Friday, February 10, 2012
Nonsense vs. whatnot
My pupils are too wide today, my chest too heavy. The high vibration of a late-rising full moon, now on the wane, along with several days of not nearly enough sleep, have been running me down all week and finally caught me by the tail this afternoon--and just in time, too. Two long, full days of rest, recuperation and non-business-related activities shall, I hope, dispel this cold spell of restlessness.
On the way home this evening, due to causes unknown, I found myself musing on the relationship between Faith and Reason, while crossing the Skyway. I wonder (if you'll forgive this trite analogy) if, to one who thirsts in the desert, the miles traveled in the quest for a mirage--that is to say, in ungrounded hope--are or are not "worth" the crushing disillusionment that almost inevitably follows such a pursuit... In this imagined desert, or any real one for that matter, to chase such a foolishly optimistic vision would risk one's very life. There is of course the possibility that, in the effort to reach an oasis which exists only in the mind's eye, one might chance upon a refuge in reality, or rather suddenly find oneself in different circumstances altogether; so, one could reason that it's not so foolish, after all, to dream an impossible dream. Yet it's not reason that draws a man, step by grueling step, toward an imagined destination, so much as it is an arguably irrational act of blind faith. Or is it? Yin, yang, I guess. I do find it interesting that many religions tend to be built rather heavily upon a foundation of "good" vs. "bad" (heaven vs. hell, up vs. down, man vs. woman, etc. and dichotomy in general, which is, in my mind, essentially an intellectual equivalent of "you pee-pee; me boobies", but I digress.) and these aptly described "faith-based" value systems must, by their very nature, preach the gospel that Faith is Good. I don't quite mean to suggest that such value systems also regard Reason as Bad, because that simply does not follow, and I don't think it has been dictated or proven anywhere that Faith is incompatible with Reason or vice versa; however, I believe the (generally undisputed) definition of faith is belief without proof, which itself is a concept founded on reason, and if Faith would allow Reason to get a word in edgewise once in a while, he would probably have a thing or two to say about that. You see what I just did? I made you think of Faith as feminine, for no reason whatsoever...maybe. So, what am I getting at, exactly? I'm not sure. But I think it had something to do with watching a movie.
Before I do that, though, I'm going to change subjects again.
I had cause yesterday, or the impulse anyway, to take a few drops of Solomon's Seal tincture, which I recently acquired with the intent of concocting from it and a few other herbs a formula to heal and strengthen my impaired spine, wrists and various other joints. I daresay that, even under the influence of mild-to-moderate sleep deprivation, I could detect a different level of activity today in some of my trouble spots. It's possible that my perceptions were influenced by my desire or something resembling the placebo effect, but experience--for whatever it's worth--tells me otherwise, and if we cannot rely on our own experience as a measure of anything, what can we possibly do or learn in this life? Thus, I begin my next round of experimentation... I believe, as many do, that, beyond the scientifically measurable chemical reactions or experiential evidence supporting the existence of such, plants heal through the pure expression of their essential nature. Obviously this isn't something I can actually prove, not only because I lack the requisite skills to do so but because it is (nearly?) impossible to actually prove something as complex and perhaps changeable as the essential nature of anything, which is perfectly all right with me. I seek to understand not why, but how--meaning, in what manner--a plant can express its healing power. Reason and experience tell me that I need not exercise faith in order to do this, yet... When reason has failed, and experience deceived, it is not always easy, prudent or wise to place confidence in one's own judgement, and so at the outset of this initiative I find myself pondering this paradox: that I must now engage my Faith in Reason, and Reason in Faith. And I still don't really know what I'm talking about, but I don't think either one of them can really argue with that. It's not too late for popcorn, is it?
On the way home this evening, due to causes unknown, I found myself musing on the relationship between Faith and Reason, while crossing the Skyway. I wonder (if you'll forgive this trite analogy) if, to one who thirsts in the desert, the miles traveled in the quest for a mirage--that is to say, in ungrounded hope--are or are not "worth" the crushing disillusionment that almost inevitably follows such a pursuit... In this imagined desert, or any real one for that matter, to chase such a foolishly optimistic vision would risk one's very life. There is of course the possibility that, in the effort to reach an oasis which exists only in the mind's eye, one might chance upon a refuge in reality, or rather suddenly find oneself in different circumstances altogether; so, one could reason that it's not so foolish, after all, to dream an impossible dream. Yet it's not reason that draws a man, step by grueling step, toward an imagined destination, so much as it is an arguably irrational act of blind faith. Or is it? Yin, yang, I guess. I do find it interesting that many religions tend to be built rather heavily upon a foundation of "good" vs. "bad" (heaven vs. hell, up vs. down, man vs. woman, etc. and dichotomy in general, which is, in my mind, essentially an intellectual equivalent of "you pee-pee; me boobies", but I digress.) and these aptly described "faith-based" value systems must, by their very nature, preach the gospel that Faith is Good. I don't quite mean to suggest that such value systems also regard Reason as Bad, because that simply does not follow, and I don't think it has been dictated or proven anywhere that Faith is incompatible with Reason or vice versa; however, I believe the (generally undisputed) definition of faith is belief without proof, which itself is a concept founded on reason, and if Faith would allow Reason to get a word in edgewise once in a while, he would probably have a thing or two to say about that. You see what I just did? I made you think of Faith as feminine, for no reason whatsoever...maybe. So, what am I getting at, exactly? I'm not sure. But I think it had something to do with watching a movie.
Before I do that, though, I'm going to change subjects again.
I had cause yesterday, or the impulse anyway, to take a few drops of Solomon's Seal tincture, which I recently acquired with the intent of concocting from it and a few other herbs a formula to heal and strengthen my impaired spine, wrists and various other joints. I daresay that, even under the influence of mild-to-moderate sleep deprivation, I could detect a different level of activity today in some of my trouble spots. It's possible that my perceptions were influenced by my desire or something resembling the placebo effect, but experience--for whatever it's worth--tells me otherwise, and if we cannot rely on our own experience as a measure of anything, what can we possibly do or learn in this life? Thus, I begin my next round of experimentation... I believe, as many do, that, beyond the scientifically measurable chemical reactions or experiential evidence supporting the existence of such, plants heal through the pure expression of their essential nature. Obviously this isn't something I can actually prove, not only because I lack the requisite skills to do so but because it is (nearly?) impossible to actually prove something as complex and perhaps changeable as the essential nature of anything, which is perfectly all right with me. I seek to understand not why, but how--meaning, in what manner--a plant can express its healing power. Reason and experience tell me that I need not exercise faith in order to do this, yet... When reason has failed, and experience deceived, it is not always easy, prudent or wise to place confidence in one's own judgement, and so at the outset of this initiative I find myself pondering this paradox: that I must now engage my Faith in Reason, and Reason in Faith. And I still don't really know what I'm talking about, but I don't think either one of them can really argue with that. It's not too late for popcorn, is it?
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