2013

Personal Life Philosophy

RESEARCH PAPER
SIENNA SCHEID

Im quite the conundrum, Ive realized, after writing this paper. Existential yet highly spiritual, and all the while a devout agnostic. Im a naturalist and artist who takes extreme pleasure in aesthetics. Im invariably drawn to music and discovery thereupon. I have branched into obscure categories of each of my interests and latched onto them with brutal tenacity. I scoff at obsession, yet I prize certain ideas and activities above most everything else. I follow these interests with a cultish fervor. Somehow I manage to cling to these passions, draw strength, and solidify my being without being crushed by exhaustive pursuit. I can walk against the wind while flowing with it. I am built upon irony and hypocrisy. Surprisingly, I find these intricacies add depth and potency. They do not entangle, rather, they enrich. Incident upon incident has built me into an environmentalist. With good reason I have soulfully dedicated myself to the Earth. I consider my eco-conscience my most ostentatious personal philosophy. It also happens to be one of my most omnipresent, seeing as it is universally applicable: an environmentalist philosophy is an environmentalist lifestyle. The following quote of Edward Abbey is the most simplistic definition of my philosophy I know of: The love of wilderness is more than a hunger for what is always beyond reach; it is also an expression of loyalty to the earth, the earth which bore us and sustains us, the only paradise we shall ever know, the only paradise we ever need, if only we had the eyes to see. Abbey, the anarchist, conservationist, and wild. He dug his roots in Arches National Monument (as it was known in the 1950s) and began his incredible relationship with the land. As the solitary park ranger, Abbey spent years almost completely alone. He spent his free time

exploring every gully and ridge in the area. His primary interest was connecting as deeply as possible with the spectacular country. The uncouth young man exquisitely captured his escapades in many novels, most notably, Desert Solitaire. It was this popular novel that opened up the world of conservation. It implanted the notion of actively connecting and protecting wild lands. Another prime example of an individual that has expertly characterized my ecoconscious is John Muir. The highly spiritual naturalist spent the majority of his life exploring the natural areas of the country. His most notable adventures took place in Yosemite, which he helped to establish as the first protected lands in the U.S. He brought about the preservation conservation ethic, drawing inspiration from the great transcendent writer Thoreau and Emerson. His views differed from those of the time in that God was directly accessible through the natural world He had created, rather than the conventional view, which required a holy place at the very least. Muir considered all wild areas sacred, and spread the idea that God could be reached most directly while amidst his creation. His energetic compassion lead to the creation of the National Park Service as well as the Sierra Club and many offshoots thereof. His fantastic enjoyment and appreciation of every living thing has inspired me to believe in much the same philosophies that constituted Muir. Similarly, I believe that nature is a sacred sanctuary and each individual piece deserves to be protected and valued. After something of a struggle with organized religion I found myself amidst Buddhism. The teachings spoke to me. Their simplistic and welcoming nature was extremely attractive. Whats more, it felt right. Buddhism, specifically the western adaptation of Zen, made my life make sense. As the budding existential agnostic I was becoming, Buddhism offered the simple

unassuming explanations Id been searching for. Frills and decorum abandoned for transparency and individualism. Adyashantis became my guru of sorts. It was his wisdom that drew me into Zen. He believes all that is necessary to awaken to yourself as the radiant emptiness of spirit is to stop seeking something more or better or different, and to turn your attention inward to the awake silence that you are. His entire life is based on removing what one isnt and discovering what is. This type of life is the quintessential form of simplicity. It deals with stripping away egotistical complexities until a purer and truer self is reached. The guiding principles center on self-love, compassion, and honesty. Adyashanti explains this, saying, We realize--often quite suddenly-that our sense of self, which has been formed and constructed out of our ideas, beliefs and images, is not really who we are. It doesn't define us, it has no center. My combination of Taoist environmentalism has constructed me into a new person. Its these values that comprise my unique philosophy. My inspiration is drawn from some of the masters of each aspect. But blind devotion is not my style. If I have learned nothing else from these men, it is to be entirely unique. My life cannot be shaped into its full form by mimicking others. Instead, I must use their knowledge to run my own systems. It is my interpretation and application that creates a new and personal philosophy.

Bibliography Abbey, E. 1968. Desert Solitaire. New York, NY, Ballantine Books. Muir, J. 1917. My First Summer in the Sierra. Boston, MA, Houghton Mifflin Company. Adyashanti. 2012. The Way of Liberation. Cambell, CA, Open Gate Sangha, Inc. Adyashanti. 2008. The End of Your World. New York, NY, Sounds True.