…and questions
About languages, again.
They are for sure helpful in communicating, but also for much more. They help us, for example, describe what we see and hear and smell… what we sense, and feel; they help us describe what we do not necessary sense, but think, or suspect, like our intuitions.
A little something from a biblical story–that of Abraham.
As the stories go, Abraham is the last figure in the Old Testament, to whom G-d speaks directly (this specific point might be debatable where Moses is concerned). But move away from religion, and scriptures, for a moment. What if… what if this story is in part, or from a different angle, about communication, and language?
Imagine, for instance, that Abraham had the means to hear and understand more than what we can today. Maybe even his son lost those means. Maybe… language is one means to communicate with the mystical, with the other side. So, what if sounds we can make are vibrations that touch that other side, and in turn vibrations from there touch us?
I think mountains have power, a result of thousands of years of constant change, of constant interactions between water, air, and earth, between one type of force with another.
Just like with us, re-invention is strengthening and enlightening, and so mountains exude forces that are the results of those efforts and change.
Another great short story from Ted Chiang involves a word, and more… it involves the imprint one word can have on our psyche. While communication can come in many different colors, so can words have many different effects on us. A simple example, for me, might be the words unique, and dream. Both have positive connotations and lead me to think of my uniqueness, and the possibilities that dreams give. Both bring happy thoughts. But, similar to Chiang’s story, what if a word can do so much more, like being a trigger; or, a step further, manifesting a thought… or an intent.
Came across a quote that a student chose to write as daily wisdom (slightly rephrased):
Create yourself, instead of trying to find yourself.
It’s a great quote–powerful, because I think it reminds us that we have the choice, that we can decide who we want to be and what we want to do.
But, then, there is also the idea that it is dependent on the person. For some of us, maybe creating ourselves fits well because of knowing what we favor; for others, trying to ‘find’ ourselves might be a quest for some guidance… e.g., for what am I most fit.
From a tangent, some argue that Michelangelo, in Creation at the Sistene Chapel, depicted Adam as lethargic and in need of that touch to acquire life… or perhaps guidance.
When looking up at the sky, at a clear sky, looking all blue, what thoughts cross your mind? do you put aside thoughts of a near-vacuum and wonder what’s out there, or do you think there is nothing?
similarly with the moon, do you think it’s mysterious, or that its energies and cycles affect us, or does it barely enter your mind and consider it rock and dust?
actually, there is some speculation that our ancestors did not give the color blue a name until much later than most other colors, because blue is the least common of colors in nature, and because they thought there was nothing when they looked up at the sky. nothing.
Think about language and how useful it is for us. we take it for granted… the speaking, the writing, the stories. maybe there was an age when we all understood each other without any words… maybe we were telepathic. not today.
and think about all the different ways animals communicate — sound waves through water, motions, dances. Author Sue Monk Kidd, in The Secret Life of Bees, touches on the beauty of the social lives of bees. Bees communicate about where there are flowers by wiggling, and ‘dancing’.
2 responses to “Ideas”
Wonderful thoughts.
I try to create myself all the time based upon my values. Wanting to bring smiles and pleasure to everyone I interact with; reacting to people in ways that are supportive.. wanting to contribute in ways that resonate for me. Wanting to take care of myself ; being at peace.
Thank you for the comment, Louis, for the helpful reminders… to bring out smiles, to support. Incidentally, being at peace, and contributing to peace in others was a goal in a recent meditation course I attended :).
-Issa