The word ‘relevant’ derives from a verb ‘to relevate’, which has dropped out of common usage, whose meaning is ‘to lift’ (as in ‘elevate’). In essence, ‘to relevate’ means ‘to lift into attention’, so that the content thus lifted stands out ‘in relief’. When a content lifted into attention is coherent or fitting with the context of interest, i.e., when it has some bearing on the context of the relationship to it, then one says that this content is ‘relevant’; and of course, when it does not fit in this way, it is said to be ‘irrelevant’.
Zen . . . does not confuse spirituality with thinking about God while one is peeling potatoes. Zen spirituality is just to peel the potatoes. – Alan Watts
Moving Mind
Two men were arguing about a flag flapping in the wind.
“It’s the wind that is really moving,” stated the first one.
“No, it is the flag that is moving,” contended the second.
A Zen master, who happened to be walking by, overheard the debate and interrupted them.
“Neither the flag nor the wind is moving,” he said, “It is MIND that moves.”
How relevant is ones life or experience? Where is our attention? Much of the mind’s day is spent in constant chatter while attention is unfocused. This results in blurred perception, dumbed-down experience, and lack of relevance.
Image by Robert Venosa