My journey through the philosophical realm hasn't been linear. It’s more akin to a trail through a dense forest with turns, detours, and unexpected clearings, with my intellectual compass being a persistent curiosity. The roads I have traveled have been shaped by the works of many great minds, three of whom stand out: Aldous Huxley, Joseph Campbell, and Jiddu Krishnamurti. Each of them has left an indelible imprint on my thoughts and my perception of the world around me.
During a period of exploration and self-discovery in my life, I found myself engrossed in the works of Aldous Huxley. It was a time characterized by my experiments with mind-altering substances, seeking to unearth deeper understandings of consciousness and perception. Huxley, a British intellectual and writer known for his novel "Brave New World," had also ventured into this terrain. His vivid descriptions of his mescaline experiences in "The Doors of Perception" resonated with me. He proposed that our brains function as reducing valves, limiting our awareness to facilitate survival, but at the cost of a broader perception of reality. His encounters with substances that dissolved these barriers felt simultaneously radical and deeply intuitive.
But Huxley wasn't just a literary maverick exploring psychedelic realms; he was also an ardent student of human nature and society. He was drawn to Eastern philosophies and mysticism, and his interest in Jiddu Krishnamurti's philosophy was palpable. Huxley’s writings became a bridge that connected my own explorations with the profound insights of these Eastern philosophies.
As my journey progressed, I stumbled upon the works of Joseph Campbell. I'd been delving into Carl Jung’s theories, fascinated by the collective unconscious and archetypes. Campbell, renowned for his work on comparative mythology and the concept of the "Hero's Journey," seemed like a natural progression. His compelling narratives about universal patterns in myths and stories across cultures provided a fresh perspective on my own life journey. Campbell's ideas reflected Jung’s archetypes but expanded them into the narrative realm, showing how our individual life stories echo these timeless mythic patterns. The personal and the universal were no longer distinct, but interconnected layers of the human experience.
Finally, the teachings of Jiddu Krishnamurti were introduced to me in college, thanks to a professor named Brian Deer. Krishnamurti’s philosophy was unlike anything I had encountered. His emphasis on self-awareness and the need for individuals to free themselves from conditioning was both challenging and enlightening. His declaration that "Truth is a pathless land" was a reminder of the importance of personal discovery and the limitations of second-hand knowledge.
I recently found out that Brian, who used to engage us in stimulating discussions about Krishnamurti, is now a public defender. This made me smile; it somehow makes perfect sense. If Krishnamurti urged us to question our conditioning and liberate ourselves, isn’t that what Brian is doing now, challenging a system that often seems to presume guilt and assisting those who might otherwise be without aid?
The teachings of Huxley, Campbell, and Krishnamurti have shaped the way I view myself and the world around me. Huxley taught me the value of pushing boundaries and challenging the status quo. Campbell showed me the universality of human experience and the potential to find personal meaning in the grand narratives of humanity. Krishnamurti emphasized the importance of self-inquiry, reminding me that the journey towards understanding begins and ends with the self.
In a way, we are all products of our influences, a melting pot of ideas and experiences that shape our worldview. I am grateful for the influence of these three remarkable minds. Their teachings continue to guide me, not as dogmas, but as lights illuminating the path of exploration, a journey with many twists, turns, and no fixed destination. After all, as Krishnamurti said, truth is a pathless land. I guess the joy lies in wandering.