The Whipp Blog

I came across this ZOLTAR machine in Nashville. I found myself wondering why one dollar seemed like a perfectly reasonable price to pay (because it totally was) for an unreliable fortune delivered by a mechanical puppet from a Tom Hanks movie. Novelty right? Sure, it only does the one thing. But it does it with such style. Still, novelty has a short shelf life. So  ZOLTAR thrives here in this high-traffic town, refilled with fresh faces on a daily basis. But If I were looking for something to rally repeat business in a room full of regulars, i'd try a different tactic altogether, wouldn't I? Maybe ZOLTAR blackjack or ZOLTAR karaoke? Just so long as its ZOLTAR…i really like him. 

This is a photo of our friend Kanas. We're sharing a pipe. For luck.  Its not something I would do with just anyone and i think that's what makes it a special bonding experience. A group of intimate friends, sitting around a fire pit, breaking bread (and barriers) passing around a peace pipe. Stories are shared. Memories are made. And we all relax and let our guards down. I can see how this could become ritual. In the same way preparing the pipe itself serves as a kind of ritual. Filling the bowl. Just halfway. Tamping it down. Filling it again. Tamping again. Then adding the final loose, moist tobacco to the top right before lighting and taking the first draw. Its a moment to meditate. A shared meditation in this instance. And what could feel more creative, more spiritual, more inspiring than that. In the days ahead, I'm going to try, without institutionalizing, or formalizing anything, to think of some other ways to share meditative experiences with my friends here. I welcome any ideas you may have.