Eastern Western Mind

Written by Mathew Naismith

In my case, its Western Eastern mind, being that the Western mind is predominant over the Eastern mind. This is understandable, being that the culture I have predominantly been influenced by is Western. Look at it like this, most males (yang) are predominately inflected by male chromosomes, as most females (yin) are predominantly influenced by female; each is of its own predominance but not totally without the other.

Holistically and individually speaking, we exist within an individual existence, for each aspect of this existence has its own separate identity. At no time is any reality of individualism totally without or not also a part of the holistic existence as a whole. Being that the Eastern mind is of the collective and the Western mind being of the individual, the existence of the holistic mind is still present. To me, this Eastern holistic mind is there to balance out the Western individual mind in a reality of growing individualism.

From today's materialism to spiritualism, individualism is being expressed and taught more and more. It's primarily about benefiting your personal self over and above others. It's simply about personal growth over and above the collective growth. Of course we are taught our own personal growth will benefit the collective growth in some way in the future. This is not living in the present for the good of the collective within the present.

So by focussing more on the individual self (ego) within an individualistic reality, we are creating a more balanced peaceful existence!! Peace and tranquillity can't exist for very long in an imbalanced existence while continually focusing on the individual, especially within an individualistic reality of perceived separate identities.

It makes perfect sense to the Eastern mind that a balance of the collective is needed in a reality of individualism. Of course the Western mind is unable to comprehend this, so the Western mind, without the balance of the Eastern mind, expresses even more individualism in chaotic times of existence. This of course created more imbalances not less.

If we existed in a holistic collective perceived reality, the opposite would have to occur to reach a balanced state. More of an individual mind would be needed to be expressed to create a balanced reality but within the very present we don't need to do this, quite the opposite actually. In actuality, we need to express more of the collective mind, the Eastern mind of holistic perceptions, to balance out the present perceived reality. Of course the Western mind being what it is, about the individual self over and above all else, we do the opposite which creates even more imbalances.

Eastern mind = holistic mind + collective reality

Western mind = atomistic mind + individualistic reality

As of any well balanced relationship, only peace and tranquillity can exist.....    

If you comprehend and understand what is written here, it is most likely you are of the Eastern mind as well, even when being of and existing in a Western culture.

Some people will find the following video quite interesting.