The Psychology of Safety Training

I am working in the gold mines of northern Nevada; big, industrial facilities with lots of machinery and equipment. Hazards abound, so each mine has a safety orientation that you have to go through. It literally takes days to get through one mine’s safety orientation.

Yesterday I was sitting in one of these orientations watching a video of their corporate leadership talking about safety. Blah blah blah. Boring. And then I heard something remarkable. I actually scribbled some notes down in my journal. One of the corporate fellows said something to the effect of:

Your behavior is rooted in your unconscious beliefs. If your conscious goals (safety in this case) are inconsistent with your unconscious beliefs, you will do a half-ass job (at creating a safe environment).

My words:

Your heart is where your treasure is. Follow your bliss and you will have boundless energy and enthusiasm. Spend your time and energy on something that does not animate you (even though it may be practical and pragmatic) and you crush your soul.

It is quite remarkable, I think, that some corporate fellows figured that out.

This foray into northern Nevada has something of a monastic feel to it. I frequently describe my idealized self with the archetypes; explorer, athlete, mystic, storyteller, advocate. The culture here is almost the opposite, so I am experiencing lots of wonderful solitude in the hermitage of my little trailer. I love my solitude, I have complete control over my life, but I wonder, “Where are my kindred spirits?” They are certainly not engineering power systems for gold mines.

I can identify kindred spirits. I see my anima, that force that animates me, that treasure where my heart is, reflected by other people and I wonder, “Why am I not with those people?” For twenty years I have been doing the practical and pragmatic stuff with the idea that one day, I would have enough security to follow my bliss. It’s clear to me now that “enough security” is an indefinite goal that I’ll never reach. When I’m in my dual mind, I fear that even if I did now follow my bliss, my energy and enthusiasm is no longer boundless after twenty years of soul crushing.

But of course, that is my either/or dual mind. Reality is non-dual. I can nurture my soul while doing engineering in Elko alone, and I could make a comfortable living while following my bliss companioned by kindred spirits. Perhaps this process is not so much about letting go of financial security, but letting go of the ultimate control I have by being alone.

The Spirituality of Science

A brilliant little essay. Make sure you read the last paragraph.

Raison D'etre

MANAI’A EXPLORATIONS
RAISON D’ETRE

We strive to be fit and whole:

• We nurture our bodies. We are athletes. We are vegans. We integrate into ourselves only what is nourishing.
• We nurture our minds. We study. We question. We are critical thinkers.
• We nurture our hearts. We feel. We strive to be emotionally whole individuals, at peace and full of compassion.
• We take responsibility for ourselves. We own our light and our shadow.

Il faut aller voir. We explore:

• We explore the exterior world; land, sea, and sky.
• We explore the interior world of heart and mind.
• We explore the human collective, conscious and unconscious.

We experience:

• We are sensual. We see, smell, hear, taste, touch and are touched.
• We feel emotions, especially awe.
• We empathize.
• We witness, experiment and learn.

We understand:

• We strive for truth, realizing we will never achieve it with our symbols and metaphors.
• Our understanding of nature, the human collective and ourselves evolves.
• Our understanding of the relationships between nature, the human collective and ourselves evolves.
• Ultimately we understand how to live better.

We transform:

• We change our thinking, believing, behavior, our way of being.
• We live better.
• We become more fit and whole.
• Our joie de vivre increases.

We advocate:

• We advocate for the voiceless.
• We advocate for social and environmental justice.
• We are good citizens and stewards.
• We advocate for better living.

We are storytellers:

• We advocate by telling stories about our explorations, our experiences, our understanding and our transformation.
• Our stories are engaging because they convey our awe and our joie de vivre.
• Our stories inspire people to live better.
• We speak, write, photograph, and video our stories.

Swimming in Elko

Nosey BTs

In the Office

It's snowing. Seems like we should be hibernating, but there is production work to be done.

Scorpion Weed

So this is the wildflower that has been giving me hell for two years now:


My yard is lousy with it and the dogs run through it everytime they go out. It's poison ivy of the desert.

Scenes from Northern Nevada

In and around Ely, Nevada.