painful times of my adult life and had to learn the hard way to trust my instinct and intuition more than ever before. During that period, I also began to realize that I needed to begin the process by forgiving myself for my own shortcomings and mistakes that I have made as a human being. I deeply regret some of the mistakes I made from as far back as 7 years old, and often find myself feeling guilty for not always doing the right thing.
Reflection
However, as I have spent more time alone during the pandemic and reflected more upon who I am as a person, I have started to feel significantly less guilty. I now realize that none of us is perfect, and that the things we do that hurt others are often just part of a larger cycle that can be difficult to escape. While I am not 100% at peace with everything that I have done to others or they have done to me, I have begun the journey towards forgiveness. Most of us will never forget why someone did something to hurt us, but the best we can to is to try to understand. And through that understanding, we can begin to have dialogue with ourselves and others as to what we can do better the next time. As the Buddha said, “Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who get burned.”
As we enter the New Year, I encourage each of us to try our best to forgive ourselves and others for the harm they have done to us. It is without a doubt one of the most difficult challenges for us to overcome as a species, yet one of the most important. If we can’t forgive ourselves first, then getting to others will be much more difficult, so at least we know where to start.
Chris is also a singer-songwriter as the Lead Vocalists for the band Reviva and has embarked on a solo career as Irie Kristoff as well. Find out more about Chris and to read previous articles of In the Footsteps of Peace, click here.
When I think about writing about my own journey to inner peace, the first thing that comes to mind is how imperfect it is. Although I have dedicated years to meditation and spiritual education, I still find myself committing errors that many beginners make. It’s interesting how just one lapse of judgment can erase months or years of diligent effort. I also find it difficult to be concise with my friends and family about the journey in a way that is helpful yet not overwhelming or judgmental. With that said, I have found other people’s journeys along the way to be some of the most helpful teachers for me, and hope that in sharing parts of my own someone can take one or two things away from my successes and mistakes. With that said, I have been thinking a lot in 2021 about two of the most difficult barriers to overcome on the journey to a more peaceful, calm mind: Aversion and Attachment. Find out more about Chris and his previous articles here…
If you pick up any basic Buddhist text, it is very likely that you will encounter at least one chapter on these themes. Like many Buddhist concepts, they are opposites. They are also known as two of the main sources of human suffering. As we go through life on a daily, monthly, or yearly basis, we are bombarded by people and experiences to which we feel averse or attached. In other words, we want the positive people or pleasure in our lives to continue, and the painful or hurtful experiences or people to stop. In my own life, I have many attachments to people and experiences, and am averse to others. For example, I am attached to my family, my bandmates, my exercise routine, and my love of sharp cheddar cheese. I am generally averse to metal music, large crowds (especially right now), and tomatoes in any form. I enjoy every sip of a dry light white wine like Pinot Grigio, yet scowl upon seeing someone enjoy a bottle of sweet Chardonnay or Moscato. These are all sensory experiences that make us attached and averse. In the age of social media, we see someone’s profile and say “They’re hot!” or “Definitely not my type” often without getting to know anything about them.
The reasons that attachment and aversion are barriers to finding inner peace are simple. They prevent us from seeing things as they truly are. We over value things we are attached to, and often dismiss things or people to which we are averse. We say things like, “But she’s a Republican…I would never date her”, or “I have to have sugar in my coffee”. These habits we form mentally provide us with an itemized list of the people, places, and things in our lives that are either good or bad, woke or ignorant, hot or not, fun or boring. The funny thing about all of this is that these people and things in our life are not innately beautiful or ugly, they just are. It is our own minds and experiences who place judgment and value on things outside of ourselves. By judging things and people this way, we cannot see clearly the world as it is. A dog is not a good dog or a bad dog or an ugly or cute dog, they are just a dog. A human is not literally a Democrat or a Republican, they are a human.
So without getting too much into the woods, I challenge you to take note of the things or people that you are attached or averse to in your life. Explore why you like or dislike them, and where that attachment or aversion comes from. Why does this person or food make you feel warm and happy, while another fills you with disgust? The less attached and averse we are to everything in the outside world, the more clearly we are able to see things as they are, and this allows us to be more free no matter where we are or whom we are with.
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As I drove out along “Music Highway” to Music City the home of Country, Bluegrass and Honky Tonk, a 3 hour drive from Memphis to Nashville. I couldn’t help but think how this road was traveled during the pre-Civil War, Slavery days when this land was infested with bigotry and racism. As I looked at the miles on my odometer I thought, “have we really come far, or are the bigots still among us? I arrived into Downtown Nashville at dusk as with thoughts of the human toll on slavery whirling through my head. Find previous Goyo on the Go articles click here!
Mornings in Nashville
An early Morning rise with a walk across city bridge over Cumberland River took me into the old fabled streets of downtown Nashville’s along with its brick and mortar facade you can see the new transition of metal glass and steal high-rises. The music culture was still alive here with over 120 live music venues, many are on Broadway street the heart of old Downtown Nashville near the riverside. The famous & long lived A.M. WSM radio is still broadcasting to over 30 states. Since its inception in 1926 and today, the original Grand Ole Opry has been renovated and is hosting concerts 15 minutes east of Nashville.
