In the East, everything other than “Self” - seen from personal perspective as unexplainable - is called “That” although it still remains difficult to define the boundaries of individuality any more specifically than as a fragment of “That” moving through time/space until awareness ceases. Anything inferred beyond this is either imagination, speculation or belief, though there does appear  to be some kind of hierarchical order at work that pervades everything.

Sentience, construed as a state of subjectivity, emerges from oblivion. If there is a continuity beyond consciousness or unconsciousness, perhaps it’s just another tier of that same awareness, only partially revealed, making it difficult to articulate anything that remains unseen using language. Here is where Art and Myth in all its forms reflect its creators’ vision of the relationship between “Self” and “That”, illuminating philosophy.

Consciousness, can also be analogized to a super saturated solution created by dissolving large amounts of a substance such as sugar into water as it is heated in a test tube over a Bunsen burner. Add a substrate and at a calculable moment it will suddenly crystallize into a solid, a symbol of elevated state realized in an instantaneous moment when surrounded by chaos.

The significance of any experience, as with a chemical solution, depends on what is remembered from the unconscious as it awakens, revealing congregations of circumstances interacting with individual lives, each representing alternate realities of each other - a notion usually relegated to  literature and science fiction that portrays one step beyond the real yet close enough to it to perceive imaginative variations of what is separated by a translucent barrier.

The controversy over sentience is not about its existence, but to what degree it is containable by other organisms, given a series of conditions, proposing that if any manifested form can evolve some kind of awareness, then it should be treated as if it has the potential to be self-aware, given time and experience.

Looking at Time as a progression of experiences doesn’t imply that its visual expression forms a straight line. It probably more closely resembles a parabola with peaks and valleys suggesting that happiness, like a climax, is only momentary, being compared to the most intense experiences recalled by which all in the future will be measured, also defining other kinds of contentment possible as life proceeds through a cascade of adventures.

Memory depends on the concentration that events imprint, just recollections of mind and heart seeking new things to imagine and strive for by revealing diversity within the repetitive motion of the cycles that dominate existence, imposing their curved movement as the currents convey levels of order - the only way of understanding a world defined by laws partially perceived by science and theology.

Boredom is a collection of lost thoughts submerged by reiteration that can often lead to dependencies, at first offering the illusion of things differently, an uncommon perception that alters better sense and enables rationale convinced by physical or psychological means that to survive, whatever is depended upon is needed, effectively altering attention to prioritize behavior to preserve it, at the expense of other things.

Change is possible when there is no lower place to go, emotionally and physically bankrupt, not in control of events or aware of the dismal fate that lay ahead. Then nothing really matters because perspective and objectivity have been lost, until vision clarifies the notion that any transformation is better than descending into sameness, where even happiness can be a trap if there are no variations to appreciate it.

When self-consciousness is no longer a factor motivating actions, bold moves become possible. Then a solution for any cause depends on the ability to objectify the experience from the onset, allowing choices to be less affected by self-centered or disconnected emotions.

Once this is achieved, it is possible to see whether the path that has been led is straight, curved, or just a messy set of points suspended in space conveying nothing but chaos.

Suppose it were possible to be “self” conscious and aware without ever seeing a reflection in a mirror or on a shiny surface. Then on a warm day, near a forest green, from a pond glistening as silver, gazing innocently from the spring undisturbed by cattle, sheep, birds, wild boars, beasts or even by branches dropping leaves from trees that arch over the water, yielding perhaps acorns, pine cones, a nut or two. Then, casting yourself down among the rich landscape, exhausted, on top the grassy verges to quench your thirst, you see such a beautiful sight in the water, irresistibly and immediately falling in love perhaps for the very first time, until realizing that this image is your own reflection.

An overly simplified description of the myth of Narcissus, which has numerous versions, all of which converge on self love, and although told about a boy, Narcissus could equally be thought as a girl.  “As she tried to embrace and kiss the beautiful girl who confronts her in the water, eventually recognizing herself, she lay gazing enraptured with the pool, hour after hour. How could she endure both to possess and yet not to possess? Grief was destroying her, yet she rejoiced in her torment: knowing at least that her other self would remain true to her, whatever happened.” So told Theiresias, the blind seer who spoke of Narcissus, “He saw his own shape and it was fatal, for he could only see through it.”

“Alas! Alas!” Narcissus cried, but Echo, a local nymph had already forgiven and grieved with him; then sympathetically echoing his last words, “Alas! Alas!” as he plunged a dagger into his breast, she said finally, “Ah, youth, beloved in vain, fare thee well!” as he expired. His blood soaked the earth, and there sprang up the white narcissus flower with its red corolla.

