"How do you know suffering is not to the human what the howl is to the wolf?"
Now there is an interesting concept. It gives a neat twist to Descartes' statement - "I think, therefore I am."
If humans are biologically inclined to obsessively use our logical minds to rationalize the tsunami of energies forming the Present Moment, is that the source of "suffering" that the Buddha cautions us about? Is this manic energy of suffering the impetus that makes life interesting and worth living?
I am reminded of a scene in Woody Allen's movie Annie Hall, when Paul Simon suggests that Woody needs to "mellow out" rather than being in a state of constant anxiety and suffering. Woody replies: "I don't do "mellow", I tend to rot instead."
I like Philip Shepherd's concept of dual consciousness centers - the logical head-mind and the sensual/emotional pelvic-mind linked by the vagus nerve. While the head-mind is a "myth", it is a very powerful one not to be denied. Can there be a dynamic balance between our capacities of logical thought and emotional sense? Yes, but our current social structures favor the "tyranny of the rational mind" over the wisdom of our intuitions. Only a brave few seem to have the grasp of the Moment sufficient to overcome our social programming.
Perhaps our addiction to rationalization and accompanying anxiety/suffering is the jolt of energy needed to transcend our disembodied stupor of sensory deprivation from our discarded perceptions from our bodily senses and emotions. Does the wolf howl to feel alive or simply because it is alive? That difference is the human dilemma.
I'm reminded of the 'Law of Undulation' in CS Lewis's "The Screwtape Letters" in which an elder demon tutors his nephew in the art of leading humans astray (over to the dark side).
According to Uncle Screwtape:
"Humans are amphibians—half spirit and half animal. (The Enemy’s determination to produce such a revolting hybrid was one of the things that determined Our Father to withdraw his support from Him.) As spirits they belong to the eternal world, but as animals they inhabit time. This means that while their spirit can be directed to an eternal object, their bodies, passions, and imaginations are in continual change, for to be in time means to change. Their nearest approach to constancy, therefore, is undulation—the repeated return to a level from which they repeatedly fall back, a series of troughs and peaks."
If so-called conscious alignment/coherence alternating with missteps of varying degrees, represent the inhale and exhale of Being/Becoming... then where is the problem? The only difference pre- vs post-awakening I've found is that the peace that passeth understanding accompanies the latter (aka Trust) - or as my friend calls it, a backdrop of "permanent Concentrated Happiness," a kind of a by-product of being lucid in the dream of 'me'.
I'm reminded of the 'Law of Undulation' in CS Lewis's "The Screwtape Letters" in which an elder demon tutors his nephew in the art of leading humans astray (over to the dark side).
According to Uncle Screwtape:
"Humans are amphibians—half spirit and half animal. (The Enemy’s determination to produce such a revolting hybrid was one of the things that determined Our Father to withdraw his support from Him.) As spirits they belong to the eternal world, but as animals they inhabit time. This means that while their spirit can be directed to an eternal object, their bodies, passions, and imaginations are in continual change, for to be in time means to change. Their nearest approach to constancy, therefore, is undulation—the repeated return to a level from which they repeatedly fall back, a series of troughs and peaks."
If so-called conscious alignment/coherence alternating with missteps of varying degrees, represent the inhale and exhale of Being/Becoming... then where is the problem?
The only difference pre- vs post-awakening I've found is that in the latter, the peace that passeth understanding accompanies experience (aka Trust) - or as my friend calls it, there's now a backdrop of "permanent Concentrated Happiness," a kind of a by-product of being lucid in the dream of 'me'. Not "la belle indifference" that accompanies some forms of neurologic impairment because awareness is fully engaged.
But I confess that 3 1/2 years post-awakening I did get neuropsychological testing to rule out Alzheimer's because my inner life was SO different under the new operating system, I didn't have a context for this peace/trust. And my teacher later confessed that she had done the same!
"How do you know suffering is not to the human what the howl is to the wolf?"
Now there is an interesting concept. It gives a neat twist to Descartes' statement - "I think, therefore I am."
