Thank you for your comments.

I think I understand your point about “too many books saying the same thing” and the ineffectiveness of particular words and phrases–yet, to me there seems to be something else at play also, although I am not sure exactly what it is…

Somehow it seems to be not so much that the words ‘themselves’ have become less effective, but the way in which those words are used. For instance, look at these lines from the poem “Auguries of Innocence” by William Blake:

To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour.

The words (and images) of: See, World, Grain of Sand, Heaven, Flower, Infinity, and Eternity are used along with the ones you mention (“pointing” and “this body-mind”) in a number of books with very little effect. Yet, Blake’s use of them, at least for me, is as powerful and evocative as ever. This is also true of some (though few) contemporary writers.

It seems to me that the words, concepts, images, etc. of the Tao, or Way, or Truth, are often adopted by contemporary writers/speakers who reduce them to mere ‘signifiers’ of certain ideas of pop-psychology which ultimately serves to marginalize them. This seems to work to a certain degree for selling books…but for conveying wisdom? No. In fact, I think it does little more than confuse people.

Yet, there are contemporary teachers that do seem to be able to use those same terms in a skillful way. For instance, Joseph Campbell, Northrop Frye, Hee-Jin Kim, Kurt Vonnegut, James Duncan, Wendell Berry, James Hillman, and others.

While I don’t really understand why it seems this way (or even if it’s an accurate observation), it seems to me as if it is something along these lines…

Thanks again!

Gassho,

Ted Biringer

It is interesting how these “arbitrary metrics” can lead us to insight about ourselves. At the same time, for such insights to occur there seems to be some demand to take them seriously. As with the I Ching – it seems that ones attitude about the process itself is nearly as infuential as any ‘result’ we might get.

And, as you point out, the continuous changing/shifting (or not) is certainly interesting.

Take good care,

Gassho,

Ted Biringer

So here is what I feel…we are ready to make a leap away from all of the “I am” parrots in the advaita jungle. Too many books saying the same thing. Words such as “pointing” and phrases such as “this body-mind”….no longer effective.

I created Swami Z on a whim and he is now a spokesperson for me. He isn’t doing such a hot job, but at least he is better than “me doing me.” When people started adulating him, his comment was “all this love is making me sick.” Gotta love an old coot like that.

Yes, I’m familiar with that typology as well (Myers-Briggs test). It too has moved over the years to be more central although not totally so.
Today it showed a definite skew towards Feeing and away from Extroversion with the others being in the middle.

I think part of the changes are due to the changes in perception about I/not-I and part might be due to shadow work.

Extroversion was part of my shadow and dancing was a nightmare scenario for me.

The interesting thing for me about these various arbitrarty metrics is the fact that they’ve moved and that they’ve tended to move towards the middle. It suggests that these tests might measure ego-based distortions if anything.

There’s an online M-B test here

Thank you for stopping in and sharing. Also, thank you for sharing your insight and experience with all.

Your MP3 technique of ‘keeping them short and sweet’ does seem to pack a punch that might otherwise be less effective–it seems to allow the ‘message’ to become assimilated as of a piece which is then free to ‘ka-boing’ around and fire off some sparks.

Thanks also for the tips on Swami Z, I will definitely check it out.

Take good care of yourself.

Sincerely,

Ted Biringer

Good to hear you. Thanks for the comments.

Your comments about being on the line between intro and extro are very interesting. I imagine that is pretty rare. When I was studying Jung (12 or 15 years ago) I found his ‘typology’ studies fascinating (as well as his “collective unconscious”, “archetypes”, and “synchronicity”).

My own ‘type’ falls clearly on the introvert side of the line according to the standard measures. Yet, if there were a way to accurately measure it during certain activities, I am sure that I would come out on the extrovert side once in awhile. For instance, when I am surrounded by friends and we are engaging in discussion or sharing on things I am passionate about (e.g. religion, eastern philosophy, literature, music, etc.) I definitely think, relate, and act in an extroverted way–only, it is not until I reflect back on it later that I am aware of it.

Are you familiar with the other aspects of Jung’s typology (thinking, feeling, intuition, and sensation) and how the tend to interact and compensate each other? When those factors are taken into acount it becomes a little hazier as to who or what may be intro or extro. An intro verted ‘sensation’ type with a strong dose of ‘feeling’, for example may appear at first glance to clearly fall into the extroverted type.

At the same time, I too, like you, have noticed substantial changes in my ‘typology’ over the years. I think that this transformation, like Zen practice/realization, happens at the interface of ‘me’ and ‘not me.’ That is, it seems that somehow ‘I’ practice it and ‘it’ practices ‘I.’

In any case, for me, it has been a fascinating subject of investigation.

Thanks again for stopping by and sharing this.

Gassho,

Ted Biringer

If you enjoy humor, Satsang with Swami Z, is on my site as well. He has nothing to say and much to be. As I told someone, this character will never say anything meaningful. He is far too wise for that…

interesting talks.

I’ll pick up on one thing she said – about Introversion/Extroversion being inherrent.

I’ve not found that to be the case. I used to be strongly introvert but now seem to be neutral – I can go in either direction quite easily.

When I take the psych tests for Introvert/Extrovert I fall into the middle. It’s often the same for other psych tests that measure extremes like this.

I’m not clear how much these changes have arisen naturally in me.