“Every now and Zen.”
Some of what you’re doing in the present that is a doing of the past.
Zen in the present.
I feel that there is something in what I am experiencing that is a responding to, originating from, and rooted in the past.
There is something that guides me, “us”. This is the generality that is imbedded in our Neural Matrix.
I feel more freedom to speak of “us” because it lets me get around the distance from my evaluations of my person. Meaning, I can be more objective about what is in the other and the “outside” world than I can when looking into myself. (Be yourself.) I do not feel that I am hiding from my neural “inside” so much as feeling the limits of my capacity to see myself, my own behavior vs seeing others.
I believe this to be a universal characteristic for our species and is connected to our ego identity, i.e., looking at oneself from the biological past. The whole question of the biological capacity to see oneself in behaving and doing, as opposed to just “reading” other sentient animals is a fascinating area of behavioral evolution.
It is perhaps this reality of the past that dominates present behavior and the feelings of most of humanity, with some enlightened exceptions.
The idea of “zen”, as opposed to its past life circumstances, knowledge and development, is an insight into the character of “awakeness” in the present and where we are—seeking to exist in the present with knowledge of the past.
Perhaps the question of living in the present is not so inviting. It can trigger past trauma, creating disturbance in those not prepared, not wanting to be aware; like negative reactions to the new, to change—reality’s continuum of disturbance is a given, not all find this reassuring.
All of this may be directed mostly by two forces, i.e., the age/self awareness of the individual, and the present circumstances of their existing. This image should also be reflected in one’s genetic origins, family and culture. One other primary determinant being where one lives on the planet.
It is fairly common to see people who are looking at others, holding regard from the past. They seek these images and characters for their own validation. They respect and value themselves without knowing what they’ve “done” in past circumstances, and the relevance of their thinking in past times. They seek to find themselves in the image while not knowing the content or context of the past’s state of mind— brain knowledge, images and living out of their world consciousness of doing.
We easily look away from our own present, not grasping that the task is of being—developing and living out of neural character of ourselves in meeting the present. I think this to be an excellent definition of a lost soul.
How does one find what they need to orient themselves in the character of the present?
Perhaps many are simply unable to do so. They have been locked into the soul of their past and can’t escape their learned identity.
Should I stay out of it when it comes to those who are as yet innocent at this level of self development? Maybe I should be grateful that this observation is providing me with insights and images that I can use to improve my own inner vision and understanding of myself?
Do I stand in time with current responses? Are my visions and insights from the past? Am I standing in the present without memory? One thing I know is that I have forgotten so much of my contiguous life experiences of the past. It is perhaps an advantage as old age robs the memory, leaving the psyche open to new knowing. I never got trapped in learning. Perhaps this is why I do not respond to what others seem compelled to hold onto regarding their views that seem to no longer contain a place in the current reality.