The words of wisdom thread

[Flatbutt1]

or at least the words that make us think.

Flatty #1
The Zen like mind is also known as the Beginner's Mind (or so I've read elsewhere). A new mind with no pre-conceptions, fixed or imposed ideas. It is an open mind full of questions and delighting in the variety of answers. We all start with the Beginner's Mind but over time we have outside ideas imposed upon us. Some are well intentioned; some are not but all enter our mind.

Our mind can become so littered with the ideas and beliefs of others that there is no room for our own. We can go through life thinking that those imposed ideas are in fact our own.

What many of us aren't aware of is that there is a kernel of our original mind tucked away in a quiet backwater eddy just waiting for something to stir it into action. How to create the ripples that get the water moving in that eddy is the stumbling block.

Quiet introspection and meditation are ways to do that but however you do it the joy of tearing down the boundaries of the imposed mind is very liberating.

[Zeke]

It may be an open mind, this 'beginner's mind, however I don't see how it is already programmed with questions. I think observations come first, then action like learning speak. I would differentiate between learning to speak vs. learning to walk. That might take more than observation (listening in this case).

A baby left alone with some means to be fed and kept alive, but otherwise having no contact with anything, would likely walk at some point on its own. If no exposure to speech it would unlikely do anything but maybe make some kind of sound if it fell down and experienced pain.

So at what point in a lifetime would someone be trying to get back to?

I have a theory in contrast. As an older person one has a lot of experience. I agree with the part about the mind becoming constipated with imprints from all of experience crowding out original thought. Imposed ideas is spot on.

My thought would be to strip away all that is impairing original thought revealing all that you have gained in truth.

There is a lot to say about this and it could go on forever. Did a mind like Da Vinci start back with the 'kerrnal' or did he build on experience casting off much of what he didn't need.

We all get exposed constantly to information that we don't need. Ergo, PPOT

[pmax]

[oldE]

Anybody who talks about "the good old days ", wasn't there.

Best
Les

[Dixie]

"You can drink 'em handsome, but you can't drink 'em rich."
- Mamma

[Nordwest]

"Don't believe anything you hear and only half of what you see".... Hell, I have no idea who said it!

[gumby]

Nurtuer vs Nature?

We are all born with vast "collective" subconscious mind but to engage/access it consciously is most elusive that has plauged mankind.


Flatbutt! "Our mind can become so littered with the ideas and beliefs of others that there is no room for our own. We can go through life thinking that those imposed ideas are in fact our own"


Zeke "My thought would be to strip away all that is impairing original thought revealing all that you have gained in truth"

[Flatbutt1]

Feel free to add new strings to this thread. I'd like to read what bits of wisdom you guys care to share.

[Por_sha911]

Some pearls from my Comp 101 professor in 1974:
"If it is easy, every SOB (edited for decorum) and his brother would be already doing it"
"You can't out-stink a skunk"
"Curse words are for the uneducated or unimaginative. It is far more creative to tell a fellow that he is the offspring of an unmarried female dog"

From my dad:
"Never take advise from someone who has nothing to lose if he is wrong"

From Alfred E. Neuman:
"If you kicked the person most directly responsible for all your problems, you wouldn't be able to sit down for a week"

[Zeke]

Some of this sounds like it ought to be in the "Favorite expressions" thread. What happened to the Zen and the kernel?

[Flatbutt1]

Originally Posted by Zeke

Some of this sounds like it ought to be in the "Favorite expressions" thread. What happened to the Zen and the kernel?

thread creep and maybe a poor thread title.

[Flatbutt1]

Originally Posted by Zeke

...


I have a theory in contrast. As an older person one has a lot of experience. I agree with the part about the mind becoming constipated with imprints from all of experience crowding out original thought. Imposed ideas is spot on.

My thought would be to strip away all that is impairing original thought revealing all that you have gained in truth.

...

That is at the center of my thought. How to strip away that which has been imposed upon us?

First, we need to recognize that which has been imposed and then decide that we no longer wish to hold on to it. That requires a level of self awareness that, in my experience is somewhat rare in people. It also requires that we are able to admit that there has been some "programming" of sorts.

If we decide that we are comfortable with our current store of ideas and beliefs then all is good. However, if not then what?

IMO the task of as you say "stripping away all that is impairing original thought" is the critical bit.

How to do that is highly individual and in my case is a continuing effort in some areas even at the age of 71. As much as I respected my parents and what they accomplished with the tools they had I was aware at an early age that I couldn't live with some of their ideas. Dad was a WW II veteran and fought for freedom but at home was a distressingly racist man. I couldn't live with that.

Mom was totally holy but the behaviors of some of the "devout" Catholics in our neighborhood truly troubled me and I couldn't live with that.

By the time I finished college (which took 7 years to complete due to working my way through) I had a very clear idea of who I wasn't and was still working on who I was.

I have overcome most of those imposed ideas through listening, studying and experiencing life outside of my original cocoon. There is still work to do but I'm aware of that and that awareness guides my journey.

Thoughts from the gang?

[john70t]

Trust, but verify.
Measure thrice, cut once.
Don't take any wooden nickles.
Everything has a price.
Strike while the iron is hot.
In every setback there is opportunity.
Look into and ahead of the curve.
If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice
Don't pee on the electric fence.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by Capt. Carrera

"You can drink 'em handsome, but you can't drink 'em rich."
- Mamma

Another favorite of mine:

You can marry more money that you can make in a lifetime of hard work.

It did not work out that way for me, but I know a friend that married into a VERY rich family and retired rich in their 20s.

[MAS956]

Grandma always used to say "use your head to save your heels". I often think of that advice whilst out walking around....

[mgatepi]

"All you need in this life is a tremendous ego and a hell of a sex drive! Brains dont mean ****!"
Capt. Tony

[Zeke]

Well, Flat, not many Zen types here. I somehow thought some Porsche mechanics would find some soul in their work as opposed to working the line at a dealership. And of course I'm talking about the old air cooled stuff.

I think what happened there is that I thought of Zen and Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, which I have never read but understand it has little to do with motorcycles. Correct me if I'm wrong. But speaking of 'creep' I think my association of mechanics and Zen came from only the title.

Still, when making something on a wood lathe, or playing a musical instrument does tend to remove you from the immediate inbound....


(I really don't have the words to complete my own thought.)