The River of Time: A Meditation on the Flow of Life

I had a new thought this weekend. It flowed out of a quote that went something like this: "The future is the past unfrozen."

As I reflected on this notion, however, I couldn't help but think about the behavior of water in its different states. I liked the idea that our past was frozen, and I thought about how water freezes below a specific temperature. But once it is unfrozen it can also be altered yet again when you boil it or heat it above 212 degrees F. It becomes an invisible gas at that point.

It's interesting that time therefore has three phases: past, present and future. Likewise water has three phases: solid, liquid and gas.

What we see when we apply this notion to time is that all of time is a unity, but it is experienced in different forms. Try as we might, we can't alter the past. Our achievements and mistakes leave a permanent record. They are frozen in time. Our present, on the other hand, is fluid. This fluid present is where we live and experience life. The future is invisible. It is so unformed it cannot be seen, like unpolluted air.

If the whole of time is one unit, then this would explain how God can be described as being the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, and be both simultaneously. Some people see a fatalism inherent in God knowing the end from the beginning, but the paradox is this: the present is ever fluid until it is past. Because the present is fluid, anything is possible. It's up to us to decide "what next." Our decisions today will determine what will be frozen in time tomorrow.

* * * * 

Is it true that what will be will be? 

What will be is up to us. 

Is the future inevitable?

Yes, but only after it has been frozen in the past.

EdNote: Top right is a painting, acrylic on panel, 24"x 36". Bottom is AI generated variation

Originally published in September, 2016

Flashback Friday: A New Thought About Tomorrow, That I Had in the Past

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN 2016

I had a new thought this weekend. It flowed out of a quote that went something like this: "The future is the past unfrozen."

As I reflected on this notion, however, I couldn't help but think about the behavior of water in its different states. The idea that our past is frozen made sense to me, and I thought about how water freezes below a specific temperature. But once it is unfrozen it can also be altered yet again when you boil it or heat it above 212 degrees F. It becomes an invisible gas at that point.

It's interesting that time therefore has three phases: past, present and future. Likewise water has three phases: solid, liquid and gas.

What we see when we apply this notion to time is that all of time is a unity, but it is experienced in different forms. 

Try as we might, we can't alter the past. Our achievements and mistakes leave a permanent record. They are frozen in time. Our present, on the other hand, is fluid. This fluid present is where we live and experience life. The future is invisible. It is so unformed it cannot be seen, like unpolluted air.

If the whole of time is one unit, then this would explain how God can be described as being the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, and be both simultaneously. Some people see a fatalism inherent in God knowing the end from the beginning, but the paradox is this: the present is ever fluid until it is past. Because the present is fluid, anything is possible. It's up to us to decide "what next." Our decisions today will determine what will be frozen in time tomorrow.

* * * *
Is it true that what will be will be? What will be is up to us. Is the future inevitable? Yes, but only after it has been frozen in the past.

Related Links
The Future Remains Unwrit 

Wendy's Magic Carpet Ride: My First Experience with the SolTec™ Lounge.

I can't remember when I first met Wendy Ruhnke, other than it was through one of the events associated with Dylan Fest a few years back. The first time we talked at length was at one of the annual Winter Dance Party events in support of the Duluth Armory. It was probably then that I learned about her business, selling SolTec™ Lounge systems.

When she described it to me I could only envision a vibrating chair with music. I felt unable to write a blog post unless I actually had a chance to get in the chair. The experience itself was nothing like what I imagined at all. Comparing it to a vibrating chair would be like comparing a 2 x 2 inch Polaroid photo of the Grand Canyon that's been through the wash to the Grand Canyon itself.

A view of the speakers beneath the mattress.

Seven years ago Wendy was asked by Dr. Dan Cohen to try his latest invention, the SolTec™ Lounge. Using cutting edge technology it was designed to produce a profound state of relaxation/stress reduction and induce a meditative state.

All I can tell you is that it was quite effective at transporting me places and putting me in the zone.

