The Gift and Curse of Non-being / by Alexander Lyadov

Are you anxious when facing surgery under general anesthesia?

It’s understandable since there’s no 100% guarantee you’ll wake up.

Yet, the same thing happens every night.

One moment you’re awake; the next, you’re vanishing into non-being.

We embrace the nightly ‘anesthesia’ because we’ve grown accustomed to it. Besides, dreams entertain us.

Dreams are an in-between state where the paralyzed consciousness passively observes whatever someone decides to show us.

Even in nightmares, there’s some pulsation, life, and drama.

Non-existence scares us more because there is nothing, has been nothing, and will be nothing there.

The paradox is that in peak experiences, our 'self' also disappears completely:

  • extraordinary efforts in science, business, sports, or service,

  • mystical experiences,

  • recognizing beauty,

  • unity with nature,

  • enlightenment,

  • childbirth,

  • creativity,

  • love etc.

So, how does a peak experience differ from a dream or anesthesia?

  1. We merge with something much more valuable than ourselves.

  2. Our ego vanishes, yet we become more aware of who we are.

  3. What we are taking part in feels like true life.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander


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