religious concepts of TWIN PEAKS incl. FWWM
Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2015 4:52 pm
Honestly speaking my decision to create this topic was very much inspired by Joel's post on twitter concerning an attempt to draw a parallel between TWIN PEAKS and TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH ME and some certain aspects of Hindu teachings which originate in Upanishad.
My supposition is that FWWM contains more Christian-related concepts, allusions and a view of life and reality in general.
Since this topic, being too complex, certainly doesn't fit into the twitter format (which I really hate sometimes) I thought it would be more reasonable to leave this discussion to dugpas.
I have no idea how fruitful this topic is going to be. Nevertheless it would be exciting for me being academically involved in Religious Studies to take part in this discussion practicing my English by the way:)
First of all speaking about TWIN PEAKS universe which in my mind constitutes an natural conceptual unity with the film I wouldn't like to make an attempt to embed the artistic beauty of TP into dogmatic limitations.
But still no matter how we'd like to go away from religion our return to it is inevitable. Maybe this standpoint sounds in some degree partial since I personally strongly believe that the religion probably represents the highest form of spirituality because of the selfless absence of individualistic nature in the sphere of perception and activity which is arguably the prime goal of most religious ethical systems while an artistic individual mind can indulge too much in its self-expression being blinded by karmic impulses which come up as a result of "avidya" (a fundamental delusion about our self-nature consisting in a false reasoning that "I am" exists, it's our cause for material existence) speaking in Hindu terms.
But back to Twin Peaks...while I think, that David Lynch's later films like Lost Highway, Mulholland Drive and Inland Empire can be considered either as influenced or intuitively adopting some of the Hindu ideas - and that apparent influence it would be my pleasure to trace in some other threads applying the Sanskrit apparatus of Indian religious tradition - I personally believe, that TWIN PEAKS still is rooted first and foremost in the Christianity due to many reasons.
I'm absolutely aware, that some of the arguments I'm going to put forward won't look undeniably credible, but this is the way I see things...
1. What seems to be striking in the series and FWWM as opposed to the films mentioned above is the way how TWIN PEAKS treats the nature of our material and spiritual world. I don't know how about you, but watching TP I have not a slightest doubt that the earthly realm and the realm of the Lodge/Red Room REALLY exist having an objective anthological status. By saying this I mean, that space and time (I'm not talking about dreams where your mind can be carried away to other worlds) that the characters experience and in which limits they are located is SHARED by the other characters. Thus normally you don't have to doubt that ALL characters (even the most dream-like ones) and proceedings are real and don't represent a projection of somebody's desires, passions, fears etc. This statement can be easily refuted of course as some people still think, that BOB is a projection of human fears or the convenience store is a place which can be visited only in dreams. Talking about myself I totally believe in a material existence of both since we know from Laura about BOB that "He is real" and Jeffries' account of his encounter with "them" sounds terrifically real being an "EYE-witness" account of a "dream-like real occurence". In this respect TP represents an opposition to Lost Highway where the space-time continuum and a model of characters is warped and fractured as a result of the perception of reality in a form of projection of ONESELF - in case of Fred Maddison - of his passions and desires and inability to overcome them including the consequences of his evil deeds. In a strict religious sense Frank, BOB and Fred can be viewed as people or entities who haven't attained enlightment or awakening which is a more common term in the Indian philosophy. Thus they are blinded by vijnyana which isn't a true knowledge or a true gnosis ("vi" in English means "apart"). It means that these characters are deceived too much by their ego and eagerness to differentiate themselves from other beings accumulating more and more desires, affects (klesha) and emotions and they can't step over them. Thus BOB wants to gain as much garmonbozia as possible while Mike saw the face of God and was purified. In this respect TP does demonstrate an affinity with the Indian philosophy.
But still Christianity never doubted the presence of the objective world which isn't a result of common karmic activity of sentient beings but an objective non-cyclic reality which isn't caused or shaped by our mental activity (like in Lost Highway, Mulholland Drive and INLAND EMPIRE) but granted by the almighty presence and will of God. So in Christinily our reality isn't plastic, frail, fluid or protean, but objective, independent of its perception and thus susceptible to analysis (it is one of the reasons why science couldn't be born in India, but was born in the Western civilization). In my view TP sticks to that kind of perception if we speak about the town or even about the mystical part including dreams and scenes in the Red Room. I know, it also represents the state of mind of people and souls who visit it. It can reflect fear or awaken love. But it doesn't make TP more Hindu-oriented because, as we know from Gospels, Heaven and Hell (I don't even remember this word in the text, instead of which the eloquently metaphoric Hebrew word "gehinnom" is used which was a place behind the city wall of Jerusalem where slops were thrown out) represent two different states of a person's mind too.
