Fly low and soar high
I was meditating yesterday, and a thought came to me unbidden, as they are inclined to do. When this happens, if it is something new and worthwhile, the trick is to capture it, write it out, and share it. I am invariably confident I’ll remember the notion until I finish meditating (or exercising or bathing), despite accumulating evidence to the contrary. An idea slips away now and then, making me hunt around in the warehouse of my memory to find it. It can be frustrating, and I kick myself on such occasions for not noting it down immediately on my phone or iPad.
This particular one did not escape permanently, so here it is.
One of my Philosophy of Life Instinct concepts is emotional wisdom, which is superior to emotional intelligence. An integral part of it is the detachment of our conscious mind from the events we experience and create.Book: Philosophy of Life Instinct: Chapter 13: Emotional Wisdom
Thinking and feeling togethermedium.com
What I perceived last morning was that detachment can have not just one state but two. Including our normal state of complete immersion in life activities, the three macro-states of our mind are illustrated below.
State 1 — Immersed State
Our typical state is of submersion in the stream of life’s activities, with our mind fully absorbed in them. It acts and reacts according to the basic drives of the life instinct. It is our least controlled condition, and the graph of our mental states has the highest highs and lowest lows in it.
State 2 — Low Detached State
In this state of mind, we observe ourselves and know what is troubling us or making us happy due to our direct experience. It could be our body, family, friends, or work. When we become self-actualized and understand ourselves well, we can separate our minds from our active life. Our higher mind can skim over life’s river, watching our immersed self battle the eddies and ride the currents. When we see we are not swimming well, we can nudge ourselves in the right direction or correct our technique.
State 3 — High Detached State
When we ascend high above self-actualization and gain the perspective to see all of existence, including ourselves, in a single glance, we fly the freest. We sight the horizons of time and space as we circle at the zenith and gaze incredulously at the utter insignificance of our lives in contrast with the seriousness we give it. When we can attain this state at will, we are truly free and can most excellently control our emotions and actions.
Wisdom lies not only in knowing what’s good but also how much. We shouldn’t be in any of the 3 States of the Wise Mind for too long. 50% in the immersed state, 30% in Low Detached State, and 20% in High Detached State is a good balance. It will create a life of authentic joy and sorrow while avoiding the worst of our natural imperfections.Book: Philosophy of Life Instinct: Chapter 26: Imperfections of the Life Instinct
Our evolutionary shortcomings and interim responsibilitiesmedium.com
Do you experience these three states? I would be delighted to hear how it works for you.
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