A Thought

I have wondered recently on the nature of a thought.

It's something that exists for an indeterminate period of time, has no real end and no real beginning, but also no duration for it's existence. Very curious... If I have a thought today, I don't really know for sure if this thought stems from another thought I may have had in the past (or if it is influenced by ideas, thoughts and words that others have spoken or written in the past). The only thing I can say about thoughts is that they come from my brain... but even that is suspect.

Is a brain all that is required to have a thought? If that is the case, then thoughts must exist within the brain, but how can a thought be localized? Are thoughts "found" in the frontal cortex? The temporal lobe? If one was to systemically remove portions of another's brain, would they eventually lose the ability to think? When would that happen? Would it be based on a percentage of brain matter existing, or would it depend on specific structures? Would it vary from person to person, or would it be the same for all humans?

I don't know how to answer any of these questions, but the one thing I do know is that a thought seems to be beyond the physical structure responsible for it's generation. I believe that our thoughts are an interface with the metaphysical. The fact that our mind is able to comprehend the abstract, the esoteric (to some extent), and the metaphysical points to it's metaphysical nature. Many say that the brain/mind dichotomy is a fallacy, that the mind exists simply because the brain does. I don't think this is the case. Maybe consciousness does simply require a certain amount of "processor power" to manifest itself, but I still feel that the ability to think, the internal monologues we are able to pursue, the gift of comprehension we have, is not one that is tied purely to the physical realm.

How to go about proving, or disproving this? I do not know. I do not know if it is even possible to use scientific principles on something that may extend beyond the realms of science today, but I do know that the ability to look for the answer is a part of both the question, and the ultimate answer.

Spiritual Meritocracy

Religion has played an important role in the human experience, arguably since humans have had experiences. This is interesting, because religion ties into the human experience... With the key word being experience.

Human beings can and according to many interpretations of differing faiths, do seek out religious knowledge, but this is very distinct from religious experience. Religious experience is an interesting term, I would argue that this term encompasses the true beauty of religion. Religious knowledge is something that can be learnt, that can be passed on to others, and it is an important part of faith for many. However, it only makes up a small piece of a true religious experience. Religious experience cannot be transmitted to others, it cannot be taught, or learnt, it does not depend on the amount of training that a person has, or the environment in which one lives. So since, it can be argued that religious experience is the primary goal of religion, and that every person has their own religious experience, it leads us to another interesting point. If the earlier presumptions are correct, it means that religion and religious practices at their ultimate base form a meritocracy.

Now meritocracy may be a misnomer of sorts, as the "cracy" in it implies a system of government, but the key point remains the same. A meritocracy is a society wherein an individual who is meritorious, or worthy, is the one who benefits - that is those who deserve accolades are the same people who receive the accolades. The principle is the same in religious matters. A religious experience does not depend on how much money a person has, how much education they have, how powerful their families are, or even how much religious information a person knows. A poor individual has the same likelihood of having a positive religious experience as a rich one. The most learned individual may never have this experience, while one who is ignorant may surpass the learned.

Now, I do not know what creates a positive religious experience, I only know that it is subjective. One person may have an enlightened moment while engaging in formal religious practice, another may find these experiences while informally meditating, and yet another may encounter this during a busy working day. This subjectiveness is necessary for this, as there is no way to measure a religious experience externally. We create our own positive religious experiences... they exist within us and because of us. Whether we create them through prayer, meditation, sheer belief, incisive questioning, generosity, or a host of actions, the key point is that we create these experiences for ourselves.

So, what is the reason for all of this? ... I believe the proper answer to this question is "Why." Our search for a "why" is the reason behind the importance of the religious experience. Why are we here? To have an experience that surpasses the capabilities of the human intellect, to grow beyond ourselves. The path to this experience differs from person to person, the road differs, but something deep inside tells me that the destination may be more similar than any of us would believe.

Pluralism

Pluralism is an interesting concept. It's been spoken about in so many ways and by so many people - and defined as well, but what truly is it?

The way that I look at pluralism, is as a way of thinking. To me pluralism represents the ability to think about diversity in a positive way. It is the ability to celebrate diversity while recognizing that it comes with challenges, but being willing to work to overcome these challenges... but is this it?

This definition is a very broad one, but I don't know if it's broad enough to capture a concept that is as pervasive as pluralism. Here's an example of the problem I have with the above definition... if you were an individual who lived by pluralistic values and you were placed in a very restrictive society where homogeneity was encouraged and all those around you refused to accept diversity... would you still be a "pluralistic individual"?

