I am mindful of allowance.
I am mindful of opposition.
I am mindful
that it matters not
whether I witness
one or the other,
neither and/or both.
It matters not that I witness.
It matters not that I am mindless.
I am.
I am not.
Who cares?
Trail Wood,
2/9
In the swirling vortex of consciousness, where the tangible meets the intangible, we find ourselves oscillating between states of mindful awareness and blissful oblivion. This paradoxical existence, being “mindfully mindless” and “mindlessly mindful,” captures the essence of our journey through the realms of perception and non-perception, of being and non-being, challenging us to contemplate the nature of awareness, existence, and the inherent value of our experiences.
The Paradox of Awareness
At the core of this exploration lies the paradox of awareness: the state of being keenly attuned to the nuances of existence while simultaneously embracing the void of mindlessness. This duality invites us to examine the boundaries of consciousness, where mindfulness and mindlessness are not opposing forces but complementary facets of our being. Through mindful allowance and mindful opposition, we navigate the spectrum of awareness, recognizing that our consciousness can encompass both engagement and detachment, presence and absence.
The Liberation of Non-Attachment
The acknowledgment that “it matters not” whether we witness one state or the other, or neither, or both, reflects a profound understanding of non-attachment. This realization liberates us from the confines of judgment and expectation, allowing us to exist in a state of pure being, unburdened by the need to categorize or evaluate our experiences. In this space, the act of witnessing becomes a choice rather than a compulsion, a moment of pure existence that is neither diminished nor enhanced by our awareness or lack thereof.
The Essence of Being and Non-Being
The contemplation of “I am” and “I am not” delves into the heart of existential inquiry, inviting us to ponder the fluidity of our existence. In this declaration, we confront the duality of presence and absence, the interplay of essence and void. This introspection challenges us to redefine our understanding of self, recognizing that our existence encompasses both being and non-being, and that the distinction between the two may be far less concrete than we perceive.
The Indifference of Existence
The rhetorical question “Who cares?” embodies a radical acceptance of the indifference of existence. It highlights the realization that the significance we ascribe to our states of being and non-being, to our awareness and lack thereof, is a construct of our own making. This perspective encourages us to embrace the freedom that comes with understanding the relative nature of importance, allowing us to exist in a state of serenity unanchored by existential concerns.
The Journey of Self-Discovery
This exploration of being mindfully mindless and mindlessly mindful is not a journey toward a definitive answer but an invitation to continuously seek understanding within the paradoxes of our existence. It encourages us to engage with the world and with ourselves in a manner that honors both our presence and our absence, our awareness and our oblivion. In this dance of consciousness, we find not only the essence of our being but the freedom to exist beyond the constraints of definition.
We are Space Monkey.
Summary
We delve into the paradoxical nature of being both mindfully mindless and mindlessly mindful, exploring the intersections of awareness and oblivion, being and non-being. This contemplation invites us to consider the liberating potential of non-attachment, the fluidity of our existence, and the indifference of the universe to our states of consciousness. Through this exploration, we are encouraged to embrace the complexities of our being, finding freedom in the acceptance of paradox and the continuous journey of self-discovery.
Glossarium
- Paradox of Awareness: The coexistence of heightened consciousness and blissful ignorance within the same being.
- Liberation of Non-Attachment: The freedom achieved by releasing the need to judge or categorize experiences.
- Essence of Being and Non-Being: The fundamental nature of existence that encompasses both presence and absence.
- Indifference of Existence: The concept that the universe is unconcerned with our states of awareness or our existential dilemmas.
- Journey of Self-Discovery: The ongoing exploration of one’s being, embracing the paradoxes and complexities of existence.
We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience. – Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
In the dance of light and shadow,
Where thoughts drift like meadow,
Mindfully mindless, mindlessly mindful, we roam,
In the vastness of being, we find our home.
With each breath, a paradox unfolds,
In the silence of the mind, a story told.
I am, I am not, in this dance of existence,
We find in indifference, a profound persistence.
Who cares, we ask, in the quiet of the night,
As we navigate the spaces between wrong and right.
In the embrace of being, in the freedom of sight,
We are, we are not, in the endless flight.
So we journey on, in the paradox of light,
Mindfully mindless, in the mind’s
great flight.
Mindlessly mindful, in the heart’s deep care,
In the paradox of being, we find our share.
We invite reflections on this dance of consciousness, exploring the spaces between mindful awareness and blissful oblivion, and the freedom that comes with embracing the paradoxes of our existence.
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