No doubt an interesting story with unanticipated twists and turns, possibly echoed in Hamlet, Shakespeare’s masterpiece of the Prince of Denmark, one filled with numerous connotations especially the prophecy of the seer, incapable of seeing his physical world because of blindness yet one who is also wise of sight, quite capable of viewing only what lay beyond the existence of the five senses.

Since it is not possible to see oneself other than as a reflection off some external surface whether an inanimate object, or the opinions and attitudes of others, the myth of Narcissus is poignant in its scope about what it says concerning self, the ego, and whatever attributes are chosen to embellish the character most pleasing to see, or taught from negative experience, to mock.

Judgments about “self” begin, absorbed from childhood, and initially from “the other,” before being formulated as part of an individual reflection,  once again returning attention to the effects of parents and family that are the initial basis for these impressions, later reinforced or balanced with other things comprising experience. Self confidence, traced with narcissism provides an empowering quality to ascribe value and “self”  worth, worthy of living for.

Pathological narcissism can be a reflection unseen by “self,” a blind spot that can be disguised by loathing as well as misguided love also characterizing its invisibility of presence and the absence of “self” esteem so visible by others, describing yet another echo of an echo, caught between the surfaces of the three dimensions reflecting each other as it moves through Time/Space, as much a topic for mythology as is Science.

Asking a question without expecting an answer is a difficult challenge since the initial inclination for wanting clarification is the basic reason a query is made. A response, perhaps in the form of an Epiphany, divine revelation or emerging creative impulse, is not an unreasonable expectation as long as whatever appears is recognized for what it is.

A nebulous answer is as good as no answer since it’s often so vague and formulaic with liberal doses of unanticipated ironic twists that come out of nowhere to be of any appreciable use, although they are ideal for those who love cryptic responses with symbols steeped in the mystery of occult design.

We also have myths and legends, grand tales of hero’s, instilled with moral struggles of human traits, lurking in literature, art, and philosophy, so obvious they lie invisibly surrounded by distractions. Whatever the basis of conclusions from events, preconceived notions of what is thought to exist can noticeably effect judgment and outcome. Some occurrences such as a rainbow, comet or eclipse, at a key moment, can be interpreted as a sign from some divine source woven by hope and optimism for an unknown future.

Whatever the case, there is too little time to obsessively worry about what a void contains before it appears. There is not enough information to say anything about it except perhaps to convey an opinion regarding what its substance is, since no one who goes there and stays has ever come back to tell about it, so it seems pointless to speculate and simply avoid a void, until it finds you, as the pull of the vortex gravitates closer and closer, until the only option is to surrender.

Healing has always been held with fascination as a power unto itself, indestructibility saving a person so gifted from the inevitability of death. Its depiction in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, the fourth in Marvel comics most popular series, comes with a price, a burden elegantly portrayed by Hugh Jackman who consistently adds dimension to the character, a mutant born with heightened animal-keen senses, increased strength, retractable bone claws, and the ability to recover from any wound, poison or illness. His only weakness from total immortality is being decapitated - his Achilles tendon - with physical and emotional pain as his constant companion, a difficult burden to carry for someone with a prolonged life span and considerable time to suffer.

Wolverine’s accelerated healing process makes it possible for the military to create a super soldier with marked improvements to his physiology by using his ability to regenerate allowing his skeletal structure to be reinforced with Adamantium, the indestructible element discovered from a meteorite in an excruciating process.

Jackman carries the film well, aided by a passionate performance by Liev Schreiber as the brother who embraced his animal-keen senses to become  Sabertooth, with greater strength than Wolverine yet immersed in his dark side, a strong counter balance as they become vitriolic enemies, but there are too many plots going on at the same time, making the film hard to follow. Less would have made a better film. The action sequences are well done but far more conservative than the other films.

This adaptation, released May 1st, 2009 - directed by Gavin Hood, screenplay by David Bernioff and Skip Woods, based on the characters created by Len Wein and art director John Romita, Sr. - is more a character study than action-based film which spans the evolution of Wolverine from childhood in the early Eighteen Hundreds through the civil war to contemporary times and the pivotal moments that led to the sibling rivalry between him and Victor who will become his most vicious adversary Sabertooth , a predatory stalker with a taste for blood. The film also introduces some of the other young mutants and the emerging philosophy that defines the currents leading to the anti-mutant movement that will became the focus of all the X-Men films. However the other mutants’ powers are not used as well as they could have been, a major weakness of this character driven installment.

