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Spriritual Vacuum in our society ?

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Publication 551 By noota on Saturday, October 25, 2003 at 06:56

Location: Japan Registered: Thursday, April 17, 2003 Posts: 44 Search Quote

Lee ATwater was a famous politican in US ,who died from incurable brain tumor at the age of 40 . It's too young . During his illness, he realized that honor or power are not everything , not supreme values .
So he felt something drastic or unsatisfied within himself . At the same time in this age of technology and materism , "spititual vacuum " in American society is the serious problem . A lot of people are missing something important ( love kindness , warm heart ).

Have you ever had such a kind of experience ?
Are you leading an happy , satisfied life now ?
Without loving others around you , for example , your mother and father ,brothers and sisters , friends , we fall a deep emptiness within yourself .

On what occasion do you feel peace of mind and how do you cope with lonely feeling or emptiness ?

For me I 'm surtisfied with takeing care of my family and doing something interesting ( skiing , walking, reading ) for getting rid of stress , which brings me a blessing .

I hope your quick response .
Thank you .

Publication 558 By orwell on Wednesday, November 5, 2003 at 09:29

Location: Ireland Registered: Thursday, August 14, 2003 Posts: 18 Search Quote

W.B Yeats paraphased the state of affairs you mention in the the line "the center can no longer hold things fall apart". I think the center Yeats talks about maybe enclosed and connected to various different center's, many of which were anchored and encapsulated in customs and traditions from fromer times. Sadly many of these cultural, civic, and religious bonds which used to bind the "person" to his/her place in the world have been unthinkingly evapoured in the background noise, (which is no longer simply in the background but occupies the front row seat in many instances) of the (Post) Modern world. This is the world, (particularly in English speaking Countries) of the Economy rather than Society, Technolgy rather than Science, Pseudo Science and new ageism rather than Religion, the media rather than the voice of elected polictians, incessant "communicating" instead of understanding.(Erza Pound commented on this new brutal frankness) The shift and change in all these centres which people used to trust and esteem has been great in the last 50 years. I think this has effectively left many people adrift today; however by reading and listening to some of the ideas from our past we still as people and cultures keep open the vital window and portals upon the terrain of much different (and perhaps in some cases) better times.

Publication 720 By Timercan Victor on Sunday, February 6, 2005 at 19:21

Location: Moldova Registered: Sunday, January 30, 2005 Posts: 14 Search Quote

Hi friends,

2 years ago I read one thing I cannot forget - it was said by one lonely romania writer two month before he died - he said that many times he was alone, but never lonely. I would like juct to find out his secret - he had no family, no child, - nobody from his intimate had survived - still he was not lonely. He didn't believed God - he had nobody to trust - he just wrote beautiful novels.

I think that only sharing our loneliness we pass through it - no matter how we do it.
That's all I would like to say.

In case you are interested in further discussion - feel free to write me.

Thanks.

Victor

Publication 721 By absent-minded on Monday, February 7, 2005 at 10:33

Location: Greece Registered: Friday, June 29, 2001 Posts: -166 Search Quote

Hi Victor,

If you were not lonely, because of sharing your loneliness, you would have nothing to share! Two lonely people don�t make a community, most marriages can teach us that. I believe that, at least in the case of a writer, what keeps him company is the vision of truth which has in his thought and creative activity. He may not believe in God explicitly, but a vision of truth, to the degree that it is real, has something of the quality of faith � just as believing in God only in words, is to have an ideology, not a real God, which is being not lonely but devastated.

There are degrees and kinds (many ways) of being and non being lonely, and loneliness is not something bad in all cases. It can come from not knowing the truth, but also from leaving the environment where most people live, in a loneliness that year by year is transformed into a communion with reality. Rilke�s Letter to a young poet can help you think on this. However, in my opinion, to be free one needs a personal relationship. This is not �having friends� but having the gift of recognising a friend even in a stranger�s face, which means having a clean heart and a giving disposition, having gone out of yourself and your self-centered desires, a move which can not be perfect until you know Who is the one friend that you see in all your stranger-friends� faces.

This is not about being religious, but knowing God in truth and reality, a God that has a name, a face and hands to touch you, a present and living God, whom you can be with even in your dreams; knowing in truth that He knows you, He thinks of you all the time, He loves you infinitely more than you love and care for yourself.

