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Journey: A Template ANIL MITRA—COPYRIGHT © May 2011 Contents From the World to the Universe
PrefaceThe ‘journey’ of the title is an exploration of our world and its place in the Universe The summit of the journey is the realization of the ultimate. There is no final picture of the Ultimate, no system of instruction—no set of instructions—for definite realization. This document provides a template for a journey of realization whose goal includes the immediate and the ultimate and their relations The source document Journey provides background for this template A more comprehensive source for ideas, principles, and details is the Journey in Being website, http://www.horizons-2000.org. The links on the left of the home page connect to general information; those on the right connect to essays that include earlier and detailed permutations of the ideas of the journey and related or background material Journey—A TemplateThe Introduction to this document selects material from the source document above. The selection is eclectic and focuses on conclusions. Readers who want to read a connected account and to see demonstrations, doubts, and responses are referred to the source document IntroductionThe Principle of Being is the assertion that the Universe has no limits. This statement is the basis of a metaphysics called The Universal metaphysics; this metaphysics, the only true and Universal metaphysics, is also referred to as The metaphysics Cosmological consequences of the Principle of Being. The variety, Extension, and Duration of Being is without limit. Our cosmos is but one among an unlimited number. There is no limit to the kind of physical law. For each kind, all instances are realized. For each instance all possible cosmological systems or configurations are realized. Each realization or cosmos is repeated in identical form without limit. These assertions are restricted by Logic which does not constitute a limit. Our cosmos may destruct due to internal or external causes at any time. There are creator, annihilator, and ghost systems; a ghost is one that passes through another with minimal effect; there are ghost systems passing through ours at this time. Doubt. It seems that such conclusions violate science and common Experience. However, there is no conflict. The Universal metaphysics requires our cosmos and our science. Consider, for example, the ghost systems. Because the Universe has no limits the ghost systems must interact with our cosmos; however, these interactions are either woven into our laws or they are so weak or infrequent as to be Normally negligible—i.e. the physically impossible is Normally highly improbable Significance of the Principle of Being for journey. The significant consequences for the journey are those regarding the Individual and Identity Consequences for Individuals as objects. Since the Universe has no limits it can confer this limitlessness on individuals—for example, Human Beings have no limits. Doubt. This immediately appears to be absurd. Response. Two kinds of limit are pertinent. If two individuals or objects are each without limit, it might seem that one may be irresistible and the other immovable—this implies a contradiction that appears to follow from limitlessness. The resolution is this. A concept was formed—that of two individuals, one irresistible and one immovable. This is an ill formed concept in that it inherent in its meaning that it is and cannot be realized. That such a concept is not realized is because it is ill formed and is not a limit on the Universe. A second kind of limit is that each individual is subject to the physical laws of this cosmos. A simple example is that each individual is subject to gravity. The response is that the individual is Normally subject to gravity and the deviations or exceptions are Normally negligible. They do in fact occur but are so small or infrequently on Normal time intervals or scales as to seem non-occurring. Thus the ‘law of gravity’ has already filtered out deviations or exceptions; it is a local rather than Universal law It is a project to discover how to realize the Normally negligible as Normally routine. Though it is not forced, it is not as far fetched as it may seem. As an example the discoveries of nuclear physics include transmutation of elements which was a few hundred years ago an alchemist’s dream Theory of objects. The theory of objects is developed in other documents though not in Journey. This theory identifies two kinds of objects, particular or concrete and abstract. The particular object is roughly what we regard as concrete, e.g. bricks and electrons. A typical abstract object is a number. The number ‘one’ is not concrete—we cannot touch it, and it does not seem to be located in space or time. There are a number of modern accounts the nature of abstract objects—i.e., precisely what are they? This is where the present treatment departs from the modern accounts. It is shown that whereas abstract objects may have Experiential