"No one is so foolish as not to desire wisdom, yet why do so many remain ignorant?" asked Eckhart. Because, first, they forsake their unlimited and detached will to know and think instead that reality is something to behold. -- C. F. Kelley
We ditch our will to know the Ultimate, divert will's waters into the irrigation of our irritations and their soothings, flood our plains of stupor with tepid motionless waters.
We forsake our precious unlimited will to know and hang around beholding life, waiting to die, forgetting that in doing so we are already dead.
We are ignore-ant because we give up, surrendering our will to superficial blatherings, watching our life go by as just another reality show.
Meister Eckhart (1260 - 1328) was so far ahead of the generally accepted learning curve that we are still catching up with him. He incorporated all the major thinkings on earth at that time and came to this conclusion: if we keep knocking on heaven's door, it will open. But not unless we knock and keep on knocking.
If we want wisdom (instead of mere knowledge), we must use our "unlimited and detached will to know." We possess, we are given, we are unlimited will. And it takes unlimited will to pursue and open to wisdom. We've got what it takes.
But in opening to wisdom, our will must be detached -- not attached, no clinging, no velcro-brain. How can we be filled unless we stay empty?
Second, wisdom cannot be acquired without disciplined intellection sustained by divine grace.
"Oh God! Does that mean I have to think!? This will thing sounded okay, but this is starting to sound like work (shudder). How come the universe can't just pop my head open and pour some wisdom in? And discipline! Don't even begin to speak to me of discipline!"
Discipline means to become a disciple, a follower of wisdom. It doesn't mean wearing a hair shirt or flogging oneself with brain-cracking whips. Disciplined intellection means to turn one's attention to higher and deeper understandings and to keep it there, unwavering. To open our heartminds to that which breathes us, sustains us, gives us life.
This is where the Overdrive kicks in. When we knock with unlimited and detached will to know, the Door opens. And keeps opening. I find this astounding. We are born to open to wisdom. And the Universe is in our favor.
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Am I missing something subtle here? Do you have to think? Isn't incessant thinking and believing the power of thoughts part of the problem? Isn't the key to understanding and clear thinking observing yourself, your thoughts, your actions and the actions of those around you? Sheer willpower implies effort, but really isn't objective observation the easiest thing in the world once one has grasped the trick? I agree that discipline and willpower are good at the beginning of the inquiry, but they only get one so far. At some point, the effort verges on stubbornness and may become a barrier to self-realization. How does one distinguish between the two - stubbornness and discipline?
ReplyDeleteYes, we have to think. Thinking is part of us. It is the ATTACHMENT to thinking that is the downfall, as you so well know and accurately describe.
ReplyDeleteWhen reading Eckhart, I translate his "intellection" as "awareness." Awareness includes thought without attachment. I think he would agree with this translation.
That rigid stubborn teethclenching discipline to which you refer appears useful, as you point to, in the initial turning away from one's old habits. But it is open awareness and in Eckhart's terms, divine grace, which sees us through.
Ism thinking is total awareness.
ReplyDeleteAs our consciousness evolves our way of thinking evolves.
We always think, but in ways not comprehensible until we evolve into a particular state.
LG
PS This post is the end product of yoga in a 105 degree room. "whew"