A Natural Philosophy - Excerpts

TABLE

OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgements ........................................................ iv Foreword......................................................................... vii Introduction..................................................................... xi 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Questions.................................................................... 1 The Source.................................................................. 9 Energy ....................................................................... 20 Breath ........................................................................ 39 The Memory............................................................. 54 Motion....................................................................... 78 Resistance ...............................................................101 Seed..........................................................................121 Possibility................................................................142 A Consciousness of Being One ..........................156 Life...........................................................................176

Epilogue ........................................................................189 Into the “Whirlwind” of the Gods.....................190

FOREWORD

Knowingly or unknowingly, each and every human being conducts his/her life under the guidance of a “philosophy of existence”. ¤ Ours is a time of data accumulation, of information gathering and of fact finding. We live in an age of immense thirst for the acquisition of knowledge. And never has mankind had so much knowledge at its disposal. In every instant, and all over the world, thousands of topics are viewed, scrutinized, processed and digested. In a sense, and for many, this exercise is a quest to find the Truth. The profound, solid, and deep truth about the foundations of existence. ¤ Knowledge leads to awareness. Truth, on the other hand, is a prerequisite to “self” solidity. ¤ Long ago, people looked to the Sacred Books of the past as their fount of knowledge. The words were considered true and the teachers infallible. This brought solidity into their lives. But during the last centuries, an awakening of reason, the contact with diverse world philosophies, as well as the contributions of

science, technology, transportation, and communication have caused cracks to appear in the millennia-old “truths”. ¤ The Sacred Books are aging. The stories have become distant. With the passage of time, people have linked stories, sages, “God”, and memories of ancient “events” into a Doctrine. The doctrine is organized into formulas, dogmas, and rituals and then it is placed on high altars where it is venerated and worshipped. This millennia old doctrine serves, for the most part, as the foundation of our belief system, of our “philosophy of existence”. ¤ Yet, many people hesitate… not sure of what of the beliefs is truth, what is fiction, what is relevant, what is irrelevant… even if a “God” exists? ¤ Now, we can deny that a problem exists and patch the cracks in the foundations of our beliefs. We can turn our heads away, pretend that this “stuff” is too complicated, and opt to live in the “numb” zone – believing, yet not believing. Or we can accept the responsibility to verify the validity and solidity of the old story. ¤ It would only seem to make sense that before setting out (or continuing) on the road of life – that we should find out “Who” (or what) is the real generative “Source” of all existence – of our existence. Is it a “God”?

And, if not… Could the Source be lying right under our very eyes? In the very center of our being? In every grain of sand? In the way rivers flow? As it folds and unfolds its many forms, life leaves imprints and clues as to its identity. ¤ When we become attentive to the ways of nature, to our inner voice, we can recover the thread to the intelligence of the universe. ¤ To stand tall, a tree needs to feel its roots. Old and new. When it no longer does, it falls to the ground. Albert Forcier

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What does “being alive, on earth, in this moment” mean to you? How much do you know about who you are? How do you view the world? Are you aware of the nature of your “philosophy of existence”? Do you question your beliefs? What do you believe in? Do you believe in “God”? If you do, is it by conviction? Or by default? Or by solitude? Or because other people do? Or because you cannot explain the origin of life? Or because you are afraid of what will happen to your body/mind/soul after death? ¤ Do you sense contradictions between age-old truths, prepackaged dogmas, impenetrable rituals, and – the way your daily life unfolds? Do you feel ill at ease with the religions of the world and yet would like a connection with Truth and, perhaps, even with the “Source within things”? ¤ Are you ambivalent as to “God’s” existence? Do you begin to reflect, question, formulate opinions – “Why is “God” so insensitive to the plight of so many people the world over?” – “Why does “God” allows wars of religion, and illnesses and so much unhappiness?” – “Is He not All-Seeing, All-Powerful, and All-Good?” – “Why does a perfect Entity need so much worshipping? And why does freedom of choice mean submissiveness?” – Then you find yourself retreating, not wanting to be on the wrong side of the tracks, just in case. You are not alone. Much of humanity wavers endlessly, unable to outline the truth about the existence or non-existence of a “God”, or a heaven. All over the world, millions upon millions

2 THE SOURCE

Long before the morning of the “Big Bang”, The Source existed everywhere.

Nature – Nature encompasses all there is. Nature enfolds all there is. Nature is all there is. Nature is the beginning, the middle, and the end. Nature comprehends the visible world and the invisible world. Nature embraces yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Nature exists, always existed, and will ever exist. Nature is: The Source. ¤ Nothing, and no one, created the Source. The Source is the universal creative principle. (The Source is the Creator.)

