Name
REL 331: Religion and Personal Experience
The student is reflecting on the readings; he’s not summarizing. He uses MLA style for papers and MLA par. doc. to show how he’s reading the texts. His writing is clear, grammatical and very thoughtful. His entries are dated.
His word count was 9,494. This quantity was much more than he needed for an A, as he knew; he was writing for his own learning.
Journal 2
February 16, 2010:
Ken Wilber discusses the problems and temptations of fame (Wilber 4). Fame has such a strong allure for the human ego to resist. I can’t help but think of the young musicians, athletes, and actors in the world today. There is so much temptation for young people to resist in the first place, and the attainment of worldwide fame can be a recipe for disaster. Child stars in entertainment become world famous almost overnight and find themselves with unprecedented amounts of money, free time, and fans. Human beings have enough temptations to fight off just being alive on this earth, so it is obvious to see why so many young stars eventually become corrupt.
Wilber was reading Christopher Isherwood’s diary. He quotes Isherwood saying, “It’s fantastically difficult – and yet, what else is life for?” (7). I just thought about the competing attitude in American society today. The ego is allowed to prosper and develop. I think most people would laugh in the face of this type of theory claiming denial of the ego. Yet, it is the most powerful and liberating endeavor in life. I also think it is natural for young people to have stronger egos, and then gradually learn to rid their thoughts of such selfishness as they age. In my own experiences, I have found that teenagers typically have the strongest egos of any age.
I am only beginning to see the interconnectedness of things I once considered fragmented and separate. Wilber mentions Jack Crittenden who writes about the idea of the fragmented knowledge (14). When I started my academic career at the university level, I was overwhelmed by the complex and seemingly disparate topics. Now as I enter into my final ascent before graduation, I am now able to see the interconnectedness of all of my studies. Life truly is one extremely intricate relationship.
Ken Wilber states, “I don’t believe that any human mind is capable of 100 percent error” (16). I am amazed at his willingness to listen to people rather than ignore. It can be very easy to dismiss someone deemed crazy or ignorant. But, that does not mean that an individual is incapable of rational thought. Every human being has their own potential to develop their unique gifts and talents. Denying this fact would simply be arrogant and ignoring the valuable perspective of another human being.
The foreword by Jack concerning Ken Wilber does a great job of recognizing the unwillingness of other fields to acknowledge the possibility of their competing fields of being correct (17). Imagine the possibilities of a world in which all of the disciplines would work together and help each other. In addition, Jack quotes Wilber in his foreword saying, “I hope I’m showing that there is more room in the Kosmos than you might have expected” (17). In other words, everyone is not just part of this universe together but we all belong here as well. There is no need to try to exclude others we deem unworthy. We are all unworthy, and therefore, we are all worthy.
Wilber’s discussions about Treya are very special and unique. He says, “Ever since Treya’s death, I have tried to tell people how I feel about them before they are gone, before it’s too late” (21). He has grown from the past mistakes he has made. Even more impressive is their willingness to share their story for the betterment of others. I can imagine that those journals are very personal and private, yet here they are displayed as a powerful teaching tool for the world. She should be commended for displaying the courage to not only face her own reality but to also contribute her story with those who want to listen and learn.
In Wilber’s letter written to his friend Huston, he explains how the most wretched and divine are equal in that they are both part of this Emptiness (22). Sometimes, it is difficult to remember this type of true equality. I know many people preach about equality and talk about how important it is, but in reality there is a huge discrepancy between these ideas and what actually occurs. Racism is still rampant throughout the world, and yes here in America too. I like to take the idea of equality a step further. Diversity, to me, is not just something to be accepted in the world. Rather, it is what makes the world so exciting and interesting. Diversity should be celebrated and enjoyed. Comment by University Technology Services: Amen. Not so sure the Taliban is all that big on it though!
The terms translation and transformation were very clear to me upon my first reading of the subject (26). The ego prefers translation because it gives the self meaning. Transformation is much more difficult for the ego because the ego is ignored, and the ego does not like to be ignored. I personally find translations very helpful in my own life. These small, continuous steps of translation are very useful to most humans because they are not ready to change right away. Rather, they need preparation and stimulation to change. But, these new beliefs are not nearly as helpful are transcending the self.
Ken Wilber makes it clear to me that I had been going about the process all wrong. He says, “The very desire to seek spiritual enlightenment is in fact nothing but the grasping tendency of the ego itself, and thus the very search for enlightenment prevent its” (31). While I thought I was on a path toward enlightenment, it was really my ego leading the way. A spiritual journey led by the ego will always be futile even though it has the ability to convince the self it is on the right path. The ego is dangerous and sly. The key is to be aware of its prevalence. Comment by University Technology Services: But as you said, we have to start somewhere.
