How do you function w/o thoughts? What does that do for "sustainability"?

Jackie Bergman

At the Towards a Science of Consciousness conference last week in Tucson, AZ, where i gave a presentation and was part of a "persistent non-duality" workshop, i was interviewed by Jackie Bergman.  Jackie has two websites, www.radslaellerkarlek.se, and www.fearorlove.se.   (As the originals are in Swedish, as Jackie is from Solna, outside of Stockholm, there are language selections on his websites.)   Jackie's main efforts are focused  on "Fear or Love" as an approach to effective management and sustainability.  The title of his new book is "Fear or Love? You Choose".

Jackie has also created a DVD entitled "Leadership for the Sustainable Society.  From Fear to Love!" from a discussion with ten leaders in the sustainability movement, including economists, therapists, consultants and editors from three continents to discuss what it takes to reach economic, environmental and social sustainability, and the leadership required to take us there.

Jackie Bergman and Deepak Chopra

we had several discussions at the conference, and Jackie interviewed me at the conference center hotel, Loews Ventana Canyon.  Jackie had earlier that day also interviewed Deepak Chopra on non-duality for global resource sustainability.

Jackie's interview of "me" starts with questions like "How do you function without thoughts?" and "What is it like to have no thoughts?", to "What does reaching that state have to do with sustainability?" and "How do you tell jokes if there is no one there?"

The theme here is an emerging and increasingly critical one, that Deepak also expressed in his short interview.  we need to find a new operating paradigm, a new "app", a new approach to how we manage our minds.  If we don't develop a better mental operating system, one that doesn't drive us to despair, confusion, depression, frenetic activity and anxiety, we will have a difficult/impossible time surviving not just personally, but as a species.  

It is possible to live a life beyond the reaches of endless self-referential discursive narrative.  One can live sanely, happily, and arguably, function more effectively and efficiently without the egoic wandering mind consuming the vast majority of our available mental "bandwidth".   The "management" of the "I" construct is not only possible, but imperative if we are to survive and live holistic and fulfilling lives.