SUBLIME
LEARNING: LEARNING FOR WISDOM
University of
Western Sydney
Sublime
learning is learning to live in harmony
with the dynamics of The Universal - the
energies and forces, whose ceaseless
interplay sustains the continuum and integrity of the existential
wholeness.
Every human being is an embodiment of these energies and forces; they
manifest
their limitless potentials through each of us. While endowed with
ability to be
conscious about ourselves, we can be aware of them working inside us
and
supporting our physical activities, as well as the emergence and
interaction of
our emotions and feelings, thoughts and ideas, spiritual beliefs,
dreams and
aspirations. Once aware of them, we are able to learn how to harness
and ride
their inexhaustible power so as to use it for the growth of our
consciousness.
The
dimensions of human life reflect and express
the dimensions of existence. As far as the existence is timeless: it
has always
been, is,
and will always be, human life must also have timeless dimensions -
dimensions
that do not perish at the physical end of one's life; we refer to them
as aeonic dimensions
(from the
Greek word aionios
meaning "eternal").
For the great
thinkers in Ancient Greece, like
Pythagoras, Socrates and Plato, as well as for many other thinkers who
lived at
different places in the ancient world, it was clear: if
one cannot reveal anything in life that is beyond death, such life
seems
futile. All the lifelong efforts, which one earnestly applies to learn
and grow
in intelligence seem completely senseless, if death is empowered to
destroy
instantly and forever the fruits of these efforts. Nature has endowed
the human
beings with self-consciousness - a
sublime capacity to be aware of the unfolding of their lives, to be
able to
explore the dynamics - the energies, forces, changes and
transformations, which
drives this unfolding, to recognize, control and apply the gigantic
self-sustaining power of these dynamics; it is hard to believe that
such a
unique capacity, created through millions of year of evolution, can
annihilate
with the disintegration of the material composition of the body.
The
ancient thinkers were convinced:
the human beings are exponents of something greater, something that
expands
beyond physical plane of existence. But they understood also that the
emergence
of genuine insights about aeonic dimensions of life needs preparation
demanding persistent
efforts on
behalf of the individual; it is the individual alone who is responsible
for his
or her own life - for exploring, understanding and managing its
unfolding.
Nobody can live or understand another's life.
The thinkers
of the Ancient Greece considered
human soul and spirit as the bearers of aeonic dimensions of life.
Plato's
conviction on spiritual nature of soul and its immortality was as
unshaken as
Socrates's. The soul, according to Plato,
has three
projections: the rational, which resides in the head; the irascible
(the seat
of courage), which resides in the heart; and the appetitive (the seat
of
desire), which resides in the abdomen. Socrates considered human soul
as
possessed of latent knowledge, which could be brought out and
elucidated by a
special kind of inquiry that Socrates called maieutic (from the Greek
word maieuticus meaning
"midwifery") - an inquiry into the depths of one's
innermost nature. His appeal "Know Thyself!" was (and is) a behest for
those
who strive to grasp the enigmas of life. For Aristotle, the
soul was thought
to be the essence of the whole living body;
without
soul the body is only potentiality, and it is the soul that activates
this
potentiality.
Sublime
learning is coherent with
the legacy of the ancient thinkers: it is only through learning
about ourselves
that we can develop awareness about the aeonic essence of our
lives.
We are the
bearers of this essence; it constantly expresses through the events of
our own
experiences. In parallel with the sharpening of our ability
to:
-
see what unites the experiential
events,
-
recognize similar or repetitive
patterns in their unfolding, and
-
discover the rhythm in which the
discovered patterns emerge, dissolve and re-appear,
we
move towards understanding the
aeonic essence
hidden beyond the outward manifestation of life, the aeonic
source
that
energizes the life dynamics, and the aeonic centre
that each
life trajectory can be consciously connected with, if its 'owner'
endeavour
this to happen.
