Wheel hub and rim analogy - notes

Consider a spinning wheel.

The wheel rim is

- very active, and has a

- higher linear speed, due to

- greater linear distance/same time

- when going from hub outward towards rim

At the wheel hub is

- lesser linear speed due to

- lesser linear distance/same time

   going inward, towards the centre.

At the ideal, exact, centre of the wheel hub,

the linear speed is zero.

Ontologically, the same category 

- same physical wheel, with

- different parts or locations

Now split the analogy 

into two categories:

- physical

- psychological

Physically, 

any amount or degree of activity, 

either high speed or zero speed.

Psychologically, laminar 

- non-turbulent -

peaceful flow. 

Better understood as 

psychological stillness 

- emotional thoughtlessness - 

since it is not in a physical realm.

Psychological peace, 

emotional unstressed-ness, 

is different from, and 

orthogonal to, 

physical activity.

So, as an analogy, 

two points are important 

in the wheel hub-rim analogy - 

physical direction 

(towards rim or towards centre) and 

physical speed.

But,

psychological stillness or peace 

at the physical hub versus

psychological speed, 

or better, turbulence 

at the physical rim - 

still mind vs. chaotic mind - 

are not the conclusions 

to draw

from the analogy.

Instead, the desired psychological state 

- a peaceful mind - 

should be the same

at all points on the physical wheel.

To take an extreme example, 

the Bhagavad Gita says that 

kshatriyas may even kill 

as part of 

their necessary activities/duties -

without karmic consequences -

if they are able 

to surrender their agency 

(be without egoism) 

to the Lord and 

stay psychologically unstressed. [1][2]

A very difficult achievement, per Babuji!

But Babuji also explicitly refuted 

the "turn the other cheek" tenet 

by advising a slap back!

Thus, psychological stillness, yes, 

but amidst both

physical inactivity and 

intense physical activity.

NOTES

[1] A similar lesson is in the vyādha gīta.

[2] Nazis claimed they were innocent of 

      genocide as they were only following orders.

      But, such activities were not dharmic. 

      Also they were humanly, not divinely, ordained. 

      And, of course, the Nazis could have had no psychological peace.