Anthropologist?

Anthropology demands an open-mindedness with which one must look and listen, record in astonishment and wonder that which one would not have been able to guess.

Margaret Mead

Isn't that how we should approach Life?

An Anthropologist

I suddenly realize a way to describe to myself and others why I am here doing what I do. Though I am not big on labels, I discovered one that fits this role I have taken on. If "I am" can be at least loosely linked to anything rather than what it is, I am an anthropologist.

An anthropologist, crazy lady??!! 

Yeah! An anthropologist is a person who objectively observes a culture from a detached, non-judgemental, and non-interfering stand-point. They observe, analyze and record how a certain society is behaving and how it works.  That is what I am doing here...I am like an anthropologist plopped down into this jungle of Earth to observe the inhabitants and how they relate to each other and the world at large, how they relate to Life. Of course, I am not completely non-bias in my approach.  The lens through which I view this culture is my own mind. My coming here to write is my recording. The publication of this blog and my videos are simply the sharing of what I discovered. It sounds so much cooler and more scientific when I describe what I do here like that. lol

The thing is, we are all anthropologists on the same mission to some extent.  At least that is the first part of our mission here on Earth: to observe.  Of course, most of us forget the instruction and training we had prior to coming. "Stay objective; do not interfere; simply observe; participate only if you can stay non judgemental. It is not within your professional or ethical mandate to change anything that you are observing.  Simply record it and bring it back".

Wow! Not many of us follow those instructions, do we?  We lose our objectivity and get personally involved. We get way too involved. We judge!! Whenever we judge, whatever we are observing, as "bad, wrong, shouldn't be", whenever these judgements make us feel uncomfortable inside, we decide we need to change the life we are observing, fix it, or control it. We begin to shape the Life of that culture we were simply meant to observe so it suits our own personal needs. 

People don't want to experience life ...they want to create life [control life]

We go from an objective observer who finds it all so interesting and new, to a subjective intruder who constantly personally gets disturbed. We go from being an interested scientist to a "little me"who  judges, likes and dislikes, resists and struggles against this Life they have no business interfering in. Hmm!

I just sat down with a Michael Singer podcast this morning and it blew me away.  I have been listening to Michael Singer for oh so many years now through the Temple of the Universe and though I truly appreciate those teachings or sharings (whatever you call them), to be honest they were seemingly getting a little redundant in the message. Though I still love them, I wasn't getting blown away!! Anyway, I happened across this video from "Contemplative Mind" and I heard the same but different message uttered in a way that resonated. It brought me to tears actually because it reminded me, at a time I was slipping into a state of disenchantment, of why and what I am practicing and hoping to achieve through my practice. 

What am I trying to achieve that was echoed in the message?

This state of equanimity...this state of peace no matter what is happening around me or to me....this relaxing into whatever unfolds in front of me...this allowing of Life to be Life and appreciating and observing  it all in a state of awe without any disturbance, without this sense of " reactive suffering" I have been living with for so long.  

Sure, yoga teaches more than how not to get disturbed by Life...it is a polestar to a higher level of being where one not only allows Life to be Life without getting disturbed by it but also participates in it fully and joyfully. For now, however, I am content with resuming my role as anthropologist who is simply observing this new culture of humanity I am exploring. I am content with disentangling myself from the subjective interference I was partaking in that was leading to so much unnecessary suffering for me and those I am observing. I am content with falling back into my role as objective observer.  I am content with objectively scribbling down my notes in my research book. I am content with not getting disturbed and scared by every rustle of wind, or person who jumps in front of me. I am content with letting go of the worry and fear over what will happen next.  I am content with discovering that I can stay here and observe without wanting to change any of it; without wanting to run away and hide.  I am content with suddenly realizing how interesting it all is from this position of observer.

This is where I am at in my practice. I am returning to one of the missions we were sent here to do. 

A Mission?

That was the first thing we were here to do,  right? To objectively observe this fascinating and interesting world from a place of non-judgemental acceptance of what is? Therefore, the first step we must take to return to our life mission is to step back and away...to become the objective observer again. We need to stop resisting, stop controlling, stop trying to fix that which we have no business judging, let alone changing, and just observe. We need to allow Life to be Life and see how beautiful it is with all its joys and all its sorrows. Sigh! So much suffering would end if we could just do that! 

You are here to observe, experience, see, enjoy, appreciate and be in awe that in the middle of space there is this [the planet Earth]. There is all this going on and you get to experience it. You should be honored that you get to see it. 

Everything that is happening is fascinating. Do not ask, "What can I create?  What can I control? What can I do?"...Ask, "Can I be joyful no matter what is happening around me?" ...

Just another experience that goes on on the planet Earth....

Life is just a series of events that happen to you before you die.

We get to see it!  We get to observe it! Experience it! As an anthropologist we get to do what I am doing...record it for posterity's sake. Man, that alone is enough reason to practice, is it not? Isn't this role as objective observer a better way of being than the role of "judgemental interferer in a culture we do not understand." Who are we kidding? We don't understand Life and what it is doing! We do not understand humanity! Why, then, do we judge it? Why then do we think we need to fix it??? 

Now...Singer often talks about going being this stage. He talks about going from objective observer to joyful participant. I would like some day to put away my binoculars and recording devices and step into the culture I am observing...to become a part of what it is in its natural form. I would like to dance around the fire too...getting lost in the music and the joy of Life doing so creates. i want to someday go beyond observing Life to dancing with it. Sigh! 

Eventually you can be in life, and not only does it not bother you...you dance with it. 

For now, however, I am more than content observing this amazing thing I get to observe and being able to share my research findings with you.

All is well! 

Seats of Contemplation (June, 2025) Michael Singer-Dance with Life. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1ajKchZml4