Saturday 3 April 2010

And Then This 'Should' Is Like A Spendthrift Sigh, That Hurts By Easing.

It is freeing when the ins and outs of life don't seem quite so important. Oh, they're there all right, just as they are, just as they are perceived. The mind can play all it likes with making the situations of life big or small, distressing or not, uncontrollable or precisely managed, existent or nonexistent. There can be big, all-encompassing experiences that are labeled "truth" and objectivity can be applied to them - or not. Fear can seem to drive all action, or there can be little drive but sheer momentum. There are as many ways to live a life as there are lives, it seems. There can be a lot of questioning of it all, a huge longing to know the truth of life, the underlying, fundamental, absolute answer to the question of existence, or there can be one single, narrow problem that absorbs all of life's energies. The common conclusion, subjectively, often seems to be "it's all for nothing."

Well, maybe so. Perhaps the moving and shaking, cringing and hiding, boldness and timidity that are just some of the qualities of living all come to nothing, and have no import beyond their intrinsic value, by the virtue of their existence. Perhaps a solid, unshakable system of belief isn't strictly necessary to live, or whatever the belief system there is, it can unfold gently and naturally, with not too much importance placed on absolute adherence to a set of rules based on imagination. Perhaps the less the will interferes with life, the "better," more efficiently, and more smoothly it goes...or perhaps "better" doesn't matter quite so much, and all the facets of emotion and circumstance can be relished, it not outrightly enjoyed.

Everything life requires is always present. If nothingness manifest, the formless formed, awareness without duality is how the mind likes to conceptualise existence, there is nothing wrong with that; but it's useful to remember that no matter how fundamental the concept of existence is, it's still a concept. Any idea about reality is one step removed from reality. Everyone is reality itself, before the mind gets hold of it and has a lot of fancy ideas about it. Enlightenment defined as awareness looking at itself, before the mind gives it time and objectivity, is fine. Some experience of life without the analysis of mind being the most important thing is probably desirable. Yet it doesn't matter; everything is everything, nothing is nothing, right now, no matter how the mind and ego interprets it.


This clip illustrates the frustration that can ensue when the nanny state is busy over-dictating each and every interaction with society. A million Londoners will identify with Edina (Jennifer Saunders), ranting in court in a fantastic episode of Absolutely Fabulous. The fact that she was very deserving of being in court is beside the point. Sometimes it's fun to take the story seriously!

17 comments:

Gorilla Bananas said...

You're so right - if you think too much you just go round in circles. Doing simple things, like picking up an egg and caressing it, is better than thinking. I have caressed many eggs.

No One In Particular said...

Hey GB, trust you to get to the nub of it. Egg-carressing - the answer to all problems, the balm to ease all trouble!

Rizal Affif said...

Nice one. Stop thinking and start living.

Less words, less thinking though :D

No One In Particular said...

Hey Rizal, Hah! Just TRY and stop the ol' thinking. Good luck!

Leslie said...

LOL. I love this. Ultra-serious spartan non-duality in one hand and crack-me-up Advaita in the other...that ought to gobble 'me' up, littety split.
Thank you Suzanne.

No One In Particular said...

Hi Leslie, you're welcome, any time...

Ricky said...

If nothing else, God's Blogs are very entertaining.She writes to herself and tries to answer her own questions, only to be dissatisfied with any answer she gives and then asks another one- just to make sure She doesn't really know. Bizarre for Mind; simple for God.

Constance said...

LOL! I'm still laughing, very good. Just this morning I was thinking about how little thinking helps anything, and ha, that was thinking too, -it's endless. Thanks, Constance

No One In Particular said...

Hey Ricky, right on Bruthuh!

No One In Particular said...

Hi Constance. Nothing wrong with thinking! Even thinking about thinking's ok.

Brenda (betaphi) said...

Hi Suzanne. I paid my taxes today. The rant made me feel a bit better.

Ricky said...

You know when you're dreaming when you wake-up in the morning.

When you don't wake-up in the morning, well, now that's a very different kettle-of-fish.

Better leave that one to the
Man-Up-There, I think.

No One In Particular said...

Hi Brenda, death and taxes...in the unfolding story, count on them!

No One In Particular said...

Hey Ricky, just as well if you don't wake up, there's no one there to despair...and the man up there, you mean Carlos Slim Helu, right?

Ricky said...

Everytime God has a go at changing his dream he gets thrown-out of the studio- keeps being told he's spoiling things. The director came up to him this time and said, "if you want to be useful, pal, just watch and get into the spirit of things.There's only an hour left, surely you can wait that long.

"You told me that last week", God replied. "Yes", said the director, "shows you never really listen. Do as your told and I'll give you the main part, soon."

"Cuh", came the reply- "It's always soon with you."


Love your Blog, Suzanne.

Ricky

No One In Particular said...

Hey Ricky, thanks, and that little parable rocks, a fantastic illustration of the ego's machinations.

My ego's given the main part to everyone and everything, it would seem! Bit crowded, but nice.

No One In Particular said...

Hey Lenny, whatever one cares to label it...me likey!