Plato; Or, The Philosopher
By Ralph Waldo Emerson
I have Emerson on the night stand, along with Frost and Wilford Owen. I got on to Emerson’s essay on Plato. Talk about a double dip in density. E/P=D2
Emerson: This is [Plato's] defining philosophy. Philosophy is the account which the human mind gives to itself of the constitution of the world. Two cardinal facts lie forever at the base; the one, and the two. 1. Unity, or Identity; and, 2. Variety. We unite all things by perceiving the law which pervades them; by perceiving the superficial differences and the profound resemblances. But every mental act - thus very perception of identity or oneness, recognizes the difference of things. Oneness and otherness. It is possible to speak or to think without embracing both.
Says Emerson, Every great artist has been such by synthesis. Our strength is transitional, alternating or shall I say a thread of two strands. The sea-shore, sea seen from shore, shore seen from sea; the taste of two metals in contact; and our enlarged powers at the approach and at the departure of a friend; the experience of poetic creativeness which is not found in staying at home, nor yet traveling, but in transitions from one to another, which must therefore be adroitly managed to present as much transition surface as possible; this command of two elements must explain the power and charm of Plato.
Simply said: All things ineffable or illimitable are knowable! They are knowable, because being from One, things correspond.
Of each other Emerson interprets Socrates' response to Theages as thus "as if he had said", 'I have no system. I cannot be answerable for you. You will be what you must. If there is love between us, inconceivably delicious and profitable will our intercourse be; if not, your time is lost and you will be only annoy me. I shall se to you stupid, and the reputation I have, false. Quite above us, beyond the will of you or me, is this secret affinity or repulse laid.`
My shallow thoughts: Expanding on that thought Emerson distills a sense of all knowing that comes from the soul as the seed of truth. To paraphrase Emerson; "By us it is asserted that God invented and bestowed sight on us for this purpose [the classic subjects of university] - that on surveying the circles of intelligence in the heavens, we might properly employ those of our own minds, which, though disturbed when compared with others that are uniform, are still allied to their circulations; and that having thus learned, and being naturally possessed of correct reasoning faculty, we might by imitating the uniform revolutions of divinity, set right own wonderings and blunders." And in the Republic - " By each of these disciplines a certain organ of soul is both buried and reanimated which is blinded by and buried by studies of another kind; an organ better worth saving that ten thousand eyes, since truth is previewed by this alone." I say to this being knowable is only valuable in the Republic when that of which is known is expressible; expressed in a manner for learning a common understanding of one another.
It seems to me Socrates says we come together in love and therefore need no institutions. Plato says blah we come together in common understanding through reason. Emerson says, spinning the two together there is one reality found in love, and in a practical sense with in the limitations of our humanness, that feeling of love requires the semantics and syntax of communication. Apparently we cannot simply gaze into each others eyes, see the love and leave it at that. Which brings me to my favorite song by John Lennon; Imagine.
Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one
Examples of a person’s ‘Being’ transitioning his life:
Plato
Socrates
Homer
Christ
Mohammad
Budha
Bach
Bethoven
Handel
Vivaldi
The Founding Fathers
Abraham Lincoln
Gandhi
Pushkin
Emerson
Saturday, March 3, 2012
The Power of Now
The Power of Now
By Eckhart Tolle
While the subject may appear to be controversial on many aspects, Eckhart Tolle walks the line and draws everything together, bringing the prospect of spiritual enlightenment in to the realm of possibility. Tolle challenges one of the most argued words being God, by defining the word in enough different ways that any reader can find acceptance. In this book God is not “the guy upstairs” nor is God the guy that will judge you. God exists within that inner voice that seems to have been separated from you by your ego. And keep in mind we all have an inner voice. Tolle helps you understand where that voice comes from. Now I struggle with ego as the “bad guy”, where as Tolle qualifies ego as your false self. I had to work through that conflict through out the book. There are other potential conflicts that you may find yourself having to work through. So the two characters in this book are your “god self” and your false self named ego for efficiency. Tolle describes time as continuums in both a horizontal and vertical directions. The past and future are on one continuum separated by NOW, which expands vertically. So what one does with his time is the subject of this book.