Besides even if we talk about dreams, we all know, that many of them don't represent any subjective sensual emotional state of a TP character, but refer to the actual events which REALLY took place like the meeting of Laura with Cooper or Laura's dream in FWWM. What I take as a turning point in FWWM which bridges it with Lost Highway and later works is that juxtaposition or overlapping of Laura's spiritual reality where she just appeares in the Lodge and Cooper's reality related to the later development of the story (it's like Fred meeting Rene or himself at the end of the film).
Thus the future meets the past at one point.
To put it shortly the world of TP demonstrates an objectiveness of our linear material and non-linear ethereal world indicating their dualism in their boundaries since they normally don't melt into each other in an uncontrolled flux like in INLAND EMPIRE or even in Lost Highway and Mulholland Drive where the characters are lost indulging in a dreamy "maya" and reconstructing their mental scenarios.
I would agree with Joel like probably all TP fans that if we appeal to concrete references in the series we will find many masonic motifs leading to Theosophy of Helena Blavatsky. The distinction of the White and Black Lodge is theosophical and belongs to Mark's ideas. Actually I don't remember, that Lynch even mentioned these terms. BUT they are part of TP reality and so they appear in FWWM. Of course the film demonstrates a more or less different approach to the Red Room making it as Robert Engels said a metaphysical place which would explain the true nature of reality. But as I understand all these aspects were already elaborated by Lynch in the last episode of the series where the waiting room concept was introduced and where we don't see any distinct differences between white and black in terms of place. There is one space with no limitations inhabited by different spirits where you must know yourself meeting your shadow-self on your path to perfection.
2. The other more important reason why I think TP has much more in common with Christianity than with dharmic religions ("Buddhism" and "Hinduism" are European terms) is LOVE...which is the central concept and goal of Christianity. Buddhism operates the term "compassion" or karuna and avoids the word "love" finding it too affectionate and disturbing the mind because every affect brings the wheel of life into motion (Fred Maddison's case LOL). BTW compasion is considered to be only "upaya" or artful means by which an adept can bring you to jnyana or an absolute wisdom where you start realising the absence of any distinctions between you and the universe reflecting all phenomena like a mirror surface becoming capable to enter "nirvana" which itself means "extinction" (of a wind).
In my opinion in the world of TP the word "love" is pivotal: the relationships between lovers are a heavenly bliss, the loss of the one we love is a mournful purification, a challenge, a way to understand oneself more deeply akin to the Greek catharsis. If we look at FWWM we will realise with how much love and purifying grief this film is saturated.
I personally don't see Laura as a person blinded by her passions, desires or her emotional experience in general who struggles with herself to reach enlightment. The key dramatic conflict here is different. She was corrupted at the very young age. She knew that her life was ruined as soon as she met BOB and probably she already knew that she would be destined to make a fatal choice. With time she tried to persuade herself that she is hopelessly corrupt to be able to sustain her abuse and that was destroying her soul, but eventually she decided to die for LOVE as a song says. This heroic act is typically Christian since it is based on self-sacrifice, sacrifice for LOVE, not for an enlightment as a way to go beyond all affections to be merged into a total tranquility of the ocean of nirvana.
Besides the motif of temptation by invisible evil forces itself is characteristic of Christianity. In the Indian tradition any misery is explained under the prism of karma and total determination. Thus Christianity explaines less (the book of Job is a perfect example of that), but puts an emphasis on enduring grief and pain and lets a human being more freedom. The view of life as a struggle between light and darkness is a typical Christian concept and plays a key role in FWWM. From the Indian (Hindu & Buddhist perspective) such notions as light and darkness are illusive distinctions caused by our mind and karmic activity. The true nature of Brahman is "nirguna" which means "absence of qualities". It is beyond good and evil and a human's goal is to reunite with it dissolving an ego in its nature. Certainly this dogma was subsequently modified but it's the core of every dharmic religion I think.
3. The final scene of the film allows more a Christian interpretation than a Hindu one. Even if we refrain from the image of an angel. The very end of the film is devoted to a hymn of love, not enlightment or awakening in an Hindu sense. Please don't believe the people who tell you that it is the same in the religions of Dharma. It's not! Just an attempt to perform PR. At least on a serious level concerning the original teachings how they were written. And it's a very dangerous misconception, but I'll tell you about it later.
