Field & Functional
There is this field of phenomena arising in the present, and it is free from any information about me and you, right and wrong, etc. It is just is, in its richness.
And there is a functional layer of abstraction I can add on top of it. This helps me differentiate within this field, for purely functional reasons. It helps me orient in the world.
With just the field, I cannot function in the world. With just the abstractions, there is only hallucinations. With both, there is richness and functionality. And if there is a clear differentiation of the two, then there is even sanity.
If I cannot differentiate the field from the abstractions I will mistake abstractions for the field. And whenever the field does not correspond, there is inevitably suffering. I have my center of gravity in the abstractions more than the field, creating drama and confusion for myself. The tool (layer of abstractions) becomes an instrument of self-torture.
When there is differentiation, and a natural center of gravity in the field, there is sanity. The tool is revealed as just a tool. There is a sense of freshness, and of ease in daily life.