Being lonely in the sense of being somehow sick, is the result of living for anything else than truth. If you knew that a person loves you, wouldn�t you like to see him? How can one not want to see the person to whom one owes his very existence? And yet, he can live that way, he can live in all the terrors, preferring them instead of reality.

Publication 723 By nobuko on Saturday, February 12, 2005 at 05:53

Location: Japan Registered: Sunday, July 11, 2004 Posts: 15 Search Quote

Hello, Victor
Thank you so much for your message on "Lonliness ".
It was good for me to learn about a certain writer telling he has never felt lonliness ,though he has no families , no good friends and God he trusts .
I really understand how much he was enjoying writing novels in his life , which brought him a blessing .
I could learn one of the most important thing in our lives is " spiritual consolation " .
In general , those who has something bright to absorb in would lead happy lives , on the other hand , some people feel lonely , surrounded with their families , many friends . It depends on our way of thinking .

It would be appriciate if you send me your opinion on it .
Thank you !

Publication 724 By Timercan Victor on Sunday, February 13, 2005 at 17:15

Location: Moldova Registered: Sunday, January 30, 2005 Posts: 14 Search Quote

You will probably think of me as a bore - but once again I will appeal to roamnian writers - in his diary C.Noica, romanian philosopher, mentioned one important thing - he said that once you couldn't manage your life yourself, the other's appearance will only damage more. So, we got to suffice ourselves. That's one of the things which troubles me - although I am quite succesful in my country, still I cannot understand which should the role of the others in my life be. Alongside with that, we all need some confessor, for only while we are talking to another we are pushed towards the articulation of some meaningful opinion (and that's the reason I would be glad to mail with you). I cannot deny the necessity of the other in our lives. I just wonder about the way it should happen.
Concerning theabsent-minded's opinion about the vision of truth I completely agree - but still, the most important thing is that he brought his message to the others - for the message of all the prophets is quite clear - we should go and bring it to the others. Psychology proved this thing as indispensable - we have to tell others in order to bring our conviction to perfection - only explaining we realize the profusion and pleasure of truth.
The other problem I just cannot solve is that of the filth of this world - we got to work within this world, although our vision is of the other world. That's the reason I cannot forgive myself each success I obtain - I fell like that player in "Thus spake Zarathustra", who. when wins, wonders if he had cheated... We got to forgive ourselves our earthly occupations - but it is not simple, taking into consideration that they just kill our best part - day-to-day laws have nothing of morality. The division brings us to schizofrenia and hypocrisy. All of us know what we would like to forget - E.O'Neal wrote in "Long day's journey into night". Me to - the memory remains...
Concerning the noota's question about sensation of vacuum I will answer that yes, I felt it. I just got to stop doing something and it is already with me. In Eastern Church that's the main method of spiritual elevation technique (as well as Buddhism, if I'm not mistaken). The reason is the noise which just fills our lives. Stop provokes sensation of emptiness, from emptiness the fear raises, this fear produces humiliation in face of God, but the humbles are pleasant in face of God.
Concerning the question of happy life I would mention the impossiblity of that kind of life for those who are not part of these two categories:
1) ignorant - too busy with their day-to-day business.
2) those who through unity with God obtained peace of mind
I am not part of these categories - I am satisfied with the fact I'm not so busy as the 1-st category peaple and I am unhappy I'm not from the second category.
Concerning love - I just do not know how to show it to those around me. I'm not sentimental (I see who the persons are and treat them as they deserve), but I'm not cruel in order to look too close in their soul - there is inner part of soul which (as God - see history of His Temple in Jerusalem, constructed by Solomon) doesn't like too much of light. I love them because I am one of them, we are one of big "us".
Stop means lack of fun - and when fun passes, boredom remains. That's another reason for love - we need somebody in order to pass our time.
When I feel emptiness I pray or, if I am not disposed to, I write about loneliness - when I try to define it, it is filled with the content of definition - never lonely in my way...

P.S. I do not know what this mail is about - I just tried to figure out what I think about it while trying to get rid of the painful sensation....

