#Natural Transcendence

[eyeoftheheart]

There is Kyojitsu Tenkan Hô 虚実転換法 or ‘the interchange of truth and falsehood’ in everything said and done.

One persons truth is another’s falseness. What is done and said can be some people’s heaven and anothers hell. It can reveal their love or hate, and also their inspiration to strive or excuse to quit. The dualities are endless.

This is quite natural and thus helps us maintain an understanding of the constant ‘fight for balance’ between the duality of all things, often represented by the Tiger 虎 and Dragon 龍. This appreciation reminds us that the only constant is Henka 変化( change ) in order to maintain universal harmony.

“If an expert in the fighting arts sincerely pursues the essence of ninjutsu, devoid of the influence of the ego's desires, the student will progressively come to realize the ultimate secret for becoming invincible - the attainment of the 'mind and eyes of the divine.' The combatant who would win must be in harmony with the scheme of totality, and must be guided by an intuitive knowledge of the playing out of fate. In tune with the providence of heaven and the impartial justice of nature, and following a clear and pure heart full of trust in the inevitable, the ninja captures the insight that will guide him successfully into battle when he must conquer and conceal himself protectively from hostility. The vast universe, beautiful in its coldly impersonal totality, contains all that we call good and bad, all the answers for all the paradoxes we see around us. By opening his eyes and his mind, the ninja can responsively follow the subtle seasons and reasons of heaven, changing just as change is necessary, adapting always, so that in the end there is no such thing as surprise for the ninja.”

~ Takamatsu Toshitsugu

Budô is transmitting the importance to transcend. Within the Gōjō ( the five virtues of Confucianism ) this is known as Shizen no Choetsu 自然の超越 or ‘natural transcendence.’ I believe this is promoting ( among other things ) the practice of reaching to the higher level of consciousness known as Jihi no kokoro 慈悲の心 or the ‘benevolent/merciful/compassionate heart.’

“The practitioner of ninjutsu can gain the strength and invincibility that permits enjoyment of the flowers moving in the wind, appreciation of the love of others, and contentment with the presence of peace in society. The attainment of this enlightenment is characterized by the development of the jihi no kokoro, or ‘benevolent heart’. Stronger than love itself, the benevolent heart is capable of encompassing all that constitutes universal justice and all that finds expression in the unfolding of the universal scheme.”

~ Masaaki Hatsumi

Bushinden Tasmania Budō Dōjō 武神傳武道道場

[rosieandthemoon]

segment of a British Labyrinth

[clearpills]

[houseswife]

wilson saying “I need to do this. for you.” is fucking insane actually. in the same episode where house is deciding whether or not he should commit suicide as a result of wilson’s dying. They are each other’s lines between life and death. humans have a biological instinct to preserve their survival at all costs; house has an addiction that governs his life. but they were willing to forgo all of it for one another, because they couldn’t fathom it being any other way. IM SICK

[mythmerth]

you ever think about that godforsaken prophecy and Arthur’s title of ‘the once and future king’? we never see him come back and he didn’t even live very long while he was king, so this ‘once and future king’ business really does feel questionable in the end.

but what if that’s just thinking about it in the wrong way?

Merlin is essentially immortal- this we all know. Arthur and merlin are ‘two sides of the same coin’, and were together prophesied to bring about Albion’s golden age with magic and all that. Merlin also IS magic. like, he embodies the magic of the world, he is the physical embodiment of magic, and in S5 he sends arthur to rest in magic to one day return. he was once king for a short time - but to merlin, arthur has always been and will always be his king. arthur is the future king because, no matter what, the magic that weaves together the very base of the world will always see him as its king. because merlin loves and reveres him with his whole being. those prophecies were all in reference to the relationship between merlin and Arthur, not in their relationship to Camelot or the people or land. merlin creates the once and future king with his love, and maybe it’s that same sentiment that will bring arthur back to him tangibly as well

[blood-orange-juice]

Considering how in other expansions the leading Harbinger shares thematic similarities with the Archon of that nation, could it be that Venti's thing is actually revenge.

[arealtrashact]

If it wasn't for your Tumblr, I never would've watched The 10th (Tenth?) Kingdom. I thank you. 😃

You're welcome.

