How many of you are in a tradition of some sort? I eat breakfast every day.   Yes the cult of breakfast, I sometimes venerate the flying spaghetti monster in that rite as my own personal heresy.

I just left my marriage, am between homes and starting a new job.  I don’t do tradition. Ok, now have you confronted it? Have you truly withdrawn from your normal?

You’re saying we stay on the edge because we don’t really get there? Yes, the tradition of no tradition is a flat tire. The belief that the center cannot hold is making the tire unable to spin.

I wander, so where is there exactly? Well in shamanism the there was the spirit world, the realm of raw inspiration, the fullness of your mana, your ashe, your personal power. Even with the tradition of breakfast you can learn about your personal power. Don Juan Matus told Carlos to do a simple thing, tie his shoes in the opposite order. Doesn’t seem very mystical does it? It drove him nuts.

We deride tradition now, because it was pushed onto us by people who just went through the motions. We can reclaim tradition, but we can’t break from tradition without first owning up to it. You can’t defy with any wisdom what you blatantly deny. The cracked record has to be seen as cracked before you will think to throw it away. Then move on. What you move on to is the realm of power, the realm of doing, “act”ualization, being you on purpose.

Campbell made his whole career the study of myth and he had a broad background. It touches anthropology, archeology, everything, and yet we refuse to embrace our history. And it’s true, we repeat it over and over and over again. We have as a newborn world culture shown the ultimate hubris. We think we can keep what we want, the old teams, the old ambitions, and not admit all of it. Not accept all of what has come before, and therefore how well are we choosing what’s going to come after?

I think this is why the Dalai Lama encourages people to return to their traditions? Yes, and maybe you figure out ‘what does this mean to me?’ Why am I doing this? How did this affect my Mom? My Dad?

What if you don’t really have any traditions? To take on someone else’s doesn’t make sense because it doesn’t mean anything to you? Oh, but you do. You watch TV most likely, or listen to radio. You read books. These have the same power as word of mouth, sometimes more so.

Anything I do regularly can be considered a tradition? Yes, even diet is a tradition. If you’re going to change it then make that passage on purpose. It will help it stick. If you make a New Years resolution then really go there. Know that you are going to go there in the coming year, not some abstract mindless goal like I’m going to loose weight or exercise more. Those get uttered robotically. If you’re going to exercise more, what exactly are you going to do? Initiate yourself into that new practice, make it your quest.

Measurable? Yes, in a sense. Make it concrete.

Your thoughts are welcome. Be well friends.

Travis Saunders
Dragon Intuitive
~science,mysticism,spirituality~