It's an odd question, but if you really think about it, it makes some sense... by the definition pluralism is something that can be accomplished on an individual level - I can personally celebrate diversity, recognize it's challenges and work to overcome these challenges - without involving anyone else. But this isn't right!

The more I think about it, the more I believe that pluralism depends on one's environment to truly flourish. It is a thought - a way of thinking, a way of communicating. So, pluralism cannot exist on a purely individual level... We can individually enact pluralistic values, however the true form of pluralism can only be found on a societal level. This doesn't mean that we shouldn't each work to live by pluralistic values, but it does mean that a primary goal of anyone who wishes to encourage the growth of this value system is to help others achieve the values that you wish to espouse. So really... it isn't possible to be "pluralistic individual," but it is possible to build a pluralistic society. So... wanna help me try?!

relationships

Relationships are an essential aspect to human life. Now when I say this, I don't mean to limit it to only intimate relationships, I mean the whole gamut of different social interactions we can have with each other. There are 2 major types, or forms of relationships. One that God makes for you, and the other which you choose for yourself. Now, when God makes a relationship, such as that formed between siblings, or between relatives (yes, I would include husbands / wives here) - these relationships are an essential part of life, and regardless of how negative these relationships may feel they cannot be changed. For me, this carries several layers of meaning. Firstly, I must believe that these are the best possible relationships we can have. I don't mean that everyone's home / family life will be perfect. Far from it... I mean that these bonds play an irreplaceable role in shaping our individual psyche. If it weren't for our families, we wouldn't be the people we are... and for better or for worse, these specific bonds are God's way of shaping us in some way.

Looking at relationships that we form ourselves, these include friends, acquaintances, rivals and our interactions with all other people whom we are not related to. These bonds are formed by us and they require us to consciously choose to create and fulfill them. I believe these formed relationships are God's way of giving us a choice in who we become. These represent our free will. These relationships are the ones that act as a mirror. They let us see ourselves, because by looking at those whom we surround ourselves, we have a great view into our own respective persona.

A relationship between any disparate individuals is the basis of being human. These bonds can be driven by fate, or by intent. Both are necessary for true knowledge of the self, for the first step towards knowing the self, is to know others, and how you appear to them. I firmly believe that free will and pre-destination act in many aspects of our lives, however, I feel that this is most apparent in the context of a relationship. The interesting thing in all of this though, is the fact that these bonds are essential to the human experience... why would this be? Because a relationship is a spiritual experience. It isn't something that happens to you only on a material, social and physical level. A relationship, an interaction, a word between yourself and another changes you spiritually. This change can manifest in many ways, but at the end of the day, we should stay conscious of the power we have over others, and they have over us.

Make another person happy, in fact, make everyone as happy as you can, for in this positive bond lies a form of spiritual salvation.

The Nature of Beauty

What is the nature of beauty? We all see things that can touch us, can move our spirits, can motivate our souls, can make our hearts dance - but is there a common theme in what is beautiful?

I ask this while listening to a melody that I would describe as being one of the most beautiful pieces of music I have ever heard... and I wonder... how would you feel if you heard it? For that matter, how will I feel in 5, 10, 15, 20 or more years? Will I still see the same beauty that I see today?

This is also something that I see in people - I hear people say how, so and so was such a beautiful girl that they would have dozens of boys running after them. I look at the same weathered face that once captured the hearts of so many like me, and I wonder. In this chain of thoughts, my selfishness becomes so apparent. Why do I wonder why a person was beautiful when they were young? Why do I wonder if music I find beautiful will always be so? Because I fear change. I fear time. I fear death. These things are not feared (or so I want myself to believe) because they are inherently scary. I fear these things, because I am afraid of doing the 'wrong' thing. I am afraid that in this change, in this process I will lose something incredibly precious. Like the irreversible loss of innocence, losing the ability to appreciate something beautiful is terrible. This is the true crux of the question. Do our tastes change or over time do we simply lose our appreciation for beauty? Does something beautiful become commonplace over the course of our life experiences or does the inherent aesthetic quality I refer to as beauty pass away to nevermore be seen again?

If it goes, if the ability to see things with the same set of eyes is truly forever gone... then I am scared. Because this means that over time, we lose something that is fundamental to being human... this means that we become less human as we grow older. I do see something similar in some ways. I can feel more detached today than I did when I was younger, I can see situations rationally that at one point would elicit a strong emotional response from me. This may be maturity, or it may be the loss of attachment to something in the material world. If this same detachment occurs with our sense of the aesthetic, would we lose our ability to 'see' beauty in this world?

