Tuesday, May 1, 2018

29 Consciousness is a Hoot


               Truth uncompromisingly told will always have its ragged edges
                                                                                                 Herman Melville


              I noticed that a friend was selecting a few books to take home from our meeting place this morning. Before I could say what was on my mind she said,” I don’t usually read non-fiction, always fiction. She did not know that I written a non-fiction book and I paused with a slight sense of hurt, but then realized that the book I had written was, no doubt, fiction to everyone but myself. My book was a thinly disguised proposal that we communicate with each other most effectively through our expressions of love. This includes hugs, throaty cracking voices, on the edge of tears confessions, loving orgasmic events, and some situations of crisis conversation. But in our regular conversations, books we read, or television we watch; who is to say what is the exact truth.?
        Somewhere in the midst of my consciousness over the past year, I have painted myself into a corner about the word itself. So, I am sitting here all cramped up waiting for the paint to dry. I have read Julien Jaynes book, The Origin of Consciousness and the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind over and over again thinking that here is the truth about consciousness but each time I fall back into the chair of unknowing. I had the same dastardly problem with the writings of Freud, Harry Stack Sullivan, and Piaget. They wrote beautifully but left me hanging in doubt. I hate massages because they are carefully seductive. I also shy away from fiction because fiction authors try and massage the truth through my skin. At least non-fiction writers slap me in the face with their brand of the truth. My only hope with this blog writing is that you, the reader, may have been in the same train-wreck as I.
        Then Joe replied with…….        The ultimate Truth is not written and not spoken. IT is only heard in silence in the inner room. It is only seen when reflecting on the Love, Mercy, and yes TRUTH of the Cross. 5th Sunday of Easter has passed.  But its Truth never passes. Perhaps the ultimate consciousness lies in those reflections, without intellect, words, thought, or feeling. Perhaps faith is consciousness not yet articulated due to lack of courage.
           Though I received much more from Joe, this is my distillation.
Then I received a consideration from Robert who had written the guest blog last week.
        Being focused on the intricacies of co-dependence without conscious submission may lead to better symbiotic relationships for all of the dynamic forms of life and this belief should promote good health.  Good health, isn't that the bottom line?  Protecting individual conscious thought as a contributor to the organism earth might be a better question than what is consciousness, the eternal enigma.
        Then yet another came from Ed this morning and this is another distillation ……Our ears long to hear what our heart already knows. The more we seek, the more we understand. As we enter the world of the spirit we see the limitlessness of the present moment. The Holy instant that beckons and excites is.

          Now we hand the adventure over to Hooie, who flutters about the edge of the deep cave of subconscious gathering courage from all of us, to brave the unknown.
        Then Hooie quietly spoke, “I can manage death as a possibility but the thought of eternal damnation deep in the cave frightens me. Could we convene the double circle, Mary?’
        “Whatever works for you, Hooie,” Mary replied.
        Mary the White Pelican, brought the double circle into place at the rim of the cave where the waterfall cascaded in the morning light. They all had come to believe that Dominica was Mom Nature’s home base. Therefore, the deeper part of the cave was offered as a test of courage and faith.  
       Mum, the nanny goat, spoke first, “I understand, Hooie, that darkness is your forte, but the cave of the subconscious is no ordinary darkness. You can change your mind now and I for one will accept it.”
        “Well,” said Hooie, “you used the phrase (I for one) but I have come to respect the honesty that the double circle brings.
I hope, and I trust that the double circle will speak in the voice of (we for two) rather than I for one. Having been a part of the double circle for the last few months, I have come believe that when we two are melded and speak with one voice there is a power that I had no idea about before.”
        Then Coqui, the Puerto Rican frog, sang out, “I have never wanted to be the sole decider about serious matters, so the double circle pairing took some getting used to, but it finally hit me like a cool drop of magic water and I trusted Milvus, my support.”
        To everyone’s surprise, Hooie hooted, “I am so glad that you said that, Coqui, because I wanted my supportive other, Myrtle, the turtle, to go with me into the cave of subconscious. We make our crucial decisions as a team of two and once in the cave I will need Myrtle by my side.”
        “Well, that’s a hoot, the combined consciousness of a barn owl and a turtle. What next?”, cackled Cackle, the grackle. 
       
        Suggested reading: The Wizard and the Prophet by Charles C Mann