Something on meaning from one of my notebooks

The Undecided

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One could argue that every action we take and activity we do is both meaningful and meaningless. To ourselves, others around us now and others in the future, our actions and activities can matter and have meaning. But, in the grand fabric of the universe we are simply matter molded into human forms that will eventually be used to form something else. We are the universe, and viewed from this perspective our actions are mere movements of the universe itself. With this understanding all beings are equal, all motivations are equal and all beliefs are equal. Compassion and empathy can flourish.

TU:D
 
meaninful and meaningless.....depends on the level of involvement and perspective...

a meditation I used to do when I had issues was to imagine moving to the ceiling and viewing the situation...and then through the roof and see the building/house I was in....then up to see the block or area....and up to see the entire neighborhood....and out to see the city and surrounding area.....up again viewing my whole nation....and again looking at our big blue marble....and beyond and seeing the solar system...out to look at our milky way...and out to look at our galaxy....

what was my problem?

My galaxy is safe, my solar system in place, my planet in orbit....is that not enough?
 
Well, that's it isn't it? Everything is mundane, and therefore sacred. Get too involved in searching for Meaning, and everything becomes self-referential and relative. But meaning is personal and available through being and living. In that sense it's no big mystery at all.

Chris
 
But meaning is personal and available through being and living. In that sense it's no big mystery at all.

Very much agree - we've become so used to the wonderous that we no longer see it.

To paraphrase Terry Pratchett in The Hogfather: "In a universe of wonders, only humans could invent boredom"
 
Very much agree - we've become so used to the wonderous that we no longer see it.

To paraphrase Terry Pratchett in The Hogfather: "In a universe of wonders, only humans could invent boredom"

Yes weather you are at the Grand Canyon, Niagra Falls, Uhluru, Monument Valley or wherever...you see folks with Ipods in their ears...
 
When it comes to wonderous things I suppose you could say that we really understand their wonder when we know that the universe has formed them from itself, whether you believe that there is a God responsible or not. TU:D
 
We are the universe, and viewed from this perspective our actions are mere movements of the universe itself. With this understanding all beings are equal, all motivations are equal and all beliefs are equal.
Well, that is false. Some of your beliefs you can prove to be true, and some of your beliefs you can prove to be false. To say that one is equal to the other is misleading at best. Motivations and people may follow a similar divergence.

So far it is shown to be false in science that this universe is recycling. Physically it is more like a candle that burns, and burns out. That is not so much a 'proof', but consistent evidence. The study of thermodynamics, as an example, expresses this.
 
So far it is shown to be false in science that this universe is recycling. Physically it is more like a candle that burns, and burns out. That is not so much a 'proof', but consistent evidence. The study of thermodynamics, as an example, expresses this.


Firstly, what do you mean when you use the word recycling?

When we eat a chicken, or any form of food that has been killed and cooked, the elements, the water and the energy that this chicken once was, in part, becomes a part of us when we eat it. When we breathe out the Carbon Dioxide becomes part of the atmosphere and absorbed by plants and trees, and when we die, whether we are buried or cremated, our bodies breakdown and become part of something else. The Sun sends various forms of radiation like heat (Infra-red) and UV waves towards our planet every day and all matter and life on earth absorb it, often using it to live, through such processes as photosynthesis. If you know anything about the Theory of Gaia you will know that the earth is a self sustaining planetary organism that operates as a whole. Also, I am a firm believer in the laws of thermodynamics, and due to the actions of entropy is not the heat passed on from one thing to another continuously. The Sun to the earth and from being to matter, and matter to being on earth.

Well, that is false. Some of your beliefs you can prove to be true, and some of your beliefs you can prove to be false. To say that one is equal to the other is misleading at best. Motivations and people may follow a similar divergence.


The point I am making is that there is no true or false, right or wrong, up or down, or any other label we wish to use, other than the nominal use that it was created for. The universe is empty of having such qualities, except from the perspective of the one perceiving it. There is only the universe operating according to its own nature, and however intelligent we might be we are still made up from bits of the universe. All things and processes are connected because they are all one. If then there are no values other than the subjective ones we create, then all things are equal. There are no sides to take, or battles to fight or arguments to have other than the ones we create for ourselves. This is Emptiness, which is the basis of my original comment.

These are however only my opinions and beliefs, which are empty in themselves, but according to years of Buddhist logic and reasoning they are as constant and evident as the scientific knowledge that the universe is getting colder and that eventually there will be no matter, and therefore no universe, no space or time.

