Projections of the Past and the Future

Can feelings be duplicated?

Can a moment “lived” in the past be recreated?

“Past” is a social construct – and so is the Future. The Present, most of the times, is seen in relation with the Past or the Future.

A fond memory is only “felt” in retrospection while being situated in the Present. This feeling of fondness, stability, innocence and carefreeness  – comes only in comparison with the Present feeling of conflict, pressure, anxiety, hurriedness, dilemma of the Present. Hence Past is felt as a comparison of the Present and the imaginary Future. If one was to turn the clock back and go to the Past, the Past will become Present and will be accompanied with its own set of feelings related to that age/ time. Being young, most people, can’t decode feelings or the impressions that happen on their minds. In short, Past is as much imaginary as is the Future!

Similarly, Future is yet to arrive. Probability of possible outcomes or scenarios of the Future generates a feeling of uneasiness, anxiety in the Present. If we act according to those feelings, anticipating a possible Future according to what we wish, the Future on arrival (that is when it actually is felt as being Present) may be perceived completely different, since the circumstances and ‘we’ as phenomenon have changed beyond our assumptions set in the distant Present (now the Past).

In any moment therefore, the effort to recreate a Past or to aim for a stable Future seems futile….a figment of our imagination, and we keep running to achieve a stable or a permanent or a peaceful moment!

Notice that above seems to be a trick of the mind – inherently unstable. If this is to be accepted as the default nature of the mind, then we may be in a better position to find the answer of experiencing a peaceful state of mind. This leads to the idea of full acceptance of the Present and full involvement of any kind of thought that passes the mind. Note that the thought is going to come and go – so let it come and let it go. By coming and filling the internal space, a thought generates a series of other effects that compels you to take action, which in turn generate other thoughts and the cycle continues.

By coming and going, we imply action, but not entertainment or clinging to it. We also imply unburdening of the Past or Future projections.

If done with this awareness, perhaps our lived experience will give us more joy.

A-criticalness in one’s actions

For many years, and even in the continuing grips of existence, many times I feel the urge to make my intentions “explicit” to people for establishing the emphasis of pure action and honest point of view. It is also done, because feedbacks are taken personally and there seems to be a danger that if one doesn’t indicate one’s intention clear, it is subjected to multiple interpretations – finally leading to mistrust or suspicion. I have my own internal devils to manage – amongst them is this notion of self doubt. This self doubt tendency urges me to reconsider my actions multiple times and to ensure if I have been understood ‘correctly’ by people. It is difficult to ‘justify’ this tendency….a tendency that seems to compel some of my actions, or concerns or the knowledge that I seek to harness for pacifying this tendency. Over the years, with more knowledge, it should have pacified this urge and made me ‘sober’ – However it has remained the same and as I keep getting more knowledge, more doubts get generated!

Generally then, we are dealing with the nature of perception and conception – how one chooses to read the environment and respond subsequently. We have a whole lot of philosophy that tries to deal with this question of existence. The question is – what is that basic ‘trigger’ that your mind keeps generating, leading to a continuous series of thoughts and therefore action?

The trigger of self doubt used to compel me to be as explicit as possible. Previously I wasn’t, worrying that people won’t understand me (an assumption?) or they will misunderstand me (a perception?). One fine day, I decided to be explicit to the deepest core of my being – that too got subjected to a lot of debate and analysis by people….which again proved hurtful. I am beginning to understand what seems to be the issue – a ‘tendency’ can’t be completely expressed and neither is it the indicator of one’s being.  Tendencies may be favorable or unfavorable to the same person at different time and places. Your tendencies may be favorable or unfavorable to different people at the same moment of time. So the entire thing is relative. The idea of ‘proving’ one’s actions to everyone at all times appears burdensome and unnecessary  - since no amount of justification about one’s self is going to satisfy anyone (even yourself) at all times.

