Breathing Underwater Without Drowning

Coming from different premises means coming out with equally different conclusions and actions.

This is quite obvious. If I'm coming from the premise that the moon is made of cheese, then I'll come out and say or do things that logically follow from that belief, however absurd they may seem to others.

A premise itself is like a foundational assumption or belief upon which an argument or action is based.

Understanding or the lack thereof almost rules the entire course of human interaction and individual perception.

Sometimes, I do wish ignorance was indeed bliss. Because a blissful feeling always comes with the impression of being light as a feather. Less burden of complex truths or difficult realities.

Of course, and depending on the context, you want to be as light as a feather when immersed in a reality that's as gross as a thick, sticky mud so to speak.

In some ways, this opposite polarity creates a balance of sorts from the sheer weight of existence.

Tight-rope Walk

In my mind, achieving moderation across many domains of life is akin to walking on a very thin line across a bottomless abyss. Perhaps, thin as a strand of hair.

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One of the reasonings behind bottomless abyss as the "ground" through which this balancing act occurs is because the potential for extremes is always present which creates a rather constant pull away from the center.

When you're high just enough, you get this inkling that there are more levels of high-ness ahead of you. So you try becoming too high, and when you do, you realize that this isn't sustainable or truly fulfilling anymore.

When you're low enough, you get a peculiar sense of comfort in rock bottom. Freedom from expectation and somehow this feeling is as addictive as it is dangerous.

Dangerous because it draws you into complacency or despair. The addiction part is the release from the pressure of maintaining a certain sense of clarity that comes with having nothing left to lose.

What I've noticed that seems quite interesting to me is whenever you get high, you're more likely to visit the lows first before finding your way into the equilibrium point between high and low.

Happiness, then sadness, and then neither happy or sad.

I currently don't understand why or how this pendulum swing seems so inevitable.

Wonders On Mastery

Not that I need to know of course. Since it could just well be the natural rhythm of mental/emotional processing towards stability.

I wonder if there's some wisdom to be found in developing the patience to ride it consciously instead of our endless attempts of transcending this cycle altogether.

Sometimes, it seems a bit absurd to me that we spend so much energy trying to stay perpetually high or try our utmost best to avoid the lows that we miss the existence happening in the center.

To be present during the highs without grasping, present during the lows without resistance, and present in the center without boredom.

Ah, that would be the kind of peace I glimpse but can't quite grasp, in terms of achieving a real art of existence.

Like breathing underwater without drowning.


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