Sight Insight Derive Form Fierce Consciousness, Begins

¶ … sight insight derive form fierce consciousness, begins a single object paying attention implications resonances idea image."Marvin Bell -statement explaining meaning Marvin Bell's observation - Bell pointing term " fierce consciousness" relate "paying attention implications idea image -demonstrate value Bell's concept fierce consciousness specific student experience examples public life "fierce consciousness" proved important knowing world accurately fully.

"Both sight and insight derives from fierce consciousness, whether it begins with looking at a single object or in paying attention to all of the implications and resonances of an idea or image." -- Marvin Bell In this quotation, Bell is describing what is often called 'mindfulness' in the East, or an intense focus upon the present moment, rather than upon other distractions. All too often in our modern lives, our minds are engaged with one thing, while our bodies are doing something else.

We talk to someone on the phone at work while typing a text to our friend. We drive while listening to music. We work out while thinking about what we are going to eat afterwards. Fierce consciousness, in which we focus only on another person, upon a flower, upon the sky, or upon the words of our book is increasingly rare.

But only in a state of present mindfulness can we understand 'the thing itself.' If we live in a state of divided consciousness, we are letting the emotions affecting us from our other conversations and interactions impinge upon a full appreciation of what is going on in the moment. Only through fierce consciousness rather than staring at the newspaper can a wife understand that she has not had a real conversation with her husband for many years.

Only through fierce consciousness rather than aimlessly surfing the web can an unhappy employee at an office understand that he hates his job and would be better off going back to school to train for a better one. The beauty of an early fall morning is impinged upon by the meaningless fight a girl has with her boyfriend on her cell phone as she goes for a run. But engaging with the world fully is not easy.

We have to retrain our minds to observe things in detail, rather than seek ways to numb ourselves. That is why it is so difficult to sit at the computer and type out a full paper word by word, rather than getting distracted by phone calls, surfing online, or what is on the television. We have grown uncomfortable with a full, bracing appreciation of living in the moment. However, when we do live in the moment, the rewards are very great. Living in the moment enhances our memory.

We are able to recall what we enjoyed about a party or the various points of a lecture we attended at school. Going from one step to the next in our minds helps us understand things better, versus zoning out and suddenly realizing we have retained nothing. Living in the moment means being able to hit the ball with greater velocity when playing a game because every fiber of our being is directed towards that pursuit.

From my own life as a student, I have seen the value of fierce consciousness in action when in math class. It is my tendency to get overwhelmed when learning new concepts in math. Immediately, my mind starts thinking unproductive thoughts, like: 'I am stupid. I cannot learn this.' Because I do not learn math naturally, I can also get easily bored and start looking at the clock. I have to train my mind to focus on the teacher, not upon my personal emotions and insecurities. I.