3 ENERGY Long before the first human being stood up and gazed at the sky, Energy was making this instant eternal.

(Energy can neither be created nor destroyed.) ~Albert Einstein ¤ Energy, simply, is. This means that all of the Energy that has ever existed, exists, and will ever exist - only exists in the now, in the present. Energy is complete, total, and absolute in this very moment. ¤ The Energy of the present contains all the Energy of the past and all the Energy of the future. The Energy of the past continuously rolls over into the Energy of the present. And the Energy of the future is absorbed, as it becomes the Energy of the present. – From Energy’s point of view, yesterday never was. And tomorrow will never be. All is now. ¤ The only task Energy can perform is to transform itself. The world, the “self” is in continuous – now – transformation.

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In the world of the Source, Energy is “it”. You are Energy. You are it. ¤ It is your time. It is your move. Become aware of your power. Transform your life through the power of “your” Energy. ¤ There is nothing else in the world but Energy. Yes, there is money, love, success, and good health, but in the end - the real bottom line – all of these things are all simply Energy. ¤ Energy flows by waves, by pulsations, by heartbeats, by breaths and by thoughts. Energy accumulates into forms by words, by desires, by dreams and by ideas. Energy is spent by emotions, by fears, by hope, by living and by dying. Energy replenishes the human form by rest, by sleep, and by meditation. ¤ Energy transforms the Source. From within. In this one single moment. Energy feeds from Energy. The Source/Energy is food to the Source/Energy. ¤ Energy is food. ¤ Everything is Energy food to everything. ¤

4 BREATH Long before the sun rose for the first time over earth’s horizon, Breath was folding and unfolding myriads of universes.

The one Source is simply: Energy. One Energy consisting of two polarities. Positive. Negative. ¤ Positive polarity. Within the vast Source, Energy flows – into forms. Negative polarity. Within the vast Source, Energy flows – out of forms. ¤ In. Out. Breath. ¤

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The Source inhales. Forms are created. Forms receive Life. The Source exhales. Forms separate and vanish. Forms receive Death. ¤ Life/death/life/death/life/death. ¤ And Breath becomes: Beats. Vibrations. Pulsations. Waves. Breaths. In/out/. Up/down. ¤ The pulsating life/death “beat” of Breath is the heart, the engine, the motor of the Source. ¤ Breath is continuous: Breathe in and out and in and out. Breath is discontinuous: Breathe in – stop – breathe out – stop – breathe in – stop – and breathe out. ¤ Breath pulls in. Breath pushes out. Breath opens spaces in the Source. And Breath closes them. ¤

BREATH

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Nature is the many forms travelling every which way within the Source. Nature is the “manner of being” of the many forms of the Source. Nature is the way of the Source. The nature of the Source is the nature of all things. Your nature is of the nature of the Source. Your nature is of the ways of the Source. All of the Source’s ways are natural. There is no such thing as an unnatural Source or an unnatural way. There are no unnatural dreams. There are no unnatural thoughts. There are no unnatural words. There are no unnatural acts. There are no unnatural paths. There are no unnatural travellers. Nothing is unnatural. Nothing. Not good. Not bad. Not evil. Nothing. All phenomenons, all levels of consciousness, and all things, approved of or disapproved of, explained or unexplained, are of nature. And what is unexplained is just that: unexplained. Not understood. No more can you operate outside of nature than can a grain of sand, a tree, or a lion. You can never act outside of nature’s ways. Period. ¤ By examining the ways of nature, you can understand your own nature. ¤ By accepting the ways of nature, you can find your own nature and your own way; you can begin to feel at home in your own being. And in the world. ¤

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Energy’s function is to “transform”, to feed (From within itself). The Source/Memory feeds from the Source/Memory. Eternally, battles for “life” ensues. Survival depends on our “intelligence”. ¤ Become aware of the intelligence within the many forms. The Source’s intelligence flows through every pore of all of its forms. The deeper your reflections, the higher your experience of being… (And successes). Conversely, the narrower your thinking, the shallower your state of existence…(And the greater your failures.) ¤ Reflect as you move in this instant. All unfolds in you and around you in this single instant. No other instant exists but the one that is happening now. ¤ What is going on in your internal dialogue? What are you telling your mind? What do you want? What do you desire? What are you thinking about? Are you the originator of your own thoughts or do you simply reflect other people’s personal and collective feeding needs? The power of awareness is in our hands, unless we mute it, turn it off, or give it away. When we do so, our “self” collapses. ¤ When we wait for this or for that to occur before becoming our own person, being whole, or taking charge of our life, it is that we do not grasp the concept that this instant is “ it ”.

