How are you doing, Nick? Any flooding? --- Frank C. Wimberly 140 Calle Ojo Feliz, Santa Fe, NM 87505
505 670-9918 Santa Fe, NM On Sun, Aug 22, 2021, 12:08 PM <[email protected]> wrote: > DAVE, > > > > Consider the request made. We monists have to stick together. > > > > Does anybody know where Roger is? I hope he’s not in Narragansett Bay. > > > > N > > > > Nick Thompson > > [email protected] > > https://wordpress.clarku.edu/nthompson/ > > > > *From:* Friam <[email protected]> *On Behalf Of *Prof David West > *Sent:* Sunday, August 22, 2021 11:37 AM > *To:* [email protected] > *Subject:* [FRIAM] mysticism > > > > RE: Mysticism. Peradventure (archaic sense of the word) the following, > paraphrased from an honors class I used to teach at St. Thomas, would be of > interest to this group. (Sorry if disjointed — artifact of semester class > to single post.) > > > > Everyone is aware how our perceptions, our knowledge, and our > understanding of the universe was altered with successive inventions like > the lens (telescope), radio astronomy, and the ability to detect multiple > spectra from infrared to X-ray. > > > > For the sake of this discussion, grant an assumption of an individual mind > embedded in, perceiving (experiencing), and interacting with a pervasive > *Reality*. (An analog of an individual stargazer/astronomer.) > > > > If we imagine "*Reality Apprehension* *Technology;*" is it unreasonable > to assume that our perceptions, knowledge, and understanding, of *Reality* > would be altered in some manner analogous to our enhanced scientific > comprehension of the universe? > > > > The Mystic would assert, "of course." > > > > And, predictably, there are numerous advocates of various "technologies': > ranging from meditations to exercises to drugs. But the most ancient > traditions, pretty much universally, assert that no "technology" needs to > be added at all. Innate to every organism, including humans, is a complete > "Reality Apprehension System." > > > > The near opposite of what was required to enhance our understanding of > astronomy is required to enhance our understanding of Reality. Instead to > "adding" something, we must "eliminate" something. > > > > That which is to be eliminated, is a host of "brain accretions" that put > artificial barriers between our 'apparent mind' and "it's" apprehension of > Reality. (My dualism is temporary and for the purpose of explanation only.) > > > > An example of an "accretion:" consider a person in a jungle. Imagine the > totality of sensory inputs (and not just the traditional 5) constantly > bombarding that person. Now imagine the survival potential that a person > whose brain had developed filtering shortcuts like edge detection, or > part-whole generalization, over one who had to evaluate and analyze the > entirety of the sensory input volume before concluding: "Tiger! Run." > > > > Another: the attenuation of our awareness to "background" noise, simply > because it is constant. We are not unaware of that noise — if someone > across the room mentions our name we are immediately tuned into it — but it > is below the threshold of conscious awareness. > > > > Culture is another accretion, as is "rationality" (the ascendance of the > left brain). (Science is a manifestation of the latter accretion, or rather > what can be accomplished when we employ it.) > > > > The net effect of all these accretions is to 'reduce' our Apprehension of > Reality and restrict it to a small subset of stimuli that evolution, or > habit or predilection, has deemed "important" or worth paying attention to. > > > > And, of course, the Illusion of Maya is taking the 'VGA image' of Reality > and accepting that it is the only thing "Real." > > > > The full "Reality Apprehension System" of every organism continues to > operate, even when we are foundering in the Illusion. What is lacking is > awareness of that System and its products (knowledge, understanding, > perception). We regain awareness by circumventing/eliminating all those > pesky 'accretions'. > > > > The famous Zen parable of a pond filled with ripples and waves; making it > impossible to see a clear and accurate depiction of the Moon on the surface > of the pond. Only when you have 'stilled' the multiple disturbances will > the moon be reflected in all its glory upon the still surface. > > > > * * * * > > > > From this small thought kernel it is possible to develop a semester worth > of lectures and the various aspects of Mysticism and its challenges and > arguments against, etc. > > > > Not addressed: what is the "value" or what is to be "gained" if one is > successful in regaining awareness of the "Reality Apprehension System" and > its products? > > > > Another time, I will eliminate the dualism, the illusion of an "I" apart > from Reality, but only upon request. > > > > davew > > > - .... . -..-. . -. -.. -..-. .. ... -..-. .... . .-. . > FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv > Zoom Fridays 9:30a-12p Mtn GMT-6 bit.ly/virtualfriam > un/subscribe http://redfish.com/mailman/listinfo/friam_redfish.com > FRIAM-COMIC http://friam-comic.blogspot.com/ > archives: http://friam.471366.n2.nabble.com/ >
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