In Zen, particularly, they talk continually about Beginner’s Mind. What I can’t see, though, is how anyone capable of embodying this energy could ever want to become a teacher. Beginner’s Mind is a fetish they worship. If you do Zen long enough, they sit you in front of people who offer you ritual respect, and ask your opinion on various topics. Jail. It’s fucking jail.
Me, I look at phrases like “Old Soul”, and think such a thing is incompatible with wisdom, unless you mean someone willing to offer help to people out of an overflowing of happiness, spontaneity, and love of vigorous challenge.
I take some pride in the fact that both of my kids have been called “Old Souls” by numerous people in various contexts. What is intended is they are much more mature than most kids their age, and both have a spirit of service within them. Both were called “Mom” in their peer groups, because they took care of their friends–and any strays who happened along.
But as I have almost certainly said before, a true Old Soul is a Young soul.
Oh, I’m drinking. I wasn’t going to drink tonight, but then I realized with crystal clarity I was absolutely going to get drunk tomorrow or the next day, and I just have too much fucking work to do that.
But I am slowly quieting the buzzing. When I get to the end of this phase, I will have freedom of movement, and that will be very, very interesting. My whole life, I’ve had two hands tied behind my back. Get me free, and I may actually start being smart. To be clear, I think I have been smart, but my vision has been much too limited, emotionally and intellectually. I can do much better.
It starts with an appreciation of beauty, all beauty. I’m pretty sure of that.