As red Ravine gets ready to launch, I’ve been thinking about how important it is to have a teacher, a mentor.
Natalie has been that for me.
It didn’t happen right away. It developed over a long, slow time of showing up and not being tossed away. Sometimes it meant being willing to listen to what I might not want to hear.
And now I have practice. And now I have community. And now I have red Ravine.
All because I showed up. I listened. I practiced. I did things that didn’t make sense at the time or I didn’t have the energy to do – like travelling thousands of miles to Taos last year by car, plane, and Batmobile to write and sit with other writers in silence.
One of those writers is standing beside me as we spring board off into red Ravine. Wow. That’s amazing.
I have a lot of gratitude for the writers and teachers that came before me. And that they are willing to share their successes and failures, so that I might see my own more clearly.
I do a ton of research on my pieces and ramble around the Internet on a daily basis. Last week, I stumbled on this interview with Natalie Goldberg. It’s bare bones, back to basics. And it still rings true.
Here are a couple of excerpts about Monkey Mind from the interview with Natalie. You can read the whole exchange on “what it means to write down the bones” at Sounds True.
Thank goodness for teachers, in all their many forms. And from the bottom of my heart (which is feeling quite full these days) – thank you.
ST: Please talk a little about what you mean by monkey mind.
NG: Monkey mind is actually a Buddhist term. It refers to mental activity that creates busyness which keeps us away from our true hearts. And it’s an extraordinary truth. Look at our whole culture; it’s built on busyness, and that’s why we’re so unhappy. But part of us loves busyness, including Natalie Goldberg. You have to pay attention and learn to understand how monkey mind works.
What does your true heart want? You have to give it at least half your energy. Otherwise monkey mind fills your whole life with busyness
ST: During the Bones program, you talk about a key teaching you received from Katagiri Roshi – “not to be tossed way.” What does this mean?
NG: Don’t be tossed away by your monkey mind. You say you want to do something – “I really want to be a writer. But I might not make enough money as a writer.” That little voice comes along. “Oh, okay, then I won’t write.” That’s being tossed away. Those little voices are constantly going to be feeding us. You make a decision to do something. You do it. Don’t be tossed away. And part of not being tossed away is understanding your mind and not believing it so much when it comes up with all these objections, when it comes up with all these insecurities and reasons not to do something. Don’t be tossed away.
Thursday, April 5th, 2007
Natalie’s teaching on lineage among writers has meant a lot to me recently as well. It’s exhilarating to understand that we place ourselves into a lineage by paying attention to the teaching and example of those who come before. They do not have to know us for us to know where we stand with them, or even when we stand with ourselves.
That our dreams can be the same as our truth, if we let them, what joy.
Your community is inspiring me. The writing is great fun to read.
Keep your hands moving.
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nworley,
Your comment is tender and thoughtful. What you say, that we place ourselves into lineage, I like that phrasing because it reflects an action on our parts. Things that on the surface seem passive, like “becoming willing” or “asking for help” are actions as much as racing to work or running to the next meeting.
I think you struck on the biggest truth of all – our dreams can be the same as our truth – if we let them. Letting them is an action. We have to become willing to live a bigger life. And let joy in.
Natalie taught me a ton about learning from other writers. Believe it or not, I read James Baldwin for the first time last year. I fell in love with him. Same way with John Williams. Writers are not perfect people. They are flawed. But they have a willingness to show their flaws. That’s a truth I can grab a hold of.
I wondered, what writers do you feel you have placed yourself into the lineage of? Who do you read? Who inspires you?
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I love this photo of the monkey watch. Is it one of yours?
I think I ought to find one of these monkey watches to wear as a reminder of impermanence. I wonder where they sell them.
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elizabeth,
Yes, the photo is mine. I wish I did own a watch with that face! I’ve been taking a lot of photographs of Monkeys, wherever I see them. They remind me not to pay too much attention to old MonkeyMind.
One of the places I was shooting was inside Patina late one night after ice cream at Sebastian Joe’s. The Monkey alarm clock was sitting right there on the shelf along with the Lunch Lady.
Here’s a link to the Monkey Alarm clock. Maybe that will tickle your fancy: http://www.patinastores.com/Products/Monkey_Alarm_Clock_037475.cfm
I also noticed they have these Monkey Key Covers right on the front page:
http://www.patinastores.com/Products/Monkey_Key_Covers_061217.cfm
Last weekend in Duluth, Liz and I stumbled on a store called Monkey Business that was full of all kinds of Monkeys: http://monkbiz.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/retail-locations.html
It seems they are everywhere. Are we surprised?
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