Best regards,

Victor

Publication 725 By absent-minded on Monday, February 14, 2005 at 12:38

Location: Greece Registered: Friday, June 29, 2001 Posts: -166 Search Quote

Dear Victor,

All of what you say is very important and all will be solved, if you want them so. There is no method or technique you should use: just want them to be solved. Patience is the crucial virtue in this period of your life: _don�t loose your hope for whatever reason_.
The problem of living here while going elsewhere can indeed become a division bringing schizophrenia and hypocricy. Again: there is no Law you should follow to overcome this problem, and as you say, very right in my opinion, laws have nothing of a real morality. But can you be sure, that if you didn�t have to work, if you were born a millionaire, this problem would be solved � or maybe you would be in a worse position than now?

Your current obligation to work, at least brings out of your will � you do something, while you (think that you) want to do something other. Are you sure about this other? Finally: why you work? Just to have money or success, or because you support a family or poor friends, parents, etc? What is it that you do with the money that remain, when you have covered your needs? You put them in the bank for later use? Do you believe that you make money because you are a skillful person, or because God wants you to make money? And why should He want _you_ to make money, while He lets other being poor?

From what I can understand, your main problem is not what to do, but what *you are*. It will surely help you (maybe this is the only help you can get), to bring to your memory just one time, just one moment, when you had no doubts about life, and you were happy with what you was - you wanted what you was and you was what you wanted. Is there a moment like this in your life? This is what you should study, in a way that will bring all of your life to the service of this moment. If there is no moment like that, be patient and ask God to help you. Do you believe in God?

Publication 735 By Timercan Victor on Friday, March 18, 2005 at 17:34

Location: Moldova Registered: Sunday, January 30, 2005 Posts: 14 Search Quote

Thank you very much for the reply.
Indeed, there's a great need in patience, and my heart should be still. I always lacked an emotional life - that is, as I think, the most important cause of my distress. Always trying not to be cheat and suspicious regarding other people, in this line I will never achieve happiness. Happiness is, indeed, result of patience, and I lack it.
My best friend once said me that I believe in trinity - hatred, suspicion, freight. He said it although he agreed that I am right. Cause is that God doesn't want righteous - he wants sinners. But I, although sinful, have no patience towards those who wronged me. Our conversations (especially with my friend) are nutritive (emotionally). The trouble is that he is far away from me (we studied in Romania)and we are apart.
Do I believe God - yes, for sure, I do, but my trouble is that I don't trust his punishment, because he is mersiful, but me -not, and that brings me to dispear - I cannot understand this type of relations.
And now, that I am alone, my only possible way of life is through the absurd shared with others, through the communcation with those who do not exist - through the art, which makes, as I think, god and hope possible.
This is still a question for me - Do I believe God? Am I alone? Who I am if God is not, but still there's an horrowful freedom of absurd?

And question is - is there art or a spiritual vacuum in our society?

Victor

P.S. The only thing I can say for sure, is that I and my friend are one - he is married with the girl I loved - and there's no greater love than when you give you friend the girl you loved as well...

Publication 744 By Batya on Monday, April 11, 2005 at 03:20

Location: United States Registered: Monday, April 11, 2005 Posts: 1 Search Quote

Timercan Victor,

An Egyptian poet wrote in the ancient times that "God is a master craftsman; yet none can draw the lines of his person. Fair features first came into being in the hushed dark where he mused alone; He forged his own figure there, hammered his likeness out of himself - All powerful one (yet kindly, whose heart would lie open to men). He mingled his heavenly god-seed with the inmost parts of his being. Planting his image there in the unknown depths of his mystery. He cared, and the sacred form took shape and contour, splendid at birth! God, skilled in the intricate ways of the craftsman, first fashioned Himself to perfection."

God's masterpiece was molding humanity, as an artist molds a pot out of clay. Yet somewhere man became imperfect - humanity chose to go against the Master Craftsman. Perhaps this is why God does not seem to be merciful to us. If He created us and gave life to us, is he not somewhat like a spiritual father? Human father's punish - it is of my opinion that God does punish humanity because we refuse to accept Him as the Master Craftsman. We show this rebellion by supporting societies that are void of spirituality and art. We support art that is not an ekphrasis of the spiritual, unseen dimension - the habitat of God. Instead we support art that is made for commercial gain etc. or do not support art at all.

