Nice work, Lissa. As I was reading the content, it made me think of the movie Being There with Peter Sellers as Chauncey Gardener. Do you think the Chauncey character was a symbol of the Complete World?
I LOVE that movie. Not many people ever heard of it. Peter Sellers and Shirley McClain. I don't know about Chauncey being a symbol - I haven't seen the movie in decades! (I need to find it and watch it again - one of my favorites).
I like it Lissa. It does seem to sum it all up nicely, doesn't it.
How do you think it specifically relates to LOST?
Wow. That is a simple question that leads to a complicated answer! I'll do my best to answer it as simply as I can but I make no promises!
I think the spiritual journey the struggles have lead our Losties on have changed their characters throughout the last 5 seasons. I think that is part of the purpose of them being there in the first place. I can't help but to feel like they were individually chosen to be there for a specific reason. That reason could be lineage or some other yet to be revealed reason but I think their "brokenness" was part of the reason they were the perfect candidates to play out this struggle on the island as well. I also think the struggles were meant to heal part of that brokenness and our Losties were meant to evolve emotionally and spiritually. I think Lost is a show about a myriad of different things but I think that the crux of it is a battle between all of the things that separate us from one another. My hope is that the conclusion will be about overcoming the things that separate us and finding the common bonds that unite us - one of the tenants of Zen Buddhism as oulined in the last paragraph:
"Zen Buddhism never talks about opposite worlds, never talks about absolute world, never talks about complete world. It only points straight to our mind, to our true self. There is no talk here, no explanation. Only just a swift, direct pointing that cuts through all discriminations. In the history of Zen many people got enlightened as a result of this style of direct pointing and were able to help many people. So in Zen there is no speech, no words, only practicing. Talking about opposite worlds or absolute world or complete world is an intellectual style where more explanation, more analysis becomes necessary. Zen only points to the moment world, the world of this moment. This moment is very important; it has everything in it. In this moment there is infinite time, infinite space; in this moment there is truth, correct life and the Bodhisattva Way. This moment has everything, also this moment has nothing. If you attain this moment, you attain everything."
__________________ "And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make."
Wow. That is a simple question that leads to a complicated answer! I'll do my best to answer it as simply as I can but I make no promises!
I think the spiritual journey the struggles have lead our Losties on have changed their characters throughout the last 5 seasons. I think that is part of the purpose of them being there in the first place. I can't help but to feel like they were individually chosen to be there for a specific reason. That reason could be lineage or some other yet to be revealed reason but I think their "brokenness" was part of the reason they were the perfect candidates to play out this struggle on the island as well. I also think the struggles were meant to heal part of that brokenness and our Losties were meant to evolve emotionally and spiritually. I think Lost is a show about a myriad of different things but I think that the crux of it is a battle between all of the things that separate us from one another. My hope is that the conclusion will be about overcoming the things that separate us and finding the common bonds that unite us - one of the tenants of Zen Buddhism as oulined in the last paragraph:
"Zen Buddhism never talks about opposite worlds, never talks about absolute world, never talks about complete world. It only points straight to our mind, to our true self. There is no talk here, no explanation. Only just a swift, direct pointing that cuts through all discriminations. In the history of Zen many people got enlightened as a result of this style of direct pointing and were able to help many people. So in Zen there is no speech, no words, only practicing. Talking about opposite worlds or absolute world or complete world is an intellectual style where more explanation, more analysis becomes necessary. Zen only points to the moment world, the world of this moment. This moment is very important; it has everything in it. In this moment there is infinite time, infinite space; in this moment there is truth, correct life and the Bodhisattva Way. This moment has everything, also this moment has nothing. If you attain this moment, you attain everything."
i realise it's a tough question, I've been trying to answer it myself in relation to RAW and LOST. So do you think the main characters are going through some sort of trial or test, that if they show through their behaviour enough 'progress' they will achieve.....something?
Do you think that Jacob did not include the losties on his lists but yet touched them all to bring them to the island because he was testing their personal growth or for some other reason?
Do you think that Jacob did not include the losties on his lists but yet touched them all to bring them to the island because he was testing their personal growth or for some other reason?
I don't think he touched them to bring them to the island. Based on the fact that he touched some of them after they had already been to the island.
I think he touched them for a different reason.
If the touch alone was enough to bring them to the island then he wouldn't have had to encourage Hurley.
I don't think he touched them to bring them to the island. Based on the fact that he touched some of them after they had already been to the island.
I think he touched them for a different reason.
If the touch alone was enough to bring them to the island then he wouldn't have had to encourage Hurley.
Because Hurley is different. He is special. If you don't think it had anything to do with bringing them to the island, what do you think it meant?
i realise it's a tough question, I've been trying to answer it myself in relation to RAW and LOST. So do you think the main characters are going through some sort of trial or test, that if they show through their behaviour enough 'progress' they will achieve.....something?
I really have a hard time trying to predict where the story-line is going to go but my best guess would be that their personal growth (character / consciousness evolution, enlightenment, etc.) will allow for them to make a different choice at some point in the future than they would have if they hadn't emotionally evolved. Perhaps accepting that they need to sacrifice themselves for the betterment of others or something along those lines is how it will play a role in the future?
What are your thoughts on the subject, Chester?
Quote:
Originally Posted by notsolost42
Do you think that Jacob did not include the losties on his lists but yet touched them all to bring them to the island because he was testing their personal growth or for some other reason?
I think that Jacob's touching of the Losties at those specific points in their lives only served to solidify the destructive paths they were on in their lives. If Kate was held accountable for stealing the lunchbox, maybe she would have started to make different choices. Instead she began to realize and maybe even expect that she could get away with bad behavior with a little luck if she used her wits or used others to get her way. Sawyer may have let go of the death of his parents and heal himself if he wasn't able to finish writing that letter that he literally carried around with himself until he could settle the score. Etc, etc.....
__________________ "And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make."
Because Hurley is different. He is special. If you don't think it had anything to do with bringing them to the island, what do you think it meant?
Not really sure. I think he knew they would be on the island and the fact he touched Hurley and Sayid after they had already been to the island means he didn't need to get them to the island.
Perhaps endowed them with a special ability, maybe to retain their memory.
Or maybe he tagged them for future or past reference.
I really have a hard time trying to predict where the story-line is going to go but my best guess would be that their personal growth (character / consciousness evolution, enlightenment, etc.) will allow for them to make a different choice at some point in the future than they would have if they hadn't emotionally evolved. Perhaps accepting that they need to sacrifice themselves for the betterment of others or something along those lines is how it will play a role in the future?
What are your thoughts on the subject, Chester?
I think that Jacob's touching of the Losties at those specific points in their lives only served to solidify the destructive paths they were on in their lives. If Kate was held accountable for stealing the lunchbox, maybe she would have started to make different choices. Instead she began to realize and maybe even expect that she could get away with bad behavior with a little luck if she used her wits or used others to get her way. Sawyer may have let go of the death of his parents and heal himself if he wasn't able to finish writing that letter that he literally carried around with himself until he could settle the score. Etc, etc.....
So, okay, we differ on that. But remember, since the first show we have been told that they are all interconnected in some way and were brought to the island for a reason. I took that to mean that they came because of Jacob's influence. It seems that those who did not matter have died off and I would presume they were never touched but were just on the flight.
"And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make."
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