Detectives

Are we nothing but investigators? Following the trails of clues left by our ancestors, predecessors, and nature itself. But as of lately we have gone off the trail. Clues left have gone cold and are waiting for us to pick the trail back up...Detectives, still confused, but not as much as we were when we first started our journey. Still swirling on and bound to the proximity of this planet. So far we have only tipped the iceberg of knowledge, and all we must do is stop fighting with ourselves and come to the understanding that as much as we resist, we are all in this together. An environment of separation is encouraged for humanity.. Those who stand in positions of leverage keep those unaware at bay by continuing to divide us, and make us divide ourselves. But humanity is one and should start to conduct itself as such. And until we do, the divisive agenda is sure to doom us to destroying ourselves.

A Mind Squirt

"Culture is the product of the unperturbed human mind. The human mind, unperturbed, through the medium of language, erects institutions and social structures into which it then secretes itself and sort-of lives in a private Idaho." -Terence McKenna

The Lottery of Life

I recently attended a lecture at the Carnegie Science Institute. It was a lecture about astrobiology, which is essentially the study of life on other planets in outer space.The "life on other planets" concept has been pondered by the human race probably since our ability to be aware of the stars has been present. Every time we look up at the sky into space, there's almost always a wondering of whether it is just us; but as it seems there's a good chance that it may not just be us.

In our galaxy there are millions of other stars that could fit the description of our sun. And that is just one galaxy out of hundreds of millions in outer space. All across the universe there are billions of other stars with planets that are very much like ours. Scientists use a doppler method to discover what size planets are orbiting a star, or they use a light reduction measurement method to detect the size of some planets passing over their sun. Think of it like this: when you observe a star, it's orbiting planets pass over it, the light that the star gives off decreases, and the amount of which it decreases yields the size of the planet passing over it.

Additionally, while observing these stars and planets, scientist's have made monumental discoveries such as the fact that the needed elements to build life are already out there in the cosmos. It has been observed that many nebulae in outer space have complex hydro-carbons, which are the building blocks for life. And not only that, but those same hydro-carbons are incorporated in the 30,000 tons of cosmic dust that falls to earth every year. So if we're getting sprinkled on our home planet, its a safe bet that many other planets in our universe are getting the same showering.

But then to make matters more interesting scientists also have traveled the far and wide to test some of the most extreme environments for life. Guess what they found? They found that from the coldest extremes in Antarctica, to the hottest steam beds in the deep ocean, to some of the deepest mines dug by us were inhabited by microbial life. The same microbial life that hails from our single-celled ancestors that inhabited this planet for 3 billion years before becoming complex.

So let's add it all up. Life is able to thrive in the harshest conditions. There are still debates going on now about methane that is concentrated in certain areas on our distant neighbor Mars. Are these methane concentrations due to microbial life by-products? The debate goes on. But one thing seems certain as these scientists continue to find planets in perfect positions from their suns (this makes it so water can remain mostly in liquid form), the odds of us being alone in our universe drops drastically. We start to find that life will thrive even in the most extreme conditions (ever seen grass grow through concrete).

It was shared that there are space exploration organizations that are continually broadcasting a signal to outer space with "I Love Lucy" re-runs on the band. What would we do if we received an incoming communication of a re-run of some crazy program from another planet? We'd better figure out how we're going to respond, because the odds are, you can bet we could.

Robert J. Childs
Information Agent
Observer Industries

Humans...

I came up with this after a little people watching:

What is this, "swinging your arms as you walk," thing? It's weird...under certain observational condition, it is one of the most interesting things you can see. People walking around, swinging their arms to and fro. You can be happy (and swing them merrily), you could be angry (and swing them furiously), you can be bored (and they swing sadly), but they all swing. Sometimes we notice and sometimes we don't. Humans: becoming increasingly interesting...no wait, nature: becoming increasingly interesting with more observation/perception.

AA+

question...

who's going to consume after the consumers lose all of which they consume with?

Thought provoking ideas

I was having a conversation with one of my close friends, and a few things were discussed. I think a couple of those are worth sharing with the blogosphere, so dig these questions and tell me what you think:

1. Why hasn't there been an insurance company that actually cares about the people that support it? Would it not be good business that if a person has been keeping up with their insurance payments and has no accidents at the end of the year, they should get some sort of stipend?

2. In order to get more parents to become involved in helping their children in school, should not parents whose children are exceling in school should get a stipend for their children performing well?

It's just a couple questions. If you come by the page don't just leave and not say anything. I want to know what you think. Personally I think that the insurance systems nowadays are glorified scams, but hey...this ain't about me. Let me know what you think...

Societal Ills

The more I observe my external world and more specifically the society in which I participate the less I buy into the ideas that society holds as its standards. And I've probably written about this before, but I seem to keep coming back around to this discussion with myself. I take note of what our society holds as successes and things to strive for, and aside from being unimpressed I'm mostly just disappointed that it cannot be better.

