Experimental Living

Some years ago I often engaged in what I call "experimental living"; this is the sort of thing Thoreau did when he built his little cabin on Walden pond. I did any number of interesting things, even years before I knew Thoreau existed.

One of the first things I did was just get rid of everything. Only own what I could carry on my back or in my hands. I somehow wish I could do this today—I feel over-burdened by Stuff. Then I got on a plane and went to other countries and places and saw lots of things and met all kinds of interesting people and in all ways improved my time.

Eventually I decided to try some interesting experiments, such as living without money, which I accomplished for a whole year and a half. It was simply amazing, and amazingly simple. Of course one must be in fair health and spirits to undertake such an idea. But if you are, I recommend trying it, depending on where you are in the world. I got my food in interesting ways, such as foraging seasonally and (most of all) taking perfectly good food out of trashcans and dumpsters, especially behind whole-foods stores and bakeries. Yum!

Other things I did was live in a tent or in "kips". The word kip is a Scots English word and it means a place to sleep, usually for one night. During my travels in Scotland (for example) I stayed in: a chambered cairn; abandoned churches; ancient buildings that exist as kept-up displays to any who hike out and find them; bothies (another Scottish word: it means stone houses in the middle of nowhere where you could spend the night—sadly many of them have since been deliberately vandalised and destroyed); and by permission in buildings such as barns and peat sheds (places where cut pieces of turf (peat) were kept—this wonderful-smelling stuff is burnt as fuel in Scotland to this day).

Another experiment I did was not to go inside a building. This lasted the better part of a year and was incredibly interesting and freeing in a way. I lived mostly on the outskirts of villages and on beaches where possible, and for a bit on an island all by myself. Much of this coincided with the not using money time. During this time I had only a very scratched-up CD as a mirror and it really didn't work too well. And I had only to bathe in the ocean or in rivers and streams. It's simply amazing what such waters do for the skin and hair! If you want wild, thick hair, try washing it without any sort of soap in salt water—or even fresh flowing water from a mountain stream, which contains all sorts of minerals. After such experiences, I was truly disgusted to bathe in treated chlorinated water—much less to drink it!

Imagine spending winter in a north-western island chain off the coast of Europe. It was probably the most amazing winter I ever had. And the chimney in the place I was staying was no good, so I went without heat all winter. To keep warm, I went walking all day long. I have never been so healthy in all my life than that winter. I did not get even slightly ill—not even once—and I slept better than I ever have in my life. Now, living in overly-expensive ratty buildings, I can barely sleep, waste most of my income, and have to contend with uncouth neighbors who would likely do better in some sort of institution where they could have an eye kept on them. What a weird way to live! Human "society" in the western world is quite simply bizarre. Having lived other ways, I cannot understand it. I find it now unfortunate that, like Thoreau, I somehow "had" to return to it, even though it likes me not, nor I it.

I wish I had pictures to share with you, but they are all in my soul; they keep my heart warmed and I am glad for them.

Creature Confrontations

THIS is from a medieval manuscript, and seems to represent some sort of rodent or other creature-type climbing up out of its masonry home in the ground to confront a visiting, rather large snail. I love snails and have often been seen 'saving' them, which usually entails picking them up and pointing them in another direction, so they don't head towards a busy roadway or where people might step on them. I even once witnessed a 'snail moot': a meeting of a group of snails, all facing inwards towards each other as if communing, which I'm sure they were. All different age groups were represented too. Amazing.

A remarkable little joust is going on betwixt what appears to be a miniature poodle astride a hare, and a shocked-looking bunny on back of a human-headed orange snail. Taking bets as to who wins this one. Folk in the middle-ages had a love of cartoon marginalia.

And speaking of bunnies...here's a snail-bunny eating a wee berry from a vine!

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To the sound of a dulcimer, these furry-headed folk dance with their human friends along a golden-leafed branch. Watch out for the monk to the right! I suspect that may be a club in his hands; or maybe he's keeping time...but I'd keep an eye out just in case.