At SoundVibration, Wendy facilitates sessions with the SolTec™ Lounge and also sells them for personal use in your home. She also assists others in becoming distributor partners or practitioners.

I pulled this portion of Wendy's testimony off her website.

Having used the SolTec™ Lounge now for over six years, I often get asked the question, “What changes have you noticed in yourself?” So I thought I would answer with this post. The first change I noticed was that I was happier. I nicknamed the chair the happy chair. That feeling has grown tremendously. I am contented, growing spiritually, and just more fun to be with in general. I smile most of the time and laugh a lot.

This feature of the machine produces magnetic
stimulation beneath your lower back.

I didn't know Wendy till the last few years, so I can't say whether her happiness level was elevated by the chairs, but I can certainly tell you she's an exceedingly upbeat woman and I don't doubt her story. I would love to have one of these chairs in my home.

She has four chairs in hers. They're located in a near octagon-shaped room that reminds me of a home I painted in Minneapolis years ago. It's actually a wonderful house with a rich history, hardwood floors, built in 1891. But you don't have to have a historic home to own a chair though.

The chair's S-shaped design is not unlike my own easy chair at home when in recliner mode. Before lying down she pulled back the four-inch cushion to show me the speakers and magnetic resonance system so that I might understand the technical aspects of this SolTec Lounge

As I situated myself in the Lounge she said, "The more you surrender, the better it will be. Be with the music, don't listen to it"

I couldn't help listen, of course, because I'd been planning to write this description of my experience. Even so, I couldn't help but think of John Lennon singing Tomorrow Never Knows.

Turn off your mind relax and float down stream
It is not dying, it is not dying

The space has a relaxing vibe.
A tapestry from Ecuador.

Wendy herself slid into the comfort of another chair, instructing me to take three deep breaths and shift my awareness to my body. What follows is my weak attempt to describe my experience.

The sound track was more like several layers of translucence, with different things happening on each layer, but that which was beneath would slowly rise as other layers receded. The sounds were multi-cultural. I recognized one layer at the beginning as something akin to atonal African music. Some of the music was New Age-like but infused with colors--mauve and polyphonous patterns of sound. Then there were thunderclaps at times, with that fractal type of sound, a-rhythmic rather than a regular beat, accompanied by a-rhythmic pulses from the chair. The variety and intensity was quite striking.

I was instructed not to listen to the music but to be carried away by it all. In doing so I had all kinds of images and memories float through my mind. I thought of relationships I'd ruined, and peaceful places I'd been. At one point I had the strange sensation that my socks had wriggled off, which wasn't the case at all.

During the entire experience it seemed as if the sounds were interlaced with colors and vibes, and frequently I had thoughts that I wished to write down but chose to let go of.

At the very end, as everything else receded, there was a plinking piano melody--if I remember correctly--that reminded me of Randy Newman, who has done soundtracks for ever so many Hollywood films including Toy Story. And I felt myself luxuriously at rest in a waking dream.

* * * *

Start Doing More Things You Love
Wendy noted that many of the people who come in to use the beds do it as a group. She has a few local bands that come in together and drift into their individual spaces communally. Some come in once a week Some have liked it so much they bought their own chairs. One couple that did this is part of our Duluth Dylan Fest circle.

The price is $40 for a session, though you get a discount the first time. You also get a discount each time you bring someone new. Whether as an aid for meditation or a tool for. finding a much needed "state of rest" in the midst of a hectic, busy life, this may be just what you are looking for.

Related Links

SolTec Lounge
http://www.toolstoawakenduluth.com/about.html

Wendy's Website
www.ToolsToAwakenDuluth.com
Schedule an appointment.
Wendy Ruhnke, SoundVibration, LLC

This was not a vibrating chair, it was something far more complex and actually quite effective. This blog post has been my weak attempt to describe the experience.

