‘Rearing up on its hind legs, toes splayed and tail erect, the flowing-lined form of the black lion of Vlaanderen approached; King to the territory, crimson tongue curling over its breath, and entirely encased in a royal yellow diamond. The road sign whizzed by us. It was an enormous relief to be crossing over into Northern Belgium again – our European home.’ ~ An excerpt from my book Ace Egos‍

‍The Ins and Outs of Towns

When I was living and touring in Europe, our band was fortunate to play in a lot of places. Most clubs were excellent and memorable, while heaps of them have faded into the forgotten parts of my memory.

But it is not really the place that makes a place, it is the people. I have not forgotten all of the amazing people we met. We were a rock n’ roll two-piece band. We drew a lot of attention. But, we gave a lot of our attention. This resulted in friendships and bonds with people, from Belgium to Spain to Finland. It was an incredible time in my life. What was noticeable was, with song and celebration, anyone could connect with anyone.

Two observations arise from this: 1) We bond through music, 2) People need an escape. Every night, I saw the hardships in most people. But stronger, I could see their childlike wonder in having a good time and sharing it with good friends. I’m sure excessive amounts of beer also helped.

‍All Along The Watchtower

Historically, borders have been created to divide groups of people; one group wants to live one way, while the other group wants to live another. It’s all part of our game of hoard, divide, and conquer. This has led us to exert tremendous amounts of energy in protecting ‘what is ours.’

From the perspective of culture, and moreso, travelling around the world, it offers us a way to delight in what is local, what is ‘of the region,’ and witness the colourful variations of how, where, and why people and communities live the way they do.

Europe has such royal roots. So, you might find here and there images of a region’s ‘coat of arms.’ A coat of arms denotes a strong sense of identity and allegiance. It also carries a powerful spirit. It’s no surprise that we normally see animals on ‘coats of arms.’ Animals are inspiring representations for ways of being. We all have a favourite animal, some people even adopt one as their ‘spirit animal.’ We can be even more perceptive here, and see that all icons of nature are used to represent a community, its values, and aspirations: Trees, Mountains, Oceans, Rivers, the Sun and the Moon. We also see icons in the form of skulls, snakes and eagles on leather jackets. Whatever it may be, a symbol helps us to ride upon the wind.

Creative Internal Frontiers

Any activity that immerses who you are, using all your passion, right there in the moment, is a catalyst for a heightened state of being. Artists do it all the time. Athletes do it. Lovers do it. Gurus do it.

The key is, that in doing it, we go beyond everyday laborious thinking. This type of thinking normally leads to doubt, division, and disharmony. How nourishing does it feel to spend some time deep in your favourite activity? Or just sitting on the couch with a cup of tea, doing nothing? Letting the time pass by. This allows for states of being where no problems have to be solved, and moreso, no problems are created. It is a moment of pure harmony.

So, this is a call to all: Follow your passion. Even if you think it depletes time and energy from other parts of your life. It won’t. It will enhance everything else around you. It is your medicine. And bring along your symbols of heroism and protection. It will make you feel better. And that’s just what the world needs.