My "Kierkegaardian" Leap of Faith
Over the course of my life, I have experienced many random leaps into the unknown. Truth be told, I have become way too comfortable with living a paradoxical existence, one where I allow life to effortlessly unfold as it may with little concern about the outcome.
Back in 2014 during a pivotal point in my life, a friend of mine suggested that I attend a Colorado Bitcoin Society meeting in downtown Denver. At the time I had only faint knowledge of what the world of cryptocurrency was all about.
The event was held at the now closed Southern Hospitality restaurant, a venue known for its mouth-watering baby back ribs, southern fried chicken, and whisky bar. When I arrived, I was directed down a flight of stairs to its dark, cavernous whisky bar, where a crowd of largely bearded, heavily tattooed, sleep-deprived attendees had gathered to talk about bitcoin’s emergence and importance.
A fellow attendee who I encountered suggested that I download a digital wallet in order to gain a better understanding of how to send and receive crypto. He then proceeded to introduce me to a number of other attendees, who in wanting me to get up to speed with how this emerging digital technology worked, beamed me over small bitcoin micropayments. Needless to say, I left the meeting hooked, with a fervent interest to learn more about the revolutionary advancements taking place in the crypto space.
As a newly minted writer and journalist, I began to wonder what it would look like to take a leap into the nascent world of crypto journalism. As luck would have it, I was able to stumble upon a publication located in Europe called BTC Manager that was willing to bring me on as a writer at $50.00 per article. In 2018, I went on to write for Bitcoin Magazine and NASDAQ.COM on emerging Blockchain and Cryptocurrency trends.
Fast forward to 2020 and the height of the pandemic. Recognizing the need to acquire another income stream, I joined Gokhshtein Media as their part-time Senior Editor. While it’s been a fun ride, I just recently resigned after 16 months of realizing that I had a larger calling to pursue.
The Art of Making a Leap
The Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard described the “Kierkegaardian Leap” as a state in which a person is faced with a choice that cannot be rationally justified. In other words, it’s the act of believing or accepting something outside of what many would consider the boundaries of reason.
This has been true for me amid recessionary times as a number of my well-meaning friends have questioned my decision to part ways with a steady income without a safety net. When told that my leap makes little reasonable sense, I respond that “my success in life has largely come from making decisions that others would deem unreasonable.”
Kierkegaard implored us to stop the incessant "thinking and self-reflection" that prevents one from taking a leap. In particular, he had issues with those who thought about religion all day without ever doing anything, instead favoring what we often refer to as a “leap of faith.”
He thus rejects the views of major rationalist philosophers such as Descartes and Hegel who believed that God can be rationally proven and that faith can rely on sound logic. For Kierkegaard, there is no reason in faith, which is what makes it a paradoxical leap.
Paradoxical Intrigue
Thinking back, if I had my undergraduate degree to pursue all over again, I would major in philosophy. The three courses I did take during my years at The Ohio State University opened my eyes to the value of critical thinking and life exploration. It was through the ancient philosophical thinkers that I first began to appreciate the beauty of paradox, uncertainty, and unbridled freedom.
In later years, I began pouring through the 2000-year-old Tao Te Ching written by Lao Tzu. Mysterious yet filled with timeless wisdom, its eighty versus provide you with a roadmap for navigating our human existence. Short and cryptic at times, its eighty verses are the crystallization of pure wisdom and insight. Reading various translations has helped to open up a new series of breakthroughs in my life.
Lao Tzu explores the mysteries of Tao or ‘The Way’ – a roadmap that can lead us to greater fulfillment, abundance, happiness, and an effortless life. His wisdom is conveyed through a series of paradoxes which are not meant to be Japanese koan-like riddles but rather insights and perspectives on our everyday nature in relation to the world around us.
Wise sages have historically embraced life’s paradoxes or rather the paradoxical nature of reality because in doing so, one is able to transcend the ensnarements of the mind along with the ego’s illusory ways.
Personally, I’ve long embraced paradox in my life, almost to the point of being too comfortable with it. This pattern, of course, runs contrary to the common narrative of Western thinking, where many of us are enmeshed in trying to live a secure, predictable existence of ego control.
In the book “Sacred Hoops: Spiritual Lessons of a Hardwood Warrior,” now NBA Hall of Fame coach Phil Jackson offered this poignant message to the readers of the book:
“Life often has its way with you, no matter how hard you try to control it. The trick is to experience each moment with a clear mind and open heart. When you do that, the game—and life—will take care of itself.”
This to me reflects the essence of a Taoist-centric “paradoxical way,” where your trust and flow in alignment with the deep, mysterious wisdom of Nature, allowing it to carry you towards your goals and intentions. In this way you are able to leap into the unknown, accomplishing everything in an easy and effortless way.