Contemplation of the Great Potato, part I

Bovina, NY: Sept. 2020

 Impetus can’t come from the mind. One can’t impart enough energy from the mind to bring centers into an active state.

An active state has its own impetus. It has acquired momentum and its own mass keeps it moving forward. In this state, a center requires far less energy to stay in motion that it does when it is passive. This simple fact follows known laws of physics, which are in every case material reflections of metaphysical law. It’s the connection between metaphysics and physics that remain poorly understood by modern societies; if we understood these laws through the len’s of Swedenborg’s correspondences much about our spiritual natures and the soul itself would be better understood.

Let’s take the example of sensation. Folks think one can impart impetus to sensation; there are many exercises for it. Yet even a fter many years of inner work, sensation hasn’t become permanent—despite all the exercises. Why not? And, perhaps more important, that cane be “done” about it?

By the time one reaches an age where such questions are interesting, already, the various parts of moving center (which is responsible for acquiring the ”mass“ of sensation) weight a great deal. The paradox in the development of active (organically aware) centers is that the acquire more and more mass over the course of a lifetime. This is the very mass they need to sustain their momentum once they become active. The system is built that way.

Yet as one ages, that very mass itself becomes an obstacle. The center—let’s take feeling center as a second example— ”weighs” more and more and it takes more and more energy to set it in motion. It has become very passive over the course of one’s life and from a certain coarse point of view it functions quite well in a passive state. It has become, in modern terminology, a couch potato. Life is like a series of television shows and it lounges around watching the plots all day long. Every once in a while it gets up to get a snack from the fridge. Exercise is anathema.

Each of the centers is more or less in this position. They are all watching the same television, but from different rooms in the house. Occasionally they shout at one another about some chore or another that needs to be done; each one feels put upon when asked to do its own chores, and either complains about having to do chores for the other parts, or interferes and does chores for them because it likes those chores better than its own work. It is a family that could run a functional household; but instead it is exactly like a house filled with a bunch of lazy, irresponsible adolescents. In fact, metaphorically, that’s what it is; the centers are immature. Discipline is lacking. 

Hence the need for “work.” Yet we all know how responsive immature individuals are to a need for real work; and we all know how capable teenagers are in regard to discriminating between influences, making choices for themselves, etc.

I think you get the idea. Let’s move back to the focus on impetus.  A force must arrive in Being which sets the couch potatoes into motion. Once the weight, the inner mass, of an adult’s center is effectively put in motion, it awakens. This is a new and surprising condition that produces many bewildering effects. One becomes so accustomed over the course of a lifetime to the passive function of centers that that seems to be the only thing way they are, and the awakening of conscience (which is in effect the active function of any given center, within the domain of its own role) is an uncomfortable affair.

Moreover, sensation needs to become the foundational partner in this action. This is because, unlike thinking and feeling, sensation doesn’t have so much o a bad attitude. It is a self-starter; it inherently recognizes the good of its own function an does not, once active, spend so much time mounting arguments against an active role. 

Sensation loves work; in this sense, it is the very embodiment of Gurdjieff’s adage, “I love he who loves work.” 

More on this in the next post.

Ponder that for a while.

May you be well within today.

Lee

Lee van Laer is a Senior Editor at Parabola Magazine.