Introduction
Much of what we’ve explored so far in the laboratory of self-inquiry has been directed inwardly. Through meditative and contemplative practices, we’ve started peering into the self: how the mind works, the nature of thoughts, our habituated modes of operation. We can take these same tools and orientations and turn them outward, to look at the world and our place in it. To that end, we’ll consider two concepts, both of which I consider to be quite poetic views: poet David Whyte’s notion of the conversational nature of reality and Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh’s notion of interbeing.
Reality: A Poetic View
The poet and philosopher, David Whyte, uses this beautiful phrase, “the conversational nature of reality,” to describe the continuous interaction between our inner world and the external world. Rather than taking a static view of reality, Whyte suggests that reality is best understood as the frontier where inner and outer meet. He describes this as a meeting between inheritance and horizon.
“I began to realize that the only place where things were actually real was at this frontier between what you think is you and what you think is not you; that whatever you desire of the world will not come to pass exactly as you will like it, but the other mercy is that whatever the world desires of you will also not come to pass, and what actually occurs is this meeting, this frontier.”
The idea that reality is all impermanent and interconnected is not new, but the use of the word conversation has some interesting implications. As Whyte puts it, the thing about a good conversation is that it never goes exactly as either party expects. A good conversation changes us, if only in small ways we’ll understand later. In this view, every experience is a conversation between our self, as it is in that moment, and the world as it is in that moment.
Disciplines
In its modern English usage, discipline often carries with it a sense of punishment for the sake of correction. Whyte, however, uses discipline in a sense that is closer to its latin roots. Think of the word disciple, which comes from the latin discipulus, meaning pupil, student, follower. So, we might take disciplines to refer to the teachings and practices to which we commit ourselves.
Poetry
For Whyte, poetry is “language against which we have no defenses.” It is a prime example of conversational interplay in that each time we read a poem it is a different conversation we’re having. Though the words on the page remain unchanged, we have changed, and so the meeting between our inner world and the language of the poem is different.
Poetry is also a powerful tool for cultivating attention, wonder, and beginner’s mind:
“I’ve often felt like the deeper discipline of poetry is overhearing yourself say things you didn’t want to know about the world, and something that actually emancipates you from the smaller self out into this larger dispensation that you actually didn’t think you deserved.”
Questions
Whyte suggests that asking meaningful questions, especially during challenging times, can guide us towards a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world, ultimately shaping our lives in profound ways.
“And so the ability to ask beautiful questions—often in very un-beautiful moments—is one of the great disciplines of a human life. And a beautiful question starts to shape your identity as much by asking it as it does by having it answered. And you don’t have to do anything about it, you just have to keep asking. And before you know it, you will find yourself actually shaping a different life, meeting different people, finding conversations that are leading you in those directions that you wouldn’t even have seen before.”