What Is Understanding?

[Ges]

37 minutes ago, Joseph Maynor said:

Is consciousness a thought?

Hard to assess what paradigm you're asking from, so I'll start with: I don't know.

[Joseph Maynor]

7 hours ago, Ges said:

Hard to assess what paradigm you're asking from, so I'll start with: I don't know.

I find it useful to consider/frame two broad ways human beings understand.  There's intellectual understanding by means of words usually.  And then there's intuitive understanding/practical understanding, like when you realize a bear is about to attack you in the forest and run.  We can call the first type masculine understanding which was to do with symbols and meaning, and the second type feminine understanding which has to do with consciousness, intuition, and practical non-linguistic understanding like learning how to tie your shoes.  When I say thoughts, I'm usually referring to the masculine way of understanding meaning by the use of symbols.  The feminine way of understanding might involve thoughts but not in the same way.  If I showed you a picture of your father, that would be a form of thoughtless understanding in that sense.  Awareness/consciousness in do nothing meditation is a forum of thoughtless understanding which is feminine understanding.  I do have a scheme that I use (usually the masculine vs. feminine duality) but I don't cling to it ideologically, I use it to open/widen my mind.  Understanding someone's gestures naturally is also a form of feminine understanding, it's a bodily rather than a mental/conceptual/symbolic/abstract understanding (which is masculine understanding).  Understanding via feelings, emotions, gut feel, vibe is feminine understanding as well. 

Edited March 21, 2022 by Joseph Maynor

[Ges]

16 hours ago, Joseph Maynor said:

I find it useful to consider/frame two broad ways human beings understand.  There's intellectual understanding by means of words usually.  And then there's intuitive understanding/practical understanding, like when you realize a bear is about to attack you in the forest and run.  We can call the first type masculine understanding which was to do with symbols and meaning, and the second type feminine understanding which has to do with consciousness, intuition, and practical non-linguistic understanding like learning how to tie your shoes.  When I say thoughts, I'm usually referring to the masculine way of understanding meaning by the use of symbols.  The feminine way of understanding might involve thoughts but not in the same way.  If I showed you a picture of your father, that would be a form of thoughtless understanding in that sense.  Awareness/consciousness in do nothing meditation is a forum of thoughtless understanding which is feminine understanding.  I do have a scheme that I use (usually the masculine vs. feminine duality) but I don't cling to it ideologically, I use it to open/widen my mind.  Understanding someone's gestures naturally is also a form of feminine understanding, it's a bodily rather than a mental/conceptual/symbolic/abstract understanding (which is masculine understanding).  Understanding via feelings, emotions, gut feel, vibe is feminine understanding as well. 

That is a cool way of looking at the mind.

I notice you refer to this masculine and/vs. feminine dichotomy a lot on your channel almost in every topic, this post clarified some of your mind-map to me which should help me understand more of your videos.

Edited March 21, 2022 by Ges

[Indisguise]

@Ges Welcome to the forum🙏🏻