Be Alive

Escape Into Life’s founding editor, Chris Al-Aswad (1979-2010) was interested in many things—among them, literature, philosophy, the economy, and our spiritual wellbeing. In this journal excerpt from October 2005, he ponders an economy that is robbing human beings of their peace of mind—alas, with their apparent consent. He describes a context and articulates a resolution we might apply today as we begin a new year:

We are culturally conditioned to work at the cost of our peace of mind and wellbeing. We are conditioned to be successful in this country…but as a result we have sacrificed our prana, our life force, to what?—good things—but at the cost of what?—ourselves.

…Thus we’re living in our karmic conditions as individuals and as a capitalist country. These are effects of being motivated by money. …We forget to just be ourselves, be in sync with nature. The point is to be aware and live mindfully within the system—and do something about it. We do not have to be slaves to workaholism. Be alive for one minute of the day, really alive. Breathe from your navel. Let your breath fill your entire body. Be the prana. Be the life force.

So, for 2013, a New Year’s Resolution from Chris Al-Aswad:

Be fully alive for at least one minute of every day.

If you missed Chris’s other ironically fitting (re: the “fiscal cliff”) comment on “the personal economy,” take a look here.

And Happy New Year, dear, faithful EIL readers! Be alive.

Intuition of a Personal Economy in the EIL Blog

Art by Jeff Felker. Lamplight Ballet in the EIL Store.