Fragments From THE DREAM

Fragments from THE DREAM: I am on Tobacco Key, a tiny Belize reef island, 45 minutes boat ride from Dangriga. I have come to snorkel in the pristine Caribbean water. Stopping to chat with a couple workers under the shade of Coconut trees, I look up and jokingly wonder if the coconuts ever fall on people. One guy says yes, and that he had been hit on the shoulder, and knew a little girl who had been severely injured. The next day, as I sat by a dock waiting for the first boat back to the mainland, suddenly I heard a thud, and loud cry from a man in a group nearby. A coconut had fallen from a tall tree and hit him in the shoulder. Ouch!
I went with Windell, a native of Belize to see his house in the jungle, and make a painting. His Pontiac is a complete mess held together by wire, but he is a mechanic and loves it nonetheless. The windshield has cracks going every direction and the front hood is wired down. To start the ignition, he touches two wires together under the dashboard. A butane tank behind the back seat provides fuel, and as we drive, he cranks up the volume on the CD player, which skips every time we hit a bump. We listen and sing along to the blues as we drive through the jungle, waving to people as we go. The car slows to a crawl going up hills, and I joke about the story of the Little Engine That Could, and say, “I think I can, I think I can.” Windell shoots back, “No. It is: ‘I know I can, I know I can.’ ”
In Belmopan, I spent a couple nights at the lodging of Christine, a friend of Windell’s who rents rooms. It’s relaxing except for noise from a house next door, and a rooster in the back that belongs to a neighbor and that crows loudly at dawn. Christine says the rooster is a nuisance and that she has complained to city hall because it disturbs her guests. Friends have suggested poisoning it. Jokes go around about the possibility of it’s demise. One night, I have strange, violent dreams. At 12:30 AM, in the midst of deep sleep, I wake from vivid dreaming and hear a man’s voice saying, “I am going to fuck with your brain!” Immediately, the rooster crows loudly. I am dazed, and lay paralyzed, wondering if I am hallucinating and maybe have been drugged with something like LSD. I hear many noises; dogs barking, party sounds, and cars. Getting up, I go downstairs, where another guest is on the patio. Disoriented, I ask him if he heard the rooster, and he says, “Yes, it is crazy!” I can’t go back to sleep, and think, well, I’ll go to the party. Getting up, I get dressed and go out on the street, but by this time the party has toned down and I can’t find it.
Today, I went to a big Baha’i gathering celebrating Ayam-i-Ha in Belmopan. People from all over Belize were there, and I enjoyed being in the crowd of mostly brown and black people of all ages.

Wind And Waves

I am growing accustomed to the ceaseless sound of the wind and waves on the beach outside my room. One morning it was quiet when I awoke, and felt strange.
Dangriga folks are the most relaxed group of people I have ever been around. They seem to be absent of anger, and it is remarkable how open they are. There are also regular beggars, and at least one woman said I could live at her house.
I have friends, and often someone will see me and call my name hello. One guy took me to his shack tucked into the woods at the end of a beach. He lives with his girlfriend in a place thrown together with boards and tin. There is a garden, and chickens and dogs. I looked at the holes in his ceiling and asked did the place leak during rains? He said yes, and that then his girlfriend and he scrambled to find dry spots, and fought over them.
There is very little glass in Dangriga . . . most windows stay open all the time.
I am a bit bewildered these days since I do not feel driven or impelled to succeed. I wonder, have I lost my bearings? Where the heck am I and what am I doing? Is my life important while I do not oil the capitalist machine? What if I become a barefoot native, and play dominoes under a thatched roof every day?