A Pakistani Perspective -- Duluth: Best Place for Meditation

GUEST POST 
by Umme Kulsoom Naqvi

Umme is a Content Producer and Researcher in Islamabad. Her hometown is Taxila, an ancient city of Pakistan very near to Islamabad. She and 27 other journalists visited different cities in the U.S. for four weeks in July. Umme Kulsoon and Sherdil Khan, a news anchor for Pakistan television, were in Duluth for much of that time. What follows is an account of her visit here.

Duluth: Best Place for Meditation

(L to R) Sherdil,Umme, Ramona Marozas and friend.

Albert Einstein once said, “Look deep into nature and then you will understand everything better.” If you visit Duluth, Minnesota you can feel this practically. Duluth, Minnesota in St. Louis County is basically a major port city in the U.S., situated on the North Shore of Lake Superior at the westernmost point of Great Lakes. The city is named for Daniel Greysolon, Sieur du Lhut, the first known European explorer of the area.

Duluth is not a populated area like other big U.S. cities. I am saying this because I was staying in Washington DC before coming to Duluth. But here in Duluth night means night and everything sleeps here. Roads are empty and businesses close after 9 p.m. max. Saturday night is like party night here. You will find folk gather at Bayfront Park and enjoy music in summer. Summer is the attraction of Duluth but winter is a vicious beauty here.

In our pre-trip orientation we were told that U.S society is very different from Pakistani society. They are punctual in time, very practical in their every field of life. And I found them the same when lived there for four weeks. During my stay in Duluth, I explored not only the land beauty but also the beauty of the people. They were more welcoming and friendly than our expectations. I am not here to praise American society at all but I found many attributes which are acknowledge-worthy. They are far ahead in technology from Third World countries and utilizing it very appropriately. But the main thing I saw was how they stick to ethics. Though they have a high crime rate and homeless people in many states, collectively they are practicing moral values. Greeting everyone is very common in U.S society, whether you know the next person or not. Keeping a door open for the latter is a very little thing but it appeals.

St. Louis County Courthouse

Duluth is not a big industrial or commercial city so it is quite different in its culture. People have a family system here. They live with parents and also they are religious, too. On Sunday most business is closed here in Duluth. One thing surprised me when I went to church I saw mostly elderly were attending the prayer session. I found a very low number of young there, Maybe it is the case of one church where I went.

I learnt there in Duluth that beauty can be managed even in hilly areas. A matter of fact is that Duluth is having heavy construction on roads during summer, but still there are so many tourists there and they have no problem with this forbearance process.

Meeting in City Hall

In addition to having beautiful people Duluth has many other attractions for newly landed persons. If you are here to explore nature and want to have some peace of mind, you are not a lone spirit on this planet. Many tourists come here to enjoy their summer vacations. You have many attractions in Duluth like the all-freshwater aquarium, the Great Lakes Aquarium; the Aerial Lift Bridge, which spans the Duluth Ship Canal into the Duluth–Superior Harbor; and Minnesota Point (known locally as Park Point), the world's longest freshwater baymouth, spanning 6 miles. I got piles of promotional stuff while walking through the Skywalk which was one of my favorite things in Duluth because I never have a sky walk at my home country.

The city is surrounded by much natural beauty.

If I talk about the professional life in Duluth, it is more like other parts of world. They are very committed and dedicated with their work. As I visited many media houses, met administration officials, doctors, professors, artists and social activists, I found one thing common in a majority of people: they are not stubborn. They guide you in whatever field they are. They do not stop your way if you want to know something about their profession. Americans are talkative in nature overall so in Duluth, too, they like to do long conversation sessions about culture, weather and world politics. Most of the above I observed. I also observed that they are fond of cheese just because they are have so many big dairy forms in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

I want to mention some words which are very common in daily conversation like Awesome, Sounds good, Yeah Yeah! I really enjoyed these words and now after a month stay there I am also used to it.

