A New World

Tales of the Heart's Intimations : III

 

 

 

 

In the process of change, the heart comes to suggest many new possibilities. Foremost among them is the promise of freedom. Such a freedom intimates the possibility of a volitional individual response to the world. That it is no longer necessary to subscribe to the truth of another or to follow a truth that is practiced by many, of which we as yet understand very little.

 

Is it possible for man to consciously know and understand the truths of the universe? Of life, death and the ways of providence? Certainly, there's much that is documented in science and the other disciplines, but are they enough?

 

Where such an inquirer is serious about finding out, he can. He has to drop-out, take a lone cabin somewhere ( or a rented room ) with internet connections and then rediscover himself and the world.

 

The isolation from society breaks down everything that he may hold to be familiar and with that he realizes that he didn't subscribe to them in the first place but occured on account of social convenience. Thereafter, in accounting for the rationality of his past behavior, he builds a knowledge base of the organization of society and our roles in them.

 

He can go even further with this. The ritualized manner in which we support our beliefs comes to a halt when we no longer practice them. In its place, the life force searches for a way to understand its life and survival. As the individual encounters this, he comes to understand the writings of the prophets and the ancients and realizes that every message of faith was undertaken for people who have not come to a revelation of these truths by their own individual efforts.

 

And there it is! .... what we brought our adoration to, devote ourselves, offer worship and formed the basis of our faith. Right there, where we always thought it would be .... what the new world challenged us to find out for real.

 

 

 

Reviews

[James Hanna-Magill]

Dear Dayran

I was charmed by the intellectual debate we had over many things when you reviewed my poem 'Mania' yesterday.

From the way you addressed me, and some of the commonalities we seemed to share, there was a moment of immediate recognition on my part.

It was clear to me, I was engaging in conversation with a person after my own heart - another philosopher.

Not just by way of returning the favour of your review, but driven by fascination I thought I would pop over, view your profile and one of your pieces.

By considering this piece and from reading your profile very carefully, all I have done is to prove to myself that my initial impression was entirely correct.

You clearly are a very intelligent individual and a deep thinker.

But more than that, by way of an initial comment on this piece, your prose is very elegant, sophisticated and complex. The way in which you express yourself (and here is another shared trait) demonstrates erudition (not that I am trying to build either your or my part up) - a 'certain' education.

If you have not noticed already my reviews can be lengthy.

Often that is so because the pieces I review are very emotional and that simply elicits a hugely emotional reaction from me. I am a very emotional person.

By contrast, what you do here is to appeal to the intellectual part of my persona, but the result is similar. You immediately stimulate a significant intellectual reaction on my part.

Your writing is very structured. I should therefore at least try give it a very structured review even if in the process I fail to do it adequate justice.

But in attempting that, there can only be two ways of looking at it; the individual parts and then the conclusion; the sum of the parts - in the latter case, if you like, seeing the wood for the trees.

It worries me slightly, that I know before I even start it that this review may be very long.

I feel I should try and keep them more brief. But in the end, I have found, a writer can only receive by way of review, what I am capable of giving, however unpolished.

The thoughts you engage me with are complex and in the end, as it is a philosophical piece, which touches on many aspects of philosophy's fundamentals, frankly I am aware, I could easily turn this review into a book.

All you need to know first is that is a remarkably well written piece.

First an honest personal attempt to dissect this piece paragraph by paragraph. My reactions may just be reactions and not rigorous analysis.

First paragraph: It seems to me here you put the proposition that we should retain an open mind, outside the grip of common belief.

I entirely agree with this sentiment.

There are so many, particularly those of the religious, who keep their mind firmly placed in a box, imposed by their upbringing or society's demands.

As with you, I believe we should strive to keep our minds open and as I said to you yesterday willing to learn. If we do not we fester. We must evolve or we die.

As an aside, an immediate reaction is this. I have always wished / sought to be a non-conformist. But there is a part of me, evening recognising it at the age of 19 in discussion with friends in a Parisian Bible College where I was a student, that in an amusing we all conform in some way. In my sense, perhaps yours, we conform to the view of all non-conformists?

Second paragraph: Here you debate the ability of us to learn. Yes of course we can if we seek to. But as you say. Is that enough.

My response to that is simple. If I have learnt one thing in life, it is this: 'The more you know, the more you realise you know nothing at all. That is to say, the more you deepen your outlook and learn, the more you realise that there is even more behind it than you first realised.

Let me put it like this. How can it be possible for any of us in one lifetime to ever discover the full extent of human knowledge (millennia of it)? And even then, what do we have to offer by way of fresh thinking? Hence your inevitable doubt and I assure you mine.

Third paragraph: Yes at times, even if it means being a hermit (and by the way I lived alone as one) we must dissociate ourselves from held beliefs to discover our own.

Fourth paragraph is a natural consequence of the thirs. As you put it so well:

[James Hanna-Magill]

(continued: please see the first part of this monologue see above)

"The isolation from society breaks down everything that he may hold to be familiar and with that he realizes that he didn't subscribe to them in the first place but occurred on account of social convenience."

