Recently I stumbled upon a quote that perfectly fits as a definition for vertical thinking. It is coming from the Chinese philosopher Wang Bi (226-249) whose merit is that the I Ching was properly reconsidered and its true meaning actualized in historically and ideologically troubled times. And still very much valid. So, here is the quote:
“The symbols (the Signs) serve the purpose of expressing the ideas behind them, the wise words of explaining the Signs. When symbols are comprehended, words can be forgotten, and when ideas are comprehended, symbols can be forgotten. However, if hanging onto words, symbols will never be comprehended, and if hanging onto symbols, ideas will never be comprehended.” (in Wolfgang Bauer, Fundamentals of the Book of Changes, Introduction to the I Ching by Richard Wilhelm, p. 13.)
I very much like the simplicity and clarity of it.
The ideal guru is the dead guru. You can just picture him in any way you want. Since he doesn’t affect you directly, you can just imagine him the way you want. He can’t contradict you, you can turn his words in any way you want. You can reference him as you like, as confirmation of your ideas. The worst that could happen is getting into an argument on whether he was right or wrong about that. Sort of a comfort zone. But what if the guru is still alive?
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Try to remember last year’s resolutions. Did you succeed in keeping them? How many commitments were there? And how many did you keep? Do you remember them at all? After answering yourself to these questions, consider the new ones that just came to life thanks to your enthusiasm at this time. I am sure you are very determined to keep them. Your confidence is at its apotheosis as it should be at every New Year’s resolution time. But just right before it explodes, give a chance to decency. Based on your previous rate of keeping your resolutions, what are the odds for these new ones?
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Even if we perceive time as a continuous flow of events, originating in the past and unfolding in the future, there is another perspective, a different one, worth considering. A dual perspective delimiting just present and non-present moments. When we talk in terms of time as a flow of unfolding and concealing events, we have the triad of past-present-future. This sequential delimiting is pertaining to our relative existence, thus to our comparative reality. However, if we reorganize our attitude in the context of the existential perspective, herein considering our self developmental potential, the triad can be reduced to the duality of present and non-present. This leads to reorganization of our experience in the self-developmental context, which is the subject of today’s Vertegram post.
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Facing the absurd can become a spring-board for spiritual evolution. This was the final note on the previous post on humor. The absurd is at the root of all jokes. Even if it doesn’t seem obvious. Meeting the absurd is one essential experience that we all have to face, more or less often. The way we are able to deal with it determines how we move on the scale that takes from clarity to despair, form freeing the conscience to suffocation. We are rarely told about this cornerstone of our existential experiences, so I will try to share a few of my thoughts on this.
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As the good Colonel said, “Nobody likes a good laugh more than I do… except, perhaps my wife… and some of her friends. Oh, yes, and Captain Johnson. Come to think of it, most people like a good laugh more than I do, but that’s beside the point!” In that spirit, today we’ll have a talk on humor. On a serious blog like this one. Feels awkward, somewhat like when you need to explain a joke. You know that feeling, don’t you?
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“Realizing that you know less as you are on the way towards spiritual development.” This thought can be often heard as a proof of some sort of awakening. Although hearing it too often from the same person is – for me at least – a certain sign of standing in front of a parrot. Even if it resembles a human. Just listen more carefully for a moment and you will hear again about the extraordinary realization of not knowing. Awakening (to this) then brings conclusions on how the extraordinarily wonderful spiritual path needs to be followed from now on. “Now I see the light!” [irony]Can you see here the immanent humility and piety? The modesty of not knowing![/irony] Still, we are witnessing the birth of a new knowledge. The knowledge of where to from here. The first steps towards insanity.
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Here I will present you two simple, yet powerful techniques that will help your meditation. Both are coming from the complex methodology of Yoga. Also these two techniques are good examples of vertical thinking. The primary goal of all meditation methods is to transform the mind into a perfectly controlled instrument. Into a recipient ready to receive the flow of increased streams of consciousness. If you prefer, of higher levels of awareness. At their core, both techniques can help you stop the discursiveness of the mind.
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Should self development be considered a form of autodidacticism? How far can one go in relying on his own abilities to learn? My take here is to handle this tough questions on both levels of personal development and spiritual development. Personal development deals with the unfolding of all abilities required for a healthy personality in the current social and cultural milieu. Spiritual development deals with the essential parts of human life and being. But can autodidacticism work well for both developmental quests?
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And now for something completely different. For a few days I was away for a special kind of reunion. From my presentation page you might already know that I am a nut when it comes to great dogs, especially from the one breed called kuvasz [koov-ahs, koo-vahs]. Guess what, I even have a kuvasz stretched out right now in front of the door, on the porch. So, the reunion I was attending is an annual meeting of the kuvasz breeders and fanciers in Hungary. A rare occasion to meet special people, all in love with this outstanding dog. For those of you who haven’t heard of it, the kuvasz is an ancient Hungarian breed, a very special kind of guard dog with an amazing history of thousands of years. Not many breeds are still carrying that kind of natural force in their genes. Unfortunately the kuvasz breed is now affected by modern lifestyle plagues, being in danger of loosing its purpose, thus its millenary inheritance. Being part of the effervescence around helping the kuvasz regain its rightful place is a significant experience to me for many reasons.
Continue reading ‘The Kuvasz – A Living Symbol and Treasure’ »
