A concept from the 2015 book Intelligence in the Flesh, subtitled “Why Your Mind Needs Your Body Much More than It Thinks” by Guy Claxton:
"… the Benign Generalised Other: the image of a person who knows us deeply and judges us not at all. Sometimes this image derives from a grandparent, or from a counsellor, psychotherapist or priest. Sometimes it is embodied in a religious figure such as Christ or Buddha. Often it is a composite of several sources. Whatever its provenance, it has the benefit, if one can learn the trick of mentally 'putting oneself in their shoes,’ of providing a warm, neutral point of observation for our own and others' behaviour. This attentive, accepting vantage point lies at the heart of what is fashionably called 'mindfulness' practice.…”
... in Toki Pona, perhaps in summary:
lukin en jo li pona
| toki pona | rough translation |
|---|---|
| lukin en jo li pona | seeing and accepting are good |
(cf Hare Brain, Tortoise Mind (2005-06-03), The Heart of Buddhism (2015-01-10), On Good Form (2015-02-08), Equanimity and Magnanimity (2015-02-19), Self and No-Self (2015-03-11), ...) - ^z - 2025-08-14