Humanist agrees with Billy Graham on atheism

Billy Graham

The well known Christian evangelist Billy Graham recently wrote an article in response to a question about atheism with the following:

“…atheism has no satisfying answer to the basic questions of life — questions like “Who am I? Where did I come from? Why am I here? How do I know what’s right and wrong? What happens when I die?” Atheism says we are here by chance, and life has no meaning or destiny. Taken to its conclusion, atheism ends in despair.”

As a Humanist minister I couldn’t agree more. Atheism is simply the lack of belief in a deity. This, alone, isn’t the problem, but atheism if it is meant as a ‘worldview’ on its own is, as Graham says, bereft of any answers about who we are, the meaning of life, or how we should live it. I once saw an article that mentioned ‘atheist values’ yet there is no such thing. When an atheist has values, they have taken on something additional to “the lack of theism”. And, without such a guide, most people will indeed find themselves in despair at some point.

That isn’t to say that all atheists are purely and only atheists – even if that is the primary label by which some choose to identify themselves. Humanism is a life philosophy that, like Buddhism, does not include gods. Humanism also has a naturalistic view of reality, but that is not so important as its other features. These include a caring and compassion for others and the realization that making the world a better place and living ethically is intimately connected with achieving happiness in life. Such naturalistic moral philosophies predate the Christian model by centuries and have provided a meaningful basis for millions of lives throughout.

Today, as more and more people leave the ranks of the religious, many of them giving up their supernatural beliefs, I – like Graham - am concerned that many of them will end up in despair. Having a religious background, many may be largely ignorant of the basics of secular ethics or a sense of meaning within a naturalistic framework. But Graham has a different solution to the despair of nothingness. He goes on to say:

“But our hearts cry out for something more — something better and more lasting. Down inside we sense that we aren’t here by chance, nor were we made for this world alone. The reason we feel this way, the Bible says, is because God has put this conviction within us.”

The problem with this approach is that it ignores something else we cry out for by our nature, which is for things to make logical sense to us. I believe one reason for the sharp rise in atheism and agnosticism has been due to the advent of the internet. As people become more aware of the rational and logical issues facing faith-based beliefs, it is more difficult to maintain an unshakable belief in something for which there is no evidence, even if it is attractive to us. Humanism also has within it a humble approach to knowledge and claims, limiting them to what can be rationally validated and shared with others.

Through this methodology Humanism, unlike mere atheism, does tell us how we got here, by accepting the current consensus of those who have put in the hard work of studying the evidence. And, as I’ve recently reviewed in Grayling’s Humanist Bible (book of Genesis), this scientifically informed narrative can be a very beautiful and moving one. Carl Sagan has also exemplified this, with his eloquent and marvelous descriptions of nature. This natural explanation of our origins also illuminates why it is that we feel so attracted to the prospect of a permanent, unchanging, and eternal existence – as a simple manifestation of a strong instinctive urge to survive.

But as I’ve explained before, there are ways to come to terms with the impermanent and uncertain nature of our existence, rather than having to convince ourselves of something which – although it might be true if we are very lucky – we have no real solid basis to claim. Some of these methods hearken back to Buddhism again, some types of which could be considered an Eastern form of Humanism, aside from the cultural colorings and supernatural elements that may have become layered upon it in various regions. It teaches mindfulness, compassion, and learning to love and appreciate the experience of life for what it is in the moment – as an end unto itself – rather than as a means to some other end. Other methods that inspire naturalists include the rational Western ancient philosophies such as the balanced life of Epicureanism and the virtuous equanimity of Stoicism. And, of course, modern philosophy, sociology, and psychology add to the wealth of wisdom on happiness and leading a good life. In more general terms, Spiritual Naturalism (which includes some varieties of Humanism) can provide many approaches along these lines.

Thus, while mere atheism may include all kinds of lifestyles, a healthy Humanism or other variety of Spiritual Naturalism can provide a meaningful and happy life of flourishing. My hope is that both theists and atheists will more greatly appreciate the difference between Humanism and atheism.

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Motherhood as roadmap to universal compassion

(cc) Doug Fisher, Flickr.com

Practicing compassion for our worst enemies is advanced contemplative practice, and not something one should expect most people to be capable of without careful education. Without such teachings, many may even misinterpret such a thing as immoral, unwise, or ridiculous.

An article by Kate Shellnut recently made me think about how difficult it is to have compassion for wrongdoers. She quoted Zen blogger noting of Osama bin Laden (OBL): "It’s really hard, even for this Buddhist writing these lines and who is committed to the Bodhisattva vows, to feel much compassion for the man."

Of course, the following in no way suggests any portion of the 'share' of our compassion be diverted from victims to the likes of OBL. However, I wanted to share one method I've noticed as effective for imagining how one could have compassion even for the worst of us. This is by imagining how an otherwise normal loving mother might feel toward her child after having learned they did something horrible, or that they are, in fact, a horrible person who has done many inhuman acts.