Entering THE DREAM

This world is alive with visible and invisible forces that constantly play together. Imperceptible tides cause the sea to rise and fall, while hidden gravity keeps the moon circling around the earth. Scientists might have explanations for consciousness, but how do they explain the difference between human and animal thought? Dream thought and waking use the same brain for cognition but the experiences are different.
Belize is my first stop on my way around the world, and I have experienced stepping into THE DREAM I love to live in.
The first step to entering THE DREAM is letting go of preconceptions. I know that when I travel, so much is foreign that I feel like a child experiencing the world anew. Then surprises happen and if consciousness is fully open, a sense of wonder occurs; just like in a dream.
I wanted to come to Belize to get relaxed and start dreaming and also, to live among a community of black people. Dangriga is a black community on the coast. It is poor like most of Belize—people don’t have wealth and live simply. Ramshackle houses are everywhere, and are not seen in the USA except in the poorest regions of the south. Yet natives are friendly and almost always smile at me with a greeting, most often saying, “hello sir.” Their accent is sort of British but also mixed with a Caribbean dialect that is rythymic to the ear. Women sometimes stroll with parasols and children play everywhere. I’ve seen some climbing to the top of coconut trees to knock off the fruit. Belizean black people have skin color that is quite dark, much darker than typical blacks in the United States. I find them wonderful to look at and easy to become friends with.

Onward Into The Unknown

The journey has begun and I am in a slight state of shock. It took more than a month to disburse of my former life. There were moments of grace, such as selling my van on the last day at the last hour, and also, intriguing episodes as when I lost my iPhone after setting it on the table in front of me in a restaurant and telling my friend that soon I would not be caring about such things.
My possessions for the coming year existed in two suitcases in hand as I left Santa Fe at 6:00 in the morning on February 1. One of them held art supplies. I am in Santa Barbara, California now, visiting my family, who are grateful to see me before I disappear for Belize on February 7th. My parents are getting up in years and have slowed down noticeably. I worry that something terrible might happen while I am away, but my brother and sister live here, and in an emergency, I will simply come back.
I feel disoriented but it is to be expected embarking on such a new life. I am sallying forth into the unknown.

To Live Without Fear

To live without fear is to really live. What are our biggest fears? The biggest for most people is death. Like other animals, we run from death as fast as we can. Poverty, illness and failure all are potent worries that seemingly bring us closer to death. It follows that if we can come to terms with death, then we can also negotiate our emotions regarding everything else.
Death does not particularly bother me, which means I can live audaciously and with abandon. When I travel, I think what will bother me is the nagging feeling that I must always be productive and earning a living. Something inside might say that if I simply live as an observer and philosopher, I am not keeping up with the American Jones family, and after all, the professionals say that a million dollars in the bank is necessary during the senior years. But really, I want to be sure I have what is priceless—the memories from a life fully lived. So I plan to leisurely travel the world, and smell all the roses along the way. Friday, February 1, 2008 is the beginning of the journey.

The Homestretch

I am in the homestretch now. Only two weeks until I begin living without an address. Today I had a sale of my household and personal belongings. People were lined up outside in the cold when I opened the front door at 10 AM. Almost everything is being sold now, and I feel pretty good although I cried a little inside—selling my fine books at a fraction of their value. On the other hand, someone else was shouting with glee at the bargain.
Whatever is left when it is time to leave will be donated to worthy causes. I find it amazing how every day, all my moments are spent simply trying to divest of belongings and make arrangements for leaving. See how possessions can bind us? Anyway, glorious days are ahead. The itinerary is being written now.

Here are some passages from the the writings of the medieval Persian poet, Rumi (September 30, 1207–December 17, 1273):

When what you own can vanish, it's only a dream, a vanity.

Let the beauty we love be what we do.

We are pain and what cures pain, both.

The soul is here for its own joy.

