Andrew Furst's Blog, page 30
May 4, 2017
What People Were Reading – April 2017
Here’s what people were reading here on andrewfurst.net in April 2017:
Sparks – Tiny Drops
To the Light of September by W. S. Merwin – Compass Songs
The Fount – Tiny Drops
Stillness – Tiny Drops
As I Walk with Beauty – Traditional Navajo Prayer
Looking Skyward – Tiny Drops
Why So Complicated? – Buddhism and Self
The Miracle of Dead Ends (Nuthin)- Verse Us (Poems by Me)
Under The Skin – A One Minute Meditation
Twenty Minute Meditation – Cliff House Labyrinth
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April 30, 2017
Sundown – A One Minute Meditation
Sundown
Follow the sun
down.
and
with it release.
Release the weight of
the day
down like
water.
Follow the sun
down.
and
with it release.
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Minute Meditations is an ongoing series of short videos, poems, and commentary intended as a meditation. Offered as an opportunity to step back from your cyber routine and settle into a more natural rhythm, if only for a minute.
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Dialectic Two Step, Modern Koans, Verse Us, Say What?, and Minute Meditations all copyright Andrew Furst
These videos are produced for those of us who spend an inordinately large amount of time in the cyber-world. They are not a substitute for unplugging from your devices and taking a stroll near trees, water, or a patch of unkempt grass. Getting out into the world - touching, smelling, hearing, and seeing nature is the best way to reconnect with our prime purpose.
What is our prime purpose? We are feeling and sensing machines. We are the universe looking back on itself. We are witness to the wonders and dangers of living in this corner of the cosmos. We are the seekers looking for connection a little further beyond yesterday's borders and boundaries.
But sitting and staring at the screen robs us of the sustenance that we rely upon for wonder and sanity. These videos are an opportunity to bring the sensations of nature to you, while you're in the cyber-world. Its an opportunity to relax your gaze, resettle your posture, and regain some depth in your breath. Listen and watch the video and allow your self to open up and recharge.
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April 27, 2017
Discrimination – Thoughts on American Ideals
We should all draw the lines around what we accept, a little bit bigger than what’s comfortable – being careful to remain safe. Andrew Furst
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Quotes -The path to right view is an arduous walk through fields of manure.
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April 24, 2017
Body Mind Connection? – Say What?
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Say What? is an ongoing series of laconic exchanges on Buddhism in the format of a comic strip.
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Dialectic Two Step, Modern Koans, Verse Us, Say What?, and Minute Meditations all copyright Andrew Furst
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April 21, 2017
A Few Thoughts On Gratitude
A collection of posts capturing my thoughts and the thoughts of others on the topic of gratitude.
Meditations on Gratitude – Science
Meditations, Meditations on Gratitude
Touch – Meditations on Gratitude
Meditation Videos, Meditations, Meditations on Gratitude
Hearing – Meditations on Gratitude
Meditations, Meditations on Gratitude
Gratitude Under The Microscope – Meditations on Gratitude
Meditations, Meditations on Gratitude
Meditations on Gratitude – Our Partners
Meditations, Meditations on Gratitude
Meditations on Gratitude – Children
Meditation Videos, Meditations, Meditations on Gratitude
Meditations on Gratitude – Leaders
Meditations, Meditations on Gratitude
Teachers – A Meditation on Gratitude
Meditations, Meditations on Gratitude
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Bear’s Den Falls – Verse Us (Poems by Me)
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Verse Us - Poems I write: haiku, senryu, mesostics, free verse, random word constructions, I might even use rhyme or meter once and a while.
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Dialectic Two Step, Modern Koans, Verse Us, Say What?, and Minute Meditations all copyright Andrew Furst
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April 18, 2017
Remembering Past Lives? – Dialectic Two Step
Question: How is the remembrance of past lives compatible with anatta? Rebirth makes sense in the context of dependent arising and conditionality. We humans exist dependent on conditions. Everything had to come together to shape us. But Buddha remembered past lives instead of the conditions that made us born human (water, sun, soil, food, …). Does this make sense?
Response: My opinion is that remembering past lives doesn’t make sense.
Memory is a function of the brain. The brain stores data and synthesizes consciousness in remarkably complex and rich ways. As we accumulate experience over a lifetime, we move from the helplessness of infancy to being fully developed adults capable of abstract thought that is clearly beyond our experience.
