“I knew from the get go, there had to be something more.” Ya, I feel that way too. Meet Ananda Forest. Ananda wasn’t always Ananda, but he is now. He wrote a book. I read this book, made hundreds of notes, and knew I wanted to talk. If you search “religious,” or “spiritual,” or “enlightened,” you won’t find any references to me. In fact, you mention “chakra,” and I typically head for the door. A sense of unease rolling over me, the “woo woo” elements of the world are things to be cautious around, or so I was taught. But why do I feel this way? What good reason do I have?
And why did I feel like I found my own enlightened figure on the Albuquerque airport shuttle bus? (More on this in a minute.)
“The Good News About the World Falling Apart: The Third Turning of Human Consciousness,” is short, to-the-point, and loaded with things that made me ponder. Even at one hundred and forty six pages, I made more notes than any book in recent memory. I knew I wanted to interview Ananda, and he reached out to me, so I figured the feeling was mutual, but based on our schedules, it took months to set the meet. Enough time passed to allow me to forget about my notes. When I returned to them to prepare for the interview, I couldn’t believe what was I reading. My notes about Ananda’s book were parallel to the notes I use for my presentations on creativity. Word for word in some cases.
I had a blast doing this interview.
In a yurt in the wilds of Northern New Mexico. The Rio Grande percolating in the background. Ananda is intelligent, well-read, and isn’t pushing anything on anyone. I always suggest to young creatives, “Make without wanting or asking,” and I think the applies to Ananda’s approach as well. We each need to find our own path. He’s sharing his, and if something strikes your fancy, well, then go for it. And if not, that’s okay too. More than anything else, this interview is here to give us a chance to think. I’m no longer afraid of chakras. And then there is the enlightenment thing…..
So, this past week, I was on the shuttle bus at the Albuquerque airport. I love the shuttle. I really do. I’ve heard the most mind bending things on this little bus. The driver was a middle aged man with a prosthetic leg. The lines on his face told me he’d been around the block a few times. He was gentle, inquisitive, and one of the most positive people I’ve met in a long time. “Isn’t it nice to come home to a place you love,” he said to the packed bus, filled with people glued to their phones.(No one replied to him.) One by one, the bus emptied. I was left alone with the driver. “Where are you coming from” he asked. “Salt Lake City,” I replied. “I used to ride my motorcycle through there on the way to Washington,” he said. “I’ve done that trip eight times,” he added.
“My bike is too slow for the highway,” I said. “What do you have?” he asked. “Honda, XR150,” I said. “I lost my leg on my bike,” he said. “What?” “You lost your leg riding your motorcycle?” I asked. “Yes,” he replied. “My neighbor hit me four blocks from my house.” “I almost made it home that day,” he laughed. He laughed. Casually, like it was nothing. Just a leg. A redundant appendage for most. “No big deal,” he said. “But it did take me a while to figure out how to shift with my new leg,” he added. “You are still riding?” “Oooooohhhhhhh yaaaaaaaa,” he said.
When we excited the bus, he retrieved my bag then stood and took a long look around, as if he was taking in the detail of the enormous parking lot, a smile on his face. The energy he emitted was that of peace, calm and happiness. The shuttle driver. “You might be enlightened,” I said to him. “Brother,” he said to me, “All we have to do is love each other.” And here’s the thing. He meant it. This wasn’t some online bumper sticker. This was a guy who seemed entirely content in his little corner of the world. So, when Ananda said “From the get go, I knew there had to be something more,” it’s encounters like this that make me feel the same. Call it what you want. Label it if you need to. But also have a think about all this. Tell me what you think.
Comments 12
Really a fantastic interview. We AL
L need constant reminders to be grateful, including myself.
I retired last June, and a month later my mother died from Alzheimer’s disease, 18 days before my first grandchild was born. Lots of sudden life changes, and the question of how am I going to spend the years I have left. I am enjoying my “do-over” with my grandson. I worked part-time at my own design business when my kids were small, and always felt torn in 2 directions. I am so glad I decided to retire! I am enjoying spending a good part of each day on making things, back to the blissful part of my childhood. I am so grateful to have these opportunities. I am working away on my photo book, and enjoying taking some online art tutorials. Failure is the first step to success! I am trying to fit more time in for going out with my camera, which got harder as my mother got worse. Trying harder to do random acts of kindness.
