The three motive forces in the human mind are eros, thumos, and nous. The first two have a positive character when dominated by nous, but usually are allowed to run amok without the guidance of a higher intelligence. As spiritual training, readers should strive to determine which of these forces are being appealed to. Eros seems straight forward, but we are intending something more than simple appeals to prurient interest. Desire takes many forms. For example, in my fb feed, I often see links to sites on meditation that promise to lower blood pressure, to reduce anxiety, or, in general, to “improve one’s life”. Obviously, that shows absolutely no understanding of the purpose of meditation and reveals the danger of learning meditation on one’s own without a suitable guide. This is the viewpoint of the shudra, whose understanding is limited to the material and the subjective.
Posted on: Mon, 08 Jul 2013 02:06:48 +0000