A Letter on Truth
A buddy wrote me the following...
I've been doing a little reading (Plato) and a little thinking on what
is really just a continuation of what we were talking about the other week.
We were talking about how various religions in essence tell us the same thing
- that we should behave morally, justly, show brotherly love, etc. My thing
this - all the books on religious instruction, or life instruction, seem to
want to give us someone else's take on what is the Truth and how to find it
with all their rules and do’s and don'ts. Is all this study really necessary?
Isn't good and bad innate? Don't we all just know what is right or good or
bad or evil? Can these things be taught or learned, and if so, how? If not
why read the books that purport to show us the Way? When I say "the
Way", I am not necessarily referring to Lao Tzu, but to all what I'll
call "show-me-the-way" type of books.
When you feel the influence of a book that talks about the Way, aren't
you actually being inspired by and led by the writer who was himself
inspired? Of course, depending on if you are reading the "original"
book or someone's interpretation, you may find yourself further and further
from the actual source of inspiration. With each inspired writer comes a
personal interpretation with its own set of influences and interpretations.
The inspiration or interpretation can be a long way down the line from the
source, or at best, you are influenced by only one set of beliefs of what the
Way is. Is this getting us any closer to learning or becoming better people?
Should we be influenced by someone's interpretation of something that they
felt or learned? By reading these books are we in turn inspired by what we
presume to be an understanding of the things that inspired the writer without
real knowledge of, or experience of, the things that were the impetus of the
writing in the first place?
If we claim to have a prior understanding or knowledge of the things
that we see as being the influence of the Way, where did we get this
knowledge from, and then, are we really learning anything new or just trying
to reaffirm what we know to be the truth - do we gain comfort from reading
about the things we already hold to be true? For instance, I don't like it
when I am told which way to think, but I get some sort of comfort from the
reaffirmation of my own beliefs when something I read rings true or strikes a
cord, so to speak. Does this mean I am pointed in the right direction or does
this mean I am just in agreement with the writer? Does reading the same kind
of books cause us to ask ourselves the same questions and seek the same
answers and so think the same way? If you count the fingers on your hand you
would say you have five fingers and I would do the same. We come to the same
conclusion because we both learned this by studying the same thing,
arithmetic. The last couple of sentences I borrowed from Plato because I love
the simplicity of it.
If we are just experiencing someone else's inspiration second or third
or fourth hand, then are we gaining real knowledge? Are we able to gain
knowledge of something like love and compassion through learning? Are we just
clarifying what we already feel and know? Don't we already instinctively know
"the good way"? Suppose we read for guidance, to learn, are we
really able to know life through reading, can it be "learned"? If
it can be learned then it can be taught, then wouldn't everyone be able to
unravel the mysteries of life simply by studying books?
Can you help me here? Because I feel the tug of some books that seem to
promise a way to understand and above all promise comfort, but I am afraid
that I might be sucked into the vortex of a way thinking that seems to me to
rob one of the ability to experience life naturally and wholly and with
acceptance of what it is to be truly human. I'm curious to get the option of
someone who has done plenty of reading and researching of their own.
Anyway, if you feel so inclined, I would love to hear what you have to
say.
...and I replied
There is a lot of stuff here! I've been kicking it around in my head for
the last little while so here is what I have come up with. More thoughts on
thoughts than a coherent essay.
You know, there is probably a book to be written in reply to all those
thoughts you have up there. It's pretty much the meaning of life,
spirituality, human nature, all sorts of things that interest me.
Moral behaviour - Something about that word "moral"
really triggers discomfort with me. I think it is because I have an internal
resistance to someone telling me what to do, and "moral" reminds me
of a lot of the stuff that I experienced in high school. As well, I can
behave morally with an impure heart and that is where "rules" tend
to fall down for me. For me, living by rules is constraining because rules
can never fully anticipate every situation.
