#Philosophy of transcendence

[invernomorto]

Only true awakening will bring you happiness, not knowledge of something. Knowledge of something is temporary happiness. But true awakening comes when you transcend all the knowledge. When all knowledge is left behind.

Then true awakening comes.

It makes sense if you think about it. As long as you have knowledge that you've collected, how can you awaken? Knowledge only tells you something exists. It appears to be real. You have the knowledge that you're a woman, you're a man, you live in a house, you live in this world.

You have knowledge of physics or of mathematics, knowledge of life. What can this knowledge do for you? It cannot awaken you.

Yet people are trying to acquire more knowledge, to what avail? What you really want to do is, know your Self, not through knowledge but through experience.

By Robert Adams.

[noosphe-re]

All knowable light is shadow.

Ahmed Salman

[funeral]

Louis Dupré, "Of Time and Eternity in Kierkegaard's Concept of Anxiety"

[dndspellgifs]

Gonna start calling the Big Bang a creation myth but not in an anti-science way, but in contextualing-science-as-one-of-many-epistemological-systems way, and mostly to piss off Liu Cixin and his dumbass opinions in his post-script to The Three-Body Problem

[omegaphilosophia]

The Philosophy of the Sublime

The sublime is a concept in philosophy and aesthetics that refers to an experience of awe, grandeur, and wonder, often evoking a mixture of fear and admiration. This notion has been explored by various philosophers and thinkers throughout history, particularly in the context of nature, art, and human experience. Here’s an in-depth exploration of the philosophy of the sublime:

1. Historical Origins

Edmund Burke: In his work "A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful" (1757), Burke distinguished between the beautiful and the sublime. He associated the sublime with vastness, infinity, and power, which can overwhelm and inspire a sense of awe and terror.

Immanuel Kant: In "Critique of Judgment" (1790), Kant elaborated on the sublime as something that transcends normal human experience and comprehension. He identified two forms of the sublime: the mathematical sublime, related to the vastness of nature and the universe, and the dynamical sublime, related to the power and force of natural phenomena.

Romanticism: The Romantic poets and artists, such as William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and Caspar David Friedrich, celebrated the sublime in nature, emphasizing the emotional and spiritual responses to its grandeur and beauty.

2. Key Characteristics of the Sublime

Vastness and Infinity: Experiences or objects that are vast in scale, such as mountains, oceans, or the night sky, evoke a sense of the sublime. Their immensity challenges human perception and comprehension.

Power and Terror: The sublime often involves elements of danger and power, such as thunderstorms, hurricanes, or erupting volcanoes. These evoke fear but also admiration for their majesty and force.

Transcendence: The sublime experience transcends ordinary understanding and evokes a sense of something greater than oneself. It can lead to feelings of humility and reverence.

Aesthetic Experience: In art and literature, the sublime is associated with works that evoke profound emotional responses, often through depictions of nature’s grandeur or human achievement.

3. Philosophical Implications

Human Limits: The concept of the sublime highlights the limitations of human perception and understanding. It suggests that there are aspects of existence that are beyond human control and comprehension.

Emotional Complexity: The sublime evokes complex emotions that combine fear, awe, wonder, and admiration. This complexity enriches human experience and understanding of the world.

Nature and the Divine: The sublime often leads to reflections on the relationship between nature and the divine. The overwhelming power and beauty of nature can evoke a sense of the divine presence or the transcendental.

4. The Sublime in Art and Culture

Visual Arts: Artists like J.M.W. Turner and Caspar David Friedrich captured the sublime in their depictions of natural landscapes and phenomena, emphasizing vastness, power, and emotional depth.

Literature: Writers such as Mary Shelley and Lord Byron explored the sublime in their works, using language to evoke the awe and terror of natural and supernatural elements.

Modern Interpretations: Contemporary artists and thinkers continue to explore the sublime in various forms, including digital art, cinema, and virtual reality, pushing the boundaries of what can evoke awe and wonder.

5. Critiques and Evolving Perspectives

Subjectivity: Some critics argue that the experience of the sublime is highly subjective and culturally specific. What one person finds sublime, another may not.

Environmental Ethics: The concept of the sublime has been revisited in discussions about environmental ethics, emphasizing the need to protect and preserve the natural landscapes that evoke these profound experiences.

The philosophy of the sublime explores the profound and often overwhelming experiences of awe, grandeur, and wonder in response to nature, art, and human achievement. It challenges human limits of perception and understanding, evoking complex emotions and reflections on the transcendental. From its historical origins in the works of Burke and Kant to its manifestations in Romantic art and contemporary culture, the sublime remains a powerful and enduring concept in philosophy and aesthetics.