Now you too can live with the knowledge that we'll never get the planned sequel and, as a result, never see the abomination that these two managed to spawn.

I am haunted by the fact Simon Moore (writer) confirmed that their offspring would be 100% wolf.

[myreia]

A Dark Knight & Her White Mage

featuring my aureia (she/her) and @greyyourwarden's liori (she/they). ty for letting me borrow lio for shenanigans, can't wait to tank for you again some day! 💜✨

[hiridraws]

alcor <3

transcendence au recently popped back up and got me in a chokehold for the past week or so, and naturally i had to draw my beloved little guy <3

[markhellyna]

the i care who you are with me. to like you. or you’re like her? to but i’m her, mark. i’m her. pipeline

[rosieandthemoon]

[jomeimei421]

one day I will sit down and properly explain how YJH’s narrative is very fitting to be trans-coded, but this is the summary:

[kingofterrors]

Severance - two in one

With the developments in the Mark S / Helena relationship in 204 we've seen the debate begin to really hot up regarding the ethical questions of having two people inhabiting one body - what that means for bodily autonomy, consent and freedom. All of which are nuanced and complex, and despite how hard we might want to boil them down to a binary good/bad explanation, I don't think it's actually possible. These questions are way too big for that.

But one reflection I wanted to offer is around the conscious / subconscious dichotomy presented in the show. Ben Stiller, Dan Erikson, and all of our actors talk about how both the Innies and Outies share a subsconscious. That this is where things bleed through - and Irving B's dreams are the key example of that. When he falls asleep in the office, these are the moments when elements from his Outie life bleed through - most catastrophically (or wonderfully depending on your perspective) in 204 following a full night of sleep and that incredible nightmare that pushes him into action. The subconscious could also be understood as the seat of instinct, personality, and drive - and again, we see this reflected in the behaviour of both Innies and Outies.

However, alongside this conscious / subconscious separation (in which we might better describe the status of the severance procedure as creating two consciousnesses in one person), we also have an memory / emotion separation. Petey talks about Mark S coming into the office with red eyes. He describes the process as "you carry the hurt with you, you feel it down there too. You just don't know what it is." So the concept is that severance cuts out memories - specific ones to the person, not the memory of which US states are which, or how to tie their shoelaces - but not emotions. So emotional hurt is carried from Outie to Innie and vice versa. But this also will extend to other emotions - love, fulfillment, satisfaction.

This rings extremely true to me as someone who works with elderly people, and often people with dementia. This is only a very superficial description of how some dementias can work, but in general terms these people are increasingly cut off from their memories, firstly short term memory, and then those longer term memories all the way back to forgetting how to die their shoelaces. This is why you might speak to a person who can't remember what they had for breakfast, and yet can remember in crystal clarity the picnic they had with their brother when they were seven. For these people, similarly to our fictional Innies and Outies, emotional memory isn't similarly cut off. These two parts of the brain are separated already. The hippocampus (memory) is separate from the amygdala (emotion), and feelings can be retained while the source of those feelings are forgotten.

This is one (of many) reasons why it's so important to continue to support, visit and love those we know who have dementia. Because although the source memory may immediately fade, the love remains. The feeling of safety and stability stays.

I just love that we have a show out there right now doing what Science Fiction can do best, exploring a real world concept in a fictional world that allows a new perspective on that exploration.

So severance might be:

Two identities / one person

Two consciousnesses / one subconscious

Two memory stores / one emotional core

Or an interesting combtination of all three. And the core question remains of course, as it always has, 'what makes a person'?

Bring on the nuance.

[shadowsofdarkness]

Intro to Nonduality:

What if the key to true freedom lies in understanding that the separation between 'you' and 'the world' never truly existed?

What is Nonduality?

"The moment you see through the illusion of separateness, you realize that the whole universe is your own self." – Ramesh Balsekar

Nonduality is a philosophical and spiritual concept that unveils the interconnected nature of reality beyond the human form and its deceptive illusion of separation. It teaches that the sense of an individual self, separate from the world and the universe, is a false identity. The 'individual self' is not the true essence of who we are—it's merely a mental construct that reinforces the illusion of separateness. Nonduality reveals that the underlying source of all existence and the entire universe is the infinite essence of consciousness—the true self.

