Fasting Day 22 of 40: Boredom

Out at sea, the wind drifts away and all sailors lament. The doldrums have come. The dread for these sailors is that the life giving and moving wind has gone away, and there is no knowing when it picks back up again. It could be days or weeks. The whole time you have little to do but sing shantays and pray. It is much the same for us in our creations. the doldrums, or really boredom, is not a curse, but a gift. It is in our moments of pause that we are provided the chance to reflect on what we are creating, and the next steps. It is in that space, that any novel ideas come in. It is also when we find our sillier nature, and create nonsense things for the simple joy of creation.

When we are constantly doing, it is difficult to find a moment to pause and think. Our work can become meaningless to us without the break to appreciate it. This pause in the flow gives us that space. Instead of the wealth of interaction, we are now feeling the abundance of time and seek ways to fill it instead. These are wonderful days where we can bask in the sun, dance in the rain, and simply exist. It may be a little dull for a bit, but that is the idea. There is always a return of movement, and we can trust inspiration to fill us once more.

It is precisely there when the muse does sing in our ears. With too much clutter, her soulful songs fall flat; and she does not like to sing a song too many times without an attentive audience. She instead waits for us to have those long pauses to hear her words, and for us to be filled with the inspiration that follows. It is our moments of feeling “blah” when the next light bulb flashes. Our greatest ideas are filled in the moments of emptiness, when we are ready to receive them. Otherwise, she will sing her song for another who is ready.

Furthermore, in that place of just existing, we dig into our deepest depths to feel what wants to come out. Our silliest ideas from learning how to make weird noises with our hand and armpits, to strange whistles, to blowing milk out of the nose, are all from the childlike glee of having free time. Some of these are for sheer Joy in the moment and sharing with friends. Others may be added to the next inspiration that comes in. They are all an integral part of being alive and part of what endears us to our loved ones.The winds come again.

The winds always come again. As the breeze fills the sails and we begin to find our momentum again, we have now had the benefit of reflecting on the waters we once navigated. We now have the clarity of mind to direct our compass with greater insight and inspiration, and we probably have some new talents like doing a handstand. Each aspect of the lulls in our life prepares us for the next phase of our journey, and brings in more ways to fill it with laughter and fun. This way, when the sails fall slack and the breeze drifts away, we can say “thank you” and go within.

All the Love,Ryan Orion

Fasting Notes:

My vision has increased and I am very receptive to light. If you have ever experienced psychedelics ( not that I am suggesting you should), the world is beginning to look a lot like when the medicine starts working. This paired with all of the other heightened senses, makes for an interesting day. Simple noises like a door shutting sound loud, and voices at times can be too much. This comes in waves and is not a constant. As my system adjusts, the heightened sensitivity is more enjoyable and less noticeable.I have been having strange and vivid dreams. Most notable about them is that they stay in my waking mind longer. I will remember parts of them throughout my day. A few weeks ago I either would have not remembered at all, or they would have drifted away within minutes.