Hence, tendencies need to be managed. They mean that our mind is fluid, all dimensions of thoughts are possible and we remain bounded by the mind-body phenomenon. In this phenomenal world, we continuously react, respond, justify, analyze, debate, conclude and decide on the action. Justifying your identity or explicitness of your behavior cannot include the ‘complete’ nature of reality – a combination of phenomenon and the consciousness beyond place + time. The more we understand the relationship of the phenomenal world to the ‘world beyond’, our acceptance of the phenomenal world increases.

So, we choose to understand the nature of this world – which includes us. Understanding comes through perception and action. Certain conclusions may be formed such as –

1.       We will continue to ‘cling’ to this existence – and it will include a whole range of thoughts – good to evil. It is a matter of disciplining oneself that majority of the times, we remain anchored in good thoughts.

2.       What you see is only phenomenal. This phenomenal world is the gateway to the ‘beyond’. Hence, what ‘I’ am or what ‘you’ are – are mere phenomena.

3.       ‘Identification’ or clinging takes place in the phenomenal world. What we are subjected to – is this phenomenon. Why crib, why blame, why be angry and for what?

4.       Since we are compelled to identify with this world, we are bound to experience pain in moments of change/ crisis.

5.       Therefore, the motive of our action in this world ought to move our understanding towards – refinement, understanding this pattern of existence, and being stable under any phenomenal change.

6.       By this motive, we may remain a-critical of the phenomenon.

Memory

There are many starting points to discuss the role of memory and to decode it. As a part of existence, memory gets created to make sense of the world, so one needs to accept and embrace its existence.

The question that this article seeks to explore, is how can memory lead to an increased awareness of environment and finally to achieve a transcendental state of mind - beyond space and time itself? Thus, we are looking at the ability of human beings to evolve into higher states of mind.

Existence is all about taking a particular "position" in the dimensions of Space and Time OR being aware of the "boundary" (or social constructs) we create for ourselves. Anything that lies beyond Space-Time dimension may be said as pure consciousness or a void or a pattern. The moment 'we' take a 'form' of existence (plant/animal/ human being), we start to construct a mental reality - which we call mind or a series of thoughts. These thoughts inform our imagination of the world and may offer some glimpse of consciousness that we all are a part of. Therefore, there are discussions about the concepts of "Maya" (illusion) or "falsehood" (rejecting desires) or "Dharma" (rightfulness) or "Dhyaan" (meditation) - all concerned with achieving transcendental state of mind that goes beyond our most fundamental boundary - our own body.

So body may be seen as a "tool" to take us to higher states of expansiveness  -and NOT as a constraint.

Thus, memory begins to be created (in a particular body) through our senses when we are born. Touch, smell, sound, taste, sight, breadth.....all such aspects are made sense of by our own mind and we begin to feel the environment. Since we are rarely in a position to question such signals, the effect of environment on us is immediate and profound. Therefore, a good and a caring environment is instrumental for a healthy growth of an individual.

As we grow, the faculties of thought start to use dimensions of observation, comparison to make decisions. This leads to preferring a particular behaviour pattern and incidences. This further creates memories - good or painful.

i think the main conflict that rises on account of memory - is the conflict of separateness (as a body) over connection with universal consciousness.

As we evolve and see ourselves as a part of a larger pattern of events - (history, culture, society, geography, archaeology, ecology, ecosystems) - we realize that our body is just incidental....it need not be seen as something to cling on or which is of ultimate truth. Truth is far more comprehensive and we expand our mind to that level of awareness.

Why do we do this? We do this because we wish to reach that state of mind which remains steady and blissful - beyond thought or feelings. As our memory expands to consider the idea of ecosystems, we start to move beyond memory itself!

Our actions subsequently reflect this awareness.

Idea of Connect

Idea of Connect

This is not a new idea that is being expressed here. Concerns regarding this idea have been expressed since a long time in India. The intention of writing this article is a suggestion to apply this idea in academics - or precisely, architectural education.