Lots of wisdom in that interview, I enjoyed it.
Author
Geez Lisa, sorry to hear about mom. Isn’t it strange how we all know the ending but we do so much to keep pushing it back and acting like there might be another option. I’m glad you retired. Now I can use you as my guide.
I once read that enlightenment was like coming to a corner and once you turn that corner everything changes and you can never go back to where you were before.
Anyone or anything you encounter that resonates with you, inspires you, lets you see yourself and your place in the world in a different way is a good thing. It doesn’t matter if it comes from a person such as Ananda sharing their spiritual journey or a disgruntled taxicab driver muttering about traffic. We are all surrounded by endless opportunities to turn a corner; we just have to be in the right place at the right time to see them.
Buddha sat in front of a wall, Robert the Bruce watched a spider, Lao Tzu skipped town. Each had a turning point, had come to a corner, at the right time, in the right frame of mind, and was ready to turn that corner. In their cases the impact on the individual and on history itself was profound. In our cases the impact might not be felt across history but on ourselves and those around us would be no less profound.
So there ya go. See you around the next corner…
Author
I totally believe that. Heck, most of my friends who’ve committed to meditation feel like they are in a similar situation. Life before, life after. Why haven’t I do it? What’s stopping me? Maybe I need to stand in line at the DMV?
I wish it were as easy as being in line at the DMV. On the other hand that might be the reason why the line is so long: so many other people seeking enlightenment in the same place and at the same time.
I’m going to take a swing and a miss at this but I’m going to give it a try anyway…
I can honestly say that I have never recognized a life changing event in the moment it happened. I didn’t see around the corner in the moment. There was no feeling of euphoria, no sudden blinding light, no new clues as to the nature of the universe. I could only recognize that something meaningful had happened when I later looked at my life in the context of the way things were before and then after any significant event.
In the moment I usually just fell on my face, picked myself back up, and started walking in what I thought was the same direction only to later discover later that it wasn’t. I would only recognize that I had turned the proverbial corner days, weeks or more often years later.
I would venture to say that you’ve been writing about your own life changing events at least since I discovered your blog. The editor who threw a stapler at you. The teacher that pointed to a homeless person and told you to scale down your project. Taking on the mantle of your family photographer. How you proposed to Amy. Your trip to Antarctica. And yes, the interview with Ananda. Each of these events were a seismic change in your life that you reflect on and find new meanings from every time you write about it.
Perhaps there’s nothing stopping you at all… except perhaps looking at enlightenment as something separate from all the life changing experiences that have shaped who you are today.
Author
Well said, Jon. And I think you are correct, there is nothing stopping me other than me. Maybe it’s about giving ourselves a chance to see.
I don’t think you’re stopping you from anything. But perhaps you know others who seem to have “made it” and you’re wondering why you’re not getting to a similar place.
If that’s the case I suggest you watch the grade B turned cult classic “Circle of Iron”. If you don’t have time to watch the movie just watch the last 15 minutes or so. You’ll get it right away… although you’ll miss some great takes on some old cliches sprinkled throughout the movie.
If you’d like to continue the conversation 1:1 you have my email address. I don’t want to hog your blog and take away from the conversations others want to have with you.
Author
What about The Razor’s Edge? My fav in this realm. I don’t know Circle, so will check it out.
Hadn’t seen “The Razor’s Edge” before; just finished watching it. Liked it… a lot. I know a couple of people who took similar paths, one in India and another in China. Life changing is an understatement – but for each it was a process measured in years and continues to this day. “The Razor’s Edge” captures the subtle strength of such a spiritual journey without the confining trappings of religion. Of letting go and embracing at the same time, the duality present in all things in life. Well done.
Author
Did you watch the Bill Murray version? The book is WAY better.
The Bill Murray version. Checked the book version out of the library.
As for “Circle of Iron”… there is no book. 😉