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philosopal t1_isxo89w wrote

Reply to comment by SuperSirVexSmasher in /r/philosophy Open Discussion Thread | October 17, 2022 by BernardJOrtcutt

Thank you for sharing this. I’m so glad to hear that others care about these ideas too.

I think meditating every night for the last 3 months has allowed me to get to what you might term a secular form of “The Sublime”. What I have observed is a gradual development of the ability to detach from human culture as you call it, in short bursts, throughout the day. The more I meditate, the more aware I am of the space between my environment and my reactions. In short, I can just exist. I believe this is one way to experience “reality” without all the cultural influences clouding it. Not sure if I’d call it an objective reality, but at least it’s one different from the usual culturally motivated one. Maybe it’s a different facet of reality.

Anyway, I’m happy to report that while in this state during the day, I often experience profound gratitude for being able to breathe, eat, sleep and experience the world. Gratitude is definitely heightened during and after my daily meditation practices, as well as feelings of forgiveness, benevolence and wishing other living beings well. There are also feelings that are quote unquote “unpleasant”, like despair, rage, terror and the like. I see all of these as part of the experience of being alive, something that non-living things cannot sense, so I count them as blessings and am interested in immersing in them fully. Overall, seems like the trend is towards being calmer, more deliberate with my choices, more comfortable with myself and accepting situations and others as they are.

Hopefully, the more I meditate, the more space I have to discern “reality” from cultural pressures. Well, at least insofar my senses and cultural background allows me to. What about you? Anything you do to trigger this state?

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SuperSirVexSmasher t1_isxr1ml wrote

Hello,

Thanks for your reply. I don't know if it's a bit strange but I can enter this extremely wonderous and profound appreciation of life when considering what I think may be some really unexpected things. For example, I remember sitting around during lunchtime at work. I obviously wasn't particularly occupied at that moment so i could think about random ideas. I had my neck turned, I touched my neck and thought about how those muscles are all laid out so perfectly for my neck to work, then I considered my body and how amazing it is we are such complicated and, in my opinion, exceptionally impressive and precise machines, then I considered how the entire universe is organized in such a way that this is all happening for us/with us. It's so strange how you get there sometimes. There is considering the consequences of the idea of being the universe itself rather than separating yourself from the universe. There is considering the story of cosmogony so far.

You know, I find it interesting that you state you accept the pain of life and consider it a blessing - I agree. I once asked my father about what he would do if an asteroid was going to annihilate life on earth, would he go to a bar and drink or would he stand and watch it hit. He told me that he would choose getting drunk, he wouldn't want to see it coming. I found it pretty interesting to consider because death is a part of the experience of life as a mortal. Your death will only happen one time, would you want to fully experience the event? (I've read some pretty cool things about what happens when you die). It seems like most people would choose to look away. I think it's all a part of the story. I wonder, would you look at your death?

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philosopal t1_it1ifo9 wrote

I think what you experienced is a sense of awe and I don’t think it’s strange at all. I think it’s wonderful and restorative. For example, authors like Brooke McAlary talk about how it can rejuvenate us and help ease climate anxiety.

When it comes to death, let’s just say circumstances made me aware of my impending non-existence since I was a kid. It’s shocking at first, the idea that someday you would stop existing. Over time I came to see death as part of life. Living beings make up less than 0.1^1000% of matter in the universe (stat is just to make a point), and of that small percent, we somehow have the chance to be self-aware and sentient. Maybe this can’t last forever, but I’m just grateful to be on the ride.

Because of my love of life, I think I wouldn’t look at my death. I know it’s coming, but I’d rather spend my time living life with my loved ones and favourite passions. My life philosophy is to savour my time, and the good and bad experiences that come with it, so I’d do the same if I knew my death was coming soon. I probably would think about my death only to enhance my gratitude for the experiences I’ve had.

What about you?

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