April 1, 2010 Have you ridden a windhorse?
Thanks to my first true friend Grasmaand, for the last twenty years; as I have moved from industry to industry, I have carried the image of a Tibetan windhorse with me from one venture to another.
Hard work, relationships and creative output have never gotten me where I wanted to go; it’s always been a windhorse that carried me someplace else.
Strangely enough, the destination was never a place where I intended a go; it’s just a place I ended up.
A windhorse is not a strategy, it’s not a relationship, it’s not a routine, it’s not a drug; it’s any of the above; it’s what you ride that takes you to a place where you didn’t know you wanted to be.
It’s vague I know. You won’t get it until you’ve ridden one, and unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on how you look at things, you simply can’t mount a windhorse and go someplace you didn’t know you wanted to be. Sorry, it doesn’t seem to work that way.
A windhorse can only be ridden once; everyone rides at least one; and the only way you will ever find yours is through reflection.
Then it’s all useless and senseless you say. Not really. You can’t ride very far unless you’re prepared, and that’s the point.
I’m certain you will recall the image of the windhorse every time you dismount one. Moreover, everyone you pass this intangible conundrum onto will be tagged with the same indefinite combination of uncertainly and imminent contentment. Oh well.
If you think I am kidding, try forgetting the windhorse. You can’t and you won’t.
Windhorses on Wikipedia
about Bruce Warila
Reader Comments (8)
kidding or not, this post sums up my life.
It also explains the time I woke two weeks after a car crash. Upon reflection I knew what hit me, and it certainly took me someplace I didn't expect to go, and yes that crash can't be repeated.
Brilliant.
Profound post. Absolutely profound. Reminds me of my favorite quote ever, "Control is just an illusion, there is only keeping your balance." I'm misquoting, but that's the idea. And the only way to keep your balance is to build a proper foundation (prepare). Kudos
This post started as an April Fool's post, as I don't do the guru thing here on MTT, plus it's a bit of a crack on guru speak. However the post is also real and valid brain food.
This post describes my life and the lives of so many others that I've known .. especially in the creative fields -
The heart of the matter, as you point out, is: "You can’t ride very far unless you’re prepared ..." The luckiest break in the world will do you no good if you are not prepared to act upon the opportunities that have presented themselves.
In many "native" indigenous cultures, the horse symbolizes our individual totemic relationship to "work" or "occupation." It's my belief we can all facilitate relationships with these spirit totems and let them take us where we need to go. I call it "Arch typical Means to Contemporary Ends."
Hard work, relationships, and creative output have been my mainstay for all of my life. I have always been told that THEY are the preparation, although they have never taken me where I've wanted to go. Now you are telling me that some windhorse is going to take me to a place where I didn't know I wanted to go, and all of the preparation of hard work, relationships, and creative output were misdirected? You might as well tell horoscopes - they make just about as much sense.
David,
Read the first paragraph. Grasmaand First = April First (April Fools) :)
Although, there is undeniable truth to the post. It's called luck or happenstance. Shit happens.
This article is like a synopsis for a Lost episode.