Our minds can envision life without gravity or a universe whose operations are governed by a consistent system of arithmetic with only 3 digits. We’ve developed sophisticated models describing the formation of the universe and can detect and treat diseases based on cellular and molecular markers.
My point is that we are capable of conceiving and manipulating impossible ideas even though we don’t have direct experience of them. The human brain is extremely adept at operating within the imaginary.
Nothing More Than…
But when we talk about the memory of our personal experiences, we must be bound to actual stored data. If I make a claim that at birth, I stood up, took ten steps, pointed my finger towards a teenager, and declared my desire for a kiddie sized mint Oreo cookie ice cream cone, I would be stepping beyond the boundaries of my experience, not to mention the truth. First, because I have no such memory. Second, because other people who were with me at birth would contradict that memory.
Another salient point here is that while I may share memories of shared experiences with others, at no time do I directly experience the memories of others. An overwhelming amount of evidence tells us that humans have no access to the memories, thoughts, or emotions of another person. Our only link is through the medium of language (verbal and body language). If you were to claim an exception and I would be justifiably skeptical.
So with this as background, I read the mythology of the Buddha’s enlightenment experiences with a grain of salt. The Buddha rejected the title of God, demi-god, or super human. He was operating with the same hardware that we have. To me, that’s enough information to reject the idea of past life remembrance.
Unpacking It
Let’s break down what a remembering a past life experience really means and why I think it’s inconsistent with what we know about the world.
A past life is one that was lived in a body which has ceased to function and is in some state of decomposition.
Most of the human bodies have disappeared without a trace.
All memories accrued during that past life were stored in the body
With the decomposition of the body, those memories have dissipated into entropy.
If we were to claim to directly experience those memories, we would have to
Overcome the fact that we cannot directly experience the memories of others
Overcome the fact that we would have to directly experience the memories of someone who is no longer alive
Overcome the fact that we would have to directly experience the memories that were stored in a brain that is either in some state of decomposition or entirely non-existent
Given all these observations, I would conclude that the mythology of the Buddha’s past life remembrance is hyperbole. Further, if someone were to approach me today with claims that they’ve experience past life remembrance, I would be doubtful. I find it a much more plausible to characterize these mental formations as a complex synthesis of memories, concepts, and theories – in other words imaginary. That hypothesis is consistent with our understanding of memory and how the brain works.
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Dialectic Two-Step is an ongoing series of my thoughts on questions that come my way.
Wisdom lies neither in fixity nor in change, but in the dialectic between the two. - Octavio
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Dialectic Two Step, Modern Koans, Verse Us, Say What?, and Minute Meditations all copyright Andrew Furst
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April 15, 2017
Consumer – Concrete Poetry – Compass Songs
Consumer
Part of a series of concrete poems from the Sackner Archive of Concrete and Visual Poetry founded by Ruth and Marvin Sackner
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Compass Songs is an ongoing series of works by poets that I enjoy. Poetry, as the Zen Masters have said, is like a finger pointing to the moon. It speaks the unspeakable.
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April 12, 2017
If You Were God – Modern Koans
If you were God, what would you have done differently than the real one?
Response:
What if the answer was that we are all one in God and that we have participated, intentionally or not, in exactly what people perceive as God’s work?
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I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
Modern Koans is an ongoing series that recognizes that good questions are often more important than their answers.
The riddles of God are more satisfying than the solutions of man. ― G.K. Chesterton
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Dialectic Two Step, Modern Koans, Verse Us, Say What?, and Minute Meditations all copyright Andrew Furst
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April 11, 2017
First Poem Accepted For Publication- Arbor Meditation
After thirty-nine submissions to various poetry journals, one of my poems has been accepted for publication. “An Arbor Meditation” will appear in the Poetry Leaves exhibit (May 1st-31st) in Waterford Township, Michigan. It will then be available in the bound volume of the same name for purchase after the exhibit is completed.
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Verse Us - Poems I write: haiku, senryu, mesostics, free verse, random word constructions, I might even use rhyme or meter once and a while.
Get Each Month's Poems In Your Email Box
Dialectic Two Step, Modern Koans, Verse Us, Say What?, and Minute Meditations all copyright Andrew Furst
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