We are participants in a system that bombards you with endless consumption in a finite world. I see advertisements cleverly aimed at making the human feel that a certain product can make you feel a certain way and you won't be the person that you want to be unless you own that product. I see a system that rewards flashing lights and glittery objects instead of encouraging self development and critical thought. I see a system loaded with contradictions, and an expectation to accept whatever is plopped in front of us. And each time I notice a flaw, or one of those contradictions I lose a little more faith and laugh a little bit harder.

I laugh because that is the only reaction that won't depress me. It would be easy to look at things and be sad because for the most part it is a sad world. For instance there are people hungry all over the world, but there's a show on the tv box and its main point is to see how much food can be eaten in the least amount of time. On this same tv box there are "judges" who get paid millions of dollars to deliberate cases, but the teachers that taught them how to read those cases earn only a percentage of what they make. I see the government, that I pay my taxes to, not just start wars in which I have no say but also funding both sides of the war.

And this same society wants to dictate to me how it is acceptable to dress, talk and act...why do I have to break my neck to be at a specific place, almost daily, at a certain point during the earth's rotation (time)? Why is it that wearing certain garments are acceptable in certain places and without these garments I won't be accepted to do the work I would need to do to live?

Civilization...at this point it is almost a monument to itself, with all of the buildings and businesses that we have built. The technology that we have raised and the discoveries about ourselves and our universe that we have made, while still up for debate (because I think past civilizations were aware of somethings that we have lost), show the leaps and bounds of human thinking. But somewhere along the way, I think that we started taking ourselves too seriously. We lost the essence of our nature and traded it in for what?

"They tell me I need a 9 to 5, I need to trade my jeans in for some slacks and my t-shirt for a suit jacket. They tell me I need to buy a car and get a mortgage. But why would I trade in all that makes me happy for a chance to clock-watch and wait for the weekends. I don't know about you, but I live for now. The future will happen when now comes, so the best that you can do is live, let it happen and enjoy it. Most of all, don't let the society around you dictate what is good for you. Stop being a human doing, and be a human just being."

Why Isn't Poison Ivy Illegal?

I was having a conversation with my brother in our back yard and as we were talking I was noticing the plant life that was creeping up our handrail. I had noted that a couple weeks ago I had pulled a lot off revealing about half of the rail, and here we were about two weeks later and it had already crept back up the full length again. I started going on and on about how if I had a weed whacker I would be able to take it all the way down and so on. But just that idea of me trying to control that plant life made me re-assess what I thought about control.
 
We as humans have a silly way to try to be in control of things, but in reality we have no more control over things than the earth has control of the sun. For instance, we thought we were in control when we were drilling for oil, until it started spilling for like three months straight. That event to me should be enough to wake people up to the fact that even those that have the money, power and commodities don't know what they are doing. We try to control nature, even though nature strong-arms us all the time (ever seen grass come up through concrete...that's nature giving us the finger). We try to control other animals (ask Siegfried and Roy how that went). We even try to control other humans, but we do a good job there (ever sat at a red light at three in the morning till it turned green?).

And with all these silly rules and processes that we implicate, I think that we lose some of the humanity, which for example is how you get cops who will follow a process instead of using common sense that could be telling you that there is a better way to do something. But as I get older and observe more, as I make new connections, and remember more, I start to find that I'm not buying the bulls#@t that society is trying to sell me. This is in regards to society dictating what "success" is, or what we have to look like or even sound like. Or how society thinks you should be educated, which is bull because you are exchanging goo-gobs of money for a piece of paper, and you aren't even guaranteed that you'll make the money that you spent, back.

Sot the question that I have is...What if you don't want to participate anymore? I know some of you are thinking, but you have to. You live on American soil. You are enjoying the freedoms of being here. Ok, well first, it's just soil, not American soil. I do believe that there were indigenous people here that populated the area  before settlers "discovered" this land. And B, we are all participating in a society propped up by lies anyway. I think I have just come to the point that I'm tired of being deceived. I think that there should be some sort of "opt out" option. Simply because I think that I and a great majority of other humans would be more productive if instead of being an American, or black, or democrat, I was considered a human first.

Question to anyone that reads this post.

I want to see what you all think. A great question from a great question asker (if there is such a thing). What is the good life?

Out of balance?

I look around and I observe what is going on. Some of the things that I observe, with respect to what I'm discussing, are greed, over-indulgence, obesity, addiction, fundamentalism, and ignorance just to name some. And the question that comes to mind is...why?

I say why because, we have reminders everywhere that enlighten us to the fact that things are not supposed to be that way. What am I talking about you ask? Well here think about this: there are reminders of balance everywhere that we look. Nature tells us that balance is a unforgettable part of existence. For instance physics tells us that every action has an equal but opposite reaction. Chemistry tells us that an equation is not completed until both sides of the chemical reaction are balanced. Mathematics also tells us that each side of each mathematical equation must be balanced before we are done solving for the variable. The waves that we perceive everyday are products of balance as well for there could not be a crest without a valley. Another example, and I'm sure you've seen it, is the yen and the yang. Even the "scales of justice" are supposed to be balanced.

But sadly, this is not the life that the human being seeks. We consume and don't think about how much we consume, or where the products come from, or even where they go when we throw them away. We cut down trees, which are the lungs of the planet and complete the CO2 cycle (that should be a clear example, trees breathe in what we breathe out and vice versa). Even the civilizations before us knew that you were to use as much of what you were using as possible and you honored the earth that way.

