Rafting the Mighty Apurimac, headwaters of the Amazon River
I have for years referred to the handling of life's rough spots as 'being in the white water.' Several years ago, I gave myself the penultimate of what I had been referring to in my metaphor. For three days, some fellow travelers and I went on a no turning back venture down a portion of the Apurimac River (in Peru) swollen from intense rains. I learned so much during those three days from the constant attending to the moment that was required. Living that way is so exhilarating because there is no turning back. You have to be committed. So when you relax and know that whatever happens is not something you can do anything about even one split second in advance, a form of freedom takes over.
We all wondered just how insane were we to put ourselves in a river running wild, far away from civilization. There were no cell phones or help to be had. All we had was each other and our own wits and skill.
But we had something else. We had all of nature. I FELT the mountain spirits as a real presence. I felt the water as a consciousness. People had died in these waters but I knew it was not because the water wanted anyone to die. The water wants union, as does all of nature. When the boundaries of consciousness fall away, as can happen in the midst of danger, whole other sets of possibilities emerge.
Our raft capsized in a Class Six rapid right as we hit a rock and were going down over some falls. Bodies were being flung in the air. I remember the whole thing was like watching a movie. I had no sense of disaster. Even as I was trapped under the raft and going over the falls, I felt safe. I was so wide open, and I think that was what helped me know what to do and how to be.
We all survived, some a little worse for the wear, but we got through and finished a whole other day of getting to a place down river where we could put in.
A very strong impression was made on me many times over this three day period. In the raft, dealing with the unknown of the river, we were together and very reliant on each other. The fate of the raft affected all our fates. I get chills even writing about this and the power of humans pulling together when facing big challenges. I think this whole white water rafting episode is a very good metaphor for the times we are in right now. Whatever we are going through (and from all accounts, everyone is going through some kind of transformation) we ARE in the same boat, and we ARE going through these great shifts together. Heck, I even think that is the whole point. What better way to help us learn, from the inside out, we really are all ONE. Different versions of the ONE, to be sure, but all One, none the less.
We all wondered just how insane were we to put ourselves in a river running wild, far away from civilization. There were no cell phones or help to be had. All we had was each other and our own wits and skill.
But we had something else. We had all of nature. I FELT the mountain spirits as a real presence. I felt the water as a consciousness. People had died in these waters but I knew it was not because the water wanted anyone to die. The water wants union, as does all of nature. When the boundaries of consciousness fall away, as can happen in the midst of danger, whole other sets of possibilities emerge.
Our raft capsized in a Class Six rapid right as we hit a rock and were going down over some falls. Bodies were being flung in the air. I remember the whole thing was like watching a movie. I had no sense of disaster. Even as I was trapped under the raft and going over the falls, I felt safe. I was so wide open, and I think that was what helped me know what to do and how to be.
We all survived, some a little worse for the wear, but we got through and finished a whole other day of getting to a place down river where we could put in.
A very strong impression was made on me many times over this three day period. In the raft, dealing with the unknown of the river, we were together and very reliant on each other. The fate of the raft affected all our fates. I get chills even writing about this and the power of humans pulling together when facing big challenges. I think this whole white water rafting episode is a very good metaphor for the times we are in right now. Whatever we are going through (and from all accounts, everyone is going through some kind of transformation) we ARE in the same boat, and we ARE going through these great shifts together. Heck, I even think that is the whole point. What better way to help us learn, from the inside out, we really are all ONE. Different versions of the ONE, to be sure, but all One, none the less.
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