What I have learned from the study of Metaphysics - Dissertation Example

?Anthony James Meaney What I have learned from The Study of Metaphysics. Before embarking on my journey of discovery in the study of metaphysics I was not very sure what to expect. I knew that it would give me an opportunity to explore new avenues, and I hoped that I would grow in maturity and understand more about life, but beyond that my expectations were quite vague. My first impression of the course was shock. I was surprised at the daunting list of books and articles that I was expected to read and understand. Somehow I had thought that there would be more thinking for myself and less reading of the work of other people. With practice, however, I have come to appreciate that a lot of time can be saved by learning what other people have thought about in the many centuries before it was my time to be on this planet. The best human minds of the past have taken the trouble to leave their insights for future generations, and this is a great gift. It took quite a long time, however, for me to learn how to make best use of this gift, so that it would have real meaning in my life, and not just be a collection of titles on a shelf. One discovery which has been very important for me has been the realization that thought lies at the heart of our lives. When I was reading As a Man Thinketh by James Allen it was as if a curtain opened, and some things which I had sensed from a distance, suddenly became sharp and clear. I had already been quite familiar with the destructive effect that negative thoughts had been having on my life, and it has been a struggle sometimes to overcome fear and even panic. This text taught me that what goes on inside my head can also have good and positive effects, so long as I learn to channel the positive things in the world and have courage to take responsibility and control for my own actions, while leaving the things I cannot change to exist as they are. Most of the things that people are afraid of are due to bad experiences in the past, or stress in the present, and it was a valuable lesson for me to discover that mental attitude can have a big influence on shaping the way that the future unfolds. Reading a book such as The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ by Levi H. Dowling was an interesting experience for me, because it raised all sorts of questions about the sources that underpin most of the modern denominations of Christianity, and the different branches of Judaism, Islam and other world religions. I was intrigued, but not was entirely convinced by the authenticity of this material, but it caused me to wonder about how the scriptures that modern Christians use came to be in the form that they are. It was clear to me that large sections of the life of Jesus were not recorded there, and this means that the record has gaps. The missing teenage years are possibly very relevant to today’s world, but the traditional texts do not include them. I reflected on the combination of written texts, religious practices and personal experience of God that makes up modern Christianity, and this gave me a deeper understanding of how and why differences arise in the way that particular groups choose to live out their faith. Emphasis on one or other aspect can change the whole style of a religious group, and even cause major difference in items of doctrine. In the past I have been perplexed by this, but now I can see that it is very human for variations to creep in, and for multiple paths to be formed, leading in the same general direction. I am less worried about minor differences now, and can see that there is something to be gained in an appreciation of different perspectives. I do not think that any one group, or even any one religion, has the complete and absolute truth, and now I can see value in the differences. One thing that I will always be grateful for is the discovery that opening the mind can be a wonderful thing. Instead of looking down on some types of metaphysical belief and activity, like for example some of the more unusual features of “new age” belief, I can now see the genuine searching for truth and alternative forms of reality that lies behind it all. Many aids to meditation have been used through the ages, from the asceticism of the Indian religions to the modern day use of aromas, therapies, nature and even activities like dance and laughing. For different people, each of these can be useful, and it is unhelpful to be judgemental about these things, just because one or other of them does not suit me personally. One thing that surprised me is the realization that many of these practices have real and measurable effects on the human body, and that scientists have been studying them to learn more about the way that the body and the mind work together in illnesses as well as in the healthy individual. I am not a believer in the taking of mind altering drugs, unless there are sound and proven medical reasons for doing so, but I do think that our Western civilization has forgotten about the mental and emotional aspects of our existence, and has concentrated too much on the physical world. Studying the religion of Native Americans has also taught me to view our man-made cities and towns in a different light. There is a lack of balance there, and the influences of the earth, the seasons, even the four directions that the wind comes from, and the quality of the air are all suppressed or masked by buildings and roads. We would find it very difficult to change the world in a way that brings us closer to nature, but