Life is a spiral, and consciousness is no exception

Life is a spiral, and consciousness is no exception

A quote referenced by Bruce Lee sums the evolution of consciousness very eloquently, if not in the context of mastering martial arts. It goes something like this:

“Before I studied the art, a punch was just a punch. A kick, just a kick.
While studing the art, a punch became much more than just a punch. A kick, much more than just a kick.
Now that I know the art, a punch is just a punch. A kick, just a kick.”

This quote exemplifies the transitions we, as humans with concepts of self, ascend through. When born, and before the age of roughly 2, the concept of separation does not exist in terms of how those of latter years understand. For example, when looking into the mirror, a child will not recognize themselves. Their ‘ego’ has yet to reach a key developmental stage. And thusly, less division is seen. Fantasy is reality, and all is one.

However, when growing older, the mind develops patterns to interpret and acclimatize to the overwhelming world around. This is done by identifying forms. ‘This’ is identified as a ‘tree’, and ‘that’ is called a car. The tree has different principals and characteristics than the car, and ‘I’ relate to these two mental forms in unique ways respondent to those particular forms.

If we were to walk through life having to figure out every process all over again, and from scratch, then there would be far too much sensory input for us to navigate through life. And so speed this process along, conditioned responses, such a stumping your toe, are tethered with culturally reinforced assumptions, like not jumping off a 10 story building.

Through this process of separation and analyses, much of the scientific worldview exists. Provable, measurable. This is also considered a phase of intelligence by most people. ..Like knowing the most facts. But there is a phase that the separation returns to oneness. And here, rather than defining one ‘form’ from another, and seeing the difference between them,, we begin to see the connection, the relationship, and how beyond the myriad illusions of form, there is a common essential oneness. And it is here, at this point in time and space, that a punch is just a punch. A kick, just a kick.