Short Sleeves Insights- Which Way Is The Door?


by Hal Manogue - Date: 2007-02-25 - Word Count: 421 Share This!

"The world of the mind encloses the whole universe in its light. It is a cosmic life and a cosmic spirit, and at the same time an individual life and an individual spirit." D.T. Suzuki was a turn of the 20th century teacher of Zen Buddhism in Japan. He is credited with being the pioneer in teaching Zen outside of Japan and his writings are vast and enlightening. I don't have to practice the religion of Buddhism to understand what he was teaching in the above quote. The world of the mind is my reality and I am connected to the universe in consciousness.

Plato the Greek philosopher born around 428 B.C., wrote about reality and how much of it we are really aware of. Somewhere in our history, we closed our minds to certain beliefs and created a world, that is an illusion.

Plato maintained that man, in his natural state, is living like he is sitting in a cave, with his back facing the opening in the cave. Outside the opening lies the light of eternal reality. But man, because his back is to the light, sees only shadows of reality dancing across the back of the cave, and with his attention on the wall, sees only dreams and reflections, never reality itself. So fascinated is man with these shadows that he builds great systems of science and philosophy around these phantoms. Then one day, somebody escapes from the cave and sees reality. He returns to the cave and says: "Guys you're not going to believe this but..."

There are many people escaping from the cave today, to see their own reality. There is so much information available to assist anyone who feels the need to escape. Feeling is the language of our complete self, the one that D.T. Suzuki talks about. We have the ability to walk out of the cave at any time, and feel the grander self that rests within us. We are all connected, but we are individuals that create the world we live in. Each of us does it differently and that is the wonder of contrast. It allows us to experience and expand our own world and become the cosmic spirit, that expresses love for all life. Separation becomes obsolete and unity reigns supreme. Compassion, gratitude and sharing are universal. Love of self is the vessel that holds love for our reality. Prayer is the feeling of achievement. Achievement is the joy of connection. Connection is the universal experience of love. Love is All There Is.


Related Tags: love, plato, d.t.suzuki

Hal Manogue is a poet and author of Short Sleeves A Book For Friends. Insightful thoughts for the 21st century. Hal's 2006 Collection and 2007 Collection are available in bookstores and online. Visit Hal's website: http://www.shortsleeves.net or blog: http://halmanogue.blogspot.com/ for more information about his work and life. Download a copy of the new E-Book, "Unite To Write", a collection of articles from writers around the globe, that will inspire and fill you with useful information. It's value is priceless. It's Hal's gift to you. for you to enjoy.

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