[starseedsrise]

"The real growth is when you step away from a relationship that just might be another egoic attachment where we find ourselves afraid to let go of a person we're in a relationship with, because what we're really afraid to let go of is the level of consciousness we were at when we met that person. Relationships help us grow, but sometimes the highest growth in relationships occur when you allow yourself to walk away. And whether you're afraid to do that, whether you feel guilty because you think that you're creating pain in someone else's journey... all of those feelings that arise don't distract us from making the courageous choices we need to make. Instead they become the ones that we love more not less, while we make the courageous choices that advance our journey forward." - Matt Kahn

[phi-los-o-pher]

[celtos]

To know one’s limit is to know how to sacrifice oneself.

G.W.F. Hegel

[wisdom-and-such]

— Walt Whitman

I recently watched a documentary on Walt Whitman and learned some new things I didn’t know. For instance, his book, Leaves of Grass was self published and not too widely read.

Apparently, when the civil war broke out in his late 20s or 30s, he took a break from writing and volunteered as a caregiver for the wounded.

There are saints in every realm!

[turiyatitta]

Attaining Enlightenment

As Elusive as Grasping the WindThe quest for enlightenment, that profound state of ultimate understanding and unity, is often compared to trying to hold onto the wind. This metaphor captures the essence of the journey—a pursuit that defies conventional grasping, one that requires an openness to the intangible and an embrace of the elusive.The Elusiveness of EnlightenmentIn many Eastern…

[blueheartbookclub]

"A Transcendent Voyage: Illuminating Mysticism in 'A New Light of Mysticism: Azoth' by Arthur Edward Waite"

In Arthur Edward Waite's magnum opus, "A New Light of Mysticism: Azoth," readers embark on an enigmatic journey that transcends the boundaries of conventional thought. The book, alternatively known as "The Star in the East," intricately weaves together the profound elements of alchemy, spirituality, and the arcane, inviting readers into the captivating world of mystical exploration.

Waite's narrative prowess shines as he delves into the intricacies of the Magnum Opus, unraveling the mysteries of the first matter and the evolution of Aphrodite-Urania. The author, known for his deep understanding of esoteric subjects, presents a mesmerizing tapestry that explores the supernatural generation of the Son of the Sun and the alchemical transfiguration of humanity.

At the heart of the book is the symbolic Azoth, a universal solvent that represents the transformative power of spiritual enlightenment. Waite's prose is both eloquent and dense, demanding a contemplative reading as readers navigate through layers of symbolism and allegory. The exploration of divine feminine energy through Aphrodite-Urania adds a unique dimension, intertwining mythology with alchemical philosophy.

The strength of Waite's work lies not only in its esoteric depth but also in its ability to provoke introspection. As readers navigate through the pages, they find themselves not just absorbing information but actively engaging in the alchemical processes described. Waite's intricate descriptions and philosophical reflections challenge readers to question, contemplate, and, ultimately, embark on their own metaphysical journey.

"A New Light of Mysticism: Azoth" is a testament to Waite's profound scholarship and his gift for distilling complex esoteric concepts into a cohesive narrative. It is a book that beckons the curious minds and spiritual seekers, promising not just knowledge but an experiential odyssey through the realms of mysticism.

Intriguing, immersive, and intellectually stimulating, Waite's work invites readers to embrace the alchemical transformation it promises, heralding a new dawn in the understanding of mysticism and spirituality.

"A New Light of Mysticism: Azoth," by Arthur Edward Waite is available in Amazon in paperback 18.99$ and hardcover 24.99$ editions.

Number of pages: 431

Language: English

Rating: 10/10                                           

Link of the book!

Review By: King's Cat

[the-obzervatory]

The Environment Paradox

Humans need to distance themselves from the pointlessness, coldness, and brutality, of the natural world, and view themselves as belonging to something more important than it, for their psychological wellbeing.

Humans need to look after their environment for their physical wellbeing.

Hence adverts promoting environmental causes, often feature bright glowing light to echo a spiritual rather than animal connotation of nature.

[pinkmatter110]

im gonna be a philosopher

[eyeoftheheart]

There is Kyojitsu Tenkan Hô 虚実転換法 or ‘the interchange of truth and falsehood’ in everything said and done.

One persons truth is another’s falseness. What is done and said can be some people’s heaven and anothers hell. It can reveal their love or hate, and also their inspiration to strive or excuse to quit. The dualities are endless.

This is quite natural and thus helps us maintain an understanding of the constant ‘fight for balance’ between the duality of all things, often represented by the Tiger 虎 and Dragon 龍. This appreciation reminds us that the only constant is Henka 変化( change ) in order to maintain universal harmony.