In many ways the disgust over their behavior is even greater and sadder for the mother than for others. Even a mother, if a good person, will feel sad for victims - perhaps even more so than those who are not related to the perpetrator (even if she fully accepts that their child is responsible for their own choices). Further, that mother will still see that their child needs to be stopped to protect others, and may even see that they need to be punished or even executed. But this will be separate from their love. Thus, we see that love is distinct from its common outward symptoms (actions such as assisting, defending, protecting, etc). It is an inward disposition, and in contemplative practice we recognize the critical importance of inward disposition as a means of cultivating a character with potential to experience a flourishing life.

What heartbreak such a mother will experience, remembering their child in youth, with all the potential of the world before them, having seen their budding love and laughter. How heartbroken would they be to realize that potential had been extinguished, and how crushing would it be to know that - whatever thoughts and feelings their child had - that their experience in life was so dark that it could lead them to think such horrible actions were acceptable.

In fact, it is through our appreciation that OBL is a part of our human family that, like the mother of a murderer, we are drawn to feel even more for his victims - because we see the darkness in OBL is potentially within us, and came out of a world that we all helped to parent. Another reason the 'mother thought experiment' helps is because it is important to know how tragic is the life of evil doers, so that we might understand how incrementally poorer are our own lives when we dip into harmful behaviors.

There is a reason God is often painted in a similar family-type relationship as our father. This is how those who believe in a loving God read of his attitudes toward human beings when we are bad. Whether one believes literally in such a being or not, the description provides a road map to how we might begin to experience compassion for all beings without exception.

Once I told my own late mother that I thought our goal should be to think of all people like their mothers think of them. She, knowing better than I the power of a mother's love, said, "That seems like a pretty difficult thing to do!" Agreed, but it is the endeavor that counts, and while we might be imperfect in reaching our goal, the degree to which we achieve it yields incrementally beneficial results.

Through careful consideration of the points of view of mothers and fathers (earthly or heavenly) we might begin to see that one can be heartbroken for the tragedy that was the life of OBL, and yet how this does not imply even the slightest refraining from pursuing and punishing the wrongdoer or condoning his actions. Nor does this kind of attempt diminish one bit from the compassion we feel for the victims, and may even help to enhance it. 


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Osama bin Laden & our humanity

President Obama announces the
death of Osama bin Laden the
night of May 1, 2011.

After hearing of the death of Osama bin Laden last night, I felt I would be remiss not to say something of the occasion here. This, given that the subject of my writing is so often on ethical and philosophic matters that certainly intersect with the issues surrounding this whole event.

Since my central theme at The Humanist Contemplative is generally about personal life practices, the most relevant point here concerns the notion of taking glee in the death of another human being. At first, we might be tempted to say that Osama bin Laden excluded himself from humanity by his actions, but that logic only works within the paradigm of ethics to which I do not subscribe. If I were to see ethics as a top-down rule system whereby we must behave a certain way in order to be part of a social contract with others who also behave, then that logic might make sense - but that view of ethics is mistaken.

Rather, the reason we should be concerned about taking glee in the death of another has nothing to do with any external matter, and has nothing to do with whether or not Osama bin Laden deserves it. The reason we seek to cultivate a virtuous character, including compassion for all beings, is because it is healthy for us and suitable to our best nature. The result of such habits is greater capacity for equanimity and true happiness in life. It's not about him, it's about us.

It should be obvious to everyone that fighting will go on, and there will be many more Osama bin Ladens to come; such people are nothing new in history, and have never been uncommon. It should be even more obvious that none of the deaths caused by this person, or which happened in the long hunt for him, will be reversed. But justice is also a virtue, as is defending the innocent, and we can be thankful that he will not be leading any more acts of terrorism. We can be thankful for the bravery, commitment, and ability of those who fight and sacrifice to protect us and civilization. We can also take solace in whatever degree of consolation this event may have for the families of his victims, even if there are varied degrees to which that consolation is based upon sound philosophy.

At the very least, however, let us not slip into the temptation to revel in the death itself, hoping that he suffered just before passing, or treating the matter flippantly or humorously, or with gloating. Regardless of what our foe deserved, our revelry in such base things harms ourselves - harms our own humanity and empathy, and that will have wider effects on ourselves and our community than intended. This is why we no longer drag murderers through the streets or hang them in public exhibitions - because of the kind of people that makes us.

