CYCLE NINE: SELF AND MIND

1. One should, I believe, distinguish what may be called the subego from the subconscious, and pretty much as one would distinguish the superego from the superconscious. For both the subego and the superego exist, as selves, in relation to their respective not-selves, whereas the subconscious and the superconscious have more to do with selfless universality, as matters proceed, in the one case, from hearing to listening, and, in the other case, from breathing to meditating.

2. Hence the outer metaphysical universal self is in its subegocentric manifestation, its conventional mode of selfhood, when not specifically or fully committed to the will of the outer metaphysical universal not-self (to hear), but progresses to its subconscious and more radical mode of selfhood when listening, via the outer metaphysical universal not-self (of the ears) to such music, say, as is at large upon the airwaves at the time.

3. Likewise, the inner metaphysical universal self is in its superegocentric manifestation, its conventional mode of selfhood, when not specifically or fully committed to the will of the inner metaphysical universal not-self (to breathe), but progresses to its superconscious and more radical mode of selfhood when meditating, via the inner metaphysical universal not-self (of the lungs), upon the spirit of the breath.

4. Hence while the subego generally exists in relation to noise and the subconscious, by contrast, in relation to music, the superego generally exists in relation to the breath and the superconscious, by contrast, in relation to the spirit. Neither, however, exists in relation to airwaves or air, since the sound of the one is detected by the will of the outer metaphysical universal not-self (to hear), whereas the soundless oxygen of the other is inhaled by the will of the inner metaphysical universal not-self (to breathe), and neither hearing nor breathing have anything to do, in consequence, with the self which is either aware of hearing (subego) and breathing (superego) or specifically committed to hearing and breathing for purposes of listening (subconscious) and meditating (superconscious).

5. There is, however, a sense in which both the subego and the superego of metaphysical universal selfhood can think, though only, I contend, in relation to the ears and the lungs and/or to what applies to them on the airwaves and air, since we have to allow for thinking, and hence cogitating, throughout the entire brain, not just in connection with the ego, or conscious mind, as applicable to the midbrain. Thus we should allow for thinking in relation to what is arguably the backbrain, where the subego is concerned, and in relation to the forebrain in connection with the superego, the former sensually situated in sequential time and the latter more sensibly situated in spaced space, the inner pole of the forebrain which would metaphysically contrast with the outer pole of the backbrain.

6. Be that as it may, there is no doubt in my mind that there is such a thing as metaphysical thought, the thought of the proton in time and of the protino in space, and I would strongly argue that while poetic thought would more accord, when genuine, with the subego situated in the backbrain, philosophic thought should more accord with the superego situated in the forebrain, the self that thinks metaphysically on an internal and sensible basis, rather than on an external and sensual one.

7. But each self thinks not merely for the sake of thinking (though that can of course happen), but in order, more importantly, to achieve mind for itself, even unto the depths of soul-mind, once the spirit of universal selflessness has played its part and made such a profounder experience possible to the self or, rather, mind, be it subconscious or superconscious, which has sanctioned it, and which is then, as mind, unselfish to a deeper subconscious or superconscious degree, as the case may be.