bernie
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Joined: 11/22/2007
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Insidious, unwitting moral deterioration, according to noted historian-philosophers like Toynbee, Spengler et al., posit as being civilizations & cultures' ultimate demise, which these renowned scholars examined & perused from the beginning of time. In other words, an inward, gradual corruption, as of morals, is at the root of existential, spiritual crises.
P.W. Martin in his very remarkable book entitled Experiment in Depth refers to a great historical revelation contained in the study of History by Arnold Toynbee. He says that Arnold Toynbee's hypothesis '...is that, when a civilization comes to a time of troubles, such as we are now in, individuals here and there turn from the outer world of political and social chaos to the inner world of the psyche; there come upon a vision of a new way of life; and returning to the outer world, form the nucleus of a creative minority through which the civilization may find renewal.' ...Let us hope that the Army of the Few will gather more and more strength, and that the day may not be far away when many will find enrolment in that Army of Pioneers for the rebuilding of our civilization, for the construction of a Heaven, not away, but on the very Earth itself. - (Sri Aurobindo's Philosophy of Yoga, Boroda) The great nature poet, Wordsworth; Suzuki, the eminent Zen expert; and the Gospels all agree that one has to become like a child again in order to see into the nature of things, and to live in the essence without masks. Whether it's Zen or mysticism the purpose is to merge one's self beyond contradictions, e.g., existential dichotomies (time-space, life-death, body-mind) or subject-object split. Obviously, this dynamic, receptive method (fusion-knowledge) can be extremely useful for scientists, artists, and psychologists to gain empathic ('in-feeling') or experiential inner-knowledge. But how does one go about attaining this fusion? Unlike the child the adult has to acquire a Taoistic or contemplative approach, i.e., to be still, to listen, to see what people and things are really trying to say, tuning in with the third ear as well. Children are much more adept at this - at looking, at listening in an absorbed and selfless way...a form of nonactive, noninterfering witnessing and savoring...the experience happens instead of it being made to happen...it is in certain instances a path to more reliable and veridical cognition. This, for instance, may be called 'surrender' which is an extremely complex notion for grownups to understand, much less accomplish. Therefore, before one can become truly objective one must overcome constricting subjectivity (greed [Buddism's cardinal sin], narcisscism, nationalism - group narcisscism); and, paradoxically, one must become completely empty in order to become completely filled - enter into the spirit of the object, into the nous (Mind) of the world. It is said that Henri Matisse looked at an object which he intended to paint for weeks, even for months, until its spirit began to move him, to urge him, even to threaten him, to give it an expression. - (D.T. Suzuki, Mysticism: Christian and Buddhist) Suzuki says this is what is meant for the subject to be lost in the object, Buddhists call this 'Emptiness', the philosophy of Self-identity, of suchness (sunyata) which is also the essence of creativity and mysticism, of transforming ego-centered love into something universal, i.e., love of God, the stranger, for mankind. Spiritual poverty can be related to 'emptiness' and it is necessary to become completely empty before you can become completely filled (Creative Void, Wealthy) by overcoming one's greed, one's individual and group narcisscism. And, in essence, the history of man, of consciousness, is following this development towards One Man, One World, One Language, when all people, all nations will function in greater harmony, peace and understanding. But to achieve this we necessarily have to overcome all symbiotic submissive ties of blood and soil - smash the idols - defy the gods - and get to the root, the heart, the very core of our nature as human beings which is the real problem and crisis and, ultimately, the only revolution.
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