A Cloud And The Sun

A cloud has come between the sun and my usually cheery life. I know it will pass, but I feel stranded with a heavy heart. This change came about suddenly and is unexpected. Friday, I left early to catch a flight to Raleigh, NC where I am the featured artist of a one-man show this weekend. The paintings being exhibited are works from my last sojourn in Europe. The gallery owner and his wife are hosting me and I am staying at their house. I did not realize it, but Friday was Naomi’s birthday (A Heart Traced in Sand). I have been feeling pressed by all the details which I have to grapple with before leaving the USA and beginning my extended travels. Getting on a plane for a long flight brought home to me what I am facing in the days ahead: rootless solitude. Then, I remembered my loss of Naomi and the huge hole her absence creates.
After Raleigh this weekend, I continue on to Washington DC where my brother lives. He is 52 and recently wed a lovely young Vietnamese woman who bore his first child nine months ago. My daughter Sarah is flying in and together we will see Wade, Huong, and Henry, our new family member.

So Much Room In A Life

Every day, as the time of my homelessness approaches, I feel incredulity, anticipation, wonder and a little bit of healthy fear. Will I have all my affairs in order before going solo in the world? Possessions can take so much room in a life and I have my share to get rid of. Furthermore, some of them, like my auto and bed, I need to keep as long as possible, but in the end, come February 1, they too will be gone.
I received my vaccinations. There is a physician in Santa Fe who does nothing but travel medicine. When I arrived, his office was quite busy with people preparing for travel. I talked with the doctor and told him of my plans, also explaining that I will be gone a year and cannot predict all the places I will visit. In the end, the medicines I received are: polio booster injection (India), hepatitus A vaccine injection (Central & South America, Africa, Asia), typhoid Oral Vaccine capsules (Central & South America, Africa, Asia) a prescription for malaria pills to be taken as I depart, (Central & South America, Africa, Asia), and a prescription for Ciprofloxacin, in case I get diarrhea with blood and fever. The clinic was out of yellow fever vaccine (Africa) so I have to return this week to get injected. Whew!
I found a great video to share with you:
Also, this one is great:
WHAT WOULD THE WORLD BE WITHOUT ART?
See more Steven Boone HangUps

Extraordinary Way

Recently I finished a triptych measuring a total of 5’ high by 7 1/2’ wide; the largest painting I have ever created. It is unusual because it is a commission, and in acrylic, a medium I don’t typically use. Furthermore, it is an abstract painting (not typical for me) in three separate sections. The buyer is a friend and collector in Chicago. I enjoyed the process. It began with a mock up created digitally on a computer. I e-mailed them the picture, which they liked, and after we agreed on a price I was given blessings to begin. Acrylics offer many opportunities to create textures and reflections of light that more traditional oils do not. The downside is that they dry very quickly and so cannot be worked “wet on wet.” In the process I strayed from the original concept slightly, but by e-mailing my steps to the client, found that they liked my creative direction. Now, I am about to ship the piece and they are going to have a party after it finds it’s home in their living room.
I have found Internet radio, and it is wonderful. Anywhere in the world where there is an Internet connection, I can tune into commercial free streaming music that conforms to my taste and listen while I work or just for relaxing entertainment. By chance, I discovered Pandora.com, which tailors itself to the listener. Simply type in a song or artist, and it creates a radio station that plays music with the attributes you like. Yesterday I was listening to a station I created from a group that my daughter Sarah likes, called Shiny Toy Guns. They play techno trance music. In the mix came a song that caught my attention, so I jotted down the name. It is called Extraordinary Way, by Conjure One. The lyrics are available online and I find them speaking to me now that I am leaving the USA and burning bridges.

Song Text:
What I have is nothing to my name
No property to speak of
And no trophy for my game
Intangible and worthless
My assets on the page
My coffers are empty
Any offer of safety has faded away
But what I have
What I have is

On an ordinary day
The extraordinary way
You take what I can give and you treasure it
On an ordinary day
The extraordinary way
You turn to me and say, I believe in this

That makes me lucky
God, I'm lucky, so much luckier than I ever thought I'd be
'Cause what I have (what I have)
Means so very little to this world
A promise that I kept and a bridge that I saved before it burned
The sacrifice that I made
Brought me to my knees
A choice that cost me everything and set somebody else free
But what I have
Is the value that you see in these things

