The Ineffability of Life

It's an experience we've all had. A feeling or thought comes over you but can't find the words that would "do it justice". It might be a spiritual experience or a moment with your lover or child.  This feeling might come when you find yourself in nature, experiencing something of great beauty alone. Or maybe it's even simpler- you find yourself unable to explain why you love a certain song or film or even food. Suddenly, language can seem ill-suited to communicate exactly how you feel. In fact, the act of communication seems to rob the experience of its beauty and pulls you further away from understanding. 

Here's a Daoist take on this ineffable feeling from Zhuangzi:

Duke Huan was reading a book in the hall. Wheelwright Pian, who had been chiseling a wheel in the courtyard below, set down his tools and climbed the stairs to ask Duke Huan, "May I ask what words are in the book Your Grace is reading?"  "The words of sages." the Duke responded.  "Are these sages alive?"  "They are already dead."
 
“That means you are reading the dregs of long gone men, doesn't it?"
 
Duke Huan said, “How does a wheelwright get to have opinions on the books I read? If you can explain yourself, I’ll let it pass otherwise, its death."  Wheelwright Pian said, ‘‘In my case I see things in terms of my own work. When I chisel at a wheel, if I go slow the chisel slides and does not stay put; if I hurry, it jams and doesn't move properly When it is neither too slow nor too fast I can feel it in my hand and respond to it from my heart. My mouth cannot describe it in words but there is something there 1 cannot teach it to my son and my son cannot learn it from me So I have gone on for seventy years, growing old chiseling wheels The men of old died in possession of what could not transmit. So it follows that what you are reading is their dregs."

Here he is, Zhuangzi himself (or at least that's what Google told me). Of course no one really knows what he looked like but this guy looks "with it" enough for me.

It's a wonderful little story (well, besides the fact Pian was threatened with his life for only a passing comment).  I think the metaphor the Wheelwright makes is apt - we often have a hard time teaching someone to do something that is easy for us to do physically.  Without looking at your keyboard, try imagining telling someone who has never typed, which fingers to use to type out a specific sentence. Or try to imagine explaining to a non-bipedal alien how you walk,chew gum and talk all at the same time. You know, you just do it. The larger point is that the written word and the spoken word are more like shadows than we perceive them to be. 

The Dao De Jing teaches that "the way" of the universe itself is ineffable,  as the first chapter states, "The way that can be spoken of  -  Is not the constant way; The name that can be named." To think you know how to define the way means you're already wrong. Daoists are content with this mystery and  like other Eastern philosophies, Daoism stresses contentment over striving. Peacefulness over activity.  There are limits to human knowledge and intuition so we should individually be satisfied with the little that we do have. The desire for more, whether it be for knowledge or wealth leads to destruction.


This feeling of ineffability is (in part) behind why artists create art. Because "I love you" or "That's really pretty" can't cut it; so we create and attempt to transcend normal reality.  We strive for describing this truth and yet, there is a kind of beauty in this paradox. We are trapped inside our brains with no way to directly share our experiences (yet).  No one can fully understand you (if even you can understand yourself). However, these private, indescribable moments can stay with us forever, to be treasured  in our solitude.