It's something that does bother me... ... until I think of the nature of beauty. Beauty to me is seeing God. Nothing is more beautiful than God... and in the creation it may be possible to participate in the creator. It's a hope, a dream, a prayer... but it's also all I feel we really have. For I do see the fading nature of beauty, whether it fades as a result of time, taste, belief or experiences. Whether beauty becomes diluted or blends - over time, it seems to decrease... but if the true nature of beauty is God, then that means... that means that all we need to do is search - for true beauty, true majesty is in all of creation. It lies in the lifeless object, in the young, vibrancy of youth, in the sweep of colours, in the mournful cry of the flute and in the wrinkles of a grandmother who has seen more smiles and tears than I can imagine.

Humility???

Something I have wondered about for a long time regards the importance of pride.

We have been taught time and again, that humility is one of the greatest of traits for any human being to have, and I can see this being true. Humility is an amazing characteristic, and those who exhibit it are truly great human beings... however, where does this put pride?

Granted those who boast, brag and show off their abilities are not always regarded highly, (the negative images that are brought to mind by simply using the above words are a clear indication of the way these terms are socialized in our respective societies) however, these same characteristics bring a lot of good to the table as well.

No matter how much any person tries, when we succeed in accomplishing a challenging task, we feel good about ourselves. Now here is where I begin to be confused... Isn't this feeling of accomplishment, this positive expression of success... isn't it a form of pride? Wouldn't a humble person know that this success was not theirs at all?

We all feel this positive energy when we have done something noteworthy or when we give to those who need it. We all feel good about ourselves, whether we express this or not, and to be honest, if it weren't for this good feeling, I don't know how much progress our societies would have made. I believe sincerely that the positive 'rush' that accompanies success has served as a primary catalyst for human development. It is the reason many of us love a challenge, it is the reason many of us enjoy solving puzzles, thinking about difficult problems and finding solutions.

So, really, in the final analysis - is pride so bad?

My thoughts on this are mixed. I believe it is necessary to have and exhibit some level or type of pride, being human. Having said this, I also believe that the goal of life is to transcend beyond the limitations of being human. I believe that we are truly noble, with far more nobility than is evinced by our base interactions on this Earth. The goal of giving of yourself, is so that eventually, the act of giving, is no longer a conscious action. It becomes an inherent part of your existence.

So, what I'm trying to say is that good feeling we get when we give, when we work to solve problems, when we help others... That feeling is a part of what prevents us from realizing our true destinies - to be greater than we are, to be creatures of and from God. The holy Qur'an tells us, "From Allah we have come and to Him we will return." Let us try to return to Him with nobility and grandeur - both of which, ironically can only be found through humility.

Time

One of the few things we really can't receive, only give, is time. It's interesting in that way... On a daily basis we are given only so much time. Some of us have very little time on any given day, as every day people die.

So, would I say that the importance of time is tied to our ultimate mortality, and with a deep underlying fear / fascination with the concept of death? No, I feel that the importance of time is separate from the importance of death and life.

I see time as a gift given to us by God. Now we can do whatever we want to with this gift, it's like being given money by a loved one. Both money and time are limited - in that there is a finite amount of it that anyone can have at any given point in time. Additionally, there is only so much you can do with your time - you are limited by your mortal constraints (this would be similar to the age old adage, money can't buy everything). Your time is also extremely easy to waste, and does get wasted, just like money. The major difference here though, is that only God can give time. It is a precious commodity, it isn't something that can or should be spent without careful thought. Before making any major purchase, most people would think on whether it is important to buy, whether they are getting a good price, and whether or not the value is there for whatever they are buying. I don't feel enough of us do this with our time. How many hours do I waste on trivial things that do not matter? How many hours do I lose, that I could truly be doing something else with.

Now don't get me wrong here, I'm not saying that having fun is a waste of a precious resource, far from it - I feel that we need to set aside time for fun, games, laughter, work, prayer... all of these things need our energies and our time. However, I do feel that when I look on a typical day, I don't seem to care what I do with my time... this is truly sad...

In our Isma'ili Ginanic tradition, there exist several examples where our Pirs (The Isma'ili equivalent of a Saint) say that (and I paraphrase) there will come a day, when your days will be like water running through your hands.

When I look back on my life, another interesting observation I have made. Time seems to have sped up for me. This is probably an illusion caused by many possible factors, but when I look back on my childhood, I remember days dragging on, and I remember wishing so often that they would end. I haven't made a wish like that in a while... even the toughest days at work, don't seem as long as those endless days of my younger years.

I don't know if this is true or not but... it is something that has made me think, and that's always a good thing. Maybe I don't want to waste my time, maybe I don't want my days to pass like water through my hands, maybe... just maybe... I am actually scared of what happens next?