Yes, it's not simply a new way of thinking that we need, but a new way of BEING in the world. A being that is fully alive, attuned to the present, and from which thinking, in tandem with feeling and sensing, arise unselfconsciously from the depths of our core carrying us into action wu wei style.
Precisely. You nailed it. There's so much more to say here about how thinking flows from being, and how, in fact, we need to move the machinery of mind to the background such that being can be foregrounded.
I love this. If you haven’t already, it might be worthwhile to dig into polyvagal theory, particularly the concept that “story follows state”. It theorizes that the meaning we attach to something is less about the actual event itself but is a derivative of the state our nervous system was in when the event occurred.
I’m a novice here, but I’d be to pass along some resources if this resonates.
YES. This is it right here - embracing state before story. So core, so needed. I'm actually trained in somatic psychology but please do send any particularly potent resources my way. And thank you so much, Lauren
Please share those resources with the rest of us. I am, what I would call, an advanced meditator who lives life from a “state over story” experience and who tries to share this experience as much as possible. It would help to have such resources to reflect on as I write.
I’m curious, as well, about how deep these resources go into the “story follows state” experience. For example, there comes a depth where the story becomes more than just what flows from the state unconsciously in terms of what one takes away or believes about the experience or life generally.
Instead, one finds oneself able to use stories, without necessarily believing them, AS IF they were true, which also changes the game of life significantly.
Congratulations Alex, as an Australian native I can confirm getting published in The Australian is a big deal as a writer. I think it's great your views are impacting a wider audience, such wisdom and integrity in your perspective.
This really fires me up because I'm just so fond of Australians, had the time of my life when I did a semester studying poetry and Australian lit at Uni of Sydney. David, this note means a lot to me. Thank you so much
One of your bests, my friend. This piece somehow managed to be far-reaching and all-encompassing without being emotionally or psychologically overwhelming. ❤️🙏
I love this, Alex. I wish I could upload a pic, but this concept (which I believe I’ve been yearning for at least since the election results in 2016), is what led me to paint my god. Here’s how I describe her/them: my god is a big, beautiful, woman. My god uses she/her and they/them pronouns. My god’s skin is the color of every human’s skin on earth all at once, so it is golden brown. My god has everyone’s hair and everyone’s eyes. She has one arm and one wing, and a big, hoop rainbow skirt. I would love to have conferences under that skirt. Everyone is invited, and weapons are evaporated. ❤️
"At the heart of this paradigm, the shift we so desperately need, lies a crucial transformation in identity, moving away from individual separation to a basic (yes, basic!) realization that we are interconnected, diverse manifestations of a singular evolutionary force. We are the pulsating heartbeat of consciousness, radiating through myriad forms, all just taking a good look at itself."
Curious how you're reflecting on this now? And what does it actually look like? In my latest piece I wrote about the beginnings of rational thinking and wondering about some kind of epistemological reckoning. How do we communicate about truth and knowledge today? Does the metamodernist approach have a view?
I’ll try to briefly steel-man the metamodernist POV: at its best, it remembers our shared unity and stays rooted in fighting for what’s true. It recognizes that the world is deeply fucked up, shaped by broken systems and real suffering -- yet holds a kind of hope and imaginative agency anyway. For me, it feels like a way of bridging the idealism of a modernist worldview with the realism (and necessary critique) of postmodernism.
But would love to hear about how you're holding it these days. Communicating this remains a challenge. My thinking has somewhat evolved from when I wrote that piece -- I'm more focused on the local than collective these days.
Alex, there is so much in the article to love that I can’t even begin to comment on it all because this comment would become laboriously long. This piece is succinct and well written. And that Joseph Campbell quote is amazing! I hadn’t come across that one before. I’m so glad to have found your Substack. I look forward to reading more.
Agreed, and the reactionary move to turn away from forward/progress thinking because of its pitfalls is somewhat cowardice - it's harder to build something new than revert to the past. Thank you, Barbara
Yes, it's not simply a new way of thinking that we need, but a new way of BEING in the world. A being that is fully alive, attuned to the present, and from which thinking, in tandem with feeling and sensing, arise unselfconsciously from the depths of our core carrying us into action wu wei style.
Precisely. You nailed it. There's so much more to say here about how thinking flows from being, and how, in fact, we need to move the machinery of mind to the background such that being can be foregrounded.
