ETERNAL RECURRENCE, FATE, AND ONESELF IN THE GREAT MIX

"Eternal return (also known as eternal recurrence) is a theory that the universe and all existence and energy has been recurring, and will continue to recur, in a self-similar form an infinite number of times across infinite time or space."

          This notion, in its "recent" form, was put forth by Nietzsche, but has its primary roots, at least in my own readings, in ancient Hindu belief, and also seems to be quite present in Daoism and Zen Buddhist thought. It relates to Fate as well, but what I would call a “fated fate.” I’ve had a copy of Eliade’s The Myth of the Eternal Return sitting in my library for many years; it has finally made its way to my desk to be read. Nietzsche ended up in a mental institution; I have to wonder if this notion of eternal recurrence with its absolute inevitability and no possible resolution (and all possible resolutions!) had anything to do with that.

          Eternal recurrence or Fated fate (as I see it) is the repetition of existence and all that it includes over epochs and epochs, ages and ages. It may begin at a “big bang” and end as it is reabsorbed into a black hole to nothingness. Hinduism presents it as a period of seemingly endless existence which begins and ends, and, after a period of absolute nothingness, begins again, repeating itself exactly the same over and over and over. From a view of reincarnation, one is born and dies myriad times in a cycle of existence, and then the whole show repeats itself like a TV re-run. In one cycle, one may perhaps evolve over millions or billions of years; Hinduism and Buddhism would say so. The “fated fatedness” presents the notion that whatever one “knows,” whatever one has learned makes no difference; it is one’s fate to know and perhaps to have fear or ignorance within the very fiber of one’s knowing. This is one of my doubts regarding the gnosis of Gnosticism or any approach to “spirituality,” for being “we as we are” is our own fate. As Krishnamurti said, somewhat paraphrased, “we are the path that unfolds with each step we take.” Such a “path,” or such “knowing,” is not “out there,” rather, it is “here.” We tend to see the universe as external but we are the universe; we are the very breath that breathes us. That sounds most strange, I know. Now I’m faced with having to tie that thought in with the notion of Eternal recurrence, and I could say something logical and clever, but I can only say what I have experienced (and then corrupted through some kind of interpretation) or what has “occurred” to me as insight or even a “cosmic logic.”

          “Fate” has interested me for most of my life. It is by no means a negative idea to me. Rather, it is what happens and it includes me as an agent in my happening, but not as an agent that changes anything because I am already included in the equation or logarithm, if you will, of what happens. What happens, happens, even if I know what it will be. Now that sounds very much like the concept of predestination, which is Gnostic (which is Hellenistic) and Calvinistic, but is preceded itself by Vedic thought and, so I’ve read, by Egyptian beliefs. This line of thought leads me into “magic,” or what I would call the manipulation of the natural energies of physical and perhaps emotional “substance.” This is the substance of most religious thought and teaching, especially Judaism, and including Christianity. Those Biblical “miracles” are magic, pure and simple. (Though, to be fair, Jesus does say something like "Blessed are those who--without all the miracles--have eyes to see and ears to hear".) But I don’t like magic or trust it, for it is of the “lower nature,” the dense, physical substance: it is devilish in other words. Thus, I prefer the “bare bones” of Zen and the acceptance of fate, of the “suchness of being,” as is said. I think that this is the only perspective that can be put in place and utilized for the best with the theory of Eternal recurrence. It can be seen as Existential but perhaps without the “shit sandwich” of Sartre. If everything is going to happen in the seemingly endless series of reincarnations, everything is going to happen exactly as it happens. This is not to imply a passivity or negativity or judgmentalness at all: one is as one is, be it positive or negative, accepting or nonaccepting, etc. It’s all going to happen at one time or another. What we think about it, or feel about it, or know about it, or don’t know about it makes no difference. I find it very strange to say that but it seems to be the closest to what is true that I can get to. It is not a choice; it is simply where I am, where I have gotten to at this point. I would simply love to be a “believer” but it’s not there for me; I don’t believe that way. But I’ve been thinking about this too. There is the notion of “God” as some kind of “supreme being” (probably from the Baltimore Catechism I had to memorize as a young child in Catholic school) but this same notion, to me, is seen as “the goodness of people.” That is not something I "believe,” but, rather, something that is just “true for me.” Eternal recurrence, then, is another ride on this very strange, profound and profane roller-coaster.

      Some people are quite articulate as well as intelligent. I am neither. However, I am also "compelled" (in too many respects) to convey my thoughts to the ethers as best I can. And so here it is... Perhaps these thoughts could even be etherial.