The Habit of Thought

SAMUEL SHENOVA


“Thought is not holistic.”

Jiddu Krishnamurti

It seems that even the noblest thoughts are restless with some form of fear. The desire to know, to follow curiosity, to reach conclusion, is partly anxious and seeks relief. Language assists conclusion by abbreviating what is perceived or assumed to be a totality – a truth – into tidy, portable concepts until a new truth appears, a new thought frontier, and the process impatiently continues.

In his teachings, Krishnamurti asserts that thinking is inherently fragmentary. It is the habit of looking at things in pieces and deriving pleasure or comfort from the apparent conclusions they offer. The pleasure derived from this apparent certainty then reinforces the habit of thought into belief systems and worldviews until thought itself – or the worlds built by thought – is perceived as holistic experience.

What happens when that certainty is challenged? Fear. Fear of losing the pleasure, comfort, and security of one’s thoughts and beliefs. What follows is defense. Then war.

When Krishna says, “Thought is not holistic,” he is pointing to the problem of mistaking the habit of thought for a more detached observation that includes but does not exalt the process of thinking. This then invites the question, what is beyond thought? What encompasses a more holistic observation and experience of life?

If we are in fact limited to thought, then realizing its limitations over and over again frees us from false certainties and keeps our minds limber to evolving truths. If we are not limited to thought, then there is some quality of perception, perhaps beyond language, that is more intuitive, forgiving and even visionary.