In
his book "Creative meditation",
Govinda says: "what we call eternal is not an infinite duration of time
(which
is mere a thought-construction unrelated to any experience) but the
experience
of timelessness" (Govinda,
1977). Sublime learning is learning to experience timelessness, to fill
in our
minds and hearts with the soulful 'oceanic' feeling of being at-one
with the
self-propelling dynamics of existence, at-one with everything that
is.
Such deep
experience of timelessness may happen only when one succeeds in
dissolving the
boundaries between oneself (where the ego is the boss) and the
universe, when
one stops to see oneself as a mere mortal entity disconnected from the
aeonic
existential rhythm, but a 'fractal' of the whole, in other words: to
experience
oneself as one actually is:
aeonic microcosm of the
all-embracing existential infinitum of The Universal.
Similarly
to
Plato's projections of human soul,
the aeonic dimensions have three projections on the physical body:
mental (in
the head), emotional (in the heart) and physical (in the gut). What
unites them
and keeps them work or, as Aristotle said, "activates their potentials"
is the
soul; what can connect them with the aeonic essence of The
Universal is the
spirit. In the
framework of sublime learning, the words "soul" and "spirit" are
beyond definition; they are used to denote something essential in
us, something central for our humanness, something vital for energizing
our
life journey, despite the knowledge that at the last stop of this
journey the
death will swallow all the three physical projections of the aeonic
essence of
life. Sublime
learning liberates us from the fear of death, as it illuminates ways to
connect
ourselves with something which is beyond death.
Sublime
learning can be seen as learning to
transform knowledge into wisdom. We acquire and generate knowledge
through our
minds, but minds are not enough to lead us on the way to wisdom. Mind
can be
easily trapped in dogmas and prejudices, distracted by transient
desires,
entrained into realization of selfish goals, manipulated and
brainwashed by
those who possess economic and political power in society. It is the
human mind
that is embodied in today's advanced technologies for mass destruction,
for
killing one another in never-ending wars and bloodsheds. The capacity
of mind
to rationalize, however developed it might appear, cannot help us deal
with the
ecological and social crises of our days - crises, which according to
some
researchers, irreversibly point towards self-destruction of humanity.
Unlike
knowledge, wisdom thrives on the synergy
of the mortal triad body-mind-heart with the aeonic tandem soul-spirit,
where
the latter (no matter that it lacks explanation of the scientific
experts) is
central for
our existence. In Hindu scriptures the thinker refers to
the soul-spirit tandem as "the
unseen seer, the unheard hearer, the
unthought thinker, the unknown knower, The Eternal
in which
life is woven and which is woven in it". Wisdom weaves
together in the living body
of the individual the logic of mind and the passion of heart with the
longings
of soul and the might of spirit, and thus helps him or her move beyond
the
physical limitations of the body
In
today's society, learning is
primarily directed towards acquisition of various kinds of expert
knowledge
aimed at decision-making and solving problems. This type of learning is
centred
in mind (conceptual knowledge) and body (practical skill), and
crucially
depends on development of learners' ability to think in a rational way,
to
analyse and synthesise, to extract and study cause-and-effect
relationships, to
generate hypotheses and test them experimentally, to draw out logical
conclusions and master skills for performing certain actions.
The
processes of design,
implementation, development and innovation of ever-increasing in number
and
diversity artificial systems require a great deal of expert knowledge
and
therefore the educators in society keep busy packing and spreading it.
The deeper
we immerse ourselves in this type of knowledge, the narrower becomes
the niche
for researching ourselves, the less able we are to hear and understand
the
subtle voice of our inner nature and distinguish it from the roaring
noises
coming from outside. The majority of people have lost their ability to
decipher
the messages, which the every-day events of their experiences convey to
their
hearts and souls, or the symbols of The Universal,
described
and interpreted in the sacred books of the ancient
thinkers.
When experts
and authorities interpret our
reality for us, it becomes easy for people to "bury their navigational
equipment that allows them to move authentically through life"
(Somerville,
2004).
As
long as the process of education
in society is under the surveillance of The Establishment, it resembles
a scientifically
informed brainwash,
which instead of stimulating humans' urge to wisdom, teaches
them how to better fit into the requirements of the Establishment, to
follow
its rules and remain mesmerized by all kinds of meaningless images and
dreams
for consumption-centred happiness.
