In part praise of the long lie -
The invisible labour of mystical eschatologists
George G Clark, 16 November 2009
‘Flatbacking’ involves meditation in the horizontal position before getting out of bed. Whilst so engaged this morning there was a passing feeling to write a one-pager in praise of the long lie.
The long lie gets a bad press from most workaholic sources - “the devil finds work for idle hands to do”. But there are few absolutes in this life. In trying to muster arguments for and against the long lie it becomes clear that context is everything.
I Googled “in praise of the long lie” and came quickly to the blog[1] of a high-ranking Anglican priest - James Woodward. He confesses that, “I like lots of pillows and, surrounded by books, there is nothing better than a large jug of coffee tucked in under the sheets and ignoring the world outside. Retreat and escape from the noise and demands of the world.” He concludes by saying, “A long lie in – we all need and deserve one!!”
Elsewhere on his blog Father Woodward mentions modernity’s eschatological crisis. So I looked up “eschatology”. It is the branch of theology that is concerned with the four last things: death, judgment, heaven, hell. Theologians reckon that all people need an eschatology so as to feel as if they exist in a ‘sensible’ space and time.
Most of the ancient eschatologies deal with the end of the world and of time itself. They are often taken literally as physical and material catastrophes and thus as a source of much fear and trembling. It is thus heartening to note that, in mysticism, the phrase refers metaphorically to (a) the end of ordinary reality and (b) reunion with the Divine.
In light of the above it is perhaps useful to view flatbacking meditation as a particular variety of long lie. Variations can be arranged on a continuum ranging between the sensuous and self indulgent at the secular end (sybaritic) and the psychological and ‘self’ observant at the spiritual end (mystical).
In both cases attention is grabbed by thoughts, feelings and emotions that emerge mostly from the unconscious and under their own steam. In the sybaritic case most of the mental stuff is related to the past and future and the task is to embrace the pleasant daydreams and to reject the unpleasant nightmares.
In the mystical case the task, at least initially, is to focus attention on the present moment (eg by being aware of the body and the breathing) such that the peace that underlies the mental chatter might be apprehended. This is the legendary ‘peace that passes all understanding’. By taking thought we can end ordinary reality and be reunited with the divine. Still the chatter, know the peace.
I am attracted to an insight from Victor Hugo, “A man is not idle because he is absorbed in thought. There is a visible labour and there is an invisible labour.” The sybaritic long lie involves a holiday from labour and a wallowing in illusory dreams of the past and future - it involves invisible escapism. On the other hand mystical flatbacking involves the toughest work there is - to turn your mind around and know the illusory nature of the ego - it involves invisible labour.
So let us raise our glasses
In praise of flatbacking and
the invisible labour of mystical eschatologists
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