Wednesday, February 20, 2008

travel and synchronicity

I believe synchronicity happens more often than we realize. We are often so wrapped up in our responsibilities, our increasingly busy lives, and the details of what is immediately in front of us that we can easily miss the unexpected or surprising moments which may link what can feel like disparate pieces.

As I was preparing to write, I decided I wanted to have it center around Cirque du Soleil's "O", which I saw in Las Vegas last week. I wasn't sure of the exact focus of the piece, other than my decision to go to show was the right one. The factors of whether to go or not were primarily cost and needing rest versus desire for pleasure and inspiration. Pleasure and inspiration won.

I started searching for an online clip to link to for a taste of "O." I found many; some authorized, such as Cirque du Soleil's "O" webpage, which is also found on the Bellagio website, the hotel and casino where "O" resides; and some not, such as this one which is the opening of the show, which was amazing and had me hooked right away (the power of it is not conveyed in this low quality clip - but it gives a hint of what it looks like). I did find this longer trailer. It is a small sample of just under two hours of joy which kept me entertained and inspired from the minute it started dropping from the sky. I was entranced by flying things, water, fire, physical skill, and amazing theatrics.

And the synchronicity? Here it is. As I was searching the videos, HAO2Darts, who posted the longer trailer, wrote:

When you open the souvenir program of O, You will see message from them.
"Travel far enough away,my friend, and you'll discover something of great beauty: your self."

I bought the souvenir program while I was there and had only opened the book to show my partner when I arrived home. I hadn't yet seen the quote. The next video I looked at online, started with that quote scrolling across the screen.

One of my thoughts when I was in Las Vegas, a strange and repelling yet compelling place, was that sometimes I simply need to get out of town to find inspiration. To leave the familiar and habitual and see something new. I wrote about going somewhere new, somewhere with energy, after I arrived home, which you can read on my previous post.

And here it was again: travel and discovering beauty. Right in the place where I found it last week. Another circle has been made and I will wait to see where the next unexpected moment arises and how it connects to something I'm experiencing now.

Pay attention to the moments and see where the intersections happen. It might happen at home, it might happen away and it probably won't happen where you expect. Stay open.