“As we read the school reports on our children,
we realize a sense of relief that can rise to delight that – thank Heaven – nobody is reporting in this fashion on us.”
– J. B. Priestly

Diana enjoyed the many games at Main Event.
Ordinary happiness is a feeling that has an object
– for example, a happy event, winning a prize,
or wearing pretty new shoes.
But, If the issue of your happiness ceases to be an issue,
You may find it.
The problem with ordinary happiness is that it never lasts.
A happy event is soon followed by a sad one.
Most of us go through life looking for things to “make us happy.”
But this “fix” is never permanent,
so we keep looking.
We think of happiness
as something that floats
in and out of our lives.
The Rev. Dr. Nobuo Haneda,
a Jodo Shinshu priest and teacher,
said that “If you can forget your individual happiness,
that’s happiness defined.
If the issue of your happiness ceases to be an issue,
that’s the happiness”.
One word for “happiness”
from the early Pali texts is piti,
which is a deep tranquility.
Perhaps,
We have assumed it was
something else.

We enjoyed bowling.
And now, for my students in Philosophy, I share a bit of knee-deep philosophical reflection from
Franklin F. Wolff, an American mystic, poet, philosopher, and mathematician, who combined an extraordinary intellect with profound mystical insight and a mathematically induced predilection toward meticulous analysis. Wolff devoted himself to the goal of transcending the normal limits of human consciousness. (So here I sit in front of a variety of references, including a wictionary, pictionary, yes, let’s make it a game, dictionary and what in the world is that-icktionary. You may need help too.)
Please do not return to class and tell me you thought so deeply about this and now your head hurts, again. My job is get you to use your head for something other than testing new shampoos. Remember, according to sub atomic particle physics, if you stop thinking, you, along with the rest of the Universe, may consequentially not exist. Einstein wondered if the moon would really disappear if everyone stopped looking at it – seriously! See you on the flip side of reflection.
If you survive reading this, I will award you an Honorary Nth Degree, a mathematically specious solecism, to convey the message that your thought processes have been raised to an absurdly high level (or possible that you are confused too!). Enjoy . . . .
The Philosophy of Franklin Merrell-Wolff
by Thomas J. McFarlane
read more here
Wolff graduated from Stanford University in 1911 with a major in mathematics and minors in philosophy and psychology. He then went on to Harvard graduate school to study philosophy, where he was particularly influenced by the study of Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason. As a result of his philosophical studies, Wolff became convinced of the probable existence of a transcendent mode of consciousness that could not be comprehended within the limits of our ordinary forms of knowledge. Prior to completing his degree at Harvard, he returned to Stanford to teach mathematics. read more here
OK. Sit down and get really comfortable. If you fall asleep, it’s alright. I did. Now I shall attempt to help you navigate through the verbage (verbiage is, perhaps, more technically correct, but that’s verbage too). The overabundance or superfluity of words may heighten your anxiety, but keep focused. Pretend you are on safari and the machete of your mind is clearing a path. Set your alarm clock and wake up from time to time, and continue this voyage into the unbelievable and unknown. Clutch the arms of your chair, breathe deeply and hang on!
The Double Slit Experiment is an experiment in Quantum Physics in which the effects were shown by Thomas Young way back in 1803, but since has been proven even more strange by many others. It’s power truly reveals a mind-altering view of the world and how we affect it. read more
The Double Slit Experiment shows us that
we create reality
just by observing it.
Subatomic material will take every possible path at the same time as a wave when not observed. When observed, the particle collapses down to one point as a particle. What can this mean about us? Do we all have powers that we are not aware of? What it does seem to prove is that we create reality by observing it.
With that depth of understanding, Franklin Merrell-Wolff postulates the following: (Here is where you take a really deep breath.)
“Reality is inversely proportional to appearance”. In other words, the degree of the true substance or reality is the inverse or opposite of the degree of ponderability.

