Whatever the question, love is the answer...
Eternal Return Thought Experiment
From "Thus Spoke Zarathustra" (Nietzche):
"What if, some day or night, a demon were to steal after you into your loneliest loneliness and say to you: ''This life as you now live it and have lived it, you will have to live once more and innumerable times more; and there will be nothing new in it, but every pain and every joy and every thought and sigh and everything unutterably small or great in your life will have to return to you, all in the same succession and sequence--even this spider and this moonlight between the trees, and even this moment and I myself. The eternal hourglass of existence is turned updside down again and again, and you with it, speck of dust!' Would you not throw yourself down and knash your teeth and curse the demon who spoke thus? Or have you once experienced a tremendous moment when you would have answered him: 'You are a god and never have I heard anything more divine.' If this thought gained possession of you, it would change you as you are, or perhaps crush you."
And...a commentary on this passage from Irvin D. Yalom, in his book "Staring at the Sun":
"(the purpose) is not to drown anyone in a sea of regret for the past but, ultimately, to turn his or her gaze toward the future and this potentially life-changing question: What can you do now in your life so that one or five years from now, you won't look back and have similar dismay about the new regrets you've accumulated? In other words, can you find a way to live without continuing to accumulate regret?"
"What if, some day or night, a demon were to steal after you into your loneliest loneliness and say to you: ''This life as you now live it and have lived it, you will have to live once more and innumerable times more; and there will be nothing new in it, but every pain and every joy and every thought and sigh and everything unutterably small or great in your life will have to return to you, all in the same succession and sequence--even this spider and this moonlight between the trees, and even this moment and I myself. The eternal hourglass of existence is turned updside down again and again, and you with it, speck of dust!' Would you not throw yourself down and knash your teeth and curse the demon who spoke thus? Or have you once experienced a tremendous moment when you would have answered him: 'You are a god and never have I heard anything more divine.' If this thought gained possession of you, it would change you as you are, or perhaps crush you."
And...a commentary on this passage from Irvin D. Yalom, in his book "Staring at the Sun":
"(the purpose) is not to drown anyone in a sea of regret for the past but, ultimately, to turn his or her gaze toward the future and this potentially life-changing question: What can you do now in your life so that one or five years from now, you won't look back and have similar dismay about the new regrets you've accumulated? In other words, can you find a way to live without continuing to accumulate regret?"
Comment
-
Comment by Brian Van Korn on March 20, 2009 at 7:28pm -
Thanks so much Carol. Sorry bout the late return I've been in a loop making Ice sculptures with these dang bling, blang, demons, and they keep melting the work. God,Self one is a deity, and one sometimes thinks they're a deity.I suppose its a matter of perspective. Reverse the two words and what do you get DOG, mans best friend,or in some beliefs a creature lower than dirt. FLES, hmm this reminds me of the shortest joke in the world?. Fles,Adam Had em. Either way Dogs and Fles will always go together...like this ongoing /endless discussion, itchin under the skin.
Vonorn
-
Comment by Carolyn A. Pearson on March 10, 2009 at 5:50pm -
Awesome Brian. Guess what: Groundhog Day was one of Common Ground's Film Circle FIlms last year for the very reasons you've mentioned. See the Films We've Already Watched list under Groups, then Film Circle. Yeah, I think this is an ongoing/never-ending discussion between anyone's concept of god and the self. Good stuff. Thanks for your commentary.
-
Comment by Brian Van Korn on March 10, 2009 at 10:04am
-
I suppose it would depend on the level of spiritual awakening. A person less enlightened would most likely be see no options and feel crushed. A person more enlightened, could ask the demon? "Why inform me of this, I was completely ignorant of this loop. But now that you made aware of this cool !! Im quitting this lousy job and heading back to get my Healing thru art degree. Hey,demon, have you ever seen the movie Groundhog day? You can rent it on Netflix, or in your case you can steal it, off of a torrent site.
Well, in the movie, there's this fellow who gets caught in some kind of quantum loop,by repeating the same day over and over. He acts like a complete self centered ass,for thousands of days,only interested in his personal comforts.
Everybody else can go to hell. After countless of suicides he accepts his fate, and becomes more enlightened.
When,he turns 360 degrees, and starts to see this loop, more as a heaven than a hell. He realizes is immortal, with no fear of dying, so he sets out to enjoy what an immortal being with endless time, could accomplish, to help his fellow beings.
He masters, piano, Ice sculpture, mechanics, good samaritan timing, and thousands of other skills.
He becomes a lonely avatar of sorts, until he is let out of the loop, after finding and experiencing agape love for another.
Hey Demon, that was one of my favorite movies, because it shows the folly of wallowing in self, you just confirmed I am in a loop, and this is my last day,or life span, here on earth. So thank you, thank you, Mr Demon, or God, considering we are all made out of the same subatomic particles. Your information has freed me kind sir, uh I mean demon, or deity,or whomever or whatever you are. Send one of your people to let me know ya saw the Movie, and we will talk in a few years after I start living out of this loop.
Vonorn
What is Common Ground?
Common Ground is a vibrant spiritual community dedicated to opening space for the natural human impulse to create, evolve and inspire. We share the experience of seeking to live deeply as part of the interconnected web of life. We honor all sources from which love and expanded consciousness can emerge. To learn more, see the Common Ground Credo.
© 2012 Created by Common Ground.
You need to be a member of Common Ground to add comments!
Join Common Ground