I love this. If you haven’t already, it might be worthwhile to dig into polyvagal theory, particularly the concept that “story follows state”. It theorizes that the meaning we attach to something is less about the actual event itself but is a derivative of the state our nervous system was in when the event occurred.
I’m a novice here, but I’d be to pass along some resources if this resonates.
YES. This is it right here - embracing state before story. So core, so needed. I'm actually trained in somatic psychology but please do send any particularly potent resources my way. And thank you so much, Lauren
Please share those resources with the rest of us. I am, what I would call, an advanced meditator who lives life from a “state over story” experience and who tries to share this experience as much as possible. It would help to have such resources to reflect on as I write.
I’m curious, as well, about how deep these resources go into the “story follows state” experience. For example, there comes a depth where the story becomes more than just what flows from the state unconsciously in terms of what one takes away or believes about the experience or life generally.
Instead, one finds oneself able to use stories, without necessarily believing them, AS IF they were true, which also changes the game of life significantly.
It seems that every time your fingers touch the keyboard, my heart is lifted. Thank you Alex.
And you just did the same for me, B, thank you so much for lifting my spirits this morning.
Congratulations Alex, as an Australian native I can confirm getting published in The Australian is a big deal as a writer. I think it's great your views are impacting a wider audience, such wisdom and integrity in your perspective.
This really fires me up because I'm just so fond of Australians, had the time of my life when I did a semester studying poetry and Australian lit at Uni of Sydney. David, this note means a lot to me. Thank you so much
Love your writings. Thank you for your important voice.
Esme, thank you so much for this motivation <3
Love that Campbell quote.
one of his best of many
One of your bests, my friend. This piece somehow managed to be far-reaching and all-encompassing without being emotionally or psychologically overwhelming. ❤️🙏
thank you so much, Tarifa :)
I love this, Alex. I wish I could upload a pic, but this concept (which I believe I’ve been yearning for at least since the election results in 2016), is what led me to paint my god. Here’s how I describe her/them: my god is a big, beautiful, woman. My god uses she/her and they/them pronouns. My god’s skin is the color of every human’s skin on earth all at once, so it is golden brown. My god has everyone’s hair and everyone’s eyes. She has one arm and one wing, and a big, hoop rainbow skirt. I would love to have conferences under that skirt. Everyone is invited, and weapons are evaporated. ❤️
I'd come to this conference, Catherine. What a beautiful being you describe. Email me a pic! Thank you for this note and bless your joy
A new fav from you, Alex- Always the clear, no-stone-unturned voice I lean on!
Extremely stoked to hear this, Dia, and you rock your support is so generous
I would love to talk to you more about this.
"At the heart of this paradigm, the shift we so desperately need, lies a crucial transformation in identity, moving away from individual separation to a basic (yes, basic!) realization that we are interconnected, diverse manifestations of a singular evolutionary force. We are the pulsating heartbeat of consciousness, radiating through myriad forms, all just taking a good look at itself."
Curious how you're reflecting on this now? And what does it actually look like? In my latest piece I wrote about the beginnings of rational thinking and wondering about some kind of epistemological reckoning. How do we communicate about truth and knowledge today? Does the metamodernist approach have a view?
I’ll try to briefly steel-man the metamodernist POV: at its best, it remembers our shared unity and stays rooted in fighting for what’s true. It recognizes that the world is deeply fucked up, shaped by broken systems and real suffering -- yet holds a kind of hope and imaginative agency anyway. For me, it feels like a way of bridging the idealism of a modernist worldview with the realism (and necessary critique) of postmodernism.
But would love to hear about how you're holding it these days. Communicating this remains a challenge. My thinking has somewhat evolved from when I wrote that piece -- I'm more focused on the local than collective these days.
Alex, there is so much in the article to love that I can’t even begin to comment on it all because this comment would become laboriously long. This piece is succinct and well written. And that Joseph Campbell quote is amazing! I hadn’t come across that one before. I’m so glad to have found your Substack. I look forward to reading more.
Likewise, I'm so glad to be connected with you, Priscilla. I still think of that Campbell quote all the time.
Re: Uncertainty, see https://bewilderedmind.substack.com/p/interlude
Beautiful, potent, haunting. My sincere condolences. Thank you for sharing it
Change and recognition of a how/ who tell the stories of our ancestors.
Spot on Alex love how you are weaving important topics together . We all benefit from forward thinking.
Agreed, and the reactionary move to turn away from forward/progress thinking because of its pitfalls is somewhat cowardice - it's harder to build something new than revert to the past. Thank you, Barbara