Is it just an old Cornish stone wall?

When I studied photography at college in my teens, the teacher was always keen on texture as an exploratory topic.

I think it just stayed with me as I like tactile things like paper, stone and fabric.

When I came across this wall, out walking with my dog, I stopped to look at the craftsmanship, detail and thought about how long it would have taken to do.

There are so many ancient crafts and trades that time wasn’t the factor, doing a good job was.

Nowadays I think we expect both, an amazing job and done in 10 seconds. But I don’t think they work like that. Yes we can do some things more quickly but should we rush everything? I think not.

I don’t think any of us produce our very best, when we are stressed, pressured and anxiety ridden - how could we?

So sometimes be like an old stone wall and say it takes as long as it takes, end of. We cannot let modern express train life constantly erode our more traditional ways of being.

I know easier said than done and I’ve had many a day in my younger years and onwards, where it’s felt like it were life or death to get something done, on time, hit a deadline, get a move on and more.

But really was it? No.

Sometimes I guess it’s important to hit some target time, but generally these are man-made fictitious parameters we are herded into and expected to perform to. 

There are cases of course, a surgeon has a certain timeframe to get a surgery safely completed by, a theatre performance starts at 7:30pm, something that is going to print.

But what I really noticed is a lot of it is unnecessary pressure and our systems don’t like it and can’t always handle it. I used to think I was a bit of an adrenalin junkie, jumping out of planes, travelling, riding my motorbike, white water rafting, being a triple black belt and kickboxing champion but actually whilst some experiences are amazing and worth having. There's hugely something to be said for quiet, harmony, non-doing - just being.

Constantly having your nervous system exposed, cranked to the max and flooded with cortisol actually damages your health. It did mine. When I got diagnosed with M.E. (myalgic encephalomyelitis), it didn’t make much sense, as I was fit and healthy I thought at the time.

I was juggling working, my music and band, martial arts, performing with my band and competing in kickboxing, travelling and helping in a local animal charity. I thought I was happy but I’d long since suffered with depression and anxiety and I would push myself, because that was what I was taught.

To get on, push through, get it done and work hard. It was easy for my neurodivergent mind, a million ideas a minute, doing a bunch of things at a time, but to my body, it was quietly diminishing it.

It just couldn’t cope. 

On top of those things, like most people, life was happening, social life, relationships, family, finances, trying to be happy not depressed. Basically it’s all too much. 

I think for young people especially, it's essential we look at what we have created with this manic society. I could say masculine as well, based on output, performance, achievement, yang basically.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with having purpose, ambition or a magnetic pull towards doing something.

But there's everything wrong with how we go about it. How we are expected to perform like perfect humans 24/7.

There's no doubt to me, the increase in mental health issues, the crazy world of wars, greed, violence and destruction out there. That it's a huge coherent arrow to how we are internally.

As within, so without.

There's just no getting away from it.

So back to the wall. The choosing of the stones, the careful laying out of them, their assembly and final finishing touches.

Slowly and methodically the wall is both a testament to the craftsmanship and to the patience of those who built it.

I do feel strongly, that it's long over due to continuously pour more and more fuel to the adrenal fire and expect a different landscape.

When you look at the point of yin and yang as an example, both equal, both supporting, both complimenting. No battle. No competition.

Creativity of everything should be allowed to breathe first.

We have to learn to slow down, breathe, pace ourselves and allow things to evolve organically.

Of course, life will incur moments and chapters of a brisker nature, an urgency or emergency.

But this would be taken within our stride and balance restored thereafter.

Not, as in my case, and many others, the complete crashing of adrenals, mental health and sensitivity. Which creates a very narrow band with of what stress it can take.

Young people should be taught, there are no medals for burnout. Nothing good can endure from annihilating everything ounce of energy available to you, indefinitely.

If we look at the wall from dark to light, thin to thick, it's a continuous dance, an ebb and flow.

Nature always shows us the way.

We just need to be smart enough to follow her lead.

Ax