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March 17, 2003

Hi all you screwball Duck Club members:

Just as an update, hundreds of you have joined the quest for nothingness that began from just sharing a late night story last week. I still can't get over that, but then why not? The common voice, just an FYI, is the refreshing playful attitude that a lighthearted dedication to nothing at all actually has extraordinarily positive effects. We have all been so intent upon finding meaning and purpose every where and in every thing that it almost seems whimsical to take a sabbatical from the psychic and spiritual pressure of this quest. But when you think about it, why should we have to struggle so hard to find meaning? Perhaps we have, in some way, made the quest far more difficult than it was ever meant to be. And at the very least, we have - as I have learned from many people - equaled the quest for meaning to finding the right job....That alone, if my memory of scripture serves, doesn't work. I've never read any passage in any scripture that equates the search for God to employment. I am beginning to think that removing that pressure along with the intent to make sense of every thing that ever happened, is not always the best way to embrace life.

The thing about the Duck Club is its absurdity. It is ridiculous at best....I was honest about that - I told you at the very beginning that it had absolutely no purpose, and encourages postponement of everything that is driving you crazy, and gives you permission to DO nothing...So isn't that a good thing? Just observe how difficult it is for you to do that.....I imagine that for most of you, you have to go away to do nothing...like on a vacation...OR you need to create some excuse, "I am so exhausted, I've worked so hard...I am just going to sit around and DO nothing". So like why do you have to wait until you are semi-conscious with exhaustion to just kick back and enjoy nothingness????? Why? I'll tell you why - NOTHINGNESS breeds guilt....which brings me to the point of this....Ducks don't experience guilt. And heaven knows they hardly need an excuse to do nothing. The more I think about Ducks, the more I admire the little critters....Maybe they are on to something....floating on water, hanging out with friends, looking this way and that at nothing in particular.....I've been there, but it was the consequence of ten weeks on the road and a state of complete wipe out at the conclusion of that trip. A duck wouldn't do that.....I've never met a Duck on the road who is crazy with exhaustion and dizzy with commitments...

So I am hoping that the nonsense of the Duck Club spreads like crazy because it supports taking time for yourself, taking pressure off yourself, and perhaps coming to the realization - effortlessly I might add - that meaningfulness will probably find you as soon as you release the search....and at the end of the day, that's what our little Duck Club is beginning to represent...

My love to all of you - I wish I knew each one of you. I want to share your Duck stories and silly poems and nonsense comments....you up for that? If your humor and insights, pet ducks (I had one when I was 10-years-old, and I regret to have to tell you that its name was Quacker....hardly original), or all your advice to others on how to create nothingness without effort can inspire others, let's go for it.

The Duck of Zen (aka Caroline).

To respond amy@myss.com

(And should any of you want to join me in exploring a more classic approach to spirituality, consider joining the Salon).
To register for the On Line Salon

Calander of Events

March 2003 - Seven Ways You Sabotage Your Enlightenment
OMEGA Event
New York, NY
March 22
1-800-944-1001

April 2003 - The Call to Live a Symbolic Life
The Conference works
April 11-12 2003
San Fransisco
800 395 8445

April 2003 - Sacred Contracts
Sacred Contracts
The Continuum Center
Minneapolis, MN
(612)374-4948
jane@continuumcenter.net