Just behaviour - I really like the concept of just behaviour. Doing
what is right because it is true. I see this as different from justice. The
whole concept of justice is confusing for me right now. I have all sorts of
differing views on ideas such as capital punishment, imprisonment, controls,
retribution... The dilemma is that I can see valid points on all sides of the
debate and that leaves me wondering if everyone might be right or if no one
is right.
The Golden Rule - Related to just behaviour is "treat people
like you would like to be treated". That sounds soooo trite! Perhaps I
heard it a few too many times as a kid. However, I really like using this as
my goal position in difficult situations. Can I see myself in everyone? Can I
see the good in everyone? With a difficult person, can I see what would make
me behave that way? Buddhists (I think) talk about seeing the Buddha in
everyone, everything. They also talk about compassionate love. For me it is a
concept that becomes increasingly difficult to apply as my circle gets closer
to me. In other words, many folks find it easier to be kind to a stranger
than to themselves. We all have certain people that stretch our ability to
exercise compassionate love. I think that is a good thing because there is
always a little something extra that we can work on. It is a circular
process. Some days we do a better job than others.
An individual's "take" on religion and Truth - lots on this one!
I like to think that, for spiritual matters, there are no original ideas
in the world. We are all part of a group of six billion people. How many
billion before us, how many billion after us? For the sake of argument, say,
ten billion souls. Now, for me to think that I have come up with something
truly original is silly. Even the Great Prophets are saying the same things.
Oh, but they thought of them independently. Maybe, but just imagine all of
the people who discovered the same Truth and didn't write it down. I doubt
there are any new ideas. What I do see is a constant reinterpretation of the
same Truth. The most popular interpretations of this Truth become religions.
Why? My gut tells me that religions grow and prosper based on socio-factors.
Human needs for companionship, rules, guidance, comfort. The Truth can make
people very uncomfortable and a lot of people prefer to stay locked in their
quasi-spiritual or non-spiritual states. Kind of like being asleep or
unconscious - living on autopilot and not quite managing to experience the
joy from just living - from "being".
There are other factors, related to the state - mainly it appears to be
control. Like any organisation (or company), religions appear to take on a
life of their own, once they reach a certain size. When I listen to many
people discuss their religion, it sounds a lot like a description of a
multinational to me. Of course, that is "my" bias creeping in!
The Truth - So what is the Truth? I can't really put my finger on
it, but I can describe some symptoms. You talk about right/wrong and
good/evil. To me, the truth is that there is no right or wrong. Certain
actions may be unjust or against the rules or even unfair - but for 99% of
what I see and experience, it is really tough to say that anything is wrong.
That last 1% has me a bit confused - things like rape, murder and other
violent crimes. Clearly perpetrated by lost souls, completely unconscious
people. It is very difficult just to "accept" these actions. However,
for 99.999% of my life, I seem to be a lot happier just accepting everything
as it comes. A broken computer, a scratched car, a traffic jam, dirty air -
life is so much easier when you roll with the issues rather than resist them.
Resistance is futile! Love that expression. Life will keep rolling on whether
we are happy or sad, rich or poor, skinny or fat, young or old. We are all
heading to the same destination, so we might as well enjoy the ride.
Symptoms of the Truth - I've decided that there is a lot of truth
in beauty. The more beauty I can see and appreciate, the closer I am to the
Truth. In the last 48 hours, I have appreciated the beauty of the sea,
frosted lipstick on a pretty girl, the sun, being cold, being strong, the
warmth of the sun, the size of the moon, the texture of a cool, crisp apple
and lots more. Fully appreciating the miracle of creation around us helps us
to realise the Truth. Beauty is great because it is a very
"present" experience. It brings us into the immediate present, the
past and the future stop and we experience the moment.
You know I used to feel a bit guilty (and/or spaced out!) for seeing
beauty everywhere. However, it is a great way to roll through life.
Constantly seeing the beauty in different situations. It must be what it is like
to be a poet or a painter - living in the moment and appreciating each moment
for what it is.
