“It can never be satisfied, the mind, never.” Wallace Stevens wrote that, and in the long run he was right. The mind wants to live forever, or to learn a very good reason why not. The mind wants the world to return its love, or its awareness; the mind wants to know all the world, and all eternity, and God. The mind’s sidekick, however, will settle for two eggs over easy. The dear, stupid body is as easily satisfied as a spaniel. And, incredibly, the simple spaniel can lure the brawling mind to its dish. It is everlastingly funny that the proud, metaphysically ambitious, clamoring mind will hush if you give it an egg.
~ Annie Dillard, Total Eclipse. Teaching a Stone to Talk
Image: Photobucket
I so love this.
Me too. And it is so TRUE.
This is great…
I did want to add a few things to the closing line “It will hush if you give it an egg…chocolate, ice cream, pasta, mash potatoes….
That’s because the mind is really the body’s sidekick. The mind only thinks its in charge!
And that’s when we get into trouble.
I really reacted to her calling her body “stupid”. When the mind mistreats the body, I believe it causes distress and disease.
I wouldn’t treat my spaniel like that that’s for sure 😉
Smiling. I wouldn’t treat my spaniel like that either, but I’m certainly overfeeding it.
((GRIN))
You might find this interesting…….
Point to your self…….aw, go on, no one is looking. One hundred per-cent of people, every culture, every ethnicity, every age does the same thing.
They point to their heart………
No one points to their head. No one. Even though we understand our functions are regulated from this place, we have an awareness there’s something else behind who we are. The brain is the software, the body is the hardware………but neither one is the user.
For those having a difficult time locating their spirit, this might help. It raised the hair on the back of my neck the first time I did it. I feel that ego feeds the body, information feeds the mind, and acknowledgement feeds the soul.
Perhaps this is why so many spiritual leaders throughout history have easily ignored the pain and desires of the body; they nourish their connection to God first.
Thank you for another insightful entry,
With Love and Compassion, Daniel Andrew Lockwood
Thank you Daniel. I read your comment 3x. Profound. I do point to my heart, not my head or belly or leg. Interesting. And I do agree that ego is the driver. (Eckhart Tolle theme as well.) Thanks for sharing your thoughts with me. This will stick.
Or chocolate. I believe the spirit is fueled by chocolate.
Oh, of course it is. Of course.
Love it! And a nice side of turkey bacon, please and thank you. 😊
Ah yes. The a la carte menu add ons…certainly.
You are a soul, you have a body.
just like my cat. easily distracted and pleased.
Ha! Funny.