Thank you Robert. Your books and articles have gone a long way in pointing me in the direction of acceptance, of what is …”When we stop chasing meaning, we begin truly to live. Not as a seeker. Not as a disciple. Not as an escape artist. Just as an ordinary, mortal human being—no longer trying to become anything else.” Your sharing of your hard earned wisdom offers relief. 💚
I love this post. "He rolls the stone not because he’s deluded but because there is nothing else to do. And that, Camus says, is enough." There's nothing to do but live, and that is enough.
I love this piece. It rings so true. There are no second chances in this life, so to live without grasping for an imagined reward is to live authentically with what we have been given. It is to live without turning our backs on the gift that we already have. Thank you Robert.
There's something different with your expressing with this and your last post, compared to much of your previous writings, but equally beautiful as they flow into these last two writings. As though more of a personal feel to it. Not in a sentimental way.
Just excellent
Yes, I recognised the value of The Myth of Sisyphus as mentioned in your Depending on Nothing, coupled with encountering Gurdjieff's conscious labour and intentional suffering some years previously in your earlier writings, and having/making these ideas become part of my daily experience.
Yes, this essay is a reconsideration and boiling down of the final Chapter of Depending On No-Thing called "The Myth Of Sisyphus," just as my last essay, "Identity Is Nothing But A Lie," was drawn from chapter 50 in DONT called "Loneliness."
I will probably reconsider more of those chapters from 2019 in light of my experiences since I wrote them. And you are right in noticing that I am taking a more personal approach.
My work on Understanding Claude brought home the difference between the impersonal, logical kind of artificial intelligence Claude has and the human kind of intelligence, inextricably bound up in our mortal nature, that I have to work with.
The last three years have been physically challenging for me. I underwent two spinal surgeries, which kept me off my feet and often in pain. Things are better now, but that suffering has left its mark.
And finally, I proposed an article about Understanding Claude to Psyche Magazine. The editor there asked me to approach it from a "first-person" point of view. I did, and found a kind of clarity in that approach that I think has shown up in these last two essays. The Psyche article, "The Machine That Listens," should be out in June.
You are surely one of my best readers, Paul, to be so sensitive to this rather subtle change in tone.
Once again, excellent writing Robert. The notion of an overarching, metaphysical 'external' meaning no longer holds any interest for me either. But in simply being here as a human, I find life to be full of meaning. Meaning to me is simply an emergent property of life as it unfolds, whatever happens to be showing up, and regardless of preferences or dislikes. Indeed, having a preference or dislike is already meaningful, to me, and possibly to another in particular circumstances. Once the notion of metaphysical meaning has been put aside, it opens up endless vistas of simple meaning in day to day existence. My take, of course.
I actually do find meaning in knowing the simple astounding fact of being alive. A meaning not based on any kind of logic, idea or concept. It's not meaning in the normal sense. It's not something to make sense out of at all. The meaning i find isn't based on faith or holding out hope that there's a way to find that essential something that is missing, or an escape hatch to never-ending bliss. It just is. And the beat goes on as Sisyphus rolls the boulder up and coasts down for a while and repeats. Cheers, Robert
Robert, this idea helped me so much (was it in DONT?) when I went through the last crumbling of everything around me. This concise post is even more impactful. I remember your saying to "Enjoy what you enjoy, and endure the rest." That helped a lot too. I also remember Trungpa's advising us to "laugh at the absurdity of life." All of this has been like a lifeline. Thank you...
Yes - I'm reminded of the zen instruction to "abandon hope"....it is indeed only when we find ourselves dropping expectations that we are able to fully experience that which is arising now, and to simply do what is needed to respond. Thank you as always. I wish you well bro.
Thank you Robert. Your books and articles have gone a long way in pointing me in the direction of acceptance, of what is …”When we stop chasing meaning, we begin truly to live. Not as a seeker. Not as a disciple. Not as an escape artist. Just as an ordinary, mortal human being—no longer trying to become anything else.” Your sharing of your hard earned wisdom offers relief. 💚
I love this post. "He rolls the stone not because he’s deluded but because there is nothing else to do. And that, Camus says, is enough." There's nothing to do but live, and that is enough.
"Enjoy what you can when you can, and push the boulder when you must"
What a nice way to end this essay.
I'm reminded of the words of Stephen Jenkinson, quoting the title of a collection of Samuel Beckett's work:
"I can't go on, I'll go on"
His was more in the context of the place of grief in life, but it applies to the human condition overall as well.
