July 27th

Essence


When admiring a painting,
Don't examine the paint.
When meeting an artist,
Don't look at the brush.

Searching for life in the mechanics of cells and molecules is like trying to appreciate a painting by analyzing the paint. It might be interesting in a narrow way, but the true point is to grasp the idea that the painting conveys.Why concern yourself exclusively with the mechanics of a situation? That is like seeking an artist's genius in the brushes; it is the mind of the artist, not the tools, that is responsible for the beauty of a painting.
In the same way, the nature of life cannot be merely understood as the interplay of mechanistic forces. It may only be comprehended by taking in the essence behind the physics, chemistry, biology, math, and other scientific outlooks. All too frequently, we become so mesmerized by life's details that we fail to comprehend the whole.
The essence of life shall never be known by a human being as long as that person seeks to observe life like viewer and subject. The absolutely essential nature of life can only be comprehended by merging fully with the flow of life, so that one is utterly a part of it.

Personal Interpretation


When we get lost in the details we can lose our way. We have to make every attempt to see the bigger picture and to be a part of it in all that we do. The painter's brush and the techniques employed in his craft are important but not essential. What truly matters is how each of us interacts with the end product. Its beauty hits us each uniquely. No one has the same experience. Life is much the same. It is a work of art. Our shifting perspectives let us look upon it in novel ways. We are a part of the rich tapestry that we behold. If we weren't, it would mean far less. We would not reflect on it, find ourselves immersed in it, relate to it. Art is as much about the observed as the artist. Even if we hold that the Universe was created by some god, the gift of free will means that we are the ones imbued with real power, for we get to see and interact with creation as we will.