R
reen12
Guest
40 years ago, when I was a student, literature from far, far away,
was all the rage on campus.
The days of flower children, multi-colored VW vans, protest in the streets,
and the literature of the East. Happily, a decade later, I did find much of value in
Buddhist thought, and in Taoistic endeavor - as applies to the practical matters, in life.
It never ceases to bring a smile, thinking how the Beat Generation were so quickly
beat out of their position as the ‘in’ thing to be, in the 1950’s. Jack Kerouac…goodbye.
On the Road just doesn’t cut it, anymore. Hello, Eastern thought! [Here come the Boomers!]
Whooops! …Goodbye, Eastern thought. Hello, Gestalt therapy! Easlen, ‘rolfing’ and…
Actually, the early Tom Wolf did a dandy job, describing those days.
Little compares, in life, with the thrill of encountering formerly obscure writings, from other cultures.
One can appear a* savant*, in one or two courses, or with several commentaries read.
Done it myself. [That’s how I know.]
“Oh you little, dreary people, stuck in the Western mindset.”
“Were you to rise to my level, a much broader view would be had.”
This engages, sans doute, the gag reflex - as it should.
Of course, substitute Jack Kerouac [and the Beats,] and the sentence reads the same.
I dunno. 40 years later, with the wear and tear of life, obscure writings
don’t cut it, either. Men and women are confronted, in the end, with loss,
the inevitable hurts, in life - confronted with declining health and stamina.
Time for considering the stark facts of human existence. We’re all gonna die. It’s as simple as that.
And how many sutras I’ve read, over the decades, somehow fails to bring comfort.
I hope that God forgives me my arrogance, and just plain rudeness, in all that went before.
Instead of thanking Him, for any knowledge that I have,
I preen and strut about, like a peacock, for all to admire.
Truly sad. And sadly human.
So if anybody encounters what I think of as ‘the Eastern ploy,’
not to worry. Something even more obscure will take it’s place,
at some point. And then there’ll be a scramble to hop aboard
the 'Really New Thing" express. It’s exhausting.
Like tired children, may God take each of us to His heart,
when the time comes to call us home. He probably knows
more about Eastern thought than I do. http://bestsmileys.com/nono/9.gif
reen12
was all the rage on campus.
The days of flower children, multi-colored VW vans, protest in the streets,
and the literature of the East. Happily, a decade later, I did find much of value in
Buddhist thought, and in Taoistic endeavor - as applies to the practical matters, in life.
It never ceases to bring a smile, thinking how the Beat Generation were so quickly
beat out of their position as the ‘in’ thing to be, in the 1950’s. Jack Kerouac…goodbye.
On the Road just doesn’t cut it, anymore. Hello, Eastern thought! [Here come the Boomers!]
Whooops! …Goodbye, Eastern thought. Hello, Gestalt therapy! Easlen, ‘rolfing’ and…
Actually, the early Tom Wolf did a dandy job, describing those days.
Little compares, in life, with the thrill of encountering formerly obscure writings, from other cultures.
One can appear a* savant*, in one or two courses, or with several commentaries read.
Done it myself. [That’s how I know.]
“Oh you little, dreary people, stuck in the Western mindset.”
“Were you to rise to my level, a much broader view would be had.”
This engages, sans doute, the gag reflex - as it should.
Of course, substitute Jack Kerouac [and the Beats,] and the sentence reads the same.
A possible objective, here, is to do a snow job - on those lacking a scintilla of knowledge,
*vis a vis *these esoteric works.
With elevation of Self, occassionally the prime objective. [We’re so educated, in the know,
cosmopolitan, World Citizens… and highly intelligent. {Don’t forget that part.}]
I dunno. 40 years later, with the wear and tear of life, obscure writingsdon’t cut it, either. Men and women are confronted, in the end, with loss,
the inevitable hurts, in life - confronted with declining health and stamina.
Time for considering the stark facts of human existence. We’re all gonna die. It’s as simple as that.
And how many sutras I’ve read, over the decades, somehow fails to bring comfort.
I hope that God forgives me my arrogance, and just plain rudeness, in all that went before.
Instead of thanking Him, for any knowledge that I have,
I preen and strut about, like a peacock, for all to admire.
Truly sad. And sadly human.
So if anybody encounters what I think of as ‘the Eastern ploy,’
not to worry. Something even more obscure will take it’s place,
at some point. And then there’ll be a scramble to hop aboard
the 'Really New Thing" express. It’s exhausting.
Like tired children, may God take each of us to His heart,
when the time comes to call us home. He probably knows
more about Eastern thought than I do. http://bestsmileys.com/nono/9.gif
reen12
