Early this morning (my time, at least) Ta Wan posted a very brief thought on his blog, Tao Wow.
You know how some people get stuck replaying a past event over and over in their minds and their lives become mired there? A well-meaning friend might say, "Bill, snap out of it. You've got to live in the present!" While we understand the basic point the friend is expressing, the problem with the advice is that implementing it is an impossibility!! Living in the present moment is as elusive as trying to capture one's shadow -- If you don't believe me, ask Peter Pan!
Anyone who has studied the brain knows that all of our bodily functions, actions, feelings and thoughts start as an electrical or chemical impulse. These impulses are transmitted along nerves from Point A to all points beyond. It may take only a fraction of a nanosecond for the brain to note a stimuli before the mind recognizes it, but that brief nanosecond means that our minds always view the present from the perspective of the past.
The upshot of this is that our lives are lived a half-step or more behind "now." We live in the immediate past and, no matter how hard we try to reach the present, we can't quite get there. Consequently, Ta Wan's statement about trying to affect ACTUAL change is right on. All we can really change are our memories and illusions.
You can't change a thing. Try.As I mentioned in the comments section of the post, I first came across this conceptualization of time in the writings of Alan Watts. The first time I read it, I instantly realized -- relatively speaking -- the truth in the statement.
It had already occurred before you registered it.
The mind is an after effect, constructed from the vapour trail of what happened.
You know how some people get stuck replaying a past event over and over in their minds and their lives become mired there? A well-meaning friend might say, "Bill, snap out of it. You've got to live in the present!" While we understand the basic point the friend is expressing, the problem with the advice is that implementing it is an impossibility!! Living in the present moment is as elusive as trying to capture one's shadow -- If you don't believe me, ask Peter Pan!
Anyone who has studied the brain knows that all of our bodily functions, actions, feelings and thoughts start as an electrical or chemical impulse. These impulses are transmitted along nerves from Point A to all points beyond. It may take only a fraction of a nanosecond for the brain to note a stimuli before the mind recognizes it, but that brief nanosecond means that our minds always view the present from the perspective of the past.
The upshot of this is that our lives are lived a half-step or more behind "now." We live in the immediate past and, no matter how hard we try to reach the present, we can't quite get there. Consequently, Ta Wan's statement about trying to affect ACTUAL change is right on. All we can really change are our memories and illusions.
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