Now I'm not saying that we should all be tree huggers and vegetarians, because I like my steaks just as much as the next guy, but I think it would do well for us to come to the understanding that the way life is, is not the way it is supposed to be. Why is society digressing instead of progressing; is it really supposed to be that way? And maybe when we accept the fact that we're being screwed from all sides, we will be able to start working, at least to turn ourselves in the direction that we need to go.

A True Constant

It's weird using a blog, because you start to wonder should I write this on the web or should I put it in my notebook. The way I see it, the two are not interchangeable. Some things I put in my book will probably never make it too the web simply because the web isn't worthy...kidding. In actuality it's more like somethings that come out of my mind are better when they are just for my personal growth and not necessarily for people outside of myself, but if I find something that would be beneficial, why not share it with the world. Besides, not everyone will read it, and not everyone will absorb it, and those that do read will analyze then weigh it to see if it fits their philosophical operation or not.

All that being said, I seem to have a knack for finding employment that is very much interesting, and I always use my employment as a way to learn something or gain a new observation (I think that should be the goal for anything, there's always a new perspective to gain). But I have had the good fortune to be able to watch people. They bob about from their office buildings to the places where they eat lunch. And they have to eat their lunches within a required time frame (gotta be back to work within the lunch hour). But it makes me ask, "How oblivious are these people? What would happen if there was an event that changed everything? How open would they be to change?" I've heard it before, and maybe you have to, that humans are creatures of habit. We settle into our little patterns and that's how we like things to stay, and when something changes or threatens to change that pattern somebody has got to answer.And I remember coming across a quote: "It is not the strongest nor the fastest that survive, but the ones most adaptable to change."

How willing would we be to change what we think is the best life that there is to offer. Better yet, how open are we to accept that this is not the best life that there is to offer. I think people know that, deep down, but the question I want to ask is how willing are we to accept that that is the case. The fact of the matter is, things aren't going to stay the same and they shouldn't.

We also can't go back to the "simplicity" of the "good-ole-days". I think it's time we embrace our evolution and come to grips with the fact that the only thing that is and can ever be constant is change. Then maybe we can get to work really making things better.

A thought...

On a planet that is the result of what happens when things occur the way they do, I am glad to be here existing against the odds. I am the expression of the universe trying to figure itself out through objective/subjective experience/consciousness. It's an extraordinary honor to be able to have said that I lived, when there are so many others that could have, but didn't. I am glad to be...peace and love.

Cologne and Classical Music

I don't subscribe to horoscopes. I don't fit in boxes. I can't be described. I purposely don't do things the right way, sometimes I don't do them at all. I don't grasp laws. I don't judge...because when it comes down to it, who am I to do so. I do work. I pay the toll to exist in society, although sometimes I don't see what the point is, especially when society is terribly confused. I wear a watch, but I'm not always on time...who decided that we have to live by the clock anyways?

What I do do (*chuckle* doo-doo), is exist. I was born, I grew up and I exist. I constantly perceive the world around me. Sometimes I'm impressed, often times I'm not...especially when I find myself observing my fellow human beings. I don't watch the news, I don't really watch tv, for it can be the source of much frustration, fear, dismay, fright, anger (I could go on, but you can fill in the blanks). But when I do watch tv it's mostly just for the cartoons and comedies. I definitely don't watch the news (especially when they started using TMZ in some of their segments); is that really part of the "news"?

I don't subscribe to the stardoms and fanfare, e.g.: the royal wedding...really...really?

I sometimes wonder when I look around at everything, is this the best that we can do? For us to be fallen angels, or god's creations, you'd think we'd hold ourselves and each other to better standards, but who am I to say. In my eyes we are all primates, trying to figure it out. Some of us think we control things. We think that with all of our money and shares in the market, we are better than others but in reality, those people are the same as everyone else...organisms in an environment, just trying to live (I think I've heard or seen that somewhere before).

It's amazing though. Sometimes something comes across my perceptive field that makes a new neural connection. It could be a new solar system that scientists have found, or a discovery about the way that something works, like fire. Do you have any idea what fire is on the molecular level? Ponder it, think about it, concentrate on it, or just google it...you may be surprised with the results. Or maybe you won't be. But when I think about the beauty that goes on, that is hidden from the human eye, it makes me cower in prostration (I think that word fits there). It will make you want to behold nature in all it's gloriousness. I will be forever impressed.

But in the meantime, all I can do is exist. I let the curiosity of just wanting to know what's next fuel me to keep existing. To keep perceiving, and most importantly (at least to me), to keep learning, because that's what it's all about...isn't it?

Rambling

I once thought that I thought too much, then I realized I was only thinking about what I was thinking about so I could figure out what I know that I know :)

The Balance

"The idea is unnatural naturalness or natural unnaturalness, I mean, it's a combination of both. I mean, here is natural instinct and here is control; you are to combine the two in harmony. Not, if you have one to the extreme, you will be very unscientific; if you have another to the extreme, you become, all of a sudden, a mechanical man, no longer a human being; so you, it is a successful combination of both...and that way it is a process of continuing growth." -Bruce Lee

This saying is a great example as to the beauty of being a human being. We are unique organisms in that, not only do we have the ability to consciously experience our physical world, but we also have the ability to measure and record what we observe so that we can actually explain what it is we are experiencing. But the real challenge in being a human is the balancing act of it all.