Learners,
who blindly follow the
instructions of The Establishment and contribute in its perpetuating
and
reinforcing, can never become wise.
Without
being aware of and protecting oneself
from the destructive and delusive influences of society, one cannot
trigger
transformation of knowledge into wisdom.
Sublime
learning requires from us vigilance both
to be in and not to belong to society:
-
to
be in society in order to learn how to help those who suffer from
ignorance,
delusion, social injustice and suppression, how to express compassion,
gratitude and unconditional love, how to act so as to sustain the life
and
harmony in nature;
-
not
to belong to society when it tries to involve us manipulation and
delusion,
consumption and meaningless entertainment, mediocrity and pursuit of
transient
"socially awarded' achievements, which either evaporate immediately
when we die
or are used by the social elite for strengthening its suppressive
power.
When being
aware and protecting ourselves from
the destructive and delusive influence of society, we gradually grasp
the
impotence of society to acquire and radiate wisdom. At the same time,
by
creating obstacles for the individual to comprehend The
Universal, society
provides
perfect opportunities for sublime learning to those who can see and
realize
these opportunities: it is in society where the strength of one's
individual
mind and will is constantly tested, and where the genuineness of one's
compassion and tolerance, empathy and love, honesty and courage
undergoes its
ultimate ordeal (Dimitrov, 2003; p. 182).
The
Universal
is the
macrocosm of The Individual
and refers to the all-embracing
existential infinitum. Being without boundaries in space and time, it
includes
all that exist in the universe at all the levels (scales) of its
manifestation
- from quarks to galaxies. At any level, The Universal
exercises
its self-organizing - self-creative, self-sustaining and
self-destructive
dynamics repeated in endless rhythmic patterns of emergence, unfolding
(blossoming), enfolding and implosion. In the wholeness of the
existential
dynamics, where everything moves - arises, sustains, disappears and
re-emerge,
must be a centre - an essence
that holds all the dynamics in an
unbreakable unity (Bohm,
1980). As the existential dynamics have always been, are, and will
always be,
their uniting centre or essence is aeonic
- non-temporal, permanent,
eternal.
However
uncertain the human
knowledge about the nature of the all-pervading existential continuum,
today's
science assumes that the wholeness of the universe, at its macro level,
represents a gigantic galactic spiral - a kind of multidimensional
whirlpool
(vortex). One can imagine the infinity of the existential continuum
consisting
of countless number of galactic spirals; the centre of each spiral
mirrors and
relates to the centre of a larger one, in a similar way as the centre
of our
solar system mirrors and relates to the centre of our galaxy, and the
centre of
our galaxy - to the centre of a larger 'mega-galaxy', and so on ad
infinitum.
The
human embryo also develops as a
kind of living spiral centred in the navel through which the umbilical
cord
passes to connect the embryo with the organism of the mother. In this
sense,
our bodies represent symbols - iconographic miniatures - of The
Universal.
The
circulation of blood in the human body sustained by the rhythm of heart
symbolizes the circulation of the planets and galaxies sustained by the
rhythm
of their energizing sources. In the ancient Chinese books of wisdom,
human hair
symbolizes the stars in the sky, the eyes symbolize the sun, and the
spine
symbolizes the axes supporting the motion of the planets and the
cosmos.
In
the same way as the whirlpools in
the water and the tornadoes in the atmosphere are sustained by
self-created
forces emerging at the centre of their swirling dynamics, the
existential
spiral of The Universal
is sustained by self-created forces at the
centre of its vortical dynamics. One can recognise the work of these
forces in
the blossom of a flower and in the waves of the ocean, in the pulsation
of a
simple cell and in the beats of our hearts, in the rhythm of our
breathing and
in the rhythm of the cycles of the solar activity.
According
to Govinda, "it is not
important whether we are finite or infinite, mortal or immortal, but
whether we
consciously identify ourselves with the infinite and imperishable or
with the
finite, transient and ephemeral" (Govinda, 1977). Human body, ego and
mind are
finite - the body disintegrates and together with it the ego and mind
cease to
exist.
