| When I was just a little tyke, way before | | | | difficult to untie one. It takes no patience at all to |
| spin-cast type fishing reels, we had to put up with | | | | tie one, or compassion or kindness for that |
| basket type reels. Instead of the line freely | | | | matter. It's only when we try to untie a knot that |
| flowing from the end of the spinning reel as it | | | | we usually become acquainted with strange terms |
| does now, it would unwind mechanically, a very | | | | like compassion, forgiveness, understanding, and |
| inefficient method for bait casting though still used | | | | patience. Until our life becomes tangled, we are |
| for fly-fishing. In order to keep the basket from | | | | free to cast our lines as far and as fast as we |
| getting ahead of the line, we fisher people learned | | | | wish, but each time we cast our line foolishly, we |
| how to slow the basket by dragging our thumbs | | | | become a little more careless, until... "fluff," the |
| on it so that the line wouldn't become tangled. | | | | bird's nest! |
| In the learning process of performing this dragging | | | | But all is not lost because there are two ways of |
| maneuver, however, sometimes we wouldn't drag | | | | untying our knots. We can painstakingly untie each |
| hard enough, especially when we were trying to | | | | one, making amends for our carelessness before |
| cast the line farther than we safely should, and | | | | fishing again, or we can throw the line away and |
| the result would be unearthly line tangles, as the | | | | stop fishing altogether. Throwing the line away is a |
| basket revolved faster than the line. Large "bird's | | | | metaphor as well as a visionary concept, so hang |
| nests" of fishing line would suddenly fluff up right | | | | with me here. |
| before our eyes, and it would be almost | | | | Throwing the line away means that we stop |
| impossible to untangle. | | | | casting our line "out," and instead cast our line |
| I was not wealthy and didn't have the luxury of | | | | "inwardly." We might have to untangle a few |
| discarding the tangled mess and buying new line, | | | | things that we've done in the past, but we no |
| so I had to patiently sit there, sometimes for | | | | longer make further tangles. Admittedly, this is a |
| hours, untangling my line - a welcome break for | | | | strange concept, rarely considered by most |
| the poor fish! | | | | people even though many are increasingly |
| As I reflect on this childhood experience, I see | | | | beginning to catch on that the really big fish aren't |
| where my life is very much like that spool of | | | | "out there." When we cast our line inwardly, it is |
| fishing line. Until I decide to cast a line, no tangles | | | | not possible to have tangles because we really |
| happen; but of course everyone wants to fish for | | | | don't cast a line; we simply sit on the bank, |
| something! And if I cast my line carefully, with | | | | enjoying nature and waiting for the fish come to |
| just the right pressure, not trying to cast it too | | | | us. |
| far or too quickly, sometimes I am safe as well. | | | | To do this takes a great amount of wisdom |
| Of course, the desirable fish are always "way out | | | | because we are accustomed to obtaining our |
| there" and the temptation is to take a chance and | | | | pleasure through outside means. We "do" stuff. |
| go for it! But when my line becomes tangled | | | | We see, hear, taste, feel, dream about things, and |
| because I didn't have enough pressure on the reel | | | | giving up these outside pleasures cold turkey is |
| (reality) to keep it from turning too fast ahead of | | | | almost impossible. What we can do, however, is |
| my line (ambition), I could mess up my fishing | | | | to become aware of how we are programmed |
| day, or maybe my life! | | | | to always go outside for our pleasure, even |
| We tend to get out in front of ourselves in many | | | | though that pleasure never lasts, forcing us to |
| ways. That seems to be the nature of desire. If | | | | cast our line again and again, forever. Both casting |
| we are lucky enough to see that we are getting | | | | lines and the pleasure it produces becomes our |
| ahead of things, then we can sometimes adjust | | | | addiction, with the pleasure becoming so important |
| our pressure on the reel, the aspiration, before | | | | that when disrupted, some people do violent |
| our line becomes tangled. Because once it fluffs | | | | things to get it back. There are even those who |
| up into a giant bird's nest, we have a real mess | | | | live entirely for pleasure, and consequently find |
| on our hands; once we have engineered our | | | | nothing but pain. |
| brilliant tangle, and it's bound to happen, then the | | | | Casting our line inwardly involves a different kind |
| problem becomes untangling our line, and | | | | of pleasure. Rather than sensual enjoyment, it is |
| untangling our lives. | | | | more of a confidence and peacefulness, a |
| If you have ever sat down to untangle a really | | | | fulfillment that can't be taken away. Regardless of |
| bad bird's nest, the first thing you will discover is | | | | circumstances, the things discovered within |
| that the knots are very tight, and very small! One | | | | remain, and this is the true treasure. Gold and |
| can barely see the knots; they look like tiny | | | | silver must be hoarded and guarded, but what we |
| bumps in the line and not knots at all, but by using | | | | discover within can be shared with the world, in |
| a magnifying glass, one can plainly see the knots | | | | which case it only grows that much more. |
| and remember how, in life, each of those knots | | | | When we learn to cast our fishing line within, our |
| occurred. | | | | fluffy bird's nests will be a thing of the past! |
| It's as easy as pie to make a knot, but most | | | | |