Yes, we still exhibit some traits that we share with our animal friends such as greed and war. But we forget that what separates us from the rest of the animal kingdom is we have the ability to reason, and use logic to elevate thought to a level that pushes us over what hinders us from the potential that we can actually attain.

But because things are unbalanced, because we are not learning how to listen to our instincts while at the same time observing what is going on around us, we suffer. You can see it in the way we relate to one another, in the business that we conduct, in the way that we exist within our planetary environment. The methods that we use to live and to conduct civilization are self defeating. Of course there are pockets that show the contrary: we have the red cross feeding and clothing people, and programs like habitat for humanity providing shelter and a clean environment. But we also have profit-driven business, which puts the profit before the customer. We have energy extraction procedures that do more harm to the environment than we will even know right now. We are out of balance with the nature in which we exist.

Until we as a species figures out a way to exist in balance with our surroundings, we are doomed to defeat ourselves. And I hope we can attain that balance before it is too late...

I'd like my change back?

So I'm a little bit of a politics follower and I've been keeping my eye on Mr. Barack Obama and I have to say that when considering all of the things he has gotten done and all of the changes that he's made...I'm pretty disappointed. Now I know I've got critics on both sides, and some will be like "I told you so," and some will be like "C'mon give him another chance," but after much deliberation I've come to the conclusion that Mr. Obama has been nothing more than a politician who had a good sale pitch. A really good sales pitch.

I kind of knew after the public option, which I think it's safe to say the public really wanted, was tossed out on the health debate, we had another politician. And my suspicions kept revealing themselves after Gitmo wasn't closed, then after the Bush tax cuts got extended, then after the budget agreement, then after...well I could go on, but you get my drift. Now this is not to say that some good things have not been done. DADT got repealed among somethings, but the military's budget is still sky high, while I learned a short time ago that around the country some of the humanities are being cut from university's programs. I smell fascism.

But Ive come to a conclusion; if there is really some change that we want to believe in, why do we keep electing businessmen to our public offices and think things will change? These guys sell themselves really well, get elected and then it's business as usual when they start their terms, I say if we as a country are really talking about change we have to really change something about the way we do our politics. STOP ELECTING THESE SUITS TO OUR PUBLIC OFFICES!

The suit and tie really have been a spectacle to be pondered. It has been the representation of business in America and in other countries for a very long time. I'm definitely not saying that suits and ties are bad, because who doesn't like to get dressed up once and a while. But because the suit and tie has represented some sneaky underhanded s*%t in its history, why should we also associate it with the way we run our country full of human beings as opposed to the country being run like a business full of employees? When you think of the bailout, what do those banker wear? When you think of oil tycoons cutting deals with politicians what do you imagine them wearing? When you think of a cold lifeless corporation taking over all of the revenue of an area that used to be littered with "mom and pop" stores, what do you think they wear in their boardroom making all  of those decisions (that was a little dramatic but I'm sure you get the point).

That's why, (I've done a google search and I couldn't find any evidence of one, but correct me if you know there is one) I am going to start the No Suit Party right now. It's a party for people who don't want to been in the two party system, who follow politics, know their government, know their constitution, but are tired of seeing the business as usual that goes on in "Warshington". It's a party for people who want a better choice than just one of democrat or republican. It's a party for people who know you don't have to be a lawyer to know the law. It's a party where the candidate know you won't change the political scene until you get private money out of it. It's a party where the candidates....don't have to wear suits. I like it already :)

A product of DCPS

I was talking with my mother last night about a movie called, "Waiting for Superman". Critically hailed and a whole bunch of other labels that tout it as work that reveals what the problem with public schools is. The problem is...it's propaganda. That's right, more separation media giving argument to the widening of the gap between the haves and the have-nots.

Needless to say that my mom was pretty upset about how the movie goes about delivering its message that public schools are messed up. And it pretty much blames a lot of it on teachers unions and such. I see a flash to wisconsin at this point. But it makes me ask, why are we demonizing those that are teaching our kids 8+ hours a day, ahem for free (of course it's paid through taxes, but wouldn't you rather pay someone from a pot everyone contributes to than pay an insanely expensive tuition). Do you really want to think of the people that have possession of your kids most of the time that you aren't there as inefficient or inept?

Lets give this another look. I think the point that people are missing through this whole deal is that this is a cycle that we are caught in. The first thing that my mom brought up when considering teaching these kids is the parents aren't giving them any help, and this is solely from her point of view, which is an elementary school that you could say is in the hood.  Reading and talking with your kids has always been stressed, at least it was in my house.

