Depending on your definition of a soul, yes, Slip, I believe I do possess that ethereal quality or quantity of being. According to many religious and philosophical beliefs, the soul is the self-awareness, or consciousness, unique to a particular living being, defined as being distinct from the body and survives the death of the body. A more secular view might be the spirit or essence of a person usually thought to consist of one's thoughts, beliefs, character and personality.
In either or any case, I firmly believe I have a soul, though it is not something I have always possessed. It may be something that comes into being over a period of time which encompasses a growing awareness of life and the interconnectedness of it all. Thanks for the flowers, as Francis would say. I certainly hope you are correct, but the answer lies in the beyond in that one can only know if one has prepared properly after the fact. There is no guide or book of instructions. But if that is the case, and we miss that steak here, I'm sure we will have the opportunity in that beyond. Kudos are also due to every member of Mind's Eye. Were it not for the discussions and arguments we have indulged here, I might not be where I am at the moment and in the future. On May 14, 8:57 pm, Slip Disc <[email protected]> wrote: > One solace I indulge frequently is that my suffering is preparation > for what lies beyond, if indeed anything does. You are aware I'm > atheist but that does not preclude -- to my thinking and belief -- a > continuation of this consciousness, this sentience, after the > conclusion of my time here. I can only hope I have prepared well. > <<gruff > > Ah yes, so you do have a soul! Your atheism is another subject on a > different platform and though associated it is a mechanism all of it's > own. > > I would say you are very well prepared and have stored much to be > useful later. It has been a pleasure to know you within this forum > format. Onward! > > On May 14, 9:16 am, gruff <[email protected]> wrote: > > > "... On May 13, 4:47 pm, Slip Disc <[email protected]> wrote: ..." > > > > Then I would have to conclude that you had in some way found comfort > > > in being where you were/are and really have no need to step out of it, > > > save for the sake of trying to live up to some implied social value, > > > that we are not supposed to be "there" and if we are we should seek > > > help. > > > You nailed it. This was a lesson in human and my own psychology I > > learned quite a while back -- that a person, me in this case, can stay > > in the misery of their own perceptions because it is a known situation > > and therefore to some degree comfortable and safe. I believe a great > > deal of it has to do with the genetic and environmental guilt I > > inherited via my jewish and catholic background. I've always been > > generous with everything I possess but have avoided being the > > recipient of anyone else's generosity or even their thanks. Receiving > > a gift or being thanked have always made me uncomfortable. > > > But all that aside, which could easily turn into pathetic woe is me > > self-pity, I've had an exciting time, been down a lot of paths, > > experienced a great deal of life that is not the norm, all of which I > > think has given me a unique perspective on the whole thing. I have a > > broad understanding and grasp of this existence which I enjoy in spite > > of the apparent and not so apparent degradations to which I subject > > myself. I sport an ego about some of my talents and beat myself over > > others lost and wasted. I do not rush to meet death in spite of my > > occasional leanings toward self annihilation but when it comes I think > > I'll greet it with willingness.and expectation. > > > > It may be that you should simply view the entirety of the > > > experience as being not only acceptable but also advantageous thereby > > > allowing for the dissipation of negative feelings. > > > I think to a large degree that is exactly what I do which in turn > > allows me to achieve the insights and understanding which a few here > > have enjoyed via my comments and thoughts. > > > > There must be > > > countless times that you are engaged in a situation where you are > > > unaware that your life experience is the basis of your ability to > > > facilitate positive change somewhere for someone else. > > > Yes, and at times I am even aware of it which seems to enhance the > > negative perception that had I not been burdened by some of my self- > > defeating mechanisms I might have done more and better. Everything > > good becomes tainted by that negativity. I readily see the flaws, the > > imperfections, the failures in any successes I've had. When I write a > > piece and it's published, I dwell on the errors I know are present, on > > the short-cuts I took, on the failure to do my best. It doesn't > > matter that a piece may be praised by others and that I may be paid > > for it, I know what's wrong with it and dwell in that land of negative > > nod. > > > I suppose somewhere along the line there may be some benefit accruing > > to all this self-loathing, but I'll be damned if I can see it > > clearly. Yet, ironically and absurdly, for much of my middle life > > I've also had a strong feeling that somewhere somehow I was destined > > for greatness in some form. This may also have been merely a > > compensation mechanism to prevent me from getting too close to a > > dangerous edge. > > > > Analogously, > > > what would Moses have accomplished if he had not the enriched > > > upbringing and suffering of banishment in the desert? How different > > > it would had been if he simply became a drunken fool in his desert > > > dwelling constantly reflecting on his "loss" of Egyptian entitlement. > > > Instead he utilized the entire experience to move forward with the > > > confidence and wisdom he acquired from it. > > > Confidence is something I've not often had in useful quantities and > > wisdom is a quality I've only come to possess in small quantities in > > old age. I've never felt like Moses and feel uncomfortable in a > > leadership position. I prefer working behind the scenes, out of sight > > and out of mind. Public acclaim makes me break out in a cold sweat. > > But I've often compared myself to Job. > > > > The fleeting moments of wholeness are probably a result of feeling > > > uncomfortable being out of the comfort zone, like cold feet moments. > > > Sometimes, regardless of the quality, we choose to stay within > > > negative areas of familiarity, where we know where we are and what to > > > expect. It is something like being institutionalized for so long that > > > life on the outside, though representing the freedom that was dreamed > > > about for years, is scary and unpredictable. > > > Exactly. I've become institutionalized within the prison of my own > > self-destructiveness and the freedom of which you speak is very scary > > indeed. > > > > Perhaps you have more > > > going for you than most considering the freedoms that you have created > > > for yourself, the loosed responsibilities, fiscal, social and > > > familial. Some that you may have thought had it better are living in > > > tent cities without the amenities you are afforded. Fact is you live > > > like royalty compared to the slum dogs. Don't forget the A-1 > > > In a very real sense this is absolutely true. I have gained a lack of > > attachment to possessions, a freedom to move about without burdens, > > and the ability to turn my back on everything and head down a new path > > should the responsibilities get to scary. And I am well aware that > > compared to many -- even most -- in this world, I live in relative > > comfort yet the thought provides no satisfaction or sense of > > accomplishment. > > > One solace I indulge frequently is that my suffering is preparation > > for what lies beyond, if indeed anything does. You are aware I'm > > atheist but that does not preclude -- to my thinking and belief -- a > > continuation of this consciousness, this sentience, after the > > conclusion of my time here. I can only hope I have prepared well. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups ""Minds Eye"" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Minds-Eye?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
