Canyon Creek—Trinity Alps An Account of a Five Day Hike in the Trinity Alps Anil Mitra Contents An Essential Version of ‘Journey in Being’
Notes IntroductionThis is my first trip to the mountains since 2008. I now realize that there has been no good reason to wait so long and every reason to travel there more often PhotographsCanyon Creek Lake Canyon Creek Lake Wedding Cake Thompson Peak More PhotographsCanyon Creek 2012—a selection of the better photographs and AVI (movie) files Folder of photographs from Canyon Creek—all the photographs; not organized What I learnedFrom this trip I gained, learned or relearned that for me 1. Nature is a primary source of existential, intellectual, and aesthetic inspiration 2. Nature is a gate to Universal Being and that immersion in the natural world is one essential place to the transformation phase of Journey in Being 3. This trip was a lesson in meditation-in-action and journey as open ended process and ‘living on the road’ 4. That though I’m not as strong as I used to be, I’m more resourceful in some ways and strength does return The Essence5. Immersion is essential to all lessons and improving efficiency of (back) packing An Essential Version of ‘Journey in Being’The following material is not final but is taken from notes written on the trail. The material has been absorbed to other documents The longer entries will be shortened 1 Being names what is Being (and world) are known in experience The Being of experience is so immediate It needs no proof 2 The Universe is All Being Creation is a form of Being The Universe contains all Creation But is not created 3 A pattern or Law has Being (A Law is a limit—it allows Some patterns, not others) The Universe contains all Laws 4 The Void is the absence of Being It contains no Law and so has no limits Every pattern, Law, or object Emerges from the Void 5 The Void is ever present with the Universe Or any part of it There is at least one Void The number of Voids has no significance 6 The Universe has no limits But for the freedom of concepts To disagree with facts or one another Every concept is realized 7 A scientific law or theory is a compound fact Regarding a domain of valid knowledge But implies nothing about the existence Or nature of what lies outside 8 If every concept of a system asserts a fact Conflict may make the system non factual The logics may be seen as preventing this The logics have limited domains of validity 9 Define Logic as the constraints for Concepts to have reference Logic includes facts, science and the logics Logic is not a limit on the Universe 10 The object of Logic is the limitless Universe in all its detail It incorporates science and logic but its Revealed Universe is greater than theirs without limit 11 Many conclusions of immense significance follow immediately Any difficulty is in their interpretation But Logic harbors immensely more Beyond the intellect of limited forms 12 Objects. From the metaphysics every concept has an object This cuts through distinctions of (a) Kind of object—thing, process, interaction, property, trope, value and (b) The abstract and the concrete (particular). The abstract / concrete divide is a convenient one according to knowledge via higher concept versus percept. Many objects straddle the divide (i) in their nature and (ii) over history as one or other approach to study is more effective Identity is sameness or sense of sameness of self or object. Identity is an aspect of objecthood Practical objects are brought under this umbrella by understanding them as concept-object whole and accepting them as ‘good enough’ by instrumental andor value criteria. The resulting study may be called Applied Metaphysics Duration (time) is defined by change in the same object; spatial extension by distinction among objects. In regions where identity (or its perception) is vague, extension and duration (or their perception or measurement) are vague. Because sameness and difference are interwoven, so are space and time. A given region may have multiple space-times and, e.g., signal speeds. Since sameness and distinction are dual, so are space and time; there are no further coordinates of difference except perhaps for Being versus non-Being The production of stable cosmological systems requires symmetry, conservation, and symmetry breaking 13 The Universe has Identity It has acute, diffuse, and non-manifest phases Its identity has continuity across the non-manifest This continuity has similarity to ‘soul’ 14 The variety and extent of the Universe is unlimited Cosmologies and Laws have no limit Power is degree of limitlessness The Universe is ultimate power 15 Metaphysics is Logic This demonstrates a