Let us consider the cost of this act and remember that, in war, there are no winners; always, peace is preferable. Even the most victorious wars are failures to have prevented the conditions that led to them. War always has costs that leave none of us coming out ahead. They cost us lives, fortunes, and perhaps most importantly, they cost us that version of ourselves and our lives that could have been. I've heard it claimed that Osama bin Laden caused the war in Afghanistan, but the war was our choice. We should remember that no one has the power to make our country go to war but ourselves. If that was a proper choice, and if the killing or capture of bin Laden was proper, then let us own it because it is important to remember and reflect upon what is in our control and what is not.

We can take this time to be thankful and solemn; regretful that we found ourselves killers in order to do what we believe was necessary. Times such as these are always sacred, even if the subject of them is not. If we simply refrain from wallowing in vengeful revelry then we will have done much to help ourselves, as individuals and as a people. If we want to take even more advanced steps, we can take this time to reflect on clever things we can do to make more profound changes to the world that effect the underlying conditions for terrorism and war. And, in the most challenging of empathic tasks, we can even think of the tragedy that a person wasted their gifts of leadership, status, and charisma on such harmful ends. To have orchestrated such an act as 9/11 and his other attacks, and then evaded the world for almost a decade required great skill. How much fortunate we would have been had he chosen to apply that skill toward noble causes? It is for this reason, among others, that even if his death were rightful the entire matter is a tragedy worthy of solemnity.

Here we stand over the corpse of yet another human being. Although it required brave and noble sacrifice, and although our responses may have been the best we could muster, this recurring result can be neither our best, nor the summit of our hope. We must bow our heads, return to humility and compassion, and commit ourselves again to wider solutions - we can do even better.


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Humanist Bible review series: Parables (4/15)

(c) Walker Publishing Co. Inc.

This is part of a series of reviews on each 'book' within the new book, The Good Book: A Humanist Bible, by A.C. Grayling. Click HERE to go to the beginning of this series for more explanation.

"The good man replied, 'For every ten words of abuse I hear from you, I will not retort one.'" --Par 1:9

While Genesis gives us a sense of awe and wonder before nature, and Wisdom provides many worthy insights, it was in the book of Parables that I first began to realize that Grayling's bible is a work I could fall in love with. The structure of this book is a tapestry of stories, many of them nestled within one another. Were I not taking notes for a review, it might be easy to have gotten lost in its layers. However, that journey is made pleasant by the charming nature of the tales.

Some of the stories are inspiring, touching, or moving; others funny - and all of them interesting and full of wisdom. The funny ones, with their anthropomorphic animal characters, are almost like watching the Looney Tunes; as when Daffy Duck gets his comeuppance thanks to his own moral shortcomings. Both cases have their roots in the likes of Aesop's Fables. Other stories have their inspiration from other works, or again showing Christian biblical reflections at times. The book's first tale of King Plousios and the beggar Penicros gives us a collection of wise precepts, but as the stories compound we move beyond mere euphemism to show through the power of myth the intimate connection between knowledge, wisdom, love, and happiness.

"The stranger said, 'In ancient Athens the philosophers thought out their best ideas walking up and down their groves; nature sobers us, and instructs us.'" --Par 13:3

Throughout Parables is a strong expression of a joy for learning, exploration, and for sharing knowledge with our fellow human beings in a fellowship of discovery. Throughout the course of several tales, these intellectual fellowships provide layers of depth to platonic friendships as well romantic, and eventually to the societal relationship. In such manner, we "carry" one another, as the stranger puts it to Charicles. But, as the timeless motto suggested, that exploration must extend to an intimate knowledge of self:

"It is well said that at the farthest point of our journeyings what we meet is ourselves..." -- Par 16:7

Along with praise of learning is another call to humility, such as Aristotle's lesson that he who says, "I do not know" has attained the half of all knowledge (Chapter 11). Other important tangents to knowledge are highlighted as well, such as the value of sincerity and patience (Ch 19, Ancient of the fig tree). Justice and charity are advised, such as in the examples of the wisdom of Judge Adasnes (Ch 8-10), the two beggars (Ch 20), and in the parable of the Chamberlain and the Goatherd (Ch 21). Integrity is also brought forth in chapter 12:

"What is the worth of mere words, if their true meanings make no difference to what a man does?" --Par 12:7

Even as we are warned about the trickery of politicians through the story of the monkey and the crocodile (Ch 17), Parables ultimately expresses a vision of seeing in our own society its best potential and daring to dream that it could be so (Ch 18).

Throughout these many stories, we come across anecdotes, allegories, and themes that are familiar to us, either in their surface form, or in important issues to which they address. Slavery is mentioned once (Par 10:18), but only as an incidental mention. One might have wished the opportunity to be used to be put it in more clear moral terms, given the common criticism of the Christian Bible on the matter. Chapter 10 is an extremely close approximation to the story of the judgment of King Solomon (Kings 3:16-28, Christian Bible). Although monarchies play central roles in many of the stories, due to the time periods that inspired them, it is clear in other stories that they exist for those in a time of democracies.

