Halism Revisited

[Halx]

I've made posts about this before, so I feel the need to update. Halism is my term for the philosophy that I hold on to when I move through life. Like all things, it changes over time to adapt to the new things I learn about myself and others. It's not a religion, nor is it a spiritual thing. In fact, I am an atheist with no belief in any special presence or creator beyond the scope of science. Halism is then a means of explaining my world to others by defining my motivations to be the way I am. How am I, anyways? I am determined to change the world in a big way with my will and my passion, which is unordinary to say the least, and I am doing this because I simply feel it is the right thing to do; I am not compelled by any other motivation.

On Saturday while I was out with a broker looking at apartments, I had spoken to him briefly about my political aspirations that have recently manifested themselves and he had come right back at me with some thoughts of his own. I have no idea why I was waxing philosophical with my broker... in fact I am usually very guarded about my ideas because I don't like to alienate myself with unpopular opinions. In hindsight, judging by the fact that I had to travel to the 3rd floor of the Barnes and Noble in Lincoln Center today before I could find any politically conservative literature (I scoured... I really did) I guess it's a safe bet that the majority of my political views would be well received in New York City. If you're wondering, I was looking for conservative literature because it would be too easy to pick up another anti-god, anti-Bush book and read it over the next couple weeks on my way to and from work. I have to challenge myself.

Joe is his name and he seemed JUST interested enough in what I was saying to get me to keep talking. I'm a sucker for attention and I purr like a kitten when I get it. I gave him my logic for why my political ideas would work where others have failed in the past. He toldme he had a friend who would be interested in what I was doing. I applaud him for playing his cards right to get me to open up.

Today (Sunday), we were back at it again and this time, the subject got heavier. As we walked from the first apartment, he made an observation about me. He noted that I don't get flustered too easily. I agreed with him. He told me he actually admired that kind of trait and that he was looking to find the same within himself. I told him that my calmness comes from my patience in learning. In order to learn, you have to suspend judgement about something, even in the face of your own livelihood. He worried that he was weirding me out by observing me and wishing he had the same trait. I told him it didn't bother me and that I didn't care all that much. I'm sure many of my esteemed fellow TFPers would agree... this is nothing to be uneasy about.

The topic changed to his friend who is buddhist. He had spoken with him, trying to find out what it was that made his friend so level headed. Of course the answer was through the buddhist idea that you should clear your mind and only do virtuous deeds. I told him I thought that premise was bullshit. To clear your mind is to disrespect the things that have made you who you are. You are a part of the world around you, just as much as you have a job, a family and friends, these things depend on you being in the here and now. Like a snowball rolling down a hill, you pick up things as your life goes on and they shape who you are. This is key to true level-headed demeanor; you have to represent your reality. Furthermore, as pure of a view of life that spirituality claims to grant, the paradox that to observe is to change applies in every instance. The point of that statement being no matter how much of your humanity you wash away from your observations, you cannot purify the observation.

My point was that knowledge gained through observation is useless without the context of being immersed in the world you're observing. When you see the world through a spiritual lense, you relate to it in a way that only you can. To get the real genuine, gritty knowledge, you have to be just like the rest of the people in the world you're observing. Then and only then will your reactions, whether passionate or even-keeled, be substantiated in reality. On the level.

How it all ties together is here: one may seek to level their demeanor through spiritual means, but it is only a detatchment mechanism. To really get the most out of reality, you have to firmly plant your feet on the ground and roll with whatever comes your way. In such a situation, a real level-headed discipline is admirable.

But never forget your passion.

[DDDDave]

.


Calm waters run deep.


.