Friday, June 12, 2009

Recovering Your Bewrongings in the Cosmic Lost & Found

When last we spoke we were wandering through the bewilderness, trying to make our way up the sacred mountain. Signs of human presence are growing increasingly sparse. Perhaps because the air is so thin, our shrunken judgment is not everything it could be and should be, because we just rashly threw our map, compass, knapsack, provisions, and troll repellant spray into the the brush. Now what?

Three apparent options present themselves: The Yes, the No, or the obliteration of their difference. "The Yes is a dictum, and the No a contra-diction." As such, "they become entangled with each other, and in the end they both lead to the abyss." The third option is to "throw yourself into the depths so that your own being and limits will shatter.... Your eyes will be opened and you will be like God."

But then you remember your buddhaflaw correction: "that you have loved your creatures' limitations and that you descended into our earthly valley to dwell here among us until the end of the world." The suspicion begins to dawn on you that the only thing many of the so-called ascenders "had encountered in their ecstasies was the masked phantom of their own nostalgia." The thought of Deepak lovingly gazing at himself in the mirror! The horror!

No, it is a certainty: "they must have been deluding themselves who pretended to know of a way that bypassed your humanity and went beyond it." Especially after Christ, human beings are the last word of evolution -- or can at least participate in the last word, the Omega. Yes, not even the distance from me to You was passable if it had not been trod in advance by You. You are the way. You are the trail guide and the trail. And the trail mix for when we get hungry.

But what kind of way is this? It seems indistinguishable from the bewilderness where we started. And yet, you say it is a Kingdom. "It is distant and not of this world and has nevertheless come close to us to dwell among us." It approaches us when we are far away from it, but seems to recede as we approach. What to do?

We are "like the bowl of an impetuous fountain, under the downpour of so many mysteries" -- mysteries of existence, of life, of consciousness, of beauty, truth, and virtue. I say "let it gush! By letting it gush you will grasp what you can, and what you can is to be a bowl for the flood."

But you must also let it flow through you, not just into you: "Open up heart and brain and do not attempt to clutch tightly," for the flow is also a kind of purification, or a defense against stagnation -- the latter of which is a lifeless accumulation of the waters where parasites breed.

Yes, this strange substance "that flows through you is precisely the meaning you seek." Could anyone have given this to you? No, of course not, because the more you let go, "the richer your wisdom becomes."

Truly, it is a bewilderness adventure: "Everything wants to bewilder you so that, out of the abundance of bewilderment, you will know the superabundance of love. Everything wants to empty you out, so that you become a hollow space for the superabundance of faith" (in my book the symbol [o]).

In your emptiness is your potential fulness. Only in your bewilderness is there the possibility of being perpetually found. In being found by You is our own finding of You; the eye with which You see us is the eye with which we see You: I once was lost but now am found / Was blind, but now I see.

Or, put it this way:

Now, if you haven't got an answer
Then you haven't got a question
And if you never had a question
Then you'd never have a problem
But if you never had a problem
Well, everyone would be happy
But if everyone was happy
There'd never be a love song
--Nilsson

In your faithful unknowing is your death, and death is the possibility of resurrection. "Everything must die in the death throes of unknowing, for it is only out of perfect impotency that the royal garment of the World Conqueror can be woven. Everything must enter this current..." Yes, some disassembly is required...

But surprise of surprises, "this movement is produced by the heartbeat of the Center, and what appeared to be a chaotic impulse is the blood circulating in the Body of the cosmic Christ." Systole -- life. Diastole -- death. But the heart keeps pumping. What, sixty or seventy times a minute into every artery and capillary of this living, breathing cosmos.

As above, so below. This body is your body, and vice versa. "In this circulation you will experience both the futility of your resistance as you put up a struggle and the power of the muscle that drives you forward." For your blood flows away from the heart, only to inevitably return after its circuitous journey, "a closed circuit of endlessly flowing love."

This is the eternal journey, is it not? Outflow and inflow, exile and reunion, expiration and inspiration. "Slowly you will master the rhythms, and you will no longer grow fearful when the Heart drives you out into emptiness and death, for then you will know that that is the shortest route to be admitted again into the fulness of delight."

As the Son was "sent away" from the Father, you repeat this journey to those "remote places" of the cosmos -- not the least of which being yourself. But the Son's going out is his coming back, and in his "fall" from heaven is his return there. It's just a round trip "to the furthest shore, where the Father is invisible and wholly hidden." The ocean's wave casts itself out to the shore, but draws everything back into its own secret heart.

All-embracing secret center of depth, the meaning of Within, the realization of Being, O first and last truth of self, knowing without knowledge all that can be unKnown: existence to the end of the beginning. --The Coonifesto

(All quoted material playgiarized from Heart of the World)

23 comments:

Joan of Argghh! said...

A lifebloodstream of consciousness.

Wonderful!

will said...