On an ordinary day
The extraordinary way
You take what I can give and you treasure it
On an ordinary day
The extraordinary way
You turn to me and say, I believe in this

That makes me lucky
God I'm lucky, so much luckier than I ever thought I'd be
'Cause what I have
Is the value that you see in these things

And everytime I forget those things you bring them right back to me

With your patience
When I'm blinding mad
And your passion
When I'm really, really bad
And your eyes
Taking in everything I am
And your body and soul and the way that you know
How I treasure you

On an ordinary day
The extraordinary way
You take what I can give and you treasure it
On an ordinary day
The extraordinary way
You turn to me and say, I believe in this

That makes me lucky
God I'm so lucky
So much luckier than I ever thought I'd be

On an ordinary day
The extraordinary way
You take what I can give and you treasure it
On an ordinary day
The extraordinary way
You turn to me and say, I believe in this

Winter Wonder

The snow fell for hours, covering everything in a blanket of white. For years, I have wanted to snowshoe in the mountains after a snowfall. Yesterday, the sun shone in a cloudless sky and I called my daughter Sarah to come with me to hike. After renting snowshoes along with poles, we drove toward the Santa Fe Ski basin, which is the second highest ski area in the USA, at about 12,500 feet (3,810 meters). Just short of the basin, we pulled over to a trail where other cars were parked, and got out. I felt totally exhilarated. The sun shone on the snow, which leapt with dazzling diamonds of light. Deep greens of fir limbs peeked out from clouds of white, while stands of aspen trees rose in clusters to touch the turquoise blue sky. I walked over to public outhouse by the parking lot and as I entered, I felt Naomi with me. Her presence is unmistakable, and she conveyed happiness. “Oh, how I wish you could be with us and see all this,” I thought. Immediately, I felt her compassion, and I realized how free she is in her own world of wonder. Then, as I stood in the dank, darkened space, smelled the odors, and looked at the soiled toilet seat, I thought to myself, “She is intact, and feels no cold and does not suffer from heat . . . by God’s grace her needs are all satisfied and she is free from struggle. Furthermore, she is in space without boundary—an eternal being basking in pure light.”
As Sarah and I hiked she soon became breathless because she has been out of Santa Fe for so long and the altitude holds less oxygen. Stopping occasionally, the silence added to the magic of the setting. I snapped pictures and felt glad and also a tinge of remorse, knowing soon I will be in other places world's away from this one.
My plans for leaving continue to progress. February 1, 2008, I will go to Santa Barbara to see my parents for a week, and then fly to Belize to relax and begin my wandering. I desire to live among black people. My vaccinations begin this week; if a mosquito carrying the Dengue fever pathogen bites me, I don’t want my legs to fall off. Malaria is another danger I might face as I go into Africa. There are travel warnings for places that I want to go, including Israel, but I intend to visit the Baha’i World Center in Haifa anyway.

Happy Holidays to everyone!

Depend On Love

What a blessing; to be connected with other souls and feel love that goes between us. As I prepare to go into the unknown, I will depend on love. It may seem foolish, but I like the challenge. Anyway, I will remember the Arabic saying, "Trust your neighbor, but tie your camel." The world has many pleasures and cruelties that await those who leave the safety of home, but I like to think that I can go forth as a strong emissary of love. Certainly, along with truth and beauty, there will be encounters with the “dark side.“ But this danger is smaller than my inner forces, and can even be a test to become stronger. Selling or giving away my comforts, as I have begun to do, is another way of testing. This is what I am called to now. I feel strong and want to step forth and meet the whole world on its terms.
I am also drawn to going to places where life is hard for people. Many millions of people live in poverty and hardship every day. Can I make a difference and reach out to them? I am happy to volunteer where I might be welcomed to lend a hand. I do not want to always live in luxury, separate from souls that struggle and know suffering. More and more, I do not discriminate between “other” and myself. “Other “ is me too.