I found this Hip Hop station in LA and the DJs are really funny. Every
morning I listen to them and just laugh and laugh. Mindless fun. What are you
doing with your life laughing every morning to these crazy guys on the radio?
I am living it!
I read somewhere that the Truth is that, "nothing matters, but
everything is essential". That appeals to me. Avoid getting caught up in
the present while having a total commitment to doing everything the best we
can.
Must an idea be original to have value? I don't think there are any
original ideas to start with. Maybe if we go, waaaay back we could find some
original ideas. However, even folks like Plato or Aristotle would have had
inspiration from those around them, from their life situation, from their
society, from discussions with others...
I think we all have teachers and students. For me, they are normally the
same people. We learn from each other and our collective knowledge and
understanding increases from relating to each other. By teaching, by writing,
be reading - we have the opportunity to learn and to grow. New ideas enter
our world and challenge our established beliefs. If they contain truth (for
us, at this minute) then we might accept them. If not, then we might leave
them. Either way they will have touched us and influenced us.
Is it better to avoid all people and outside stimuli to seek the Truth?
Well, I think it is too late for that! All of us have been conditioned by our
surroundings since birth, our mind has been trained, molded, programmed - by
our individual societies to what we are supposed to think, believe, do... I
think that is why a lot of us feel tremendous conflict when that programming
doesn't match our view of the Truth.
From what I have read, a lot of meditation is about trying to break
through that mind programming, to get past the mind and discover the Truth
within. Still, a purist might argue to the extent that if you have a Yogi or
a spiritual adviser, then you are being shaped and influenced by them.
Personally, I see nothing wrong with that. I'm pointing it out to show the
difficulty of a path taken completely within. I think that it is a journey
that would lead to a dead-end for most. My teachers have really helped me.
Mostly unintentionally and mostly by creating pain in my life.
What is a "teacher" - books, sunsets, pain, death, loss,
hate, pity, anger, love, beauty... anything and everything is a teacher - if
we need it to be and if we allow it to be.
Inspiration from others - You bring up an interesting point about
other people inspiring us. This could get a little abstract, think about each
point.
When we feel inspiration from any source, what are we feeling?
When something "touches" us, what are we feeling?
Who creates these feelings?
Here is my take, as best as I can put it on a Monday night in LA. We are
experiencing something within ourselves. We are creating this feeling. We are
feeling the Truth within ourselves. It is our experience - someone may have
triggered it, but it is still "our" experience.
If I am sitting alone on a beach and come to a similar conclusion then
(for me) it is no more, and no less, valid than if I am in a classroom at the
University of Spiritual Enlightenment. It is just my particular opinion at a
point in time.
This brings up another thought that I wanted to write about. All that I
write, all that I think. It is me, but it is also not me.
Let me explain, there is only one me - that is the guy right now. The guy
right here typing on his computer. In a few hours "I" will be down
at the beach swimming. That will be me, but now I will be different than the
guy right here.
Does that come across? What I am trying to say is that each of us is a
"dynamic" entity rather than a "static" entity. We live,
learn, grow old, die - along the way we constantly change. New ideas come
along, old ones are discarded, we make mistakes, do good deeds, have
successes, have failures. The only constant is change - this is related to
the Buddhist concept of impermanence.
Expect to change, accept change.
I think it is okay to be influenced by others. I love to study others and
learn their motivations as well as their ideas. In learning about them, I
learn more about myself. Whether an idea appears to come from within, or
without, I see it as totally valid. It is just one idea, at a moment in time.
It will pass and be replaced by another idea (from within or without). Who
really knows the source of any ideas? We are all guessing.
All that we can't leave behind. Does Bono write all the U2 lyrics? If yes,
then he is one switched-on dude (or possibly one well read dude!). That song
got me thinking about permanence. Can you come up with one thing that we can
leave behind forever? Anything at all? I've been thinking and thought I was
on to something with love. Stu left a lot of love behind but in 10, 50, 100,
500 years that too will be gone. Love will remain, but Stuart's love will be
gone. Then again, is Stu's love different from Allah's? Of course, perhaps I
am just clinging to permanence in an impermanent world!