There is a God, but He has been hidden by our society and it's disdain for art and spirituality. Rilke writes that he is next door to God, but there is a wall separating them. He wants to break the wall, but he can't because he refuses to call out to God. Sometimes I wonder if we just call out to God - if we let go of our disdain for religion, for materliasm, for what does not seem logical and just call out to God He will show us the path to Him and explain all in this world that seems unjust.

Praying for you Victor and all of us as we travel the path to Truth.

Batya

P.S. You must have truly loved this girl to give her to another. I commend you on your sacrifice. I to have suffered the loss of a man I still love. He is not here on this earth, but he smiles down from heaven at me I'm sure. From personal experience I have found that the wounds love makes is healed when you give of yourself. Servanthood is the best salve for a broken spirit and heart. I hope you find another true love Victor.

Publication 748 By Timercan Victor on Friday, April 15, 2005 at 15:05

Location: Moldova Registered: Sunday, January 30, 2005 Posts: 14 Search Quote

Recently I read Fromm's Essay on Love - he said that all of our ordeals are vain because of the loneliness - and there are many ways to hinder the trouble of loneliness. But the place of love cannot be substituted by machinery(I mean even machinery of social group relations), even if we try to make the best. That's why we repeat our mistakes - just in order to get new sensations. Sensations are nothing without art (by which, according to Oscar Wilde, the soul is healed). So, we are just in rush for new sensations, but find no art in them, because everything is dedicted to utility, but the best things are without use. So, what can we do in this case?

We live in the world where even the creations of art are called "patrimony" and are catalogued and listed, where thousands of tourist visit "virgin" jungles.

The trouble remains, and we cannot solve it by ourselves - we got just to prayGod for mercy (for there is nothing else known by us which would offer us love).

So, I pray with you for us.

Victor

Publication 761 By nobuko on Wednesday, May 18, 2005 at 05:32

Location: Japan Registered: Sunday, July 11, 2004 Posts: 15 Search Quote

Hi Victor,
I'm interested in your last message on "Fromm's Essay".
One thing I would like to question about machinery in this case . You mean "Machinery" never lighten or dissolve lonliness including an organized society ?
And I'm wondering if All of our trials are of no use owing to lonliness . Is it wasted for us to make an efforts to go through difficulties or problems
( ordeals )? As you say there are good different kinds of ways to solve one's troubles , so it depens on one's way of thinking .
Anyway I hope those who lead unhappy life could be helped by the mercy of God .

Thanks .

Publication 767 By Timercan Victor on Wednesday, May 25, 2005 at 17:43

Location: Moldova Registered: Sunday, January 30, 2005 Posts: 14 Search Quote

The question you gave me is difficult to answer. Machinery never lighten and dissolve our loneliness - what it really does is a kind of 'anesthezy' of our feeling of loneliness. Does drug reduce our pain - yes, it do, but it does not mean that it heals our wounds, illnesses. Medicine you take do. That's the difference -and the result of all of this process is that man even does not try to fight it - he simply fills his time with trash of day-to-day occupations and ways of sparing free time. Look at us - the needs we try to satisfy are unreal - we do not need all of the goods proposed us by consumption society. That's what I really mean.
The efforts we make are not a waste of time - they give the sense to our lives. The way we solve this trouble characterize us as human beings. Some people solve this trouble by appeal made to Allmighty God, others - by appeal to unsaturable need of confirmation through destruction of our brethren. There are millions of way to lessen the trouble - even by inventing another world, which suffers from more concrete disease.
Think about one thing Camus observed in "Revolted Man" - our constant need of creation is bound with the revolt against the existent order. We explain everything by reducement to concept, notion and so on. We cannot explain life. So we reduce it guided by schemes we invent and then explain everything. That's the way our scientists usually proceed. We take them as the best example of manhood. It means that we do not have to search for more illustrations...
Human life is the way you cope with the impossible conditions life creates. That's why everybody still alive on this earth is suspicious. That's the idea of Cioran in his Journals. Generally people are passing through these conditions even without observing them. So, the pass 'anyway'. Others are passing through work and so on. You can classify them by this criteria. I think you will be surprised by the animality of most of our brethren - they even do not know that God existed (Nietzsche would be surprised).
"As lons as hope survives I'll stay alive" as "Army of

Lovers" sing in their song.

Sorry for too much words - they are just words...
Just words. But we shall remember that John 1:1 states "In the beginning.... word was God".

Thanks

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