perfect, unique, and ultimate Universal Metaphysics We may therefore call it the metaphysics Trivially, metaphysics is possible 16 The individual inherits the power of the Universe The individual realizes the ultimate While limited this is endless process whose modes must be ideas and action In unlimited form realization is a single act of Being and perception What is the relation between Being and Experience? If matter is an exclusive substance, mind is impossible—mind must therefore be among the elements of matter Experience is the essence of mind and its primitive form is effect; the higher forms build out of the primitive Relaxing the notion of matter as substance, the metaphysics shows the interpretation: matter as first order being, mind as second order; and that the distinction vanishes because the metaphysics requires infinite divisibility. Being and experience are identical. Since ‘third order’ Being has no significance, Spinoza’s theory of attributes stands meaningless 17 Civilization and individual are vehicles of realization In its internal and external endeavors civilization provides disciplines or means ‘Science’ is metaphorical for the instrumental ‘Yoga’ will stand for disciplines of Being and becoming 18 A discipline systematizes knowledge in some area It provides methods for established kinds of problem The disciplines themselves develop There are some approaches to such development—e.g., ‘scientific method’ 19 Is there method, goal, and meaning for the entire endeavor of civilization? We tend to think there is no method for the entire endeavor of civilization However, the metaphysics provides meaning, value, framework, and method From disciplines to civilization and from civilization to Civilization and the ultimate (The metaphysics shows senses of perfection to the limited disciplines) 20 The way of the Journey is Analysis and synthesis of the ways Of and in the disciplines and the metaphysics Under mutual illumination, guidance, and inspiration in the journey 21 Analysis of ways reveals knowledge, metaphysics, and morals Practices and practice in action; and the instruments of exploration and technology Catalysts of transformation Learning—imagination, action and experiment, criticism, and correction 22 Synthesis I—Overview Ideas Being—transformation Civilization—organic and technological growth 23 Synthesis II—Being (transformation) Everywhere and when—Yoga practice and action; death and crisis—telescope ambition, meditation on transience and wholeness, meditation on death—acceptance, transience, previous lives and after death Home and town: immediate—routine, write, exercise, diet, chores, honesty Culture—care and sharing; charisma, initiative, public speaking; moral behavior; abandon; travel, intellectual and spiritual tour Nature—gateway to ultimate, immersion, inspiration; catalyst—fasting, isolation, exertion, exposure 24 Synthesis III—Civilization of the Universe: organic and artifactual Organic—Civilization as matrix—individual transformation, sharing; communication and charisma; shared endeavor via participation, immersion, and in a research establishment Artifact—theory: AI, ALife, ontology, cosmology, cognitive science; independent, adjunct and symbiotic; hardware, software; designed and evolving; shared endeavor and research community The Journey in Being WebSiteDesignAttractive but simple home and formatting Quick loading Contents—random orderAbout Author Journey complex Other topics Marginalia Daily tidbit (&log) General PreparationImmersion and action are essential to the practical and spiritual side of trips Phone numbers Maps, itinerary (planning does not mean not being open; and it is good to sometimes not plan) Keep fit Keep gear ready Combine preparation and ad hoc trips GearArrange and pare gear; part of life minimizing Stove (international), base Treat, get boots Minimize. Hike and bike. Beyond backpacking (Ray Jardine) Bike and saddle bags Use of plastic bags for cooked food Take a hat or cap Practice hip-pack instead of day pack Light tent Spare battery for camera Blade, needle SuppliesPrecooking and drying; minute rice; powdered milk, bulk from the Co-op Need fuel Multivitamins Toothpaste Keeping FitBike; walk; local hikes with pack Treat toe rot Canyon Creek Road1 mi camp / H2O (L on the way in) 2 mi Power House Rd, H2O (L) 3.1 mi steep H2O access (L) 4.1 mi flat spot, no H2O (L) 4.3 " 4.5 mi flat, road to H2O (L) 6.1 mi flat, road to H2O (L) 8 " 8.8 mi CC bridge, flat, H2O (R) 9.5 mi long trail to CC Many other spots; however, lots of private property For InvestigationEast Fork trail head about 10.5 mi from Junction City on Canyon Creek Road Grasshopper Flat turn off about 10 mi… |