A glimmer of truth in a world that’s sold itself out to falsehoods. Thank you for these beautiful pieces of clarity.
I love this piece. It rings so true. There are no second chances in this life, so to live without grasping for an imagined reward is to live authentically with what we have been given. It is to live without turning our backs on the gift that we already have. Thank you Robert.
Marvellous post!
Love, Robert.❤️
Yes, there is life after illusions and beliefs. Beautifully said, Robert.
Bloody Beautiful.
There's something different with your expressing with this and your last post, compared to much of your previous writings, but equally beautiful as they flow into these last two writings. As though more of a personal feel to it. Not in a sentimental way.
Just excellent
Yes, I recognised the value of The Myth of Sisyphus as mentioned in your Depending on Nothing, coupled with encountering Gurdjieff's conscious labour and intentional suffering some years previously in your earlier writings, and having/making these ideas become part of my daily experience.
Thankyou
Thank you, Paul.
Yes, this essay is a reconsideration and boiling down of the final Chapter of Depending On No-Thing called "The Myth Of Sisyphus," just as my last essay, "Identity Is Nothing But A Lie," was drawn from chapter 50 in DONT called "Loneliness."
I will probably reconsider more of those chapters from 2019 in light of my experiences since I wrote them. And you are right in noticing that I am taking a more personal approach.
My work on Understanding Claude brought home the difference between the impersonal, logical kind of artificial intelligence Claude has and the human kind of intelligence, inextricably bound up in our mortal nature, that I have to work with.
The last three years have been physically challenging for me. I underwent two spinal surgeries, which kept me off my feet and often in pain. Things are better now, but that suffering has left its mark.
And finally, I proposed an article about Understanding Claude to Psyche Magazine. The editor there asked me to approach it from a "first-person" point of view. I did, and found a kind of clarity in that approach that I think has shown up in these last two essays. The Psyche article, "The Machine That Listens," should be out in June.
You are surely one of my best readers, Paul, to be so sensitive to this rather subtle change in tone.
Thanks and warm wishes,
Robert
I agree, Paul! Like as if more of Robert’s personal fragrance shines through throught his words.
Thank you, Oskar. See my reply to Paul.
Once again, excellent writing Robert. The notion of an overarching, metaphysical 'external' meaning no longer holds any interest for me either. But in simply being here as a human, I find life to be full of meaning. Meaning to me is simply an emergent property of life as it unfolds, whatever happens to be showing up, and regardless of preferences or dislikes. Indeed, having a preference or dislike is already meaningful, to me, and possibly to another in particular circumstances. Once the notion of metaphysical meaning has been put aside, it opens up endless vistas of simple meaning in day to day existence. My take, of course.
I actually do find meaning in knowing the simple astounding fact of being alive. A meaning not based on any kind of logic, idea or concept. It's not meaning in the normal sense. It's not something to make sense out of at all. The meaning i find isn't based on faith or holding out hope that there's a way to find that essential something that is missing, or an escape hatch to never-ending bliss. It just is. And the beat goes on as Sisyphus rolls the boulder up and coasts down for a while and repeats. Cheers, Robert
Yes, Lila. Meaning is where you find it.
I once said in a Zoom meeting that I find meaning in washing the dishes. Someone asked what the meaning was in that.
"Well," I said. "Then my wife doesn't have to do it."
Cheers and warm wishes.
Absolutely, Robert
It's all included, no rhyme or reason to it.
Thank you and warm wishes to you as well.
(Looking forward to your new book!)
Just ❤️❤️❤️ to you, Catanya and the Donkey Gals. 🍷
Robert, this idea helped me so much (was it in DONT?) when I went through the last crumbling of everything around me. This concise post is even more impactful. I remember your saying to "Enjoy what you enjoy, and endure the rest." That helped a lot too. I also remember Trungpa's advising us to "laugh at the absurdity of life." All of this has been like a lifeline. Thank you...
Yes - I'm reminded of the zen instruction to "abandon hope"....it is indeed only when we find ourselves dropping expectations that we are able to fully experience that which is arising now, and to simply do what is needed to respond. Thank you as always. I wish you well bro.
Beautiful. Thank you so much for this.
Thank you, dear Robert. Just brilliant!
🌹
Yep! Thank you for having worded it so simply