Back in downtown, the historical Ryman Auditorium is must see. The Ryman Auditorium is the sister venue of Grand Ole Opry and from 1943 to 1974 both locations are catalyst for Gospel Country Bluegrass. From Hank Williams in 1949 to Johnny Cash debut at Grand Ole Opry of 1956 also marked first meeting between Johnny Cash and of multi talented June Carter of Mother Maybelle & The Carter Sisters act. This romantic story of the Cash couple in music industry has been enamored by many fans. It was another ten year’s or so when Johnny Cash was banned from the Ryman Auditorium when in 1965, out of drunken amphetamine fever, Cash kicked and smashed the lights out on front of the iconic stage.
In Downtown Nashville Along Broadway or know as lower Broadway just east leading to The Cumberland River is a strip known as “Honky Tonk Highway” Country Music Live Music Bars since 1930s. One of the earliest known Country musician legends, regarded as “The Father of Country Music” Jimmie Rodgers, began performing there whom attracted many more musicians to come through over the decades such as Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash and so many other’s. Typically “Honky Tonk Highway” Run’s 7 days a week no cover charge at many of the venues where music and drinking begins 10am to 3am and its common practice to encourage new up and comers to perform. Also points of interest is Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline Museums as well legendary RCA Studios which gives tours daily.
A Country Divided
As i veered off “The Music Highway” to begin my journey back home to catch my flight out of New Orlean’s, I wanted to stop in Atlanta Georgia to visit Dr. Martin Luther King Jr birthplace, Ebeneezer Baptist Church ( MLK Senior & Jr where Pastors 1927-68) and MLK Historic Park. Within walking distance of each other, is the Civil Rights Museum and Dr. King’s tomb all located in the Historic Civil Rights Neighborhood of Auburn District of Atlanta Georgia.
Between The American Civil War of 1860s to Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s this part of the adventure made more apparent the Southern Confederate Heritage of the area. I stopped at Lookout Mountain an historical forefront of the Civil War because of the Confederate industrial train system for the war effort against United States Union. The Fort located high up in mountainous scenic view of Chattanooga River and the historic Civil War battlefields.
On my Last 200 miles stretch back to New Orleans i drove through beautiful scenic Tuskegee National Forrest and then stopped for lunch in Capital City of Montgomery Alabama for a quick lunch near Rosa Parks Museum in the Capital City and took a quick photo of of the second White House. The White House most people associated with on Pennsylvania Ave Washington D.C. is the polar opposite within very two different ideologies. The White House of the Confederacy is located in the heart of Capitol City in Montgomery Alabama. The Italianate architect house was built in 1835 and Occupied by the President of the Confederate State 1861-65 until their defeat and surrender to The Union of United States of America.
My very last stop was to visit the Legendary Country Star Hank Williams boyhood house about hour Southeast of Montgomery in small rural town called Georgiana, Alabama. I felt empathy towards folks subject to segregation, humility and suffering of inhumane acts such as the Jim Crow laws through all the Sundown cities rural towns and counties that i navigated through reminded of the current present struggles we are sadly experiencing with the current Republican administration. I only hope that in 2021, we can truly be reunified and finally complete the Civil Rights reconstruction through to its truest form of love and understanding for one and each other.
As I began my drive toward New Orleans and my flight back to Los Angeles, the music of the legendary Blues Master LeadBelly’s Song “Jim Crows Blues” in which Segregation and discrimination are everywhere in every day, life began to reverberate in my head. We cannot go back to dark times like these, not so long ago, where people were judged by the color of their skin and not by the content of their character. Rest in Peace Dr. King, and all the ghosts of other martyr for justice that I encountered along the Blues Highway.
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Several North American highways are as iconic and pioneering such as Route 66. The highway extends from Chicago to L.A. and many have got their kicks on Route 66. However there is another iconic highway that you might not have traveled and it is called the Blues Highway.” This iconic road is known as Highway 61 and it includes such music-centered cities as Louisiana to Nashville. I started my travels in New Orleans or commonly known as “the Big Easy” in Louisiana. Original settlers were Native American tribes consisting of Natchez (sun set ) and Chickasaw. It was then colonized by the French in 1718. The French ceded to the Spanish 1763 after the defeat of the French to the British Colonists. Many years later, with the American Revolutions defeat over British and French rule, the Louisiana Purchase of 1803 was completed. Because of this purchase, the United States expanded much of its frontier as far west as Colorado and north of the Montanas, and east of Missouri.