So the last scene which always served as a the crucial scene in the whole TP universe (since the series was so abruptly cancelled) manifests rather the salvation of Laura and her redemption - concepts unknown to the Indian tradition where DIY principle prevails. In that scene we can see the hand of an angel reaching out for her in a gesture of fulfilled hope which itself is one of the leading Christian concepts too. In dharmic religions hope is automatically substituted by karma whose law is inviolable.
I love how that final scene evolves: frame by frame. She's looking at Cooper confused and uncertain. But suddenly everything changes. And that possibility of rapid change resonates with the spirit of Christianity. We know, the Bible is full of such moments of sudden bliss.
Besides the fact, that Laura will be present as a personality in the new TWIN PEAKS - I'm sure about it - speaks for itself. There is no personal self-indentification after death in dharmic religions - either you enter nirvana or moksha (Hindu term) or you go through the cycle of avidya anew having no consciousness. developing the karmic impulses (samskara's) and preparing for your rebirth.
These are only minor things which have come to my mind. But it wasn't my intention to sum up all aspects which is hardly possible.
I think, Joel drew an interesting comparison between 4 states of mind formulated in Upanishad and of Laura on his twitter. But basically I believe, that they can be applied assuming at least some certain level of abstraction. I will try to return to that discussion a bit later for I need to revise some material.
And it would be interesting to make some discoveries and fill in my gaps in knowledges.
At the end of this post I'd like to tell about one evidence more which speaks for Christianity. A couple of years ago during my study I was absolutely absorbed by the Indian philosophy, its concepts, logic and rigid elaboration. Buddhism penetrated deep into my mind, but on my own experience I realized how dangerous any meditative practices can be, if they involve any religious context being more than a simple relaxation or physical exercise. Practicing them your personality can fall apart month by month, all things you associate yourself with can disappear VERY quickly. That was my case including my interest in David Lynch's works. Out of sudden when I was about to convert to Buddhism I lost ALL my former interests including TP completely. They seemed naive, not corresponding to the "real nature of reality" etc. Very dark period was that. But I hope, everything is over now. As soon as I started to resurrect my interest in Christianity all things including Twin Peaks returned to my life. Now I keep studying Sanskrit and Tibetan including texts, so nothing prevents me from doing it but one should always learn to keep a distance and take a middle course as Buddha Gautama tought.
Everything I've said about a connection between TP and a religion refers to some similarities, crossing points of intuitive and abstract character ONLY.
My supposition is that FWWM contains more Christian-related concepts, allusions and a view of life and reality in general.
Since this topic, being too complex, certainly doesn't fit into the twitter format (which I really hate sometimes) I thought it would be more reasonable to leave this discussion to dugpas.
I have no idea how fruitful this topic is going to be. Nevertheless it would be exciting for me being academically involved in Religious Studies to take part in this discussion practicing my English by the way:)
First of all speaking about TWIN PEAKS universe which in my mind constitutes an natural conceptual unity with the film I wouldn't like to make an attempt to embed the artistic beauty of TP into dogmatic limitations.
But still no matter how we'd like to go away from religion our return to it is inevitable. Maybe this standpoint sounds in some degree partial since I personally strongly believe that the religion probably represents the highest form of spirituality because of the selfless absence of individualistic nature in the sphere of perception and activity which is arguably the prime goal of most religious ethical systems while an artistic individual mind can indulge too much in its self-expression being blinded by karmic impulses which come up as a result of "avidya" (a fundamental delusion about our self-nature consisting in a false reasoning that "I am" exists, it's our cause for material existence) speaking in Hindu terms.
But back to Twin Peaks...while I think, that David Lynch's later films like Lost Highway, Mulholland Drive and Inland Empire can be considered either as influenced or intuitively adopting some of the Hindu ideas - and that apparent influence it would be my pleasure to trace in some other threads applying the Sanskrit apparatus of Indian religious tradition - I personally believe, that TWIN PEAKS still is rooted first and foremost in the Christianity due to many reasons.
I'm absolutely aware, that some of the arguments I'm going to put forward won't look undeniably credible, but this is the way I see things...