Is
it not wiser then to consciously
identify ourselves with the aeonic source (centre, engine) of the
self-sustained energies and forces, which keep the integrity of the
existential
wholeness, rather than with our bodies, egos and minds?
This
is not an impossible task. As
we already mentioned in the Introduction, each human being
is
already
connected with The Universal:
human dynamics form a specific
level in the vortical dynamic structure of the existential wholeness.
The
challenge is to be consciously aware of this connection and make it
work in the
span of one's physical life.
Without
being aware of and
consciously centring one's life trajectory in aeonic source of the
existential
wholeness, one cannot trigger transformation of knowledge into
wisdom
To
centre one's life in the
ever-operating engine of The Universal
means to constantly explore
the aeonic dimensions of existence as manifested in one's own
experience of
life. The immensity of these dimensions can be grasped only
through symbols. The author uses sun as a symbol underlying the
experiencing of his connectedness with the life sustaining source and
centre of The Universal; when watching and meditating on
sacred solemnity of the sunrise and the sunset every single day, one
can feel and 'vibrate' with the aeonic pulse of the self-propelling
existenceial rhythm (Dimitrov,
1996).
The 'energy
level' of our inner potentials,
expressed through the level of development of our awareness
(consciousness,
vigilance, sensitivity) must be high enough in order to make sublime
learning
possible. How can we heighten the level of our awareness and thus
saturate our
inner potentials with creative energy?
The ancient
techniques of concentration and
meditation significantly contribute to this endeavour. When learnt
under
guidance of advanced masters and practiced persistently, these
techniques
result in emergence of inspiring creative insights and help
practitioners
experience their connectedness with the inexhaustible life-sustaining
source of
creative energy of The Universal.
(1)
Practicing the techniques of inward
concentration and meditation is the first necessary condition for
sublime
learning
As we pointed
out in the Introduction, knowledge is
always under control of mind, and mind is
susceptible to delusion, manipulation and brainwashing. Mind is
overcome by the
illusion of identification with the ego,
as the primary goal of mind is to protect the individual's ego and
satisfy its
appetite for recognition and power, as well as for experiencing comfort
and
pleasures. Mind looks at reality through the lens how to better serve
the ego
and to respond to its constantly emerging desires and ambitions. The
deeper
one's mind immerses in egoism, the lesser one's ability to see and
experience
reality in its vibrant wholeness.
When
aware of the traps of the ego
and determined to avoid them, one is on the way to destroy the dominant
power
of the ego over mind (Brunton,
1989). This leads to a release of significant amount of energy which,
when
embodied in altruistic actions of the individuals, stimulates their
growth in wisdom.
With
a deeper understanding of
ourselves, the motivating factor for our reactions to the injustice,
oppression
and exploitation in sociaty are no more hatred and vengeance, but
pursuit of
truth and equity, as well as readiness to help those who suffer from
the social
injustice.
The
changes we create in our inner
dynamics are able to trigger changes in our environment. A heart full
of love
evokes love in the hearts of the others; a mind full of good will
brings forth
constructive changes in the life of community; a soul full of
inspiration
radiates inspiration the souls of others. We can bring peace and
harmony in the
world around only if we have them in ourselves. The opposite is also
true - a
stressful and tensed personality emanates stress and tension; an
ignorant mind
cannot help those who seek understanding and wisdom.
Love
expressed genuinely and
illuminated by the spirit of a loving and caring person creates
miracles: flows
of energy, for the nature of which the science has no explanation,
generously
pour in the heart of this person and re-vitalize her or his body, mind
and
soul. In one of his wonderful poems devoted to love, Rumi
wrote:
"Love is the energizing elixir of the universe, the cause and effect of
all
harmonies".
When
the thoughts and feelings are
saturated with genuine unconditional love - the kind of love that the
creative
forces of nature exercise towards all what they bring into life, - the
mind is
free from the selfish grasp of the ego, and the destructive and
delusive
influences of society cannot enter one's heart to suffocate the waves
of inspiration
it radiates.
