Our Limited Brains

 There are some metaphysical questions Buddha refused to answer; whether there is a self is one of them.

"The Buddha states that it is unwise to be attached to both views of having and perceiving a self and views about not having a self. Any view which sees the self as "permanent, stable, everlasting, unchanging, remaining the same for ever and ever" is "becoming enmeshed in views, a jungle of views, a wilderness of views; scuffling in views, the agitation (struggle) of views, the fetter of views."^[Douglas W. Shrader

To the Buddha these questions provoke clinging and attachment and are traps of dualistic thinking. As his teachings are all about suffering and non attachment as an end to sufferings, the views about 'self' and 'non self' incite attachment and are best not to indulge. 

I touch the tree in my garden every morning to connect with the positive energy of nature. This morning an ant crawled onto my palm and gave me a little bite. Instinctively I blew it off onto the ground. I know the ant will find its way back to its intended destination. 

I began to reflect the world of ants or for that matter other animals like my pet cat. Animals, I am sure can think, albeit in a limited way relative to humans. Like other animal species, humans in all probability also perceive things in a limited way. So much truths have yet to be uncovered scientifically. Just like it takes centuries for humans to discover that the earth is round and not flat, there must be so much that is unknown to us. Similarly, just like my cat's brains are not meant to fathom the 'reality' that humans live in; so too the limited capacity of a human brain may not allow them to understand larger truths.

In the end each specie just tries to live well. For us humans, we will do well not being attached to the concept of self.

Directions to finding meaning in life

 Continuing my take aways from the gem of the book "Yes to Life in spite of Everything:

Directions to finding meaning in life:

• By acting (doing something), by creating
• By experiencing something-nature, art
• By Loving people and being loved

Even if the above are not possible, human beings are able to find meaning "when they take a stance toward the unalterable, fated, inevitable and unavoidable limitation of their possibilities" ie. "how they adapt to this limitation, react towards it, how they accept this fate".

The first point or direction as Frankl terms it reminds me of the Japanese term "Ikigai" literally translated as 'the reason you wake up in the morning'. No matter the type of work, the passion and mission lies in doing it well. It is even better if one is able to create a piece of work, it usually brings joy. 

The second point is quite easy to relate to. Most people would have experienced being immersed in nature, music or art which momentarily transcends oneself, catching glimpses of some bigger scheme behind one's existence.

About the third direction, Frankl explained that the purpose of existence even for an invalid is valuable. It lies in the love he has for others as well as giving an opportunity for people around him to love and care for him. I think it is like drawing out the best in other human beings.

Finally if fate has it that all the above directions are limited, Fankl believed that the stance one takes to accepting the inevitable is a purpose in itself. This is his famous quote "Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms- to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way".

Valuable Gem about meaning of life

 

Viktor Frankl, the psychiatrist who survived the Nazi labour camp said in one of his lectures:

"..now, the present, is everything; as it holds the eternally new question of life for us....As to what awaits us in the future, we don't need to know that, any more than we are able to know." 

He then shared a true story about a black man who was sentenced to life imprisonment and was being deported to Devil's Island. At sea, a fire broke out on the ship and he saved ten lives. He was subsequently pardoned. 

Frankl then said that if anyone were to ask the prisoner before he embarked on the journey whether there was any meaning in life for him, he would have shook his head.

According to Frankl asking the meaning of life has to be in the context of the here and now. He used the allegory of a reporter pointlessly asking a world chess master prior to the game what will be the best chess move. What Frankl was alluding to is one has to act according to what the moment demands, " a deed that we complete, or a work that we create ".

Once a young man challenged Frankl saying it was easy for Frankl to find meaning or purpose in work. The young man lamented that his work as an assistant tailor had no purpose or impact. Using this encounter , Frankl explained that meaning is not about what profession a person holds or where someone is in life. It is about " how he occupies his circle in life and fills his place...Whether a life is fulfilled does not depend on how great one's radius of action is, but rather only on whether the circle is fully filled out".

Frankl thinks that happiness can not be pursued, Rather it is an outcome that arises spontaneously when one pursues his duty in life.

( I am halfway through the book "Yes to Life in Spite of Everything" ). It's a Gem.

Learning to feel well again

 

There is a quote which goes like this: "One remains imprisoned by one's upbringing"

To me this statement holds truth to some extent but feel it is too conclusive. 

In a study it is found that childhood emotional health  is the strongest predictor of adult life satisfaction.  Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) affect mental and physical health well into adulthood. This is especially true when the adverse events are chronic and repeated.  The lasting impact of the traumatic childhood experiences follow the person like an albatross around his neck. 

When I attended a holistic counselling course, one of the modules taught us to connect with our inner child. First we listen attentively to the emotions of the inner child, acknowledging and accepting them. This can be through recalling childhood memories or journaling as a child. Then we imagine the adult self comforting and making the child within feel safe. We remind the inner child that the adult-self has grown up overcoming the challenges and has become stronger. The fears of childhood have passed. We can also remind the inner child that like all things, feelings are impermanent.

Maybe we can share with the inner child that great leaders have overcome such challengers.

"Remember in the depth and even the agony of despondency, that very shortly you are to feel well again" - Abraham Lincoln who suffered bouts of depression.

"My black dog seems quite away from me now-it is such a relief. All the colours come back into the picture"- Winston Churchill who spoke openly about his depression and who engaged in writing and painting to overcome it.

Yes one can learn to escape imprisonment and to feel well again.