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Sara Dicerto's avatar

As you mentioned bewilderment and irritation, I instinctively found myself looking for something that would trigger that reaction (strange how we can direct other people's attention, uh?). The one element of your article that comes even close is where you (forgive me for the inelegant summary if you may) express a sort of "this generation has conveniently forgotten undesirable facts related to their biology in order to be free to pursue a different agenda, detaching themselves from nature". I heard this sort of "O tempora! O mores!" before, and specifically in the context of telling me how I couldn't reasonably expect a life of independence, knowledge and leadership as those things are not the realm of human beings biologically geared to the production and rearing of the future generation. After all, if you are temporarily incapacitated on a regular basis (by your period, your pregnancy, breastfeeding and the lot), isn't it expecting a tad much of yourself that you'd be able to study and work and lead? Nonsense, surely. Focus on being a good mother and all will be well (pat pat). The other context in which this line of thinking has surfaced in my experience is when people have tried to convince me that I should sneer on the gays. Surely that's not what nature had in mind, the line went. I don't think that deserves much commentary.

Given the above, er, experience, I have a historical antipathy for the above line of thinking. Not that the line of thinking is at fault - it's a bit as if I'd seen spoons used repeatedly to carve people's eyes out. Nothing wrong with the spoon itself, but instinctive recoiling on seeing one wouldn't be unjustified.

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Sara Dicerto's avatar

On reading this piece, I *think* I have made some headway into understanding the reason why we see things rather differently when it comes to reality and our relationship to it. The way I have always experienced deep meditative states ever since I was a child is what I would describe as a negation of the senses rather than their enhancement. While it's hard to explain, I guess the closest to my experience I've heard people describe is a phenomenon called "sleep paralysis" - except more extensive, I suppose. My father, a man of faith, would tell you that his way of experiencing meditation is a sort of closeness to God.

I do find it interesting that each of us found in meditation something compatible with their overall worldview - the theist feels close to God, the sceptical enjoys the beauty of the universe and the overactive and constantly overstimulated mind basks in silence and temporary oblivion of the self and her circumstances. You'll forgive me for thinking that this is unlikely to be a random occurrence, and feels rather a direct product of our view of the universe. Some sort of personal experience rather than reality, dare I say.

I am, nevertheless, genuinely happy that your experience of meditation is so wholesome and rewarding for you, and wish more people were to have the same experience.

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