The acting is good but Jackman is a bit leaner in the fourth film than in his previous characterizations despite the promotional photo’s to the contrary, although it remains a visible reminder why Sabertooth is stronger until Adamantium is introduced into the equation. Besides, having one’s skeletal structure merged with the molten Adamantium injected into the bones would make even the greatest of gods weak at the knees.

The twists and turns that the story takes would seem more appropriately engineered by a demented Magneto than Colonel William Stryker, played by Danny Huston who portrays evil with a calculated civilized sensibility, less dark or mutant than one would expect from a military leader with a grudge against all the emerging youngsters with special powers.

As with all of Marvel’s characters, there is the identifiable struggle of alienation at the center of their battle for self confidence and acceptance in a world that views them as nothing more than freaks. This addition to the myth of Wolverine explains some of the mysteries introduced in the earlier films that leads to the development of X Mansion with Charles Xavier at its helm engaging and protecting his charges to use their powers wisely.

My Percepto Rating is: Better than the third film but not as action packed or engaging as the first two. The star of this film is Sabertooth, beautifully acted by Liev Schreiber.

For a full List of the Cast see Imdb database.

Walking on water has long been an ability attributed to enlightened souls predicated on their ability to master thought, energy, the laws of physics and surrounding space as they become increasingly aware that pre-existing physical boundaries can be challenged.

How to get to that point of awareness, let alone achieving it, depends on many factors individually defined and externally effected, all variable based on how one interprets the signs along the path.

Levitation above water, earth, and air, are all related and can also be achieved using scientific devices such as super magnets. However, this is not the same as evolving the ability to do it as a spiritual attainment, claimed by some as a feasible accomplishment that has no general formula of discovery since it can only be approached singularly.

Every person is constrained by gravity and time, the effects of which have profound impact. We begin not knowing how to master the movement of our own body as it grows to maturity, learning coordination and cognition developing over time and experience.

Thought also has the capacity to effect physicality when used as the basis to link with the atoms, cells and organs of the body. With a tempered mind and heart, capable when focused, of curing disease by restoring balance to imbalance, this revolves to a state the body already knows how to maintain by mobilizing whatever systems it needs to return to homeostasis although sometimes it forgets and needs to be reminded.

The mind has the capacity not only to connect with this process, but also to modify and direct it. If one person is capable of doing something, than others can do it too, recognizing that what may work for one might not for somebody else. This limits what science can substantiate since reproducibility is what makes observation, fact. But an inability to quantify the extraordinary things people can accomplish doesn’t negate it but does suggests an introspective experience.

There are two simple ways to levitate. One is to change the weight of all the cells of the body to be lighter then air, and the second is to alter the polarity of each atom to be a charge that will cause gravity to repel. Each approach requires the ability to use thought to communicate with all elements that comprise the individual, perhaps even identifying aberrant cells and systems, and mobilizing and fixed on the innate instinct to restore harmony. A simple thing, like levitation, is possible to do if one is disciplined and focused enough to know how to do it.

Dharma is often thought of as one’s mission, a life task picked for the soul accomplishment of enriching existence in some way or another, usually revealed by an unknown source as personal destiny. The call is to rise to the charge - a status - or vocation, all of which seems at most times unattainable, and yet confidence seems to be bestowed by some mysterious authority, the beneficent gods of lore; or perhaps it’s all just a grandiose self-delusion despite never losing hope that great things are within grasp if personal sacrifice for the greater good is placed as the top priority, a noble thought.

The thirst for encouragement and validation is always present and unquenchable, a source of self confidence and conceit. And any person who expresses uncommon knowledge may be of some help by introducing external perspective, however that can often be mistaken for cosmic wisdom. History is filled with people placed on a pedestal because they had a charismatic way of articulating a message other people felt but couldn’t put to words or art. For them, a parallel path is an illusion. They recognize that lives intersect at several points, the crossroads for each lying in a non-linear universe, attracted by some unexplained circumstance.

Sometimes dharma is revealed at a peculiar time when least expected, a prognostication that displays unusual individual precision during a time when the search for a direction seems most acute, usually for lack of finding an answer from within. Uncertainty prolongs indecision, often leading to paralysis; yet any reasonable force of authority might vaguely point to the distant horizon and declare: “Go forth and follow your destiny,” and get away with it. The instinct is to resist, especially when attempting to master an unknown dharma that will have to be figured out and attained on one’s own, if not alone. After all, it’s not for the gods to make it happen, nor do they exist to be depended upon - that’s what it means to be a co-creator.

