Octopus’ garden…

I’ve been reading the teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge,

by Carlos Castaneda,

and thinking about hockey,

and feeling,

philosophical…

I wonder about finding a spot where one can sit without fatigue…

A place where a man can feel happy and strong…

Does this happen in a stadium,

regardless of whether one is a player,

or a spectating fan???

don Juan tells Carlos to feel with the eyes as he tries to find his spot (sitio)…

That one can feel with the eyes,

when the eyes are not looking,

right into things…

Do we get any coaching to find the two spots,

that are the key to our well-being,

especially for a man who is pursuing knowledge?

The good spot called the sitio and the bad one,

the enemy?

When I look at hockey fans,

I see that most people watching a hockey game,

have not found their spot…

They have not found a way to replenish energy,

by sitting in their spot,

and therefore are weakened by the enemy,

instead of creating superior strength…

don Juan tells Carlos,

A man goes to knowledge as he goes to war,

wide-awake,

with fear,

respect,

and with absolute assurance.

Going to knowledge or going to war [or going to hockey],

in any other manner is a mistake,

and whoever makes it,

will live to regret his steps…

What do fans full of self-doubt,

reflect onto,

their home team?

If we really are all Canucks,

and we really are all canucked,

how does a vibration of doubt,

reverberate through the stands,

the stadium,

the city,

and over long distances,

onto the ice,

of the oppposing team?

Remember game five against Chicago,

when Mats scored that goal,

and was SO happy…

I was in Costco a day or so later,

and heard a man say,

that he has never,

in his life,

experienced,

what happened in that stadium,

when Mats scored THAT goal…

He could feel it coming,

and when it did,

the tension in the crowd,

flew up out of the seats,

and was transformed,

into an energy of experience ,

that was one of a kind…

An energy of experience,

that sounds,

out of this world…

And then remember when things,

didn’t go,

our way,

and the lower level fans,

clearly had a tantrum…

Creating a hurricane of beer cups,

and popcorn,

in a thoughtless act,

of dumping,

their anxious garbage,

onto the ice…

I tell my children,

and my students,

Crying is definitely okay,

but it is not going to get you,

what you want…

How can a team bring home the Stanley Cup,

to a family,

where love turns,

on a dime?

Last week,

in the stream of major life change,

I was feeling,

my doubting heart…

My daughter,

Starshine,

looked at me,

and said,

Mama,

your head is all cloudy,

like you’re not sure…

And the next day I was fishing with Little Gem,

on a dock,

congested,

with desperation…

The fish seemed to have a one rod preference…

A man next to me swung his equipment,

back to cast…

I stepped away,

like I was anticipating,

a hook in my hair,

he hesitated,

and then went for it again…

Once more I moved,

without absolute,

assurance…

He hesitated too,

and said,

his eyes behind the mirrors of sunglasses,

in which I could see my reflection,

You make me doubt myself…

Next season,

don’t go to a Canucks game,

and call yourself,

a fan,

if you can’t hold a frequency,

of absolute assurance…

You’d be wasting energy,

and the playoffs,

especially,

are a time for conservation,

with no reservation…

We are all just waves on the water,

and the world,

around you,

shows all the pieces ,

of the puzzle,

that you hold inside…

Nothing more,

or less…

don Juan tells Carlos that,

Mescalito teaches the proper way of life,

and shows how to live…

Sometimes he shows it on his hand,

or on the rocks,

or the trees,

or just in front of you…

He talks differently to every man…

How will YOU know,

when you’ve heard,

what YOUR power has to say????