THE MEMORY

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and retain life. The bonds of fear, which at times protects against death, and at times, keep us away from life. And bonds of compassion, “caring” and altruism, which allow us to share the fruits of our planet. Without compassion, altruism and caring, humanity suffers and perishes. ¤ The first (primal) Breath of the Source is a Breath of life. Life binds Energy to memories. “Life” is the supreme universal “Good”. We are attracted to life. We want life. We desire life. We chase after life with every breath we take. We fall in love with the forms of life. We unite and bind with the forms of life. We become attached to the forms of life. ¤ Every form (including the human form) feels an overwhelming need to incessantly feed from Energy/life. Thus, we always want more “life”, more often, and to a larger extent. And, in our hunt to fill this need, we bind the world to ourselves and ourselves to the world. We begin to own things and people. We hoard them about us. We grow large and important. Attachments lead to feelings of entitlement, authority, ownership and control. We enlist our being in the mathematical games of addition. As our attachments multiply, we spend existence including, excluding, managing, controlling, and dictating. People. Toys. Factories. Cities. Nations. – And to hang on to our attachments, we dispense life, death, rewards and punishments. Brimming with Energy-life, we feel alive. We feel powerful. We feel on top of the world. (And we are.) But, like a thief in hiding, Breath/death awaits to exhale. Death tires us of the forms of life, things, and people ¤

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And like life, death is all-powerful. Death destabilizes us. When much has been accumulated, we begin to feel funny inside. Our stuff, including people, grows stale. We are no longer easy to satisfy. To evade the disquieting feelings tugging at our soul, we fire up our desires. We increase our Energy. We hunt for greater excitement. We crave to be young again. We want to fall in love once more. We buy bigger cars, bigger houses and bigger factories. We turn up the fires of Energy under our life, but Breath needs to exhale. Still, we go on. Our children do not feel understood. Love turns to hatred. Marriage to divorce. We get tired, irritable, cranky. We reward less. We punish more. We begin to dislike our existence, ourselves, people, and everything around us. Where yesterday, we saw a life of golden promises, now we see shades of grey. All is hardening. We do not understand what is happening to us. – What is happening is that Breath/death is ripping the bonds of life apart. Even though we feel that something is amiss inside, still, we keep on going. Even though we sense that our hoarding is becoming destructive to our self and to others, still, we add, conquer, and bulldoze. And even though our actions contribute to a world already overwhelmed by pain, hatred, suffering, starvation, pollution, disease, war, pestilence, famine, and conflicts of all manner, still, we stay the course. For Breath/life compels us to move onward and forward. ¤

THE MEMORY

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Unaware of the nature of our nature, we continue to outsource our Energy into binding things and people to our “I”. We fall prey to the need to bind. Our possessions enslave us and weigh us down. Not able to move much anymore, we grow fearful of the world. We become consumed with safety and security and erect about ourselves walls of stone, walls of laws, walls of words, and walls of fire-spitting machines. ¤ In pain, we turn our mind, soul, and body from the world of all to thoughts of… an inner space of rest. ¤ That inner space, that pain relieving space, is One. Yet, most of humanity does not know of One. One, which is within us. One, which is us. One, which is the essence of our being. For, instead of seeking One, we chase in the heavens after vanished gods. – So, to quench our parched spirit we knock at “God’s” door. ¤ But religion, unaware of the games of Breath, tells us that we are selfish; that we cannot take all this dust with us when we die; and that the material world is lower than the spiritual world. Brimstone and fire-tinged preachers ask us to untie ourselves from everything. To dispossess ourselves. To deny ourselves. To abdicate our will. To reject the world. To “pay” penance. And this does not feel true either. ¤ Our being is struggling. We feel as if lost in a senseless existence. We are told that who and what we are, is not who and what we were meant to be. Our soul and body make us want things, but the things and the act of wanting, is said to be

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vile. We can acquire, but not really. We can receive, but not really. We can desire, but not really. ¤ We are left pulling our hair. ¤ So, when our mind is conflicted about the material world, about ownership, about possessions and we want a moment of rest from our inner struggles – we need to realize this: All that we have made ours are “things”, and “lives” into themselves. All belongs to itself. We, in fact, own nothing and no one. We are mere companions of things and people. Our bonds are arrangements of convenience. We are contributors in the cosmic act of form-building. ¤ And, from time to time, when we forget that our “I” is but one center in an endless sea of centers, these other Breath/centers come and rip us apart from our possessions. They exhale us. They detach from us. They attack our life/Energy. And we feel like we are dying. ¤ The acquisition of goods is part of the “memory making” process. Without the solidity of memories, time and space would dissolve into nothingness. The Source would swallow itself and disappear. Breath/life needs to bind. Binding is its nature. Binding is in our genes. We love to memorize. We get hooked on memorizing. On possessing. On containing. ¤ We are designed to consign every thought, every word, every intention and every action into memories. We are recording

