On doing and being

[vaneramos]

From The Farthest Shore by Ursula K. LeGuin:

When I was young, I had to choose between the life of being and the life of doing. And I leapt at the latter like a trout to a fly. But each deed you do, each act, binds you to itself and to its consequences, and makes you act again and yet again. Then very seldom do you come upon a space, a time like this, between act and act, when you may stop and simply be. Or wonder who, after all, you are.

Incidentally I am being weary and dull today, but not nearly half as sluggish as LJ.

Comments

[leafshimmer.livejournal.com]

These words from Ursula K. LeGuin--and the sentiment of your charming essay, too--is very much in accord with the spirit of Taoist philosophy.

The notion of recovering at-one-ness with a sacred, organic Whole that is the Pure Ground of Being is best known in the West through Zen Buddhism, which I consider to be Taoist philosophical practice grafted onto a trunk of Buddhist theology (with some sympathetic strands from Indian Yogacara philosophy woven in as well).

In my opinion, all authentic spiritual life begins with the personal discovery of this innate energy, an indelible link between our human state and the seemingly constantly swirling energies of the natural world.

To discover this energy, all dogmas, all theologies, all philosophical constructs need to be put aside. We need to relax, lie down on the ground, feel the earth, and just BREATHE.

love, Shimmer

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

A year ago I had some interesting discussions with someone online about Taoism. It interested me, partly because it is compatible with atheism. A couple ideas didn't quite jibe with me. Of course, that's not enough to discard an entire philosophy. Unfortunately I have a poor memory when it comes to rational arguments. I would need to revisit the dialogue, and it's buried somewhere in cyberspace.

[leafshimmer.livejournal.com]

Oh, I only yapped on about Taoism because somebody mentioned in the previous Leguin thread about her interest in the philosophy--which included her doing a translation of the Lao-tzu. Remarkable woman, to say the least.

yes, I do think Taoism is compatible with atheism, if you do the less doctrinaire version of the latter. In the Lao-tzu, Nonbeing is described more than once, I think, as "the Mother of the Ten thousand things," a form of personification which would be unacceptable to really strict atheist thinkers, but which I can imagine you'd probably find beautiful in its own way as a metaphor.

love, Shimmer

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Ah, metaphor! There's a word I like.

[beastbriskett.livejournal.com]

I can really appreciate your thoughts on just being. Thanks for sharing your article.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Hey, I appreciate you taking time to read it. I'm in the midst of revising some of my old nature essays in hope of getting a book published. The LeGuin quote reminded of that article.