Under French early rule, African Slaves and Indigenous slaves were common. The area included some free African slaves, but not until 1865 (the end of the American Civil War) was slavery abolished by the Emancipation Proclamation facilitated by the Union defeat over the Confederate South. The Southern Bible Belt is primarily Protestant but there is a small demographic mix of Catholicism which is what makes New Orlean’s a very unique city consisting of a fabric of syncretism within religions. The diaspora of African and Afro Carribean Ramon Catholic beliefs, known as Voodoo, typically was practitioned against the struggle and hardships of slavery. This was my second visit to New Orleans; the first visit paralleled with the 2005 devastating hurricane Katrina of 2005. The charm of the city culture of French, Spanish Creole architecture, stretched out over Parishes which includes rows of Oak trees was still mesmerizing to behold. The delicious hungry palette of Creole culinary delights of gumbo, jambalaya, crawfish /seafood and was augmented by the French Cuisine which includes the infamous beignets, a fried sugar coated like donut. New Orleans is very rich in cultural diversity from Spanish, Creole, Vietnamese and Cuban influences. I love to travel to find people’s culture through food, and architecture.
Musical Preferences
My personal preference of examining ethnology within southern culture is music. Music in this area, has a connection with the slave trade. During the early colonial rule of the British, French and Spanish, music was always a form of communication with slaves through songs and dance. With this ethnological approach in mind, my musical Blues Highway began with New Orleans which gave birth to Jazz Music. The musicians included many of the most prolific, highly prestigious and influential group such as; Trumpeter Luis “Satchmo” Armstrong, Professor Longhair, Fats Domino, Wynton Marsalis, Neville Brothers, Jerry Lee Lewis, Slim Harpo, Dr John to name few notables. As well as Jazz music, you will also find music genres such as Zydeco, Cajun which all laid ground for the 20th Century Blues Highway which began on the infamous Highway 61 (revisited).
In the Beginning
Highway 61 begins or ends depending where you began, in Minnesota. More specifically Hibbing, the hometown of Bob Dylan, which inspired him to write the song “Highway 61 Revisited” off of his 6th album. If you’re not good with selling your soul to the devil as the great Delta Mississippi Blues Legend Robert Johnson, of the 1930’s, then i highly recommend listening to Freddie McDowell, a great Blues player of the 60’s Blues Revival. The Blues Music Highway 61 runs clean 1,400 miles north to south along the Mississippi Rivers and takes you all the way to New Orleans. Most famously Highway 61 stretches between Nashville Tennessee through Memphis which is known as “Music Highway.” It also leads through the Delta Mississippi “Blues Highway” to Jazz City of New Orleans which carried along all the earliest musicians from their rural hometowns to the buzzing music scene of the bigger cities. Imagine taking this highway in 1908 with upstart Ford Motor Company rolling out the first ever Model T automobile? By the 1920s there were over 8 million cars registered to the roads in conjecture by the end of WW1. The Federal Government initiated the Federal Highway Act which Highway 61 was one of its designations to pave highways from the long winded gravel roads. I was beyond thrilled to voyage out from New Orleans in my rental car navigating between the beautiful scenic country of the rural Deep South counties filled with small towns. Witnessing very lush green swamplands give way to the Mississippi cotton farmland reminded me of my early memories being transfixed by my Delta Blues cassette tapes. I listened to these tapes as a young teen, listening to the earliest Delta Blues musicians. I also read books and stories from British Rock and Roll stars written in American music magazines.
Driving through the Delta triggered in me thoughts of the last 5 year’s of super charged political racial tensions and history of the Southern culture heritage of hardships. I fixated on the struggles of the inhumane white colonial institutionalized chattel slavery system, in which Africans and African Americans by law were treated as property traded, bought or sold. I stopped in Jackson Mississippi for a quick southern lunch after a 3 hour drive officially now, “In the most Southern Place on Earth.” The Delta Mississippi was once fields of timber then sold to make way for the Cotton Belt of the 20th centuries of new economics of plantations. Cotton and sugar cane was the predominant source of agriculture only now spatial remembrance of old factories and farms dotted far in between as I just made it into Clarksdale before sunset. ” Clarksdale, known as the Gateway to the Blues ” is an historic town and home of many Blues legends such as the Legend Robert Johnson’s infamous tale of the Cross Road’s. In this tale, Johnson sold his soul to the devil and became one the earliest iconic Blues Guitarist of the 1930’s. The Delta Blues or variant versions of early Country Blues consist of harmonica, guitar and slide guitar were hallmarks along with Delta vocal style that is introspective soulful, passionate and fiery coinciding with the 1920s/ 30s era. You must discover such Delta Blues Musicians like Freddie Spruell (earliest recordings “Milk Cow Blues”), Muddy Waters (later became Chicago Chess Records Blues Man 1950’s), Son House, Robert Johnson, Big Joe Williams, Sonny Boy Williamson II (Harmonica), Elmore James (King of Slide Guitar), John Hurt (Country Blues Guitar Singer), John Lee Hooker and so many more. However to represent female Blues, singers please check out the “Empress of the Blues” Miss Bessie Smith, Ms. Smith was originally born in Chattanooga Tennessee and died tragically in a car accident on Highway 61 just outside of Clarksdale and Memphis in 1937.
