Isolated Living

GETTING AWAY FROM IT ALL

Living the dream can be tough - especially if that dream's to get away from the rat race. Cutting ourselves off from the safety and comforts of modern living to be at one with nature in far away lands, takes a special kind of resolve. 

Living in the UK, within a major city like London with food readily available on the doorstep and where the protection from emergency services gives us a greater sense of security and the belief we can live without fear, leaves us more worry-free time to get on with doing what we enjoy. But it could also be said that the illusion of city security stops us taking risks and takes away the very essence of what truly makes us feel alive. 

Opting for a riskier path is something a select group of families have gone for in exchange for a daily life full of adventure, by escaping to the wild. They have chosen to live in potentially dangerous parts of the world - gaining a level of freedom that we, in our developed cities, do not have. 

One thread that I observed while watching Ken Mcloud's documentaries, was how passionate the men were to have found meaningful purpose in their daily lives. The women were also complimentary of their chosen paths but nowhere near as much as the men - and likely spoke more in terms of their commitment to the cause in support of their partner, relationship and greater good of the family. 

Having a protector/provider role and a use for the fight/flight mechanism other than avoiding a drunk down the pub on a Saturday night or sticking up some shelves in the kitchen with the man-drill just doesn't cut it, so I can appreciate the extremes some guys are going to, often somewhat selfishly and at the expense of isolation from other friends and family. There needs to be more middle ground - meaningful, self-sustained living options available closer to home. With the rise of new trends in self-builds, off-grid and sustainable living, maybe we'll see more of these kind of living options closer to home and without the need for such isolation extremism. 

Walking Moments

THE LONG WALK

Hiking long distances over rugged terrain in places of sublime natural beauty, can help open the mind for thoughts to flow and evoke a consciousness akin to that experienced when meditating. The very act of walking can bring about a sense of calm and isolation in the mountains is not the only way to access this mental state. Walking even short distances across a busy city like London, can bring about a clarity of thought that cuts through the noise and allows us to sense things around us and discover them as they really are.

This is how I, after many years of living in London, discovered parts of my home city that I'd never realised were there before and rediscovered those that I thought I knew well. Walking slowly from Wapping to Waterloo along the north rather than the south bank of the river, allowed me to take on a different perspective and view of the buildings, bridges and ships that line the Thames. Allowing more time than would usually take me to walk this route - essentially halving my usual double pace and regularly stopping to look about me, gave much pleasure and feelings of adventure. Sitting on benches never before sat on, gave yet another perspective as my eyes were fully opened to observe the ornate details on the bench itself and admire the hard work an artist had put in to create a beautifully detailed and interesting mosaic, tucked away from sight just a moment away from the busy main road.

The West Highland Way

It was four years ago today that we were walking through the Scottish Highlands on the famous West Highland Way. It wasn't the right time for me to really appreciate a walk of almost 100 miles back then. I mostly recall thoughts of boredom and not ones of great revelation as I stayed fixated on the end of the journey rather than fully appreciating the moments as I journeyed along. I know I'd treat this kind of adventure differently if taken today.

I'm currently reading an amazing book by Rory Stewart called, The Places in Between. In it, Rory talks about one man's journey walking through some of the planet's most inhospitable terrain, encountering cultures cut off from the rest of the world, often putting himself in life-threatening situations but at the same time experiencing the raw vibrancy of life by taking on an adventure into the unknown. I can't say I was in any real danger yesterday but I had an amazing journey of discovery and wonder that was found here - right on my doorstep.

We can all experience this feeling of adventure if we allow ourselves time and space to really use our senses for experiencing the environment and all the amazing things that surround us every day.

Reading

THE POWER OF KNOWLEDGE

Knowledge is power so they say. Taking on learned information and processing it in a way to be understood and used - ie. applied knowledge - takes time and effort. Learning is tough to do when there's so many other distractions, let alone when it's trying to read a 500+ page book on a subject that demands focussed study - so this one may take a while. Ten pages a day should see it finished in a few months though. The current book I'm looking at is on psychology called Social Cognition: Making Sense of People by Ziva Kunda.

Reading and absorbing
My teacher from primary school taught us how to read a book properly. First to read the front, taking in the title and author's name, then flicking to the back for a synopsis and reviews. Afterwards, taking in the sleeve note (hardback) and learning a little about the author. Finally looking at the contents, section headers and after, reading the preface or introduction along with any of the author's dedications to family, friends and loved ones. This should all be carefully considered before starting to read the actual book.

In the modern age, it's become increasingly difficult to stay focussed on one thing at a time and to truly immerse oneself in the task at hand, like reading a book. I usually find myself stopping to check emails, take calls, send texts, look up stuff on google and hop from one topic to the next. There never seems enough time to live in the moment with reminders, either digital or mental, taking us away from enjoying the moment. We need to isolate ourselves from these distractions if we're going to take on any new information from a book.

I now have a 'do not disturb' digital rule in place while doing a focussed task like reading. All phones, online access and emails etc. are off limits. Consequently, this is the first time in a long while that I can remember in recent memory that I've dedicated my full attention to fully absorb a book - carefully taking the time to look at the book in it's entirety and appreciating it in the quality old-world form of the printed page. 

Long live the book with the knowledge and detachment from the digital realms that it gives us!