From an enlightenment perspective Eckhart spends a bit of time illustrating how the ego is apt to construe the world by collecting past experiences and projecting them into the now and future. He helps the reader visualize that ego is constructing thoughts from the outer directed world and allowing them to impose not only on the present but also the future. Letting go of the false self, ego, allows a person to experience Now un-obstructed from the constructs of the mind and fully experiencing the moment. This is where time goes vertical. He suggests that in doing so one is connected to the knowledge of the universe, the all knowing, often times called God. He describes the mechanics of the process and the rewards found in the experience.
I can appreciate that the preceding paragraph is not sufficient for the average bear to grasp or buy in to the concept. Hence the book must be read, which is a very easy read, and can even be found on Oprah’s Book Club list. So let me share a couple of the dog-eared pages to shed at least enough light to compel you to pick up the book.
· Now let your spiritual practice be this: As you go about your life, don’t give 100 percent of your attention to the external world and to your mind. Keep some within. I have spoke about this already. Feel the inner body even when engaged in everyday activities, especially when engaged in relationships or when you are relating to nature. Feel the stillness deep inside it. Keep the portal open. It is quite possible to be conscious of the Unmanifested throughout your life. You feel it as a deep sense of peace somewhere in the background, a stillness that never leaves you, no matter what happens here. You become the bridge between the Unmanifested and the manifested. This is the state of connectedness with the Source that we call enlightenment
· Hence, the ultimate purpose of the world lies not within the world but in transcendence of the world. Just as you would not be conscious of space if there were no objects in space, the world is needed for the Unmanifested to be realized. You may have heard the Buddhist saying, “if there is no illusion, there would be no enlightenment.” It is through the world and ultimately through you that the Unmanifested knows itself. You are here to enable the divine purpose of the universe to unfold. That is how important you are.
I had dog-eared other pages, which speak to relationships, love, and death. All are worth reading. Keep in mind that the two bullets above were separated by many pages of illustrative concept to help with comprehension. Tolle uses the major religions, science and just good sound logic to bring his message to the reader. He challenges the reader, but offends no-one. He allows all walks of life to talk about spirituality and not get tangled up in religion. It is a refreshing bridge for humanity, and at the same time a bridge for ones inner self.
By Eckhart Tolle
While the subject may appear to be controversial on many aspects, Eckhart Tolle walks the line and draws everything together, bringing the prospect of spiritual enlightenment in to the realm of possibility. Tolle challenges one of the most argued words being God, by defining the word in enough different ways that any reader can find acceptance. In this book God is not “the guy upstairs” nor is God the guy that will judge you. God exists within that inner voice that seems to have been separated from you by your ego. And keep in mind we all have an inner voice. Tolle helps you understand where that voice comes from. Now I struggle with ego as the “bad guy”, where as Tolle qualifies ego as your false self. I had to work through that conflict through out the book. There are other potential conflicts that you may find yourself having to work through. So the two characters in this book are your “god self” and your false self named ego for efficiency. Tolle describes time as continuums in both a horizontal and vertical directions. The past and future are on one continuum separated by NOW, which expands vertically. So what one does with his time is the subject of this book.
From an enlightenment perspective Eckhart spends a bit of time illustrating how the ego is apt to construe the world by collecting past experiences and projecting them into the now and future. He helps the reader visualize that ego is constructing thoughts from the outer directed world and allowing them to impose not only on the present but also the future. Letting go of the false self, ego, allows a person to experience Now un-obstructed from the constructs of the mind and fully experiencing the moment. This is where time goes vertical. He suggests that in doing so one is connected to the knowledge of the universe, the all knowing, often times called God. He describes the mechanics of the process and the rewards found in the experience.
I can appreciate that the preceding paragraph is not sufficient for the average bear to grasp or buy in to the concept. Hence the book must be read, which is a very easy read, and can even be found on Oprah’s Book Club list. So let me share a couple of the dog-eared pages to shed at least enough light to compel you to pick up the book.