Parables' treatment of women is especially praiseworthy; advising husbands to listen to their wives (Ch 5) and in presenting women as equal participants in learning (Ch 14), travel, discovery, wisdom, and instruction (Ch 23) as well as in making their own decision in selecting their mates (Ch 7). Although homosexuality is not referenced specifically, Par 7:22 expresses that love cannot be a crime. Lastly, some familiar iconography surfaces for new purposes once again, such as in the reference of the "city on the hill" as an expression for what our society could be, and the final chapter recalling the Bodhi in which two learned sisters make a school 'under a tree'.

"...tales of wisdom, along with tales of courage and kindness, are among our best guides in life." --Par 9:1

The next part in this series will look at the next book of Grayling's bible, Concord.

NEXT PART: CONCORD


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Humanist Bible review series: Wisdom (3/15)

(c) Walker Publishing Co. Inc.

This is part of a series of reviews on each 'book' within the new book, The Good Book: A Humanist Bible, by A.C. Grayling. Click HERE to go to the beginning of this series for more explanation.

In this review we'll look closer at the book of Wisdom. Throughout the book, threads of Lao Tzu, Confucius, and even a little Sun Tzu can be found. Strands of Socrates, Plato, and other Greek philosophies are also present, even so as to include the same phrasings, analogies, and terminologies found in these and other prominent works. Again, there are continued echoes of Christian biblical structure and themes, or alternatives to them, but this should be no surprise since the wisdom stream within Christianity was also inspired by Greek thought in certain ways and parts. As with The Good Book in general, an effort is made to summarize these thoughts into a cohesive overview. As Grayling states in the fourth chapter, "The gaining of knowledge is accumulation; the acquisition of wisdom is simplification" (Wis 4:7).

Grayling provides an ample collection of advice regarding self discipline, and the benefits of wisdom as a salve for the suffering. Taking the example of Epictetus, Grayling employs the analogy of slavery and freedom; the latter being possible through understanding of wise teachings and their implementation by our reason, kept firmly at the helm.

Equally emphasized is the importance of humility in all things; among them our approach to knowledge. In the first chapter he sets about describing the importance of admitting what we do not know:

"The wise say of things they have not heard, 'I have not heard', and of the things they have not seen, 'I have not seen'." --Wis 1:14-15

The theme of humility is continued concerning provisional beliefs, contingent upon the latest evidence. Both the Christian bible and this Humanist one have their fools, but the contrast between them paints a vivid picture of the distinction between the Humanist and Christian thought when it comes to belief. In the Christian scriptures, Psalm 14:1 says, "the fool is one who has said in his heart there is no God". But the Humanist fool is one who claims to know what they have not seen and whose beliefs are immutable. As Grayling writes, "No one came to be wise who did not know how to revise an opinion. The wise change their minds when facts and experience so demand. The fool either does not hear or does not heed" (Wis 4:12-13).

In my own work, I am in the process of constructing a naturalistic spiritual practice I call Synthophy, and in that work I draw on many of these same traditional sources of wisdom. What I call the Control Doctrine is largely inspired by the Stoics, and also something on which Grayling spends a good deal of time. He draws out the distinctions between what is in our control and what is not. One cannot help but be reminded of the Serenity Prayer, but this is no surprise since both this book of Wisdom and that Christian notion were inspired by the Stoic control doctrine. As Marcus Aurelius advised himself, we should learn to focus on what we control, and when we do, then our happiness is not contingent upon externals. As Wisdom states:

 "You will be unconquerable, if you enter only into combat you can win." --Wis 12:6

Continuing with Stoic inspiration, Grayling also provides summaries of their thoughts on judgment, and how it is not things which harm us, but our judgments of them. Along with this is advice on accepting the world as it is and as it must be. In one passage reminiscent of Ecclesiastes in the Christian bible he writes:

 "For there is a proper time for all things; including a proper time to grieve, and to prepare to die." --Wis 10:10

But while acceptance of what we cannot control and open mindedness are praised, we are also cautioned to stand on our rationally sound principles, without bending because of pressure from others: "[Someone wise] will teach that as a rock is not shaken by the wind, so the wise are steadfast through both blame and praise" (Wis 4:17). We are advised to accept critics with confidence: "For if anyone should propose a true proposition to be false, the proposition is not hurt but he who is deceived about it" (Wis 18:16), and to live rightly and not in a vulgar manner: "Avoid vulgar entertainments; but, if occasion calls you to them, keep alert, that you may not imperceptibly slide into vulgar manners" (Wis 17:7).