THE MEMORY

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devices. Ownership, possession, and acquisition of goods are necessary bonds, for they hold us into a memory/form, but they force us to walk on a tightrope. When we lose sight of all, we become destitute. When we lose sight of One, we become soulless. So, to reject the physical world is not any wiser than to never set our soul’s compass on the world of essence. Why should our essence not experience the best material existence possible? And why should our substance not experience a profound deepness of being? ¤ We need to be conscious of the tightrope, of the earth, of the sky, of the wind, of our body, of our mind, and of our soul. To walk with ease, we need to keep one eye on all and one eye on One. ¤ The purposefulness you seek is everywhere. It is everywhere around you. It is everywhere within you. And in depths immeasurable. ¤ Through your Memory/mind you can become conscious of who you are – of what you do – of what you say – of what you think – of what you dream – of what you want – of what you eat – of what you drink – of how you walk – of how you talk of how you run – of how you smile - of how you love – of how you feel – of when you want - of when the sun rises – of when the wind blows - of when night falls – of when you fall asleep – of when day breaks - and of when you awaken. ¤

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Resistance is existence. Existence is Resistance. ¤ You are in the heart of things. You are in the thick of the battle. No matter your upbringing. No matter the colour of your skin. No matter the origin of your name. No matter your denials. Not to resist, is to cease to exist. To resist too much, is to turn into stone. Sometimes, you must resist. Sometimes, you must let go. Refusing to inhale or to exhale causes termination of form. ¤ You are in the game. You are the game. ¤ You cannot be made to function outside of the ways of the Source. No one and nothing can excuse you or save you from performing the cosmic interplays of the Source. No mother. No father. No wife. No husband. No government. No collective. No teacher. No general. No soldier. No religion. No “God”. ¤ You are a Source/form. A Source/form surrounded by zillions of Source/forms. Of all shapes. Of a thousand purposes. All forms play the games of existence. All flow. All resist. All rest. All open doors. All close doors. You create spaces. They create spaces. You protect your space. They protect their space. You invade their space. They invade your space. – Your space and your walls are rooms where you play the games of your existence.

RESISTANCE

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The more aware you are of the rules of the game, the better a game you play. The rules are simple: Life or Death. Period. You play the game. Knowingly or unknowingly. You can scream at the top of your lungs and to the high heavens that this is an unfair game; no one, in the high heavens is listening. You are a cosmic player. Move. Resist. Let go. Live and die. Live or die. Resist. Be enslaved. Be free. ¤ Resistance places a wedge between life and death. Resistance gives forms an opportunity to run ahead of death. Resistance becomes a forward moving instinct for self-preservation of form. For self-continuance. The Source empowers forms to fear death and desire life. With all their might. It is why no one wants to die. Nothing wants to end. Everyone wants to grasp one more breath of air. Every heart wants to beat one more beat. Every tree seeks one more drop of sunlight. Every form desires to survive one more instant. You are a memory in survival mode. And this makes you go on further, harder, higher, lower, deeper, and harsher. ¤ But this only delays Breath/death for a moment. For it too is energized and comes charging back at all forms. Yet, for a moment of time, you are gloriously alive. ¤ At times you get tired of the pulling and the pushing. Depleted of Energy, you find your soul, your mind, and your body at Breath’s end. You have had enough. Of the world. Of yourself. Of your neighbours. Of your children. Of your spouse/partner. Of your work. Of the wars of politics and of the politics of wars.

SEED

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Seeds can be made to mirror the past, create a new instant, or completely alter the course of the future. You can liberate yourself from the pre-ordained destinies of your environment. The Source, through the gift of seeds, allows you the freedom to design your path. If you do not create your path, others will do it for you. If you are not aware of your own center, others will sow you, as seeds, in their own gardens. ¤ What is expected of you is inscribed in the seeds of your culture, your religion, and of the place of your birth. But you are also an individual seed. You can create your own space. Even if, to peek at the light of creation, you must climb from the bottom of the jungle floor all the way up above the clouds. ¤ Seeds are cross-pollinating at all times. You impregnate. And you are being impregnated. Every thought prepares seeds. Every word promotes seeds. Every book sows seeds. Every line in a newspaper contains a multitude of seeds. Every television program fills eyes, ears, skin and taste buds with thousands of seeds. Every entertainment and information “media” is designed to sow seeds by laughter, tears, intelligence, or banalities. Nothing is said for nothing. Nothing is seedless. All is made up of seeds. Seeds within seeds within seeds. – A glittering diamond. A shiny new car. Sunbeams piercing through the clouds. A cottage’s lights reflecting on a lake’s surface. A door opening into the darkness. A song. A word. A smile. A frown. A military parade. A Santa Claus parade. A sunny day. A cloudy day. A rainbow. A cross. – All are seeds.

