Tag: Life Page 2 of 5

Holey Man

On June 8, 2019

“How are you?”

That is a common informal greeting to which one might answer with, “I’m fine. How are you?”

Easy enough. Here’s another one for you.

Why are you?

Why are you here right now? How did you find yourself embedded in this “reality”? Is it a mystery to you? How and why could that be?

Is the arc of your existence merely an awakening into ignorance followed by a befuddled extinguishment?

Do you “believe” in something? Many people have a religion they follow. There are lots of different things you might believe in. Many people accept beliefs handed to them by someone else. Others might “wing” it, making up something unique.

Who is right?

Likely nobody. Besides, how would you tell?

Are you too unintelligent to figure it out? Perhaps you just don’t care enough to try? Just assume you’ll learn what it’s all about after you die?

Or is this knowledge being withheld from you? If so, by whom?

Maybe there are no answers.

How would that make you feel? Relieved? Uncertain? Filled with despair?

About a million people commit suicide each and every year. Are they the smart ones? Are they now at peace? Do they finally know what life was all about?

Despair is an important clue here. If everything was truly meaningless, you wouldn’t care either way. The very existence of the hole in your heart is proof that there is something missing.

Now what might that be?

Not Dead But Dreaming

By Remus

On May 18, 2019

In Wagging Tales

Imagine this weird situation.

You become (or perhaps always have been?) aware of yourself. Either you have no memory of existing before this or you are unable to understand what those memories are. (No language? No brain?)

Sooner or later you become aware that things can change. Things can begin and end. You experience what you will someday refer to as “time”. Your very limitlessness creates your limitedness. The existence of Nothing brings Something in.

Well, well. Isn’t this interesting? You lean in for a closer look…

Now imagine that you discover a nearby object. Later, you encounter the object again and again. It becomes familiar. You discover that it responds to your will. It becomes… yours.

Time passes. You continue to find new things to incorporate. Hands and feet. A voice. A body. Emotions and thoughts. An outlook. An understanding. Indeed, a world.

And over time, you not only identify with this world. You identify as this world. You are no longer simple awareness. You are that awareness plus the things you are aware of in a totally unique combination.

Weird, huh?

So you get used to this situation. You become involved. You may like it. You may not. Likely a little of both. Eventually, at the appointed time you get to the end of the story. You back away from the table and stop playing this game.

The experience stops. Your world dies. No more body, no more senses. No more relationships. No brain, no memories. Just…

You become (or perhaps always have been?) aware of yourself. Either you have no memory of existing before this or you are unable to understand what those memories are…

The Good Shepherd

By Remus

On December 15, 2018

In Philosphing

Pleasure by definition is enjoyable.

It is something to look for.

Something to seek out.

Like a delightful treat, it will lure you in.

Suffering by definition is not enjoyable.

It is something to be avoided.

Something to flee from.

Like a scourge, it will drive you before it.

Would you rather be lured by pleasure?

Or forced by pain?

In which manner do you prefer to be controlled?

Heaven’s (Revolving) Door

By Remus

On May 5, 2018

In Philosphing

In the Christian Bible, Jesus is recorded to have said:

“The Kingdom of God is ‘within’ (or ‘among’ or ‘amidst’ depending on the translation) – you.”

So this guy who is roundly regarded to be an expert on the subject, did not say that the Kingdom was elsewhere. He said it was right here. Right now.

How could this be so? We all know that this world sucks. Life is one damn obstacle after another. A planet swarming with predatory governments and corporations who victimize the poor and the helpless with impunity. The world is crazy. The world is sick. We might as well be living in hell.

At least, that’s what some folks think.

I myself look around and see only the Kingdom of God. We are all so beautiful and noble (and funny). Each of us is a star in our own fascinating little play. Such freedom and fun! Billions upon billions of interesting and amusing dramas everywhere you look. And the beauty all around! I could watch the plumes of smoke belching from a factory smoke-stack all day. I love to see the amazing play of colors that sunlight creates on an oil-spill. Every bit of understanding is a sparkling treasure. All adversity is a chance to learn more about ourselves; our fellows. There is no evil. Only ignorance. It’s all so perfect!

If you can’t refrain from simply Being, if you feel you must interact with the world, then look at it all through the eyes of love, understanding and forgiveness. Remind yourself to do this again and again until it becomes automatic.

What you see is what you are.

Heaven cannot be entered until it is first constructed.