Given the many numerous categories of things which could be considered 'wisdom', Grayling must have had a challenging time compiling Wisdom without it coming of as a detached laundry list of maxims. He has organized it well and in a sensible manner, but while its advice is profound and worthy, it lacks the poetry and eloquence of the previous book of Genesis. This is due to the nature of the subject matter, surely. However, to his credit, Grayling has employed at least one strategy in holding the work together in a beautiful way. At the end of each and every chapter of Wisdom, we are asked repeatedly: "The question to be asked at the end of each day is, 'How long will you delay to be wise?'" In the final chapter, the final lesson is that we must not merely study or talk about wisdom, but apply it in our lives without hypocrisy or delay. Finally, the repeated question is answered, "And the great lesson that the end of each day teaches is that wisdom and the freedom it brings must daily be won anew." Wise words.

The next part in this series will look at the next book of Grayling's bible, Parables.

NEXT PART: PARABLES


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Humanists must stand with Christians on religious freedom

Chinese police turning people away
from planned Easter service, (c) CNN.

As a Humanist and an atheist, I have often written on the importance of church/state separation. Often I write to Humanist audiences and as a Humanist minister my subjects often involve the matter from the point of view of nontheism - in other words, the right to practice no religion. However, the separation of church and state benefits more than just the non-religious or Humanists. It also protects more than the state from the undue religious influence of one group over another. The wall of separation between church and state also protects religion from the heavy hand of the state.

Today in China, as reported in an article by CNN, the Police are moving to block Christians from worshiping and celebrating Easter. They are blocking more than 500 people from leaving their homes as part of an effort that includes disrupting a planned Easter service for Shouwang Church, one of China's largest unregistered (illegal) churches. The church reports that nearly 200 churchgoers have been arrested in the past month. The Chinese "government" detained several reporters there to obfuscate its shameful acts before the world.

When the French outlawed the wearing of religiously meaningful dress for Muslims I wrote in detail why such an approach was harmful and wrong. At the time, I was asked why I don't defend Christians the same. While Christians were not the subject of that article, the universality of the principles I outlined should have been obvious. This Humanist (and I dare say, by definition, all Humanists) is declaring support for the Christians bravely practicing their beliefs despite such oppression, not only on Easter but every day, in every place around the world where any person's right to speak and practice their beliefs is infringed upon.

Humanist Bible review series: Genesis (2/15)

(c) Walker Publishing Co. Inc.

This is part of a series of reviews on each 'book' within the new book, The Good Book: A Humanist Bible, by A.C. Grayling. Click HERE to go to the beginning of this series for more explanation.

As one might expect from the title, Grayling's book of Genesis paints a narrative of the beginning and development of the universe, earth, life, and humanity, consistent with the modern scientific understanding of a natural universe. Just as early man's experiences began, it begins with our immediate surroundings; a tree in a garden. It is here we begin to learn how to understand our world. In this book, the role of the fruit of this tree is to fall to the earth, alerting us to gravity.We are then taken beyond the garden to the whole of the earth, beyond to the cosmos to other worlds, space, time, and that part of nature that can know itself - humanity. Such is the grand sweeping scope of the first short chapter of Genesis.

The mirroring of themes to the Christian bible's garden of eve and the tree of knowledge are immediately obvious. I was surprised that Graying did not succumb to the temptation to begin the book, "In the beginning..." But here it is almost as if this bible has been pulled from a parallel universe - how the bible might have looked if the history of mankind had followed a more rational course and had been more informed of the facts.

However, Genesis also interweaves commentary on our place in that universe. This includes the birth and role of reason and praise for inquiry over 'legends'.

"Knowledge is freedom, freedom from ignorance and its offspring fear; knowledge is light an liberation." --Gen 2:11

Impressively, Genesis even lays out some of the most central elements of the scientific method. From the principle of uniformity of physics (Gen 13:6-12), to the law of conservation (Gen 5:4), to the primacy of evidence (Gen 13:13), and Genesis 13:1-3 even lays out the principle of Occam's razor.

It is clear this title serves to reference the genesis of the universe and everything in it. But it also serves as the genesis of the book's Humanist thesis, laying out the very foundations of what will follow.

Although the entire book is in a rather poetic form, in parts it veers specifically into tight rhyme. Genesis, chapters 9-10 are an especially beautiful and moving section which take us from the emergence of star systems and planets, to the rise of life and the evolution of more complex life forms.

"Nursed by warm sunlight in the primeval caves, organic life arose beneath the waves." --Gen 9:4

The entire chapter underscores the beauty and wonder of our natural universe, and praises those who inquire boldly into its secrets through the hard work of observation.

"Thus came our world and life, a natural realm, from nature born, with nature at the helm." -- Gen 10:11

The next part in this series will look at the next book of Grayling's bible, Wisdom.

NEXT PART: WISDOM


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Humanist Bible review series: Introduction (1/15)

(c) Walker Publishing Co. Inc.

