Essay # 3 -- Rough Draft

Where Are You and What Are You Doing There?


During the middle ages there lived a wise priest. He was a noted theologian and philosopher. One day he kicked a boulder. His training and study brought him to the conclusion that the boulder was not really there. He believed that through using all of his mental capacities he could transcend physical reality. So he kicked the boulder as hard as he could, then he broke his foot.

History teaches us that there is no escape from life. As humans on planet earth we are born into a family, a clan, a tribe, a culture; we are born into a heritage and an ancestry, a world of social order that has worked to achieve perfection for millennia. We have built the world up around us, and we assume that everything is in its right place. Plodding along day after day we become accustom to routine and a sameness that dusts over everything. In a world that has become so small with our growing population it is difficult to “slow down and smell the roses.” Then, when a person does that they might think they can kick through a rock. Why do we think the way we think? How come when I want to be happy I get upset? What can I do to help set my own mind at ease. We are not just playing simple mind games with ourselves. There is a real cause behind our actions. Although most of us rarely take stock of our surroundings, we are affected by set and setting because we are a product of our environment, we become a part of the situation around us, and we are influenced by our senses.

If we need deep focus or concentration we do things like find a quiet place, or some place we feel is peaceful. We do this so that there aren’t distractions. Dr. Timothy Leary, in his studies, proved this. In his book, Flashbacks, Leary holds sessions with leading psychiatrists which attempted to unlock mysteries of human perception. During their studies, and with the aid of the powerful psychoactive drug LSD, they showed that the subconscious reacts according to perception. Leary and his group were testing theories of set of and setting. They found that a person feels less vulnerable and is more apt to find inner-peace when their surroundings are warm and inviting. They used low lighting, warm colors, and a guide to sit with, talk to, and who would document the patients’ reactions. Conversely, when they introduced bright lights, astringent smells, and chaotic sounds their patients showed varied levels of anger and frustration.

At about the same time, Tom Wolfe was writing a story about the Merry Pranksters called The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test. Tom Wolfe and the Merry Pranksters held very similar views about the effects of set and setting even though they were searching for different results. Where Leary and his crew wanted to show a path to man’s inner well-being, Wolfe and the Pranksters were seeking to unite the conscientiousness of mankind. Though when the two groups met up one night at Leary’s Millbrook estate they clashed wildly against one another, they were both achieving the same goal. The Pranksters, with help from people like Ken Keasy and the Grateful Dead, were able to create a society in the Sierra-Nevada Mountains where hippies danced alongside members of the Hell’s Angels. Only by creating appropriate settings and having useful items set about in ideal locations could something like a peaceful conference with the Hell’s Angels be possible.

In ways that are difficult to objectively identify we make choices and act in response to our surroundings. Most people go through their days without taking a mindful inventory of what is occurring around them. It is important to be mindful because our decisions are based on our surroundings. The choices and decisions we make stretch beyond ourselves and begin outside of ourselves. We couldn’t have come as far as we have if humankind took a flying leap every time chaos closed in around us. We seek out shelter and succor to protect not only our bodies, but our minds from the harm in the world. Our mental protection can begin with situational awareness, and knowing the effects our surroundings have on us. A good day begins with a light breakfast. A bad day begins with no heat in the middle of winter. In both instances we woke up as usual; but our set and setting make for very different outcomes.