TU:D
 
meaninful and meaningless.....depends on the level of involvement and perspective...

a meditation I used to do when I had issues was to imagine moving to the ceiling and viewing the situation...and then through the roof and see the building/house I was in....then up to see the block or area....and up to see the entire neighborhood....and out to see the city and surrounding area.....up again viewing my whole nation....and again looking at our big blue marble....and beyond and seeing the solar system...out to look at our milky way...and out to look at our galaxy....

what was my problem?

My galaxy is safe, my solar system in place, my planet in orbit....is that not enough?


Just reread this post. Very nice meditation. I'll have to try it. It reminds me of a quote from the Samurai book Hagakure, I'm not sure why.

"Among the maxims on Lord Naoshige's wall there was this one: "Matters of great concern should be treated lightly." Master Ittei commented, "Matters of small concern should be treated seriously." Among one's affairs there should not be more than two or three matters of what one could call great concern. If these are deliberated upon during ordinary times, they can be understood. Thinking about things previously and then handling them lightly when the time comes is what this is all about. To face an event and solve it lightly is difficult if you are not resolved beforehand, and there will always be uncertainty in hitting your mark. However, if the foundation is laid previously, you can think of saying, "Matters of great concern should be treated lightly," as your own basis for action."

With preparation one can deal with almost anything. TU:D
 
Firstly, what do you mean when you use the word recycling?
Recycling energy. Perpetual motion. If the situation were different, the nature of things here would be dramatically different.

If you know anything about the Theory of Gaia you will know that the earth is a self sustaining planetary organism that operates as a whole. Also, I am a firm believer in the laws of thermodynamics, and due to the actions of entropy is not the heat passed on from one thing to another continuously. The Sun to the earth and from being to matter, and matter to being on earth.
You appear to have missed an understanding of the thermodynamic laws. The cycles you see on Earth are not self sustaining, but rely on the sun as a source of energy. The energy source of the sun is finite and it has an end. By the laws of thermodynamics there will be a time that this planet does not spin, does not orbit, and does not exist together as a planet.

The point I am making is that there is no true or false, right or wrong, up or down, or any other label we wish to use, other than the nominal use that it was created for. The universe is empty of having such qualities, except from the perspective of the one perceiving it.
Yes, and I said this is false. Your computer demonstrates with logic gates how there is a physical capability to compare and amplify, which requires energy and produces information based on the comparison. For example, "True those two were the same", "False those were different", "True one of those were True". The signals are represented as voltages, but it is the ability to compare and amplify signals that permits the logic gate. These flows of information exist in nature too: duplicating, comparing, amplifying, and distributing information. "True this gene has a chance", "False this gene will destroy the whole organism". The concept of right or wrong could be thought of as noise, or a dishonest comparator that passes random signals off rather than providing an honest comparison. So while these terms may be human representations of physical things, the physical qualities are an organization of matter that cause comparison and amplification, and are found to exist. The human part comes in finding ways to organise and make use of those comparators.

There is only the universe operating according to its own nature, and however intelligent we might be we are still made up from bits of the universe. All things and processes are connected because they are all one. If then there are no values other than the subjective ones we create, then all things are equal.
Also not true. The connectivity between things has a lot to do with the organization of the matter between them, and distance. From a study of control systems, a time lag destroys the ability to employ a control system. Things that are distant are less connected than things that are close by. For example there is very little way for something 1 light year away to have any control here, because it will take a year for it to measure, and a year to respond. That time lag destroys the ability to employ a feedback system to provide control. The connectivity of two things 1 meter apart is greater than the connectivity of two things 1 light year apart. Thus in terms of interaction, communication, or control, things are not equal.

There are no sides to take, or battles to fight or arguments to have other than the ones we create for ourselves. This is Emptiness, which is the basis of my original comment.
I find that arguments are not necessarily a total fabrication, and do have roots.

These are however only my opinions and beliefs, which are empty in themselves, but according to years of Buddhist logic and reasoning they are as constant and evident as the scientific knowledge that the universe is getting colder and that eventually there will be no matter, and therefore no universe, no space or time.
One way of removing the emptiness from an opinion, a belief, a theory, or a hypothesis, is to go obtain the experience. If logic is based on measurement, then the logic may be valid, but merely hearing it or reading it does not reproduce the experience. I believe a lack of experience is the emptiness you are referring to. Given the internet and media revolution, I do think the emptiness is becoming greater in people. In some ways I am providing you empty words, because you may not yet have experience to verify or refute what I say.
 
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