The Great Prophets left their interpretation of the Truth behind. But they
didn't really leave it behind because it was here before they arrived and
will remain after they have been forgotten.
Inspiration - I doubt that I am inspired by the same thing that
brings an idea to an author. In fact, I bet that a lot of the time, I am
probably missing the guy's real point. I certainly know that people have
written me about some of my writing and taken it in a totally different
direction. How can that be? I think it is because we all create our own
reality. Within that world we have our own experience, it is unique, but
probably not original.
Comfort - We all like to read things that reaffirm our view of the
world. I think that is because affirmation, from any source, protects our
"self" from another aspect of the Truth. We are all going to die.
That's a scary proposition for our "self" to deal with and requires
a lot of comforting. I think acceptance of self, of death, of our flawed
reality goes a long way towards generating comfort. Or perhaps it is about
becoming "comfortable with discomfort". Perhaps it is about being
able to accept difficult views, difficult people, conflict...
I know some people that are quite comfortable in conflict. They seem
unconscious to me and quite often have health issues (mental and physical). I
wonder if the conflict they create in the world may be coming back to their
body or mind?
The lure of comfort - Everyone wants to be comforted. Do this and
you will go to paradise - pretty much all of Western religious dogma seems to
be based on this premise. Reality is not comfortable and the Truth can be
very uncomfortable! What to do? I think the only true source of comfort is to
accept the discomfort in the world. Kind of sounds like a Catch-22, but if we
truly accept discomfort then everything is suddenly okay (possibly not
comfortable, but certainly more comfortable). No belief, book or concept can
make us comfortable - only we can make ourselves comfortable. If a book or an
idea gives you comfort, then that may be a good thing. However, something
will surely come along in a little while to make you uncomfortable. Life is
like that. If we can enjoy surfing the comfort and the discomfort, then we
are well on our way to being happy. I think happiness and contentment are
more important (and easier) to attain than comfort. As you know, I have had
some of my happiest experiences in moments of great discomfort. ;-)
The lure of other ideas - You seem to have a little conflict with
the direction that these books are taking you. Why resist? Explore the source
of the resistance, of the discomfort. For me, that discomfort is always a
source of truth, of learning. Whatever you find most concerning will lead you
to some new understanding. Explore it, rather than following it. Use the
ideas for self-awareness. Always be kind to yourself when exploring
resistance and discomfort.
The source of Truth - By default, all understanding and ideas have
to arrive from within. I can listen, taste, touch, smell, see... but at the
end of the day, "I" create my understanding (or lack thereof).
There appears to be some universal Truth, with several facets. However, that
is just my view of the situation. Some may share that view, some will not.
Some will prefer their path, some will never think of any path. I think it
would be kind of neat if everyone were able to see the beauty and the joy in
all aspects of life (in "Being" as some authors say). I can write
about it, talk about it.... but in the end it doesn't change the fundamental
Truth as I see it (today, right now).
The mystery of life - I love that expression! What is the mystery?
What is to unravel? Does it matter if I achieve understanding through a guru,
a yogi, a book, a lightning bolt, a divorce, a death, a vision, a movie, a
sunset? I don't think the source is of any bearing at all.
For me the secret is to enjoy where you are at. Enjoy what you are doing
right now. There are a lot of techniques for achieving this enjoyment, but
they are just techniques. Some will work for me, others will work for you. The
map and vehicle that we choose doesn't matter, what matters is arriving at
the destination.
One expression I love is that when you have arrived, you will know that
you have always been there. It is all about the journey, but there is nowhere
to go!
Hope this helps,
gordo
PS - I read all this in a book, none of it is original! Ha, ha, ha. ;-) |