We, as human beings, primarily function due to (and from) causes. The process of thinking (per se) involves cause and effect; we usually do things mentally (with a cause or effect in mind or with a series of causes or effects in mind). Animals also act via cause-and-effect parameters. So, in a big way, we are not much different than other animals. Cause is time. When we function with (and “as”) cause, we function in (and “as”) time. Most of us, just as we were taught for many years, remain very time-bound and time-oriented.
Cause and effect often involve — and consist of — a motive or motives. We want to achieve things and get things, just like many animals. Most of us remain in such domains, without ever deeply inquiring what may be beyond. We usually, without question, remain in cause-and-effect parameters without ever mutating beyond such reactions. Can the mind transcend cause/effect parameters, intelligently existing beyond endless motives? This writer says, “Yes!” Then one doesn’t just react in (and “as”) time. Time has its place. It is often necessary. However, merely clinging to it may be rather childish and crass. Thinking, though often very necessary, is imbued with cause and effect attributes; therefore thinking is time (and takes time). Only if we stay limited do we have to exclusively remain in such a domain.
Many are so conditioned to exist as perpetual “achieving” and “getting,” that they would not even consider the possibility of existing beyond such patterns. Most are stuck in grooves, where they habitually remain. Please consider metamorphosing beyond the norm. Wisely ending conditioning may not depend on any concocted (or habitual) series of endless motives.
Tom's Nature-up-close Photography and Mindfulness Blog 
The intricacies of this bug have me mesmerized! What a photo! Agreed about time as most experience it as linear – but we know that the way we experience time isn’t real – oh, we live and we die making linear time real to people and animals – animals know about dying too – but it’s not that simple what time is is total mystery – experiencing cyclics of time may be more realistic – but even that doesn’t reveal the mystery that somehow incorporates past present future occurring together as time. Thought provoking as usual Tom!
Thank you, Sara. 😊 Yes, it’s a mayfly (of a larger type). They pop out in periodic droves from the nymphs in the river here. The adults only live 24 hours, speaking of time… but it’s all relative. Most people do not understand time (or care to)… kind of like a fish in an aquarium never pondering what it is in or what lies beyond its limited enclosure.
Well Tom do we really know what fish are thinking? (!!!) But as you say most people don’t understand or care to – kind of creepy -yes? That mayfly has the most exquisite wings – oh what a photographer you are!
Do we really know what fish are thinking? Years ago, for a long time, I had a beautiful Tilapia fish in a big aquarium and he would look at me and (when he was hungry) would rapidly open and close his mouth (representing food consumption). He was a very “aware” animal (for a fish).
People eat these in restaurants. No thanks!
Existing beyond parameters! 📐📏📐 I love this Tom, “Most of us, just as we were taught for many years, remain very time-bound and time-oriented.” Hence, we put ourselves in a time capsule, bound with unimaginable limitations that choke our thinking, mobility, and creativity. Very thought-provoking my friend. 🤔💭🤔 Happy Friday! 🌞
Yes, Kym, most of us — actually, pretty much all of us — were taught by elders that, themselves, were brought up in (and by) conditioned systems of limitation. So we are accustomed to look in limited ways and to perceive fragmentarily and only sequentially. Little wonder why human society is in such disorder and chaos. We can flower in understanding and compassion… and do much better. 😉
I probably ponder too much for my own good. Since I live alone, I don’t communicate orally about topics like goals/dreams, or anything else for that matter, with other people on a regular basis, so I likely “overthink” everything.
Do you think animals ponder about us Tom? I certainly do, no matter where they are on the food chain. Birds in particular are a lot smarter than any humans give them credit for. My friend/neighbor Marge passed away in August 2017. She surrounded her home with hummingbird feeders the last few years of her life as she had severe COPD and was tethered to a full-sized oxygen tank the last year or so. Her son lived with her and in her house now and he took away every single feeder after she passed away. The most feeders were in the front garden – since 2017 those hummingbirds go up to the front window where she mostly sat while watching TV. They hover in front of the front window. I put out feeders every year, but this one due to the heat. They never came by, just continued to look for their benefactor in the front window. She would love to know that.
The bug is magnificent with its gossamer wings and bright markings.
It’s good to often ponder serious things, Linda. But constant habitual thinking tends to be robotic and mechanical… and it tends to dull the mind. There has to be a balance. Right now, i mostly live alone and there is a time for pondering and time for silence beyond the symbolic mental noise.
Sure, animals ponder about us… most definitely. Wild birds in the yard often look down observing me… and they seem very curious as to what i’m doing. Sorry about Marge passing and the bird situation afterwards. I don’t feed birds in the yard like i used to because there are too many avian diseases — like Avian Flu — spread by birds being in groups… like around feeders.
To give an example of bird intelligence, When Tweetie Pie,(one of my pet birds), dropped a sweet potato fry instead of eating it, i said, “You are so spoiled.” Immediately, she said to me, “So are you!” When she sees me putting a jacket on, she says, “Are you going to go by-by now?”. This is something she was never taught. If you ask her how she’s doing, she’ll either say, “Pretty good,” “Better,” or “I don’t know.” … all very appropriate answers. 😊