You really had me with this one. Very beautiful. There was really something here. However you lost me at the end when you started talking about this unusual term. I don’t think that word is necessary or really comes from the experience you were describing. What you were describing to a large extent was indeed sensual and embodied or at least in my imagination it was… However this big word does not do that for me. I really like big words but maybe there is an important difference between words that talk about profound experience and words that evoke it.
I'm guessing you are referring to the word 'concrescence'?
(If it's a different word, please let me know.)
If that's right, I agree with you that it's not an easy term. That's because it comes from the philosopher Alfred North Whitehead who invented many new words as part of describing a deeply embodied vision of the cosmology of the universe.
I haven't yet read Whitehead's 'Process and Reality' which, I believe, is where the term 'concrescence' comes from - because he is VERY difficult to understand. Yet Matt Seagall has deeply studied Whitehead and before this conversation, I had heard him explain Whitehead's view - and its relevance today - on many occasions. The entire reason I wantted to have this conversation with him was to better understand the metaphysics of 'process philosophy' associated with Whitehead.
If you didn't listen to the podcast, you might want to at least listen to the short clip embedded in this post to hear Matt's description of 'concresence.'
For me, yes, 'concrescence' is a big word that doesn't land immediately, but the more I've listened to Matt and slowly grasped more of the intricate process that the term describes, the more embodied insight I have gained. I sketched the image of an imaginary swimming pool world to try to make the word come more alive.
What a really wonderful and brilliant response. I am going to have to look into this more deeply. My focus is on the deep core anatomy and I relate it to Consilience. Thank you very much for your deep insights and I am very glad that I am following you now.
You seem to be really good at crafting words that evoke the experience of body cognition!
Thanks! 🥰
You really had me with this one. Very beautiful. There was really something here. However you lost me at the end when you started talking about this unusual term. I don’t think that word is necessary or really comes from the experience you were describing. What you were describing to a large extent was indeed sensual and embodied or at least in my imagination it was… However this big word does not do that for me. I really like big words but maybe there is an important difference between words that talk about profound experience and words that evoke it.
I'm guessing you are referring to the word 'concrescence'?
(If it's a different word, please let me know.)
If that's right, I agree with you that it's not an easy term. That's because it comes from the philosopher Alfred North Whitehead who invented many new words as part of describing a deeply embodied vision of the cosmology of the universe.
I haven't yet read Whitehead's 'Process and Reality' which, I believe, is where the term 'concrescence' comes from - because he is VERY difficult to understand. Yet Matt Seagall has deeply studied Whitehead and before this conversation, I had heard him explain Whitehead's view - and its relevance today - on many occasions. The entire reason I wantted to have this conversation with him was to better understand the metaphysics of 'process philosophy' associated with Whitehead.
If you didn't listen to the podcast, you might want to at least listen to the short clip embedded in this post to hear Matt's description of 'concresence.'
For me, yes, 'concrescence' is a big word that doesn't land immediately, but the more I've listened to Matt and slowly grasped more of the intricate process that the term describes, the more embodied insight I have gained. I sketched the image of an imaginary swimming pool world to try to make the word come more alive.
What a really wonderful and brilliant response. I am going to have to look into this more deeply. My focus is on the deep core anatomy and I relate it to Consilience. Thank you very much for your deep insights and I am very glad that I am following you now.