The
ecstatic experience of one-ness
with the creative power of nature, which love evokes, can be compared
with the
bliss experienced in a state of deep meditation
(3)
Genuinely experienced
unconditional love is the third necessary condition for sublime
learning.
Love
illuminated by genuine spiritual
aspirations and faith is no only the most powerful catalyst for sublime
learning, but it has the power to reveal to an immersed-in-love heart
the light
radiating from the aeonic dimensions of human life.
Although
invisible, the aeonic
forces of soul sustain the integrity of our bodies, inject inspiration
in our
thoughts and feelings, keep us connected with the rhythm of the
universe
through the pulsations of every single cell, fill our lives with
mysterious
coincidences (synchronicities) and happenings, design our dreams when
we sleep
and create unique phenomena in our experience which science of today is
helpless to explain
Human
hearts and souls are open to
feel and experience the limitless power of the spirit. The way to
nurture it is
through spiritual practices free from pre-imposed religious
dogmas.
(4)
Nurturing the spirit is the
forth necessary condition for sublime learning.
When
learning to understand an
unknown object (a phenomenon, a process, an experiential event), we try
to move
beyond the fuzziness (uncertainty, vagueness, ignorance) of what we
know (or do
not know) about this object using the findings of other researchers and
our own
exploration.
If
we explore ourselves, we rely on
our own knowledge about ourselves to move beyond the fuzziness imbedded
in this
knowledge. And there is no other way to move beyond the fuzziness,
except by
using our own knowledge, that is, the knowledge characterized by the
same
degree of fuzziness. So the process of understanding ourselves,
which is at
the core of sublime learning, is a process of realisation of a
self-referential
procedure
- a
'bootstrapping' of fuzziness, that is, pulling of fuzziness from
one's knowledge by its own bootstraps and moving from one level of
one's
understanding and knowing to another level (presumably, higher than the
level
from where the fuzziness moves). The challenge is to create
conditions,
which facilitate this bootstrapping.
The
ability of learners to create
conditions for fuzziness 'to pull itself by its own bootstraps' mirrors
the
degree up to which they have succeeded in subliming their knowledge
into
wisdom. The higher this degree, that is, the deeper and broader one's
understanding (knowing, experiencing, thinking, feeling) the more
'energetic',
active and flexible is the fuzziness and it is easier for the learner
to make
it move and change - shrink or expand, accelerate or slow, 'harden' or
'soften',
transform and transcend (Dimitrov
and Hodge,
2002). By exploring the fuzziness -
its sources, causes and factors affecting its resilience, one is able
to find
out how to activate its bootstrapping.
When
we say that fuzziness of our
knowledge has moved to another level, this means that our understanding
has
moved to another level also, and what seemed fuzzy and incomprehensible
for us
at the level, from where fuzziness has pulled itself, has become clear
and
comprehensible. Of course, this does not mean that there is no more
fuzziness,
that we have won the battle with it and succeeded in extinguishing it
once and
for all from our consciousness. Fuzziness is still 'alive' at each new
level of
our understanding: full of vigour and potential to become denser or
expand
wider. One can call the new level 'higher' or 'deeper', it does not
matter;
what matters is that in the process of learning one's understanding has
become
deeper, that the limitations imposed by fuzziness at one stage of the
process
of learning have been transcended. The learner will soon encounter the
limitations that another kind of fuzziness imposes. These limitations
challenge
us to persist in our learning: to continue exploring fuzziness further
and
testing the degree of development of our wisdom, while trying to make
fuzziness
'bootstrap' agai.
The
more the learners know about
themselves, the greater the chance for them to trigger sublimation of
knowledge
into wisdom. As we mentioned in the previous sections, the emphasis of
sublime
learning is on exploring ourselves.
