Monday 3 May 2010

And Often Up And Down My Sons Were Toss'd, For Me To Joy and Weep Their Gain And Loss.

Whatever it is that seems to be happening, it is not happening to you. What you are is simply what the happenings take form in. And it doesn't matter how "you" you seem, or how singular, or how special, or how committed, or how despairing, or how rich and full and whole - whatever the happening, the feeling, the thought, the action, even the world-rocking spiritual experience, it is simply an appearance, happening for no one, happening to no purpose other than to happen.

If this concept that the whole of life - all the convincing events, mindful conclusions, and deep feelings when confronted with tragedy or harmony - is just something that rises and falls in unending awareness seems unsatisfactory, then there's nothing wrong with observing, categorising and labeling what is, what seems to be, or what arises. It's fun, and interesting. It's what the (apparent) mind is set up to do, and can do terribly well. There certainly seems to be a phenomenon that Hinduism has described as atma (soul, ego, small self) and Pram-atma (God, awareness, ultimate reality). It may seem that what is being described is awareness (God) arising as individual awareness (ego). You could think of the "individual soul" as the arising story, and the "ultimate reality" as what the individual soul arises in. Perceptively, there is no absolute proof that there are any other individual souls. Absolutely everything, including this blog entry, is what is arising in awareness; all those clues that there are, indeed, other souls are just other bits and pieces arising in awareness. The awareness is total; you are, indeed, everything. The two are one, absolutely. No matter how many scientific tests we conduct, or how many questions you ask me about my human experience, and how carefully and honestly I answer, or how thoroughly we get together and compare our experiences, the tests, the conclusions, the answers, the comparisons, the concepts, are simply the milieu arising in awareness. The story that the mind strings along in time can be important for its conclusions, or important for its mere existence, whatever quality that existence seems to have.

To the ego that has taken on the mantle of all that exists, it is terrifying to simply let be whatever it is that seems to be happening. If it seems impossible to somehow detach, to simply be that awareness that the story comes up in, then perhaps it's possible for the ego to simply accept what is. Life is everything; even the most traumatic events have their place in everything; life is not full without them. This endless moment is what is, and if the mind leaves it alone, there is never anything "wrong". And if the mind doesn't leave it alone, we are back to the story, which seems to be here to stay, and which doesn't need to be changed or run away from. Perhaps all this objective reality, and the mind, and time, and the story, and the fear of death, and the need to make the story a good one, is a gift. Perhaps the story is the point. Maybe we come back, full circle, to the story, and can relish every bit of it: mortality, birth, destruction, creation, insanity, health, and humility in the face of a limitless cosmos.


As the clip from Parenthood illustrates, perhaps it's possible to relish all the ups and downs.

20 comments:

Rizal Affif - The Soul Sanctuary said...

The story is the point. I love it.

It is to be embraced and not to be dismissed and rejected by labelling it as "illusory".

No One In Particular said...

Hi Rizal! Embracing, rejecting, labelling it as "illusory"...it's all the same thing.

Shanto said...

Sweet granny, lovely clip. And what's wrong with the neighbour's car? :)

"Maybe we come back, full circle, to the story, and can relish every bit of it: mortality, birth, destruction, creation, insanity, health, and humility in the face of a limitless cosmos."

Yes, how unimaginably beautiful, I so love that notion of the full circle!

No One In Particular said...

Hey Svante, thanks, and love the new picture!

Brenda (betaphi) said...

This endless moment is what is, and if the mind leaves it alone, there is never anything "wrong". -- Yep.

If only I could get my mind to mind. It's such a fidgeting, fiddling thing. That's okay too, I guess.

No One In Particular said...

Hi Brenda, yes, it's ok.

Barry said...

I don't know if the story is the point, or not...or even if there is a point.

Be that as it may, it's important that we grasp the true nature of what we call "mind," as the known consequences of not perceiving mind clearly are, alas, well-known.

But I would suggest that perceiving the truth is only the beginning.

As my teacher used to say: "First you must see the truth. That is very important!"

But then he would go on to say, "Then, how does the truth function? That is the most important point!" (Drove us crazy...)

Bob Seal said...

Go, go, go Granny go go
go Granny go go
go Granny go go
go Granny go go
Granny B. Goode

I keep hearing Chuck Berry!!!

Brilliant, Luv it. :))))

The roller coaster always makes me sick, but then I've always been SICK. ;-)

No One In Particular said...

Hey Barry, there's no point. If a point is desired, the story is the most obvious one. It's possible that there may no longer be anything around that needs a point. Whatever comes up, comes up; the coming up in and of itself just might be enough; and I suppose what it comes up in is what can be labeled "truth". And all the stories about teachers, truth, non-truth, function of truth...good, clean fun.

No One In Particular said...

Hey Bob, I LOVE roller coasters, but I love those sheer drop rides even more!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVi27IMq_M8

The anticipation is richer than the drop.

Admin said...

Not like it matters, but the story does seem to enjoy itself as a story when it has seen itself as such. Not sure what is seen or by whom, that is just as much a mystery as anything else. One mystery, many apparent mysterious 'happenings.

It does seem like a paradox just like 'everything else'. First it tries to leave all stories behind, then it only finds out that all stories are perfectly fine. It never adds up to anything anyhow.

No One In Particular said...

Hi Nicholas, yes, it certainly seems like "the story" is rejected, then accepted, then just lived.

By whom? By what? By absolutely nothing at all. Breathtaking.

Unknown said...

Nice one Suzanne. I'm always happy to read you. Keep 'em coming!

Ricky said...

Hey, Suzanne. I'm itching to tell you something: I found the present moment last night. Just after I'd brushed my teeth, flushed the loo, put the cat out, locked the door, made sure the kids were still breathing, turned off the landing light, pulled back the duvet, there it was- staring me in the face- what a laugh.

No One In Particular said...

Hey Ricky, it can be quite a slog, apprehending what is!

Ricky said...

Yeh. I think I'll go on a retreat for a bit; I need a rest.

The trials and tribulations of QPR said...

Where I am there is no point......

....although there used to be a point, but no longer, not for some years; but not in a negative pessimistic way is there no point . . no . . but simply as 'being' for want of a better word to describe that which I find indescribable.

Everything simply is as it is and it certainly isn't personal. Don't you just love Grandma? :-)

No One In Particular said...

Yes Doug, I love Grandma! Great actress (Helen Shaw) who only came to acting in her 80's. Just a few roles, and all of them gems.

Anonymous said...

Rock on Granny! You're absolutely right. The merry-go-round is a waste of time.

No One In Particular said...

Hey Ronald, thanks for commenting.