POSSIBILITY

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You are born. You grow. You age. You die. That is the path of all things. Including the path of every human being. You are not bigger or smaller than any other Possibility/form. You are not higher or lower then any other Possibility/form. You are equal to all beams of light and to all specks of dust. ¤ No need to invoke the gods to change your matrix. No need to sell your soul to this or that ideology. No need to walk on your knees to expiate your imperfections. You are at the center of the time/eternity. The power that listens and creates your dreams resides in your mind. Ground yourself in the Source. Face your nature. From your center – see, hear, smell, taste, touch, and dance. Enjoy being the possibility that you are. Enjoy designing possibilities. ¤ Stop waiting and looking for your Purpose. You are it. Now, and as you are. Your purpose follows your body, mind, and soul’s dreams, thoughts, and actions. ¤ “Yes, but there must be a higher, a grander, and a nobler purpose than just being who I am?” No. As a Source your purpose is to be and to enact possibilities. And no possibility ever contradicts the laws of “Possibility”. If you want your purpose to be different, think differently. – But you do not have to. The One Source is perfectly ok with the way your “possibility” is. ¤ You are in the Grand Purpose. You are the Grand Purpose.

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You do not need to fall face to the ground to ask, but you can. You do not need to kneel to ask, but you can. You do not need to travel thousands of miles to holy shrines to ask, but you can. And you need not promise to pay, tithe or give up your earthly possessions when you ask, but you can. For your prayer to be answered in the Source (which is in you, which is you), you simply think of the object/person/ situation desired in a manner consistent with the knowledge that your message has been answered. Then accept to receive. ¤ And when you receive… Receive with gratitude. ¤ Yes, with gratitude. – For without gratitude we simply remain oblivious to what is coming our way. We are simply open mouths, continuously demanding, continuously feeding. Without gratitude our “demands” messages never end. ¤ We need to close our mouth. We need to taste the food. We need to chew. We need to swallow. ¤ Gratitude is the period that closes a sentence. Gratitude is the space between two paragraphs. ¤

INTO THE “WHIRLWIND” OF THE GODS (A skimming of the surface.)

“Who is like unto thee, O lord, among the gods?” Exodus: 15, 11.

I know of our attachments to a “God”, of hopes for an afterlife “paradise”, of fulfilling “spiritual” promises, of the glow of recognition, of the pleasure of belonging to a group, of the fear of a “Hell”, of unquestioning adherence to dogmas, of doubt, of guilt… I know of the power of our “God” story. Our “God” story – upon which words we formulate our “philosophy of existence” – is real... but it is also inaccurate. If we – come out of hiding from behind a thousand sleeps – and take the time to follow the threads of our story to the date of its occurrence, here on earth, we will become able to read its content without having to worship its words or its authors. At present, it is the most important step demanded of all human beings. For, only upon understanding the truth of these events, can we clarify and identify our “real” roots.

INTO THE “WHIRLWIND” OF THE GODS

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The story is vast, profound, and yes, in many ways, confusing – for it is old, and it has been adapted (changed) over the passage of time. But enough evidence exists for us to confidently regain the consciousness of the real events that unfolded in our distant past. The evidence is imprinted in our DNA, in the legends of old, in the many “Sacred Books” and in the extraordinary megalithic stonework that rose, so puzzlingly, at the dawn of humanity. ¤ The first fact we face when we begin to survey the historic documents is that there was not only one “God” but many gods, on earth, in those days. Yet, we have made it dogmatically “untouchable” to admit to the existence of other gods; we have brushed them under the truth’s carpet. We want all these gods to be imaginary. Our history books present them as mythological figures. Images in dreams. – We have turned a magnificent past into illusions and fairy tales. ¤ The second fact that becomes quickly evident when examining the ancient documents is that the gods, including our “God”, were beings of flesh, blood, and bones. It is only with the passage of the millennia that the gods became ethereal figures. ¤ And the third fact that the same texts make clear – the truth that confuses us so much and has sent us into astronomical loops over the millennia – is that the gods descended unto