Self-Transformation: The Ancients Were Supremely Advanced

Although I adopt many philosophies and moral codes from various religions, I am a spiritual being with no direct religious affiliation. I must admit that I’m a big fan of the Dalai Lama, and I just finished taking a class called “Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism” (at the University of Michigan) in an effort to better understand his culture and religion.

Let me first say that this class was profoundly interesting, and the professor responsible, Professor Donald Lopez, Jr., was truly world-class. I had no idea that I would learn so much about myself in a class that discussed a culture that was so different from my own.

One of the readings for the class was “The Life of Milarepa.” The author/translator provides an introduction to the book, which draws out many universal Buddhist philosophies, as well as provides a snapshot of the life of the mythical Milarepa, a beloved saint of Buddhism. As I read through the intro, the level of wisdom and insight the ancients had obtained jumped off the page and grabbed my attention. I would like to share one particular piece with you:

“But the sense of self, of ego or I, is not the same thing as
consciousness; it is a form that consciousness takes under certain
conditions which in man are connected with the senses and the complex
organization of forces and substances that make up the human body.
In meditation man seeks to establish a relationship between the sense
of self and consciousness, which is its root and foundation…
…The relationship between consciousness, thought, emotion, and the
stupendous complexity and potentiality of the human body in all its
functions is a subject about which a great deal must be understood
before a person can be accurately guided along the path of
self-transformation. We modern people have special difficulties here
because we have abandoned the mythic language of earlier traditions, a
language that resonated with the deeper mental structures of human
beings according to their hereditary conditioning. Our own language is
scientific, that is to say, based on sensory experience and abstract
generalizations—the latter being a function of the mind, which is
relatively the same in all human beings, unconditioned by innate
forces of feeling and instinct and therefore unresponsive to the truth
and power which these innate forces embody. ”

What does this passage mean to you?

I would love to hear your thoughts.
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About Author

Chris Willitts is an advocate of meditation and strength training, and the founder of Mindful Muscle. He is also a web designer, entrepreneur, and student at the University of Michigan with concentrations in psychology, sociology, business, and Asian studies.

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