Living as a River
Contents:
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To face reality is to embrace change; to resist change is to suffer.
- A Line in the Sand: River of Blood :Chronicles of the Scattering, Vol. I;
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This is the liberating insight that unfolds with Living as a River. A masterful investigation of the nature of self, this eloquent blend of current science and time-honored spiritual insight is meant to free us from the fear of impermanence in a world defined by change. The primary vehicle for this journey is Buddhism's traditional Six Element Practice, a deconstructive process of deep reflection that helps us let go of the belief in a separate, static self—the root of unhappiness.
Bodhipaksa takes readers through a systematic yet poetic analysis of the self that supports the realization of:. Engrossing and incisive, Living as a River is at once an empowering guide and a meditative practice we can turn to again and again to overcome our fear of change and align joyfully with the natural unfolding of creation. I didn't know what to expect from this book and I am finding it to be deeply helpful on so many levels of comprehension regarding consciousness, understanding how we are, really awareness and not the body and so many other aspects of being, what it is and what it isn't.
“Living as a river” – an interview with Bodhipaksa
But in fact the listening is still taking place even if there is no possibility of conscious thought or attention, as in the case of people in a persistent vegetative state. The enjoying may be going on as well, to the extent that the body and parts of the brain are still engaged in the activity of producing physiological responses to the music.
That last statement I made in fact is rather challenging! Can we have enjoyment when there is no one there to do the enjoying.
See a Problem?
This challenge should lead us to question our notion of a unitary self, and our notion that the conscious mind is central to the existence of our selves. Doctor Who is one of my favorite TV shows, and it turns out that the sci-fi classic offers some insights into the Buddhist teaching of anatta, or not-self.
By showin how our sense of self is a construct. In , famous existentialist and French resistance fighter Jean-Paul Sartre published his epic work Being and Nothingness. One of the most influential parts of the book comes from his ideas about how vision helps us develop a sense of self.
So we make a psychological connection between the act of seeing a person with glasses, and the more complicated act of recognizing the person as a man named Jean-Paul who is French, white, nerdy, and likes to write about metaphysics. To sum up, your sense of self and your sense of others is connected intimately with your ability to see them — and their ability to see you.
Sartre points out that this situation can lead to a lot of terrifying situations. First of all, it means we rely on others for a sense of self, and thus for a sense of stability and mental coherence. You are female and white and Jewish and you live in America in a middle-class suburb.
You can listen to the interview here. Finding Fearlessness in the Face of Change. Another good review of Living as a River , on a site with the wonderful title of Church of the Churchless: Preaching the Gospel of Spiritual Independence.
This morning I read the introduction to Living as a River. Bodhipaksa says that he resonates with both science and Buddhism. He ignores the difficult-to-believe supernatural side of Buddhist teachings, such as dogmas about past lives and survival of consciousness after death. From respected Buddhist blogger Justin Whitaker:.
For all readers, it should be a joyful journey through a hand-picked series of scientific articles and discoveries, poetry, and anecdotes.
Living As a River - Buddhist Geeks Interview
It is lucidly written , and even consistently funny a nice change of pace for some of us! Skip to content Yup! You can now read the first chapter free. The article covers some of the same research that I discuss in Living as a River: Leaders in this area of research described their work today in a symposium held at the BNA Festival of Neuroscience… Continue reading the original article….
Your mind is not your own.