Fifth paragraph: Agreed. All understanding or learning may perhaps have derived from someone else's be it ancient or not fresh attempt at explaining things, its life and its meaning.

Last paragraph: This is where you conclude and your argument escapes me. I would like to discuss with you further the weight of your full meaning here. As you say, in the process, I might learn something, something I have always wishes to do and continue to do. Perhaps therein resides as much your doubt as mine.

Perhaps you simply seek to confirm all the propositions in the preceding paragraphs that whilst the sum of human wisdom cannot ever be limited simply by the past, there is still room for fresh thought. Or perhaps you limit it to the wide thinking of our precedents.

I have often thought about and questioned the notion in Ecclesiastes that 'There is nothing new under the sun'. There is part of me that says: 'True. If you want to find it on the internet. It is there already'.

On the other hand who thought about electricity before it was invented? Does that not disprove the rule?

Perhaps the biggest accolade I can give you, apart from the fact that you entertain me with your philosophy and make me think, it is that in the end, in your final question, you bid me ask myself further questions.

This is an extraordinarily thought provoking and accomplished piece of writing and I look forward to reading more.

By the way, I pushed the button too quickly on my review. And so you will find the first part above. It is therefore not well edited.

Perhaps I need to learn more about computer technology?

With a smile and my applause

Your new friend

James

[Dayran]

Thank you James. Its true that the reviews here in WC pride themselves in economic achievement but when a long piece such as this comes along, it makes everyone sit up. No doubt its a little of ' Tom Brown's Schooldays ' in ' taking the ball and running and inventing rugby.'

I ought to respond in a lengthy way but I can't. Your review has been very succinct. But I wish to say this ... there are those who write songs and then there are those who listen to those songs. Each does his own best. I envy you for the man who got to read this write of mine. I am committed to writing it. I want to thank you for sharing your joy of the read with me. I do not enjoy it otherwise. It is as rain from the skies that I collect and serve in a cup to others.

For this reason I am grateful for friends. ' Sure & Steadfast,'

Your Friend
Sri Daran

[James Hanna-Magill]

Dear Sri Daran

The pleasure is all mine.

And as for 'Sure & Steadfast' I have never forgotten my days in the Boy's Brigade either!

Your friend

James

[James Hanna-Magill]

PS Your little, tightly worded, quip about 'economic achievement' did rather make me smile!

[Dayran]

The Americans use the term ' steel trap ' for a specific person. They may do well to seek that person in the UK. I'm still reeling from your comment ' The pleasure is all mine.' Its accuracy is best described by the term ' apt.' Dictionary.com defines ' apt ' as ' unusually intelligent; able to learn quickly and easily.'

[James Hanna-Magill]

The pleasure then is all yours?

[James Hanna-Magill]

Or is it better a shared pleasure?

[Dayran]

I'm pleased to say that such is the way we share ... I write for your pleasure.

[James Hanna-Magill]

Together is all

[Amaya Sullivan]

Doubt is a powerful thing as it can be good or bad. It is amazing how much doubt can be placed on someone or something to the point where one must "search" of a true meaning depending on what or who is being doubted.Many people have faith and need to be grounded in their faith in order to avoid such doubt. I guess there would not be many theories surrounding us today if it wasn't for doubt and the possibility of "what if..."

It is is an endless cycle because after you find "there it is!" or there is still room for doubt.

Just my opinion and what I took from this.

[Dayran]

What do you give a gal who has everything? A little doubt ...

[Sagar Waingankar]

Refreshing ideas to move parallel with the dogmas. As an individual, one will always search for something that's on the peak of his thoughts and reality. He may be diverted but strong enough to handle such cases. Yes he will revolve with the circle as it flows, and his denial could lead to his isolation. Vigour is what I heard, is a solution or you can say a path towards freedom. Thanks for sharing facts, as they circle an individual!

[Muse]

I would love to be one of your students. You are full of creativity and wisdom. That makes you somewhat unique as a writer. Your stories, poetry...after reading you.. one can smile...and think "hey" I learned something here. This felt like an epiphany?

[Devanshu Rajput]

great piece...excellently described...KEEP WRTTING

[Cole Hayley]

As always, intriguing and intelligent. The words of a true philosopher, a wise man.

[MOON]

Finding ourself your true faith, not the rituals imposed , good write become who you are through self knowledge , don't be a follower. Lovely sentiments.

[patricia]

loved the thought of goin off and getting a log cabin somewhere...do it all the time actually...but more in the style of dingy bed-sits.
You highlight the effects of challenging our habits well, but i am not sure if you quite touched upon the fear it engenders for some who need a more structured way of life in order to function in a relatively stable way. The world is not very accomodating in terms of making allowances...while we allow our breakdowns to become breakthroughs...but hey...sometimes we dont know till we try. Great writing as always.