25 Nov Life in Santiago

I am getting up pretty late as I am going to bed late. I am feeling inspired to write. I am discovering I have a love of writing and communicating. So the blog is becoming a good practice with starting to impart my experiences and knowledge. I’ve had a very full and exciting life. Lately I can feel I am going to write a book as so much has been definitely magical and I have to share what I’ve learned. I can see my life has been priviledge in many ways and I have obtained unique insights from being a clown, it is to look into our real humanity, which I can tell you is incredibly beautiful. The potential in us is incredible. I can remember as a child knowing this. I felt myself held back a lot and felt the potential inside. If I’d been able to really fully express it, we would be living in a different world. I have no regrets, I’ve learned a lot even from the barriers.

Anyway, I got up late as I was pretty tired. I was relieved to note no drilling action happening behind the wall. I am practicing visualisations to shift this cold, imagining gold light coming in through the crown shakra (yes we have shakra’s or energy centres in the body). I am imagining toxins going out. I want to get out and start clowning. I could feel the joy rising this morning as I imagined myself clowning here in Santiago, very keen to connect with the people here. The weather is beautiful every day, bit like Queensland but not humid. I saw two clowns over the day and walked behind them. They were not as energetic as me I noticed, one was playing the Charlie Chaplin role. I noticed them interact with people. It was interesting, I don’t often get the chance to see other clowns. I saw the smiling faces pass them and could feel my desire to clown rising. It is such a great experience folks, let me tell you.

Anyway, my day was spent exploring. I just walk around, I love been lost not knowing where I am. I just flow wherever. I look at the shops. I have to say I notice Latin American men, they make it clear they are checking you out. I have to laugh I don’t think Australian men are that obvious. I just divert my eyes, I am not looking for attachments. I am more interested in men that are into peace and living it. I am not into sport or the mundane, I like intelligent men not afraid to step outside the boundaries. Clowning is an exploration of human beings outside the norm. It is incredibly freeing and beautiful as your only desire is to extend love. So back to my walk, I just observe everyone. I see the people begging shaking their tins, I try not to feel guilty walking past but do have change in my pocket this day, so I can give quickly and easily.

I sat down at a coffee shop and had a tea. I notice an old woman just circling the tables, she was constant. I wasn’t comfortable with that. I feel definitely they need welfare here, so many people asking for money. That is the outcome of insufficient welfare. It is interesting to see a new capitalist economy, they are modeled of the US and they have insufficient welfare as well. I find this incredible, as the sign of a civilized society is the condition of the poor. I am appreciating more the Australian welfare system which is enough to live on, so you don’t have this destitution. Although we still have people begging the issues are drugs and mental illness. So it always is present in any society that is bigger than a tribe. A tribe is a good size as all are responsible for each other, this is a progressive society. The separation mentality is what allows for poverty, there would be none with strong family structures and close knit societies. As I walk I see many blind people. These people particularly impress me, they walk around with eyes closed. I can’t believe they have the courage to walk without any help, often alone. They could easily walk in front of a car. In Australia we have the beeping lights that quicken as the lights are about to change, so a blind person can hear the lights. This is common. It isn’t here at all, but I realise they are still developing their infrastructure.

I also noticed a significant police presence with attack dogs. I found this interesting. I thought it meant there was more crime but my Chillan host tells me it is to do with drugs. I asked what sort of drugs he said cocaine, marijuana and ice I believe. I felt sad to hear this. Of course many military operations are funded by drug money. There is significant organization in this industry. I would like to see the truth of this trade and who is behind it. What they are doing is devastating the youth, they are just driven by greed and can’t see the pain they cause to individuals, families and societies by supplying drugs. It would be a nightmare to have a drug addict in the family. I did wonder about this as it seems such an ordered society. Always behind the mask more is going on. I am always open to that. I don’t take things on face value, I am curious about the reality that is not shown.
So I did a huge walk and saw apartment blocks and wondered about life in such confined spaces. In some cities they are so prevalent, Amsterdam comes to mind and Hong Kong, huge apartment blocks everywhere. Not really a space for children but people don’t know any different and go where they can afford. In Australia by contrast, we have houses on land and much space for kids to play. We are fortunate that we don’t have a big population so quality of life is better in many ways, although we are becoming globalised and more conservative. You can see the cultural changes.

