Rhythm

The rhythm of my life now is more important to me than the lyrics. The rhythm of my heartbeat is the underlying engine of everything I do. The rhythm of my movement informs and transports me. The rhythm of my weekly schedule maintains my productivity and ability to absorb new information. 

Those who live in the jazz of chaos fascinate me. I have known some who are creative and productive. I have known more who have squandered their time and talents. Their lives resist a steady rhythm. Maybe it is simply brain wiring. Maybe it is more voluntary than that. In any case, it is the rare lover of chaos who can work well in concert with others. 

There are those who are so occupied by the minutia of their own lives that they miss the greater rhythms of life around them. Their lives are a medley of one obsession after another. Their own rhythm  is sporadic.

Others immerse themselves wholeheartedly in the greater rhythm of society. The rhythm of their lives is indistinguishable from the rhythm of crowded city streets, backyard cook-outs and football stadiums. They lives in sync with millions of others. Their comfort lies in their belonging to the greater rhythm of society, whatever the tune.

My practice has a rhythm which I try to keep in sync with my internal physiological and psychological rhythms. This requires self-awareness and effort. I have found that maintaining my own rhythm makes me more able to get in sync with the rhythms of others when that matters. I suppose it is similar to the musician who hones his own art and is then more capable to play well in concert. It helps me to understand the difference between my own life's rhythm and the the rhythms around me. It is also important for me to continue to experience harmony with the rhythms of others.