You Sought The Heaviest Burden and You Found Yourself
Taking time out for a change of pace
This man is a grandfather who is often standing outside of his restaurant not too far from the apartment. I see other members of the family usually sitting inside the restaurant during the slow hours between meals when the university students are busy with classes. Obviously, he is Muslim and his restaurant offers the typical Muslim meals that are wallet friendly for university students. The main staple is noodle soup, chicken or vegetable stock, no pork.
He is who he is. Each time I see him he appears to be comfortable with himself, accepting who he is, where he is, and how he is. This seems to be a common thing here in China. It is as though there is less agitation to be someone else, somewhere else. There is a sense of peace, acceptance and even harmony. I would not describe this as “settling” for less that what one could be or should be. Rather, a calm realisation that regardless of situation, one is left with accepting who one is.
And in seeing this, sensing this in those who are around me here in China, I find that I am in the same state of being – I am comfortable with myself, with my self.
“When a man can say of his states and actions, ‘As I am, so I act,’ he can be at one with himself, even though it be difficult, and he can accept responsibility for himself, even though he struggle against it. We must recognize that nothing is more difficult to bear with than oneself. (‘You sought the heaviest burden, and found yourself,’ says Nietzsche.) Yet even this most difficult of achievements becomes possible if we can distinguish ourselves from the unconscious contents. (Jung, C.W. 7, paragraph 373)
I think this is a complicated issue. Being at one with oneself is a good goal. But I am not sure it is sustainable. Every day we face a challenge, everyday we see something we cannot ethically accept – and when we chose to do nothing, we lose the ‘oneness’ because our soul knows we have turned our back. If we do not turn our back to the many things we see externally that internally we know to be unethical, immoral, hurtful, corrupt – then can we actually live in the world?
Is he truly ‘at one’ or has he become resigned and turned part of his soul off?
Lotus Eater
25 Sep 11 at 8:22 AM
It is a complicated issue, indeed, Lotus. However, it can be less complicated if one thinks in terms of “self” rather than “all.” How one “is” in relation to the “self” is one thing. How one “is” in relation to others and the world is another. We can be ethical, honest with all matters concerning ourselves. Do we lie to ourselves about who we are, what we are, how we are? Or, do we accept the truth, that we are imperfect with shadows as well as light? If one is to see issues with the world and take them as personal “self” issues, there will never be anything other than imbalance, dissatisfaction and likely insanity for there is no control of the world by the self. There are injustices, corruption, tragedies, crimes and abuse that run rampant. The issues in the outer world are uncountable they are so numerous. One must choose the battles to be fought and know that success in these outer world conflicts (for that is what they become, a conflict between self and other) can be won only to have them reappear elsewhere or transformed to reappear in the same place. In my work here, I focus on the conflicts within, the challenges that the self provides, the issues of ethics between the self and the unconscious. Doing nothing about these inner challenges and focusing on the outer challenges will not change anything. Having all become ethical with regard to the self will change everything. Of course, this is just the opinion of one man. And yes, I think he is at one – we all have these moments.
rgl
25 Sep 11 at 10:00 AM
Very interesting Post and sharing, Robert and Lotus Eater,
I agree with what Robert wrote, start with all the rubbish of our self, but, ……according to Jung the SELF is connected with the Collective Unconscious .
To me it seems that every individual is created with Collective issues and therefore is also influenced by the Collective Unconscious.
Add to that the personal triggered forces of the Anima or Animus.
And then of course every individual has to deal with his own personal standards of ethics.
One of the many other “problems” is when, with our own personal standards of ethics, we are confronted with the unconscious, were nothing is good or bad, but simply “IS”.
I think that indeed the answer lays in the quotation of Robert from Jung :
“Yet even this most difficult of achievements becomes possible if we can distinguish ourselves from the unconscious contents. (Jung, C.W. 7, paragraph 373)”
So, as Jung was aware, it is “the most difficult of achievements”.
“To distinguish ourselves from the unconscious contents”.
Which by others mean, all our personal standards of ethics of what is good or bad, to be placed next to “IS” – and not be “touched” by this phenomenon.
And therefore my experience is that, yes I can become aware of this most difficult of achievements, but I doubt if it is a “fully accomplished” achievement – and more believe that it is only a very small part, of which I can taste only for a very short moment.
But I second Robert, that what I just wrote is of course only the opinion of one other man, smile !
Opa Bear
25 Sep 11 at 5:36 PM