Costa Rica Guy

Impact Mindfulness: What Good is It?

March 14, 2015 by costaricaguy Leave a Comment

We live in a cynical world. A cynical world. And we work in a business of tough competitors.

Jerry Maguire

It’s a real jungle out there!

There are a million reasons to be cynical. To ask yourself…

What good is it?

I know, cuz I ask myself that at times.

But I try to be guided by this framework for a mindset that I describe in two simple words…

impact mindfulness.

You see, this great country of ours was actually founded in mindfulness, which is at heart an optimistic ideal.

It was founded on the optimistically mindful ideal that all men are created equal and endowed with rights to pursue happiness, dignity, a good life.

So, what happened with all that optimism?

Where, when and how did our world turn so cynical?

I mean, we did do a pretty good job of pursuing…

but we pursued something else…

We even changed the phrase from happiness…to property.

We replaced the idea of happiness, by some slight of hand, with stuff.

And we became world class property pursuers, didn’t we?

We created a structural success unlike anything the world had ever seen.

Here’s the thing…

Much of that structure, the foundation for our successful pursuit of property, was built on the backs of the unhappiness of others.

Now, I didn’t write that to criticize, but for you to realize…

that a lot of folks have suffered, indeed the entire planet has suffered, for you to have all that shiny success that you’re so rightfully proud of.

In fact, you couldn’t even have it if it weren’t for a whole lot of suffering…

Even that white powder you sprinkle into your coffee each morning, as well as the coffee itself, was brought to you by someone’s suffering…

I know that, since I’ve lived for the past 14 years at ground zero, where that shit comes from and the folks that bring it to you are poorer that you can even imagine.

And if you’re of the kind that likes to ingest white powder into other orifices, well then my point becomes even stronger.

All this is to say that our successful pursuit of property has an impact…

and a negative one, on people and planet.

So, my suggestion is that we be mindful of that…

impact mindful.

But what good is it?

What good is it for little ole me to be mindful and what does that even mean?

Well, first, it means being mindful of how the way you live your life is impacting people and planet…

down to the clothes you wear, the food you eat, the shit you accumulate, the way you make the money that allows for said accumulation, how you treat your fellow humans, as well as the planet we’re all passengers on, and, certainly, the way you participate in your government via voting and other means.

The concept of impact mindfulness is pretty wide ranging.

And if you’re mindful, perhaps, just perhaps, you can inspire others to be as well…

You can spread the idea like a virus and thus change the world…

leave it better than you found it.

How does that sound?

There are lots of really good reasons to be impact mindful and, really, we’re getting to the point where our planet, the universe, is demanding it.

So, I’d say, we start paying attention more towards mindfulness and less to property pursuit.

It’s about taking care to take care…of each other and our planet…

and there’s good in that, I think.

Here’s a funny little clip from one of my favorite shows, Portlandia…

it’s a parody of the mindfulness concept, but also shows how there are people out there who are at least trying…

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On Not Averting Your Eyes

March 13, 2015 by costaricaguy Leave a Comment

I remember very clearly seeing an unfolding news story that made me mad…fighting mad…

It was the scene of Reginald Deny being pulled from his truck and smashed in the head with a brick during the horrific LA riots of 1992.

You remember, the one sparked by the acquittal of the officers charged in the Rodney King beating.

Back then I had a different worldview than I hold today. One that was far more to the right…

I mean, way far more!

And I felt a great degree of righteous indignation about that terrible beating…

that no matter what motivated it, it was wrong and the perps had to be punished…severely.

Well, I still believe all that. Of course, it was wrong.

But that’s only part of the story…and after 3 weeks in the LA County Jail, I’ve got an entirely different perspective about, as old Paul Harvey used to say, “the rest of the story.”

Recently, I got embroiled in a Facebook comment thread that seemed to go on ad infinitum about an article written by Thomas Sowell.

Dr. Sowell put forth the proposition, using statistical reference, that blacks in Ferguson are not unfairly targeted by the local police…

That the scathing DOJ report to the contrary is just a bunch of hooey.

I strongly disagree.

You see, I tend to view things differently now than I did back in 92.

Back then I’d probably have agreed with Dr. Sowell.

So, why the dramatic metamorphosis in thought, Costa Rica Guy?

Well, thanks for asking, since that’s the real motivation for this post.

I believe what changed is my ability to see things from more than one perspective…

To empathize with others, or not avert my eyes, even when their situation in life is far removed from my own…

as that of those involved in the LA riots were and those protesting and rioting in Ferguson now are.

