Creative Quietude

Huston Smith (1958, 1991) The World’s Religions;
isbn 0062508113 (p207-209)

Creative quietude combines within a single individual two seemingly incompatible conditions - supreme activity and supreme relaxation. These seeming incompatibles can coexist because human beings are not self-enclosed entities. They ride an unbounded sea of Tao that sustains them, as we would say, through their subliminal minds.

One way to create is through following the calculated directives of the conscious mind. The results of this mode of action, however, are seldom impressive; they tend to smack more of sorting and arranging than of inspiration.

Genuine creation, as every artist knows, comes when the more abundant resources of the subliminal self are somehow tapped. But for this to happen a certain dissociation from the surface self is needed. The conscious mind must relax, stop standing in its own light, let go. Only so is it possible to break through the law of reversed effort in which the more we try the more our efforts boomerang.

“Do you have the patience to wait
till your mud settles and the water is clear?
Can you remain unmoving
till the right action arises by itself?”
Tao Teh Ching (ch 15)

My spiritual journey

George G Clark, 20 Oct 2010

At a recent meeting of my meditation group I was paired with Wendy to share thoughts and feelings about our spiritual journey. We quickly realised that neither of us had ever dealt with our spiritual journey as a story. This article thus offers a brief outline of my yarn.

I am over 60 and my spiritual journey is ongoing. The causes and conditions that guided it began with conception and will end in the coffin. I no longer remember the earliest steps but for the last 45 years I have kept a journal. I can therefore check for distortions that might appear on memory's faulty mirror.

I grew up in a fishing village in the north east of Scotland and was involved with archaeology while at school. This began an ongoing fascination for cultural evolution and thus for change and thus for the possibility of 'better ways to be human'. While at University I studied psychology and zoology and my interests drifted towards primate social behaviour, the social sciences, and the creative works of Jack Kerouac and Herman Hesse.

My teaching career began in Edinburgh where I befriended Andy who was an economist and had worked as a volunteer in Africa. We spent many long evenings putting the world to rights: and I began to read the wisdom literature (east and west) and to build my 'spiritual' library. I had the scent of 'the fearless peace that passes all understanding' - but my appreciation remained largely intellectual.

Then there was a busy secular period. I served as teacher, curriculum developer, teacher trainer, examiner, inspector, education advisor and plain language editor in six tropical countries. But I also took time out for deep reflection while working towards two Master degrees, and making five lengthy 'retreats' back in the village.

Over the last 15 years I have been recording my thoughts about the spiritual path and making them publicly available. This began in Lesotho (95-98) where I wrote words of faith (eastern versions) for a local newspaper. I subsequently put the 16 short pieces online as "The Essence of Faiths - Whispers from Everywhere"[1]

The wheel of spiritual writing was then in motion. After Lesotho I web-enabled a set of 68 short pieces under the title "Let it begin with me - A rough guide to mind training and meditation"[2]. This includes four sections dealing with classic eastern, recent eastern, western, and home grown.

In 2002 I began an ongoing blog called "existential soft rock - mental re-construction through just sitting - be still and know"[3]. This is a mix of quotes and links with a sprinkling of more recent, home grown 'spiritual' articles (386 posts at 20 Oct 2010).

So what ground has my spiritual journey covered so far?

It cannot be cleanly separated from my overall journey as a facilitator of learning. But I now appreciate that there are two distinct modes of learning that should be in balance (a) the rational, objective mode (head) and (b) the intuitive, subjective mode (heart).

Spirituality need not involve 'religion'. It is best seen as a psychology of perception. The key task is to make time for stillness and thus to notice what you are thinking and feeling; and thus to be mindful (aware) of mental habits in the present moment; and thus to freely respond, rather than automatically react, to the stuff that enters the attention centre.

I am now adjusting to retirement. This includes a dis-eased feeling of world weariness and burn out - a downturn on the roller coaster ride through life. But I now appreciate the impermanence of all created things and it is thus possible to go peacefully with the ongoing flow while sitting with the meditation group or increasingly by myself. I draw inspiration from Thich Nhat Hanh's thoughts on 'being the peace you seek'. The key, initial, spiritual recommendation for beginners is "Don't just do something - sit there!" Thus will be found fearless peace and better ways to be human.

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[1] http://www.toonloon.bizland.com/whispers/

[2] http://www.srds.co.uk/begin/

[3] http://dodclark.blogspot.com/