This is the first part of a series of summaries, review, and commentary I will be publishing here on The Good Book: A Humanist Bible, by A.C. Grayling. In this recently released book, Grayling has pulled together a vast collection of wise and knowledgeable thoughts about nature, reason, life, and ethics. These have been drawn from sources throughout history, from East to West.

[CNN Review of the book]

While the book is 'secular' and has no mention of afterlives, spirits, or gods, it has nevertheless been written in the format of the Christian Bible. Grayling has said this is because the format is inviting and allows the reader to take pieces and parts from the itemized sections as needed, and because the biblical format makes it clear this book is in that same tradition of offering into our conversation, a take on our place in the cosmos and on goodness and ethics. As such, the book contains 14 'books' within:

• Genesis
• Wisdom
• Parables
• Concord
• Lamentations
• Consolations
• Sages
• Songs
• Histories
• Proverbs
• The Lawgiver
• Acts
• Epistles
• The Good

The poetic prose of the book is immediately obvious and quite beautiful and moving in many parts. This kind of language, what I call sacred tongue, is something I have argued for as an equally legitimate and important mode of speech for communicating essential aspects of ideas which are not possible with, or even hindered by, precise technical language. This approach conveys elements of phenomena such as feeling and the first-person experience because their metaphorical tones connect with our many varied faculties of the mind, including emotion and richer memories, and call upon our pattern recognition inclinations to help us draw parallels. As such, this kind of tone is helpful in seeing the 'big picture' and this, in turn, gives us a grander sense of the awe and wonder of the universe and of life. 

"So now I too expound in song, soft-speaking, to touch with honey the rim of truth." --Gen 12:10

As such, this kind of writing is just the sort of thing that would be useful for quoting in devotionals, ceremonies, and special moments. As a Humanist minister, I'm certain it will come in handy and I plan to become very familiar with it.

To that end, I will be publishing this series one book at a time, beginning with Genesis in my next part. I will summarize what it's chapters are about, mention some especially inspiring or noteworthy quotes, and give some commentary. By the end of these 14 books, it is hoped the series may serve as a kind of guide for users of the book to better find passages on the topics they seek - especially given that Grayling did not provide notes, traditional references, or an index.

NEXT PART: GENESIS

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Humanist Meditation 101 (part 3 of 3)

(cc) Mitchell Joyce (HckySo), Flickr.com.

In the last two posts (begin at Part 1), I discussed the purpose of meditation, physical position, meditation aides, body scanning, and focusing. Today I will conclude with notes on going deeper, immediate after effects, and long-term effects...

Going Deeper

Even though a wandering mind and the need to correct its focus back to breathing is to be expected, it is a fact that over time you will become better able to keep your attention on your breath without any other thoughts arising and for longer periods of time between mental wanderings. This increase in ability is noticeable within sessions, but also continues from session to session if you practice meditation regularly.

With that increased ability to maintain attention, comes other effects during the time you are in a meditation session. These include: greater environmental awareness, loss of body, and consciousness detachment.

The first, and easiest to see, is greater environmental awareness. During a meditation you come to notice all of the little and subtle sounds and sensations around you – the clock ticking, birds, cars driving by, the wind, people talking in the distance, and so on. The fact of this awareness as you progress may seem contradictory since these things can be distractions which cause you to have to reset your focus back on your breath. While that is true, it is also true that before you were meditating many of these things would have gone completely unnoticed by you. The reason you notice them during your session is a sign that your mind is becoming still. Throw a pebble into a stormy ocean and its effects are lost, but in a still pond its ripple effects are significant. While the perception of these previously unnoticed things is indeed another set of thoughts to be set aside so focus can be returned to the breath, they are also a sign of progress because a still mind is one of the aims of meditation.

The second effect you may experience during a session may take some practice, perhaps over several sessions, before you start to get glimpses of it. Loss of body is, of course, a figurative description. But the general sensation will be a lack of perception of the body; it’s little aches, itches, tiny movements, etc. This will bring about a feeling of detachment from the body, but is simply the result of an extreme focus. Nevertheless, this feeling – when it happens – is a sign of improvement in your technique.

The tricky thing about loss of body, is that it is not only rare at first, but tends to be very brief. If one is consciously focused on trying to have a loss of body experience, then it is impossible, as the experience results from a lack of conceptual thinking. Once the experience happens, it often ends quickly. Usually, as soon as a person begins to notice that they are experiencing a loss of body sensation, the noticing of it causes the mind to put a label on it, and turn the experience into a mental object. The moment you think, “I’m having a loss of body experience!” you have now lost your focus. Before, you had begun to enter a state of experience without language and labels and without distinctions between things. But calling your mind to think of the loss of body experience creates a distinction between it and other experiences, and between you and your environment. Inevitably, all of the usual concepts flood back into your consciousness. The mind looks to see if the body is there and, of course, it is. Your mind begins ‘checking the mailbox’ to see if any messages (sensations) from the body have arrived – which, of course, they have.

