The Last of the Mohicans

by | Tuesday, February 21, 2017 | Personal Growth, Spirituality | 12 comments

winter tree“Do not try to understand them. And do not try to make them understand you.” This beautiful quote from the movie is so far reaching. It feels best to put no limits upon it.

It applies to so much of life… to every single relationship… to dealings between cultures and to those whom we love so deeply… our children, our partners, our friends. To grasp anything, to name it, to define it, to decide you understand it… is to limit it. So much of life’s beauty lies in its unfathomability. To understand better is not to hold on, but is to let go.

 

 

© Michael Mamas. All rights reserved.

12 Comments

  1. Tim on February 21, 2017 at 5:01 pm

    Exactly!

  2. W on February 21, 2017 at 5:40 pm

    That seems kind of sweet, and kind of sad, to me. I guess it is a wise idea, since I can’t even get the different parts of my own self to understand each other, much less anyone else. It also reminds me of the Gibran quote: Let there be spaces in your togetherness.

  3. Mark P. on February 21, 2017 at 6:08 pm

    We’re taught to figure it out, to understand everything. How refreshing to not.

  4. Sandra on February 21, 2017 at 6:18 pm

    I love this blog!

  5. Marion on February 21, 2017 at 8:14 pm

    beautiful…

  6. MJN on February 22, 2017 at 10:27 am

    And perfect timing – again!

  7. Nancy C on February 22, 2017 at 5:46 pm

    I recognise within myself how refreshing and freeing it feels to do so.
    Ah, the growing pains….
    So appreciative of your reminders to go deeper.

  8. Anonymous on February 22, 2017 at 10:35 pm

    Can we have a feeling of understanding, even aspire for it, while letting go of the attempt at intellectual understanding?

  9. Michael Mamas on February 23, 2017 at 7:41 pm

    Dear Anonymous,
    It depends upon what we mean by “attempt at intellectual understanding”. On the one hand, we attempt to understand, of course. On the other hand, we know we can never fully understand and we certainly must not attempt to put that in a box. Isn’t it ironic… that is exactly what “attempt at understanding” usually means… i.e. put in a box. Even spiritual knowledge is put in a box and then one proclaims spiritual attainment or authority. We call that “The I get it syndrome”.

  10. Michael Brandon on February 23, 2017 at 11:21 pm

    My comment this time is less about the deeper meaning of that great quote and more about the movie itself..The Last of The Mohicans movie effected me so deeply..It was the first time I felt like I truly had a reference for past lives. To have you reference it is very exciting indeed! Thank you! Now that,that has been said.. I will look deeper:)

  11. Michael Mamas on February 24, 2017 at 12:31 pm

    The best part of understanding is the sweet wonder of unfathomability. Even love does not fathom. Love adores.

  12. S. Dhanis on February 24, 2017 at 9:20 pm

    I feel like if the rest of the quote were included, it would convey even more about the paradox of life. “Do not try to understand them. And do not make them try to understand you, for they are a breed apart and make no sense.”