In the past, people would build huge castles (out of fear) to help keep themselves safer in times of conflict. Nowadays, separative countries have their own lethal, engineered defensive mechanisms (which contribute to conflict). Psychologically, most people have built complex mental constructs that are similar to the castles of times past. Inwardly, we have all kinds of beliefs — that were accumulated by conformity and imitation — and we desperately hold onto these beliefs — these structures — because we were convinced that they would protect us. And we walk around like humanoid castles… with thick walls dividing ourselves (or oneself) from others. These very walls (i.e., psychological walls) are not safe. They are of fragmentation, and they breed conflict and dangerous isolationism.
Only limited minds exist in (and “as”) psychological castles. Such limited minds — by natural law — are never in communion with the unlimited (i.e., the sacred). A mind of conformity, a mind of imitation, a mind of isolation and fears, can “fit into society” just fine. But such “fitting in” is not life, is not living, is not deep intelligence.
Tom's Nature-up-close Photography and Mindfulness Blog 
I often wish they (we, people) taught this in schools these days! And I mean.. especially these days.
Yes, Nicole, it is sorely needed. In school, they emphasize the wrong things (because the educators themselves were miseducated).
Wow so beautiful and amazing eyes macro! Lucky you Tom!
Many thanks, Marcela! 😊
That’s quite the macro shot Tom. The grasshopper’s suit of armor pairs perfectly with the psychological suit of armor humans also “suit up” in.
Yes, you got it, Linda! That’s why i picked the photo. 65 degrees here tomorrow. 😊
It was perfect Tom. You were 10 degrees warmer than we were today. It was a nice treat, wasn’t it? I went on a long walk, got the car washed and I hated to come inside. It would be nice to turn a corner and be done with the snow/ice and cold, but we’ve both been around long enough to know that won’t happen.
I raked leaves yesterday, Linda. It was so warm and nice out. I think i overdid things a bit (with still recovering from the pancreatitis), but the work needed to be done. The Oak leaves seem to be never ending!
I was wondering if you were feeling 100% yet Tom. I’m sorry to hear that healing up is taking so long. My neighbor had pancreatitis and couldn’t lift anything for a long time. I know the first nice days of Spring are hard to resist going out and working in the yard. One year, I went out on a mid-March day and thought I was done until I was ready to plant and then we had an April Fool’s Day snowstorm!
I am healing very nicely, Linda. But i still have some noticeable (infrequent) discomfort in the stomach area… as the pseudocyst is still shrinking and not gone. The yard work involved carrying buckets of leaves which i probably should not have done, since i had stomach discomfort/mild pain afterwards. It’s hard sometimes to not do things when things need to be done.
Well, that’s good you see improvement Tom. Yes, yard work is hard work, even when it’s just leaves as it involves a lot of bending especially. Snow shoveling is another thing entirely. I hope we’re done with it for this season, for your sake and mine.
Are you saying that castles are the opposite of safe? The house I live in has walls. I keep the things I value inside: my wife and kids, my possessions, my relaxation time. I think logically with my mind. I don’t let in or accept just anything. And I don’t let others shape my thinking without, you know, thinking.
I don’t understand this post at all. Should we completely rebel against the thinking of the past? What would you say we should replace it with? Are old ways of thinking about the world inherently unhelpful? Is it bad to divide and separate ourselves from ANYONE, even the worst in our societies?
I understand where you are coming from, Noah. You are new to this blog and what i am writing must seem strange (and wrong) here.
I never said that castles of the past were unsafe… or that the walls of your house are not needed. That would be ludicrous. But too many of us perceive almost exclusively with separation and division. And i’m not implying that one should psychologically mesh with some sociopath, criminal, or nut-case.
But go outside and just look at a beautiful tree without labeling it. Just look without the space between you and the tree. Walls are necessary, but too many of us have tons of psychological walls (involving dead, computer-like frames full of fragmentation and limitation).
Thanks for your cordial response.
What is a tree? (I know what it is, and I know you know what it is, but if I am not supposed to label it… how can I identify it?)
Of course, we know that the tree is a tree. But to look at it — really look at it — without merely labeling it and then carrying on with your day… that may be the beginning of something special. A lot of people look through (and “as”) a screen of dead labels, and they then often see rather mechanically/robotically. Many of us take the symbols to be reality. The word “tree” is not the tree. And a lot of people mentally label them as mere “trees” and don’t really take the time to actually look at them; they pass them by.