Visiting Relatives

By Remus

On November 12, 2017

In Philosphing

In a previous post, I described my experience of realizing that everything is relative. Not only did this make sense to me, it also allowed me to make sense of everything else. Seeing that no part of reality was set apart from the rest was a breakthrough for me. Like Ouspensky’s ashtray writ as large as the universe.

And at the center of this One Thing was I Am. Simple Consciousness. Not my individual, human-limited consciousness (although that is part of It) but the One unified Consciousness of Everything.

“Ehyeh asher ehyeh”, answered God when Moses asked for It’s name. “I Am that I Am.”

God sure says a lot of profound shit, doesn’t It?

So, the point here is that I had discovered Relativism before I even knew there was a word for it. I learned that word shortly afterward when I brought some of my ideas up in conversation with my dad.

I immediately learned that “relativism” is a word that Christians say with a sneer. It is a trick of the Devil’s to make us indecisive and tepid in our outlook. To even entertain this idea is to become immoral. It is like building your house on sand instead of rock. There is Good and there is Evil. To question these things is to become lost in a swamp of illusion and lies.

I mean, think about it. Once you start to understand your enemy’s point of view, it becomes much more difficult to destroy him. We can’t become heroes if there are no evil-doers.

Understanding is for fools.

So needless to say, I understood his position.

But he has never been able to understand mine. The result has been a lot of suffering on his part. Despair for me, his foolish son who will be sent to hell and a pleading sort of anger directed at the god who will be consigning me there.

Fear of the Lord may be the beginning of wisdom, but it sure as hell isn’t it’s culmination.

Questionable Thinking

By Remus

On September 29, 2017

In Philosphing

Philosophy; religion; science. These are but a few of the systems developed over the last ten-thousand years or so in our bid to figure out who we are and why we are here.

Are we alone or are we surrounded by spirits? Is there one God or many gods? Or is there no God at all? Are we simply animals? Colonies of cells? Cosmic accidents? Do we have a purpose? Why does the universe exist in the first place? Is consciousness an illusion? Is there life on other planets? Is the universe infinite?

Most people will take a peek into this fun-house of the mind at some point during their lives. Many will be overwhelmed by the sheer complexity of the mystery. They will back away instead and concentrate on living at the familiar material level. This works fine for the young and healthy. It will only become a burden in old age, when family and friends begin to sicken and die. When they themselves start to feel the chill of the grave reaching out for them. With little choice and less time, they often turn back to the religion of their childhood where they are received with open arms and open collection plates. Grim business, aging in ignorance.

On the other hand, some people will feel the desire to understand what is going on here and become fascinated by the challenge of figuring it all out.

The Puzzle of all puzzles! Where to begin? Ancient writings and ideas? History and archaeology? Astronomy? Cosmology? Physics? Mathematics?

What needs to be satisfied? The mind or the heart? Logic or intuition? Should we continue to build upon the foundations already laid down by others or strike off in a new direction entirely? Is the journey itself the goal?

Perhaps we are fools to even try. Are we like a colony of ants? Do we dwell in our tiny nest, surrounded by vast beings and constructs that will always remain incomprehensible to our fragile and limited little minds?

So many questions! So many directions!

Does the quest to Know what is really going on lead to inevitable insanity? (Many who are familiar with this writer might say so.)

Why do we find ourselves searching for the Truth in a world of Mystery?

Why aren’t we born already Knowing?

Aha!

Why indeed…?

In the year 1983 a young prospector came across a rare and special Stone. Being a natural-born philosopher, he instantly recognized the Stone for what it was. A fabled artifact bestowing immortality and riches beyond compare. Many years passed. Occasionally the man attempted to pass the Stone on to others but they could never grasp nor hold on to it. Their hands were already filled with lesser gems which they feared to put down. Now as an old prospector, he freely offers a few shiny baubles to anyone who wants them. The Stone is available here also although It carries a price that few are willing to pay.

I am happy to entertain your thoughts and questions especially if they entertain me first. Email address is located below. Reply will depend upon worthiness as my time is dear and I cannot suffer fools gladly.

remus@heartsofparadox.com

I have not linked this address to avoid data scrapers. Just copy and paste to your email program.

Individuals or groups seeking personal instruction whether written, spoken or face to face may be accommodated in exchange for (minimal) compensation. If you can communicate with me in other ways, you don't need my help.