I’ve noticed how we humans appear to have a nearly universal sense of the supernatural. Now, I know devotees of science and atheists might dispute that, at least as far as universal applies to them. They’ll claim they don’t believe in the supernatural. Fair enough, so let me rephrase this…
The supernatural sense is essentially our brain’s mind letting imagination run wild. Making mountains out of molehills is effortless and so we all do it. Conversely, appreciating the simplest, subtle view of nature is not so easy. Multifaceted analyses appear to stimulate our imagination more. In any case, thought can’t seem to avoid making imagined -mountains out of reality-molehills. The disputes I hear repeatedly are clashes over which idea-mountain is true, and fail to notice, or sidestep, the reality molehill beneath.
From a symptoms-point-of-view, it is clear to me that our thinking mind’s confusion regarding emotional conflict—contending needs and fears—drives it to create rationales that feel tangible… put our finger on. Not knowing makes us feel very apprehensive. Indeed, we can only tolerate so much of the unknown before visceral fear surges. Emotions cry out for clarity and certainty, so anything tangible will do. We need answers… be they mystical, realistic, artistic, scientific, nihilistic or idealistic in nature. Like nature, the brain abhors a vacuum.
I feel the Tao Te Ching as an attempt to counteract our tendency to ideate and exaggerate reality. Likewise, my aim here is to whittle the mountains down as close to molehills as possible… or at least to reveal how our civilized sausage is made. 😉
One of our greatest illusionary mountains is the concept of evil. The root of so-called evil lies in our mind’s needs and fears, and nowhere else. We may not be able to choose what our mind projects, but it helps to realize that what we see is merely a projection of our own desires and worries. Chapter 71 cautions us against seriously believing our mind’s fabrications … Realizing I don’t’ know is better; not knowing this knowing is disease.
Here are a few other chapters that speak to this…
Not of words teaching, without action advantage – 43
Our words are very easy to know, very easy to do.
Under heaven none can know, none can do. – 70