Stray thoughts
Friday, February 9, 2007
The dilemma of religions: The facts are not easily communicated; people have to be at a high enough level for them to understand and absorb what they cannot understand and absorb at a lower level though they might think they do. So — what to do in the meantime? Ignore them? Leave them on their own, to find meaning as best they can, or perhaps to find some charlatan to sell them meaning? Let them try to live without meaning? Worse – some of them need to be protected from premature exposure to a certain kind of meaning.
You wind up, every time, with an esoteric core and an exoteric penumbra. How else can it be? The “how else” is easily answered, and Christianity answered it: the language of feelings, emotions, direct connection, rather than of thought, intellect, abstract understanding. Hence, the age of faith. But in our time — the past 500 years in fact — the tension was drawn too tight, and the connection snapped. It became faith or reason, feeling or thought, connection or understanding — and neither side was whole.
It moves back toward the question of faith, belief, knowledge, and the sliding scale.
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This is a quote from Chris Nelson’s manuscript novel “The Dreaming Gods,” page 122:
“I’m not like that. This is where my academic nature comes in. When people tell me strange things I dismiss them that… I tend to go more by what I think is possible rather than what people tell me they’ve experienced.” He laughed. “Saying that makes me realize how absurd it is. It’s backwards. It’s not even good science.”
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Monday February 12, 2007 8:30 a.m.
It struck me that an aspect of our culture’s problem is that it really has a dissociated personality — either that, or it is trying, so far unsuccessfully, to absorb and integrate masses of new data. The stuff The Secret is about would be terra incognita to political types. The Gurdjieff work, terra incognita to scientists of many persuasions and specialties. But this could be a hopeful sign.
You bring up important points. It is also the question, once you understand more, how can you present it to others? How can you/we/all convey something better?
For, there are also others who claim to receive direct input. Russel Nelson, president of the Mormon Church (OK, LDS) lays claims to it, but in his role of authority it becomes direct dogma. Strict dogma that has put many more liberal Mormons into a pickle: You are either with us or against us, you are either in the club or not.
Take that approach and contrast it with your own approach. Here is the key word: authenticity and unedited honesty. We can read your struggles. We can taste your self-doubt (“do I make this up”)? We can read how sometimes you don’t understand clearly, and how the dialogue then reveals it. We can read humor. We can read failure, success, and caring.
In my earlier books, written by a younger man, I wrote about authenticity. Here is the key sentence: It’s hard to put a finger on authenticity, but you immediately recognize it when you see it. I see that in your writings, and that is, I think, why they are so appealing to those who have found their way to them.
People respond to authenticity. They always have. But today, being bombarded with ads and people trying to sell stuff, people have put up walls. Authenticity, as it always has, breaks through and gets to people. Because we can see ourselves in it. And I am learning.
Thank you. Namaste
~Hanns
Thank you. And your comment is a very effective commercial for your past books! Tell us, what are they, and what are they about?
I hope you know, I am not here to promote myself, but to help. So all I can say is, those who seek will find.
The books were written from this viewpoint: if underneath the reality we live in, instead it is truly all one, and we/you/I all ARE this oneness, then how can somebody find the meaning for his/her life? Carve out your niche, so to speak. What can we base our individual lives on? And then live AUTHENTICALLY along what you find, overcoming whatever holds you back. It’s a mini course for authentic living.
Today I understand, I was speaking about soul making. And today I would write the books differently. While the books were based on a deep spiritual experience, I did not make it a focus, nor mention it. But a careful reader will find it between the lines.
And finally, based on a recent comment from one of your readers here on your site, I recently reread the shorter book, after many years. It packed a punch. I understood, it said: take your own medicine. I am deeply thankful to her.
Awesome contributions, Hanns – Thank you for sharing with us all!