THE FUTILITY OF EXPERIENCE.

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Pravin Kumar
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Joined: Fri Jun 24, 2005 2:08 pm
Location: bombay

THE FUTILITY OF EXPERIENCE.

Post by Pravin Kumar » Sat Sep 08, 2018 6:21 am

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The ‘Futility Of Existence’?

Suicide rates are at an all time high as the Western world becomes more affluent but less ‘employed’ as mechanization and computerization reduces job opportunities. This has led to a lot of despair due to the so called ‘futility of existence’ where gainful employment is more and more difficult to obtain, despite the fact that in many countries the social welfare system guarantees a reasonable standard of living. “What?” I hear you say “most people on Social Security are surely under the ‘poverty line’ and cannot improve their material situation …” These factors combine to produce an existence which ‘produces no useful results’ and seems ‘pointless’ which are the two definitions of ‘futile’ given in the OED.

But let us examine these to see whether this is actually a true picture or whether the culprit lies in our Western paradigm which defines oneself by the job one has and the material wealth that one has accumulated. In fact the modern mode of life seems to consist of a continual round of acquiring more to better our ‘standard of living’, or a constant search for distraction and entertainment. Not only that but when one’s ‘standard of living’ is threatened people react in the most extreme manner, as the recent ‘austerity riots’ in Europe demonstrate. There seems to be an expectation that ‘things will continually get better’ in terms of comfort and material goods; whereas, as the world becomes a ‘global village’ and manufacturing continues to move to countries with the lowest wages the ‘standard of living’ in the western world is bound to decline as this slowly evens out across the globe.

So in this culture it is not surprising that unemployment and the inability to ‘get ahead’ can lead to depression and suicide, but this is all caused by attitudes and expectations … not one’s actual living conditions. I remember when a child (back in the 1950s) our family lived quite happily with no car, refrigerator, or TV … and of course none of the technological gadgets that have become commonplace since then. These days those who have to rely on Social Welfare generally have all of these things plus a computer and a mobile phone … so, in theory according to Western thinking should be happier than we were, but this is not the case. This is all caused by comparing one’s living standard with others around one and by the expectation that one’s own will continually improve. These factors are obviously only mind-created and if regarded in the right light would not affect one’s quality of life at all! The absurdity of this is that it can become a problem great enough to drive one to despair…

The other main problem with not having a job is that it leaves one with a great deal of spare time and the feeling that one’s life is not producing ‘any useful results’. This need not be the case as there is plenty that one can do such as volunteering (a very useful pastime), enjoying the beauties of nature, reading (join a library!), taking up a hobby, playing a sport, enjoying the beach or the bush, joining local groups of like minded people, studying, exercising … many of which do ‘produce useful results’ and provide meaning to one’s existence. These may not increase one’s standard of living but they do promote a feeling of achievement and self-worth. And, as stressed above, even the poorest generally have a much better standard of living than of those in the past and one which is quite ok if viewed in the appropriate light.

Of course the main problem comes back, once again, to self-identity. For if we identify ourselves as separate individual beings (in a universe of such) then:

We tend to expand our concept of self-identity to include an imaginary self-image consisting of our physical appearance, mental ability, status, occupation, position in society, family situation, achievements, lack of achievements, ambitions, hopes, fears, memories and projections into the future. This naturally leads to feelings of separation and isolation; separation from our fellow man and the world we live in. Which further engenders feelings of insecurity, and fear. We tend to combat these by trying to improve this imaginary self-image, by attempting to ‘better ourselves’, achieve more - knowledge, possessions, power, fame, etc. - polish this self-image and generally build ourselves up. This tends to make us live in the future and stops us living fully in the present moment. The other side of this coin is to live in regret as to what might have been, self-loathing, melancholy or nostalgia and yearning for the past. This, once again, stops us seeing ‘what is’ here and now, either by making us live in the past or by the mind spinning on our failures and lack of self-worth.

In this scenario one naturally gives too much weight to self-image, wealth, status, achievements etc., and is liable to spend too much time (and effort) on these allowing too little left to enjoy life and nurture the ‘spirit’. It is this misidentification with self-image that causes us to continually compare ourselves to others and which fuels the Western obsession with worldly (so called) achievements and material wealth.

Whereas if one discovers, by investigation, that at a deeper level one is not separate but an expression of Pure Awareness (Consciousness at rest) in a mind/body of cosmic energy (Consciousness in motion) then one’s whole paradigm is changed. For one realises that the ‘separate self’ (and its image) are illusions as we are all these ‘expressions’ that are never separate from this Pure Awareness. This is easy to do, see appendix one, but must be cultivated by repeated investigation until identification with (and as) This becomes established. Following from this is the realization that one is an instrument (and manifestation) of Consciousness, through which This can ‘know’ Itself when in manifestation (when in motion as the material universe) and when at rest as Pure Awareness. This is also easy to realize, see appendix two. Also this recognition that no separate self exist leads to feeling ‘more alive than ever, and beauty is everywhere one gazes’; for the world is no longer seen through the filter of self-interest, self-image, self-promotion, self-aggrandizement etc… the list is endless. This entails seeing the world ‘as it is’ and when seen so it is much more vivid and vibrant than when seen through the murky filter of the (non existent) separate self.

When this occurs material wealth and worldly achievements are relegated to their appropriate place, as enjoyable but not necessary to living a fruitful and fulfilling life. For when the world is encountered in this way then one tends to enjoy what one does, rather than continually seeking more pleasurable experiences. And also ‘each moment is enough’ as Pure Awareness never seeks for more but just witnesses ‘what is’, and provided one is not in dire poverty (lacking food and shelter) then living becomes an enjoyable experience in itself whatever one may ‘have’ or be ‘doing’. As most Westerners are not in such dire straits then there is no reason for any of them to regard life as futile and not enjoyable, they just need to discover the essence that lies at the heart of all creation – Pure Awareness.

One final point is that even lack of food and material goods need not necessarily block this realization, or cause suffering. In fact in most of the world’s religions the way to achieve ‘enlightenment’ or ‘awakening’ is to renounce the world and live very frugally and simply. This often entails giving up all of one’s previous worldly possessions and includes long periods of fasting. In extreme cases such as the wandering ‘holy men’ of India (and some Jain and Buddhist monks) even a stable living environment is shunned and food/shelter are accessed when, and if, available. I hasten to add that this is not at all necessary; rather living in (and enjoying) the world but not being ‘of the world’, that is not taking on the Western materialistic mindset.

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Chapter from 'Enlightenment Is For All'.

COLIN DRAKE
For detailed palm reading and spiritual guidance Consult at: pravinjsoni97@hotmail.com

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