But like everything else, the mind improves over time. With continuous practice, these experiences become more frequent, easier to enter, and last longer.

Another experience you may have during mediation might be called consciousness detachment. We, as persons, are made up of many functions and properties (aggregates) which, working together in complex relationships, yield an overall impression of ‘self’ which we think of as ‘us’. These include memory, emotions, logical ability, selection capabilities, perceptions, and more. But if we were to slowly imagine these properties peeling away, and if we were to look at them individually, there is no one property we could convincingly identify as ‘us’. We are, rather, a function of all of these activities. Another one of these aggregates is consciousness. This is not so much awareness of certain information (such as awareness of our surroundings or of the contents of our thoughts). Rather, this is the actual first-person experience of ‘likeness’ – i.e., what it is ‘like’ to be an experiencing being. One might imagine simpler animals or insects having this feeling of what it is like to be them, without the sophistication of integrated memories of any complexity. Some consciousness philosophers and neurologists call this sensation qualia.

After a person leaves behind all other sensations of body, their surroundings, and other tangible thoughts, their minds enter another state. Here they experience that consciousness in a completely detached form, without the usual accompanying thoughts, feelings, opinions, judgments, memories, labels, sensations, concerns, and other impressions. They simply ‘exist’. Here it is said one can experience the universe ‘as it really is’ bereft of our usual framing of it.

Immediate After Effects

What short-term after effects can one expect from a quality meditation session? The most basic effect is a relaxed and low-stress state, usually accompanied by a sense of patience, contentment, and pleasantness. In addition to these, the mind will be much more focused, controllable, and deliberative. If one were to watch a speaker just after, for example, it would be easier to focus on the speaker for an extended period, while all other distractions would be easily set aside. If one were to engage in some kind of mental task, they would likely be more effective at it, in a heightened state of concentration.

This ‘laser focus’ usually disperses over time. As the day’s activities carry on, the mind has to handle more things simultaneously and attention can become diffused. Certain things have a great tendency to diffuse attention quickly. One of the best examples of this is listening to, or watching, media such as music or television.

Importantly, you have a degree of choice in how quickly or slowly your attention becomes diffused, based on your intent. If you purposely begin filling your mind with a number of ruminations and concerns, you can diffuse your attention more quickly than if you try to remain mindful and in a semi-meditative-like calm after your session.

Longer Term Effects

Longer term effects are usually enhanced when meditation is combined with a solid philosophic foundation. Most of the skills developed in meditation relate to specific philosophic principles and can be used to live these principles more skillfully in life. If meditation were only about the experience during a session, and only about greater focus and stress relief, then it would not have the profound place in spiritual practice that it has had for thousands of years. The general concept of meditation is that, while it may begin as specific sessions, we eventually learn to expand meditative mindfulness into the rest of our lives, thoughts, and actions.

For instance, the first of the deeper effects mentioned earlier, still mind, is something that can be taken into our lives as we live out our day. Beyond that, the ability to notice subtle things that comes from a still mind, can alert us to disruptions and the like arising in our minds before they have the ability to consume us. It may also make us more aware of subtleties in the behavior of others, enhancing our ability to act toward them with empathy.

Having experiences of separation from our bodies and consciousness detachment can create a sensation of oneness with the universe. The ability to enter into such states can create a greater tendency to see things from more of a universal viewpoint than from the viewpoint of our shallow self centered perspective. Some neuroscientists study the physiological effects of meditation on the brain, and these studies have so far lent credence to the notion these changes are more than mere placebo effect. In meditation, we have an integrated practice-philosophy which involves active alteration of our neural architecture, along with mental habits and abilities which facilitate greater application of wisdom teachings, and greater integration of them into our natural responses.

It is in this manner that mindfulness is increased, which can then interject into our normal judgment centers, and better monitor our own thoughts and feelings about things, rather than allow them to consume us mindlessly.

Humanist Meditation 101 (part 2 of 3)

(cc) Mitchell Joyce (HckySo), Flickr.com.

Last time I began description of meditation with its purpose and notes on physical position. Today I will continue with discussion of meditation aides, body scan, and focusing...

Meditation Aides

You will also need to think about how long you’re going to meditate. 15 minutes may be a good amount of time for beginners; for some 20 minutes may be ideal. You can eventually work up to 30 minutes. Some meditate longer, but if you want to establish a daily routine it is important to select something reasonable and sustainable within your schedule. You’ll need to establish a way to alert yourself when the time is up. This can be done simply with a stop watch, a kitchen timer, etc. If you are in a guided meditation the guide will alert you. There are also smartphone meditation applications that allow you to set a time and have nice relaxing chime sounds to choose from. There are also online videos available with guided meditations featuring voices, music, etc. However it is achieved, a simple chime after a designated time is probably best for beginners.

