Unwinding This Life – Part 2

“Accounts and Appointments”

I spoke last time about letting go of the tangible things; furniture, possessions. Today I’m speaking about letting go of some other ties that bind; the practical aspects of living a mainstream American existence. Specifically I’m speaking of the “accounts and appointments” phase of the process. Managing these myriad accounts and preparatory appointments is another facet of what has turned out to be a fairly complex logistical puzzle.

We enter this mainstream life slowly, account by account... A checking account here, a savings account there, here-a-credit-card, there-some-AAA-coverage, etc. etc. I never thought much about the corporate tentacles and tendrils that bound me to this life until going through the process of unfastening each one. 

In order to keep it all straight I created 2 lists. The first list consisted of accounts to cancel once I entered the homeless life (and by “homeless life” I mean the happy, voluntary, version where homeless life = freedom + opportunity... I am not implying the pejorative; the poor, lost souls I see on the streets of SF every day). 

The second list consisted of address changes. Even though I’m disengaging I realize that I am not going off the proverbial grid, so there are numerous accounts that must be active while I’m on the journey. Things like health insurance, car insurance, cell phone bill and financial accounts all need to have a contact for me.

As I've said before, by middle class American standards I don't have that much; “only” 2 credit cards, no mortgage, no car payments... but the sheer number of accounts that had to be managed came as a bit of a surprise once I listed them all. 

We are far more integrated into the corporate web then we are often conscious of. Even Occupy Oakland, with their righteous 99% fury, opened a bank account at Wells Fargo after they received a $20,000 donation from Occupy Wall Street.

This mind is almost equally inclined toward both the spiritual AND the practical; both of these aspects must be tended to, accommodated.

On the one hand, this is a completely faith based spiritual journey. On the other, mind demands that certain practicalities be satisfied prior to embarking. This includes ensuring, to the degree that I have control, optimal physical health. This (partially) entails utilizing my health, dental and vision insurance to maximum benefit while I still have it.

So, a flurry of appointments has ensued over the past 4 months. Routine physical, mammogram, blood tests, pap smear, inoculations for overseas travel (don’t let them tell you there are no side effects to the Typhoid vaccine), teeth cleaning, old fillings replaced, eye exam, new glasses. Phew...

Since you know me, you probably know I am NOT a western medicine fan. Part of mind thought it an unnecessary waste of energy and a bit silly to test everything. And yet, it seemed wise to make the energy for all of this. And it did require quite a bit of time, energy and a modicum of out of pocket expenses - <shaking fist in the air> - damn you high deductible!

The beauty part? I’m in great shape! At 48 years old, and after walking uphill for .9 mile, my blood pressure was 110/62. Thank you meditation, thank you Bhakti Flow, thank you vegetarian diet.

Ultimately, it provides mind great relief to have substantiated what was already known intuitively. I’m in the perfect state of physical (and mental and spiritual) health to go on this journey. 

I am still young enough and strong enough to be of service to all the communities I visit, young enough and strong enough to live in a tent in a forest for a few months, young enough and strong enough to carry nothing but what fits in a 2/3 size backpack while I explore the Buddhist life in SE Asia.

How blessed I am…