The House Call
June 2011
This "philosophical musing" takes the form of an internal dialogue between "normal" mental activity, which usually accounts for most of our "noise within", and the "still, small voice" of self-awareness, which may lack volume, but is never quite quenched forever.
Our "normal" mental activity is derived mainly from sensations, emotions and thoughts, all of which, naturally, have their roots in past experience... but from all of which we also construct our ideas (including our hopes and fears) about what the future might be like. This "normal" side of the internal dialogue usually predominates, so I have shown it in larger type.
Self-awareness is not so easy to define. Perhaps it is simply an innate ability (not always employed very fully) to notice what is going on in one's mind. Perhaps it is a sort of conduit which allows some degree of communication (usually "through a glass, darkly") between the conscious mind and one or more other aspects of whatever the totality of a human being might be...
The concept of such a dialogue is, of course, not my own invention. Like most subjects worth "musing" about, it is referred to in virtually all ancient religious scriptures (including, but certainly not limited to, the Vedas, the Tao Te Ching, the sermons of the Buddha, the Torah, the Qur'an and the New Testament) and also in the writings of many "non-religious" philosophers, from old favourites such as Plato and Marcus Aurelius to more recent examples such as Jiddu Krishnamurti and Eckhart Tolle.
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Knock, knock, knock...
Knock, knock, knock...
Who's there?
I AM
Where are you?
HERE
When did you come?
NOW
What do you want?
Nothing
Then why are you here?
To give you the present
What present?
I AM HERE NOW
Obviously - but what IS this present?
I AM HERE NOW
You already said that. What I mean is, what do you mean by "present"?
The gateway to life... and freedom... and more
I already have life - and in case you haven't noticed, it's hell. I'm also sick of hearing about freedom - there's no such thing. It's a fairy tale!
But a life worth having, always... and absolute freedom, forever
Very funny, I don't think - how could either of those things ever be possible?
By taking the first step...
which is simply noticing: I AM HERE NOW
You're starting to get on my nerves, Voice. Either say something sensible, or get lost!
Then please pay attention... I am the Way... to Peace, Joy, Love, Truth, Beauty, and more...
and I AM (always) HERE NOW!
Now you listen to me, smartass. I've had a hard life, I'm struggling to keep my act together, and I've got quite enough to worry about without these ridiculous riddles... so thank you very much, I don't think, and goodbye!
I am with you alw
SLAM!!!
Knock, knock, knock...
Knock, knock, knock...
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