At Crossroads
After visiting the CrossRoads of Clarksdale just an hour away from the BirthPlace of Rock and Roll, Memphis Tennessee, I arrived early evening to rest up for a morning day visit to Elvis Presley’s “Graceland.” Graceland is a must visit for any music enthusiast. Behold the gaudy but fun lavish interior decorated inside the colonial mansion and his private jet aptly named Marie Presley, a jet which he flew throughout the late 60’s until his death 1977. Graceland is an example of Rock and Roll extravagance 101. My personal favorite for my dollar and soul is the living shrine known at Sun Studios the BirthPlace of Rock and Roll, where Elvis Presley cut his first 6 top #1 singles before going to RCA records in Nashville. There are lots of luminaries associated with Sun Studios including Johnny Cash who would pace the outside back parking lot eager to cut a record. Also, Jerry Lee Lewis would burn his cigar into the Sun House Studio Piano during his early recording sessions. Musicology Historians all agree that Sun Studios is the place of the very first Rock and Roll song recorded by Jackie Brenton and His Delta Cats. The Delta Cats included original members Ike Turner who was the keyboard song composer of “Rocket 88” circa 1951. Many greats have recorded there from B.B King, Howling Wolf, James Cotton and Roy Orbison, to Rufus Thomas ( Walking the Dog, Memphis pioneer-from Mississippi), Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins who all recorded at the studio between 1955 to late 1950’s before owner Sam Philips closed shop and opened new studio at a larger location.
Original Heartache
From the 1960s the Sun Studio original building became other businesses until the mid 1980s where it once again became a working studio and ongoing museum with most of the original interior still intact from the 1950’s. Elvis first recorded “My Happiness,” “That’s Where My Heartache Begins,” “That’s Alright” cover song originally by Delta Bluesman Arthur Crudops and “Blue Suede Shoes” originally by Carl Perkins. Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues,” “Hey Porter,” “I Walk the Line” and “Cry Cry Cry” were all recorded at Sam Phillips Sun Studios. Simply a must visit while visiting Memphis, this historical tour begins on the 2nd floor with relics of studio past before finding yourself inside the original recording room. The original recording is home to historic Rock and Roll tales of Gospel, Country Blues, Rockabilly and Rock & Roll. One of the fascinating stories is a Doo Wop group incarcerated in the Tennessee Prison in Nashville early 1950s. Sam Phillips the owner of Sun Studios after hearing them on the gospel radio made a deal with the prison warden to record this incredible singing Doo Wop group called the Prisonaires. The Soulful Singing Doo Wop group were transported from the prison to Sun studios still handcuffed and shackled during the entire recording session of the song ” Just Walking in the Rain.” The song, which sold over 250,000 copies and granted them day passes to tour although they were doing hard time for murder, manslaughter and larceny, talk about redemption.
Memphis is a great historic city of Music and the Civil Rights Movement, a popular visit for any road traveling Music History enthusiast. Before I continued down Highway 61 “Music Highway,” I respectfully visited the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin’s birthplace and the historic Lorraine Hotel where Dr. Martin Luther King JR was assassinated in 1968. May you rest in Power Soul Queen and Dr. King! Find out more about Greg Hernandez and read his previous articles here!
North Bound Blues Maggie Jones
Got my trunk and grip all packed Goodbye, I ain’t coming back Going to leave this Jim Crow town Lord, sweet pape, New York bound
Got my ticket in my hand And I’m leaving dixieland
Going north child, where I can be free Going north child, where I can be free Where there’s no hardships, like in Tennessee
Going where they don’t have Jim Crow laws Going where they don’t have Jim Crow laws Don’t have to work there, like in Arkansas
When I cross the Mason-Dixon Line When I cross the Mason-Dixon Line Goodbye old gal, yon mama’s gonna fly
Going to daddy, got no time to lose Going to daddy, got no time to lose I’ll be alone, can’t hear my northbound blues
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Community Publishing is excited to announce the return of our hugely popular podcast smARTalk! smARTalk will now broadcast out of KUNM at the University of New Mexico (89.9 in New Mexico)! Sponsored by the leader in podcasting, Spotify’sAnchor FM and hosted by Author-Educator-Media Personality-Community Organizer Alex Paramo, smARTalk is a podcast show where we invite “Guest Stars” – Film Industry professionals: Actors, Directors, Writers, Producers etc to discuss and help provide progressive solutions for issues that are pressing in our society at-large. Additionally we will be “Featuring” local visual artists, musicians, writers and local business owners to discuss their latest endeavors! Focusing on finding progressive-minded solutions to our most pressing issues, smARTalk promises to bring attention to the unique New Mexico Arts industry which originates from an diverse blend of Native American, Hispanic and new arrivals into the state, that is exclusive to the Land of Enchantment. (Find our show archive below) For Press info Please Click Here
Parties interested in appearing on smARTalk either as a Guest Star or on the Feature segment, please email our Production Managerat booking@communitypublishing.org. Interested in advertising on smARTalk? Please contact us – ads@communitypublishing.org.
