Sing a Navajo Song

I woke up early and discovered a Spanish newspaper in my hotel lobby. Curiosity led me to start reading it, using it as an opportunity to practice my Spanish. As I delved into its pages, I came across an article about heat waves disrupting the Mexican school system, an interview with the voice actors of the latest Pixar movie, and an intriguing collection of rediscovered ancient North Mexican poems or songs.

One particular song resonated deeply within me:

Con la belleza ante mí, camino

Con la belleza tras de mí, camino

Con la belleza sobre mí, camino

Con la belleza a mis pies, camino

Con la belleza a mi alrededor, camino

This song reminded me to embrace the duality of human existence: to have or to be. When surrounded by beauty, we often find ourselves paralyzed, afraid to move for fear of losing sight of that very beauty. These fear-based decisions can easily slip into our lives if we're not mindful. Little do we know that by doing so we also put ourselves in the position to see it turn into something ugly.

The poem underscores a fundamental truth of life: impermanence. I delved into this concept during my vipassana retreat. Everything is in constant flux. A rose blooms, but it is destined to wither. This truth applies to all aspects of life.

As humans, we strive to possess beauty. We adorn ourselves in the finest silk, fill our homes with gleaming minerals, and pluck flowers to infuse color into our lives. However, by possessing beauty, we often suppress our ability to simply be. I also wrote a blog about Addition by Subtraction.

I firmly believe that our purpose as humans is to observe beauty, to be aware of it, but not to blindly fixate upon it. We are the beings who walk this earth, and walking is best done lightly.

I encourage capturing mental snapshots, growing our catalog of vibrant memories, and savoring the essence of words. These are enough to internalize external beauty. By doing so, we can tread lightly in the realm of beauty, understanding that we are the creators of it, rather than its owners.

Blog out!

Durim

Holbox, Mexico

22/06/2023