I circled round past the park and headed for Bellas Artes and thought I’d do some shopping. I get to the check out and hear some voices behind me. I ask where they are from, turns out they are from Queensland, Australia. So after a quick chat I ask them if they have time for a coffee. They say yes and I take them for coffee. Now listen up, this is how the universe works (yes very cosmic term). I start to chat to these people, they are a married couple on holiday in South America. I am considering moving to Queensland as I wish to study the environment and am interested in understanding how harmony works in nature and how this could be applied to society. This is an inspiration I am feeling. It turns out the lady has retired from the government last year. She was struck by how non profit organisations were viewed by government. She said in the introduction to a report the writer had to state how much the non profits are worth to the economy. That struck her as counter to what non profits are about. She is right. They are about serving the community and many of them struggle to get funding to do this. In reality they are increasingly taking up the governments function of social services. Yet their work is tough they have to find money, whereas if they were in the secure hub of government the money would be there, in truth it should be. Anyway she is looking into this and is interested in a society that is not money driven or greed driven. I can relate to that. Her husband said he was a cynic about the world. I can understand that too. He felt every person was greedy. When I explained the experience of clowning, he said you are getting something for selfish reasons. I didn’t disagree that you get something out of clowning, many people show love to you, so yes you receive, but it is not money. At the end of the day we all do what we do as we receive something from it. From my perspective the action I am involved in is loving and spontaneous, I receive through the common humanity and yes there is a self aspect but it is not the same as greed where it is only about you at the expense of others. Greed is like a sickness where you want more and more and it is not healthy for you or the environment. It is easy for anyone to become greedy as the money comes in, particularly as an entrepreneur you want more. However, from my experience in business I found beneath that was fear of not having enough. So when is enough enough, this is a statement Jack said to his son, I can relate to this as well. The truth is you never get to enough, the goals just keep projecting out and you find yourself stuck in behaviours of wanting more to gain security at the end of the day. I tried to explain that my life has been about stepping away from outer security jobs, partners and even a home to find inner security. I explained it is spiritual and I do have a trust that all will be well. That things turn up. Including this couple I met, I just marveled at how we met.

I will catch up with Marion his wife as she is feeling moved to explore a better society. I am too. We need a values based society that is not so driven by insecurity and greed. These are not the values that promote sustainability or happiness. At the end of the day we are working to find happiness, if you can’t get it at the end of the day that is revolution. People will buy in for only so long. So it is in the interests of government, industry and civil society to start to work out a new way. We are not in competition we are on the same team, but often through class there are divisions and power and control structures disempowering the community. So a different way of thinking and seeing life has to be developed if we have a world fit for children.

So I’ll see what happens. I walked away really having enjoyed our conversation. Jack even seemed less cynical after I told him of the magic, particularly of my incredible expiences clowning in a slum in Cambodia and the impact I made on a child and the child made on me. I told him what I learned was that peace is not about sympathy it is about connection. I saw the child as my equal, he was affected by the clown visiting the slum and I was affected by the depth of his life and the magic he saw in the clown. It was a wonderful exchange and experience. This is the greed I am loving, more of love, more of happiness, more potential and more truth. This is where the real life is my friends. It is not in taking from others based on a scarcity mentality it is giving more of yourself, this is how you discover your real wealth. I only have enough money to live on until I return to Australia, after that I have to find some. But I don’t worry as I know I have enough. I am not hungry for money, I am hungry for life experience and expanding my understanding of truth and love. That is my passion and it is not material, so it has to be good for the environment hey.

Have a great day.