I have always been opposed to elitism in the sense that it precludes the majority from acquiring the full experiences of life. Wilber says, “All excellence is elitist… but spiritual excellence is an elitism to which all are invited” (32). Whether it is the academic or athletic world, there is the perpetual contention about who the best is. The beauty of spiritual excellence is that everyone is included without question of credentials. There is no judgment about whether one is worthy or not. Everyone is invited to the “table.”
February 18, 2010:
Ken Wilber responds to one of the letters written to him about Grace and Grit by stating, “Suffering is a constant reminder of the pain of being human, but also one of the most elemental ways that we all connect with each other, because we all suffer terribly at some point” (49). No matter how powerful, wealthy, famous, or brilliant an individual is, there is no escape from the pain and suffering in this world. It is simply an inherent aspect of our universe.
I really admire Ken Wilber’s proclaimed ability to remain conscious through all stages of life (51-53). I think it is absolutely fascinating that he is able to stay conscious throughout the entire day as well as during dream states. I have had several instances in my life where I have been aware that I was dreaming. Sometimes I could control my actions in my dreams, while other times I could only observe. Regardless, these were only a few isolated occasions. Comment by University Technology Services: Proto-Wilber!
I find myself responding particularly well to some of Ken Wilber’s writings because I tend to have an affinity to the natural world. For example, he writes, “You do not see the sky, you are the sky. You do not touch the earth, you are the earth. You do not hear the rain, you are the rain” (53). I can relate to these statements because I have felt them before. I am able to understand the feeling of recognizing the oneness of the universe. I have always had a strong, eerie sense when I am alone in nature. It has always felt right to me.
February 19, 2010:
Ken Wilber writes, “Ken Wilber is gross-level manifestation of what I-I really am, which is not Ken at all, but simply the All” (54). I am having trouble accepting the idea of no identity. My personal background is based on the idea that everyone has their own unique eternal soul. However, it seems as if Wilber is saying that there is no such thing. In his view, everyone and everything can be clumped together and are indistinguishable. Comment by University Technology Services: A Xian view is: unique but not separate. Everyone is both a) the whole and b) unique, etc.
Wilber proves his point about life very well with the analogy of the movie. He states, “Sometimes you get so caught up in what is happening on screen that you forget it’s just a movie” (56). I think everyone can relate to this idea. Basically, suffering is the result of the illusion of the world around me. This illusion is all due to the fact that I have become attached to things of this world. I am stuck into a cycle of identifying my essence with finite objects and ideas. In reality, my essence is eternal and indefinable. I can sense and feel that peace that ensues after this realization. It is not to say that life is not important, but instead to live without expectation and control. I like to think of life as being the most precious gift of all, but at the same time it is something that I remain calm and poised about.
February 20, 2010:
Ken Wilber summarizes the quadrant system by saying, “Each level can be looked at from the inside and from the outside in both individual and collective forms” (59). I do admire his integrative approach to the world, but it is something that may be impossible to construct. He writes about these ideas as if they are factual, but his ideas are subject to error just as any other human being. This integrative approach is uniquely Ken Wilber’s ideas, and therefore it is partially a product of his environment and belief system about the world.
Life as I know it is all about the waking state. Thus, I think human beings have great difficulty moving beyond this idea. Ken Wilber says, “Ultimate reality must also be fully present in deep dreamless sleep, and anything that is not present in deep dreamless sleep is not ultimate reality” (64). Life may indeed be a deep dreamless sleep, but I am not yet in position to understand that idea because I do not have any experience with such levels of consciousness. Comment by University Technology Services: Maybe everyone does for microseconds.
February 21, 2010:
Although detachment is an extremely difficult task to achieve, the rewards can be immense. Wilber says, “Thus you are released from the terror and the torment that necessarily arise when you identify with a little subject in a world of little objects” (65). The eternal reality that is the universe has only the limits that which we place upon it. The human mind has the capacity for boundless potential, yet it also has the ability to prevent prosperity. It has enormous potential for positive benefits as well as negative results. Once the ego is able to be defeated, life assumes almost a game-like quality. There is no longer a worry or stress about results. Life is just accepted as it arises. There is a realization about the inability of the human being to control the flow of life. To me, life is all about interpretation. Without an understanding or realization of perspective, life can seem overwhelming and become very frustrating. Therefore, I commit to living my life with a constant view of the “big-picture.” In other words, I try not to ever lose sight of what I deem important in my own life. Of course, the important things in life will differ from person to person, and this is where the factor of interpretation clearly reveals itself.
The need to wake others up from their own suffering is discussed as well (67). I think there is a common human desire to want to help people find some relief from suffering or pain.
Collegescholar
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