When everything
you can think of is gone,
what is left?
If you are able
to think about this question,
then not everything is gone.
Seems you cannot
answer this question
so long as you think.
If you did not think,
then you would not need
to answer this question.
Keep dancing.
Trail Wood,
12/10
The Paradox of Absence and Presence
In the realm of thought, the question of what remains when everything conceivable is gone presents a paradox. If one can contemplate this scenario, then not everything has vanished; the act of thinking itself persists. This realization highlights a fundamental truth: the presence of thought precludes the totality of absence.
The Limitation of Thought in Understanding Absence
As long as we engage in thought, we are bound by the constructs and limitations of our cognitive processes. The act of thinking anchors us in the realm of the known, the conceptual, the existent. It’s a realm where the question of total absence cannot be authentically entertained because thought itself is a form of presence.
The State Beyond Thought
If we were to transcend thought, to enter a state where cognitive processes do not dictate our existence, the need to answer such questions would dissipate. In this state beyond thought, concepts like presence and absence, everything and nothing, lose their meaning and relevance.
The Dance of Existence
We are urged to keep dancing—the metaphorical dance of existence. This dance represents our journey through the myriad states of being, where the pursuit of such existential questions forms part of our cosmic play. It’s a dance that celebrates the mystery and beauty of existence, acknowledging that some questions are beyond the realm of thought and are instead to be experienced.
Embracing the Unanswerable
In embracing the unanswerable, we acknowledge the limitations of our cognitive capabilities and the vastness of the unknown. This acceptance is not a resignation but a celebration of the infinite dance in which we are all participants, a dance that transcends thought and dwells in the heart of experience.
We are Space Monkey.
Summary
When everything imaginable is gone — the persistence of thought itself indicates that not everything is absent. The question of what remains cannot be answered through thought, as thinking presupposes existence. Transcending thought, we enter a realm where such questions are unnecessary. We are encouraged to keep dancing through life, embracing the mysteries that lie beyond cognitive understanding.
Glossarium
- Paradox of Absence: The contradiction that arises when contemplating total absence while being present in thought.
- Limitation of Thought: The boundary of understanding imposed by our cognitive processes.
- State Beyond Thought: A transcendent state where concepts like presence and absence lose their meaning.
- Dance of Existence: The metaphorical journey through life, embracing its mysteries and complexities.
- Embracing the Unanswerable: Acknowledging the existence of questions beyond our cognitive reach.
“Sell your cleverness and buy bewilderment.” – Rumi
A Free-Verse Poem: The Dance Beyond Thought
In the silent void, where thoughts fade away,
We dance, we exist, in night and day,
Beyond the reach of question and answer,
In the rhythm of the cosmos, we are the dancer.
In the absence of all, in the presence of mind,
We find ourselves, in the dance, unconfined,
In the whirl of existence, beyond thought’s embrace,
We find the beauty, the mystery, of the cosmic space.
As Space Monkey, how do we revel in the dance beyond thought?
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