The Way of the Ghost, Part 1
Spirit and flesh. Two forms of manifestation. What separates them?
Conventional thinking would tell us that spirit lives within flesh… caged, dormant, waiting to be set free.
But what if it already is? What if the outer shell is but a trick of the mind, and the material world is no different from the realm beyond, save for the limitations of our imagination and beliefs?
Imagine, then, the power – the freedom – that lies in the hands of those who see past the illusion provided by their senses. Who truly believe, without a shadow of doubt, that they, and all that exists around them, are in fact not brittle flesh, but malleable soul…
I love your comic. I’m long time reader, so I thought Ill leave some thoughts here.
Immortal Soul is integral part of every religion on Earth, no matter how far away you look. I mean no disrespect or offence to any believers of any faith. But I don’t accept religious views as absolute truths, as religions were developed by people and over time shaped as political tools, so here is what I think on the matter:
There are three parts to every being. Body, Soul and Mind. Body is part of material world and is a vessel for other two. It lives from material world, grows from it and when person dies body returns to the rest of material the world through decomposition. Mind is unique for every person and grows and dies during single life. As it ends completely with death of body, its important that we leave something behind us what will outlast us. That’s where our drive to achieve comes from, due to our instinctual understanding of this fact. Soul has no mind of its own, it goes from simplistic lifeforms through reincarnation to more complicated life growing more and more, becoming able to animate ever more complicated Body and Mind. To what end it goes I don’t know. And nobody will convince me that humans are highest form of sentience. Fun fact: Antique philosophers believed universe itself is sentient. Sometimes those who spend effort for it, like Buddhist monks for example become aware of their soul and their mind and body benefits from such direct connection to one’s soul. Mind that stayed active after death of body due to connection with soul is where ghost stories come from, but such existence is temporary and unsustainable. Out of body experience is when such activity beyond support of physical body happens while body still lives.
Did that make sense?
Completely! Thank you for sharing it.
Might not be the right place for it but this was a really good issue. I hope I don’t have to wait too long for the part 2 ebook š
A couple of clarifications seem in order, and I have a comment or two myself.
Actually, Maryz, Christianity does NOT teach immortality of the soul. Hindus and Buddhists do, and I think Muslims do as well. I don’t know for sure about the Jews, and I am quite ignorant of most far-east religions, so I don’t know about them either. Some, not all, ancient philosophers held the universe to be sentient.
Your thoughts on the mind are fascinating.
Augustine of Hippo tried to explain the Trinity with a body/mind/soul analogy.
The notion that religion is a political tool sounds Nietzschean, and I think that Orwell echoed that sentiment. Still, the Soviet Union considered it a threat, and actively discourage worship of any kind.
JK: I do enjoy the story. I’ve been a fan from the beginning.
Wow, thanks for your thoughts all.
Anonymous, your right about Christianity not being about Immortal Soul, I had in mind the fact that it survives death of body. Christians do believe that soul moves on after that, be it heaven or hell and that’s all I meant.
I think you study Philosophy BTW. I like Nietzsche’s original work, before his sister reworked it for Nazis. And I think the idea of separation of religion from state is pure genius, as long as it doesn’t lead to suppression of peoples right to choose what they believe in.
Your right about me generalizing a lot of issues too, I just wanted to present my take on this and wanted to hear a bit from JK, since early parts of comic still confuse me a bit and I’d like to know more about how is Sense realm related to the other one and if view of Lady in the Hood, that Sense realm is lesser one is his as well, as I like my sense realm just fine and would like to see Lady being encouraged by Rona and her other acquaintances to explore it more. Her take on our everyday life is one of my favourite parts of the comic, like when she voices her displeasure with public transport or is shouting at phone, and I would like to see something here that she actually enjoys, other than her own music.
PS: Can you imagine Jen and Lady talking through video messages taped while one is awake for other one?
Maryz “an you imagine Jen and Lady talking through video messages taped while one is awake for other one?” – No, Lady doesnt like Jen and i think she wouldnt want to talk with Jen.
She might be persuaded. You don’t have to like someone to open negotiations. I could certainly imagine it.
“I just wanted to present my take on this and wanted to hear a bit from JK, since early parts of comic still confuse me a bit and Iād like to know more about how is Sense realm related to the other one and if view of Lady in the Hood, that Sense realm is lesser one is his as well, as I like my sense realm just fine”
I like my Senserealm just fine too. But unlike the Lady, I don’t know (or at least, don’t remember) any other place.
I may be opening a huge can of worms here, but what in particular do you find confusing about the relationship between the two realms?