"It's a frightening thing to be truly honest with yourself. It means you have no one left to turn to anymore, no one to blame, and to no one look to for salvation. You have to give up any possibility that there will ever be any refuge for you. You have to accept the reality that you are truly and finally on your own. The best thing you can hope for in life is to meet a teacher who will smash all your dreams, dash all of your hopes, tear your teddy-bear beliefs out of your arms and them over a cliff."--Brad Warner, pg.184, Hardcore Zen
I wonder how alone we really want to be in this. I think of archetypal psychologist's James Hillman's statement that meditation feeds the capitalistic-individualistic, developing ego, and personal growth fantasy. In other words, the child archetype.
I've heard the Buddha once said "work at your salvation with diligence." Why can't this be a community activity? Perhaps that's what the Sangha is for. I don't know that much about Buddhism to say for sure.
Brad Warner asks on page 184 of Hardcore Zen: "Why is it that we prefer fantasies to what our life really is?" I think of Carl Jung's statement that "Fantasy creates reality everyday." The goal in Zen Buddhism, the way I understand it, is to get beyond your fantasies and see reality for what it is. But I'm hearing thinkers like Jung and Hillman say there is nothing more powerful than fantasy, it creates our reality. It is reality. Perhaps they're speaking from the perspective of soul and Brad Warner is speaking for the perspective of spirit. And, like I've heard Hillman say many times, spirit posits itself as The Truth. Or to use another quote from Joseph Campbell, “The only problem with Yahweh is he thinks he's. God!" It's an old Gnostic saying.
Just some random thoughts this morning...
2 comments:
The book sounds very interesting. I like the simplicity of Zen, but I think that it is as you mention here, focused on the direction of Spirit. I think it often treats soul as something to shed and leave behind.
There are certain practices from Zen I use regularly, including the beginner's mind. But I haven't been able to abandon myself fully and strictly to the Zen precepts.
Your distinction between Warner's perspective and that of Jung and Hillman is poignant. Perhaps this is my personal delusion, but I think there can be a balancing point between these two perspectives.;)
Zen wipes the lens clear. That is very useful.
The imagination allows us to interface with aspects of our universe, other forms of consciousness that can be so different, so overwhelming that simply "seeing them as they are" prevents any meaningful interaction, or meaning of any sort to be gleaned from our meeting.
Its a fine dance that honors both.
This is what came to mind for me...
I am curious to hear what else comes up for you as you digest things more.
Now that I've went back and read your response again something has come up.
You wrote: "The imagination allows us to interface with aspects of our universe, other forms of consciousness that can be so different, so overwhelming that simply "seeing them as they are" prevents any meaningful interaction, or meaning of any sort to be gleaned from our meeting."
Am I hearing you speaking for soul here?
take care,
Curt
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