The Walrus and the Iceberg

When a friend or relative dies, it usually leads to a period for reflection and mourning.

Acid and John Lennon.

In 1967, the Beatles released a new album with the song “I am the walrus” on it.

These are the opening words,

I am he
As you are he
As you are me
And we are all together

… followed later by …

I am the walrus.

Around that time, the Beatles were introduced to Transcendental Meditation by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. George liked the song title because it embedded the TM mantra he was assigned, “I_am” (incidentally, that was the same mantra I was assigned in 1970).

The purpose of a mantra during meditation was to calm your mind by distracting your attention away from the “external world” so that you become more intimate with your own beingness and, thereby, to enrich your consciousness. As you slipped deeper into meditation, thoughts and feelings would arise spontaneously which you were advised to observe but not to act upon intentionally in that moment. I practiced TM for the better part of my first year of university and recall pleasant experiences from that twice-daily practice.

Beatles fans wanted to know what author John Lennon meant my claiming to be the walrus in the song. John explained that, while on an acid (LSD) trip, he discussed with a friend the Lewis Carroll’s poem “The Walrus and the Carpenter”. It inspired him how to name hid song but said the walrus had no significant meaning in his lyrics.

Yesterday, I wrote about an iceberg.

An iceberg is a useful symbol to represent the conscious and unconscious states of the human mind. An iceberg is made of the same substance as the ocean — water — albeit in different states. Mind also appears to exist as part of a universal substrate for all life — consciousness.

Oceans, like universal consciousness, are vast. They seem to have no beginning or end. The ocean waters move by unseen forces — currents — which carry all floating objects like icebergs as if by an “invisible hand” towards unknown destinations. Life also seems to roll forth inexorably by some unseen source of inertia.

Like an ocean current, there is no reverse gear for life. Like an iceberg, we can only more forward like a rolling stone.

Let’s imagine John as the walrus on an iceberg.

As a ‘being of consciousness’, the walrus (aka John Lennon) must have been aware of his journey since the early days of its beginning up until the time he wrote: “I am the walrus.” The words “I am”, as George suggested, was like a mantra. In his which altered state of consciousness on acid, he was likely immersed in the moment, but also keenly aware of his unlikely journey and circumstances as a famous Beatle.

John came from humble family circumstances. He was raised by blue collar parents in the highly industrial city of Liverpool after the Second World War. His ‘iceberg’ ran on currents that led him to the highly unexpected circumstances of wealth and fame from a music career. No one could have imagined this outcome for the teen version of John Lennon who was an under-achieving student and class clown at high school.

More speculation.

Like a human “being of consciousness”, would the walrus have been aware of the shrinkage of the iceberg as it melted and broke apart? Would he feel fear realizing that his life raft would disappear soon and he may perish? Did John Lennon ever speculate if and when his “ride” would end? Did he do so when tripping on acid? Who was the real John Lennon?

As in the analogy that I suggested in my last Substack, the tip of the iceberg represents “Now” - our current and always present state of awareness. Think of the underwater ice mass as the source from which all memories, dreams, reflections arise to meet the Now moment, dragging with them a kaleidoscope of feelings. Pets, like my two dogs, seem to live in the moment, aware only of the iceberg tip. Can I assume a walrus does too?

The words: “I am he, as you are he, as you are me, and we are altogether” are interesting. Was John saying that he and the walrus were one? Did he want to live in the moment as a walrus does, and not think about tomorrow?

I learned on Christmas Eve that a high school friend of mine, Rudy Kehkla, died at age 70 in 2021. He had been a successful artist specializing in wire sculptures. One of his creations was of John Lennon shown here. Rudy has been on my mind, hence this essay.

John Lennon might have enjoyed speculating on these questions if he were still alive today. Rudy too. Unfortunately, their icebergs expired far too early.