1. What seems to be striking in the series and FWWM as opposed to the films mentioned above is the way how TWIN PEAKS treats the nature of our material and spiritual world. I don't know how about you, but watching TP I have not a slightest doubt that the earthly realm and the realm of the Lodge/Red Room REALLY exist having an objective anthological status. By saying this I mean, that space and time (I'm not talking about dreams where your mind can be carried away to other worlds) that the characters experience and in which limits they are located is SHARED by the other characters. Thus normally you don't have to doubt that ALL characters (even the most dream-like ones) and proceedings are real and don't represent a projection of somebody's desires, passions, fears etc. This statement can be easily refuted of course as some people still think, that BOB is a projection of human fears or the convenience store is a place which can be visited only in dreams. Talking about myself I totally believe in a material existence of both since we know from Laura about BOB that "He is real" and Jeffries' account of his encounter with "them" sounds terrifically real being an "EYE-witness" account of a "dream-like real occurence". In this respect TP represents an opposition to Lost Highway where the space-time continuum and a model of characters is warped and fractured as a result of the perception of reality in a form of projection of ONESELF - in case of Fred Maddison - of his passions and desires and inability to overcome them including the consequences of his evil deeds. In a strict religious sense Frank, BOB and Fred can be viewed as people or entities who haven't attained enlightment or awakening which is a more common term in the Indian philosophy. Thus they are blinded by vijnyana which isn't a true knowledge or a true gnosis ("vi" in English means "apart"). It means that these characters are deceived too much by their ego and eagerness to differentiate themselves from other beings accumulating more and more desires, affects (klesha) and emotions and they can't step over them. Thus BOB wants to gain as much garmonbozia as possible while Mike saw the face of God and was purified. In this respect TP does demonstrate an affinity with the Indian philosophy.
But still Christianity never doubted the presence of the objective world which isn't a result of common karmic activity of sentient beings but an objective non-cyclic reality which isn't caused or shaped by our mental activity (like in Lost Highway, Mulholland Drive and INLAND EMPIRE) but granted by the almighty presence and will of God. So in Christinily our reality isn't plastic, frail, fluid or protean, but objective, independent of its perception and thus susceptible to analysis (it is one of the reasons why science couldn't be born in India, but was born in the Western civilization). In my view TP sticks to that kind of perception if we speak about the town or even about the mystical part including dreams and scenes in the Red Room. I know, it also represents the state of mind of people and souls who visit it. It can reflect fear or awaken love. But it doesn't make TP more Hindu-oriented because, as we know from Gospels, Heaven and Hell (I don't even remember this word in the text, instead of which the eloquently metaphoric Hebrew word "gehinnom" is used which was a place behind the city wall of Jerusalem where slops were thrown out) represent two different states of a person's mind too.
Besides even if we talk about dreams, we all know, that many of them don't represent any subjective sensual emotional state of a TP character, but refer to the actual events which REALLY took place like the meeting of Laura with Cooper or Laura's dream in FWWM. What I take as a turning point in FWWM which bridges it with Lost Highway and later works is that juxtaposition or overlapping of Laura's spiritual reality where she just appeares in the Lodge and Cooper's reality related to the later development of the story (it's like Fred meeting Rene or himself at the end of the film).
Thus the future meets the past at one point.
To put it shortly the world of TP demonstrates an objectiveness of our linear material and non-linear ethereal world indicating their dualism in their boundaries since they normally don't melt into each other in an uncontrolled flux like in INLAND EMPIRE or even in Lost Highway and Mulholland Drive where the characters are lost indulging in a dreamy "maya" and reconstructing their mental scenarios.
I would agree with Joel like probably all TP fans that if we appeal to concrete references in the series we will find many masonic motifs leading to Theosophy of Helena Blavatsky. The distinction of the White and Black Lodge is theosophical and belongs to Mark's ideas. Actually I don't remember, that Lynch even mentioned these terms. BUT they are part of TP reality and so they appear in FWWM. Of course the film demonstrates a more or less different approach to the Red Room making it as Robert Engels said a metaphysical place which would explain the true nature of reality. But as I understand all these aspects were already elaborated by Lynch in the last episode of the series where the waiting room concept was introduced and where we don't see any distinct differences between white and black in terms of place. There is one space with no limitations inhabited by different spirits where you must know yourself meeting your shadow-self on your path to perfection.
2. The other more important reason why I think TP has much more in common with Christianity than with dharmic religions ("Buddhism" and "Hinduism" are European terms) is LOVE...which is the central concept and goal of Christianity. Buddhism operates the term "compassion" or karuna and avoids the word "love" finding it too affectionate and disturbing the mind because every affect brings the wheel of life into motion (Fred Maddison's case LOL). BTW compasion is considered to be only "upaya" or artful means by which an adept can bring you to jnyana or an absolute wisdom where you start realising the absence of any distinctions between you and the universe reflecting all phenomena like a mirror surface becoming capable to enter "nirvana" which itself means "extinction" (of a wind).