May 5, 2021 Jason Asenap – Filmmaker Glenn “Buddha” Benavidez – Musician – Revíva Celina Gonzales – Yoga Instructor – Mariposa Music
March 19, 2021 – Music Show – Tesuque Revolt Michael Garcia – Vocalist – Animation Matias Pizarro – Percussion – Programming Gustavo Lopez – Bassist – Logistics
March 12, 2021 Lauren Poole – Actor, Musician – Prism Bitch Band Stephanie Galloway – Painter Myles Chavez – Musician –The Riddims
March 5, 2021 – Show Sponsor – Slice Parlor Daniel Cummings – Producer – Slayers Movie K. Asher Levin – Director – Slayers Movie Erin Hansbrough – Candidate – Ward Chair Gilbert Uribe – Musician / Show Host – The Xchange
Northern New Mexico is one of the most beautiful parts of the Land of Enchantment. From the Mora Valley, to Taos and Tres Piedras, to Pecos and Chama, it offers some of the most stunning vistas the Southwest has to offer. Yet like most things that have such innate beauty, there is often a Catch 22 that comes along with this quality. For me, the allure of the wilderness and its splendor has a tendency to disarm me and make me forget just how dangerous it can be. Since I was young, I have loved to backpack, camp, and hike in the mountains like many New Mexicans. Over the years we have definitely had close encounters with bears, wolves, snakes, and all kinds of animals that may put a fright up your back. But nothing compares to the feeling of being utterly and hopelessly lost.
View from the Top
That was the story this past weekend as a trio of us navigated the vast Santa Fe National Forest tucked behind Manuelita Canyon. While I felt comforted knowing that we were with a longtime resident of the area and expert hiker, I grew concerned as she repeatedly let us know that she had previously gotten lost on this specific route. As that part of the forest badly needs to be serviced and cleaned, all of the fallen trees make it very difficult to orient one self. After hearing her say for the fourth time to just stay on the ridge if anything happens, I exclaimed, “Please stop! We’re not going anywhere without you.” As she is nearing her 78th birthday, the reality that she could slip and fall and leave us in a precarious position settled into the back of my mind. Luckily that didn’t happen. We found the top of the route with a beautiful view of the surrounding valleys and canyons. I started thinking about what I was going to make for breakfast upon our return and all the other tasks I would need to do before driving home.
Sights Unseen
Ten minutes upon our descent, the first signs of something wrong began to creep up. Our pack of 5 dogs had lost the scent of the trail. The rocks we had put up along the way to help guide us back were nowhere in sight. Having gone through similar episodes before in my life, my emergency response went into full effect: Do we have enough water? What about cell phone battery? Who would know where we might be to help us? What are our options moving forward? After going through the checklist and remembering to breathe and stay calm, more philosophical questions start to arise. Why are we on this path right now when we knew it would be dangerous? What would I do differently if we do manage to find our way home? Who and what are the things that I am most grateful for and looking forward to doing again if I get the chance? Have I done enough to leave the world a better place if this is it for me?
After 4.5 hours of backtracking and using our intuition, we were finally able to find the trail that led back to the car. A wave of pure elation and gratitude overwhelmed us. I was no longer worried what I would eat that day, but rather really excited to hear my parents’ voice over the phone. Getting home late and not being able to complete all my tasks no longer mattered at all. For just a brief time, I was fully present in the moment and experienced a state of true bliss to be alive.
Cutting off Frivolous Chores
This story is not as harrowing as that of Aron Ralston, who managed to cut off his own arm in order to save himself from a boulder that had crushed him while canyoneering. Nor is it as inspiring as Las Vegas Raiders’ Tight End Darren Waller, who overcame being lost in substance abuse to get sober and become one of the best players in the league. Yet all stories of EED lost seem to end in a similar way. There are only two potential endings when you are lost: You somehow make it out and survive, or you perish. What happens frequently is that by getting lost, we often tend to find ourselves. By going through a difficult time, we reflect on whom and what is important to us and what time has been wasted on frivolous chores or relationships. When you are lost with other people, you learn that you have to trust and depend on another; to use the skills that each has to collectively survive and get back on track. We think about what we would do differently if given a second chance, and how we can use our time more wisely.
You would think that after going through this situation multiple times in my life, that I would have learned my lesson by now. I am always sure to have enough water. I have flashlights and knives and jackets to stay warm. I watch enough Bear Grylls to know which mushrooms are poisonous and which are edible. But the truth is that in getting lost, there is always an opportunity to reset. Getting lost gives you the chance to start anew, to enjoy the basic comforts of life.