Consciousness & Awareness - Essence of Nonduality:

"What you are looking for is already within you, in the form of pure consciousness, the essence of who you truly are." – Adyashanti

Consciousness is the unlimited source of all experiences and the essence of existence itself. It is the pure underlying presence in which everything arises. This pure consciousness is ultimately the true self’s nature beyond everything and all experiences. It is the fundamental essence of reality that completely transcends all. 

Awareness is the aspect of consciousness that allows you to experience and perceive everything being experienced through the unique lens of perception you hold. It is the witness of all thoughts, emotions, and experiences without becoming involved or identified with it. Awareness serves as the observer.

Why is knowing this important?

"Knowing the self is the beginning of freedom. When you realize that you are not separate from everything, you break free from the illusion of duality." – Eckhart Tolle

Understanding the interconnected nature of reality revolves around being able to understand consciousness and the aspects of it that allow you to have a human experience in order for consciousness to recognize itself as the creator of all existence and its manifestation of humanity. Understanding the true self to be consciousness comes with many profound spiritual results such as:

Self-Awareness & Clarity:

It is essential to recognize that your true self is beyond all thoughts, emotions, and experiences in order to peacefully detach from them and break identification with them.

Understanding your consciousness allows you to see yourself as the observer of your experiences, rather than getting caught up in them or consumed by the stories playing out. This transformative shift in perception brings clarity, peace, and a deep sense of freedom, ultimately leading to liberation as the witness and source of it all.

Inner Peace: Recognizing your true self as consciousness allows you to explore and engage with your experiences from a place of peace and stability, regardless of the circumstances or stories that unfold before you.

Understanding the True Nature of Reality: This transformation in your perception of reality allows you to explore its true nature, cultivating a deeper connection with the underlying interconnectedness of all existence. As a result, you develop a greater appreciation for the ultimate beauty of the human experience.

Transcending the Ego - By breaking down the wall of the false sense of self and its identification with thoughts, emotions, desires, and experiences, you transcend the ego. As you do, you realize your true self as consciousness, and the mental construct of the ego becomes the servant rather than the master of the mind. This transformation allows you to experience life with greater peace and freedom. It’s about ascending beyond the ego’s control, revealing your true self beyond its mask.

Freedom & Liberation From Suffering - Much of human suffering arises from attachment to the false sense of self and the belief in separation from the world. By realizing that the true self transcends these mental constructs, you free yourself from the cycle of suffering, leading to greater bliss and contentment in the present moment.

Living With Liberation & Confidence As the Source - Realizing your true self allows you to live with spiritual confidence and liberation, as you come to recognize yourself as the limitless source of all existence and experience. Your perception of conscious manifestation transforms, shifting to see it as a flowing expression of consciousness, experiencing itself through you in the human form.

Increased Feelings of Compassion & The End of Dualistic Thinking - Recognizing your true self brings about stronger feelings of compassion and empathy, as you begin to see the same true self in everyone you encounter. By ending dualistic thinking, you come to view the entire nature of reality as interconnected and ever-changing, rather than divided by separation—an illusion that only reinforces the sense of disconnection.

Spiritual Fulfillment - Through understanding the true nature of the self as consciousness and having a direct experience of connection with it, the ultimate goal of many spiritual traditions—enlightenment or self-realization—is realized. Recognizing that your true self is beyond the mind, body, and all of existence itself inevitably leads to profound spiritual fulfillment, reinforcing a lasting and divine connection with your true self.

×××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××

"When you realize that there is no 'other,' there is only one, you awaken to the true nature of reality, and life becomes an expression of love." – Gangaji

This understanding of the nondual nature of reality allows you to transcend the limiting perception of yourself. It enables you to develop a deeper spiritual connection with your true self as consciousness, and to live with a profound sense of freedom and liberation. By recognizing that your truest essence of being is entirely beyond the mind and human creation, you experience life from a place of deeper self-awareness and inner peace.

[clearpills]

[quercus-queer]

My theory is that Mark Scout has so many deep seated issues and trauma that he compartmentalizes everything and therefore cannot reintegrate until he accepts every part of himself… something something accepting and healing your inner child with empathy and love instead of neglecting and abusing him