Tao Te Ching January 21, 2007
Posted by The Probabilist in : [Books], Consciousness, Emotions, Philosophy, Beliefs, History , 1 comment so farLao Tsu is estimated to have written Tao Te Ching somewhere in the 6th century B.C. in China. It comprises of 81 single paged musings or lessons of wisdom explaining the way of the Tao. The Tao, which more correctly is without a name, is according to my interpretation a spiritually guided code of behaviour, mind-set, understanding and source of the origin and continuity of all there is. Surpassed only by the Bible, this book is the most translated work in history.
Starting off, I had some trouble getting into a suitable reading mood and way of thought to become receptive to Tsu’s message. I’m guessing it’s because I’m a fairly decisive, rational and definite thinker of things. Nevertheless, I slowly sunk into the text and its meanings with further depth and found some valuable insights along. However, I found quite a similar amount of questions and slight objections running through my mind as well.
I’ll only explain one major question mark in this review that raised the biggest conundrum in me. I spent most of my life in the consciousness level of neutrality, which is noted by a very care-free, indifferent and action-free state of mind. Surpassing that stage I began to care more for my surrounding, taking action and genuinely wanting to make a difference. Conversely, I interpreted Lao Tsu’s words saying that enlightenment means not doing anything, not interfering with the universe and just accepting everything to happen as it does - Fatalism. While I did fancy that way of thinking in the past, I just couldn’t see it aligned with having a purpose of existing.
Tao Te Ching is not meant to give the same impression to every reader. While everyone comes from and with a different environment, upbringing and personality, it is still meant to be a guide to understanding the true nature of the unseen reality - that which exists regardless of what the tangible reality consists of or is governed by. Even though I wasn’t personally touched or surprised by the contents to a great degree, I can imagine that it might be and do those things to others. The overall impression is still a very healthy one as this book directs much attention to inner feelings that guide behaviour as well as interrelated actions between humans. Do give Tao Te Ching a read through if you can’t seem to find meaning or balance in the universe.
(2 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
Tales and Truth December 19, 2006
Posted by The Probabilist in : [Articles], Creativity, Personal Growth, Psychology, Purpose, Beliefs, Vision, Leadership, History , 3 commentsDo you constantly attempt to draw a line between truth and fiction? Do you find yourself classifying a story as gullible, make-belief fantasies long before it has reached its end? And do you refrain yourself from watching movies after something supernatural, miraculous or extremely unlikely happens because it may offend your intellect? After all, fairy tales are for children, right?
Yet, there are great stories dividing adults’ beliefs as well. There’s a story of a man who had the strong vision of a flood coming to pass, so he set out to build an ark in the midst of the dry desert land. There’s a story of a character called Narasimha, who saved humanity from a demon invincible both day and night, by slaying it upon sundawn. And some people speak of and believe in a man capable of giving blind humans their sight back among other remarkable feats.
What are these tales for? Quite simply, they share the same reason we tell children about Robin Hood, the ugly duckling or little red riding hood - to give perspective, meaning and guidance into our lives. We’re all followers of example on one plane or another when it comes to applying a moral code to our behaviour. We tell others about mistakes that were done so that they don’t have to repeat them. The human mind learns the lesson and the moral of a story whether it understands or measures its veracity or not. Therefore, limiting the mind from potentially untrue events puts on a filter for the brain that may not be of the best interest for the mind. By this example I conceptualize the brain as a container of logical and reasoning intelligence and the mind as a container of psychological, emotional, moral and spiritual intelligence.
A human being suffers no loss in personal growth by increasing all areas of intelligence, because intellect and spirituality can co-exist together in consciousness itself. Denying oneself from listening to tales, fantasy, glurge and various stories of unknown truthfulness is like saying that the right side of the brain is useless for personal growth when it comes to external information that we input to our mind. A brain like this wouldn’t allow its possessor to watch movies like The Iron Giant, Hero, The Matrix or The Lord of the Rings, whereas a creative brain would devour these titles, but show no interest in watching financial news, table sports or various documentaries.
You can take the advice from a story and still believe it to be utterly false. It doesn’t have to be a contradicting event. It’s simply allowing yourself to notice the power of holding contradicting thoughts in your brain. For this whole topic I’d like to recommend the movie Big Fish above all. It’s a story of two men with opposing beliefs about tales and truth. If you’ve already watched it, then you may find the following ending empowering. When a person hears the same story over and over again, it can get boring to listen to. But consider how some people live. The longer they perpetuate and repeat the same truth they believe and live in, the more boring and unfulfilled they also become. So maybe it’s time to embrace the tales and stories you hear, stop judging them as true or false and start creating one that has you as its main character. Maybe the rest of us can learn something new to live by.
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