Another discussion prompt

It's that time again! Time to open the floor to another new thought.

"Fetch wood, carry water.
Gain enlightenment.
Fetch wood, carry water."

Agree with it? Explain why. Disagree? In what way. Don't really understand what it even means? Ask about where it confuses you. Makes perfect sense? Describe what it means to you. Does it inspire a thought that has no direct link? Share it anyways. There are no wrong answers. ...No 'right' ones either. Just ponder what it means to you and share what it inspires.

The previous prompt, for those who may have missed it, is here;

https://www.spellsofmagic.com/read_post.html?post=962444

Login or Signup to reply to this post.

You pose an interesting prompt. "Fetch wood, carry water", I believe is the unenlightened mind. While not necessarily unintelligent, it is simple. When there are tasks to be completed, do you really have time for much more? "Gain enlightenment", means exactly that. A certain degree of awareness has been reached, and the individual perhaps has increased intelligence in some respect. Phycologists have postulated that intelligent or even simply more aware people are more depressed than less intelligent or aware people due to their ability to process the 'evils' of the world. "Fetch wood, carry water', repeats again because the individual cannot bare the weight of enlightenment, and has reverted back to their original state of living.

Huh... I've actually never considered it in that way before. It sounds very re.iniscent of Plato and his allegory of the cave. Where unenlightened people are basically only able to see and understand life on a basic level. Like flickers of light against a wall. What you see and nothing more.

And enlightenment is realizing those flickers on the wall must be coming from somewhere, so you climb your way back through the cave to find out the source. You go into unfamiliar darkness, navigate unknown territory, work and climb, then finally reach the surface to behold the sun- which is blindingly and painfully bright after living in darkness. It is painful and the world is expansive and it is all an overwhelming experience. Many turn back and shun that light. Only some remain long enough to acclimate to it and behold the wonders it brings. (There's a lot more to that allegory, but these are the main bits that apply here.)

My own interpretation of 'Fetch wood' is a lot more basic actually. To me it represents the idea that spiritual growth does not absolve physical necessity. You begin with mundane life (Fetch wood, carry water.) And through life you learn and become spiritual (gain enlightenment). But you are still living in the world, and still need to attend life's responsibilities. You continue to Fetch wood, carry water. Just now with understanding.

To me it is about remaining grounded, and realizing that we may be spirit, but we live within reality. A lesson I find many beginning practitioners really lose sight of. As a very large portion of new-agers, witches, otherkin, heck any religion or practice really, begin their path looking for a means to escape from some form of responsibility in life.