Re: [BardonPraxis] Re:Essential meaning

["Rawn Clark" <rawnclark@...>]

Dear Peter,

>> I agree. To use a rather bad pun that is rather appropriate at this
moment, "We're both two voices trying to explain the totality of
essential meaning." Being that essential meaning is something that can
not be explained in words, due to the intrinsic nature that essential
meaning is something that has to be percieved and experienced, we're
both just lending our own interpritation, our own voice of essential
meaning to try to explain it. <<

;-) Yes. My focus, primarily, is in describing *how* to reach a direct
perception of essential meaning, as opposed to trying to describe the
indescribable itself. Alas, being that we're so "left-brain oriented",
it's nearly impossible for me to say "just do this" without the
necessity of attempting to describe what it is that "doing this" results
in. I think this tends to complicate the process of learning *how* to
directly perceive essential meaning, which, in and of itself, is the
essence of simplicity.

>> Your coming from a pure Hermetic perspective, whereas I come from a
perspective that mixes the modern understanding of psychology and
neurophysiology with Hermetics and meditation. While you did previously
state that using the split brain theory will only get me so far, I do
believe that it is a good starting point for further progress along the
path. <<

Since I have so immersed myself in Hermetic thought, I find no need to
reference other systems in order to understand Hermetic principles. The
same with kabbalah. This is how I learn something new -- immersion. I
immerse myself in the mind-set of what I'm learning instead of splitting
myself between two different mind-sets. But I recognize that not
everyone studies and learns in this same way and, in fact, most folks
learn better by relating a new study to a past study and by trying to
understand the new through the lens of the familiar. The essential
problem with this is that one can easily miss out on the depth of the
new study by not capturing its entire mind-set. At some point one must
think solely in terms of the new study and forego the internal
translation between old and new. It's sort of like learning a new
language. At first each word is translated internally, but eventually,
one begins to think directly in the new language without the internal
translation.

When I said that the split brain theory will only take you so far, this
is what I meant. There are also Hermetic precepts which clearly explain
the same apparent split but they do so in an Hermetic manner, with an
Hermetic mind-set, and IMO much more fully and concisely (not to
mention, practically) than the split brain theory. The split brain
theory comprehends only a part of the total human being; whereas,
Hermetic theory considers the whole, multi-dimensional being in its
understanding. It's the relationship between the apparent split and the
whole, multi-dimensional being, that serves up the truly practical uses
of this knowledge; whereas to my mind, the split brain theory alone is
not very applicable in so far as practicing magic goes.

One problem that I, as an Hermeticist, see with the split brain theory
is that it infers a true split between two discrete types of mental
function. From the Hermetic perspective however, there is not a true
split. Instead it's a hierarchy of function. For example, the
intuitive "left-brain" is *always* active and is a precursor to the
rational "right-brain" function. In other words, we're *always*
perceiving essential meaning but we're not always using our rational
logic. Furthermore, these two aspects of Mind function *together*, like
hand-in-glove, in our mundane, day-to-day awareness.

>> I have this extra set of knowledge that science has provided, so I
might as well use it. <<

Good! :) Even though I suffer a severe case of Hermeticitus,
compounded by Kabbalitus [ ;-) ], I do respect and appreciate the
ability of others, such as yourself, to translate between Hermetic
thought and other disciplines! :)

My best to you,
:) Rawn Clark
24 May 2003
rawnclark@...
rawn@...
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