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Introduction
While Einstein is known for introducing the “Thought Experiment” to physics,
Nietzsche commanded an entire laboratory of thinking. He experimented with
any idea he could lay his hand (wisdom) on. I was therefore not so surprised
when hearing Zarathustra articulating the fundamental concepts of “A New
Kind of Medicine.” First I shall describe the essential concepts interleaving
Zarathustra’s sayings, which are printed in italics. The entire chapter
4. The Despisers of the Body is given at the end
The Self
The Self consists of two entities:
1.The body and its soul (WOB) which is the great wisdom,
2.The mind which is the small wisdom.
The mind
The mind is a little instrument and toy of your great wisdom
. It serves WOB and supplies its needs. The creative body created the
mind as a hand for its will.
The
mind listens to WOB messages: The Self says to the mind: "Feel
pain!" Then the mind suffers, and thinks how it may put an end to its
suffering- and that is why it is made to think. The message “pain” from
WOB informs the mind that WOB needs assistance and the mind asks the doctor
for help.
WOB controls
the reasoning of the mind: . I hold the puppet-strings of the mind, and
am the prompter of its notions.
Who am I?
When I ask myself who am I? It appears to me as if sense and mind
. . . are the end of all things. But the self is more than that since
it includes also the WOB. Behind your thoughts and feelings, my brother,
there is a mighty lord, an unknown sage- it is called Self; it dwells in your
body, is your body. It is your WOB.
WOB does not say “I” since it is unconscious but does “I” since controlling all processes in the body : your body with its great wisdom; that does not say "I," but does "I."
In order to control the complexity of the body WOB masters more wisdom than the mind: There is more wisdom in your body than in your best wisdom.
What
the Self desires most is to create. WOB maintains the equilibrium
(homeostasis) creatively.
Additional reading:
Self and non-self
The individual and the collective
Mind disease
The despisers of the body initiate mind
disease and kill creativity.: No longer can your Self do that which
it desires most:- create beyond itself. That is what it desires most;
that is its fervent wish.
Additional reading:
WOB and theology
Religion and mind disease
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THUS SPOKE ZARATHUSTRA
by Friedrich Nietzsche
An Adaptation Based on the Thomas Common Translation
Archived at Nietzsche's Labyrinth <http://www.inquiria.com/nz/index.html>
The first part - 4. The Despisers of the Body
TO
THE despisers of the body I speak my word. I wish them neither to
learn
afresh, nor teach anew, but only to bid farewell to their own
bodies,-
and thus become silent.
"Body am I, and soul"- so says the child. And why should one not speak like children?
But
the awakened one, the knowing one, says: "Body am I entirely, and
nothing
more; and soul is only the name of something in the body."
The body is a great wisdom, a plurality with one sense, a war and a peace, a flock and a shepherd.
An instrument of your body is also your small wisdom, my brother, which you call "mind"- a little instrument and toy of your great wisdom.
"I," you say, and are proud of that word. But the greater thing- in which you are unwilling to believe- is your body with its great wisdom; that does not say "I," but does "I."
What
the sense feels, what the mind knows, never has its end in itself.
But sense and mind would rather persuade you that they are the end of all
things: so vain are they.
Instruments and toys are sense and mind: behind them there is still the Self. The Self seeks with the eyes of the senses, it listens also with the ears of the mind.
Always the Self listens and seeks; it compares, masters, conquers, and destroys. It rules, and is also the mind's ruler.
Behind your thoughts and feelings, my brother, there is a mighty lord, an unknown sage- it is called Self; it dwells in your body, it /is/ your body.
There is more wisdom in your body than in your best wisdom. And who then knows why your body needs precisely your best wisdom?
Your Self laughs at your mind, and its bold leaps. "What are these leaps and flights of thought to me?" it says to itself. "A detour to my end. I hold the puppet-strings of the mind, and am the prompter of its notions."
The Self says to the mind: "Feel pain!" Then the mind suffers, and thinks how it may put an end to its suffering- and that is why it is made to think.
The Self says to the mind: "Feel pleasure!" Then the mind is pleased, and thinks how it may be pleased again- and that is why it is made to think.
I want to speak to the despisers of the body. Their contempt is caused by their respect. What is it that created respect and contempt and worth and will?
The creating Self created for itself respect and contempt, it created for itself pleasure and pain. The creative body created the mind as a hand for its will.
Even in your folly and contempt you each serve your Self, you despisers of the body. I tell you, your very Self wants to die, and turns away from life.
No longer can your Self do that which it desires most:- create beyond itself. That is what it desires most; that is its fervent wish.
But
it is now too late to do so:- so your Self wishes to perish, you despisers
of the body.
To perish- so wishes your Self; and therefore you have become despisers of
the body. For you can no longer create beyond yourselves.
And that is why you are angry with life and the earth. An unconscious envy is in the sidelong glance of your contempt.
I do not go your way, you despisers of the body! You are no bridges to the Superman!-
Thus
spoke Zarathustra.