Invisibility is a centerpiece of existence

I just started reading a beautifully written book by Akiko Busch about invisibility, "How to Disappear: Notes on Invisibility in a Time of Transparency." 

I'm sure I'll have more to say about the book as I get further into it, but here's a taste of Busch's writing from the Introduction.

It reminded me of what I said in the post I wrote yesterday about us human beings not being aware of the deep dark unconscious sea that lies beneath the light bright waves of conscious awareness -- and in truth is those waves, since everything arises from the brain's hugely complex goings-on, virtually all of which we're clueless about.

Busch says:

Because of course, of course, we all traffic in the unseen, all the time, every day. The extravagances of surveillance and social media may lead us to believe otherwise, but what we believe in and the ideas to which we commit ourselves are unseen, as are all our emotional ties and spiritual convictions.

Perhaps, too, our interest in invisibility stems from how we hide from ourselves -- how our desires, fears, hopes, and motives are concealed so deeply beneath our conscious lives and actions.

Just as we have come to understand that the light visible to us is only one small section of the electromagnetic spectrum, we know that immense segments of human knowledge and experience remain unseen. The world around us is an encyclopedia of the discreet.

As David Mitchell wrote in Cloud Atlas, "Power, time, gravity, love. The forces that really kick ass are all invisible." The ubiquity of the word invisible is growing.

Comments

[sonya]

Profound. One of my favorite topics although I haven’t yet read Akiko Busch’s book ...just added to my booklist. So, much to expand upon... again when I get to my computer eventually today.

This is an endlessly fascinating subject that touches every level of our interactions and pretty much every level of existence.

[Brian Hines]

ilanovitch, you're very much wrong about that. Most scientists are atheists, and scientists often, even usually, deal with what can't be seen or touched. The quantum realm, for example. And dark matter/energy. Plus the space-time continuum. And dark holes.

Consciousness is produced by the brain. Thoughts, emotions, and such can't be seen or touched, but they are real. You need to read science books written by atheists, which I frequently do. Sam Harris, for example, is a noted atheist and neuroscientist who writes a lot about consciousness. I listen to his guided meditations on his Waking Up iPhone app. Every one speaks of consciousness.

Harris has strong Buddhist leanings. Buddhism doesn't believe in God, but Buddhist teachings are full of mentions of consciousness.

[Sonya]

‘The Invisible Light’, that’s going to be the title for my next book. :-)

[Sonya]

I’m currently reading ‘Hyperbole and a Half’ by Allie Brosch. It’s has a very fun albeit juvenile approach to the same subjects as Akiko’s book—the parts about introspection and conscious awareness.

Wow, just had a déjà vu moment writing that sentence! I have TLE (Temporal Lobe Epilepsy) it runs in my family. It’s not as bad as it sounds—I take medicine for it and usually the medicine does a good job of controlling it. Anyway, my doctor has tried over and over again to educate me about it (but I enjoy adding a little supernatural meaning to it).

“The phrase déjà vu means “already seen” in French. About two-thirds of all people have experienced it. The recounting of such experiences has been documented in literature for centuries. Today, though, science has far more persuasive explanations for déjà vu.”

The article continues, “Although there is still debate over specifics, the prevailing explanation for déjà vu goes something like this,” says Fisher. “A seizure in this brain region sets off a sensation of familiarity and emotions uncoupled from the real environment. Our ‘rational’ brain tries to make sense of these discordant inputs, which leaves us feeling familiar and unfamiliar all at once.”

My doctor encourages me to try and educate myself more about my problems because he’s tired of always having to explain these things to me. LOL

I really need to read Akiko’s book to comment properly about it. For now, it’s just going to have to be next on my reading list. Looking forward to it!

Thanks!!

[Meditator]

I have failed to capture this crooked self in myself thus far - the invisible pilot of this body - the conscious which as endorsed in the scriptures is beyond death - eternal. Rest brains, body etc as provided to us in different living beings are the tools for it to work through and that's the trouble as per the hypothesis talked about and in thoughts. 'Crooked' because I wished it to be all good and compassionate and forgiving always.

And to identify same the sects as RSSB, Kabir, Nanak and others provided an insight and concluded same with their empirical observations we find noted in their holy books as Guru Granth Sahib, Bible , Kuran. etc and which perhaps may have been described in the quoted book in its own way.

Because of the disillusionment with RSSB practice of meditation on the titled issue brought out by Brian Sir that we have resorted to alternate means of identifying same and should be a matter of concern for the Dera which it has claimed to be at par with the endorsements by Nanak, Kabir, Jesus and like.

It must be given a thought by the management of RSSB and the present Guru. This disillusionment may have become more and more grave with time with the compromises being done and accepted at RSSB quite naturally without any remorse.

It was only for this purpose and objective that most of us have entered this infallible and considered flawless sect. And a few of us have still persisted it to be right place to look for identifying the invisible self instead of running around but questions remain...

Anyways it is a nice topic to discuss and look for empirical responders who may have experimented with or without any guide.

[Sonya]

Manjit,

I don’t travel through the regions—or whatever they’re talking about—when I meditate. I have actually experienced out of body moments during my life but only a few times and they had to do with being in physical danger. I actually believe in astral travel but I think it’s silly.

Mindfulness seems to be much more beneficial spiritually and you don’t need a tour guide for that. :-)

Also, spending time contemplating higher ideals like love, forgiveness... self-love (because if you think of it this way—God is in all of us and to not love yourself is like not loving God) and just generally finding a sense of connectedness with nature, people and your Higher Power gives life meaning.

Anyway, that’s what works for me. Hope it helps.