Nearly immediately, though, I realized that Buddha in a seated position didn’t work for me. I don’t sit most of the day. I can’t make a living sitting most of the day. And since I am on my feet most of the day, that is where I want to manifest the Buddha Spirit, or Gestalt, or Wisdom, or Mind or whatever word we use which falls far short. Thus, this icon does not speak to my aspirations.
As I pondered, it seemed to me that Shiva Nataraja comes closer, but he is dancing on a vanquished foe, which certainly is to be understood metaphorically, but which easily shifts emotionally to a sort of dualism. I don’t want that either.
The icon I want is that of a spiritual figure walking. Walking, to me, symbolizes life, and the process of living. I want to walk well (not walk hard: that is another matter altogether for John C. Reilly). That is the icon I want.
Yes, I know there are several thousand years of tradition working against me. I don’t care. I am an American, which means I can be as stupid as I want, am willing to break things that don’t appear broken, and am willing to dedicate my soul to the perfection of what can be perfected.