David writes, “I am so and so, and . . . I [must] behave like him.” That’s indeed how we make sense of our lives. I remember a line spoken by a character in a short story by Lionel Trilling, “Who am I? Tertan I am . . . of this time, of that place, of such a parentage–no matter!”
David, thanks for sharing your experiences with us at a time when a lot is going on in your life. I hope the TSK practice is helping you deal with it. (The same goes for Louise, by the way.)
Brigitte asks whether we already ‘know’ at some level what it means to put time or space at the center. I think the answer must be yes, but this is something to explore yourself. Look back on times when you felt most alive, and ask whether it makes sense to describe those experiences in terms of time or space or knowedge at the center. Another possibility: look at the “hidden longing.” Is another knowing hidden within the longing?
Bruce has a question from the Sunday call also, asking about a term I made up at that moment: the “storyless.” You are right that I did not mean the kind of situation where we forget about the story we are living right now. I meant something like having no commitment to the story, letting the story be less than it claims to be.
Arthur is the first to comment on the movie we will discuss this Sunday, “Stranger than Fiction.” The line he quotes: stories live forever, even when people do not, is a very challenging one. It suggests that art is more important than reality, and while there is something true in this, there is also something very misguided. That is really a central issue in that movie, isn’t it. It is not exactly the central issue for us, but certainly worth thinking about.
Diana, your example of the Starbucks incident reminds me of what Rinpoche calls “single-minded knowing” (Love of Knowledge). Emotionality has that effect. Everything narrows down. And stories draw their energy from emotionality. So your response of compassion makes great sense. Sometimes people wonder how TSK plays into the practice of love and compassion. It’s good to get that sense from what you write.
Jack