Sunday, September 22, 2013

The Element of Resonance and Its Hope For Finding Wisdom In the Words, Ideas and Experiences of Other Human Beings



Resonance.

It happens when 2 people fall in love anywhere in the world.  Of all the 7 billion people in the world, those 2 people fell in love with each other and not with anyone else.

It happens when you read a book, and part (or all) of the author’s message strikes a deep chord in you.  In my review of Anita Saran’s On Becoming Vegetarian, I highlight one such passage from a Lewis Carroll book called Sylvie and Bruno. The passage and its remarkable effect on me were the result of resonance.

It happens when someone says something to you and you go, “so true”.

It happens when you hear or read something and it galvanizes you into action. As William Butler Yeats said, “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.  Indeed, if ever you read or hear something that gives you a powerful emotional charge, this is resonance at work. 

We are all resonant people.

We were made to relate to each other’s ideas and words and experiences.

It is essential to our physical and emotional well being.

Sometimes our channels to other human beings are blocked, because of illness, or busyness, or preoccupation with the wrong things.

But as soon as these channels become unblocked, we are able to relate to other human beings again.

We become ready to receive the gifts of wisdom from the words, ideas and experiences of other human beings.

Past and present.

Do you have a “resonant state of mind”?

Do you have an open state of mind? Open to resonating to other people’s ideas? Being open to resonating to other people’s ideas is different from being sympathetic to other people’s situations, or being empathetic to other people’s feelings. We can be sympathetic and empathetic, and yet completely closed when it comes to ideas.

Do you have a trusting state of mind? Do you actively seek insights and ways of thinking about your problems and issues from other sources? As Einstein said, “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it”

Do you have a learning state of mind? Are you currently learning something new? Do you plan to continue learning in every decade of your life? Seeking to study new fields or to revisit your current ideas, beliefs, habits of thought and way of living? Do you believe there is a set point and it is reached in one’s 20’s or 30’s?  “This is it.”

Do you have a humble state of mind? A mind that recognizes no idea is truly new; every idea is just a new point on a continuum. Are you like Issac Newton who said, “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants”?

Were you able to say “yes” to most of these questions? 

Congratulations on having a resonant state of mind.

Not really? 

Don’t worry.

The channels to the ideas, thoughts and experiences of other human beings may be momentarily blocked, because of illness or busyness or trouble or preoccupation with the wrong things.

Once you fix the state of mind associated with that, you will be able to resonate.

And enjoy the physical and emotional well being it brings you

Cheers to that.

Thanks for reading and have a great day…..M…..a Pearl Seeker like you.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Good one, Minoo!!!Really makes you think, and very readable, as always!