Ahab as the archetypal spiritual seeker
- Thread starter apemon
- Start date
I do need to read that book!
I know that it does have a lot of religious and other allegory in it. By all accounts it is a deeply layered book; even the white whale itself has symbolic meaning
Even without reading it most people are familiar with the obsessive nature of Ahab, such is the power of the character (i picture gregory peck!)
I know that it does have a lot of religious and other allegory in it. By all accounts it is a deeply layered book; even the white whale itself has symbolic meaning
Even without reading it most people are familiar with the obsessive nature of Ahab, such is the power of the character (i picture gregory peck!)
The gentleman was certainly driven, at one point he runs across a fellow captain that knows him. His son is out in a boat and is lost at sea. He begs Ahab to help him, asks for 48 hrs. of his time and offers to pay generously. He even points out rightly Ahab has a wife and son and appeals to his sense of family. He is refused. Looking back on the obsessive nature of my own seeking I see that it is not far wrong. 
The gentleman was certainly driven, at one point he runs across a fellow captain that knows him. His son is out in a boat and is lost at sea. He begs Ahab to help him, asks for 48 hrs. of his time and offers to pay generously. He even points out rightly Ahab has a wife and son and appeals to his sense of family. He is refused. Looking back on the obsessive nature of my own seeking I see that it is not far wrong.
Well....
What is the spiritual seeker doing?
The spiritual seeker is basically undoing all the layers of conditioning that has been placed upon them so that they can get back to what is real
Some people take this to incredible lengths. They will not only shed their identity for example nationality, religion, name, perceptions of race etc etc but they will even start observing different aspects of themselves
For example the buddhists tell us to act as an objective observor of the thought traffic that passes through our mind
By doing this we begin to see our ego as a seperate entity almost which kind of sabotages us in many ways as if this messed up voice over has been implanted into our minds (indeed some peoplesay this is exactly what has happened...but that's another story!)
So what happens as we embark on that spiritual journey and we shed all those layers of identity that have been put on us from birth?
What happens when a person realises that they were not born a 'christian' or a 'jew' or a 'muslim' and that these are ideas that have been given to them by others who also were not born those things?
Well they begin to critically analyse those things and they begin to ask themselves where these ideas originated from
But alongside that process of breaking everything down what else happens?
If a person lives in a community that defines itself certain ways for example it says: ''i am a US american and i identify with this flag and i have this name that my parents gave me and i believe this set of religious ideas and i see myself as belonging to this ethnic group'' etc etc then what happens if an individual suddenly stops believeing all that stuff?
They no longer fit into that community. On one hand they transcend the community because they suddenly become a part of a much bigger community called 'humanity' but on the day to day level they suddenly are not conforming to the modes of behaviour of that community
So the spiritual path is a difficult one that basically throws you out of synche with those around you who are not operating on the same level of conscious awareness
You awaken to a greater and awe inspiringly beautiful reality but at the same time suddenly you are not gelling with the people around you
So the ahab character is in the situation you are describing above acting in a very selfish way so is that something that is identified with the spiritual path?
I don't think so
It might seem like that to someone who is still conforming to the old modes of thought and behaviour but the person is not being selfih by walking their own path they are simply following the tao.....they are flowing where they need to flow
So in this case, in this example, and lacking the required wider context that can be gained by having read the book i would say that the example here of ahabs selfish obsession is not a good parallel with the spiritual seeker
i think a person who does not help someone in need, right in front of them when it is well within their powers to do so is not someone who is engaging with spirit (probably the opposite ie materialism: see for example the selfish pursuit of money or fame)
Last edited:
I know. Sounds :loco: doesn't it?
It could be seen in that way. It was how I was conditioned anyway. I kind of remember, and I probably would have viewed it that way as well. Out of the dream state it is different. Sometimes not helping people can empower them as well. It seems I am not to do things which enable people to keep dreaming. I can see possibly losing friends as well. (sigh)
I was driven as well. Things happened the way they did. Some of it was outside of my awareness at the time.
Last edited:
It's always toughest for the pioneers!
Those who forge forth into new states of conscious awareness will find like minded company thin on the ground on their journey but that is changing all the time
The gentleman was certainly driven, at one point he runs across a fellow captain that knows him. His son is out in a boat and is lost at sea. He begs Ahab to help him, asks for 48 hrs. of his time and offers to pay generously. He even points out rightly Ahab has a wife and son and appeals to his sense of family. He is refused. Looking back on the obsessive nature of my own seeking I see that it is not far wrong.
(I haven't read the book either because I couldn't take the fact they kill whales and it seemed hard and cold.)
Isn't that what we're being asked to do? Leave the relationships which do not support unconditional love behind us?
Duty is a lie. It's an enslavement.
Even Buddha teaches it.
From another perspective we are taught each human is a sovereign being and as such is responsible for their own incarnation and path. Yes?
The whale as a motif obviously has religious significance due to the biblical story of jonah and the whale which is apparently about spiritual initiation
This is why the writer of Pinnochio who was a freemason included a scene where pinnochio is swallowed by a whale
Ahab of course is taken down by the whale but does not emerge...perhaps he fails to initiate...he fails to expand his conscious awareness
This is why the writer of Pinnochio who was a freemason included a scene where pinnochio is swallowed by a whale
Ahab of course is taken down by the whale but does not emerge...perhaps he fails to initiate...he fails to expand his conscious awareness
Oh yes. :sigh: More and more folks ask if I'm ok. How to answer this? Yes and no? This does not satisfy. Anymore I just say yes, and sometimes get looked at funny. More irony funny than haha tho.
this link should take to his post. it involved a Whale.
http://www.infjs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27025&page=87&p=783596&viewfull=1#post783596
if it doesn't work...let me know....i'll copy paste it for you :typing:
Oh yes. :sigh: More and more folks ask if I'm ok. How to answer this? Yes and no? This does not satisfy. Anymore I just say yes, and sometimes get looked at funny. More irony funny than haha tho.
Like they don't really believe you when you tell them if you're ok? Seems logical. When people ask a person if they're okay - they usually think something's wrong....otherwise....why are they asking. Yes? No wonder they're giving you "the look".
I always tell anyone who seems to want to know me that I'm weird....from the get-go. That way when I do act my usual weirdness - they aren't surprised. Hahahahahaha...
Another thing I do is use THEIR words depending upon their individual beliefs to describe my perspective and experiences. It makes them relax and feel more comfortable with me. Then they can feel my love for them and it gets easier all around.
You must still be experiencing doubt and fear within you. Now is the time they will become more pronounced so we can see them - do that unconditional love and forgiveness thing - then release them back to the universe. The more clear of the fear we become - the more of our multidimensional self we can integrate here in our human bodies.
I'm also getting you are not grounding your self into the earth right now. Take a walk outside as soon as you can. Look at the ground as you walk slowly - step by step - and feel the muscles in your feet as they move to connect with the Earth. Feel your energetic connection to the Earth.
I think this would help you be more you. Which will help you release some doubt and fear. You will be more clear. More people will accept your answer if you say "Yes. I'm fine".
Oh myy... I digressed completely from the topic. Sorry. I'd erase it...but my guides say don't. Evidently you are meant to hear this.
Hope you sleep well.
Holy crap I was guided here perhaps. Well I can "feel" that you're right on in this-the pull of the dream state is powerful, eh?
Thanks for that it was just what was needed of course. Hmmm - I seem to be becoming more aware of the flow - probably need to minimize distractions. Synchronicity is coming more into awareness also - after all I have all the 'time' in the world and there does seem to be wood to chop.