Lost and Found
I share this story today because I look back and see a country in the United States that seems a bit lost right now. We are just beginning to see a second wave of a virus that has already been relentlessly detrimental to our physical and economic health as a nation. Once seen as the leader in global environmental action, we are the only developed nation to drop out of the Paris Agreement. We can’t seem to figure out how to support our law enforcement while also holding them accountable to protect all of our citizens equally. We no longer are the country that takes in refugees and supports them on their way to the American Dream. The upcoming election has many Americans both fearful and mistrustful of the voting process as well as the results and potential consequences. According to my group of friends living in Tokyo, Copenhagen, Florence, Melbourne, and Nicaragua, we have become the laughingstock of the international dinner table. We seem to have the lost our identity and pride as a nation. Some might say that we never had a positive identity and that the ugliness of our history and oppression is finally just coming to light. Others say that waving the flag simply means the right to free speech and unlimited arms. I believe, however, that this nation was once a symbol of progress for the human race. We have repeatedly stepped in throughout our history to assist other nations going through difficult times. We have also witnessed many Americans create, invent, write, and will into existence institutions and ideas that have without a doubt contributed to making this world a better place. There’s a reason that John Lennon moved to New York City and Elon Musk and Tesla have their headquarters here in the US.
Hope in the Face of Uncertainty
I don’t believe that one political candidate or party will save us and help us to find ourselves as a country. I also don’t need scientists or politicians to shape my view that the climate and environment are rapidly deteriorating, putting us in a dire situation as a human race. And I cannot pretend that I think we will resolve all of the social, racial, health, and economic challenges facing us as a country within the next ten years. As an optimist, however, I do have hope. Although we are lost right now in the woods of division, fear, and illness, we are starting to question: Where are we and who can help us? Where have we wasted precious time and resources? What would we do differently if we are given a second chance? It is only by losing one self that we can forge a new way ahead. The path will not be easy or straight ahead, but full of frightening and existential challenges. The good news is that we have some great people from all walks of life making changes in our communities. We have a new generation growing up fully knowing the perils of climate change and inequality that have tools at their disposal that no other generation in America had. Most importantly, we have each other. So now that we know we’re lost, we had better start learning to depend on each other to get through this. There are only two options when you’re lost, to survive or to perish. I hope we find a way to the former.
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The first time I ever meditated was a guided meditation at the Catholic high school I attended with a teacher I really trusted. It took about 20 minutes and my mind was rapidly racing for the first 15 of them, but the last 5 I noticed that my mind was noticeably more calm. It took longer in between for thoughts to arise and disappear, allowing for me to see things somewhat clearer. I believe different traditions have various names for the racing mind, calling it the “Monkey Mind” or the “Lizard Brain”. After all, our minds are meant to think, so they are just performing their natural function. The problem with this is that a mind that races is not able to think clearly. There are just too many thoughts, desires, fears, and anxieties, which prevent us from seeing things as they really are. Instead, we see them for how we think them to be. We jump from memories in the past, to worries about the future, and create a story that tries to make sense of it all. The reality that is all we have and all there really is is the present. The past only exists in our minds and the future hasn’t or may never happen. This doesn’t mean that it is not useful to reflect, learn lessons, and plan. But rather, that doing so with a calm mind can lead to more positive outcomes.
In the Search for Trust and Temerity
I say all of this as the 2020 election looms over the U.S., with the consequences higher than ever. No matter which side you plan to vote for, there is no denying that this election feels a lot heavier than some others in the past. As a country, we have gone through so much in so little time this year. What started off as a promising new decade has turned into an ominous sign of what could be to come. We have a raging climate crisis that is displacing and destroying both people and natural resources from Coast to Coast. We face a racial reckoning in which brown and black people are still exploited and brutalized by a justice system that seems almost completely broken. We see both peaceful and violent expressions of frustration with the way things are in the U.S. from both sides, demonstrating that the American public just doesn’t trust our government anymore. And we have to find solutions to these issues all the while dealing with the worst pandemic in a century.
Anxious Times
There is no sugar coating it, 2020 plain sucks. Many people are feeling more anxious and depressed than ever before. Just look at Dak Prescott, the star Quarterback of America’s Team the Dallas Cowboys. He boldly and gracefully said what a lot of people are thinking right now. The current state of the country and world, as well a losing his brother to suicide, have had him feeling so down that he didn’t even want to think about football for some time. Even Captain America, Chris Evans, almost couldn’t do the movie due to crippling anxiety. As someone who works in healthcare, I can feel and hear the stress of many of my coworkers. As a musician, I feel horrible for all of those in the business who no longer have an income from their livelihood. Not to mention the joy that live music brings to people’s lives.
Premeditated Meditation
That is why I think that there is no more important time in our history than now for us to really start making time for meditation. To be clear, I am not talking about prayer, which is very different (I can say that after 16 years of Catholic School education). And I am not talking about anything religious either. I am speaking of just sitting, or lying down, with only your mind and maybe some background music, paying attention to your breath. It seems like the easiest thing in the world to do, but in fact may be one of the most challenging. Just ask anyone who is beginning meditation. Like learning the violin, I have never heard anyone say, “It was really easy, I picked it up the first time.” I believe that we need to meditate now more than ever because it allows us to slow down and see with more clarity. When you really see into humanity, we are all suffering. We are suffering from loss, death, illness, tragedy, or financial insecurity. We are suffering from fear, uncertainty, hopelessness, and anxieties. This suffering may be the one thing that binds us universally as a human race. You just really can’t avoid it, whether you are Black or White, Democrat or Republican, Protestor or Police. At some point we will all suffer.
