1. SurfismSurfism is a philosophy that views existence in terms that correspond to surfing. Portrayed metaphorically as a breaking wave, the mind emerges from the confluence of spatial and temporal relations. The link between reason and perception is represented by the surfboard responding to the wave as the wave responds to the reef. The relationship between the wave and the reef represents perception, where the mind apprehends its surroundings. The relationship between the surfboard and the wave represents reason, where the mind determines how to engage those surroundings. These spatio-temporal relations provide the structure for a model of the mind, depicting the cognitive processes that influence what we ‘make’ of reality. Waves carry energy like memories: the kinetic energy is stored in a chain of orbits, which taper into the depths. The orbiting particles are generated by the wind rippling the ocean surface. The more wind, the larger the wave, the deeper they reach. When the deepest orbits are compressed against the seabed, the whole chain is squeezed upward, causing the wave to break, which can be likened to memories being released in response to a stimulus. The whole surf break could represent the memory bank of experience needed to interact in society; the cultural values within which the psyche develops. By modeling the psyche on surfing, a variety of interconnected elements can be represented, with aspects of surfing representing their influences within the system. Each element is a variable that can be adjusted to change the whole system. For example, the bathymetry of a surf break would represent the serotonergic system, because serotonin affects the mind in a similar way to how tidal variation affects the surf. At low tide, the wave encounters an abrupt incline in bathymetry, causing the crest of the wave to rise suddenly, just like low levels of serotonin result in hypersensitivity, causing sudden over-reactions. As with high tide, serotonin ensures that memories reach the surface to help shape current experience. Similarly, surfboard design would represent latent inhibition, which is the neural mechanism that screens out information previously viewed as irrelevant. Latent inhibition underpins our ability to deal with packets of information without having to unpack the contents every time. People with low latent inhibition perceive more detail than is necessary. It can be overwhelming to have to deal with so much detail. However, it can also enhance creativity, because the surplus information becomes manageable when combined with high IQ. So, if we equate IQ with surfing prowess, then latent inhibition would correspond to the shape of the surfboard, such that a highly responsive surfboard becomes analogous to low latent inhibition. It takes great skill to control a highly responsive surfboard, just as it takes high IQ to control low latent inhibition. It would be problematic to include the surfer in the metaphor, because his presence amounts to placing a mind within a mind, which is not only distracting, but leads to an infinite regress of minds within minds. In any case, the spirit of the surfer is reflected in the surfboard, insofar as its design comes from the mind of the surfer who shaped it. On the other hand, placing a mind within a mind might reflect the real life confusion caused by the ego controlling one’s behaviour. To the extent that the surfer’s influence can be reduced to his centre of gravity, the ego’s primary function is to balance spatial and temporal relations. When the ego sees itself as an individual, it is succumbing to the influence of spatial relations, which is like a surfer who lacks sensitivity to the forces within the wave, e.g. having an overly energetic style without much to show for it in the way of manoeuvres. Extending the analogy further, total disconnection from the wave could be characterised by two scenarios, each representing a disconnected state of mind. One is a wipeout followed by the anxiety caused by the threat of being dragged onto exposed reef. The other is the decision to abandon one surf break in search of another. In this scenario, paddling across the ominous depths would be equivalent to unfamiliar circumstances that cause you to feel disoriented because your awareness continues to be directed at the world, but without the familiar values that give it meaning. Since making sense necessarily involves values, this is as futile as trying to catch a swell in the open ocean. Meaning depends on culture just as a breaking wave depends on the seabed. By contrast, getting dragged across the reef would represent a situation in which the individual is confronted by an unfamiliar value system. At the other extreme, the heightened sense of temporality invoked by meditation would be represented by a wave devoid of a surfer or his surfboard. In between these two extremes, self-mastery would be represented by the surfer’s ability to find a suitable surf break and to select a suitable design of surfboard enabling him to surf with a high degree of agility. Home : Next |