Return from India, Jetlag, and Keats

John Keats (1795–1821)

       Recently returned from two weeks in India where I embarked upon a solitary retreat sans phone, sans Netflix, sans friends. It is necessary and sometimes wonderful to sit for days in silence and ponder – though often a bit terrifying.

            Returned home with a deep gratitude for living  in a healthy climate and southern California’s restorative sunshine without extreme humidity, a devoted cat (as long as meals are on time!), Downton Abbey, and congenial friends.  However, this began the longest jetlag in history!

            India is 12.5 hours ahead of our time zone. It is said it takes 1 day for every hour difference in time. Arising at 3 AM and watching old movies, reading, breakfast at 5 AM. My wonderful cat accepting my erratic schedule, though with some puzzlement. Thus began the California retreat to recover from the earlier foreign retreat.  And from my ponderings, for some reason, I remembered Keats and his writing on ‘Negative Capability’.

            As I understand Keat’s notion of ‘negative capability’, it is the willingness to embrace uncertainty, live with mystery, and make peace with ambiguity. His insight arose from a disagreement with English poet and philosopher Coleridge’s quest for definitive answers.  Refusing absolutes, Keats opted to ‘live’ the questions and discovered that the most beautiful experience is to embrace the mystery. To live in a state of creative uncertainty, and an openness to Life, the greatest teacher. This is the Poet’s Way.