“If an expert in the fighting arts sincerely pursues the essence of ninjutsu, devoid of the influence of the ego's desires, the student will progressively come to realize the ultimate secret for becoming invincible - the attainment of the 'mind and eyes of the divine.' The combatant who would win must be in harmony with the scheme of totality, and must be guided by an intuitive knowledge of the playing out of fate. In tune with the providence of heaven and the impartial justice of nature, and following a clear and pure heart full of trust in the inevitable, the ninja captures the insight that will guide him successfully into battle when he must conquer and conceal himself protectively from hostility. The vast universe, beautiful in its coldly impersonal totality, contains all that we call good and bad, all the answers for all the paradoxes we see around us. By opening his eyes and his mind, the ninja can responsively follow the subtle seasons and reasons of heaven, changing just as change is necessary, adapting always, so that in the end there is no such thing as surprise for the ninja.”

~ Takamatsu Toshitsugu

Budô is transmitting the importance to transcend. Within the Gōjō ( the five virtues of Confucianism ) this is known as Shizen no Choetsu 自然の超越 or ‘natural transcendence.’ I believe this is promoting ( among other things ) the practice of reaching to the higher level of consciousness known as Jihi no kokoro 慈悲の心 or the ‘benevolent/merciful/compassionate heart.’

“The practitioner of ninjutsu can gain the strength and invincibility that permits enjoyment of the flowers moving in the wind, appreciation of the love of others, and contentment with the presence of peace in society. The attainment of this enlightenment is characterized by the development of the jihi no kokoro, or ‘benevolent heart’. Stronger than love itself, the benevolent heart is capable of encompassing all that constitutes universal justice and all that finds expression in the unfolding of the universal scheme.”

~ Masaaki Hatsumi

Bushinden Tasmania Budō Dōjō 武神傳武道道場

[knowlimitations]

Mysteries of Language: Sacred Texts and the Collective Unconscious

Recently, I followed an intuitive nudge to read the sacred text of Islam, the Quran. Naturally it has been on my mind with the conflict occurring in the Middle East and I have been studying it in English as well as Arabic, its original language.

I was pondering the Jungian philosophy of genetic memory and the collective unconscious, and how (according to his research) human beings have the capability of tapping into this genetic pool of information which includes ancient languages that an individual may not consciously know, such as Arabic, Hebrew or Greek.

What intrigues me is the ineffable nostalgia or energy surge that the body feels while observing foreign written languages or mundane symbolism, yet is unfamiliar to the brain. Articulating the “energy” into words is incredibly difficult, so it often gets discarded or overlooked. It’s similar to our dreams—upon awakening, we often struggle to recall all the intricate details because they exist in an abstract realm that doesn't neatly fit into our physical reality. However, what does remain is the lingering emotion, essentially encapsulating the essence of the dream. This emotional residue is what we vividly recall throughout the day. We underestimate the genuine value of awareness to recall such significant unconscious events, as it allows us to put them into words that can be expressed with others or “breathe life” into new and expansive ideas. This concept reminds me of the phrase, 'In the beginning, there was the Word,' underscoring the profound role of language in spirituality.

Within the powerful dimension of language, I believe we discover the key to creation. When we wield words as instruments of expression, we unlock the potential to craft something truly significant, transcending the confines of mere linguistic symbols.

[omegaphilosophia]

Embracing Earth: A Perspective on Life Beyond Confinement

One argument against the notion of Earth being a prison is rooted in the perspective that life on this planet offers opportunities for growth, learning, and spiritual development. Instead of viewing Earth solely as a place of confinement or suffering, proponents of this perspective emphasize the potential for personal and collective evolution.

Here are some key points that support this argument:

Diverse Experiences: Earth is a vast and diverse world filled with myriad experiences, relationships, and opportunities for exploration. From the beauty of nature to the richness of human culture, life on this planet offers a wealth of experiences that contribute to personal growth and fulfillment.

Free Will and Choice: Unlike a prison where inmates are confined against their will, human beings have the capacity for free will and choice. Individuals can make decisions, pursue their goals, and shape their destinies, which is not typically possible in a prison environment.

Spiritual Evolution: Many religious and spiritual traditions teach that life on Earth is part of a larger cosmic journey towards enlightenment or spiritual awakening. According to this view, the challenges and trials of earthly existence serve as opportunities for soul growth and evolution.

Connection and Interdependence: Earth is also a place of interconnectedness and interdependence, where individuals have the opportunity to form meaningful relationships, contribute to their communities, and collaborate for the greater good. This sense of connection fosters a deeper appreciation for life and a sense of purpose beyond individual desires.

Transcendence and Transformation: While earthly existence may involve struggles and hardships, many philosophies and belief systems emphasize the potential for transcendence and transformation. Through inner work, self-discovery, and spiritual practice, individuals can rise above the limitations of the material world and access higher states of consciousness.

Overall, this perspective challenges the idea of Earth as a prison by highlighting the inherent opportunities for growth, self-realization, and spiritual evolution that life on this planet affords. It encourages individuals to embrace the journey of life with openness, gratitude, and a sense of purpose.