Peace in a Place of Turmoil
I guess my inspiration to take meditation more seriously now came after I read the book that came out earlier this year titled The Buddhist on Death Row. It captures the true story of a black man, Jarvis Jay Master, who has been wrongly accused of a crime, and has been sitting on death row for decades. Many of those years he spent in the hole in complete isolation. Yet, rather than turn angry and vindictive, he slowly turned to meditation. With the help of mentors, he learned to slow his thoughts, generate compassion, and see more clearly. For decades now, Jarvis had dedicated his life to helping other young inmates develop the technique, turning to peace rather than violence. He even developed close relationships with the guards who he once looked at as an evil representation of the system, simply by having compassion and seeing that just like him, all they wanted to do was be happy with their families.
Products of Concrete Slabs
I am not saying that evil does not exist or that there is no right or wrong, and I am definitely no master of meditation. I do know, however, that it has helped me and countless humans over centuries to achieve a more peaceful mindset. To see the neighbor with the MAGA or Biden sign not as someone who is evil, but simply a product of their environment. If we can develop more compassion for one another, and slow down the narrative in our heads about our constructed identities, we can see that most of us are just humans who want to be happy with our friends and family. And most of us, even the NFL’s elite players, experience some sort of suffering. The only way out of these times, for better or worse, is to work together. The sooner we can learn the notion that each of us is connected and when I hurt you I hurt myself, the quicker we will be able to have a dialogue and move towards a better present. We are going to need to in order to solve these challenges currently presented to us. I firmly believe that the best thing each of us and our families can do is to start with 10 minutes a day of being with your own mind. There has never been a better time and there is definitely no excuse. If Jarvis Jay Master can find peace, compassion, and joy from a concrete slab on Death Row, we can do the same.
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The adrenaline of a traveling Back Packer junkie tends to feed off experiencing counter cultures. Better known as culture shock, it is one of the broad points of soul seeking like one might find going to church to search for the holy enlightenment and answers to life or as a Buddhist Monk meditates for stillness of the mind. For my third travel back to South East Asia this past January and February 2020, I finally had the chance to visit and explore the vast history of Cambodia’s Siem Reap, second biggest city to capitol of Phnom Penh. What allures many visitors worldwide is a highly recommended visit to Ancient City of Angkor Wat which is a jurassic park city of complex temples and ruins recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage site.
Rolling Down the River
Arriving directly from the Mekong River in Laos, I was so excited to visit one of 8 Wonders of the Ancient City and largest Hindu Temples of the world, Angkor Wat, which was the centerpiece of my visit. The Largest religious site in the world, Angkor Wat was built during 12th century and dedicated to the Hindu God Vishnu. Later in 12th century it was recognized as a Hindu-Buddhist Temple and served as the earliest capitol city of Cambodia. Known as the Khmer Empire before the invasion of Thailand, better known in Siamese, ‘Siem Reap’ which translates to “Siam defeat.” This defeat serves as a reminder of centuries old conflict of 1549 when Siamese of Ayutthaya Kingdom, today known as Thailand, invaded Khmer Kingdoms of today’s Cambodia.
The Khmer Empire during the 16th century’s came under duress with certain interventions by the Siamese including invasions resulting in the Khmer taking control over Angkor Wat, creating political, religious and geological shifts. The Nguyen Dynasty, better known as Vietnam, was also making moves for domination over and around the Mekong River.
I timed my visit to coincide with the Holy Holiday associated with Hinduism and Buddhism and the Chinese lunar new yea . I try to continuously tries to re imagine or astro travel back to when The Khmer Monarchy was not only in decline from several distinct and gradual political changes but also trying to understand the struggle with human – environmental interactions. People were subject to natural disasters such as flooding and droughts were reported with ecological consequences which just led to more war. People of the area were fighting for dominance and control over the fertile basin of a Mekong River between Thailand Siamese and Nguyen Dynasty of Vietnam for nearly 3 centuries.
On the Mekong
The Mekong River is 12th longest river in the wold and major trading route from western China and South East Asia which leads to access to the Sea of China for maritime trading with Spanish and Portuguese. Inherently, the geographical advancements always met with resistance with different lords and kings within all the provinces of Cambodia. The Khmer Kingdom was so oppressed of their sovereignty as a country, that it wasn’t until nineteenth century French Colonialism helped severe its dominance with Siamese and Nguyen Dynasty per requested by Cambodia’s King.
Francophiles
The French Protectorate of Cambodia was recognized in 1863 by the territorial invading countries. The French Indochina was now beginning to assert its colonial control over South East Asian countries such as Laos, Vietnam and a southern enclave of China (Kingdom of Autthaya Siamese) modern day Thailand. Interestingly, Thailand never was totally colonized during the Franco-Siam War which lasted for several generations until 1941, it just ceded territories to avoid being conquered by colonialist France or the Communist insurgency. Small factions of Guerrilla insurgents known as the Communist Party of Thailand were active between 1965-1980 and were responsible for several political assassinations occurring mostly in the North Eastern Kingdom of Thailand bordering with China which had their own Civil War. Cambodia, at that point was a little more sovereign under Cambodia King An Duong under the French rule until their own Civil War in the 19th century.
