Bruce, I've noticed that I have probably hundreds of different "feelings" or "flavors" associated with music, smells, visuals from my past. They all feel positive but different.
For instance, hearing a certain song might remind me of that one particular summer 8 years ago. It feels as if I've been transformed back in time. In hindsight, that moment in my life had a feeling associated with it, although at the time I dont think I recognized this particular feeling's flavor.
Another day I might walk outside on a Fall morning and the way the air smells may remind me of one particular Spring 10 years ago. This again has it's own feeling associated with it.
I find by purposefully thinking a certain way, with the aid of sound or smell, I can sort of transform myself to different periods of time where I felt engaged in the world. Many times it is like taking a small short-lasting drug.
Is final participation a way of achieving this mode of being at all times?
Do you know what i mean by every memory having its own "feeling" that transcends positive/negative or good/bad?
@isl - I'd say that was something different, because it is more of an unconscious and involuntary association. It can be 'explained' in terms of biology, by the 'somatic marker mechanism' - about which I used to write a fair bit.
In other words, I think what you are describing is a property of memory whereby emotions are associated with events - remembering events triggers emotions stored at the same time, and emotional states facilitate recall of events that led to them etc.
I got most of these ideas from Rudolf Steiner's Truth and Knowledge, and Philosophy of Freedom - but I probably would not have understood these without also reading Otto Palmer's book entitled - Rudolf Steiner on His Book "the Philosophy of Freedom".
15 February 2021 at 23:17
The idea is that our consciousness - which can be understood as our conscious will This 'evolved' or developmentally-unfolded through human history, and an analogous development typically happens through our modern life - at least in the The West. The conscious will - which is where we feel our-selves to be located, the 'I' or ego that looks-out on the world - can be regarded as an intermediary between the body and the perceptions on the outside, and our real-divine self which is on the 'inside'. Although actually the real-self is not tied to the body; yet incarnation means that in a significant sense the real-self is located in time and space. Thus incarnation is what gives us greater freedom and an unique perspective. Without incarnation the real-self is not distinctly separated-from the divine will and thought; and is less of an agent, less free. But with a developed conscious will that comes between our perceptions and our real-self; we have the ability to shift, direct and focus attention. This means that our conscious will can choose to present different phenomena, for consideration by the real-self. The conscious will can (in effect) move our bodies to a new environment, can choose to focus attention on particular aspects of the perceived environment, or can retrieve memories - and these are then brought to the attention of the real-self. The conscious will can focus on perceptions, on inner body states, on memories - or it can focus on the real-self - and on the thoughts that are 'emerging' from the real-self. By this model; primary thinking is what happens when the conscious-will is attending to the real-self; and the conscious-will is (in a sense) subordinating-itself to the real self. So that, for example, the conscious-will moves the body to a different place, alters that which is perceived (by seeking particular kinds of experience), and shifts attention in line with the requirements of the real-self. This is to live in Final Participation; led by the real (and divine) self, and with intuition (= primary thinking) leading the conscious will. But in Final Participation always there is (and must be) the conscious choice about where to direct the conscious-will, moment-by-moment.So, in Final Participation; conscious choice is voluntarily aligned-with the divine; it is aligned via the real self which is that which is divine within us.
"Development of the conscious will towards Final Participation - a simple model"
4 Comments -
Bruce, I've noticed that I have probably hundreds of different "feelings" or "flavors" associated with music, smells, visuals from my past. They all feel positive but different.
For instance, hearing a certain song might remind me of that one particular summer 8 years ago. It feels as if I've been transformed back in time. In hindsight, that moment in my life had a feeling associated with it, although at the time I dont think I recognized this particular feeling's flavor.
Another day I might walk outside on a Fall morning and the way the air smells may remind me of one particular Spring 10 years ago. This again has it's own feeling associated with it.
I find by purposefully thinking a certain way, with the aid of sound or smell, I can sort of transform myself to different periods of time where I felt engaged in the world. Many times it is like taking a small short-lasting drug.
Is final participation a way of achieving this mode of being at all times?
Do you know what i mean by every memory having its own "feeling" that transcends positive/negative or good/bad?
15 February 2021 at 13:41
@isl - I'd say that was something different, because it is more of an unconscious and involuntary association. It can be 'explained' in terms of biology, by the 'somatic marker mechanism' - about which I used to write a fair bit.
https://www.hedweb.com/bgcharlton/damasioreview.html
or relevant sections of
https://www.hedweb.com/bgcharlton/psychhuman.html
In other words, I think what you are describing is a property of memory whereby emotions are associated with events - remembering events triggers emotions stored at the same time, and emotional states facilitate recall of events that led to them etc.
15 February 2021 at 13:52
Thanks for the clarification. I'll give those links a read
15 February 2021 at 15:34
I got most of these ideas from Rudolf Steiner's Truth and Knowledge, and Philosophy of Freedom - but I probably would not have understood these without also reading Otto Palmer's book entitled - Rudolf Steiner on His Book "the Philosophy of Freedom".
15 February 2021 at 23:17