In my opinion in the world of TP the word "love" is pivotal: the relationships between lovers are a heavenly bliss, the loss of the one we love is a mournful purification, a challenge, a way to understand oneself more deeply akin to the Greek catharsis. If we look at FWWM we will realise with how much love and purifying grief this film is saturated.
I personally don't see Laura as a person blinded by her passions, desires or her emotional experience in general who struggles with herself to reach enlightment. The key dramatic conflict here is different. She was corrupted at the very young age. She knew that her life was ruined as soon as she met BOB and probably she already knew that she would be destined to make a fatal choice. With time she tried to persuade herself that she is hopelessly corrupt to be able to sustain her abuse and that was destroying her soul, but eventually she decided to die for LOVE as a song says. This heroic act is typically Christian since it is based on self-sacrifice, sacrifice for LOVE, not for an enlightment as a way to go beyond all affections to be merged into a total tranquility of the ocean of nirvana.
Besides the motif of temptation by invisible evil forces itself is characteristic of Christianity. In the Indian tradition any misery is explained under the prism of karma and total determination. Thus Christianity explaines less (the book of Job is a perfect example of that), but puts an emphasis on enduring grief and pain and lets a human being more freedom. The view of life as a struggle between light and darkness is a typical Christian concept and plays a key role in FWWM. From the Indian (Hindu & Buddhist perspective) such notions as light and darkness are illusive distinctions caused by our mind and karmic activity. The true nature of Brahman is "nirguna" which means "absence of qualities". It is beyond good and evil and a human's goal is to reunite with it dissolving an ego in its nature. Certainly this dogma was subsequently modified but it's the core of every dharmic religion I think.
3. The final scene of the film allows more a Christian interpretation than a Hindu one. Even if we refrain from the image of an angel. The very end of the film is devoted to a hymn of love, not enlightment or awakening in an Hindu sense. Please don't believe the people who tell you that it is the same in the religions of Dharma. It's not! Just an attempt to perform PR. At least on a serious level concerning the original teachings how they were written. And it's a very dangerous misconception, but I'll tell you about it later.
So the last scene which always served as a the crucial scene in the whole TP universe (since the series was so abruptly cancelled) manifests rather the salvation of Laura and her redemption - concepts unknown to the Indian tradition where DIY principle prevails. In that scene we can see the hand of an angel reaching out for her in a gesture of fulfilled hope which itself is one of the leading Christian concepts too. In dharmic religions hope is automatically substituted by karma whose law is inviolable.
I love how that final scene evolves: frame by frame. She's looking at Cooper confused and uncertain. But suddenly everything changes. And that possibility of rapid change resonates with the spirit of Christianity. We know, the Bible is full of such moments of sudden bliss.
Besides the fact, that Laura will be present as a personality in the new TWIN PEAKS - I'm sure about it - speaks for itself. There is no personal self-indentification after death in dharmic religions - either you enter nirvana or moksha (Hindu term) or you go through the cycle of avidya anew having no consciousness. developing the karmic impulses (samskara's) and preparing for your rebirth.
These are only minor things which have come to my mind. But it wasn't my intention to sum up all aspects which is hardly possible.
I think, Joel drew an interesting comparison between 4 states of mind formulated in Upanishad and of Laura on his twitter. But basically I believe, that they can be applied assuming at least some certain level of abstraction. I will try to return to that discussion a bit later for I need to revise some material.
And it would be interesting to make some discoveries and fill in my gaps in knowledges.
At the end of this post I'd like to tell about one evidence more which speaks for Christianity. A couple of years ago during my study I was absolutely absorbed by the Indian philosophy, its concepts, logic and rigid elaboration. Buddhism penetrated deep into my mind, but on my own experience I realized how dangerous any meditative practices can be, if they involve any religious context being more than a simple relaxation or physical exercise. Practicing them your personality can fall apart month by month, all things you associate yourself with can disappear VERY quickly. That was my case including my interest in David Lynch's works. Out of sudden when I was about to convert to Buddhism I lost ALL my former interests including TP completely. They seemed naive, not corresponding to the "real nature of reality" etc. Very dark period was that. But I hope, everything is over now. As soon as I started to resurrect my interest in Christianity all things including Twin Peaks returned to my life. Now I keep studying Sanskrit and Tibetan including texts, so nothing prevents me from doing it but one should always learn to keep a distance and take a middle course as Buddha Gautama tought.
Everything I've said about a connection between TP and a religion refers to some similarities, crossing points of intuitive and abstract character ONLY.