· Now let your spiritual practice be this: As you go about your life, don’t give 100 percent of your attention to the external world and to your mind. Keep some within. I have spoke about this already. Feel the inner body even when engaged in everyday activities, especially when engaged in relationships or when you are relating to nature. Feel the stillness deep inside it. Keep the portal open. It is quite possible to be conscious of the Unmanifested throughout your life. You feel it as a deep sense of peace somewhere in the background, a stillness that never leaves you, no matter what happens here. You become the bridge between the Unmanifested and the manifested. This is the state of connectedness with the Source that we call enlightenment
· Hence, the ultimate purpose of the world lies not within the world but in transcendence of the world. Just as you would not be conscious of space if there were no objects in space, the world is needed for the Unmanifested to be realized. You may have heard the Buddhist saying, “if there is no illusion, there would be no enlightenment.” It is through the world and ultimately through you that the Unmanifested knows itself. You are here to enable the divine purpose of the universe to unfold. That is how important you are.
I had dog-eared other pages, which speak to relationships, love, and death. All are worth reading. Keep in mind that the two bullets above were separated by many pages of illustrative concept to help with comprehension. Tolle uses the major religions, science and just good sound logic to bring his message to the reader. He challenges the reader, but offends no-one. He allows all walks of life to talk about spirituality and not get tangled up in religion. It is a refreshing bridge for humanity, and at the same time a bridge for ones inner self.
Self Reliance
Self Reliance
an essay by R. W. Emerson
When I am not working, which I do too much of; In my private time here in Colorado, of which I have a lot of, I hike, bike ride, play my banjo, read, and write a poem or two. Well after reading Sir Emerson's essay on Self Reliance, another foray into bridging the gap from today's man to the years of Splendid Isolation, I write this review in verse. If you don't get it, go read Emerson. He is a little better than I.
The Bounce
By Paul Murphy
To breathe upon man this cacophony of nature
All of this world, winds of thought succeed
Upon rolling seas pitch his emotional character
The mathematical painting of stars, his reason proceeds
Upon unpredictable footing of shifting sands
The murmur of society, forming critique in defense
A commotion; command of his King to take a stand
The whisper of his God, where truth needs no evidence
They descend upon his mind, a prime faculty of man
An order to be deciphered his Will to survive
His Reason places them in order, rationale in command
For this moment a reflection; is his world contrived?
From bottom to top Spartans energy applied
From left to right on sunrise horizons unfold
From inside to outside his dreams yearn for truth; belie
His to transmit this reason, he is a man of this world
Tis his Nature to allow Reason to bounce off his soul
Sprung lose from humanity, blows his imagination
Introducing faith into his being, is a prophet told?
Intuitionist wind conquers a challenge from institutions
A symphony, his originality to exhale upon his dominion
To hold out for the self reliance of the next man endure
And save us from the shackles of social oblivion
His breath be the wind in the sails of our destiny, a cure
an essay by R. W. Emerson
When I am not working, which I do too much of; In my private time here in Colorado, of which I have a lot of, I hike, bike ride, play my banjo, read, and write a poem or two. Well after reading Sir Emerson's essay on Self Reliance, another foray into bridging the gap from today's man to the years of Splendid Isolation, I write this review in verse. If you don't get it, go read Emerson. He is a little better than I.
The Bounce
By Paul Murphy
To breathe upon man this cacophony of nature
All of this world, winds of thought succeed
Upon rolling seas pitch his emotional character
The mathematical painting of stars, his reason proceeds
Upon unpredictable footing of shifting sands
The murmur of society, forming critique in defense
A commotion; command of his King to take a stand
The whisper of his God, where truth needs no evidence
They descend upon his mind, a prime faculty of man
An order to be deciphered his Will to survive
His Reason places them in order, rationale in command
For this moment a reflection; is his world contrived?
From bottom to top Spartans energy applied
From left to right on sunrise horizons unfold
From inside to outside his dreams yearn for truth; belie
His to transmit this reason, he is a man of this world
Tis his Nature to allow Reason to bounce off his soul
Sprung lose from humanity, blows his imagination
Introducing faith into his being, is a prophet told?
Intuitionist wind conquers a challenge from institutions
A symphony, his originality to exhale upon his dominion
To hold out for the self reliance of the next man endure
And save us from the shackles of social oblivion
His breath be the wind in the sails of our destiny, a cure
Transcendentalist
Transcendentalist
By R. W. Emerson
I purchased a book titled The selected Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson in a used book store in Petoskey this past Friday; original copyright 1940. A good find at four dollars while waiting for the sailing weather to arrive. I happened to read this essay while on Janet’s shift at the wheel on the way back down state yesterday. The following is what I got from a great thinker.