roots, their conception has become essentially conceptual or symbolic while the particular objects retain some degree of rooting in Experience—even though we understand them via concepts. However, the Principle of Being implies that, subject to Logic, every concept has an object. Therefore, the (concept) of an abstract object defines a real object but on account of abstraction, spatiality, temporality, and causation have been ‘abstracted out’ to some degree; in some cases, as in number, temporality is altogether abstracted out. Abstract objects are not atemporal: their temporality is irrelevant to their Being; thus the present treatment departs from and resolves the main difficulties of the modern theory. The relevance of this development of the theory of objects for Being in general and Human Being in particular is the possibility of inhabiting abstract objects Consequences for Individuals and Identity. The individual will realize Universal Identity. In the language of Vedantic philosophy Atman (self) realizes Brahman (All Being.) Doubt. The individual is finite, Brahman is unlimited. Response. Finite Being as finite does not realize the Universe as Universe. Realization for a finite Being, which, by the Logic of the Principle of Being, is necessary, must occur as an endless journey. This journey is endless in variety, summits without limit in variety and without limit in ‘elevation,’ and dissolutions. The limit of the summits is the Universe. Such is the merging of identity with Identity. The experience of identity as Identity is a pathway of Experience in the transformation of finite Being The Universal metaphysics and Human Cultures. Here, we use the notion of ‘culture’ as the sum total knowledge system of a society. Culture includes explicit and tacit knowledge. Science is an example of explicit knowledge. Examples of tacit knowledge include knowing how to do something, e.g. run or perform some technique, without full verbal representation… or knowledge that is implicit in an institutional structure. An example of such implicit knowledge is how to do science—while there is a standard scientific method, the actual doing occurs in the context of institutions where mature scientists impart know how by instruction, environment, and example. Cultural knowledge often reveals limits to possibility (as it should.) It has already been seen above how the apparent limits revealed in such knowledge and the limitlessness of the Universal metaphysics are not in contradiction The Gulf between Cultural Systems and the Universal metaphysics. The valid parts of cultural systems and the Universal metaphysics may be in apparent but not in true contradiction. It appears, however, that the reach of most cultural systems falls short of the Universal metaphysics Human Culture Today—Science and Religion. Today we think of science and religion as distinct. Originally, perhaps, there was no distinction or even naming ‘religion’ (or ‘science.’) Culture was more an integral whole and, rather than having distinct elements with individual and internal or intrinsic criteria, the whole was subject to external criteria of adaptation; myth and knowledge were interwoven (this is of course simplification and the truth must invariably lie within a continuum.) The concern with literal truth was not as explicit as it has become. An aspect of the emergence of philosophy and then science was the emergence of the possibility of and criteria for explicit truth, though incomplete and incompletely perfect, of specialized forms of knowledge. This forced myth / religion, whose meaning may be regarded as symbolic, into a reactive and unnecessary defense of literal content: incomplete symbolic meaning was replaced by claims of final and literal truth (and the symbolic went further underground) We may view science—and philosophy—on the one hand and religion on the other as follows. Science is understanding of the Universe; Religion shows how to relate to the Universe (it is obvious that the power of the Universe is far greater than individual power but it is not obvious how the individual may relate to or draw from Universal power) Implication of the Universal metaphysics for Human Destiny—Inadequacy of Our Culture: The Greatest Realization Requires a Journey. The Universal metaphysics and its development result in the following conclusions. The magnitude, duration, and variety of the Universe are infinitely greater than seen in modern science. Generally, the literal truth of the historical and major religions is at best fragile. In their future / rational / ultimate development, science-philosophy and religion merge in a journey of ideas and transformation of being—i.e., journey-adventure of unlimited variety, endless summits of unlimited elevation, and dissolutions of Being at its summits Nature of the journey. This journey is not a substitute for either science or religion but includes valid elements of both; it may be seen as an ideal culmination of the elements of human culture that include both science and religion. It may