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My path to finding music is much different than most. I took piano lessons for a few weeks when I was about 6 years old, but was force fed classical pieces with a metronome that failed to capture my interest. From then on, sports captivated my life and took up almost all of my free time. I loved listening to music and went through all the stages of a 90’s kid. My tastes varied from Eminem and ODB, to Alan Jackson and Kenny Chesney, String Cheese Incident and Phish, Green Day and The Offspring, and everything in between. I grew a deep appreciation for music and lyrics, but didn’t have time to dedicate to the craft. It wasn’t until I turned 18, upon realizing that I didn’t have a future in sports, that I bought a used guitar from Marc’s Guitars on Central and began my journey. I started spending time with an old friend Jerel Garcia and we learned some Pink Floyd, Beatles, and Grateful Dead songs together. Playing together with someone felt similar to sports in that you have to work as a team, share responsibility, and be creative in order to be successful.
While my interest in music was sparked, I knew I had a long ways to go in order to become a performing musician. As I packed my bags the summer after my senior year and headed to South Bend, Indiana, to start a new chapter in my life, my guitar became my best friend and my way to make new friends. The advantage to picking up music relatively late in life was that I soaked up everything I could from the brilliant musicians around me at Notre Dame. From bar chords, to soloing, to keeping rhythm with the drums, I practiced relentlessly while my counterparts seemed to be just going through the motions. I am eternally grateful for each of them who taught me something unique to their own skill set, and that was my first important lesson from music: it brings people from all different backgrounds, religions, races, and skill sets together.
I may have never started playing live in front of an audience, had it not been for my friends signing me up for a gig at a bar in Australia without my notice. They gave me a half pint of Jack Daniel’s and told me to meet them at the Orient Bar, where my guitar was set up on stage unbeknownst to me. I played horribly, but at least got the feel for how to perform. We eventually started a college rock band King Kake and had a blast playing the parties and events on campus, and I knew that music was something I wanted to do in the future.
Reviva: Beginnings
After graduating and coming home, I was blessed to reunite with Jerel and his cousin Buddha, forming the core of what eventually would become Reviva. Music has been a part of my life for over a decade now, and I can’t imagine being without it. Music has helped me immensely on my own journey to peace. The best thing I enjoy about songwriting is that it allows me to express my anger over injustices in a positive way. When I became close friends with an Afghani national, I was able to write “Afghani Man” to tell his story of redemption. After reading the book What is the What? by Dave Eggers, I composed the lyrics to the song “Sudan” which is a focus of the book. Hearing about the conditions in the refugee camp Kakuma in Sudan left me feeling depressed and hopeless.
Writing about what I heard and putting it to music was healing for me, showing me another lesson of music: It can be used to heal pain, whether emotional, physical, or social. I have continued to write songs about injustice as a way for my own anger to dissipate, as well as to speak up for those who are impacted by it in our society. Our song “Fiya Way” names the innocent people who have been killed in Albuquerque due to police brutality, from a homeless man camping in the mountains, to an unarmed 19 year old woman running away gunned down in the back. I feel grateful to be able to express my frustrations and anger and not let it consume me by using music as a tool for peace.
We each have our own favorite artists, genres, and styles, but most people across the world can enjoy some type of music. Some music brings joy or comfort, while other songs help us deal with loss and sadness. Much of it reflects the eyes and reality of the artist and their experience on this earth. Music is a way for us to pass down information from generation to generation, as documented in one of my favorite books The World in Six Songs by Daniel Levitin. Reggae music has become my oasis and rock to depend on. Once I heard Bob Marley and Lucky Dube, there was no going back for me. Each of these legends has told the story of oppression in their respective countries with deep insight and forethought. There is something about the guitar and keys on the upbeat that clears my mind and fills me with happiness like no other genre.
The Times They Are A-Changin’
While the music world has changed and we can not currently sing along with our fans or favorite artists, I have a feeling that music will become more important than ever during this time. Whether listening from home and dancing on a quick break from work or teaching children how to sing and memorize lessons, music is a vehicle that has gotten many through tough times before. I have no doubt that as we musicians work from home and find ways to record ourselves during these chaotic times, some of the best music written in our lifetimes will spring up in the upcoming months. Keep your ears ready, ‘cuz the times they are changin’!.
"Come gather ’round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You’ll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you is worth savin’
Then you better start swimmin’ or you’ll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin’"
Written by Bob Dylan: All Rights Reserved
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Curated by Mary Ann Gilbreth, Ed.D., Department of Teacher Education, Educational Leadership and Policy, at the University of New Mexico. This collections includes the work of her students from several of her Reading Methods Classes, promoting cultural diversity in the classroom.