There are two views; the materialist and the idealist. With the materialist ones’ foundation is set in observable events, rationalized as fact. An idealist begins with thought. I am reminded of The Moody Blues, Threshold of a Dream;(run the music in your head while you complete this read.)"I am therefore I am." Is A actually A? Or does I come before A? In my view Emerson’s essay on the subject addresses this debate. "I is thought which is called I, is the mold into which the world is poured like melted wax. It is called the power of circumstance. Of which the transcendentalist has command." The philosophers test lay in the interpretation. This said might suggest a conundrum in thought where the social experiment has yet to bare out formidable fact.
Emerson comes down on the side of Idealism I’ve been told, but from a point of view that surprised me. After reading his essay for the first time, as opposed to hearing it second hand, I come away feeling an author was simply describing the people and their philosophy. Like Whitman, “it is what it is” seemed to be a prevalent theme. Early in his essay he throws out the challenge to the ''capitalist'' whom he accuses of an orderly mind, ''But ask him why he believes that an uniform experience will continue uniform, or on what grounds he founds his faith in his figures. Emerson claims the answer '' he will perceive that his mental fabric is built up on just as strange and quaking foundations as that of stone “{fact}.
,
Emerson contends that an Idealist observes things with a metaphysical measure, ranking things in order of importance. An Idealist is an independent man capable of his own mind, yet Emerson concedes the eventual constraint of social conformity. Further, in a word Emerson cynically associates intuitive thought of all types, rationale or irresponsible, as transcendental. Depending on the degree of irresponsible thought and what one actually does with the thought is a subject of lengthy discussion in his essay. They are lovers of nature also, and “find an indemnity in the inviolable order of the world for the violator; order and grace of man.” In my 2004 translation, they can blame all their indiscretions to nature.
In the end I came away from the essay with a more realistic view of the Transcendentalist, and not quite convinced of any endorsement from Emerson. He is less than complementary to the subject people, as he leaves you with the impression of a pragmatic analysis of a philosophy of a people of the time. He does describe an evolutionary “thought process”, an oxymoron to logic or reason in my opinion, where dots do not necessarily have to connect and people can digress to irresponsible actions; which leaves them in surrender to the State. The essay helped color further the answers to my question of the year; which is how a person could loose sight of personal accountability.
There may be those who may come away from the essay with a totally different interpretation than myself. This may be proof on Emerson.
By R. W. Emerson
I purchased a book titled The selected Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson in a used book store in Petoskey this past Friday; original copyright 1940. A good find at four dollars while waiting for the sailing weather to arrive. I happened to read this essay while on Janet’s shift at the wheel on the way back down state yesterday. The following is what I got from a great thinker.
There are two views; the materialist and the idealist. With the materialist ones’ foundation is set in observable events, rationalized as fact. An idealist begins with thought. I am reminded of The Moody Blues, Threshold of a Dream;(run the music in your head while you complete this read.)"I am therefore I am." Is A actually A? Or does I come before A? In my view Emerson’s essay on the subject addresses this debate. "I is thought which is called I, is the mold into which the world is poured like melted wax. It is called the power of circumstance. Of which the transcendentalist has command." The philosophers test lay in the interpretation. This said might suggest a conundrum in thought where the social experiment has yet to bare out formidable fact.
Emerson comes down on the side of Idealism I’ve been told, but from a point of view that surprised me. After reading his essay for the first time, as opposed to hearing it second hand, I come away feeling an author was simply describing the people and their philosophy. Like Whitman, “it is what it is” seemed to be a prevalent theme. Early in his essay he throws out the challenge to the ''capitalist'' whom he accuses of an orderly mind, ''But ask him why he believes that an uniform experience will continue uniform, or on what grounds he founds his faith in his figures. Emerson claims the answer '' he will perceive that his mental fabric is built up on just as strange and quaking foundations as that of stone “{fact}.
,
Emerson contends that an Idealist observes things with a metaphysical measure, ranking things in order of importance. An Idealist is an independent man capable of his own mind, yet Emerson concedes the eventual constraint of social conformity. Further, in a word Emerson cynically associates intuitive thought of all types, rationale or irresponsible, as transcendental. Depending on the degree of irresponsible thought and what one actually does with the thought is a subject of lengthy discussion in his essay. They are lovers of nature also, and “find an indemnity in the inviolable order of the world for the violator; order and grace of man.” In my 2004 translation, they can blame all their indiscretions to nature.
