Congratulations on receiving your box of recently published books. Simply making the phrase "intellectual intuition" current in the philosophical environment of empiricism, positivism, physicalism, and literary deconstruction is a game changer and an accomplishment in itself. And that is before even opening the book.
Thanks for the comment. This is a good point. Intellectual intuition is challenging noton for any physicalist theory of the mind. THis view would undercut the basis for a fully materialist science and ontology--which I set out to accomplish in this book. It also challenges every social constructionist theory that displaces essentialism as a key element in cognition.
The scope of your analysis takes my breath away. "...being as prior to existence... suggests that existence is not wholly contingent nor coextensive with every possibibility implicit in being." Yes! (So much more may be found within these words than meets the eye.)
Pranam Ken, So glad you left the cave to share this wonderful tale transporting the ancient rishi to all of us crossed eyed moderns. It's a rare delight to find such good Advaita told in so lovely a narrative
Loved the Yama allusions and the underlying insights. My only comment is that I think we need to pay much more attention to one of the most widely accepted scientific theories - the theory of evolution by natural selection - when trying to understand how and why our human brains generate our sensations, emotions and thoughts. Whatever else we might be, as human persons, we are social primates who have evolved from more primitive biological organisms. We need to understand the process of spiritual transformation, I think, as a movement away from the automatic expression of our human biological programming - including the instinctive behavioural patterns predicted and described by evolutionary psychology. Also as a movement towards our experience of the underlying nature of consciousness itself - as ( by way of a possible starting point) intentionality, creative freedom and connectedness. Thanks again !
I found your description of the meditation process very clear and insightful - so many thanks. I particularly loved the fact that your description focussed on what you actually "did" and what you actually "experienced" - rather than on the particular religious ideas we often use in attempting to understand what is happening in contemplative practice. By focussing on the actual techniques and the actual experiences, I think, we can begin to lay the groundwork for a more universal way of understanding what is happening in contemplative practice. A way of understanding, perhaps, that is consistent with modern ideas about the nature of consciousness and the nature of a human person as a biological organism which has evolved through a process of natural selection from more simple organisms.
Is a very exciting time to be engaging in contemplative practice - and many thanks !
Thank you for your generous and insightful comment! It is a great time for contemplative practice because by doing so, we are seeding a more spiritual future for the planet.
A graceful poem that captures the aesthetics of New England Transcendentalism. I particularly like the phrase "westering sun" which takes what we noramlly treat as with a noun or adjective and turns it into a verb. Maybe all things should be described in verbs.
Loved the Yama allusions and the underlying insights. My only comment is that I think we need to pay much more attention to one of the most widely accepted scientific theories - the theory of evolution by natural selection - when trying to understand how and why our human brains generate our sensations, emotions and thoughts. Whatever else we might be, as human persons, we are social primates who have evolved from more primitive biological organisms. We need to understand the process of spiritual transformation, I think, as a movement away from the automatic expression of our human biological programming - including the instinctive behavioural patterns predicted and described by evolutionary psychology. Also as a movement towards our experience of the underlying nature of consciousness itself - as ( by way of a possible starting point) intentionality, creative freedom and connectedness. Thanks again !
Congratulations on receiving your box of recently published books. Simply making the phrase "intellectual intuition" current in the philosophical environment of empiricism, positivism, physicalism, and literary deconstruction is a game changer and an accomplishment in itself. And that is before even opening the book.
Thanks for the comment. This is a good point. Intellectual intuition is challenging noton for any physicalist theory of the mind. THis view would undercut the basis for a fully materialist science and ontology--which I set out to accomplish in this book. It also challenges every social constructionist theory that displaces essentialism as a key element in cognition.
The scope of your analysis takes my breath away. "...being as prior to existence... suggests that existence is not wholly contingent nor coextensive with every possibibility implicit in being." Yes! (So much more may be found within these words than meets the eye.)
Pranam Ken, So glad you left the cave to share this wonderful tale transporting the ancient rishi to all of us crossed eyed moderns. It's a rare delight to find such good Advaita told in so lovely a narrative
Thanks for the appreciative comment--coming from a true advaitavadin makes it even more apreciated!
Loved the Yama allusions and the underlying insights. My only comment is that I think we need to pay much more attention to one of the most widely accepted scientific theories - the theory of evolution by natural selection - when trying to understand how and why our human brains generate our sensations, emotions and thoughts. Whatever else we might be, as human persons, we are social primates who have evolved from more primitive biological organisms. We need to understand the process of spiritual transformation, I think, as a movement away from the automatic expression of our human biological programming - including the instinctive behavioural patterns predicted and described by evolutionary psychology. Also as a movement towards our experience of the underlying nature of consciousness itself - as ( by way of a possible starting point) intentionality, creative freedom and connectedness. Thanks again !
Hi Kenneth,
I found your description of the meditation process very clear and insightful - so many thanks. I particularly loved the fact that your description focussed on what you actually "did" and what you actually "experienced" - rather than on the particular religious ideas we often use in attempting to understand what is happening in contemplative practice. By focussing on the actual techniques and the actual experiences, I think, we can begin to lay the groundwork for a more universal way of understanding what is happening in contemplative practice. A way of understanding, perhaps, that is consistent with modern ideas about the nature of consciousness and the nature of a human person as a biological organism which has evolved through a process of natural selection from more simple organisms.
Is a very exciting time to be engaging in contemplative practice - and many thanks !
Rob Leslie
Halls Gap, Australia.
Thank you for your generous and insightful comment! It is a great time for contemplative practice because by doing so, we are seeding a more spiritual future for the planet.
A graceful poem that captures the aesthetics of New England Transcendentalism. I particularly like the phrase "westering sun" which takes what we noramlly treat as with a noun or adjective and turns it into a verb. Maybe all things should be described in verbs.
Thanks for noting the attempt at evoking an older New Englands, which is still present on an autumn afternoon near Walden Pond!
Loved the Yama allusions and the underlying insights. My only comment is that I think we need to pay much more attention to one of the most widely accepted scientific theories - the theory of evolution by natural selection - when trying to understand how and why our human brains generate our sensations, emotions and thoughts. Whatever else we might be, as human persons, we are social primates who have evolved from more primitive biological organisms. We need to understand the process of spiritual transformation, I think, as a movement away from the automatic expression of our human biological programming - including the instinctive behavioural patterns predicted and described by evolutionary psychology. Also as a movement towards our experience of the underlying nature of consciousness itself - as ( by way of a possible starting point) intentionality, creative freedom and connectedness. Thanks again !