Monday 5 November 2018

Sensory Deprivation And Zen

Poul Anderson, Harvest Of Stars, 20.

"How long could [download Guthrie] endure near-total sensory deprivation before his mind began to spin apart?" (p. 191)

Should zazen keep us sane during sensory deprivation? I might ask this in the group although questions are supposed to express spiritual concern, not intellectual curiosity. Maybe no one knows. Are some yogis bricked up with food passed through a hole for extended periods? And, if so, what does it do to them?

In zazen, we face a wall in a quiet room for a timed period. We see the wall, feel whatever we are sitting on and hear any background sounds although these should be few. We would hear and respond to a fire alarm. We are not in a trance. We let thoughts arise and pass without deliberately extending them. So maybe this practice would make it easier to endure sensory deprivation? But there are physiological effects over which we would have no control. If hallucinations started, then maybe we would be able to let them arise and pass? But what else would happen?

Zazen is beneficial but how much can it cope with?

7 comments:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

One think I recall about Download Guthrie was that during times of lengthy inactivity, such as space voyages, he was simply switched off and then reactivated at the end of the journey. So sensory deprivation would not be a danger for him.

And we see sensory deprivation used as a method for inducing persons unwilling to be interrogated to answer questions truthfully in some of Anderson's stories. When used with the care shown by Dominic Flandry in WE CLAIM THESE STARS I concluded that sensory deprivation was morally licit in urgent cases.

Sean

paulshackley2017@gmail.com said...

Sean,
But there are times in HARVEST OF STARS when download Guthrie is being hidden in a box in a bag and can't be switched off. That is what this passage refers to.
Paul.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

But surely those times were also short and so did not particularly bother download Guthrie?

Sean

paulshackley2017@gmail.com said...

Sean,
Some of the times have to be long to evade the SEPO.
Paul.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

Then I'm sure download Guthrie occupied his mind with memories, thoughts, planning for various contingencies, etc.

Sean

paulshackley2017@gmail.com said...

Sean,
Yes. He does say that.
Paul.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

I thought so!

Sean