Breaking Our Connectedness

Good Morning:

Yesterday Larry posted a poem by Mark Nepo and it received a lot of positive comment and approval. I was surprised. I had a different take on it, a different response. I don't want to start a long thread on Larry's poetry offerings or get into some kind of online argument. On the other hand, I wanted to share my thoughts, so I decided to do this in a separate post. Here is the poem:

Breaking Surface

Let no one keep you from your journey,
no rabbi or priest, no mother
who wants you to dig for treasures
she misplaced, no father
who won't let one life be enough,
no lover who measures their worth
by what you might give up,
no voice that tells you in the night
it can't be done.

Let nothing dissuade you
from seeing what you see
or feeling the winds that make you
want to dance alone
or go where no one
has yet to go.

You are the only explorer.

- Mark Nepo

When I read this I hear an exaltation of the individual over the community, over our relationships, over and above nature, and the ecological being and presence of our lives. My response was that this poem resonates with the hyper-individualism of our culture which tends to isolate us, separate us from each other, and creates a barrier to communication and understanding between us. Notice who thoroughly the poem places the individual over relationships: mother, father, lovers, no other voice is to be listened to other than one's own, as if one's own voice is somehow uniquely exalted and insightful. This strikes me as unbalanced. Personally, I am very grateful for the guidance and contributions to my life from others, including father, mother, lovers, friends, (and yes, priests and rabbis), and countless people, creatures, and other living beings who have assisted me on my journey. The view expressed in this poem would have cut me off from all of those acts of kindness and assistance.

When Nepo ends the poem 'You are the only explorer' that simply does not mesh with my own experience. I do not own my explorations; the path I am on was shown to me by others, it is not my own creation. And there are many other beings on it, it is a path that I share with others. It seems to me that Nepo's view of spirituality is a kind of Clint Eastwood rugged individualism; others are not to be considered or learned from, their guidance is to be rejected if it conflicts with my own opinion even in the slightest. Again, this strikes me as hyper-individualism on steroids.

I am not suggesting that we ignore or own calling, leading, insights, and path in life. It is a matter of balance. A musician learns their instrument by following a teacher, but at some point also brings their own perspective on the music. An athlete follows the directions of a coach, but at some point brings their own capacities to the sport. This element of allowing guidance from others seems to be missing from Nepo's poem and from a lot of contemporary spirituality. Again, from my perspective this kind of hyper-individualism is unbalanced and, in many cases, destructive.

That's my two cents.

Thanks,

Jim