use science and the approaches or methods of science. It may appeal to the suggestive and symbolic content of the religions. It is realization by participation and immersion (which is necessary for a finite Being in its process of Universal realization.) It is the individual or group in all its dimensions in the process of realization of All Being. The fact of realization is given. Even when we do not realize it in our present form, we realize it in trans-form. The statement is easy and straightforward. The way is a journey; there will be pain which is neither to be sought nor avoided; there are multiple paths; some become dead ends; there are goals and approaches but these are modified via learning and Experience; occasionally a ‘dead end’ comes again alive; paths merge; the process occurs relentlessly if at infinitesimal rate; its rate and appreciation are immensely enhanced by reflective trial; there are summits and dissolutions; the elevations of the summits have no limit; for finite Being the summits approach but do not arrive at the Universe; the Principle of Being requires that there will be merging of finite and the unlimited The way. The Universe is without limit—is infinite, eternal, unlimited in power and variety of Being. Except coexistence, this limitlessness is inherited by all Beings. The Normal limits Experienced by Individuals are not Absolute. Transcendence of limits may be immensely difficult; it is the human goal and ideal. It is enhanced by intelligence, application, experiment toward goals and re-conception of goals. The ‘project to realize the Normally negligible as routine’ is an aspect of the ideal. It will require pain which is neither sought nor avoided but may be transforming. The goal is the approach by a finite Being to the Ultimate Address of the way of transformation is concentrated in the section The Ways—a beginning Summary of the NarrativeThe journey is introduced as a way of fullness in Being. The process is realized via ideas and experiments in transformation of Being. Sources for the ideas and experiments are the Universal metaphysics and its implications for Being and process… Experience and reflection… engaging in and learning from experiment… and human culture—traditional and modern As understanding, ideas are pivotal in thinking about the process; as Experience, ideas are appreciation—i.e., Ideas are essential. However, in their Normal meaning, ideas are an incomplete mode of Being and realization Therefore, division into ideas and transformation sets up a journey. The actual journey lies in the process of adventure without end in variety, summits-whose-elevations-are-without-limit-followed-by-dissolutions The conclusion to this narrative opens up to a Journey in Being Traditional developments have theories of the immediate (science, human nature) and ultimate; and ways and catalysts. These are found in the following—developed; and given rationale, illuminated, integrated by the metaphysics An ideal of rationality might eliminate myth as an instrument of transformation. However, the Universal metaphysics shows that as finite Being we do not outgrow experiment. Myth and faith, perhaps never precise, are essential instruments of finite Being in its enterprise of realization of the ultimate. And the ultimate for finite Being is not in Ideas (in their Normal form) alone but must be in the body which includes feeling, all psyche, and flesh The narrative is a template for myth and representation; for relation of the finite and the unlimited The Idea of the journeyThe journey is a way of fullness in Being and living—it is use of all dimensions of Being toward a good—perhaps best—realization of Allbeing The terms ‘good’ and ‘best’ suggest concern with ethics and morals. Given that our Being is infinitesimal, the essential problem of ethics is one of discovery. In that ultimate realization what will be the ethical ideal… will it be anything like our human ideals… will it have any significance? We see and will continue to see that the answers must, for finite Being, be in-process and not to be given in a treatise or a speech or an imploration and then taken as given; even the thought that we, in our present form, are moving in the direction of some Universal Ideal is in error; any ideal requires that our form be in process and that we do not conceive the ideal while in this form. In our present form we have the following practical and interactive sources of morals and ideals (1) Being—our body and psyche, (2) Practical ethics—e.g., the ethical systems of the various religions and related systems; these include local oral traditions, and (3) Conceptual or philosophical ethics This notion of journey would be a definition of a concept of Ideal Religion—Religion as deployment by Human individuals and groups of all dimensions of their Being in the best moral-aesthetic realization via all modes of process and relation (perceiving, cognizing, feeling, changing, becoming) of Allbeing, immediate and remote Talk of the ‘good,’ of ethics and aesthetics suggests