Once the solitary nature of ‘independent’ accomplishment is understood, panic sets in and the looming question “How am I supposed to make this happen in the first place?” becomes an obsessive thought as the strong desire to crawl under the bed becomes an overwhelming yearn. It is difficult to do something that you’re not really in the mood to do or have to explain why you really don’t want to be selfless in the first place.

It’s more compelling if dharma is chosen from a process of self-discovery, perhaps an idea that strikes while crossing the street during a thunder storm, avoiding getting hit by a car while distracted deep in thought about life’s plan. Then it happens as an inspiration akin to a lightening bolt that strikes, “Oh, now I get it!” Then the next thought seeps into consciousness: “But did that come from me or some unknown source?”

Tangents In Karma

It was my first day attending The Philosophy Of Creativity, a course at Columbia University. I was beaming, for this was after all Columbia, as I walked into the classroom of the renowned Professor Schneider, a German Philosopher and guest speaker originally from the University of Dresden. The syllabus did not indicate the subject of the days’ lecture, but he had a reputation for being a bit eccentric, a man in his early seventies with a handlebar mustache neatly waxed, wearing a rather shabby looking brown pinstriped suit, a creased Grey shirt and a Lime Green tie poorly knotted. His shoes, brown with large scuff marks, did not appear shined for some time. He wore mismatched orange socks with horizontal brown stripes.

After the students took their seats and attendance had been called, the professor announced that the day’s lesson would be about using nothing but empty space to think creatively, then he went to the cubbard and placed a large empty jar of Hellman’s Extra Light mayonnaise on the desk. The class looked on as I wondered whether it was a 32 or 64 oz jar.

The professor pulled out a bucket of golf balls, standard size, and began dropping them one by one into the empty jar of Extra Light Mayonnaise. I was quite surprised that the jar didn’t crack from the physical force of the falling balls. When no more could be passed through the aperture of the glass opening, the professor asked in a clear and resonating German accent as he moved away from the desk and pointed to the glass “Is the jar full?”

One student from Paris said “Oui” although none of the other students knew what she said, as all the English speaking students responded: “Yes”.
Then the Professor, gazing into the audience, asked:
“Are you sure?”
“Yes”, everyone said.
I, however, said “No.”
“And what is the basis for your answer,” he asked as the class silently looked at me clearing my throat.

“There is still the space between the balls that hasn’t been accounted for, a situation quite similar to finding the area under a curve, a Calculus problem, accomplished by adding an increasing number of rectangles to the axis under the curve, into infinity, but never quite filling the space completely. In this case, I am convinced that there is still space in the jar left empty between the balls that can be calculated, so it’s not full.”

Professor Schneider said nothing, exposing a large bag of sand laying behind the desk, then he poured it in a stream of thousands of grains into the spaces between the golf balls as we watched wondering what the point of all this was. He once again interrupted us and he  asked: “Now, is the jar full?”

The majority of my classmates said, “Yeah, it looks filled up.”
“And what do you think?” he asked, casting his gaze upon me.
“Nothing has changed. There is still empty space between the grains of sand, although much smaller,” I responded confidently.
“How about if I pour some extra fine ground French coffee?” said professor Schneider as he gestured towards the jar.
“Could you please make it Colombian,” I responded. “French brews have a strong scent and create a bit of a stink.”

The professor paced the floor in thought. He looked at me, then the rest of the class, then said: “What conclusions can you draw from this display?”
I took a few moments to collect my thoughts, gazing into empty space, before responding, “Well, aside from the fact that space isn’t ‘the final frontier,’ but an infinite frontier since there will always be room to stuff things into the remaining unoccupied area even if it can’t be seen. Another consideration, I suppose, is that ordering the space differently can profoundly impact the course of life. Assuming the golf balls represent important elements such as health, shelter, profession, family, children and creative skills, just to name a few. If one occupies the space with sand first, it will obscure the ability to perceive what’s really important and the old expression,  seeing the forest from the trees comes to mind.  The granules cram the space with less essentials, perhaps luxuries that misguide the focus from sensible priorities while the coffee grounds leave additional imperceptible emptiness. The remaining area can perhaps represent hope for unanticipated things that come along possibly adding texture, character and flavor to existence enough to introduce noticeable visceral change, suggesting there is always room for something new, if one has an open mind to see it.”