I recently came across a post by Seth Godin that seemed to offer some insight as to why we often get stuck in a particular worldview that prevents us from seeing things from any other perspective…

that compels us to…avert our eyes.

Seth says…

There’s a long history of denialism, defending the status quo and ignoring what others discover. That two balls of different weights fall at the same speed. That the Earth rotates around the Sun. That the world is millions of years old. That we walked on the Moon.

Seth does on to say…

Why deny? It’s a way to avert our eyes.

Two related reasons, internal and external.

The external reason is affiliation. What happens to one’s standing when you dare to question the accepted status quo? What are the risks to doing your own research, to putting forth a falsifiable theory and being prepared to find it proven wrong? What will you tell your neighbors?

When adherence to the status quo of our faith or organization or social standing looms large, it’s often far easier to just look the other way, to feign ignorance or call yourself a skeptic…

The internal reason is fear. The fear of having to re-sort what we believe. Of feeling far too small in a universe that’s just too big. Most of all, of engaging in a never-ending cycle of theories and testing, with the world a little shaky under our feet as we live with a cycle that gets us closer to what’s real.

Seth says, in conclusion…

Part of being our best selves is having the guts to not avert our eyes, to look closely at what scares us, what disappoints us, what threatens us. By looking closely we have a chance to make change happen.

I believe one’s social circle and standing in it, religious and political connections (as those two often go hand to hand), among other things, represent the “affiliations” that largely determine our degree of empathy…

or, as Seth says, the degree of our tendency to look the other way, to avert our eyes to realities that may be far removed from our own.

That doesn’t make us bad people…it’s very normal human behaviour.

But the question I pose this morning is this…

Is it conducive to greater impact?

You see, the ones who need your impact the most, may not be the ones sitting in the pew next to you on Sunday morning, or with whom you play golf, invite into your home, or agree with politically.

Empathy, or not averting your eyes and turning a cold shoulder to the plight of others, is the key to solving many problems we face in our world today.

How so?

Well, it certainly has an influence on things like…

who you vote for.

And who you vote for has an influence on…

who actually gets elected.

And once elected, what policies are implemented, what wars are started, etc., etc.

These are important things to think about, wouldn’t you agree?

So, it’s a good idea maybe to step back and evaluate how your worldview got inside your head to begin with.

And then ask yourself, is it consistent with how the world really is…

from the perspective of all its inhabitants, even those far removed from your present reality and affiliations?

Don’t avert your eyes and allow affiliations and fear to determine how you think about problems and what actions you actually might take to solve them.

Don’t let affiliations and fear lead to averting your eyes and thereby become impact blinders.

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LA County Jail Part 4: Repository or Suppository?

March 9, 2015 by costaricaguy Leave a Comment

A-pod, 272 is a transfer tank in Tower 2 of LA County Jail.

It’s where inmates are sent, usually for a night, or two, on their way to permanent housing somewhere deep within the belly of the beast.

My situation being sort of unique, I was there for 3 (or was it 4?) nights.

The tank would repeatedly fill to the brim, with around 90 or so inmates, then it would empty again, only to repeat the process.

Usually the filling occurred late in the night. I was even able to learn to sleep through it.

The lights stayed on in the tank around the clock. I learned to sleep through that as well.

When the TV was on and everyone was up and about, the tank was a boisterous place, to say the least.

I remember when this one big brother appeared. I’ll have to admit, the guy was a bit intimidating…really big and always with this scowl…

well, not always…

You see, there was this other skinny dude with lots of frantic energy…and always happy, reminded me of Pharrell.

The skinny guy would dance around the tank, cracking jokes. He was a riot, really.

Well, one night, I was trying to sleep, but everyone else was pretty much still awake. I was one of the “older” dudes in the tank.

Anyhow, there was this Harry Potter movie playing on the tele.

And big “scary” dude and the skinny one started bantering back and forth like a couple of olde Brits…

imitating Harry and his female cohort, Hermione.

“Harry, Harry, stop it Harry…”

“I shan’t stop, Hermione, Lord Voldemort, commands me to carry on…”

“Oh Harry, stop it…no…Harry…no…”

“Oh yes…Harry…yes…yes”

These “tough” guys had to’ve been Harry Potter addicts because they had the accents down pat. They were killing me!

