[MD] moral judgements

[Platt Holden]

SA --

A very interesting and perceptive taken the "seat" of morality --
quietness. It reminded me of one of my all-time favorite sayings: 

"You do not need to leave your room. Remain sitting at your table and 
listen. Do not even listen, simply wait. Do not even wait, be quiet, 
still and solitary. The world will freely offer itself to you to be 
unmasked. It has no choice, it will roll in ecstasy at your feet."   
--  Franz Kafka

I was reminded also of Marsha's "I think the real key is paying 
attention. If you are more aware you are less likely to do damage."

Sometimes I also try to reach into the depths of my being by asking it
to "Speak, I'm listening." No one ever answers. There is nothing but 
profound quietness. It's so quiet, it's scary. So I don't try it too 
often. But my awareness is about as keen as it can get, and while 
paying attention to any signal from within, I certainly can't do any 
damage without.

Thanks for a provocative response to my question about a moral base. I 
hope to hear from others.

Platt
.
> Platt,
> 
>     One more point to add, aside from being sick at
> the moment, I've been thinking about what I said
> concerning communication as a moral position of mine. 
> You asked or said that I therefore find communication
> between the levels as my moral judging by evaluating
> my former response.  I agreed, but I'm discussing upon
> the grounds of static quality.  Yet, you've got me
> thinking.  I talk of this quietness often, and have
> made numerous decisions by reflecting upon quietness. 
> Therefore, I'm inclined to think that this quietness I
> discuss is actually the seat of my moral position.  I
> am weighing the levels according to this quietness. 
> Is this quietness disturbed or not?  This, as for now,
> seems to be closer to my moral position, and provides
> enough definition to what the woods experience is, as
> compared to work, which I tried to bring up as a
> contrast that stifles the flow of action and quietness
> of experience.
>      Yet, again, my goal in meditation is always
> reaching this quietness, so, this must be my moral
> position.  I guess I never thought of this quietness
> as holding my moral position.  I say quietness, not
> silence, due to what quietness embodies.  It embodies
> freedom due to allowing so much happen amidst itself. 
> In the quietness of the woods, a far off twig can be
> heard, and that's only a chipmunk on the next hill
> across the hollow.  Even thunder occurs due to the
> quietness allowing such an event to be
> heard/communicated.  It is this quietness that allows
> communication to occur on all the levels, yet, how
> much quietness is present dictates how much clarity is
> involved in any given communication/event/static
> pattern.
>      Sorry for the apparent:  'not able to give you a
> straight answer right off the bat', but you had me
> thinking, reflecting, and since this quietness is what
> allows events to be noticed and my effort in
> meditation is quietness, then I'm inclined to choose
> quietness as my moral position where moral clarity
> will be balanced-out, on its' own by the way.  The
> only effort on my part is to want to experience the
> quietness.  This quietness is always here for the
> livin'.  When I experience quietness in the woods, the
> quietness is of particular high quality taste. 
> Quietness is the same everywhere I experience it, but
> the experience of this quietness is tempered by a
> number of events, and the woods provide quietness
> where even the loudness of a thunderstorm is
> considered white noise.
>      Quietness is readily experienced.  To practice
> experiencing quietness is the same as practicing to
> walk.  We may all walk, if no injury prevents the
> occasion, but how many can walk far, up hills, over
> mountains, and even pick up the skills that may be
> necessary to walk for days in the wilderness.  It is
> the same idea as marital arts or Zen tea ceremony.  We
> all may drink tea, but to be involved in a Zen tea
> ceremony incorporates an experience of awe and
> excellence (and this is only from perceiving one from
> the outside looking in from movies and books from
> those that have experienced ceremony in person).  Or,
> painting, where is the best place to paint, Platt?
>      What these all involve is ceremony, a static
> pattern, a ritual, or in other words, practice. 
> Practicing quietness helps habituate and focus the
> experience that involves it (quietness).  This
> practicing also has another word, as you pointed out,
> called trance.  Practicing quietness puts quietness
> into a focus that in experience is as a trance. 
> Without this quietness, my awareness would be impeded.
>  Thus, with quietness lived communication lines are
> more easily opened and noticed.  As the experience
> with quietness is lost, then the communication between
> any level is further lost in the clutter.
> 
> Thanks,
> SA
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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