True Nature Of Teotl example essay topic

William C Boyd 3/5/05 World PhilosophiesNauha Philosophy It has been the goal of any society to try and begin to understand the nature of existence and the connection with an ultimate that humans feel. This searching is often human nature and leads different cultures around the world to describe the human problematic in many different ways. For the Nauha, a native Mexican tribe, the surface of the earth is slippery and narrow like a jagged path following mountain peeks. With a world view as such people having to walk along this dangerous path the look for ways to keep their balance and maintain their lives. The balance for the Nauha is discovered and maintained using their knowledge of Teotl: a single, dynamic, vivifying, self-generating and regenerating, self-transforming and reforming sacred energy force. Teotl is the trees and the wind and the river.

It exists in both an independent state and an interconnected state simultaneously, thus making it complete reality for the Nauha. The nature of Teotl served as a model for Nauha sages to conceive their metaphysics, axiology, epistemology, praxis, and aesthetics. The sacred force gave them the wisdom to make choices that help them maintain the proper path. The world is filled with pain, sorrow, and suffering, but wisdom can teach you how to maintain equilibrium and reduce misfortune. This was not wisdom in the modern sense, but rather it was wisdom in making choices that kept you along the right path while walking the slippery slope of the world. The Nauha conception of balance carries also into their understanding of knowledge or epistemology.

Neltiliztli is quickly translated into truth, but its definition would not be complete without well-grounded stability, and well rooted ness. The Nauha believed that a person cognizes truly is and only if she / he cognizes well rooted. Teotl gives us insight into the truth, but it also is able to deceive us as well. The deception is not as a result of Teotl trying to hide from us, but rather it is our inability to see the true nature of Teotl that causes our misperception. With the Nauha concept of wisdom comes the ability to see Teotl in its true form and as a result knowledge is formed. This is very different from most conceptions of knowledge that center the true or false based on external contingencies rather than internal perception.

However, with the nature of all things being Teotl then truth is all that exists. Teotl created as well as continually recreates, permeates, encompasses, and shapes the cosmos. This creation however did not come out of nothing, but rather is an artistic creation of Teotl itself. This means that metaphysically Teotl is possible to misperceive, but in reality it is all that exists and so people cannot perceive anything other then Teotl. Experiencing Teotl for people is a connection between the heart and direct knowledge of the ultimate that is mystical in nature.

The Nauha metaphysics maintains that there is only one reality in the world and although the capacity to understand Teotl is present in our hearts it doesn't promise that all will come to know the scared. This is a very different metaphysical standpoint than Cartesian philosophers, who believe that direct access to the ultimate is not possible and as a result people experience it through a "veil of perception". With Teotl's existence as a non-personal, constantly changing, non-intentional and non-linguistic force the problem of expression for the Nahua lead them to the use of the "flower and song" to express Teotl". Flower and Song" or is art, poetry, music, symbolism, and metaphor that are used to present. The performing of the song-poems was regarded as the highest art form and so most closely mimicked Teotl's own sacredness. Also through song-poems the human heart becomes more prepared to know Teotl.

The flower song has no directed audience or purpose other then to express Teotl as the person sees it. This makes the process personal and at the same time non-specific because each flower song is done without a direct purpose in mind. The Nauha are able to define their problematic without having to separate themselves from the solution. It is in the dualism that exists in our consciousness that makes grasping Teotl complicated and distant in modern society. For most people the human problem is defined by a separation from their creator that they have no direct path to eliminate or correct. The Nahua, in contrast, are not distant from their creator, but rather have the capacity to understand reality within their own hearts.

They do not see the world as false or veiled, but rather they see themselves as cloudy and fogged from seeing the true nature of Teotl. To fix this misperception the Nahua employ the use of artistic creativity, well rooted ness, balance and aesthetics. They use these to help them maintain balance and grip on the slippery slope of the world, and with an understanding of their philosophy so might other people.