Nov 14, 2023

This week's Awakin reading is by George Saunders titled 'Mistaking The World We’ve Made For The Real World':

The instant we wake the story begins: “Here I am. In my bed. Hard worker, good dad, decent husband, a guy who always tries his best. Jeez, my back hurts. Probably from the stupid gym.” And just like that, with our thoughts, the world gets made. Or, anyway, a world gets made. This world-making via thinking is natural, sane, Darwinian: we do it to survive. Is there harm in it? Well, yes, because we think in the same way that we hear or see: within a narrow, survival-enhancing range. We don’t see or hear all that might be seen or heard but only that which is helpful for us to see and hear. Our thoughts are similarly restricted and have a similarly narrow purpose: to help the thinker thrive. All of this limited thinking has an unfortunate by-product: ego. Who is trying to survive? “I” am. The mind takes a vast unitary wholeness (the universe), selects ... [Read more]

Seed questions for reflection: How do you relate to the notion that we mistake the world we’ve made with our thoughts for the real world? Can you share a personal story of a time you became aware of your thoughts being within a narrow, survival-enhancing range? What helps you see and hear more than your projection?