A companion poem to Nilssons's lyric:

If there is something to desire,
there will be something to regret.
If there is something to regret,
there will be something to recall.
If there is something to recall,
there was nothing to regret.
If there was nothing to regret,
there was nothing to desire.
—Vera Pavlova (b. 1963)

julie said...

Alright, since it's Friday and nobody has much to say, I'm going to veer so far off-topic it's probably contra-topic, and direct your eyes to this magnificent dissection of Letterman, via Vanderleun.

I'd comment on today's post, but I think the sub-atomic gong went off right next to my head, and my ears are still ringing.

Anonymous said...

Since is so quiet here it's time to raise some heck ~~ so I've got a question "what did Jesus said when he was a baby?" (wv sez twoot)

Theofilia

Anonymous said...

Give up yet?

"googoogaaggaaaaah" :)

Theofilia

Anonymous said...

"Recovering Your Bewrongings in the Cosmic Lost & Found"

And the Good News is that ~~ "Like a musician who has turned his lyre and, by an artistic blending of low, high and medium tones, produces a single melody, so the wisdom of God, holding the universe, adapting things heavenly to things earthly, and earthly things to heavenly, harmonizes them all and leads by his will to make one world order in beauty and harmony. (Contra Gentes par. 42)"

And why not?

"Because he is at the heart of things, it is possible to encounter God in, with and beneath life's experiences. By the Spirit, power of creation, God is closer to us than we are to ourselves."

From: Flame Of Love A Theology Of The Holy Spirit, penned by Clark H.Pinnock

Theofilia

will said...

Well . . . most people are in something of a daze (varying degrees) which, I believe, is due to a mighty conjunction between Neptune and Jupiter - and it's gonna last most of the summer.

Neptune, planet of dazes, hazes, mists, fogs, mental confusions, the unconscious, personal and collective, institutions, psychos, dreams & hallucinations,the Oceanic One-ness, etc. Marry this with Mr. Jupiter, planet of expansion, exacerbation, and what you get is Neppie on 'roids.

Watch for the seriously spaced out, the borderlines. Be extra careful in traffic.

On the other hand, watch for some genuinely poetic mystical rhapsodizing that cuts to the Truth - Bob's post today, yesterday, good examples.

Overall, it's a window for the spiritually inclined - let's take advantage! The poseurs will fall by the wayside, go nuts, in other words.

julie said...

Ah - that explains it, then. There's one heckuva draft coming through that window.

It's gonna last most of the summer? 'Cuz it's coming up on monsoon season in my neck o' the woods. I'll be expecting gale force winds, heavy thunder and lightning, flash flooding and the occasional microburst. On the plus side, things dry out quickly, when there's plenty of airflow...

will said...

Yes, it's going to be the Summer of Oceanic One-ness and/or a Slow Slog Through Infinite Murk.

Naturally, this favors the lefties who currently find themselves floating in a pink cloud of utopian goodies and opportunities. The window is way open for the deluded!

But there's a window on a wall exactly opposite the window of the deluded. So gather your yarn and cradle the cat (whatever that means) and go take a flying leap. (raise the window first)

Anonymous said...

Dang...looks like I am on line for the "slow slog through infinite murk" if the past few days are any indication.

*sigh*

Any suggestions on how to change course, or at least minimize the damage?

will said...

Anon Y. Mous -

First, these things come in mini-cycles. They'll be bad days and not-so-bad days . . in fact, there will even be good days. Or daze, whatever.

Lately, the murk is murky soup indeed. Watch for this coming Monday. Don't even leave home. You've been warned.

They'll be better days. But remember - even when your head's in the blender and the calliope music is blaring and you can't recall your social security number for the life of you . . you can still detach a tiny bit and just observe the mists that swirl within/without.

Best way to do that is to remind yourself that Suffering the Slog is part of the crucifixion. Do your part and accept it.

Van Harvey said...

Will said "and the calliope music is blaring ..."

Something wicked this way comes....

Van Harvey said...

"Yes, this strange substance "that flows through you is precisely the meaning you seek." Could anyone have given this to you? No, of course not, because the more you let go, "the richer your wisdom becomes."

Truly, it is a bewilderness adventure..."

Liquid gold...

wv:groms

hmm

julie said...

Will - that sounds like good advice. Especially since I've already pegged Monday as being full of thunderheads. To be forewarned is to have four arms, as Kelly Bundy says...

dame edith waterfowl said...

Dear me . .what a curious coincidence. I once employed a butler named "Groms". "Groms," I would say,"do fetch me the absinth", or "Groms, do drain the swamp on the northeast border of Waterfowl Manor".

Oh, I shall simply say it. Forgive me, Groms, for ordering you to drain the swamp. I swore on that day that you - or your remains, as it were - shall be retrieved someday and I stand by that pledge.

Rose Fitzbotham said...

