So I’m sitting in Borders Books here on Long Island, NY, thinking about “trade-offs” while drinking a cup of coffee. In less than 2 weeks, I’m leaving to Montevideo, Uruguay. It’s a bit crazy, being that I recently returned from 9 months in Buenos Aires, Argentina… Now look at me, just over 3 months later I’m heading back to South America. I must have an itch to scratch or something, eh? Well… a lot of it has to do with wanting to continue learning Spanish and also exploring the prospect of starting seminars in South America. But this time, I’m leaving my country without much money at all — just rolling the dice and seeing what happens.

Ok, let’s get back on track here — Trade Offs! What’s a trade-off? Put simply, it’s when you give something up to gain something else. As a friend always puts it “When one door closes another opens.”

In Uruguay I will be WITHIN a new culture — language, food, experiences, new conversations, new sights, etc.. But I’ll equally be WITHOUT things like — my super-fast internet connection, all my amazing vegan restaurants that I frequent, my amazing bamboo and wildflower garden, my friends, and the safety and comfort of my home here in New York.

Such is life, a revolving door of opportunity and loss. When one hand grabs to reach something the other let’s something go. And I think this isn’t something to frown upon. Such a flow keeps life spicy and rich with growth. And though my mother recently reminded me that “a rolling stone never grows moss,” I’m not at all inclined to stop moving, growing, changing, and experiencing what life has to offer. If I settle down for any fixed thing, then, I, too, become just as fixed, rigged, and stuck. And who want’s to feel stuck?

For the past 2 years or so, I’ve been traveling. Almost a year in Northern California helping to save Redwood trees. A weekend in Rome speaking about my activism. Almost a year in Buenos Aires learning Spanish, and a weekend trip to Uruguay. Sure, I could have stayed in New York and earned a good salary these past 2 years, but I chose to travel, explore, and look under the rocks of life to find hidden treasures. And I don’t regret a thing. Having never made more than about $30,000 per year from my (extremely) small internet business, I have earned so, so much more in experiences.

These experiences have enriched my life in so many ways. Learning conversational Spanish, sharing cups of mate (tea) with strangers on the beach, riding scooters without helmets on cobblestones, talking about forest conservation in Rome, and climbing 150 feet in the air to the tops of giant trees. All experiences that will remain with me for a lifetime. Memories that I can conjure up instantly. And bonds between friends that will never fade.

I hope that you also recognize that only when you’re willing to give something up — perhaps everything — that you’ll gain something new. I’d love to hear from you and your life experiences.

I look forward to sharing my upcoming experiences with you all.

Peace,
David Askaripour

Bamboo is an amazing, amazing, amazing plant. It’s the fastest growing grass in the world. It’s purposes are many. But my favorite thing to do is simply watch it sway back and forth in the wind. It actually makes a lovely sound when the wind blows through its slender leaves. Being around my bamboo has been very inspirational, enlivening, and educational. I’ve learned so much for the bamboo. I hope that you can enjoy bamboo as much as I do.

Learning from the WAVEs at the Beach. Seeing the power in movement and change and flow. Never remaining fixed in any situation, institution, or idea. Simply flowing in and out, up and down, side to side. Like the seagull soaring in the sky — effortlessly.

This weekend I decided to return to nature reserve that I have visited to the past 3 years here on Long Island, NY. It’s called Wertheim and it’s located in the town of Mastic. There’s really nothing quite like going to the deep forest, a nature reserve, a marsh, or some sort of wild place that hasn’t been (too) altered by the hand of man. These places are quite magical and empowering. To walk amongst the deer, ducks, foxes, trees, fish, clouds, hawks, and the sweet spring air. How priceless these moments are. How refreshing.

Nature never ceases to show me her ways. When I step into a place like a nature reserve, I step into a sort of classroom where the lessons are infinite and boundless. A place where you can actually SEE life flowing. When you observe the ducks flying, the blades of grass cutting through the wind, and the fish jumping out of the water, you are witnessing nature’s stroke of the brush. A masterpiece in progress without an end.

So get out of the house, your routines, and fixed systems that you have chained yourself into… and wander into the forest for a stroll. You won’t regret it. You’ll feel nature’s healing powers almost instantly. And your worries will melt away into the nothingness.

I like to practice something I call “grounding work” to bring me back to the source, my roots. This goes a long way with relieving stress, confusion, and worry. What’s your grounding work?

Stepping outside of all forms of control. To be fully, wholly, and truly out of control. Outside of the control. Of any control. Of all control. Could you image such a thing? Could you let go of all forms of belief. All religious sects. All forms of academic titles. Who has such courage and fortitude to end this absurdity?

Each time we call ourselves “spiritual” the “scientist” the “christian” the buddhist” the “raw foodist” etc.. We lock ourselves into a box. And we immediately imprison ourselves. Limit ourselves. Bind ourselves to something manufactured, controlled, and maintained by the so-called society.

So we have the christians fighting the scientists. The buddhists fighting the hindus. The blacks against the whites. The poor against the rich. The vegans against the meat-eaters. The smart against the dumb. All the while, the individual is destroyed, belittled, and marginalized. Controlled by outside forces that mold and shape you to fit their agendas. Their motives. THEIR ways of living. THEIR definitions of what’s right and wrong.

Do you really see this happening? To take any position in any system automatically renders you the slave. The follower. The machine. And you can never be free when following another person, sect, religion, system, what have you.

To be Alone is to be free. Alone from all outside systems. This is what freedom is. The letting go of all systems and methods… And there you are… calm…peaceful…and content with everything. Even with the misery and sadness. For you remain alone. Centered. And fortified.

Society is an ugly thing. It’s just that simple. We all hate our jobs. We all hate going to school. And, yet, we continue to do these things. Society’s strong arm continues to trap us in these systems. The system of having to work hard in order to feed our kids. The system of having to be a perfect straight-A students in order to get a “good” job. The same job that we end up hating. Hating our bosses. Then ending up working “for the man” for the rest of our lives. Then by the age of 65 we’re sick and tired (literally) and have to, again, depend on society to feed and cloth and nurse us.

Is this something that is healthy for us? Is this something that truly brings us peace, joy, and happiness? Is this something that frees our minds? Society is the mechanism that destroys the individual. And yet, we continue to ever fuel it more and more… by conforming to it… by accepting it… by allowing it…

As always, here I am speaking about Wordpress. Wordpress is the only thing you need to manage your content online. It’s the only thing you need to bring your passion to the Internet. It’s pretty easy to install, but can also be a bit technical for many people not accustomed to website installations. Once you have your wordpress-powered website up and running, then you’re ready to start sharing content — your PASSION with the world! Good luck!!

Do you have the GUTS to go Against Society? The status quo? Your parents? Your priests? Heck, even your boss? Do you have the courage to go WITHIN yourself for once? Do you have what it takes to TRUST yourself?