Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Go with what you know Part II – My Own Experience

"I'm free" - The Who

Previously on GWWYK:

Eden was raised Catholic, and a pretty decent one at that. He learned of morality and gained focus through prayer and stories of Jesus. However, after a need to know more, a natural impulse to rebel and a conflict with the goals and purpose of the religion, Eden became an atheist. But the decision of not believing without proof in God led him to similar conclusions about “no God”. Eden became agnostic and chose to be free in spirituality and let others do the same.

***

I found myself overwhelmed by the apparent level of God-like knowledge it would take to understand the universe (or God for that matter). But then I am not God, I am just a man. But I am a man with the capacity to do many wonderful things and I haven’t done the majority of them. I decided to lessen the scope of my curiosities. Forget the universe. Forget the world. I need to go back to what I truly know – My own experience.

It was simple. I have sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste. Anyone can tell me an apple tastes like this or that, but I could just taste it myself and suddenly I know. Same with music, books or movies. It’s all good that Lee thought Television made a great album with Marquee Moon, that Hamish took some thought provoking ideas from 1984 or that Russ loves a range of top quality movies, but you know the only way I can truly know is to experience them for myself. If a continent is beautiful - then I should go see it. If a drug opens the fifth dimension - then I might like to try it. If some German dude tells me I can walk around with Pumas - then perhaps I should have a go. You never know it could be a life changing experience.

Even negative things are not for me to judge blindly. Cold showers sounded like a horrible idea to me once, but I have since found a special value to them. I used to view meditation as some weird thing that Indians did, but then grew curious of it. I didn’t actually have any valuable information on it because I had never done it. I always thought Lee and Hamish were wankers but then I became friends with them and…well sometimes it’s best to stick with your intuition.

I found that I agree and disagree with many things and the only way to truly gain knowledge of something is to experience it. I have never been to Russia, and I don’t think I have even met a Russian. The country is beyond my knowledge and although in all likelihood it does exist, it doesn’t actually exist to me in any tangible form.

Life became, and has been since, a journey of discovery to me. The fact is I may never get to Russia, but that is almost the beauty of life: that there is more for us to experience or know than we could ever possibly do in one lifetime (infinity?). Each day is a chance to try something new and different, to better understand myself and the world around me and that is why I have listened to Marquee Moon, read 1984, and plan to watch the movies that I haven’t yet seen from Russ’ list. It’s why I travelled, took Drugs Many Times and write on this blog!

- Eden (while listening to Abbey Road – The Beatles)

Part III

4 comments:

  1. I identify with your attitude and outlook on life, but there is one thing that I couldn't stop thinking about when you explained all these awesome things such as books/music/movies/travelling - they all cost money. It's interesting to think how one would expand their life experience without money, and all I can think of is spirituality through meditation etc. - basically become a monk. Then there's the problem of people throughout the world to which becoming a monk is not an option, what should they do to seek experience?

    Then there's the flip side - people with too much money. This can often be a bigger burden when trying to understand yourself; sure you can indulge in many pleasures, and buy yourself cultural knowledge, but used unwisely money can be a blanket to the real world problems which many of us face.

    Being young, with not too much or too little money, an education and a 'free' government, I feel that most of us can choose our own path to life experience - but at what cost?

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  2. Yeah money does have a habit of fucking things up. But I guess if we ever reach a world without the need for money, there will still always be books, music, etc.

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  3. Good point, art will always find a way. Looking forward to part III.

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