at least there is a chance to go out into the countryside and enjoy the peace and balance that it brings. For me the simple pleasures like the smell of freshly cut grass, or the sound of a river passing, can bring peace and calm which area good antidote to the pressure of modern life. Reflecting on the simple goodness of these things is a good way for me to regain a balanced perspective on life and stop stressing about things I cannot change. If I could choose a single influence that has moved me most of all in the last few months, it would be the book Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. At the age of thirty-six, I already have a considerable amount of life experience behind me, but without this book I would perhaps not have learned how to draw meanings from my past experiences. This book showed me that even bad things can have good consequences, and that the human spirit is able to rise up out of even the most terrible circumstances, to grow stronger and more loving. This author had every right to be bitter after his experiences in a concentration camp, but instead he used his mind to hold on to the important things. In remembering what happened to him, and transforming these memories into a life-enhancing narrative, he passes on his wisdom for others to follow. After reading this book I began to see more positives in the tiny things that people do for each other, and I was also able to view my own failings with more understanding and sympathy. I am not proud of everything that I have done, and I could easily push the blame for my mistakes onto other people. Instead of this I think it is better to acknowledge the past, good and bad, and appreciate the people in my past, including all the bad things they might have done, but not to let this past overshadow my future too much. If Viktor Frankl can overcome all the factors against him, then this inspires me to do the same in much less difficult circumstances. This book has helped me to set myself some goals, and to focus on the future, instead of the past. I can forgive more easily now, and I do not dwell on negative experiences as much as I used to. I see that many things are in my own hands, and I intend to be much more proactive in the years to come. I found some of the more theoretical debates that I read about in the last few months, including the one involving John Leslie and Ian Hacking, on the origins of human existence, sometimes difficult to follow. The subject matter is quite abstract, and this means that I needed to put a lot of effort into imagining the scenarios that they were talking about. I understand a little more about these theories now, but I have a feeling that there is a lot more to this area than the little section I have started to explore. I find that there are good points in both sides of the argument, and I am planning to read and reflect more on these matters in the coming months. The subject of morals, and how these relate to beliefs and religion is also a complex and interesting area that I feel will be of interest to me in the future. I am beginning to reassess my own moral position on major issues in the world such as the death penalty, abortion, and social habits like drinking and the whole marriage/celibacy/divorce/fidelity area. I think most people grow up with a ready-made set of morals that they have inherited from their parents, and they sometimes also react to parental influences by choosing opposite morals. I think now it is important to develop one’s own morals after due consideration of all the possible choices. My studies on metaphysics have helped me to be more open-minded when making these choices, and to consider options that perhaps I would not have known about, or would have rejected without really thinking them through. I am quite excited about exploring moral issues using some of the analytical and reflective skills that I have been learning in recent months. In summary, then, I am pleased to say that I have learned a great deal from my study of metaphysics. Despite my vague appreciation of what metaphysics means at the outset, I have gained a lot of clarity, and have explored books and ideas that I otherwise would not have encountered. The biggest benefit of all, however, has been the discovery that learning is both achievable and rewarding, and that it has a resonance in my life far beyond just gathering a lot of useless facts. I am thinking more deeply, and looking at life more positively and proactively, which surely means that the study of metaphysics has been a great blessing to me. References Allen, James. “As a Man Thinketh”. Available online at: http://wahiduddin.net/thinketh/as_a_man_thinketh.pdf Dowling, Levi H. Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ, California, reprinted 1996, Adventures Unlimited Press. Available online at: http://therealpublicradio.net/pdf_files/The_Original_Gospel.pdf Frankl, Viktor. Man’s Search for Meaning. New York: Washington Square Press, 1959, reprinted 1984. Grant, James R. Metaphysics, Theology and the Theory of Morals. Vancouver, WA: International College of Metaphysical Theology Press, 2008. Hacking, Ian. “The Inverse Gambler’s Fallacy: the Argument from Design. The Anthropic Principle Applied to Wheeler Universies.” Mind 96 (1987) Holy Bible. King James Version. Leslie, John. “No inverse Gambler’s Fallacy in Cosmology” Mind 97 (1988). Leslie, John (Ed.) Modern Cosmology and Philosophy. Amherst, New York: Prometheus Books, 1998. Lewis, James and Melton, Gordon, (Eds.) Perspectives on the new age. Albany: StateUniversity of New York Press, 1992. Read More