Strange Loops and Gestures of Creation, (Pearce, Joseph Chilton)

CITE: Pearce, J. C. Strange Loops and Gestures of Creation). Inner Traditions. 2012

SUMMARY

In this book, Pearce explores the nature of meaning and sense-making,  the nature of creativity and the relationship between creativity and spirituality. He suggests that the human mind is capable of creating meaning through the use of symbols and gestures, and that this process is central to our understanding of the world, it is a fundamental aspect of human nature and that it is linked to our spiritual development. He argues that our ability to create meaning is what sets us apart from other animals and is essential for our survival and well-being.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Pearce explores the nature of meaning and sense-making
• He suggests that the human mind is capable of creating meaning through the use of symbols and gestures
• He argues that our ability to create meaning is essential for our survival and well-being
• He also argues that creativity is not just about art and music but is a way of engaging with the world and bringing something new into existence.
• He suggests that creativity is essential for our spiritual growth and that it is through the act of creation that we can access higher states of consciousness.

SELECTED QUOTES

• “Meaning is not just something we find in the world, it is something we create through our interactions with it” (p. 26).
• “We are not only the self-organizing stuff of the cosmos, we are, more than that, the stuff that knows it is the stuff of the cosmos.” (p. 68)
• “It is in the pursuit of art that the individual transcends the self and the world, and discovers that he or she is more than both.” (p. 72)
• “The creative act is not a giving of form but rather a breaking of form. It is a leap into the void of the unknown, into the realm of chaos, where the very act of creation changes the creator.” (p. 89)
• “We cannot know the nature of the universe until we know the nature of the knower.” (p. 91)
• “The highest function of the brain is not to think but to unthink—to break the glass of thought and leap into the ineffable.” (p. 97)
• “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.” (p. 111)
• “The human mind is not a fixed and finite structure, but a continually evolving, self-generating system.” (p. 115)

 

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