Monday, March 22, 2010

Embracing Infinite Surprise

Although playing infinitely is easy, defining how to play infinitely is much more difficult (this too, is a game). One does not ‘become’ an infinite player, since becoming asserts an expected result or outcome and infinite games have no outcome and result in many things…

…but nothing expected.

You could not say “I am an infinite player,” (like some claim "I am awakened") since this assumes an outcome achieved at a specific point in time, thereby, asserting a past in which there was NOT infinite play. Nevertheless, this before/after, time-oriented claim is taken very seriously by other finite players.

We all play life-games and life is ONLY experienced in relationship to the games we play along with other players. You can play the game of police officer, husband, homeowner, father, mother, employee, neighbor, intellectual, victimizer, soldier, blogger, sportsman, dreamer, criminal, middle aged, patient, collector, TV watcher, bum, internet forum participant, wife, meditater, mentally ill, divorced, stock broker, victim, guru, president, dying, truth seeker, etc, etc, etc. You could play all these games and more. Most of us engage in numerous games, however, we do not play infinitely, because ‘play’ denotes a lack of serious intent and, to the contrary, we take our games very seriously.

Your guru would never claim that he is ‘playing’ at being a guru. He is the “guru” and expects the audience (devotees) take that very seriously. 

Everything you do demands an outcome. You do nothing without a reason. Even play asserts an expectation of "fun," (or not "work") thereby, imposing an expectation as to what can be experienced by adopting a concept ("play") as the experience itself.

In this way, what you experience is conceptualized and can be no more than what you expect it to be. You will always have what you expect, but no more than that.

Outcomes and results unconsciously place finite parameters upon the mind, because expectations channel intention limiting the possibility of 'surprise.' All experiences are bounded by expectation and ALL expectation is the sum of past experiences. The egocentric mind is incarcerated by the past and all it's experiences must be defined from those boundaries. You will never seek other than what is expected and even the ego's concept of "surprise" is based on a repertoire of expectations through which it can claim to experience surprise.

Infinite players learn to be deeply and fully aware of their expectations and constantly move beyond them by never accepting what they expect.

To be infinitely surprised is beyond expectation...

So forget about it..


Artwork by Robert Craig - "What Would Jesus Drink"

8 comments:

  1. Wow, a powerful posting! A a great last few lines to hit the point home hard.

    I hadn't really thought that much about expectation and surprise before. In the search for awakening, there is a desire to be infinitely surprised, which is a nonsense of course.

    Do you ever write about decision and choices? Do you think free will exists?

    Check out my blog if you have a sec. Thank you.
    ps - great image!

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  2. Ah! Those expectations...one of my favourite themes.

    I especially like the secret expectations that don't emerge until they're not met! Even that is unexpected fun.

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  3. No One,

    "secret"? Nothing's secret...the ego experiences everything it expects (even secrets).

    Thanks,
    mikeS

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  4. Hey Shamash,

    "In the search for awakening, there is a desire to be infinitely surprised, which is a nonsense of course."

    Hmmm...not so sure...because if one expects infinite surprise...

    ...one would not be involved in any "search for awakening."

    Great blog by the way!
    mikeS

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  5. My ego is tricky! A labyrinthe subconscious, capable of, amongst other things, repressing the memories of a rape...until they came back as very unsubtle PTSD flashbacks.

    However, secret expectations arising as surprises are neither here nor there. The ego gets on with it...there's nothing here to take it all to heart or mind, to need anything to validate it. It is. Doesn't bother "me" a bit. It can do as it likes! And does.

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  6. "However, secret expectations arising as surprises are neither here nor there."

    "Secret expectations"? If it's expected, then there's no secret about that.

    "Doesn't bother "me" a bit. It can do as it likes! And does."

    Good for you, dear....however, others may be bothered....who are we to tell them NOT to be?
    mikeS

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  7. it does seem that there has to be some before and after in all this shiet though, does it not?

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