The article starts with a concern that is felt regarding contemporary situation which is probably present in most architectural colleges. It then proceeds to express the effect of our environment on the idea of connection. The article further mentions some personal experiences that the author had felt in a foreign environment. Finally, the article would suggest approaches that can be followed for major subjects in architectural education.

The central concern that I wish to state here, is the rate of change and the nature of change that seems to affect the psychological environment of the individual. Students seem to be exposed to increasing levels of information exposure from various medias or platforms - most common among them are by mobile and television and radio infrastructural resources. Information through such platforms is extremely fragmented, false, ever changing, instant  - conveying a sense of "noise" and a total disregard to understand the overall picture of physical and existential environment. Why do they seem to rely so much on the internet or other online medias for navigating through life or make decisions? This question has a relation to whether the younger generation seem to engage itself in "real time" with their extended families and elders? The question is what are they observing from their immediate environment, how and from where are they getting signals and how do they seem to interpret these signals? It will be clear as one thinks deeper, that they seem to be getting or relying more on virtual environment since the real environment doesn't seem to critically engage them - maybe because their parents don't have much time, or due to pressures of earning, or nuclear families or many other environmental issues. It is observed that students are constantly made to perform numerous "tasks" as they grow up and perhaps very little time is given for self analysis or review or even to entertain a critical thought. Are we only producing followers? this is a complex issue, but summarily I can say that the impact of the environment is manifesting in terms of highly individualized routines of individuals, lack of time to understand oneself and the environment.

Following things seem to be compromised by 'us' as a society:

The idea of being empathetic or connected with people and environment around us. Thus, it is worthwhile to think about this fundamental need to connect and the required processes undertaken to achieve this feeling. Do we connect with people by casual talk, by observing, by doing things ourselves, by planning and engaging oneself collectively? Can we begin to see relationships, activities, and even those technological inputs that make or break our connect with the environment? Do we connect by sharing ideas, concerns or values and if yes, whether these variables in turn dependent on the nature of our environment? And finally, how such connections or empathy generate profound memories and expressions of those memories on the physical environment? Again, is the nature of memory/ connect/ empathy also related to the extent of 'time' we give to the person/ process/ activity? What seems to be at stake here is our natural tendency to hear or listen, empathize and respond to our environment. The qualities and feelings that get generated in the individual are one of isolation, anxiety, stress, depression, loneliness, arrogance, aloofness, coldness - to name a few. Collectively, such qualities result in abuse of the self and the environment.

My personal experience in Vancouver, Canada suggests that society has transformed completely into being a collection of individuals who have nothing in common with any other person. This reflects in the way any kind of urban and architectural space is imagined and used by people. As the idea of individualism goes on getting more and more weight, the need for multipurpose, multiuse, flexible, spontaneous, ambiguous spaces would be increasingly questioned and perhaps erased completely from collective memory itself! This state of existence has already arrived in parts of 'Developed' or 'Advanced' Nations and is also making a way in our urban environments where tried and tested ideas of empathy with Nature or appropriateness or frugalness or community itself are increasingly sabotaged by vested individual interests. Comfort for mankind is also dependent in acknowledging the dependence on Nature and working as a part of the 'community'. What we may be losing is a sense of mental comfort by being disconnected with our environment that comprises of people and Nature.

If this is a concern (of disconnect) that requires acknowledgement and reestablishing the 'connect' is to be seen as a priority of today and for tomorrow's generation, then how can our academic environment help to endorse this idea? Following can be seen as approaches by which various subjects may be seen -

A) Design - Considered as a melting pot of all knowledge systems it therefore becomes essential to see the overall picture of the environment. The framing of design questions therefore need to push students towards interacting with different communities, living with them, decoding the absorbed experiences and slowly interpreting ideas of multipurpose, multiuse spaces through design. This can be complemented by showing appropriate examples of architecture done by people.

B) history and humanities - This can be seen from the point of view of environment, ecology, geography, behavioral science and of course architecture. This is one subject that demonstrates a link between the individual to the community and the environment. By laying emphasis on this subject, students may realize that architectural form making is an act that is informed by concerns larger than the immediate self or the client. Appropriate reading, writing and debates may help to strengthen the theme.