I couldn’t help but to break out laughing. They both looked over and gave me a…

“what the hell you laughing about, wood…”

kind of a look.

Then they just smiled and carried on with their Brit banter.

Others in the pod began to notice and all of a sudden everyone was having a grand old time being entertained by these guys and their Harry Potter impersonations.

It was a riot.

All this is to make the point that prison is actually a great repository of talent…

athletic talent…

comedic talent…

showbiz talent of all shapes and sizes…

and who knows what else…

perhaps literary?

But, rather than view prisons as repositories of talent, they are viewed more like suppositories…

You know, certainly not pleasant experiences to endure, but meant for some measure of rehabilitation.

I believe perhaps if those in prison were treated in a way that reflected what they really are…

That is, human beings possessed of the same potential as all the rest of us…

Rather than wretched refuse that society needs to be protected from…

Well, then perhaps real rehabilitation could occur…

And we’d all be a whole lot better off.

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LA County Jail Part 3: The Body Snatchers

March 7, 2015 by costaricaguy Leave a Comment

I’m gonna start this post with an astounding premise…

That not everyone who’s in jail, or even in prison, actually belongs there.

I won’t go as far as my all-time prison hero, Andy Dufresne, and tell you that “everyone” in prison is innocent…

But, at least from my experience in LA County Jail…

There were many in there for stupidity that perhaps getting locked away in a cage for is a bit harsh.

Like…

Getting high…

Getting rough with that lady in their life…now, caution, I strongly condemn domestic violence and I believe any form of violence perpetrated by men against women is a gross dereliction of manhood…

But, in LA County, domestic violence is whatever the female says it is, or was, at the moment of arrest…

and sometimes, perhaps it really wasn’t.

Probation violation.

Now there’s a big one. Granted the initial reason for being “on probation” may have been a good one…perhaps you really did fuck up pretty bad.

But there are about a million ways to violate probation and find yourself right back in the pokey for the infamous “10 day flash.”

Like skipping town,

or, skipping a meeting with your charming PO…

or, as in the case of my buddy, Greene, having bullets somewhere in your house that someone else put there and that you had no earthly idea were there.

Not a gun, mind you, just the bullets alone are enough to get you snatched away and thrown back into the belly of the beast, er, “the system.”

Oh, I also should mention, “failure to appear”, or missing a court date that you were never informed about to begin with.

And here’s the thing…

It doesn’t matter to them what you were doing when you got snatched. Everything stops. Everything is left behind. You are now theirs, at least for a while.

It’s kind of like being raptured I guess.

If you’ve ever floated around in fundamentalist Christian circles, you probably have an idea what I mean.

When the rapture comes…

Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left.

Matthew 24:40

And that’s really how it is with getting locked up.

Look it, I was at one moment happy as Gilmore, snapping photos of Mexico from my window seat, and the next it was…

“Up against the wall you SC redneck MF!”

And all the other things I had going on in my life at that moment of being snatched ceased to matter…

at least to them.

To everyone else involved? Different story.

And I heard countless similar tales…

of cars left behind…

jobs left unmanned…

possessions left unguarded…

and girlfriends left puckered.

Let me tell you, jail is very disruptive to your life!

Hell I was only in there for 3 long weeks and the repercussions were, to put it mildly, mildly devastating…

Can you imagine how it is for some of my jailhouse buddies…who are still there…and will be for quite some time to come?

And speaking of buddies, here’s another thing about jail…

One night you’re chewing the fat with them and the next morning they’re gone!

That’s right, snatched up in the middle of the night as if some alien invasion occurred and now they’re on a cold metallic table being dissected under blinding light by ET.

Yessiree bob, let me tell you, jail is bad enough.

You go from perhaps enjoying at least a semi-human existence (I say “semi” because many in jail are poorer than dirt and probably didn’t have things all that great on the outside), to being treated pretty much like a caged animal.

Yea, getting snatched from your life is bad enough.

It seems to me, before they do that…

They’d ought to have a damn good reason!

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God and Mammon

March 6, 2015 by costaricaguy Leave a Comment

No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon (money).

Matthew 6:24

I went to this meeting last night. No, it wasn’t an AA meeting, or an SA meeting, or any of those…not that they aren’t very valuable…

It was sort of a “money” meeting.

Everyone there was all super excited about the prospect of generating more of that flimsy green paper adorned with dead notable art.

In fact, it seemed, from the looks and likes of them, that money was and is the most important avenue of pursuit one can take in life.

