Beyond the Seen
- March 2010
- Hi Steph Simple Living Climb
Hi Steph, my name is Steve Terjak. I am from Boulder, and I have seen your slide show at Neptunes’. I must comment that I don’t believe i have seen a standing ovation after a show — much less before it, so kudos to you, we here in Boulder obviously feel like you have earned them.
On your blog, in the book excerpt “Running Around”, you write “…and above all, climbing has shown me the existence of forces beyond the seen world.”
Selfishly, i would love to hear from you specifically what you mean by this. Do you have an example(s)?
Quickly I will share my experience. Hopefully it will show you that I am not a kook or a deity worshipper. Just a normal (I think) guy with a desire to learn about the spiritual from people who have had life-affirming experiences.
I was on a river trip on the Colorado River south of Moab. Stopped at Big Bottom, which is the largest river bottom between Moab and the confluence with the Green River. This is a known ancient native-american habitation site. Early in the morning, alone, after ferrying across in my sea-kayak, I walked the path from the river up to dwellings and pictographs. There are hand outlines chalked onto the wall — two sets, an adults and a childs. I respectfully approached, placed my right hand lightly over the adults (illegally), and then felt a shock originate in my hand and spread through my body. Then the words “an adult and a child, this is the meaning of life, an adult and a child”, came to me as if someone was immediately behind me and speaking firmly into my ear. I remember slowly turning around to see if anyone was there. No-one was.
Thats my little experience….., if you have one to share about your “forces beyond the seen world”, I would love to hear it.
Sincerely, Steve
PS “wonderings.org”, if you would like a bit more of the story and a photo.
Dear Steve,
Thanks for writing, and sharing that story. I think this kind of experience is if not common, certainly normal. I have heard many stories of people being alone and hearing a distinct voice. Most people say it’s only happened to them once. I have never heard a voice in that way. But I notice that connection seems to happen a lot, especially if I’m able to take notice.
My connections seem to be more related to people and animals, most frequently just the simplest experience of thinking of someone just before they call, and often feeling some kind of pain or ailment that an animal close to me turns out to be experiencing. I might describe that as more empathic than anything, and it’s probably just a result of paying attention.
When I talked in my book about feeling the existence of forces beyond the seen, it’s because I feel a sense of a powerful spiritual energy, all the time in the natural world. Thinking about it, I first learned about this through the wind in Patagonia. When I first started going there, I was totally overwhelmed by the wind, and I found it scary, maddening and negative. I was always mad at it, scared of it and fighting it.
It took me a long time to learn that fighting the wind is about the stupidest thing a person can do. Basically, it’s just a big waste of energy, and the fighting itself is a big part of the danger. Once I finally understood that, the wind became really different for me. I won’t say it’s not frightening, but I no longer felt that same panic-inducing terror. I learned to stay calm, and endure the wind with patience and what I would call a lack of emotion, rather than allowing it to goad me into a weaker state. Eventually, I came to see that external negativity as well as strong internal emotions are very similar to wind, and this taught me a lot about how to deal with them. The lesson there is not that the big universe is using the wind to teach me a lesson, but rather that the big universe is so wild, powerful and indifferent to me that I need to learn how to flow within it. Then I can be a part of that wild energy, instead of the tiny ant trying to struggle against it 🙂 Or at least that’s what it seems like right now.
Thanks again Steve!
Steph
Dear Steph – I was not aware that you had responded till a friend relayed to me that she had looked me up on Google, and there was our communication.
Molte grazie for writing me back, i sincerely appreciate it.
On to your comments. The fact that you write that you have heard many stories from people who have heard a distinct voice is reinforcing. Reinforcing that paying attention can and perhaps often does allow for Divine input. Perhaps it is the Divine within ourselves, in the form of a voice, or, as you say, in a thought or feeling that quickly manifests. The ‘paying attention’, certainly is a fresh feeling. With benefits, for ourself, and the other, – for ex the animal that you are close to, that you felt their pain in your body. Neat, rewarding stuff if you can help the animal via that thought/feeling.
Are you aware of the book ‘Animal Speak’ by Ted Andrews? I am reminded of your presentation and the owl sightings you spoke of having. They were perhaps ‘reflecting’ your own questions and energies. Totems. To learn from. To share with. You probably are familiar w the book, if not, sounds like you would be reinforced of your thoughts w Andrews’.
This part is the meat of your message for me:
Eventually, I came to see that external negativity as well as strong internal emotions are very similar to wind, and this taught me a lot about how to deal with them. The lesson there is not that the big universe is using the wind to teach me a lesson, but rather that the big universe is so wild, powerful and indifferent to me that I need to learn how to flow within it. Then I can be a part of that wild energy.
 …. First, something I read from a female native american years ago in a Patagonia catalog interview – she said, as i remember, they do not have a word for ‘wild’. As they live in nature, all is expressed naturally. Perhaps when a brother becomes intoxicated his actions might be ‘wild’; and again, in nature, all representations of weather are natural.Â
That said, the big universe is so ‘natural’, powerful and indifferent, that I do need to learn how to flow w it. YES, most true. And, to be able to Play in nature – well that is recreation, re-creation (as old LL Beans writings taught me back when i was employed there), of body, mind and spirit — when we flow w it. One can push against the wind, and one can achieve so much more when working/flowing With wind (natural forces). Â Smiles!
Journey on Steph, w your energy aligned w natures energy,
Metta, Sequoia Steve Terjak
thanks for writing back too 🙂 🙂