Resisting Non-Self Part 2
Resisting Non-Self (Part 2)
In the second of a four-part series exploring the Buddhist concept of non-self (*anatta*)—one of the three characteristics of existence alongside suffering (*dukkha*) and impermanence (*anicca*)—Lezlie Laws dives into Jay L. Garfield’s book, Losing Ourselves: Learning to Live Without a Self.
Drawing from Indian Buddhist philosophy, Western thinkers like David Hume, and contemporary neuroscience, Lezlie synthesizes Garfield’s exploration of the distinction between having a "self" and being a "person". Rather than an abstract, remote metaphysical exercise, the talk examines why the "self illusion" matters:
Self vs. Person: Understanding how we exist not as singular, isolated selves, but as "causally and cognitively open continua of psychophysical processes" that form a conventional identity.
The Consequences of Ego: How believing in a bounded, standalone self generates egocentrism, fear, and an instinctive "special regard" that separates us from others and the world around us.
Interdependence & Embeddedness: How shifting our locus of identity away from a rigid self-image reveals our deep interconnectedness with the world and opens the door to greater empathy, ethics, and liberation.
Perspectives on Non-Duality: Incorporating insights from teacher Stephan Bodian on non-dual reality and breaking through the illusion of separation.
The talk concludes with a rich group discussion on letting go of fixed roles, the experience of aging and changing identities, and how moving beyond the illusion of self allows for a natural arising of joy and gratitude.
