Before you read this put on your glasses
As I was running this morning, I was thinking about reality.
What exactly is "reality?"
According to wikipedia it means "the state of things as they actually exist." As with 'Truth," "Reality is a subjective thing. Some schools of Buddhism hold that reality is something void of description, the formless which forms all illusions or maya. Buddhists hold that we can only discuss objects which are not reality itself and that nothing can be said of reality which is true in any absolute sense. Carlos Castenadas' Don Juan has a more active view on "reality." His view stated that almost all humans live their day to day lives in a dream world where they are influenced by invisible forces and powers, including sorcerers and spirits. Only by transcending this dream state could one know the "unknown realm" outside the realm of normal everyday consciousness. These people (Nagual) were called "seers." Castaneda often referred to this unknown realm as nonordinary reality, which indicated that it was indeed a reality, but radically different from the ordinary reality experienced by human beings who are well engaged in everyday activities as part of their social conditioning. It's the part of perception which is in the arena of the unknown yet still reachable by man.
What exactly is "reality?"
According to wikipedia it means "the state of things as they actually exist." As with 'Truth," "Reality is a subjective thing. Some schools of Buddhism hold that reality is something void of description, the formless which forms all illusions or maya. Buddhists hold that we can only discuss objects which are not reality itself and that nothing can be said of reality which is true in any absolute sense. Carlos Castenadas' Don Juan has a more active view on "reality." His view stated that almost all humans live their day to day lives in a dream world where they are influenced by invisible forces and powers, including sorcerers and spirits. Only by transcending this dream state could one know the "unknown realm" outside the realm of normal everyday consciousness. These people (Nagual) were called "seers." Castaneda often referred to this unknown realm as nonordinary reality, which indicated that it was indeed a reality, but radically different from the ordinary reality experienced by human beings who are well engaged in everyday activities as part of their social conditioning. It's the part of perception which is in the arena of the unknown yet still reachable by man.
Hmmm ... I don't know, its all so confusing.
Sometimes, I have this yearning to distill my "bought - and paid for" reality down to the natural, true reality of my life. I want to see things as they exist in their most natural, primal state. As I run through the fiber optic - cable TV planned neighborhoods and dirty chemical oozing warehouse districts, on paved streets with carefully manicured landscapes, I slowly realize that this is harder to accomplish than I thought. One must actually go farther out into the wilderness to commune with this rare solitude of a moment than one thinks.
Sometimes, I have this yearning to distill my "bought - and paid for" reality down to the natural, true reality of my life. I want to see things as they exist in their most natural, primal state. As I run through the fiber optic - cable TV planned neighborhoods and dirty chemical oozing warehouse districts, on paved streets with carefully manicured landscapes, I slowly realize that this is harder to accomplish than I thought. One must actually go farther out into the wilderness to commune with this rare solitude of a moment than one thinks.
Away from the omnipotent buzzing of the umbilical cord power lines and the beamed in telescreen messages of shame, fear and control. Away from the kamikaze car wheels and the subsidized back door street deals. Away from the moving pictures of artificially inseminated flat, dead pixels telling me who and what I am or should be. Away from the control machine spewing it's propaganda 24/7 from the power grid and the uber comsumptive mega-convenience store bulimia banquets of greed and gluttony. AWAY.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not a hater. I like excess as much as the next person, but in my wiser?, older years, it has been tempered; sometimes I need to peer outside of the bounds of my present "reality" to see the bigger picture. By getting away from these artificial voices in my head I find I slowly start to hear a faint, but strong voice. That voice is MY voice. My true voice. My true self speaking to my perceived self.
Perhaps the reason that mystics, hermits, or the wilderness recluse seem so crazy is that they are actually thinking their own thoughts. So, to those of us still plugged into our "realities" in the control grid, they seem insane. What if we are OK the way we are. What if we don't need a Playstation 3, an Xbox, a cellphone, a blog (what?), MTV, makeup or the latest hairdo or fashion trend? What if there is, gasp, no god or diety? No heaven or hell? What if we make mistakes and look foolish, but it's OK because it just who we are? What if all we really have is right now, this very moment?
No eternal reward can forgive us now for wasting the dawn.
These questions open up a whole new "reality" of unlimited possibilities.
Is it really that easy? Can a question change my life?
I think questions leading to action can change a life.
Ahhhh ... enter the politics of reality.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not a hater. I like excess as much as the next person, but in my wiser?, older years, it has been tempered; sometimes I need to peer outside of the bounds of my present "reality" to see the bigger picture. By getting away from these artificial voices in my head I find I slowly start to hear a faint, but strong voice. That voice is MY voice. My true voice. My true self speaking to my perceived self.
Perhaps the reason that mystics, hermits, or the wilderness recluse seem so crazy is that they are actually thinking their own thoughts. So, to those of us still plugged into our "realities" in the control grid, they seem insane. What if we are OK the way we are. What if we don't need a Playstation 3, an Xbox, a cellphone, a blog (what?), MTV, makeup or the latest hairdo or fashion trend? What if there is, gasp, no god or diety? No heaven or hell? What if we make mistakes and look foolish, but it's OK because it just who we are? What if all we really have is right now, this very moment?
No eternal reward can forgive us now for wasting the dawn.
These questions open up a whole new "reality" of unlimited possibilities.
Is it really that easy? Can a question change my life?
I think questions leading to action can change a life.
Ahhhh ... enter the politics of reality.
Peer pressure and social acceptance are powerful, subtle influences. I tend to view what happens to people who think for themselves (in extreme cases) and are in the public eye with caution. They usually end up six feet high on a cross or six feet down in the ground. Balance seems to be the key.
Anyway, when I run I feel like I tend to disconnect from everything for a little bit. My mind wanders in and out of itself and I seem to unite with a purer level of thinking, like an unconscious consciousness, if that makes any sense. Like I am joining the collective consciousness of the world, a sort of universal consciousness. This morning was one of those runs. It's funny, too, that runs where this happens seem like they're over sooo quick. It is almost like I'm on auto pilot, in a deep meditative state, aware of my surroundings, but completely in the zone.
As usual, I finished my run through the cemetery, which always grounds, or amplifies, my experience.
Some people run towards death. Some people wait. Some people worry.
I think death is a friend, whispering into my ear compelling me to tempt it.
Hmmmm, some heavy thought for a Wednesday. I don't know ...
Live free, die well.
Eric
Anyway, when I run I feel like I tend to disconnect from everything for a little bit. My mind wanders in and out of itself and I seem to unite with a purer level of thinking, like an unconscious consciousness, if that makes any sense. Like I am joining the collective consciousness of the world, a sort of universal consciousness. This morning was one of those runs. It's funny, too, that runs where this happens seem like they're over sooo quick. It is almost like I'm on auto pilot, in a deep meditative state, aware of my surroundings, but completely in the zone.
As usual, I finished my run through the cemetery, which always grounds, or amplifies, my experience.
Some people run towards death. Some people wait. Some people worry.
I think death is a friend, whispering into my ear compelling me to tempt it.
Hmmmm, some heavy thought for a Wednesday. I don't know ...
Live free, die well.
Eric
My friend Ed is running the Ironman with me and is raising money for a local charity called the Tempe Community Action Agency. If you can help in anyway, that would be awesome. Here is the link:
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2 comments:
Interesting, friend - on the very same day, we both are weaving in and out on different paths but intersecting at one point: the idea of the moment, the now, the reality ...
Is this understanding part of the normal maturing process? Is it a gift only a few are capable of experiencing?
I think everyone at the core is capable of it. I'm not sure how many of them understand the true value it holds, so are unwilling to let go in order to experience it.
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