C) Research in Architecture and Thesis - Questions and projects addressing social, cultural, environmental concerns may be encouraged. Relevant modes of analysis need to be discovered to strengthen the concern.

D) Building Technology - The act of doing needs to be critically looked at - in terms of how do people decide, plan? How do they mobilize resources and from where? How are materials assembled and what is the maintenance of the building itself? Can we see technology from a contextual perspective and can the process of imagining and building be seen as a conscious intent to develop empathy among all?

Space

From Space

Light, air, sound, water, fire

existence

perception

intent

 

glimpse, movement, enclosure

Scale, proportion, axis, symmetry, volume, mass, shape

Colour, texture, openings, planes, materials

Architecture

To Meaning

Only an ‘Opinion’?

Whether one does this or does that – is perceived only as an ‘opinion’!

 This is what our consciousness has come to! AS if terms such as environment, sustenance, flexibility, or anything that is verbalized – can be seen as a matter of “choice”! Truth itself can be an ‘opinion’!

The above tendency reflects an idea of “context” at an infinitesimal scale. A fleeting moment and all the reality embedded only in the moment. The connections are lost or untainable….continuity is redundant….concerns of change or adaptation hold little meaning in this world. By extension, anything about memory, culture, history, feelings (from memory), lose their existence as a long term phenomena.

In such a state of mind that we see everywhere, what does one agree to? All voices are true and false at the same time. ‘I’ can say whatever I like because saying has got a strong validity – whether its right or wrong (in authentic terms) is a secondary issue here! I feel we end up creating “noise” – unstructured/ fragmented/ fleeting and nonsense. Try to see that this external noise - is it an indicator of the ‘internal’ noise?

If one attempts to see above tendencies that are getting generated in the mind, the question is to how does one start to make the mind calm? How does it slow down? And how does it connect to other minds or thoughts or feelings – how is empathy generated? What is the nature of association with the phenomena? Continuous reminding oneself of above questions may lead to the discovery of the consciousness present in all of us. Herein, space + time are seen as existential contexts and ALSO having a dimension of transcendence. The thoughts, processes, articulation and products then generate “music”. Here, we are concerned with what is Truth? And this Truth makes everything in cosmos. It no longer remains a matter of ‘opinion’ – since opinion is contextual/limited. Truth is Truth – It only IS.

Improvement and Burden

I think the concern of improving oneself, being more productive, having a direction, being methodical, rational, has got to do with controlling the mind in some ways.

To doubt oneself and be stuck in the past is of little use. Doubting for the sake of understanding the nature of life is fine. However, to continuously consider oneself 'incomplete' is a tendency of the  mind that requires some monitoring/ supervision/ control.

We remain incomplete from the boundary of mind-body. The void is going to generate thoughts and with thoughts - there is imagination. Imagination has an effect. One can't avoid the effect of thoughts on oneself. Again, the urge to think is unstoppable and therefore, the urge to act. Is urge based on fear? Does it only exist?

If it is possible to change the nature of urge from 'fear' to just existence, the entire nature of imagination changes. And that's the only reality we ought to be concerned with. If that doesn't change, then whatever one does, is doing nothing more than expressing fear in sophisticated ways. And if one expresses fear, one gets it in return too!

A lot of effort is based on techniques, positive actions and thoughts and so on. The real effort is to see the pattern of thoughts and change the pattern to pure sharing/ love/compassion/ expansion. Start by offering something or by giving. Start by considering that one has abundant reservoir of positive energy to be shared and for encouragement with others. The attachment with situations, things, people, work, will thereby start to diminish.

Diminishing attachment means making one's mind extremely "light" and fluid and unbounded with space-time.

Pain, suffering, past, complexities, opinions, judgments are a burden that we carry. The burden comes with separation, considering us unique in the space-time dimension and the urge to be perfect arises.

Removing this clutter of baggage holds the key to lighten the mind.