In the end I came away from the essay with a more realistic view of the Transcendentalist, and not quite convinced of any endorsement from Emerson. He is less than complementary to the subject people, as he leaves you with the impression of a pragmatic analysis of a philosophy of a people of the time. He does describe an evolutionary “thought process”, an oxymoron to logic or reason in my opinion, where dots do not necessarily have to connect and people can digress to irresponsible actions; which leaves them in surrender to the State. The essay helped color further the answers to my question of the year; which is how a person could loose sight of personal accountability.
There may be those who may come away from the essay with a totally different interpretation than myself. This may be proof on Emerson.
Where Ever You Go There Your Are
Where Ever You Go There Your Are
By Jon Kabat-Zinn
This book has been in my library for a few years. As I was reading it and telling TJ about it he said, “yeah Dad you gave me that to read about eight years ago.” That would have made him twelve at the time. This is a great introductory book for those contemplating meditation and those who are already practiced at it. The author makes it clear that meditation does not have to be a yoga/guru art form to reap its fruit. He even makes room for active meditation in your busy life. He prescribes one ingredient and that is to focus. Begin with focusing on your breath and only that.
As the book concludes the introductory part in the mental preparation for meditation the author draws up a nice metaphor that works for me being an advocate of Emerson’s school of thought. As you begin to meditate you may have many thoughts in your head. Let them be. As you become aware of your thoughts, you become aware of what they are doing for you and how they may be working against you. This awareness is like a kettle of soup. Its not any one thought that defines you its all the ingredients simmering at one time. As you become aware of this and let each thought go, the truth of your being relaxes you. The experience is a sort of grad school for Emersonians.
The rest of the book goes into the body alignment and experience of yoga. If when taking this section light heartedly as I did, the lure is seductive. It is akin to getting into a warm lake and discovering not only is the water warm, but once fully immersed and opening your eyes you become aware of its affect on your body. It’s a great way to remove yourself from the here and now but really tune in to what here and now is doing to your body……stress relief is the outcome.
In tying this all together the author is targeting the average western bear. ME! I enjoyed the book because I felt no pressure to run to my nearest guru for yoga instruction. And at the same time I am reminded of the fruits of taking a moment each day to consciously become aware. Active meditation becomes a reality in this book where you become more thoughtful in your conversation and interaction with others. I remember when traveling to Japan, I was taught to count to five before I responded to a question. I was taught that this was out of respect towards the Japanese when really it is with respect to myself.
By Jon Kabat-Zinn
This book has been in my library for a few years. As I was reading it and telling TJ about it he said, “yeah Dad you gave me that to read about eight years ago.” That would have made him twelve at the time. This is a great introductory book for those contemplating meditation and those who are already practiced at it. The author makes it clear that meditation does not have to be a yoga/guru art form to reap its fruit. He even makes room for active meditation in your busy life. He prescribes one ingredient and that is to focus. Begin with focusing on your breath and only that.
As the book concludes the introductory part in the mental preparation for meditation the author draws up a nice metaphor that works for me being an advocate of Emerson’s school of thought. As you begin to meditate you may have many thoughts in your head. Let them be. As you become aware of your thoughts, you become aware of what they are doing for you and how they may be working against you. This awareness is like a kettle of soup. Its not any one thought that defines you its all the ingredients simmering at one time. As you become aware of this and let each thought go, the truth of your being relaxes you. The experience is a sort of grad school for Emersonians.
The rest of the book goes into the body alignment and experience of yoga. If when taking this section light heartedly as I did, the lure is seductive. It is akin to getting into a warm lake and discovering not only is the water warm, but once fully immersed and opening your eyes you become aware of its affect on your body. It’s a great way to remove yourself from the here and now but really tune in to what here and now is doing to your body……stress relief is the outcome.
In tying this all together the author is targeting the average western bear. ME! I enjoyed the book because I felt no pressure to run to my nearest guru for yoga instruction. And at the same time I am reminded of the fruits of taking a moment each day to consciously become aware. Active meditation becomes a reality in this book where you become more thoughtful in your conversation and interaction with others. I remember when traveling to Japan, I was taught to count to five before I responded to a question. I was taught that this was out of respect towards the Japanese when really it is with respect to myself.
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