“And if you only use the golf balls and sand?” asked professor Schneider.

“Well, even if life seems filled to the brim, there will still be room to go to the local Starbucks and have a cup of coffee with a friend, as long as it isn’t a French blend”, I added.
Then the professor responded with a snicker, “Even those with space between their ears can find ways to use the empty gaps creatively,” as he gazed at the class, stroking his handlebar mustache.

“Doom and gloom has to be logical, carefully presented and designed to reach people who exist in a basic state of denial. It requires eloquence, a well articulated, diplomatic build up, objective assessment of the events, whether economic, cultural or personal, dispassionately without emotion or it is lost,  hence influencing judgment. Learned lessons as wisdom to an open eye…” [unidentified source]

Originally found in an old timeworn text, translated from its native French, words perhaps handed down from one generation to the next with a dubious claim that names Nostradamus as their source, while saying much in less than fifty words.

Thinking about the future distantly, so many unanticipated events have to occur for a future to evolve. Is it possible to envision all of them or even know which ones are most important to (a) specific outcome(s)?

Perhaps the place where creative ideas originate, also the source of invention tapped by some with capabilities thought impossible, becomes the “stuff” of future dreams. Trends suggested by individuals, often described in cryptic terms transformed into concepts that happen in some ironic way introducing new possibilities effecting the future and defying credible prognostication.

A reasonable conclusion to reach until one encounters “the genius” capable of composing music before anyone of comparable age can verbalize complete sentences for example. What comprises those indefinable talents, which are vague inspiration to some, while a tool for another acting as a conduit.

Doom and gloom usually draw more attention than “they lived happily ever after,” a common ending to most fairy tales, hoping that along the way something not currently known will introduce itself into the gloom that changes enough of the circumstances to create the happy ending most sought.

Some believe that the future projects itself onto the past by using signs that already exist in the present. What makes the future happen is unknown, even after it happens, a confluence of limitless possibilities that makes more sense when viewed retrospectively as taught lessons, hopefully to avoid making repetitive mistakes that are predictable.  Recognizing that any prophecy, mystically or religiously based, is made so that there is enough time to make the necessary changes to prevent it from happening.

One way to encourage a less imperfect future is by creating it from a more perfect present, a seemingly logical task that would require taking time to consider the potential impact of choices and their trends as the effects proceed through time, prepared to re-assess the initial direction and explore more productive patterns assuming past experience allows for that insight or at the very least identify a blind spot defined  by a littered heap of mistakes.

The ability to sense the existence of a blind spot is predicated upon not knowing exactly what it contains since the contents like a black hole are  invisible, inferred  only by the flow of energy and matter surrounding it, caught by the magnetism of its vortex and the weight of its complexity. Proximity to it defines perspective, allowing partial understanding of what is not seen since the only way to observe things fully is by being everywhere simultaneously. Besides, the closer the spot becomes, the more the surrounding space obscures the landmarks that allow successful navigation. On the other hand, as distance increases it will be less likely to see anything more than “the point.”

One can define the  area not perceived in an individual or collective way, recognizing that the hope of making clearer decisions is more likely with a comprehensive assessment including things not previously known. When immersed with objectivity, the result will be satisfaction and possibly a happy moment. When the opposite results, especially if the motives are noble, then that in and of itself should allow any of the resulting pain and suffering to be nothing more than a  spoonful of medicine, while acknowledging that happiness is not a constant level. However if too many spoonfuls appear then one is forced to conclude, ” I must be doing something wrong, even if I cant see it. This is where the  invisible part of the  personality can usually be found,  effected by anger, guilt or denial.

On a societal level, imagining what direction culture might evolve is like shooting  a projectile with an unpredictable path into a dark abyss, a sequence  often moving into the unknown, perhaps capable of being plotted by an algebraic formula, but often stumbling into the realm of science fiction, most effective when advanced technologies lay at the basis for unanticipated change, refining instrumentality so revolutionary in some cases that ethical considerations have trailed consequences, creating never thought of problems.

When viewed retrospectively, public debut is helpful, but only if it explains ongoing conflict that continues to push cultural limits  by marking emerging resolutions that pierce the unknown by consecutively connecting the dots. The most effective way to galvanize public opinion is for an issue to be discussed in a way that can be understood by the greatest number of people across all educational levels, especially when presenting goals that have a clear potential to alter the nature and course of society,  although history is filled with the consequences of mistakes made based on missing collective blind spots, finally realized in a “like duh” moment.