Lazer Tag was everyone’s favorite.
Thus, concrete objects of experience, which have a high degree of ponderability, are the least substantial. Subtle or abstract objects of experience, on the other hand, which are less ponderable, partake of a higher degree of substantiality and reality.
The effect of this insight upon Wolff was an acceptance of substantial reality, where the senses reported emptiness, and a greater capacity to realize unreality in the material given through the senses. (Hang in there. It gets deeper.)
Thus, Liberation does not necessarily involve any new object of experience or change in the content of consciousness. To seek such a new object or experience, therefore, is a mistake. Genuine Realization, therefore, is a recognition of Nothing – but a Nothing that is absolutely Substantial and identical with the SELF. (You may need a nap about now.)
It is a nondual knowledge of identity that transcends space and time.
(Here is where you may decide to be happy and major in History. Then you can have faith that the past really happened and was not an illusion. You are going to need comforting thoughts.)
Some of the effects Wolff experienced were:
(1) A shift in the base of reference in consciousness, transplanting the roots of identity from the relative to the transcendent,
(2) a transformation of the meaning of self – to a space-like identity with the entire field of consciousness and all its contents,
(3) a sense of penetrating knowledge into the depths of reality,
(4) a transcendence of space, time, and causality,
(5) complete freedom and liberation from all bondage. Experienced were qualities of joy, felicity, serenity, peace, and benevolence.

Wyatt and Gavin played many games.
(Now, I need to rest.)
Tension consisted in the contrast in valuation between the superlative Joy, Peace, Rest, Freedom and Knowledge of the Transcendent and the emptiness of the relative world.
Three Fundamentals of the Philosophy
of Franklin Merrell-Wolff
1. Consciousness is original, self-existent, and constitutive of all things. All experience and all objects are derivative from Consciousness. Thus Consciousness is constitutive of all things, i.e., all things are, in their ultimate nature, nothing but this Primordial Consciousness itself.
2. The Subject to Consciousness transcends the object of Consciousness. A concrete object in consciousness might be a visual perception of a chair or a sensation of pain in our foot. More subtle objects are appearances in consciousness such as a thought or memory, an intuition about something,
The subjective principle or aspect of consciousness is more fundamental to consciousness than the objective appearances in consciousness. The subjective principle is therefore transcendental, while the objective principle is not.
3. There are three, not two, organs of knowledge: perception, conception, and introception. Wolff’s philosophy is an affirmation of a third way of knowing which Wolff calls “introception”.
Perception includes all sensory knowledge we derive from seeing, hearing, feeling, smelling, and tasting.