Human
nature is full of enigmas and
paradoxes. Therefore the knowledge, which we have about ourselves, is
fuzzy
(uncertain, unknown, vague). Sublime learning does not try to
eliminate
the fuzziness from it. To eliminate fuzziness would be equivalent not
only to
stop learning but also to distort our ability to perceive, experience,
think,
feel, understand, know, aspire, dream and act, as the uncertainty is
inseparable from each and all of these vital processes for human
existence.
Through
sublime learning we try to
create (seed, facilitate) conditions for fuzziness to pull itself from
our
knowledge about specific aspects of our nature and thus to facilitate,
energize, strengthen, broaden and deepen our understanding of these
aspects.
Below
is a heuristic methodology for
creating such conditions. It contains three main phases
First Phase:
Preparation
This
phase includes application of
technique(s) for honing individual awareness of the learner through
exerting volitional
efforts,
that is, efforts supported by the power of one's mind and will, for an
overall
strengthening of individual capacity for perception, experiencing,
sensing,
thinking, intuiting, knowing. Example of such kind of techniques
are the
techniques of relaxation and concentration, combined with practices
oriented
towards triggering sublimation of knowledge into wisdom:
-
being aware of and protecting
ourselves from the destructive and delusive influences of The
Social
on The
Individual
-
keeping consciously connected with
the inexhaustible source of the life-sustaining forces of The
Universal
- mastering the techniques of
concentration and mediattion
- minimizing the power of the selfish ego
over mind
- experience and realization of unconditional love
- nurturing the
spirit.
This
phase pursues a careful
exploration of the sources, nature, dynamics, causes and effects of
fuzziness
imbedded in learners' understanding (experiencing, thinking, feeling,
knowing)
of various aspects of their nature. It includes two
stages:
(1)
Identification
of what
appears fuzzy (uncertain) to the learners in the exploration of certain
aspects
of their nature. This is also a stage of inquiring into the research
findings
of other authors who have explored similar aspects, as well as studying
the
ancient wisdom.
(2)
Concentration:
applying
volitional efforts for focusing and channelling individual awareness on
what
has been identified as fuzzy. This is a process of self-finding
(self-discovery). The learner goes deeper into various experiences
related to
the studied aspects and interprets (makes meanings) of these
experiences
Third Phase:
Transformation
During
this phase the learner tries
to create conditions facilitating the bootstrapping of fuzziness and
withdrawing its limitations from learner's capacity to understand
(think, feel,
experience, know) the studied aspects of one's own nature. It includes
three
stages:
(1)
Meditation:
exerting
holistic, body-mind-soul 'efforts', which are non-volitional
(not
controlled by one's mind or will) but rather meditative
('let-it-go') experiences of calmness, peace and integrity, which bring
forth
inner clarity in the learner's knowledge. It is in the light of this
clarity
where the fuzziness related to the studied aspects of the learner's
nature
'burns-out', dissolves, becomes transcended
(2)
Mental Verification:
This phase
deals with the question: Is the identified fuzziness transcended
(dissolved)? If
the answer is "no", the methodology is applied again
from the beginning with a special reinforcement of the preparatory
phase and
also of the stage (2.2). If the answer is "yes", one can move
to the next stage
(3)
Contemplation:
This phase
deals with the following questions: What has become clear for the
learner as
a result of transcending the fuzziness? Did a new meaning emerge, a new
insight? What kinds of thoughts, behaviours and actions did the
achieved
clearness evoke (stimulate, impede, sustain, lead to)?
It
is important to underline that
when applying the described methodology, the learner does not fight
with
fuzziness in order to eliminate or reduce it, but rather
interacts
with it.
The phases 1 and 2 help learners initiate creative 'whirlpools' in the
space of
their thinking, feeling and experiencing. In the process of sharpening
their
awareness (stage 2.2), while integrating the experiential streams of
their own
explorations with the knowledge and experiences of the other explorers,
the
learner tries to centre the created whirlpools. The phase 3 is where
the forces
emerging out the whirlpools become so intensive that the learner is
able to
capture some subtle and yet perceivable signals announcing emergence of
creative insights or new discoveries.
