From: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of curtisdeltablues Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 8:17 PM To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: Witnessing, was: Steve Martin of Wilmington
<snip> Answer to Rick's post: Me: > >I think your example illustrates that > the usefulness of these states is context dependent. In a situation > like you mentioned, a detached silence is a real asset. But I believe > that this state is not useful for making love. > Rick: > Our difference is that you regard these states as relative perspectives, > whereas I regard them as openings to universal realities. That makes sense, > since you doubt the existence of subtler realities. Me: I had to give this some thought. Although I am not sure about the terms "universal", or "subtler realties", I do recognize the limits of our senses and cognitive abilities to appreciate the full range of possible reality. We are guaranteed to be only catching a slice of life. Both objective reality and the capabilities of our minds are filled with mystery and untapped potential. What I am skeptical about is that ancient cultures have already figured all this out given their religious biases. I believe we need to add the insights from the ancient texts into the pot of modern thought and not take any of them as automatically authoritative. It is a given for me that ancient cultures were as full of nonsense as wisdom and that we might be in a better position to sort the two out today. I agree with most everything you wrote. And the above paragraph encapsulates it. Andrew Cohen talks a lot about breaking fresh ground – respecting the ancient cultures but not regarding them as utopias to which we must return… taking the best they have to offer and blending it with modern understandings. Sorry I can’t come up with an adequate response just now. I’m getting sleepy and have been up since before 5 this morning. Gotta turn it. No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.21.1/1300 - Release Date: 2/26/2008 7:50 PM
