Hippin Tripping Trap

Hippin Tripping Trap There is a guy that sits outside borders bookshop on the streets of Santa Cruz. He looks older than his years, around 60 years old but maybe around 50 years old. His face has deep lines, his long hair is parted with a large bald spot on the top, his clothing is dirty almost but not quite like rags. His eyes are blank, looking into a void of nothingness, they rarely blink, turn or even look up. Between his legs is a small Africa bongo drum. The guy hits the same beat daily, from morning until 11pm I have seen him there, almost in a hypnotic state. What is really sad is he is not alone. I have never seen so many men of his age that appear to be brain damaged by drugs or totally out of it on drugs of some kind. And here is the enigma this place is stunningly beautiful and probably the coolest, hippest, friendliest happening place I have ever been to during my global travels. The variety of people are huge; imagine hippies, punks, cool dudes, rappers, bikers and more all in one place. Buskers of the highest degree in musicianship literally on every single corner.Magicians, smiling faces, well-to-do types, artists, poets, musicians and so much more, this place is truly a magnet for truly high-quality people. But there is this sinister side. Drugs, drop-outs and downright scroungers. Now don’t get me wrong, I am more than happy top give to those that need it but not those that want it because they are not willing to provide for themselves. So what going on here then? Santa Cruz has a rich history, typically built on the 60’s hippy movement. So it has a foundational feel of leaving the system and entering into this nirvana like haven of peace and happiness. And that is kind of what takes place. There are a hardcore here of 60’s remnants that have lived that lifestyle, moved on and now do greater works for themselves and their community.For example, take New Leaf the store. I have never seen or come across a store like this. 100% organic, natural everything. Barley any plastic in sight, all bagged up in the paper, wholesome fresh everything. It’s an amazing place. A true remnant of the deeper part of hippydom. Yet there is a very shallow, very small part to this community that the locals don’t like. It’s those that come to leave the SYSTEM yet they get trapped into a new system created by themselves. They believe that coming to a place so steeped in history, rebellion, non-conformity will release them from their own inner demons. In fact, when they arrive they become trapped within a web of their own deception. They convince themselves by coming into a place like this they can escape. To some extent they do, they escape from what most of us call normal in our daily lives. But because they enter into relationships very quickly of a much lower vibrational alignment they quickly drop their guard, drop their awareness so rather than become more conscious they fall into a state of unconsciousness where they lose all sense of reality. It seems the final outcome is A TRAP. They become trapped in a place that could offer them everything but they have been deceived and cheated by their own mind. What is really interesting is some of the people here although 60s hippies are incredible activists, writers, poets, musicians and more that are not just sharing but are changing the world.The house I am staying at right now, she has used her freedom-loving happiness to create a truly organic lifestyle and now working hard with indigenous Indians to protect the rainforests of the Earth. Isn’t that what the hippies were about - Change? Yet the hippy movement got so wrapped up in drugs in rotted from the inside out until it died. I was thinking. The world is like what is going on in Santa Cruz to lots of extents. It deceives and sucks us in so we cannot get out. Trapped, hopeless thinking and ideals. Decades of compounded thinking conditioning our thoughts that is has to be this way or has to be that way until we are left high and dry by a system that really doesn’t care. We can run like the man on the African drum at the start of this message yet end up in a self-contained state of unconsciousness that ultimately leads to early death. Or we can become agents of change, of the transformation of a state of consciousness.This is a Hippin Trippin Trap for sure. It has most of us unconscious and entranced. Wake up Just a thought, just an observation. Let me know what you think.Thanks for reading.Alan!