There is something very wrong here. In our society we have to pay to live (house, lights, heat, food, etc) In order to pay those bills you have got to work. But now a days in a system that requires you to pay way more to live than we've had to in the past, you get both parents working or one parent working twice as hard just to pay those bills. Now the parent doesn't have time to give the children the mental stimulation needed to keep up with what is going on in school. In some cases the parents just suck as parents due to drugs, alcohol, and other social disparities causing a lack of money therefore causing a lack of food etc, and if you ever tried to learn something on an empty stomach you'll know how difficult these kids have it. And now the student performs poorly in school because they lack the tools to keep up with the standards. This falls back on the test scores which get reported to the bureaucrats who in turn take it out on the teachers, and this is what we see now.

The problem is not the teachers or the unions. The problem is the system on the whole. If we took better care of people all together we wouldn't have this problem. If people didn't have to work so hard to live they could give more time to their children which would make it easier for the teachers to teach them. The most devious thing done in this system of america so far I've noticed is convincing the people without money that the people with more money need more of it.

The Witness

I have been conscious before time was time and I have been traveling for a very long while now. I've witnessed the birth of existence itself and I have beheld the death of stars. I've observed the coalescence of gases and gravitational collection of rocks and metals and I have watched those same elements come together and form planets, then dominate the systems that they occupy. I've raced from one end of a galaxy to the other, in no time and I've watched asteroids collide with enormous rocks to create satellites orbiting their celestial bodies. I've watched some of those same large rocks snatch comets from their flights paths and hold them hostage probably until time will stop again, or they've given up more of their time than they realize and can slowly drift back away. And though I've witnessed all of these happenings and endless events...I don't remember any of it...

For your thinking consideration:

I came across this article on mindpowernews.com. Sometimes they have good ones, and some other ones are kind of corny, but this one stuck a little bit. It was written by Paul Levy:


"When you begin to spiritually awaken, it is like waking up inside of a dream and recognizing that everything you are experiencing is nothing other than a very convincing projection, or display of your mind. The boundary between inner and outer, between dreaming and waking starts to dissolve, and you begin to realize that the same dreaming mind that is dreaming your dreams at night is dreaming your life. You realize that there is a Deeper Dreaming Self that is having a dream and we are it!


This Deeper Dreaming Self is active in us at all times and is continually seeking to express it itself. If we recognize the dreaming process that is happening right now, we can step into it and help it unfold consciously. It will activate our own inherent process of awakening and reconnect us with ourselves.


It is as though there is a dream that is trying to be dreamt through each and all of us -- both individually and collectively. The universe is seen as a field not separate from and through which this deeper, dreaming process is continually expressing it itself.


Recognizing the deeper dream, or archetypal myth that we have been unconsciously acting out in our waking life reconnects us not only with the deeper ground of the psyche but also with other people, as everybody is seen to be fellow actors in a divine drama. It takes one's life out of a purely personal framework and gives it a deeper sense of meaning, which makes suffering so much more bearable.


When you begin to awaken to the dream-like nature of things you realize that waking reality doesn't exist in the way you thought it did, as something separate from you. Saying it is a dream, your own projection, reflection, etc. is the same thing as saying it is nothing other than your own mind appearing in a convincing, externalized display. Everything that happens is seen to be the unmediated expression of your mind, which you now understand can just as easily express it itself in outer events as it does in inner feelings, dreams or intuitions.


This is related to Jung's idea of synchronicity, those "meaningful coincidences," where an inner situation gets mirrored through an outer event. They are examples of where there is a fissure in reality and one gets a chance to glimpse the underlying unity.


By saying that our waking reality is some sort of a dream, which is the same thing as saying that it is a projection of your mind, the implication is that how you view it actually effects how it appears. This is very clear in lucid dreaming, where the dream is realized to be the unmediated manifestation of your mind.


Once you realize this, you don't become conditioned by, and react to, the reflections as something solid, real, and autonomous (as a kitten would looking in a mirror), you just recognize them as your own energy appearing externally. Your relationship to the universe changes dramatically.


Waking reality is seen to be a manifestation of "something deeper," just like the rays of the sun are the manifestation of the sun. In the same way that the rays are not separate from the sun, but rather are a perfect expression of it, waking reality is not separate from this "something deeper" but is it itself a perfect expression of it.


The question then becomes: what would you do if you did wake up in THIS dream and recognize that IT was all your own mind? How would you dream it on if you were to have this realization? Imagine that there are all these other people in your dream who are so asleep that it is as though they have fallen under an enchantment. They've gotten absorbed into the dream and have become so identified with their roles that they literally have forgotten who they are. They are truly suffering a case of mistaken identity. And they're all just aspects of you.


It is like your task is to try and wake up parts of yourself that have fallen asleep. How you do this is totally up to you; it is the ultimate creative challenge. In essence you are figuring out a way to wake yourself up, to break the spell you have fallen under.


As the Deeper Dreaming Self, we are always dreaming each other up in exactly the role that is needed. It is an amazing realization when you discover that we can't help but play the role that other people have dreamt up for us.


For example, you, as the Deeper Dreaming Self (your True Self) have dreamt up this article right now -- at this very moment. And I, of course, by writing it, effortlessly stepped right into playing and fulfilling exactly the role you dreamt up for me. Even to say that someone else stepped into a role that you dreamt up for them is to say too much. As it is all just you. There is no one else.