Some people light incense when meditating or performing other rituals. The olfactory sense (smell) is one of the most intimately connected senses with our memory centers. Therefore, having a special scent is a good way to shift our state of mind into one that is conducive to the focus of the ritual or practice. Various cushions and furniture may be desired by some depending on the setting and position you choose, but beware of being persuaded into spending a great deal of money on superfluous things. Some people may like to have small sculptures or pictures of people or subjects which inspire them or remind them of various values or principles, or simply create a pleasant environment, but these too are not strictly necessary for meditation. It's up to you!

With your surroundings established and your physical position selected, you are now ready to begin.

Body Scan

The first part of the process should be a mental review of your body to ensure you are actually relaxing it. Often we hold muscles tightly clenched without even realizing it. Therefore, you should take a deep long breath and let it out through your nose. Now imagine the top of your head being scanned. As the line around your head moves down over your face, your muscles in that area should relax: first the temples, forehead, brow; next your cheeks, jaw muscles, ears, neck, etc. Move the encircling line down over your neck, shoulders, down your arms to your fingers, down your back, stomach, legs, feet, and toes – relaxing each group as you go. Do not go too quickly so you may consider all areas. If you feel you need to, you can slowly return to the top of your head.

Now take one more deep breath and release your attention from your body. From here after, your breathing should not be controlled – just let yourself breath in and out automatically without trying to direct it, regardless of how fast, slow, deep, shallow, regular, or irregular that is.

Focusing

Now, keeping your eyes closed, focus your attention on your breath. There will be a temptation to control your breath or try to make it regular or deeper, but you should avoid that temptation. Simply watch your breath without directing it. The portion you should zero in on is the air moving just past the edge of your nostrils, as it moves in and out. You will hear it and feel it moving past the nostrils like a tide coming in and out. Try to focus exclusively on that experience without thinking about it in ‘words’. Also ignore any visualizations, sensations from your body, or other thoughts.

At this point, you may find it helpful to count your breaths. If you do so, as you inhale do not think anything – just focus on the inhalation. Then, as you exhale, think, “one...” You can think this word as lasting as long as the exhale, still focusing attention on the air moving out of your nostrils. As you breathe in, try to think nothing in between other than simply observing the inward breath. Breathing out, think, “two…” Go up to five and then return to one. Remember, while you are watching your breaths and counting along, you are not controlling them in any way – simply letting them happen as your body naturally reflexes to breathe.

After you exhale and count a number, if you are rested, there will probably be a few seconds before your body naturally induces the next inhalation. Because you are focused on the inhalation during it’s time, and you are counting during the exhalations, this short period may be the most tempting for your attention to wander. As you complete a counting, such as, “twooooo…”, try to let your mind simply drift off of the end of the word and remain still, thinking of nothing at all until the next inhalation arises to focus upon.

By the way, returning to 1 in the counting in a cycle is important. If you do not return in this cycle from 5 back to 1 and instead continue on to higher numbers, it will be easy for the counting to end up on ‘autopilot’ as your mind wanders off to other things. The return is the indication that you really are paying close attention to the counting. Furthermore, if you fail to remain focused on your breath, you can attempt to simply get through one whole cycle 1-5, thus making the challenge one of bite-sized chunks. Then, you can attempt another cycle – always remaining in the present.

Wandering & Correction

As you attempt meditation, your mind will inevitably wander. Things will pop into your head such as the day’s to-do items, what others around you might be doing or thinking, what the random little sounds you’re hearing might be, physical discomfort, interesting or random memories, or perhaps more concerning ruminations about various life problems. As this happens, it is important to catch yourself and return your focus exclusively to your breath. If you did not, then meditation would not be unlike daydreaming or lucid dreaming. Perhaps a nice endeavor in its own ways, but not meditation. As these things arise in your mind, simply see them as objects and set them aside, moving your focus gently back to the breath.

Despite your best efforts, your mind will do this many times, and will need to be brought back to the breath many times. Just as important as catching and directing yourself back, it is also essential that you not let this frustrate you. Remember, thinking about the fact that you’re not thinking about your breath is also ‘thinking about something other than your breath’. Instead, simply bring your attention back to your breath as though it were a solitary task – without frustration because of past needs to do so, and without aggravation because of a fear of needing to do it again in the future. As you meditate there is only the present, and in that present only the breath. Do not think of this wandering as a ‘failure to meditate’ or as an exception to meditation. The wandering, and the following corrections in focus, are all part of meditation – all is just as it should be.

Next time I will conclude this series on meditation with discussion of going deeper, immediate after effects, and long-term effects.

CONTINUE TO PART 3