Written
by Mathew Naismith
I
wrote the following to further explain where I was coming from in relation to my
last post, Human Existence - A Balancing Act
"Indeed my friend, we are one
despite our differences in culture and mind. Because I am not into what is good
and bad, wrong and right, negative and positive, unlike the western mind in
control, there are no negative or positive tags in relation to the western and
eastern mind. As I will explain in my next post, both the western and eastern
mind has a vital part to play in life for they are apart of life."
Also:
"Look at this way, the western mind
most often desires to separate the physical/materiel world from the spiritual,
only desiring to be of the spiritual or material world. The eastern mind
doesn't do this as it is of oneness, a oneness that sees a connection between
the material and spiritual world in the absence of separation and division.
The western spiritual mind often determines
that the material world is unbecoming as the western mind is quite critical
within its judgement. The eastern mind isn't critical within its judgement but
simply observant of what can be improved. As it is stated, the western mind
will build upon its strengths while the eastern mind improves upon its
weaknesses. One creates balance, the other an imbalance!!"
In
all honesty, how many western minded spiritual people do you know desire to
separate the spiritual world from the material world? I really don't think
being spiritual is to do with separating one from the other more, in truth
quite the opposite. The sense of oneness to start with is the realisation that
everything is connected and of one. Yes, it is difficult while becoming
spiritually aware that the desire to feel more in harmony, secure and loving,
is more desirable over and above anything else that doesn't fulfil these
desires but we must avoid this occurring. The desire to dispel everything in
some way that isn't of what we desire to feel is quite strong.
Let's
be honest here, the western mind is going to have a far harder time of becoming
spiritually aware than the eastern mind, this is why it is wise to get to know
your eastern mind. The western mind is
perfect for getting to know the material world as the tools created to do so by
the western mind is unlimited, as the eastern mind is perfect for getting to
know the spiritual world.
Yes,
as of the eastern mind, the western mind has its place, problems only occur when
the western mind takes over from the eastern mind in all of us. Considering
that the western mind is of taking control, and the eastern mind is of
releasing ourselves of control, it is by no mistake that a predominant western
mind will take control of what the eastern mind controls. The funny thing is,
the eastern mind never works by taking control but of releasing itself from
control, within this action, the human self is released from its various
limitations that control creates.
Control
means to take power to direct or determine; to determine a result in accordance
with the control expressed thus limiting all expressions to certain variables
or values.
As
the western mind will no doubt take offence to what I am stating here, the
eastern mind won't, even when stating that the western mind is better at knowing
about the material world than the eastern mind. The eastern mind simply sees
this as something that needs to be worked on, not just something to express
disdain towards unlike the western mind that is a lot easier to offend than the
eastern mind. What is the western minds strength? Knowing about the material
world. Where is the world at, at present in relation to the eastern and western
mind? The world is obviously predominantly expressive of the western mind. What
ability does the western mind focus on the most? Its strengths while even
deliberately ignoring its weaknesses, at times at any cost!! A good example of
this is the environment we are destroying, the very thing humans rely on for
their existence. Yes, the Chinese are destroying their own environment as well,
only because they are predominately expressive of the western mind to compete in a western
minded controlled world.
So
what is a western dominated world focusing on the most? Its strengths, which is
control, power, material wealth and global dominance, etc, also, anything and
everything that doesn't pertain or is relevant to its strengths. This is why
westernised spirituality, even when based on eastern spirituality, is often
used to take more control and gain more power while in the material world. The
western spiritual mind simply primarily focuses on the spiritual is in relation
to taking more control, not what eastern spirituality is about, releasing
ourselves from control.
“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.” – Lao
Tzu
“As spiritual searchers we need to become freer and freer of
the attachment to our own smallness in which we get occupied with me-me-me.
Pondering on large ideas or standing in front of things which remind us of a
vast scale can free us from acquisitiveness and competitiveness and from our
likes and dislikes. If we sit with an increasing stillness of the body, and
attune our mind to the sky or to the ocean or to the myriad stars at night, or
any other indicators of vastness, the mind gradually stills and the heart is
filled with quiet joy. Also recalling our own experiences in which we acted
generously or with compassion for the simple delight of it without expectation
of any gain can give us more confidence in the existence of a deeper goodness
from which we may deviate. (39)” –
“Life is a balance between holding on and letting
go.” Rumi
"When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.
When I let go of what I have, I receive what I need." Tao Te Ching
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