Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Purple Sage: Ishvara, Words & 'Flow' Experiences


Ishvara


Ishvara bought the Harbin land in 1972 and something remarkable has emerged there since then. {Ishvara is the name for lord or 'supreme controller' in the Hindu pantheon of concepts of divinity}. I think Harbin gives rise to whole new kinds of 'flow' experiences in the aggregate ~ the pools, the relaxation response there, the clothing-optional pool area, Watsu {water shiatsu}, the 'New Age' language and related, shared understandings, the sociality, dances in the conference center, and in the mini-masterpiece of a new cob and bale Temple, that's like a rose, the free films, the restaurant, the openness and freedom, the nature - all these come together to shape a milieu that is unique and wondrous. Much of this originates in relation to the warm pool, and leads me to consider how the Harbin pools are 'technologies' for both releasing, as well as 'virtualization.' Harbin hasn't developed very much in terms of building since the time when Ish bought the land, which also contributes significantly to its beauty and milieu. :)


Words

In the context of ongoing study of counterculture, I'd like to examine how words are technologies, that can have virtualization effects. I'd also like to examine ways in which reading is a technology of the mind, that can have similar qualities to virtualization. Both of these can not only be 'trippy,' - a psychedelic experience, characterized by the perception of aspects of one's mind previously unknown, including hallucinations, changes of perception, synesthesia, altered states of awareness, and mystical states, and literally meaning 'mind-manifesting' - but also rich, 'flow' experiences. When both come together, what occurs can be wondrous, wild & beautiful. Since language is with us in so many ways from early childhood, it's hard to see how remarkable and virtual language is. It's also difficult to cultivate it explicitly as 'virtualization' techniques, say, to explore loving bliss or 'trippiness.'


Someone gave me a new name recently at Harbin in the pool area, I think:

~ Plant Trees Scott




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