‘It’ll Buff Out’
I been thinking a lot about materiality, impermanence, and religion. It all started earlier this month, when a person that I (and a lot of other people) follow on social media said that meditation was horrifying and does nothing but numb your mind. Of course, I'm paraphrasing - he used a lot of fancy words. I replied back to his Substack and said, it's interesting that he would be talking about that topic in the season of reflection and contemplation (Fall), and that maybe everything has a purpose, a time and a place. But it's not 'bad' or 'horrifying'. This person, by the way, is extremely knowledgable in Buddhism and greek philosophies. I would never challenge him on that, haha. Anyway, he liked the message and said the timing must be coincidence. And that sent me down a rabbit hole for this entire month...
Mark holding Sassafras leaves. This plant is awesome btw the woody parts smell really good.
What the hell is a coincidence? We just so happened to be going to the library that day, and I found a book on 'synchronicity'. It's basically the same thing, two circumstances collide, but they seem to have no 'causal connection'. Okay...in my mind, this is a cross-roads. An 'X marks the spot' moment, and the metaphorical treasure are the lessons learned. Where they come from obviously doesn’t matter too much. Someone that's so knowledgable is a teacher in my eyes, and I'm not here to argue teachers, even if I disagree, I'm here for the lessons and to stare at the reflections they cast. As Mark always says, 'let me meditate on that...'
Bear with me, in order for there to be an X, there has to be a map. In order for there to be a 'coincidence' there has to be an over-arching plan or reality that houses circumstances for them to even collide. Like a race track, there has to be horses or cars, or there's no race. To say something like, 'oh, thats just a coincidence', in my mind, is like saying 'oh, that's just a giant dragon in the sky torching where you live pooping on everyone as it flys by.' Coincidences are crazy moments where everything makes sense (or doesn't) for a little while, and it might be important we don't just brush them off. Maybe we should sit back and be like 'now what was that all about?' grab a book, go outside or look at your phone and take note of what happens next..
Fast forward to now, a whole slew of unfortunate events have happened this month. It's forced me to slow down (even more..I already felt like I was walking through quicksand), and really really think on the meaning of the stuff around me, the memories I've made, and how much I love the people around me, even the ones I might disagree with. I was collecting my aunt's newspaper clippings and art work - so much time and energy she spent on them. I stared at her smiling face when she was college age, and I didn't realize while growing up, how much she inspired me to do art and to be the person I am today. I made a decision to carry her memory with me for as long as I live, and to keep her hard work for as long as I can, so that ones that outlive me can carry those seeds.
While I was making these new conditions or circumstances, I started thinking about material 'things' - they may disappear and seem to be of little importance, but the power or energy they hold can remind us of the lessons that that person taught us. They remind us of who we are. Putting your stuff in a dark corner of your room or house is like hiding from yourself.
This month has made me a believer in 'meditation'. Some call it ritual, some call it prayer. Stoics might call it contemplation. To me, it's a crossroads between thinking about yourself and your role, and caring for the memories and work of others - nurturing the energy you get from your family (whether you're close or not) and refining the energy - the work, the blood, sweat and tears - you put out into the world. All the while, remembering that everything changes, and in the words of one of our first tattoo artist who worked with us at DORK: 'Shit'll buff out'.
Holy crap, I'm thankful. All these gems around me, all these lessons.
Are you gathering them up too? Polishing them after they been sittin for a while...?
Maybe my next post will be more about tattoos. Sorry just had to get that off my chest...
peace x love