It is exactly as if you were having a dream and into your dream walked a dream character who was having an awakening (he has become lucid in "his" dream). Let's make it even more real than that, let's imagine that this dream character expressed himself by sending you an article such as this. Who is this dream character other than the awake part of yourself? He knows that he's being dreamt by something deeper. He is a mirror, a reflection, a manifestation of the awake part of you.


It is also no accident that he has delivered this article into your dream; he is trying to engage you. It is your own awakeness appearing in seemingly separate, externalized form. It is clearly your own projection, something you've thrown out of yourself. And it is trying to step back into you. Or better yet, you're trying to step back into yourself. It is a situation that you, as the Deeper Dreaming Self, have clearly dreamt up.


This dream character realizes that the "I" who he thought he was, including the body that he's been identifying with all this time, is not only not who he is, but is itself being dreamt by "something deeper" -- what I call the "Deeper Dreaming Self." Becoming lucid means that he's recognized his true identity with the Deeper Dreaming Self, which is dreaming the entire dream.


This is the same thing as saying that he has recognized his unity with the entire dream, which is realized to be nothing other than the manifestation, or expression of the Deeper Dreaming Self, not separate from it in one iota. Just like the waves of the ocean are not separate from, and are the expression or manifestation of the ocean. It is as if one wave discovered that it was one with the entire ocean, and hence, with all waves. Nothing has to be added, one just discovers an already existing fact.


This awakening dream character has had an expansion of identity from a skin-encapsulated ego, or separate self -- which experiences it itself as being disconnected from the rest of the dreamscape -- to a larger, much more all-embracing identity, which recognizes that the dream is nothing other than a very convincing display of his true nature. This is analogous to having an archetypal death/rebirth experience.


Our dream character also realizes that he can consciously step into this universal dream that we all are sharing and help it unfold. He can help co-create and co-dream the dream to its highest unfolding, whatever and wherever that may be. When he realizes his identity with the Deeper Dreaming Self, he also recognizes that everybody else has the same Deeper Dreaming Self. He realizes that there is just one Deeper Dreaming Self and it is not only his own True Self, but it is the True Self for everyone. He understands that he's not even the slightest bit special, as everybody else is in the same condition, but they just haven't recognized it yet.


At the point when you understand this, is when you become that awakened dream character who can then step consciously into the next person's dream. You then become the mirrored reflection of their own awakened part. And what would you do other than to try and awaken them in as gentle, loving and creative a way as possible?


When enough people awaken to this situation, and this is simply a matter of when the Deeper Dreaming Self dreams that enough people awaken to it, we can begin to create an art happening that we can title "global awakening". This is really a question of stepping into and owning not only your negative shadow, but your positive shadow also. It becomes so easy to project your own enlightenment out there onto whatever guru. It is a question of realizing who you are, for God's sake. I would like to suggest that there is nothing stopping us from doing this right now. And not only that, I would like to further suggest that IT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW and it is simply a question of recognizing it.


Don't place any limits on yourself. It is your dream, please dream it all the way, go totally far out, over every edge. If you woke up and realized that it was your dream, how would you then dream it on? Remember, I am not addressing you as the little egoistic self but as the True Self.
I would like to suggest that if you are having a genuine awakening, you have no other recourse than to let the Deeper Dreaming Self dream itself through you. The question then becomes, if we are the dream of the Self, where is this dream going?


We need to really expand our realm of possibilities and realize that we are living a historic time, maybe more amazing then if we lived in Palestine during the life of Christ. We are actually living in the time period where human beings wake up. We need to realize, to see that the universe is dreaming itself awake through us. And it takes the most visionary among us to help further the momentum of the process until it actually builds up a life of it is own, which it already has in us.


Isn’t it just a question of whether you see the situation or not? And if you do see it -- it is not a question of thinking about it but of seeing it -- then at that very moment you become an awake, responsible player in this dream drama you've found yourself in. And not just a player, but writer, director, producer and the audience, too. You begin to realize that this isn't a universe that you are just passively observing but one that you are also actively participating in and co-creating with. At this moment you step into your Bodhisattvahood, which is who we are meant to be. You realize that there is no separate "self" or "other", just "Self". Out of this awareness naturally arises genuine compassion.


Finally, you realize it is total insanity to be waiting for the Messiah to arrive. We are the Messiah."


[source]

Illumination

I'm writing this in a sort of anxious mood. I'm anxious because I'm slightly unsure. My path is not predictable and lit. I can't see down the road I'm standing on, but I know where I stand. It could be scary and frightening, but it's not. I could go back where I came from, because I know what's there. It's familiar, it's safe; but I won't. Besides, my curiosity won't let me. At this point, I'm blazing my own trails, making it up as I go along. There's a goal of course. There is somewhere that I know I want to go, and the goal I think, at this point, will be reached. But the uncertainty comes from not knowing exactly how that goal will be reached.

Would most go back amidst the unsure-ness? Maybe, I'm not sure because I'm not most people. I heard somewhere that nature loves courage. I've also heard that sometimes you have to take a leap into the dark unknown only to find you've lept into a bed of feathers. I'm not sure what I'm leaping into, but it seems like I almost have no choice but to take the leap. For it is the fact that the road is dark and unexplored that makes me want to illuminate it with my discoveries.

