Huna Article
Huna International
Reflections on Being an Adventurer
by Stewart Blackburn
In this glorious community of ours we are all familiar with the notion that we are adventurer shamans as
opposed to warrior shamans. We recognize that rather than personifying problems to defeat them in battle, we
intentionally depersonify problems in order to treat them as problems that merely need to be solved in
whatever expedient way seems appropriate. We look at the world as a beautiful place that is basically good
and safe rather than an evil and dangerous place. And we look at our futures in terms of maximizing joy as
opposed to minimizing suffering.
I think, however, that there is much more to being an adventurer, shaman or not. In fact, I think that
adopting the attitude of adventurer is essential to leading a joyful, successful life. And to me, it is the
way of life that falls out of the Seven Principles automatically.
There are several things that most other attitudes, or styles of life, do not adequately address. One is
change. An adventurer, whether climbing a mountain or driving a new road, has to remain aware that he/she is
never sure what happens next. Conditions under foot or under tire may change. The weather is always in flux,
as is lighting, one's own level of energy, focus and motivation. Being comfortable in ever-changing
conditions removes the anxiety of trying to hold on to the un-hold-able. Relaxing and being flexible while
maintaining focus on one's intention is, I think, a hallmark of a good adventurer.
Managing risk well is another hallmark. Life is risky. We are constantly in danger of loosing what we most
dearly hold onto. That danger may not be large but it is always there. We risk our reputations every time we
try something new in public. We risk love whenever we express our emotions to someone we care about, whether
they be positive or negative emotions. We risk our lives every time we get into a car, cross the street or
eat at a fast-food restaurant. We risk humiliation when we tell a joke, wear a new bathing suit or try
something new in public like dancing or bowling. Love reduces that risk by helping us feel better about
ourselves and others, and by increasing the positive energy around us. But we are always in the position of
taking risks. Accepting that risks are involved as opposed to avoiding risks whenever possible distinguishes
the adventurer from many other people.
Another characteristic of an adventurer, in my opinion, is that he/she is able to handle intensity. When
fully embraced life is very intense. Falling in love is very, very intense. So is the first day of school, a
new job or incarceration, be it in a hospital or prison. Sex is intense; in fact it is often regarded as
being the best when it is the most intense. But we often try to mitigate intensity. Most of us have limits
on how much pleasure we are willing to accept, either because of beliefs about what we deserve or how "out
of control" we feel we can be. In fact, intensity is often regarded as pain. While intense sounds can be
experienced as painful noise, intense sensations are prized by some while others might well call them
painful. Extreme sports athletes and fiery food lovers understand this well. Exploring new things,
physically, emotionally or mentally can be very intense and to an adventurer that intensity is something to
be enjoyed, even cherished. The intensity on all levels of activities like skiing, skydiving or even public
speaking can bring on wondrous joy and exhilaration. It is that intensity that stimulates the feeling of
being alive. It is embracing the unrestrained fullness of life that started at birth and will continue into
the death adventure.
Power, also, can be intense. Many people find that accepting the responsibilities of power to be quite
scary. The internal sensations of power can seem overwhelming and the effects of one's use of power can be
intensely dramatic. Feeling the moment of power, that place where the past and the future are right there in
the present, I find to be very intense. I think it takes a great deal of focus and a big willingness to be
in intensity to hang out there. Thus, the adventurer needs to be able to hold onto him/herself in the face
of his/her own hugeness, strength and brightness.
Another feature of the adventurer is his/her management of expectations. I find that the adventurers I know
have both great expectations for every moment of their lives and a willingness to not be undone by
expectations unfulfilled. This optimistic flexibility keeps them emotionally supple as well as strong. As
such they take responsibility for their expectations, realizing that they are not realities, they are only
very strong desires.
And I think adventures understand that their motivations are about pleasure and fun. Adventurers are not
usually motivated by dogmas, lofty ideals or the afterlife. They seem to have a penchant more for variety,
contrast and novelty, all elements of pleasure. But more than just the excitement and savoring of
sensations, pleasures of the heart, mind and spirit are there to be experienced as well. These lead to the
most obvious of characteristics of an adventurer, that of the love of exploration, the joys of discovery and
new understandings. Honoring and nurturing a sense of wonder, I think they look to see what other
experiences are available and they allow their curiosity and imaginations to be fully engaged. It is the
desire for the joys of life and the fullness of embodiment, for themselves as well as for others, that
stimulates and excites them and takes them to new and deeper connections with themselves and the universe.
So here's to the adventurer and to the intensity, change, risk, power, and fun of living on Earth!
Copyright Huna International 2008
|