The topic was one of those network marketing schemes. You know the drill. You’ve probably been to one of those meetings yourself.

It is tempting…I’ll have to admit.

And in my current state of severe (OK, maybe not all that severe) economic lack…I was mildly tempted.

But then I came to my senses and got the heck out of there.

I’ve written often in the past about money…you can view those posts…

here…

and here…

and even here…

just to link a few.

My thoughts about this issue are fairly consistent and well documented.

So, why write about it again, Costa Rica Guy?

Well, this post perhaps is more aimed at me than it is at you.

Because my repatriation to the States has brought a renewed realization regarding the vaulted position that money holds in our intensely capitalistic society.

I saw it during my time in LA County Jail.

And I’ve seen it in countless other ways from the moment I was shackled to a bench at my celebrated re-entry.

And now, as I try to figure out how to actually thrive in the good ole U.S. of A., it’s smacking me upside my titanium steel-like hard head.

You’d better get out there and generate some more greenery inside your “billatera” Mr. Utopian Society wannabe, or you’re gonna find yourself out in the streets, or back in a cell.

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah…I hear you.

But that don’t mean I have to like it.

Or, succumb wholeheartedly to the notion.

Or, become a money seeking caricature of an actual human being.

One that get’s all hot and bothered when some guy with a horribly tacky tie gets up and tries to convince me that I too can drive a new white turbo-charged BMW that floats down the road like a motor-propelled feather in the wind.

You see, in Costa Rica, all that stuff didn’t matter all that much.

So, why should I let it matter here?

You know, I’m thinking of applying for a job in a steel mill. A guy told me they were hiring and paying decent Union wages.

I’ve never worked like that in my life.

But the way I’m thinking, maybe it would be good for me.

To see how real people, the ones on whose shoulders this country was built…

to see how they make ends meet.

Oh, I know, but what with my education and all…

I could do better.

Ya think?

Do better in what way?

By being one of “those guys”…the hipsters that walk past high class establishments with their noses cocked slightly northward to reveal their majestic importance relative to the rest of the world?

Nah, not really my cup of tea.

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Life Has a Funny Way of Going On

March 5, 2015 by costaricaguy Leave a Comment

The last month of the life of one Costa Rica Guy has been, to put it mildly, impactful.

But life has a funny way of going on.

Traumatic events can lead us down diverse paths.

They can close us down…creating phobias.

I appear to have developed one triggered by airports.

Or, they can open us up.

We can retreat into our own private worlds of fear and loathing.

Or, we can be released from the expectation of the worst possible outcomes (called pessimism) and expect and embrace the best ones (the better optimistic outlook).

It’s funny how the worst ones…that is, the worst scenarios our creative brains can muster…never seem to materialize.

They say what doesn’t kill you will make you stronger.

Well, I ain’t dead yet!

So, I want this post to mark a new beginning. One that was supposed to have “begun” on February 2nd.

But fate wouldn’t have it that way.

Nope, I just had to have my little detour…now didn’t I?

That’s all fine and good.

I’ve done some living over the last 31 days.

And some learning.

And now I feel ready, perhaps more than I’ve been in the last, say, 54 years…

to start loving…

and, perhaps, leaving a legacy.

Making my mark.

What will it look like?

Well, I’m not altogether sure, but it will be different…

I’m certain of it.

It might not appear to be true…and sometimes I joke around about being “snake bit” and all…

But, fact is I’m a pretty lucky guy.

Despite my foibles, I’m still deeply loved.

Despite having “blown it” about a billion times, I always seem to get another chance.

Despite having been down so goddamn low, that it seems like up to me…

I always find a way to move forward.

And that’s exactly what I’m doing…right now…with these words…on this hopeful morning.

So, I encourage you this morning to stop beating yourself up for your mistakes, or letting others do that for you…

Learn from them. They have the capacity for the deepest of life’s lessons.

Colossal fuck-ups make great instructors…approaching guru-like levels.

And once you’ve learned “the lesson”, get off your ass, or knees, shake off the ashes, and step out of that uncomfortable sackcloth…

Get back into the fight.

The Universe needs you.

And expects you to do no less.

And for anyone out there expecting a different attitude from me…

here’s the thing…

According to my worldview, the Universe doesn’t shine on morosity…

but upon generosity.

Which is marked by the quality of being kind and generous, plentiful and large.

Life’s hard lessons can lead us to a state of being larger than them.

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