Ed Newman with Ramona Marozas

A month stay was not only about exploring nature and land but I also met many talented and well-known people there. Now I have many friends in my Facebook list and my life, too. I can never forget Dan Paglease and Ramona Marozas, my friends forever. Ed Newman is a famous blogger whose writing is full of color, culture and art. He is also a great harmonica player. He arranged an evening where me, Sherdil my Pakistani fellow, Jason Dean of the Philosophy Department at UMD and his wife Clare were invited to Ed’s friend Eliot’s home. Eliot is a multi-talented creative-minded artist. He drew my sketch, which featured me perfectly. I will always keep it with me.

Then I have Adeline Wright and Allen in my friend List. On my first day in Duluth, when I went to Enger Park Tower and it started thunder storming. I was not aware of Duluth weather at that time. I was walking on the side of the road, having gotten wet due to heavy rain, and suddenly a car stopped in front of me and Adeline was sitting on the driving seat. She said she will drop me to the hotel and I was like I will not sit in a stranger’s car, but she convinced me by introducing herself and insisted I get in. I sat in her car and there our bond of love and friendship started. Adeline Wright is well-known in Duluth because of her social work and her hair spa. Allen is a documentary maker and very talented guy. On my last day in Duluth, they both invited me at their home and I made Pakistani food for them. My Duluth trip is capsulated with this Adeline and Allen encounter.

Sherdil's "selfie" group shot. Adeline, center of group, directly behind Umme.

There is a long list of friends whom I cannot forget and their love will remain with me for whole my life. My love for Duluth and its lovely people is increasing day by day and I feel Duluth to my second home now.

Last but not the least it was great to visit the Duluth News Tribune because we really wanted to observe the working environment of a newspaper team. We found that newspapers are doing more effort as they are now supposed to be fast like News TV channels, so they are working hard to grab the news and then do online news reporting, too. The most fascinating thing was having our names on the Welcome Sign at the reception of DNT.

I have so many Good Memories in my backlist along with me. Although I am back to my home now, Duluth is still with me, running inside my spirit and it will always remain with me. Love from Pakistan!

* * * *

Thank you Umme & Sherdil for enriching our city with your presence.

Meditation #17

As the world's knowledge exponentially compounds, we find ourselves increasingly removed from the knowledge that has gone before us. When we encounter a passage from literature today, few there are who recall its source, who can identify its root.

At various points in history many great libraries were burned. Today, such book burning is no longer necessary. Whether history, theology, philosophy, literature, biography, science or travel, the great books are all but forgotten.

In a nation where reading is mandatory, it is literally amazing how few there are that read today. Maybe it is our educational system that presents classic lit in a manner that turns us away from their rich bounty. Or maybe the easy seduction of so many other distractions.

I'd mentioned Hemingway a few weeks back. Here is the source for the title of his masterpiece For Whom the Bell Tolls, beginning with another oft quoted phrase worth taking to heart.

No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were: any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.

And here is the context for this passage, a worthy meditation.

Meditation #17
By John Donne

From Devotions upon Emergent Occasions (1623), XVII: Nunc Lento Sonitu Dicunt, Morieris (Now, this bell tolling softly for another, says to me, Thou must die.)

Perchance, he for whom this bell tolls may be so ill, as that he knows not it tolls for him; and perchance I may think myself so much better than I am, as that they who are about me, and see my state, may have caused it to toll for me, and I know not that. The church is Catholic, universal, so are all her actions; all that she does belongs to all. When she baptizes a child, that action concerns me; for that child is thereby connected to that body which is my head too, and ingrafted into that body whereof I am a member. And when she buries a man, that action concerns me: all mankind is of one author, and is one volume; when one man dies, one chapter is not torn out of the book, but translated into a better language; and every chapter must be so translated; God employs several translators; some pieces are translated by age, some by sickness, some by war, some by justice; but God's hand is in every translation, and his hand shall bind up all our scattered leaves again for that library where every book shall lie open to one another. As therefore the bell that rings to a sermon calls not upon the preacher only, but upon the congregation to come, so this bell calls us all; but how much more me, who am brought so near the door by this sickness.

Read the complete essay here