The sail contrasts with the technology that now dominates our lives. We interface with that tech through screens—which by definition are things that filter and conceal. (Whereas canvases capture and harness.) When off, those screens are black mirrors, reflecting our image back to us. That phenomenon gave the name to the British-made, Netflix series The Black Mirror.
Its dystopian tales showed how our screens see our darkest desires and fears, then exploit, tempt and manipulate us. Our increasingly fractured, fleeting attention and intention suffice for those black mirrors. In fact, they prefer and rely on it.
Whereas, when we tend those white mirrors, the sails in turn cultivate in us deeper, holistic attention and intention. We adjust them taking into account the complex interactions: ever-changing wind, sea currents, tides, and waves; the abilities and needs of the many machines on our vessels; our teammates and those teams on other boats. (see 3Ms)
“When the mind is free of any thought or judgment, it is still and acts like a mirror. Then and only then can we know things as they are.” ― W. Timothy Gallwey, The Inner Game of Tennis: The Classic Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance
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