That is, a State of Being that one attempts to realise; or actualise, in one's everyday life.
It may not be easy; but what is the alternative? Being driven 'mad' by the prevailing insanity? There is no doubt in my mind that the first option is the ONLY realistic CHOICE.
And, yes, it IS a CHOICE - A CHOICE that must be continually re-affirmed, in ALL of life's circumstances; and whatever the challenges.
However, the problem that we are faced with at the very outset, is that there is at present no concise definition; or, even agreement, about the actual nature of 'TRUE SANITY!'
It is not simply a matter of 'sane' vs. mad' - or, 'normal' vs. 'ab-normal!' The concept that I have in mind, is altogether different; it does not as yet exist!
This is precisely what one would expect, given the fact that it is imperative - (due to the innate structure of the concept) - that each individual human being, work out; or construct mentally - for themselves - their OWN CONCEPTION of the IDEAL.
This does not mean that each individual human person should go off alone somewhere and construct their own unique 'delusional system'; or that one is totally 'at sea' - without any points of accurate navigation - the points and pointers are out there already. However, these 'navigation points' (and the 'maps' to which they refer) are not always so easy to see; or recognise - through the medium of some 'ready made' chart; or, in a so-called 'manual!
This is indeed ironic, given the FACT that we have an incredibly voluminous 'manual' - defining for us every conceivable (and/or imaginable) 'mental illness' and/or 'mental disorder.' This 'mega-tome' of a 'volume' is termed "The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" - more commonly known as "The DSM-5."
There is practically NO HUMAN EXPERIENCE, OR ACTION, which is outside the 'diagnostic' scope of this massive attempt at pathologising ALL of our human experience, and/or action.
In other words, just about everything we are capable of experiencing; and/or doing, as human beings, is becoming more and more a matter of 'what we are allowed; or not allowed' - to experience, or do; according to a set of predetermined (and 'prescribed') diagnostic categories; worked out on the basis of, and defined by, a list of (quite arbitrary) 'test score' variables.
Rather than allowing ourselves to be distracted by the existence of such a 'manual'; we shall return at once to the more rewarding task of attempting to define the IDEAL of 'TRUE SANITY' - and consequently - SANE LIVING.
Once again, it is up to each and every human person to construct - for themselves - a 'working definition' of the CONCEPT of 'True Sanity.'
Our discussion so far, has led us, quite naturally, to the point where it is necessary to posit the IDEAL of TRUE SANITY - as a LIFE GOAL. A Goal to be realised - in LIFE.
It also follows, quite naturally, that the means to realising the Ideal (of TRUE SANITY) in Life - is through the PRACTICE of SANE LIVING.
It has also become necessary at this point in our discussion, to state unequivocally, what I mean by the 'Ideal' of 'True Sanity' - posited as a Life Goal.
The ONLY (Ultimately) TRUE 'SANITY' that I recognise is the Ultimate Human-Spiritual State of Conscious Union with GOD. This 'State of Consciousness' is also known as The State of 'God-Realisation' - or; True 'Self-Realisation' by Woman/Man.
The reason that I make this assertion, is because I equate the State of Conscious Union with GOD, with a corresponding experiential state - of Total Oneness; a State of Absolute, Inviolable Integrity; of WHOLENESS - a completely UN-DIVIDED SELF.
Furthermore, in order to REALISE this IDEAL of TRUE SANITY, I believe it is necessary to incorporate 'Spiritual Understanding' into ALL aspects of one's actual life - in the world.
The question before us now is; 'what is 'spiritual understanding?'
Perhaps the best approach to answering this question regarding 'spiritual understanding' would be to quote from the Discourses of AvatarMeherBaba.
I shall quote from page 24 of the on-line version (of the original 1967; 3 vol., 6th. edition); as this is now the most readily accessable; it is also an exact transcript of the original (3-vol., 1967) edition, that was published before Avatar Meher Baba 'dropped His body.'
In the Discourse entitled 'The New Humanity,' Meher Baba states '.....even when man sets himself to the limited task of securing purely material adjustment (i.e., the task of attaining Socio-Economic Equality), he can only succeed in this attempt if he has spiritual understanding.'
'.....Economic adjustment is impossible unless people realise that there can be no planned or co-operative action in economic matters until self-interest gives place to self-giving love. Otherwise, with the best of equipment and efficency in the materal spheres, humanity cannot avoid conflict and insufficiency.' (ibid.,pp.24).
This is only the first of many references to the term spiritual understanding that occurs in the actual text of the original 6th. edn. of the discoursesbymeherbaba. As well as this, every one of these individual references appears in a significantly different, though related context.
In light of this fact, I shall present here my OWN 'working definition' of the CONCEPT of spiritual understanding.
Spiritual Understanding is a unique 'Way of Knowing'; and a particular 'form', or 'type' of Knowledge, that comes about gradually; as a result of on-going Spiritual Experience.
Spiritual Experience encompasses both 'Real Feeling,' and 'Intuition.' Spiritual Experience is itself a form of 'Direct Knowing'; un-mediated by Human Reason. That is, it transcends (or 'goes beyond') Human Reason.
This is not to say that Spiritual Understanding is necessarily contradictory to; or un-approachable by Human Reason. On the contrary, the faculty of human reason is an excellent starting point in one's exploration of the possible meaning of these other, no less important, 'ways of knowing.'
Other persons can, and indeed must arrive at their OWN 'working definitions'; as the SAME ONE TRUTH manifests individually - through EACH and EVERY Human Heart - from WITHIN.
The following diagram (Figure-1)is a close representation of what I have been attempting to describe above, as it depicts in schematic form the possibility of an alternative LIFE CHOICE - that of a genuine STATE of "TRUE SANITY." In the diagram below, this ULTIMATE LIFE-GOAL is depicted as the "Omega Point." The Point of TRUE SANITY! (Excerpted from 'Psychiatry and Anti-Psychiatry', David Cooper; 1967, pp.30,31.Paladin.)
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It is interesting to note that in the above diagram, David Cooper equates 'normality' with 'arrested development.' This arrested development is both cognitive and emotional. However, the main cause of this state of total arrest, (normality) is on account of the more primal aspect of 'emotional disturbance.'
It is a FACT that most so-called 'cognitive impairment' is for the most part caused by the prevention of emotional development, (all the way back to the inception point of birth).
However, the norm, (normality) - particularly in the so-called 'developed' (first world) societies, tends to be in the direction of a definite lack of what has been termed 'Emotional Intelligence.' (see Daniel Goleman, Emotional Intelligence, 1997).
This would seem an appropriate time to return again to our 'key concept' of Spiritual Understanding. I shall devote a separate posting to this ALL IMPORTANT CONCEPT; as it requires considerable elaboration, and clarification. |
