Robert Burton
Bio
A world traveler and student of life, people and the human mind. I've been molded by my origins in The American South, six years of life in The People's Republic of China and my passion for life. I live, I learn and then I write about it.
Stories (19/0)
Mind your Mind
Remember that walking meditation is much like life. It’s literally one step at a time, step by step, small incremental movements forward that all coalesce into one journey. At the beginning, one notices how far he must go, but in the end, one notices how far he’s come. The key is mindfulness, or what I like to call “minding the mind.” A great means of doing this is to mind your breath. Start by taking three deep breaths, after taking three deep breaths, allow the air to escape through the nose and fall into a natural rhythm. As in life, breath is essential, so first, breathe in, deeply. Breathe in all that life is, all that is bothering you, all that is in your mind and then let it go by breathing out. Breathe out all that you’re worried about, any thoughts floating around in your mind or anxious energy that might need to be expelled. Next, allow your forehead to release those wrinkles, let those shoulders drop and unclench your jaw. Let go of the tension, let it all go until you are completely empty; this emptiness is key, because again, much like in life, a cup must be emptied before it can be filled. So, empty your cup. The first step is complete.
By Robert Burton4 years ago in Longevity
Transient Transformations
Once a foreigner, always a foreigner. I learned that the hard way. Traveling is transformative, in the sense that it puts you squarely in the fire of transformation. That fire burns away everything that you are not, and within the ash remains only what and who you truly are. I’ve had the incredible experience of getting to travel the seven seas, seeking all manner of things-temples, languages, food and much more, but the only thing I ended up truly finding was myself. For me, deciding to leave home and move to the People’s Republic of China was me a no brainer, however returning home a six years later was not just a difficult decision to make but it was the hardest thing I had ever done in my life.
By Robert Burton4 years ago in Wander
- Top Story - December 2019
Angry WomanTop Story - December 2019
They told you that you weren’t beautiful and that made you angry. Then they had the nerve to call you manly and that made you angrier. Next, as if that weren’t enough, they chastised you for being angry, berating you with appellations such as attitudinal and bitter, and that sent you into a rage. It was a rage that you have every right to be in, because you are, essentially, a victim who has been disrespected in every way. But, while before mentioned folks might be causing you quite the angst, quite the annoyance and are factors you could certainly do without, in all totality, they are actually correct.
By Robert Burton4 years ago in Viva
Symbols and Soldiers
As you traverse the highways and bi-ways of the US, going down on the map in the direction known as “South” you will notice some changes. First, it gets hotter and more humid, and this is not just the weather I’m talking about: I’m alluding to the intensity in the air, the tension that is palpable and almost tangible. Second, you will notice that people speak as if they have all the time in world to say what they need to say, you’ll notice how people speak at each other but don’t really speak to each other. People of all races will be polite, respectful and cordial, layering on loads of that social lubricant known as Southern Hospitality. Now, what you don’t know is what they say when you leave, but never mind that for the time being. The food gets better, and this might be my own bias, but you have cuisine that some claim to be their “heritage” but was actually mastered by melanin-sufficient matrons who had to slave away in kitchens to create a sort of cuisine known for its liberal application of seasoning and soul, but I digress, this isn’t about that.
By Robert Burton5 years ago in The Swamp
He and She
He looked up to the men around him for guidance on what to do, what to say, and how to say it. The men around him were his teachers, but not all teaching was done with words. He was taught that action is what is most important, never mind what you say. The issue is what you do, or what you fail to do. For him, in his world, what you do defines who you are. He observed and learned from the men around to speak loudest with action. As a boy, he was given action figures, screamed action words, and his free time was spent performing a plethora of different actions such as running, jumping, and hitting things.
By Robert Burton5 years ago in Humans
White Noise
White noise: the scientific phenomenon that occurs when you hear a specific sound such that your brain starts to block it out to the point that your ear still registers but your brain relegates it to the background. You hear it yet you don’t hear it. White noise is a sure and accepted concept in science that concerns auditory affairs of the ear and sound. I’ve come to the conclusion that the concept can be applied to people.
By Robert Burton5 years ago in Wander
- Top Story - August 2019
HomeTop Story - August 2019
Their lives were in their faces. You could see it, lives that had pain, struggle, joy, ups, downs, and most importantly, wisdom. If you looked into their faces you could see it, or maybe, they could just tell you. If they told you it would have to be over a glass of wine, because lives that complicated aren’t just exposed and expounded upon so easily. Those faces had pain that was deep and black, with strength that was old. Older than the Zambezi, the Nile, the Limpopo or the Mississippi, yes, strength that goes back that far.
By Robert Burton5 years ago in Humans