If humans are biologically inclined to obsessively use our logical minds to rationalize the tsunami of energies forming the Present Moment, is that the source of "suffering" that the Buddha cautions us about? Is this manic energy of suffering the impetus that makes life interesting and worth living?
I am reminded of a scene in Woody Allen's movie Annie Hall, when Paul Simon suggests that Woody needs to "mellow out" rather than being in a state of constant anxiety and suffering. Woody replies: "I don't do "mellow", I tend to rot instead."
I like Philip Shepherd's concept of dual consciousness centers - the logical head-mind and the sensual/emotional pelvic-mind linked by the vagus nerve. While the head-mind is a "myth", it is a very powerful one not to be denied. Can there be a dynamic balance between our capacities of logical thought and emotional sense? Yes, but our current social structures favor the "tyranny of the rational mind" over the wisdom of our intuitions. Only a brave few seem to have the grasp of the Moment sufficient to overcome our social programming.
Perhaps our addiction to rationalization and accompanying anxiety/suffering is the jolt of energy needed to transcend our disembodied stupor of sensory deprivation from our discarded perceptions from our bodily senses and emotions. Does the wolf howl to feel alive or simply because it is alive? That difference is the human dilemma.
A much desired dose of epistemic humility. I look forward to it like cough syrup now - no longer bitter, just refreshing.
Sublime and magnificent Shiv - bravo and thank you.
"The myth of mind"
Speaking about Santa Clause to Adults. By Shiv.
Dear Shiv,
Thank you for this piece, as always!
I really like this line: "Why do you believe life is any different from that blank sheet of paper?"
Much love,
Myq
I'm reminded of the 'Law of Undulation' in CS Lewis's "The Screwtape Letters" in which an elder demon tutors his nephew in the art of leading humans astray (over to the dark side).
According to Uncle Screwtape:
"Humans are amphibians—half spirit and half animal. (The Enemy’s determination to produce such a revolting hybrid was one of the things that determined Our Father to withdraw his support from Him.) As spirits they belong to the eternal world, but as animals they inhabit time. This means that while their spirit can be directed to an eternal object, their bodies, passions, and imaginations are in continual change, for to be in time means to change. Their nearest approach to constancy, therefore, is undulation—the repeated return to a level from which they repeatedly fall back, a series of troughs and peaks."
If so-called conscious alignment/coherence alternating with missteps of varying degrees, represent the inhale and exhale of Being/Becoming... then where is the problem? The only difference pre- vs post-awakening I've found is that the peace that passeth understanding accompanies the latter (aka Trust) - or as my friend calls it, a backdrop of "permanent Concentrated Happiness," a kind of a by-product of being lucid in the dream of 'me'.
I'm reminded of the 'Law of Undulation' in CS Lewis's "The Screwtape Letters" in which an elder demon tutors his nephew in the art of leading humans astray (over to the dark side).
According to Uncle Screwtape:
"Humans are amphibians—half spirit and half animal. (The Enemy’s determination to produce such a revolting hybrid was one of the things that determined Our Father to withdraw his support from Him.) As spirits they belong to the eternal world, but as animals they inhabit time. This means that while their spirit can be directed to an eternal object, their bodies, passions, and imaginations are in continual change, for to be in time means to change. Their nearest approach to constancy, therefore, is undulation—the repeated return to a level from which they repeatedly fall back, a series of troughs and peaks."
If so-called conscious alignment/coherence alternating with missteps of varying degrees, represent the inhale and exhale of Being/Becoming... then where is the problem?
The only difference pre- vs post-awakening I've found is that in the latter, the peace that passeth understanding accompanies experience (aka Trust) - or as my friend calls it, there's now a backdrop of "permanent Concentrated Happiness," a kind of a by-product of being lucid in the dream of 'me'. Not "la belle indifference" that accompanies some forms of neurologic impairment because awareness is fully engaged.
But I confess that 3 1/2 years post-awakening I did get neuropsychological testing to rule out Alzheimer's because my inner life was SO different under the new operating system, I didn't have a context for this peace/trust. And my teacher later confessed that she had done the same!
I hope this helps.