Mountain Dialogues by Frank Waters (review)

Book Reviews141 Frank Waters. Mountain Dialogues. Chicago: Sage/Swallow Press, 1981. 237p. Mountain Dialogues is not without its flaws, but the strengths of these eighteen essays far outweigh their weaknesses. They are permeated by the evolutionary mysticism which gives the work of Frank Waters its unique place in American letters . Like the Indian ceremonialism that has so strongly influenced Waters, the best of these essays reveals the mystical intensity to be found in seemingly commonplace daily experiences (see almost any essay in Part I). Less effective are those essays which report, recapping for us only the ideas of others ("Ley Lines" or "The Hopi Prophecy"). The essays are divided into three groups. Although there is much overlapping, the focus of Part One is on the qualities of land and people which led Waters to make the mountains of northern New Mexico his home. Part Two marshals evidence for his belief that while past civilizations lacked our left-brain grasp of technology, they often had a much stronger right brain understanding of the inherent wholeness of man and nature. Part Three uses Waters's reflections on Western versus Eastern thought in the persons of CG. Jung and Bhagavan Sri Maharishi and his experiences in Mexico, China, and America to argue that separate left and right brain cultures are in the process of being replaced by a synthesis superior to both. The book does have an underlying unity, and the key to it lies in the title, Mountain Dialogues. Waters believes that it is in the mountains that mysticism, a feel for the inherent oneness of man and cosmos, usually originates. The incessant movement within the oneness of existence Waters sees as taking the form of dialogues — dialogues whose goal is the development of the consciousness existing as a potential in all matter. Man as a part of this ongoing development has his own dialogue. This dialogue advances not by consistent increments but by cyclic swings between opposites, but each swing takes it to a higher level. Mountain Dialogues argues that we can see at least two previous swings in the development of man's consciousness. The earlier — which is too often undervalued — developed right brain holistic thinking. The most recent, left brain analytical thought. Waters believes a third swing is already underway, one which will integrate holistic and analytical thinking at a higher level of consciousness. And then new dualities will present themselves so that the dialogue can continue. For Waters sees all dualities as apparent rather than real. They are the device by which nature or the Absolute Self or God (whatever one chooses to call the interconnected whole which is the cosmos) actualizes the potential for consciousness within itself. At its most powerful Waters's art acts as a catalyst. Through it we vicariously experience the dualities in nature and in other men; we get a feel for dialogues. Therefore, we are left better able to recognize and advance the dialogue going on within each of us between the holistic and analytic modes of knowing. By this touchstone much of Mountain Dialogues is prime Waters, and that is something very good indeed. DARYL GRIDER Billings, Montana ...