seriousness and intellect for it is true that these ideas have been taken over to a significant degree by philosophers and self-proclaimed moralists. There is a role for careful reflection and, of course, for caring morality. Nothing in these thoughts, however, excludes enjoyment or exuberance in Being Journey emphasizes the endless of realization in variety, summit without limit, dissolution. It is experimental, without dogma of mere belief. It is of this world and the Ultimate—each mirrored in and enhancing the other. Realization is in process interaction between the world and the Ultimate; it is neither easy nor difficult: it is being on the way to the Ultimate. Journey is not about showing the way—teacher and pupil—it is about the relationship of persons to truth An Ultimate Value—for finite Being, realization of the Infinite and the Eternal—the Unbounded and the Unlimited—is Ultimate Attitude—for action: faith. Preliminary attitude—willingness to relinquish preconceived self-affirming, self-limiting character of standard world views; Tantric neutrality toward the draw and repulsion of the Normal The UniverseThe Universe has no limits Individuals have no absolute limits except as necessary from coexistence The Experience of limits of this world is Normal Journey is process in two worlds, Normal and Universal, and in relating these worlds Logos is the limit of understanding of Normal and the Universal. Cosmology reveals the variety, extension, and duration of Being. Understanding of Identity reveals the already present of image the Universe in the individual… and journey as realization. Metaphysics shows the closed and open parts of understanding—i.e. depth and breadth (or foundation and limitlessness, or the unformed and the formed) Limits of our standard culture are embodied in common forms of science, religion, and humanism; these stand in contrast to but within the Universal metaphysics; our world is an infinitesimal fragment of the Universe. This is an occasion for the Journey in Being The Journey is endless realization of finite Being in variety, summit without limit, dissolution. It is experimental, without dogma of mere belief. It is of Normal worlds and the Ultimate—each mirrored in and enhancing the other. Realization is in process interaction between the world and the Ultimate From the World to the UniverseI.e. from the Normal to the Ultimate—e.g., from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad: From the unreal lead me to
the real; The Normal and its modes and limits are adaptive Body—Whole Being. Includes but is deeper than psyche; this is a more inclusive view of body than (reductionist) views that see the body is merely a base component—as a lump; the two views are not necessarily in opposition but their difference can be seen as their having a different conception of ‘body.’ This greater view of body: an expression of adaptation—sufficiently complex to contain a variety of physiological functions for self-sufficiency-in-an-environment, interdependence-communication, and self-expression Psyche—Cognition-emotion is about the shape of the world and human action which require degrees of binding and freedom and which obtains in background, pre-conscious, conscious, and symbolic levels; Humor is adaptation to the unpredicted and unpredictable; A personality is, approximately, a style of cognition and emotion in relating to self, other, world; Psychosis is, in one aspect, disintegration of psyche, on another about re-integration and inclusion (of other, of Identity) The ideas of Spirit and Soul are already present in those of Body, Psyche, and Identity. Spirit and soul are therefore rendered unnecessary (though not, therefore, without use) Fullness of Being—the best realization of Allbeing is an ultimate Human value (as we are in the process, quality of action and goals are rewarding) A way to the extra-normal is via the Normal— In the Normal, the body is the organism which includes psyche. In the extra-normal, the body is also its flows and relations, the communal body, the world, and in the ultimate, the Universe Ultimate form of the body. The way to the ultimate is transformation of body. Willing self-sacrifice, denial of body-needs, crucifixion are examples. They have symbolic content for others—are powerful for some; transformative content for the crucified (crucifixion without internal / external meaning is empty as in derogative uses of the term martyrdom.) Yet, these are scratches on the surface of the ultimate. An incremental approach, perhaps combined with body-sacrifice involving the whole body (psyche, community, species…) will be most effective The port of entry to the journey to the ultimate is the body… in the non-reductive meaning of body as including psyche and, from the Principle of Being, on up to the Universe. I.e., the ‘body’ is the body and psyche of the individual, the body of the community, the body of the world… the body of the Universe; which, in the ultimate, have no absolute distinction. In this general and non-exclusive