Ah, yes, poor Groms. Do you know, I think he was trying to rescue Meduck from the drainage pipe when the suction overcame him and pulled him partially in. Of course, the pipe's bore wasn't quite big enough for all of him. But Meduck came flapping out of the swamp and into the swimming pool missing half his feathers, quacking so frantically he almost had an echo, poor thing.

By the way, how did you ever manage to install that tennis court in the midst of the swamp, Dame E? I've heard there have been some imitators recently over at Martha's Vineyard.

Noes miyob said...

Julie,

I just checked out the "magnificent dissection" you linked to up top.

Respectfully I disagree, and Heartily. 7 paragraphs of spurious conjecture only leads to a dubious and ultimately ridiculous conclusion. He may be describing someone he knows well- but that someone isn't consistent with David Letterman's public persona or the public's perception of David Letterman. In fact whoever he's describing has nothing to do with Letterman, no matter how intimate VDL is with his object.
Perhaps Letterman is to Carson what Vanderleun is to Godwin or Van is to Will or Anonymous is to you, but to metastasize VDL's one solid point (made in his opening paragraph), that's not exactly here or there regarding the subject at hand.

And Will, since I'm here:
Regarding this Monday-

I hereby decree that there are those here and everywhere who will confound all stellar efforts at bamboozling and befuddling. I, for one, will make it a point to have a bright and lucid day. So can you.

wv: contalow. Hm. You decide.

will said...

Noes, since you're there -

Well, there are those who are so perfectly deluded, so maya-slathered and in lock-step with "the times", that they live consensus-reality closed universe with rarely a ruffle. No cosmic existential dread for them, no powers & principalities gris-gris on their heads.

Bottom line: there comes a point on the spiritual road in which one opens one's self up to a variety of meta-experience both good and bad - and at this point, one can't be immune to certain influences. To be sure, one can transcend these influences through acceptance, sacrifice, etc. But that's something entirely different from the content and aim of your little declaration.

Hope I don't sound as snotty as you, but it's clear this is a dimension of experience of which you are not in the least familiar. No biggie, just stick to your realm, we'll stick to ours.

USS Ben USN (Ret) said...

This is the eternal journey, is it not? Outflow and inflow, exile and reunion, expiration and inspiration. "Slowly you will master the rhythms, and you will no longer grow fearful when the Heart drives you out into emptiness and death, for then you will know that that is the shortest route to be admitted again into the fulness of delight."

As the Son was "sent away" from the Father, you repeat this journey to those "remote places" of the cosmos -- not the least of which being yourself. But the Son's going out is his coming back, and in his "fall" from heaven is his return there. It's just a round trip "to the furthest shore, where the Father is invisible and wholly hidden." The ocean's wave casts itself out to the shore, but draws everything back into its own secret heart.

Outstanding post, Bob!
Same for yesterday's post, although I had trouble commenting due to incessant downloading of updates combined with a tireless puppy which eventually fell asleep cradled on my typing hand.

Anyhow, add to that some good old fashioned shingles and it really gets to be fun. Okay, not the shingles...that is mostly murksome (thanks Will for the very apropos word!).
And it itches hellfire. Seriously. Thankfully, it's only on my left foot.
Verily, I shall limp most graciously into that Suffering of the Slog.
And I shant leave the house on Monday.

Skully said...

Will said-

"Well, there are those who are so perfectly deluded, so maya-slathered and in lock-step with "the times", that they live consensus-reality closed universe with rarely a ruffle."

The helm is yers, Master Will!
Damn, that was beautiful!

Van Harvey said...

nose boy said "Hm. You decide." to wv: contalow.

Ok, contalow: Prisoner's candle fat.

That wv, pegs 'em every time.

noes miyob said...

Will:

Sorry to take so long to rejoind. I was at the mall with my family, watching the big screen TV in the food court. Reruns of Survivor and American Idol. Great Stuff! Then we stopped by Adventureland for a taste of the Great Outdoors on this beautiful Saturday.

Snot is in all noses, and in the eye of the beholder.

"...it's clear this is a dimension of experience of which you are not in the least familiar." (sic)

Seems you employ the same crack purse-seine research techniques as VDL. And in one respect, you are snot-on: you produced some spew from Skully, which is a sure sign you've hewn your point down to a specific target market...

I wasn't making a personal comment but if the seine fits, then aye-aye cap'n. You may be simply needing to be right, in which case you are Right where you Need To Be: in a receptive and parochial crowd. And if that's the case, consider this an amicable challenge: get out of the house on Monday of all days, and be the change...

Let me restate it in case you are able to back away from the issue somewhat: Llama spit on your broadcasted proclamation of a star-crossed Monday for all those with 3rd eyes to see. If you are so far unable to outwit the stars then think of it as a goal, not a permanent condition. I sincerely believe you are capable of that and much more. And you can take that part personally.

Respectfully sir, as it carries worth for you.

will said...

Noes - please see the Sat. post for response.

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