|
|||
|
Back to the Forum 2006
Archives I have used the word "reality" in several places herein as though it were a mutually understood concept. Of course, it is not, so I'd best explain what I mean when I use the word. We have people who talk about reality as though they really did understand everything. I will simply ignore that simple minded perspective as being too shallow to bother with. We also have people who talk about alternate realities, often in very fanciful terms. These are usually those people who are involved, one way or another, in paranormal investigations or activities. Sometimes they seem to live in a Tolkien kind of world. Just to be clear, there is no compelling evidence I know of that would indicate the existence of any such alternate realities. My current position is there are no alternate realities. There are, however, different perspectives on reality. What changes is not the reality but our perception of it. Paranormal people do not change reality. They achieve an altered state of consciousness wherein they see thing in a different way. It's somewhat like the gestalt of an optical illusion. The reality does not change, there is just a different way of seeing it. While an absolute view of reality eludes us, each of us has a different way of perceiving the universe around us. What we perceive in our different views on reality is as much a function of the perceiver as it is of the particular perspective. For example, there are two factors in a paranormal's perception of reality. One is he will perceive the universe differently that we ordinarily do, because he perceives it from a different perspective. Also ,however, like any normal person, a paranormal will see it through his own personal prejudice. His personality will influence what he sees and how he sees it. He will notice what is important to him and miss things which are not. We must be aware of that when we listen to what a paranormal tells us. Meanwhile, our scientists will continue to discover new and more inclusive laws that govern our universe and thus our view of reality. It is always the scientists who discover these laws. The shamans and religious leaders have discovered nothing of value in the history of man. All they have ever offered us is superstition and magic rituals. Scientists, on the other hand are more like spiritual people in that they will always seek truth. Truth will reveal itself to those who are diligent and patient. A scientist will seek truth through a rigorous disciplined investigation of the world that confronts him. Even as he is disciplined and rigorous, however, his approach will be similar to the approach of an artist or spiritual traveler. Like a spiritual traveler, a scientist must have a dream, a faith, a hope. If not, why bother? Now, I must also acknowledge there are pseudoscientists. All those people do is muddy the water. They are frauds. They cheat us and offer us nothing of value. A true scientist will seek to find things of value to himself and others. He will see science as an evolving art form, even though he might not use those words to explain his behavior. Some of these scientists are working in a field we can loosely call paranormal investigations. Briefly, a paranormal event is an event which cannot be explained or understood within the framework of established science. They are inexplicable. These will include things like prescience, extra sensory perception, and psychic communication. In general, these investigators seem to be trying to understand and codify the scientific laws which govern these events. This is where we are most likely to find phrases like alternate realities. I have no objection to the use of this "alternate reality" phrase, so long as it is used to describe a way of seeing things and not as a concrete space-time reality. To clarify this let us consider our reality from the perspectives of Newton and Einstein. In the Newtonian view of reality we have a set of scientific rules which describe and govern how our universe acts under various conditions. These rules are perfectly valid so long as we apply them within the limits of our normal experience. Beyond the limits of our normal Newtonian world, in the micro and the macro world, our scientists have discover that different sets of rules must be invoked to explain the reality they perceive. These rules are described in the theories of Einstein and others who followed him into that difficult mental terrain. Now, did Einstein change reality? Of course not. He simply gave us a different way or level from which to see our reality. It is a different and more inclusive perspective. The physicists did not throw Newton out. They establish the framework within which the laws of Newton apply and they added a larger framework wherein new rules apply. These rule have opened new possibilities for us. The universe does not change. The ego-self sees it from one perspective while the soul-self and the psychic person see it from a different perspective. As we become more enlightened, these two perspectives will come closer together. As we work and learn and increase our understanding we will also develop new perspectives on our universe. These new perspective will have their own rules and will offer us new possibilities. These things do not change reality, they only reveal it for our further investigation. As we learn and grow we will have a better handle on how we see our universe, our reality. I cannot discuss reality without looking more closely at these things we call paranormal events. There are, within our society, many people who seem to have psychic abilities. They are able to see and explain things they should not be able see and explain. They seem to be, in one way or another, psychic or clairvoyant. I believe the clairvoyant is really a person who has somehow realized their soul-self perceptive abilities and developed them to a higher degree. The more important thing to me is, I believe these paranormal powers are available to all of us. I believe it is possible for anyone to develop this ability to see the universe from the perspective of the soul-self. That is really what the paranormal does. Another way of achieving that perspective is through meditation. In meditation, if we are diligent and patient, we will reach a point of elevated consciousness that will allow us to see the universe the way the a paranormal sometimes sees it. In my own practice I have had a few very small and limiter experiences like that. I have seen and realized things I should not have been able to see or know. Others may call it luck or bologna, but I will continue doing what I believe caused it. I have found this works best when I open in a way that allows me to see the universe as a single inclusive energy field. In other words, there is only one. The universe is fluid, coming into form and going out of form constantly. It is a single unified energy field and everything is part of that field and it truly is all one. There is no I when we perceive the universe as a oneness. Communication is not necessary because there is only one. In that mode it seems there is only knowledge of the one. The one knows about itself so nothing is hidden. Neat! Now, we also have a different concept of time that some paranormal people tell us about. In this perception, time is more like Einstein's concept of it as another dimension rather than an uncontrollable unidirectional progression of events. It seems, at lest part of the paranormal's view of reality is from outside time. In this view the future is not going to happen, it just is. Everything is now. I admit, I have a bit of trouble getting a handle on that. However, the paranormal experience is not the only place we find this outside time concept. It is a common concept in the Eastern world. In fact, the I Ching (pronounced Yee Jing) is one document (book) that in some ways allows it's users to see through time. Another name for this I Ching is Oracle of Change. It is an Eastern way of seeing our universe from outside time. For the user, it reflects the changes and the cycles of the universe. It's main purpose seems to be to predict events so a person may adjust his life to harmonize with what is going to happen. For a better look at this idea, find the book "How to Consult the I Ching," by Alfred Douglas and read it. About our reality, whether we work as scientists, artists, or spiritualists we will eventually come to new truths which will open our universe to us in new ways. All honest lines of learning will eventually lead to the same set of truths. The universe will not change, but our perspective will. We will open to a new view of reality. I am most interested in these ideas from a spiritual perspective. I have worked in the engineering community, and dabbled a bit in art and creative writing. Now, I an ready to follow my spirit guide and work toward a spiritual understanding or our reality. In essence, anyone who is on the path of spiritual adventure
is a fellow traveler with me. For me, and I hope for many others,
the spiritual practice offers the way to go and the way to be.
In practice, we open to a universe that is completely fluid,
a universe that is coming into form and going out of form continuously,
everywhere. In that practice, we may eventually find the level
of consciousness I call God Awareness. This is true of the spiritual
practitioner, but it is also true of the true scientist and the
true artist. All true paths lead to new truths, but the universe
remains as it is.
|