In Which I Overthink a Simple Nursery Rhyme

Row, Row, Row Your Boat: Wisdom for the ages. An exploration of the nothing matters/everything matters paradox. A beautiful image of the unfolding of wisdom, of awakening.

For me, this nursery rhyme ranks up there with advice from the spiritual masters. Also, I tend to get all awkwardly deep about random, casual things and I thought the internet was the perfect place to unleash my weirdness on this topic.

Let’s break it down, shall we? Only let’s do it backwards.

Life is but a dream…

During moments of clarity, across time and cultures, people have been struck with a realization that the world as we know it is illusion. We only interact with the world though our paradigms, what we view as solid is shifting, who we think we are is not real, we see only “through a glass darkly.” We realize all we stress about and strive for and obsess over is only “dust in the wind” and all our busy comings and goings cannot change the Truth of Our Being. When this happens, it is like a 2×4 to the head which puts everything into perspective, for the moment.

(An aside: Sometimes, when people first have a spiritual awakening, they wake up…here. But it is a short jump, or slow ooze, from here to nihilism. From here to, “it doesn’t matter what I do, nothing matters anyway.” From here to, “What is the point?”

Alternately, sometimes when people are depressed/use hallucinogens/have a history of trauma which they cope with by distancing themselves from life, they start out here. In the cases of depression and trauma avoidance, this is also known as dissociation and nihilism.

Lacking greater wisdom, this perspective can be toxic. With broadened wisdom, this perspective is salvation, is freedom.)

Merrily, Merrily, Merrily, Merrily…

Therefore, enjoy yourself. Even when you don’t. Enjoy the ups and the downs and the wild, wild ride.

Row, Row, Row Your Boat

Gently Down the Stream…

The antidote for nihilism, the next unfolding in awareness:

In the words of one of my favorite sages, Jesus, “The Kingdom of Heaven is spread upon the earth,” and “The Kingdom of heaven is within you.” Therefore, interact with each person as though they are the holiness you are seeking. Because they are.

Interact with yourself as though you are what you are seeking. Because you are.

Therefore, wash your dishes. Go to work. Feed your baby, change her diaper. Send emails. Write that paper. Cook dinner. Bathe your children. Kiss their chubby cheeks. Pay the bills. Take a nap. Eat ice cream. Do it as though everything matters. Because it does.

But gently, gently. Life is but a dream.

 

5 COMMENTS

  1. Mary | 10th Sep 17

    I loved this take on “Row, Row, Row Your Boat.” Reminds me of the awareness Moses had when he interacted with God and realized that “man is nothing” yet when satan tries to tempt him he says to satan, “who art thou that I should worship thee? For I am a son of God.” Another paradox. . .

  2. curioushart | 14th Sep 17

    Very well put.

    • Margaret Sky | 15th Sep 17

      Thanks! Some things are not easy to put into words… Thanks for visiting!

  3. nancy | 18th Oct 17

    I thank you for your insightfulness.

    • Margaret Sky | 18th Oct 17

      Thanks for stopping by the blog! 🙂

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