Example 3
Our knowledge
about the phenomenon of death is
saturated with fuzziness (uncertainty, ignorance). Let us apply the
above
methodology for expanding our understanding of this
phenomenon.
The
first stage of the Phase of
Exploration reveals that the source of fuzziness in our knowledge of
death is
in the lack of our own experience of this phenomenon. What intensifies
this
fuzziness, what makes it dense and depressive is our fear that the
death will
put an end of our individualities, of our egos with all their
achievements,
acquisitions, aspirations and dreams.
In
the second stage of the Phase of
Exploration we concentrate on different views about death and how do
they
affect the fuzziness of our knowledge. We read and contemplate on what
the
ancient thinkers said about death (particularly, in the Ancient Egypt
and
Tibet), what has been written about death by researchers involved in
diverse
scientific and religious inquiries. We explore different ideas
articulated by
people involved in various spiritual practices and particularly by
indigenous
people. We read what different philosophers and mystics share about
death,
consciousness, existence, spirituality, immortality. We remember
novels, poems
and essays, as well as movies, plays, pictures, orchestral compositions
and
songs - all related to human death or immortality.
The
Phase of Transformation is where
we meditate and contemplate on what we have read and listened, on our
own
experience with people who died in our presence. The thoughts and
feelings
emerging out of the processes of meditation and contemplation offer
insights
from within the dynamics of fuzziness of our own ideas and emotions
related to
death. They help us clarify that it is the separate individual ego that
fears
mostly from the approaching death. If there were not a separate ego,
there
wouldn't be reasons for fear: why should we think that the death is a
fearful
experience when we never had it? It is obvious that one cannot do
anything in
order to save the material substance of the body (there is absolutely
no
fuzziness about this!), but maybe one can succeed in dissolving the
individual
ego before the moment of death.
We
mediate and contemplate also on
those conditions of life, which could help us dissolve the power of the
individual ego over mind. What kind of behaviour, what kind of mental,
emotional and spiritual efforts are required from us in order to
transcend the
limits of the separate individual consciousness and unite with the
source of
forces sustaining the eternity of the existential wholeness? In the
same way as
our planet Gaya is a living organism, the whole universe also breathes
and
evolves. Is not the consciousness that each of us is endowed with
through the
evolutionary impetus of the universe created and sustained by the
energies and
forces responsible for the timeless integrity of the existential
wholeness? Of
course, it is! Can we expand our consciousness and become at-one with
the
existential wholeness? Then there would be no separate individual ego
and
therefore there would be nobody to die. Of course, we can, because we
are
the
existential wholeness and embody in us its transformative power. Both
the life
and death are manifestations of this eternal power. As long as it
exists (and
it never ceases to exist), we exist also. The mental verification of
this kind
of insights places the second necessary condition (for transforming
knowledge
into wisdom) in a much broader context: how to liberate our entire
consciousness from the power of the ego. At the final stage of the
Third Phase
we emphasize again the crucial importance of meditation as leverage for
advancing
on the road to wisdom.
Brunton,
P. (1989) The
Notebook of Paul Brunton,
NY: Larson Publication
Bohm,
D. (2002) Wholeness
and Implicate Order,
London: Routledge
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V. (1996) Dialogues with Sun, Internet
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http://www.zulenet.com/VladimirDimitrov/pages/dialogueswithsun.html
Dimitrov,
V. (2002) Introduction to
Fuzziology, in Fuzzy
Logic: A Framework for the New Millennium (eds.
Dimitrov, V. and Korotkich, V.), NY:
Physica Verlag
Dimitrov, V. (2003) A
New Kind of Social Science: Study of
Self-organization of Human Dynamics,
Morrisville: Lulu Press
Dimitrov,
V. and Hodge, B. (2003) Social
Fuzziology: Study of Fuzziness of Social Complexity, NY:
Springer
Govinda,
L. (1976) Creative Meditation
and
Multidimensional Consciousness, Adyar (Iindia): TPH
Jung,
C. (1970) Civilization
in Transition
(The Collected Works of C. G. Jung, vol. 10) Princeton University
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R. (2004) Yoga - An
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