Theos-Talk Archives (September 1996 Message tl00091)

 From Einar in Iceland.

I have been enjoying the happy chat on this communication channel.

There have been some intersting conversation on the psychological mechanism
of communicating and the art of understanding, which to me is a very
important subjects, also in relation to our Internet chat.

 From Liesel and Bee Brown we read:

>>"...We can use the arts. Actually, I wonder whether we can express more
>>completely and accurately than in words. I'm thinking of dreams, which are a
>>form of communicating. Try to put a dream into words. While you're
>>describing 1 part the other part disappears from your grasp. An impression
>>wells up from within, and it's very difficult to express exactly what you
>>perceive. Your man says that we perceive something, & right away we see it
>>through our own individual skewed lens. That's true too. It's a fascinating
>>subject. Did you find it written up somewhere?..."
>>
>>Liesel
>>
>"...As I read somewhere deep in the brain a feeling of understanding
>wafts by but as soon as I try to figure out what it was I seemed to
>understand, it all goes blank. Very frustrating. I just hope that what ever
>it was, it found a place to lodge for future use. It all points to an
>open-ended and relativistic way of functioning. I get the distinct
>impression that the words we use are more important than we think, to our
>overall wellbeing and peace of mind. I can feel some changes happening and
>they are for the better and I try to follow the ideas I have learned about
>leaving certain little words out of my vocabulary and that isn't easy and I
>find myself just about to use it and then I stand there with my mouth open
>and nothing comes out. Hilarious really..."
>>
>Bee Brown

>Logic is a systematic method of coming to
>the wrong conclusion with confidence.
>
I like your "slogan" Bee, because it homes on a very widespread problem of
communicating a real understanding.
Words are in my view very important tools in both formulatinging and
communicating our thoughts and "impressions", but we must always think of
them as tools apart from the real content of "the understood". Words and
concept are nothing but "cheques" to experiences. We name or describe
somthing, but it has no meaning for the receipient, unless he or she has a
corresponding experience on his or her own account of lifes experiences. You
can't describe the beuty of a sunset to a person that has been blind from birth.
Words are important indeed, as tools, but we tend to give them an undue
value most of the time. As tools, all words and concepts are of equal value.
No word, concept or a set of concepts are more important than the next. The
experience or the memory of experience may be very important - to the
individual, but only to him. He may want to share this importance, but that
is only possible if he can touch, or ewoke, similar importance within the
other. This, to me, is the backbone of real communication. A communion -
sharing - is the all important factor - not the sharing of words or
concepts, but of experience, significance, insight, meaning, - and love!

Another factor is due to the faculty of memory. The memory of an experience
is not the experience itself. In cherishing our good memories, we exclude
our good experiences. In cherishing a good concept we exclude the good
experience of understanding that good concept once again - or even
continuously, moment to moment. If we are to live in the present moment we
must get rid of the attachment to our memories and conceptual thinking. They
are all useful for their purposes, but the attachment to them make us the
slaves of the past.

Therefore, when you are enjoying your unformulated vague understanding, or
the hazy immpressions of your dreams, don't rush to wrap them up in the
opaque packing of concepts and words. It is the "airy" content, the
unformulated insight or impression, that contains the real value of
momentual experiencing, and by dwelling quietly with the prevailing state of
conciousness, it can be maintained or prolnged further into the "present".
This is one of the arts of meditating, to keep away the onrush of concepts,
and dwell in the very potent, but utterly quiet, fullness of direct insight.
And even if you can't collect it in your personal bucket of memory, it won't
be lost. It's there for you when you tune to it again. In the bucket you can
only carry a picture of it anyway!

And once again, don't take my words for it. (They are of no value anyway.)
Try it, try it, try it!

Good luck and a "swell" life for you all.

Einar.