interpretation, body is Being In transformation there may be physical travel. However, the journey must essentially include descent into self, i.e. in the body. Symbolic, cognitive, affective content—aspects of psyche—are not other than body. Again, given that the body is—merges with—the Universe, there is no distinction between inner and outer, between travel and change The idea of a way Connection of the dimensions / layers of individual and group to the World and Universe in their dimensions and range (variety, extension, and duration) This section on The Ways lays out a practical approach to the way from this world to the ultimate. It is in outline because, in entire Human History, we seem to have made but a beginning. That assertion remains true even when Universal metaphysics is taken to be part of that history; this is because the form of the metaphysics is that is a system of ideas. We therefore cannot lay out systems such as in the texts of the major religions; what truth those texts contain is truth presented as Truth. From the aspect of Being, Truth is realized in process (per the Universal metaphysics.) The approach comes from an interactive combination of the traditional systems and the Universal metaphysics. It addresses the layers of the person as in the section The Normal, above. The ways are paths through some traditional dimensions of Being—Nature, Culture and Society via Psyche and body, that aim to the Ultimate. The process is an iterative one of experiment, revelation, and reflection Aim—bridge from world to Universe; Self to Universal Identity—Atman to Brahman Approach—the ways begin by addressing the aspects of Human Being identified in the section The Normal, above Experiment—In ideas and transformation… on the way to Identity; Minimal system—a minimal system to cover the range of Being Psyche—Yogas of Gita, adapted to the present metaphysical psychology; Raja Yoga as meditative connection; Gnâna Yoga as direct knowledge with support from perception, conception and being-in; Karma Yoga as connection through service; Bhakti Yoga is, roughly, the Yoga of Worship and full absorption in ‘God’ but may be, instead, interpreted as connection to the Ultimate expressed lightly in how we live and relate and are Body—rite of passage; catalysts as on the way to body transformation. Body includes psyche and person, body of community, body of the world, the Universe; in this non-exclusive sense it is the instrument of transformation. Inclusive of and further reaching than the Yogas (above.) We want to see the body (in the present extended sense) as including the expression of the Ultimate in the individual Mystic immanence of Ultimate Identity—pre-conscious, symbolic-emotive—‘Lift a stone and I am there’ Transparent immanence—cognitive, symbolic—subject to adequacy of form, every concept is realized The individual—ideas and theories, catalysts to extra-normal states Culture—relations to others (morals) and group process; symbols; patriarchal or normal institutions and shared practice, stories, art, places, communities—and action; charismatic influence Symbolic meaning of Judaic and Christian faith; realism of an angry god; golden rule as self-improving Samkhya, Gita, and Buddhism as preparation for (a) Yoga of the individual—and Theravada Buddhism, (b) Yoga as equality and unity of humankind—Mahayana Buddhism Nature—place of intimacy with Being and connection to the Ultimate; nature as ground to the Ultimate and on the way to it… Deep knowledge—knowing as living-in... Being-in-nature… sky… perception over thought In Tibetan Buddhism—a goal of pilgrimage or sacred journey to a remote place of natural beauty and sacred significance is the journey which awakens the qualities and energies of the site which also and ultimately lie in our Being. If the idea seems far fetched from the point of view of science and reason, reflect that our evolution occurred in the context of place; adaptation—physical and mental—is therefore natural Vision—place and catalyst—disintegration and reintegration of psyche; a place of mystic immanence Charisma—and Vision On Fear. There are persons who fear death; in the Normal context, death is unavoidable. There are persons fear pain or loss of mental faculties though not death itself. Pain may be unavoidable. Is it irrational to fear what is unavoidable? The rational part of that fear may have the function of avoidance of unnecessary pain or self-destruction. The following response is possible—Why should I fear that which I do not know whether I will or will not be able to manage, e.g. pain or loss of faculties? Why should I fear what is either avoidable or unavoidable? Why should I fear what is in the future? When the time comes I will manage or I will not but why should I fear now? Even if natural, is that not a mistake? The answer is somewhat complex since, first, fear of what cannot be controlled may be a mistake but it is not easy to distinguish what can be controlled; and, second, there is a functional degree of fear that motivates appropriate action Emotional responses are often regarded as fully determined by situation but are not because they interact with perception which may be in error, with thought and interpretation which are often in error; and further, dysfunctional emotion may be ‘retrained.’ Additionally a person’s emotional responsivity may change as the body changes, e.g., with age (the reflections of this paragraph probably have some similarity to the Rational Emotive Therapy of Albert Ellis, 1913-2007.) However, the retraining of cognition-emotion may require time and application, first, in reflection during times where there is no actual crisis or perception of crisis but in which the conditions of crisis may be simulated, and, second though not entirely distinct from the first, in actual crises of fact or Experience. Such change is multi-factorial depending on application (retraining) and general patterns of living and thought (healthy.) One goal is the achievement of a healthy pattern of cognition-emotion-action. However, a higher goal may be sought. This goal is not achieved with appropriate crisis response; the individual may attempt to move from a negative region of cognitive-emotional-active patterning to a positive region; this is significantly enhanced by having a balance between living in the here and now and positive though sufficiently malleable goals that are responsive to circumstance and understanding of the world. In the limit, by reaching through self and body, the individual finds and is in an approach to the Ultimate On Death. In the Ultimate there is no death-as-final. In the Normal there is death and Experience of death (as an idea, as in the experience of ebbing of life, and as in the death of others.) In the Normal, the Experience of death must have an as if finality (even though not invariably absolute finality.) This finality, even if but apparent, is immensely significant. The individual who addresses the issues of death and pain has addressed a block, perhaps the fundamental block, to fullness of Being. Perhaps even more importantly, in those that have not Experienced infinitude, the crisis of finitude is catalytic to that Experience. The crisis of death has always the potential to catalyze transformation. In an Existentialist psychology, the crisis of death forces, catalyzes, or precipitates appreciation of life and its value. In a Universal psychology, one derived from both Universal metaphysics and normal Existential human nature, the crisis of death catalyzes the same Existential appreciation. However, on a Universal (supra-Normal) reckoning, it also catalyzes, first, appreciation of the magnitude of the Universe and the Identity and, second, entrance into a real journey of realization. The reckoning with death and pain is a fundamental instrument in Be-ing
Journey and processThe adventure now facing us is that of realization This adventure will require imagination (to see possibilities,) reason (to test for reasonableness,) and experiment and risk in realization A central guide will be the Universal metaphysics Another guide will be the traditional systems mentioned above These may be found in detail in other documents. Following is the most recent detailed document Journey in being: a detailed version That document narrates some preliminary experiments Here, since the Universe opens up before us and what has come before in our lives is infinitesimal, we provide no further detail We will return later with stories of our Ideas, Experiments, and Adventures Appendix on Source MaterialThis appendix functions as an outline of sources. A primary emphasis in the selection of sources is the material of the section From the World to the Universe of the previous division IndividualIdeas (theories.) The metaphysics and its methods; dynamics; psychology of depth; science and technology. India: Veda, Upanishad, Samkhya, Gita Catalysts. E.g., Shamanic—e.g., isolations, exertions, extreme environments; Yogas; Mystic practice, meditation, mantra, affirmation; modern e.g. isolation tank and hypnosis; disruption and opening-up of psyche to inner-outer truth; living through and rebuilding System of experiments—minimal; cover range of Being CultureCulture—institutions: self, group (society)—relations and mutual process (morals;) symbol and system, language; culture—creation, expression (art) and transmission. Patriarchal institutions—religion, church-structure; science, technology, art, history, secular structure. Charisma—influence of person—intelligence, magnetism, energy, ruthlessness… Patriarchy is standard; it provides guarantees; it has guarantees even while it has degrees denial of individuality and freedom; it is of this world… Charisma is singular; if always present, its moment or one of its moments is the breakdown of patriarchy; it has no restriction to this world… Therefore, the measure of effectiveness as the effectiveness of patriarchal institutions is ever incomplete; but the measure of charisma which is essentially singular, is, even if thinkable, close to being irreducible to causal or statistical formula Shared practice—sharing; cumulation of insight-accomplishment from special psychic and physical energies Stories, sacred and shared practice—Art, literature, music; Ritual; Architecture, and place Cultural process—action (creation, knowing, choice, decision) and trans-action Some sources. Major religions. 