I can't be stagnant. I can't be satisfied with what is just here. Don't get me wrong, it's great, but I could be doing my future-selves a great disservice if I don't see where my roads go. I owe a lot to my former selves because it was their courage that got me this far. And by former selves I mean the younger me's. The 22 year old who took chances, the 18 year old who took chances, the 25 year old that took chances. There is much that binds all of us, but one of the strongest factors of all is our abilities to take the fearless leaps and tumble our ways into the next sections of our existence.

So now I stare down that road, knowing that I know am the pivot point for all the ones to come, and I don't want to disappoint any of them. How can I? I have a lot to live up to. It's tough not knowing, but it's just as easy walking it, and doing what I do best...illuminating it.

How bout this

No, this isn't some sort of tom-foolery or trickery. What you see here is an Australian world map. "But it's upside down" you say. Let's take another thought about that. What exactly is upside down? You mean it's that way with respect to how you've been viewing your maps. That map reinforces that idea that I came upon a while ago, that north is not always up to everyone.

But this map also asks us to do something very simple which is elevate our way of thought. Now I'm not saying that we should revert to another countries map or anything like that, but what I am suggesting is that we take a second to examine what we think we know and claim to be truth, and elevate it to be aware of what other people could be claiming is "truth". We live in a world full of inhabitants and it is not always our way of life that is the standard, where ever we live.

So what am I asking you to do. I am asking you to look at any "truths" you hold on to and compare them to another fellow human's point of view, and then elevate your thought. North is not always up, West is not always on the left. A quarter-pounder is not always a quarter pounder ;)

A Thought...

It is safe to assume that the curiosity instilled in some of the animals that were produced by the earth planet, is also the same curiosity shared by the universe in which this planet resides. And you can go on a limb and deduce that the source of such life [the universe] has the propensity to understand itself. So upon this realization, the same way that the human being is trying to figure itself out, as is the universe through one of its most glorious products (the human brain). And we will find that the more we unlock about our own nature, so too will we unlock the universe's most complex puzzles, which may not seem as complex once we figure them out. It is in us. Because before you know what is exterior, you have to construct it interiorly. Soooo...in my brain, which is no bigger than some square feet, fits the enormity of this universe.

Distractions

I was having a conversation with a friend yesterday and the subject of bull&$@! came up. I'm not sure how but as I started to give the matter some thought, I started realizing that a lot of what we call our "civilization" is totally and completely full of the the substance that comes out of a bull's anus. And the more I started thinking about it, I came to the conclusion that we, especially Americans, are bombarded everyday all day with distractions.

Now, I'm going to attack that which has become the most popular as of late. I suppose it gained strength as our parents were growing up and eventually became something that went hand in hand with being alive. I'm talking about television, that good ole' boob tube. That which could be so useful but is downgraded to the nonsensical babysitter charged with keeping our children occupied. But it goes beyond that, the babysitter has become the best friend to those who have grown up with it. How many times have you heard someone say "You can call me whenever except this'o'clock because that's when Glee comes on and I can't miss my show.

But what are we doing with ourselves? What are we giving power to? The evening news where I live has a section for celebrity news, which often consists of how Lindsay Lohan (and I hate to type that name because I'm giving power to it) &%$@#! up this time today. Really? I mean really? And when they're not reporting on what color Christina Agulera's panties were, they're trying to scare the &*#@ out of you by telling you how many people were maimed or murdered on the day. Don't give power to it, choose love not fear...but that's another post.

I guess all I'm saying is make practice of putting away the distractions every once and a while, and know when and how you are being distracted. Take out the ipod on your way to work, be aware of your surroundings. Turn off that tv on the weekend or after work, find a book that would be just as entertaining, or learn something that you didn't know before (did you know you have four nostrils and more than five senses [I think it's like 23 or something, but look it up]) Let''s put these distractions away and maybe we will make ourselves open to doing something more constructive.

That being said, now I'm going to watch Family Guy.

Growing Pains

I was talking to a friend of mine and the topic of discussion fell on age. And we came to the conclusion that with age comes pain, and there's nothing that we can really do about it (so bring on the pain I guess).

No connection, but why is it that the most "insecure" people are the first to share their life stories and the people who consider themselves secure are the ones who don't share anything? Maybe I'm wrong, but it's just an observation. Why are the people who we consider the ones with some screws loose the ones who are the most visible and the most audible. And why are those same people who have those screws loose the ones that hold, say, public offices.

Is it that the people with the most sense desire not to be a part of the circus of publicity? Take for instance politics (you just knew I was going to go there didn't you). Why is it that the people with the most extreme views are the ones that make it into the public arena. I think we as American people have a lust for the WWF mentality. The person who is the most flamboyant and the most over-the-top is the person that we want to see elected. Maybe not, but it sure seems that way. 

Evolution of the Blog

That's right, two in a day...

I'm still adjusting to what exactly to blog about. The blog's title should say it all, but when you are supposed to write thought inspiring things it becomes tougher than you thought it would. Could be a combination of writer's block, or a little anxiety, or it could be that I'm a little fresh to the blogging thing, but I have a feeling that slowly but surely this will turn into something interesting (for me) and something interesting to read.

