Mississippi Sand Dogs

“Vitalism—the understanding and principle that all organic systems in the universe are conscious, self-developing, self-maintaining and self-healing.

This means that the body is more than the sum of its parts; it is imbued with a specific intelligence that guides its development, interactions with its environment on all levels and responses to challenges that environment creates.

The concept of Vitalism is foundational to the entire concepts of health and wellness in humans. Our bodies work hard to express health, to maintain health and to recover from illnesses or other conditions that threaten our health.”   - Life University

I used to love to dip my hotdogs in sand before eating them. It is one of my first memories. Taking that deliciously juicy processed encasement of “lips & assholes” and submerging it into the toxic 1970’s Mississippi River sandbars was my deepest joy. It was awkwardly delightful, and in spite of the laughter and prodding of my siblings, parents and their friends, I couldn’t - and wouldn’t - stop. I remember those franks coming off the makeshift skewers after cooking on an open fire and running away for a little dipping privacy. No one understood my obsession and they certainly couldn’t curb my appetite. In fact; I dipped all of my food in sand or dirt. It wasn’t uncommon for me to walk into the house with a huge ring of black Iowa dirt around my mouth after a good “dipping” of damn near any food I could sneak out of the house. Beyond that, nobody understood why I would bite the rims of glass cups until chips came off (more sand). To me it was…normal.  

The innate was strong in me; as it is in all of us. Now, that is not meant to be esoteric; nor is it a reference to Star Wars. It is a statement of clarity. There is an intelligence within all of us that is dramatically more astute than our educated minds. It is the same intelligence that once upon a time took two cells in a moment of your parent’s bliss (which you probably don’t want to think about), and turned them into one life cell. Magically, 9 months and 100ish trillion cells later; out comes a screaming and pooping you. This remarkable intelligence was able to take your mother's diet of soda, pickles, and ice cream and make the perfect, marvelous ‘you’. It is the same force which guided every moment as you grew. It made you resilient to the stressors of life and often acted as the cricket on your shoulder when you faced decisions. It rides alongside this life coaster until you ultimately vacate your body and your soul returns home. That’s life as we know it on planet earth. This cradle to grave process is beyond the mental comprehension of our “educated minds”. Science seemingly helps our egos attempt to comprehend this apparent magical process and journey, but manmade theories and research only take us so far. The laws of the universe appear to be much greater than human intellect can decipher.

Ask yourself; with our brilliantly educated minds, has science definitively discovered how a single human cell works? They know most of the parts and processes (though new ones are discovered nearly daily), but nowhere close to all of the actions, coalitions and invisible interconnections that this creative intelligence designed. Science continues to improve upon itself every year, but it may likely never understand the complexities of the intelligence that created the human body, or nature in general. After all, how could we possibly surpass comprehension of the intelligence that created thinking and understanding in the first place.

So why do we question a child that likes to eat sand or dirt? My parents were trying to follow social norms while I was trying to honor the intelligence within, telling me I had a mineral deficiency. It was leading me to eat dirt and sand, both full of minerals, to support and strengthen my developing body and nervous system. As a society we have set up “norms” that limits us from our truest, most vital expression of health and wellness. My innate intelligence would not be ignored despite social standards. Within modern society we are advertised to by Big Pharma and Corporate America selling us into a culture that functions based on high consumerism and instant gratification. We have largely disconnected both physically and mentally from nature and our interdependence with the earth in search of the “easy button”.  This system has propagated to the point of collapse, which is why we find our current health challenge (Covid-19) so rattling. We are at an unprecedented time in human history. Perhaps this pandemic is serving as a highlight to our stark separation from the intelligence of nature that has helped support and grow our species for millions of years, and many are paying the ultimate price so the rest may learn.  

There is little to no money in nature’s abundance of elements like sand and dirt. Healing minerals, medicinal vegetation, and immune-building breast milk cannot be claimed, patented or monetized by a corporate holding. Regardless, we are bombarded by the idea that manmade chemistry under the guise of wonder-drug pharmaceuticals will take all of the unwanted ailments away. So, we blindly follow for the hope of eradicating the pain and discomfort of the situation. Our bodies, however, use pain and symptomology to communicate to us. We tend to ignore these signals and, rather than look for the root cause, we opt for the quick fix of the symptoms surfacing. This detachment from honoring the pain, and the decision to quell it with a masquerade of drugs has led to alterations that may lead to more dire situations.

There is hope however.

The concepts we will explore in subsequent blogs are about one’s own responsibility and self-awareness as an innately intelligent, sovereign human beings. It is about the ability to choose wisely and in a way that honors the intelligence within you. It is about life and the pursuit of the truest happiness through health, spirituality, and connection. It is about YOU; the actions you take; and their impacts to self, tribe and the overall collective. It is having a philosophically developed conscience and connecting into a greater consciousness that joins all life on this delicate planet. It is time for us all to start taking personal responsibility.

Our world needs us to be our Golden Rule best. By living a magnificent and conscious life, it gives permission for others to do so as well. The steps we will discuss have the capability to turn a microcosm into the macrocosm of change that our world so desperately needs. May this blog be a lit candle that lights yours, and allows you to light others.

There is hope; and it starts with you.