1. Trans-cultural—Abrahamic religions (includes Mysticism,) Religions of Indian origin (Samkhya-Yoga, Bhagavad-Gita…,) … and of Iranian origin; 2. Indigenous. 3. New religious movements. Other modern sources—Behavioral, faith based and 12-step programs. Sects. 1. Gnostic. 2. Mystic. Culture. Instruments of knowledge and relation NatureProcess. Evolution, Dynamics Being. Physical—elementary through molecular through bulk or macroscopic. Organic—molecular through organism. Of psyche—organic through psyche (psyche: mind-person-body; spirit is implicit) Nature and ways of realization. Nature as a place of intimacy with Being and connection to the Ultimate. Human Being knows this and something of it. Nature is of the Ultimate and on the way to it. Common Experience and representation of nature is that it is of the Normal; but it is not entirely so; and it is therefore of the Ultimate Deep knowledge. Knowing as living-in... Being-in-nature… the sky… perception over thought SourcesGeneral I know little—from UM little can be known—about the destination of the journey which is, anyway, a process It therefore seemed that—for present—a brief, eclectic, suggestive, and in-process collection is best Sources I have used may be found at A General Bibliography. This bibliography, though dated, may be useful (since the time I constructed the bibliography I have found it more useful to be eclectic than comprehensive) Here is the most detailed recent document with extensive sources on traditional approaches to transformation of psyche—Journey in being: a detailed version The texts of the major religions may contain useful source material. I find the following to have use The Bhagavad-Gita; the Yogas of the Gita include what in another setting would be called ‘mystic practices’ for direct rather than merely intellectual connection with a greater real The Advaita Vedanta, of Adi Samkara, 788 to 821 CE The Upanishads appear to be suggestive but require further study before definite listing Regarding the texts of Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism, I have found eclectic inspiration. I have found their metaphysical systems to often be at least apparently fragile. At present I have neither resources nor sufficient familiarity to make recommendations on these texts I have learnt much from my exposure to the history of thought. This influence may be clearer and is made explicit in other documents. Here, as acknowledgment by a writer and as suggestion for readers, I note the names of the main influences without citing texts. The selection, which has no intent to be comprehensive over my thought or historical importance, reflects influence on my thought more than importance; the focus is on influence on this narrative In philosophy—especially metaphysics but also logic, ethics and natural philosophy under which, for purposes of this essay, I include the theories of science and mathematics—Parmenides, Plato, Aristotle, Adi Samkara, Johannes Scotus Eriugena, Giordano Bruno, René Descartes, Baruch Spinoza, Isaac Newton, Gottfried Leibniz, David Hume, Immanuel Kant, William Blake, Carl Friedrich Gauss, Arthur Schopenhauer, GWF Hegel, Franz Brentano, Bernhard Riemann, Charles Darwin, Gottlob Frege, Georg Cantor, Friedrich Nietzsche, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Martin Heidegger, Albert Einstein, Karl Popper, Kurt Gödel, Werner Heisenberg, Erwin Schrödinger, PAM Dirac, Ernst Mayr, John Searle, John Bell There are modern stories of adventure: Darwin’s Voyage of the Beagle, Einstein’s ideational adventures in space-time-being, Watson and Crick’s work in the structure and replication of DNA; these works, though limited from the perspective of experiment, reveal much about the world that is useful to ‘journey’ I have found little of value to journey in works that see Religion through a reductionist prism of our modern paradigm of empiricism and reason; the tendency of such works is to exclude what is valuable in our world and the culture being studied Here are some accounts at the boundaries between our culture and indigenous cultures Black Elk Speaks: Being the Life Story of a Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux, The Premier Edition, 2008, SUNY Press The Heart of the World. A Journey to Tibet’s Lost Paradise, 2004, by Ian Baker has some interesting syntheses of modern thought and Tibetan Buddhism rendered as a journey Make Prayers to the Raven: a Koyukon View of the Northern Forest, 1983, Richard K. Nelson In-process The following sources record changes and ideas for change. AREX version of April 24 and journey-version of April 24 Some changes are implemented in the present document |
The Appendix suggests
sources for further development