I'm always asking myself questions like, what kind of person does this or that. Or what type of person does it take to do this or that. For instance, what kind of person looks at the stars as soon as he steps outside (sometimes just the sky altogether, because I find myself looking up whether the sun is out or not)? Or what type of person does it take to ride a bike/motorcycle through the winter (I think you almost do have to be just short of certifiable)? So I guess now I'm asking, what type of person does it take (given that the internet will be around for a while as we know it) to write down thoughts, or happenings, or get people to think just from reading the words that I type on a screen. I can only hope to have that kind of impact.

Of course, I've read other blogs, I've seen what they blog about. It's usually current events, and news. Some people blog about their youtube postings. I guess a blog can be about anything. But this blog is going to do it's very best to be as thought provoking as possible. That's right, here you get the tough questions like, if they synched all of the traffic lights in cities properly, would it not improve gas mileage? Or After the corporations suck all of the money out of the economy, how will they get more money and wouldn't they shrivel up from lack of consumers? Or why would you make something that grows out of the ground naturally illegal...just a thought.

But this is the thinker's blog, this is where I will go to share my thoughts, and interactions with the web. Adding my little two cents to this worldwide community. Hopefully I can help you find a path that you seek. Because even though I'm posting my thoughts, I'm here for the collective consciousness (any human mind who will) to find, and hopefully I can point you in the right direction. I'm here for you. And maybe through sharing some of the truths that I seek, or have discovered, I can help you remember a few things that you have forgotten as well. Stay tuned...

The Element

Sometimes I like to do this thing, I like to study what's going on in the world. We had the Egyptian uprisings. Here in our states we have union workers protesting to keep their union rights. If you're paying close attention you see that Moammar Gadhafi is the latest to be threatened by the sitting government protests. What I think is interesting about this one is that his son said something on the radio like, we [Libya] are not Egypt, you mourned the loss of eighty-something deaths, if you all don't act right, there will be thousands of them. Strong words...it should be interesting to see how all that fares.

But amidst all of the political posturing, and money changing there's an element that is common to it all. That element is the human element.

It doesn't matter who we are or what position we hold in today's world, whoever that person is is still a human being. No matter how hard they try to get away from it, or how much money they make to try to buy another label, you still have to stand (or sit) at a toilet and relieve yourself the way any man or woman does. So this is where my questions come in. If we are all not the same, how hard is it to come to an agreement with the people that you serve, to make theirs and your life better in the long run. Would it not make sense to be human about it all, sit down and come to a collective agreement, rather than following the money, or listening all the way to the people who are giving you that money?

I think we would all do a little bit better if we put our minds to work and used some of that good old fashioned human logic and reasoning. Or is that to much to ask?

Crossover

It can be used to describe what Allen Iverson did to Michael Jordan a long time ago. This is when Jordan's sun was setting and Iverson's was rising. It could also be used to describe the show with John Edward that used to air a while ago. But I'm thinking of something a bit more thought-provoking than that. The crossover I'm concerned with examining is the one in our heads.

First let me start by asking, what organ in our body gets a skeletal structure all to itself? It is the most important one and the one that is responsible for receiving and interpreting all of our happenings, whether they be external or internal. If you haven't guessed by now, it is your brain. It is housed in a solid bone brain case (skull/cranium) all to itself. This means no light gets directly to this organ, but we swear we are seeing light. No sound gets directly to this organ but we swear we hear things. I could go on and on about all of the stimuli that is received by the brain, but I want to cut to the chase.

All of what we "experience" (mostly anyway) is nothing but electrical signals but when does it stop being an electrical signal and start becoming say a thought or an idea. Or does it ever stop? I think this is one of the most overlooked facts that we have to face. And I think it's taken for granted all the time. How much thought do you think is applied to what is actually happening inside and around us? How many people are actually aware that everything that they experience comes down to the functionality of an organ that weighs in at just a few pounds?

To me, and I don't know whether I'm overly-excited about it or whether it's the general population that is under-excited about it, this is the most amazing phenomenon that could be taking place here and now. Electrical signals passed through your brain are your thoughts. And if you really think about it (and you can for hours/days) it's a concept that will keep you thinking. And when you really apply good thought to it you start asking yourself, if I am nothing but electrical signals back and forth? That means I am actually some kind of being of energy, but that is another story worth blogging about.

But for now, think about making the connection of your brains electrical communications and how it all comes down to it being translated to thoughts, music, colors...EVERYTHING! And then we'll pick it from there later ;)

Here we go!

The first I'm sure of many to come:

It's time to encourage that which seems to have been lost in our interesting civilization's existence. It's time to encourage thought. Thought about culture. Thought about government. Thought about religion. Because thinking is too important to either not do, or let someone else do for us. It's time to put our skills of logic, reasoning and debating ideas to good use and change the seemingly miserable state of our, as a human race's, existence.  Let's put our skills of higher order thinking to work, and solve the many problems that we are encountering in our communities, states, countries, and on our planet.

Come and think with me...