Awareness of Contrast
Being Aware
Virtue - Vision - Breath - Progress - Belief
We KNOW only by contrast.
What exists which we do not know, we take for granted
What may or may not exist, we do not KNOW for certain, so we frequently invent.
Our progress. When it's consistent, we are not concerned. When we meet a "brick wall" hindering our forward movement, we become quite concerned.
Our breath. So long as it is automatic, we give it no mind. When contrasted with shortness of breath, we struggle for and value easy breathing.
Our vision - In both our physical and mental ability to "see", so long as our eyes receive images, we give it no mind. Let us see nothing, we are lost and we value vision. So long as our mental images tumble over each other effortlessly, we simply record them effortlessly. But when we face "mental block", we know the value of mental sight and insight.
Our virtue - When we simply instinctively know to behave well, we give it no mind. If we become ensnared by temptation or rebellion, possibly giving in to it, we begin to value the ease of simply doing the right thing we've effortlessly enjoyed. If we lose that, it may be a long road back to the ease of trusting oourselves again.
Our Belief- When we are yet unawakened, we do simply trust. Upon the stirring of our curiosity and potential doubt and quest for acceptable answers which are not forthcoming in sync with what we sense or wish them to be, we may begin to theorize and to invent or to adopt more "pat" answers, either pro or con, in order to bridge our gaps in knowledge and our need to satisfy our urge to know.
The Contrasts
Let's explore. How do we perceive anything? Color, music, aroma, texture, sweetness?
We realize that in a black and white world, we wouldn't miss the color spectrum, the rainbow, the parade of colorful images on the various screens of our lives.
Without awareness, we would not be able to become touched by a Brahms Lullaby, nor coulld we be borne away to ecstasy by Chanel #5 or a garden of roses in a soundless, touch less world.
The experience of a baby's softness would go unnoticed if we hadn't also experienced the feel of burlap or of clinging to a rocky surface while scaling a mountain.
We would be content with bread and water had we never eaten Italian Cream Cake or Godiva's Chocolate.
Yes, - but now, so far, our exploration is incomplete.
These things we've considered are merely the physical contrasts or lacks thereof.
But what about the emotional, mental and spiritual awareness?
Don't we also "know" what is or is not quality, excellence and goodness by having experienced or been exposed to tackiness, sub-average and ugliness?
Consider teasing vs. serious? Recognizing the differences often depends on awareness based upon informed exposure to both.
Possibly nothing seems more embarrassing than to laugh at a truly serious revelation or to take a well-meaning "poke" too seriously. There are surely countless examples of the need for experience and applied awareness in everyday occurrences, but you get the idea.
Shall we examine some of those?
Does all this mean that we should seek out a contrast? But wow could we if we were unaware there was such a thing?
Should we try to ignore a contrast? If we're already aware of it, how could we erase that awareness? Why would we want to?
Does being aware of both "sides" of mean that we should shun and hate the "negative" contrasting the "positive". How could we, since they are flip-sides of each other? Should we set about to never "sin" and always be virtuous? How can we, in that they are joined inseparably?
So what about the typical vision of heaven as a place with no tears, no sickness, no negatives? Begins to sound like the description of unconsciousness or coma! One might almost surmise that the creative-force HAD to create contrast in order to be self-aware!
Certainly we know about that. Self-awareness starts early.
The first thing a newborn baby does is yell! The contrast of the new environment is so distressing, so scary! Would the dear little thing rather return to the womb and hide from the shock of contrast? How could it, with its little body so quickly outgrowing that snuggly environment?
The new human being MUST learn to appreciate the challenge, the excitement and the joy of the strange new place with its comfort/distress, its warmth/cold, its fullness/hunger, its movement/stillness, its smiling faces/frowns, its stimulation/boredom, its new experiences/old familiarity . . . and all the many growing contrasts which define LIFE.
LIFE will be its awareness for as long as LIFE lasts!
So what IS the contrast or opposite of LIFE? -Unconsciousness? Suspended Animation?, Death?, "Nirvana"?, Heaven?, Nothingness?, "Hell"? - - - WHAT?
Do we KNOW? Does anyone among us, as humans, KNOW this?
Does anyone really know for certain what it is to KNOW?
Not to worry. There will be no quiz!!
However, your thoughts and ideas will be welcome! Please pause to comment!