We learned to space out our meals, so to speak.
Conception includes all knowledge we derive from thought, memory, imagination, and the like. If we admit only these two forms of knowledge, then our knowledge of reality is forever limited to our hypothetical, conceptual speculations about what reality might be.
Introception provides immediate, categorical knowledge that transcends the subject-object distinction, i.e., it is not a relational knowledge of something by something else, but a knowledge through identity in which there is only knowledge itself that includes and transcends both knower and known. It affirms that there is also a capacity for transcendental knowledge. (Where is a good Buddhist when you need one?)
(Please do not disturb me, I may be in a trance.)
Put on your thinking caps. Here are Highlights from The Philosophy of Consciousness Without An Object by Franklin Merrell-Wolff |
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Please allow me to share this stunningly beautiful poem with you:
Compassion
by Franklin Merrell-Wolff
O Compassion! More than the other loves of men,
Less than the High Indifference;
Calmly standing by and waiting; years, centuries, millennia;
Taking to Thyself the suffering of all;
Transforming toward Joy;
With Light restraining Darkness; with good, evil;
Refusing release while others are bound;
Melting differences;
Accepting impurity, giving purity;
Bound by no law, yet acquiescing in bondage;
Available for all as the light of the sun,
Yet forced on no man against his will;
Needing nought for Thyself,
Though giving to all in need;
The Base of all hope for this humanity so low;
Pure Radiance Divine.
Sweet art Thou, unutterably sweet;
Melting within me all hardness;
Stirring inclusion of the low as the high;
The evil as the good; the weak as the strong;
The unclean as the pure; the violent as the considerate;
None left out;
Awaking new understanding and patience beyond Time;
Arousing forgetfulness of the petty in the grand sweep of the noble;
Equalizing regard, yet exalting true worth;
Reaching beyond all contradiction.
To Thee I sing, glorious Spirit;
Grandest God mankind can know.
— — —
Other web sites related to Franklin Merrell-Wolff:
The Franklin-Merrell-Wolff Website
The Franklin-Merrell-Wolff Fellowship
Friends of Franklin-Merrell-Wolff group on FaceBook
Franklin Merrell-Wolff – Consciousness Without An Object Discussion Group on Google Groups
Franklin-Merrell-Wolff on Wikipedia
Well, this has been a little deeper than the knee is high. But now you have the mathematicians bent on things. Aren’t you glad you had trouble with Algebra. If you get too deep in some of these subjects, you may find yourself all alone and then have nothing to do but think. Now, get some sleep. And if your head is hurting tomorrow, stop reading philosophy and watching television for awhile. Later, you can view some commercials and not realize that you are still in pain.
From: Christina Reiter, M.S., R.D.
Resident consulting dietitian at the University of Colorado–Boulder Wardenburg Health Center for Nutrition Education and Therapies.
What we eat and how we feel are linked in very complex ways. A healthy approach to eating is centered on savoring flavor, eating to satisfaction and increasing energy, rather than focusing on weight.
Get satisfaction!
Both eating and physical activity are fun, sensory experiences! In both, aim for pleasure — not pain.
Eat like a kid
If adding more fruits and vegetables sounds ominous, look to “finger food” versions that preschool kids love — carrot and celery sticks, cherry tomatoes, broccoli florets, grapes, berries and dried fruits. All are nutritional powerhouses packed with antioxidants.
Think Small
Often the biggest deterrent to improving health is feeling overwhelmed by all the available advice and research. Try to focus first on one small, seemingly inconsequential, unhealthy habit. If you have a can of soda at lunchtime every day, have a glass of water two days a week instead. healthy, positive habit.
It’s easy to build from here by adding more healthy substitutions.
FRIDAY TRIP
For Friday Feb. 20, 2015
Due to popular demand, we will meet at 10:00 a.m. at ROLLERLAND WEST, located at 7325 Calmont Avenue –Telephone: 817-244-8290. At approximately 11:15 a.m. will we will travel to At approximately 11:00 a.m. we will travel to La Madeleine Country French Café to enjoy lunch. Following lunch we will travel back to the school to work on our Shakespeare production with Director, George Rodriguez.
Pickup will be at 3:15 p.m. at the school.
Emergency Tele.: 682-777-1908
Please call and let us know if you will be late.
Students are NOT to leave Rollerland or the restaurant
without the approval of Dr. or Mrs. Anderson.
FINANCIAL: Rollerskating $10.00 (Please pay Dr. A.) and please provide funds for lunch.
Refreshments available: Yes!
Uniform pants with a belt & red monogrammed school shirts are required.
PARENTS / FRIENDS / NEIGHBORS, are always invited to participate on our trips.
IMPORTANT DATES:
Feb. 1 Tuition Deposits were Due for 2015-16
Mar. 9-13 Spring Break Holidays
April 3 & 6 (Fri. & Mon.) Easter Holidays
April 28 Scarborough Renaissance Festival (Drama Competition is “Twelfth Night”)
May 4 & 5 (Mon. & Tues.) Anderson School Theatrical Production “Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare” at Stage West Theater
“I’ll walk in the rain by your side,
I’ll cling to the warmth of your tiny hand.
I’ll do anything to help you understand,
and I’ll love you more than anybody can.
And the wind will whisper your name to me,
little birds will sing along in time.
Leaves will bow down when you walk by
and morning bells will chime.”
– John Denver
Please visit this (William’s) Weblog at andersonschool.net for trip details posted each Wednesday at 6:00 p.m.
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