N. THE ETERNAL TRIANGLE: A Context For Our Lifelifting Exploration

If a picture is worth a thousand words, maybe a drawing can save a lot of unnecessary verbosity, a drawing that will provide a simple image to portray the arena in which we live out our entire lives.  The figure that I propose is that of an unfinished triangle.  I call it "eternal" which means that it is basic to all of us lifelong.   It arises from the fact that our lives are described by three relationships. Our lives are, in fact, impossible without them.

It is out of a relationship that all of us are born and it is in relationship that we become and remain human.  It is also in relationship with the surrounding physical world that we continue to survive.  Moreover, it is in relationship with something we consider to be "ultimate", something beyond everything else (whether or not we call it "God") that we continue to live what we consider to be a "meaningful" life.  This context of relationships provides the arena in which our lives take place.  The image looks like this:


ONE RELATIONSHIP  is that which we have with ourselves. (I)  We speak sometimes of being "beside ourselves" suggesting that we may do things sometimes that our "real self" would not do.  What psychologists speak of as "multiple personalities" is a specific pathology present in some people.  But we're talking here about our ability to stand apart and look at ourselves, to reflect on ourselves, even to have a "conversation" with ourselves (as suggested, for example, by the idea of "writing a dialog with ourselves" which I suggested in that little piece on writing a journal.)  This is not pathological; it's a normal and uniquely human capability.


A SECOND RELATIONSHIP is that which we have with everything and everyone on earth that is not ourselves. (II)   The first relationship we have with an "other" is with our mother or some mother figure upon whom our very survival depends.  From the moment of birth on there is no way to become human apart from relationships with other people. 


But our relationships include not only other people, but everything else in the created order.  We are as inextricably related to the environment as we are to certain people.  I like the statement made by Oren Lyons, chief of the Onondaga, when he spoke to the UN: 


"We stand between the mountain and the ant ...as part and parcel of the Creation."


THE THIRD RELATIONSHIP is that uncertain relationship between ourselves and whatever is Ultimate in the universe. (III)  It may be somewhat premature to propose this third relationship since we haven't begun to explore the question of the reality of anything like "God."  (That comes later in our reflections.)   But for the sake of argument, let's propose that there is Someone or Something, call it Fate, call it The Force,  some Eastern mystics call it Brahman, some Western philosophers call it the Absolute or the Ultimate, or "the sacred," that is beyond us and beyond the entire physical universe (while maybe at the same time being within us and within the universe) with which we have a relationship, however unexplored, that might provide a sense of guidance or confidence or meaning in our lives.  If that's confusing, remember that "confusion precedes insight" and hold on to the assumption until such time as we may be able to either affirm or discard it.


Every issue under the sun, every problem in the world, every experience we have is set within one or more of these three relationship.  I think it is certain that if there is anything at all that doesn't concern one of these three relationships, not only will it not be discussed in these pages, but you will not be encountering it in your life.

                                                     

There is no chronological sequence to these relationships; they are all simultaneous and dynamic.  Moreover, each relationship is involved to some degree in the other two.  So, in our exploration in future pages we will be revolving among all three relationships and as we do I hope to reveal how the Truth about Reality begins to become increasingly clear. 



Next: THE HUMAN SEARCH FOR MEANING


 TOOLS AND APPROACHES - N


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