My philosophy

[NikolaiI]

"But at any rate, the point is that God is what nobody admits to being, and everybody really is. You don't look out there for God, something in the sky, you look in you. In other words, underneath the surface of the consciousness that you have and the individual role that you play and are identifying yourself with, you are the works. Just as you ARE beating your heart, in the same way you're shining the sun, and you're responsible. But in our culture, you mayn't admit this, because if you come on that you're God, they'll put you in the nuthouse."

-Alan Watts, "Self and Other"

Herein lies the whole secret of Existence. Waves may roll over the surface and tempest rage, but deep down there is the stratum of infinite calmness, infinite peace, and infinite bliss.

-Swami Vivekananda

"Only when men shall know that they are one with the universe will they know peace in their souls."

-Black Elk

"You are that vast thing that you see far, far off with great telescopes."

-Alan Watts

My philosophy is very simple. In fact, it is supremely simple. It is that everything - all thoughts, all beings, all living and non-living things, all words, language, energy and matter - is one. As Swami Vivekananda puts it - the universe is one, non-dual.

In our culture, our modern human culture, we are propagating the false idea that each of us is our body or our ego. It is pervasive in our culture, but it is not true. No one is their ego because all are part of all others, and together all individuals make up a unity.

My philosophy, if stated religiously, is that every living being is in essence divine. All beings are at heart Buddha, Christ, divine saints, demigods, or God.

Stated scientifically, it is that we are all light, that all is light.

Our culture perpetuates the stagnant, self-ignorant and self-limiting conceptions that we are this body, we are the ego - a separate, individual, limited person. It is a conformist, harmful mentality. There are three basic natures - brutish, human, and divine, and our conformist society leans away from the divine.

When humans make decisions as individuals, they are generally intelligent, but mobs are very, very stupid.

I look at life simply and see now one truth; all is change. It's a long journey, but there's no destination; the dance is the purpose and the meaning. At the very center of my being is a supreme peace, and that is the shape of my God.

To be free of conditioned thought is necessary to attain self-knowledge and freedom. Without being free from conditioned thought, we are bound by attachments.

Energy is matter and matter is energy, so what then is consciousness? All is consciousness, all is light.

The universe is an infinite fractal - God is an infinite fractal pattern, whose feeling, of infinite bliss, is one caused by self-satisfaction at having acheived its goal, realized and unfolded itself.

All is one, and Thou art That.


The four men I quoted above were all spiritual in their own fashion. However, I am not merely repeating their words. That would be foolish, no one should. This post or thread is not about proof or argument, those belong to the realm of struggle, competition.

I've experienced states of divine consciousness, of which I can only say they are thousands of lives away from mundane experience. It was not a message, but if it were, it would accurately be translated as worsd from the Divine, saying; "Be at peace, for all is Mine. Infinite peace and bliss are yours, for your nature is Mine."

I can only live simply now, in ordinary experience, which I know to be misleading. My intellect can see, upon inquiry into every answer, and my heart knows, that all is light.

I'll go on, calm, alone, unattached, with a memory of a memory of the divine, of limitless space, life, meaning, time, peace, bliss, with a memory of the heart of hearts; infinite love of the divine, the source, all colors. I'll go on quietly, peacefully, and live for the peace and well-being of others.

I will proclaim, "You were never bound."

The source of all is the ultimate shelter, which is not without, but in the heart.

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti
Om tat sat

"To have faith is to trust yourself to the water. When you swim you don't grab hold of the water, because if you do you will sink and drown. Instead you relax, and float."

-Alan Watts

"The nearer you come to God, the more you feel peace. Peace, peace, peace-supreme peace! The nearer you come to the Ganges, the more you feel its coolness. You will feel completely soothed when you plunge into the river."

-Sri Ramakrishna

[FanofdeBeauvoir]

My philosophy is very simple. In fact, it is supremely simple. It is that everything - all thoughts, all beings, all living and non-living things, all words, language, energy and matter - is one. As Swami Vivekananda puts it - the universe is one, non-dual.

In our culture, our modern human culture, we are propagating the false idea that each of us is our body or our ego. It is pervasive in our culture, but it is not true. No one is their ego because all are part of all others, and together all individuals make up a unity.

My philosophy, if stated religiously, is that every living being is in essence divine. All beings are at heart Buddha, Christ, divine saints, demigods, or God.

Stated scientifically, it is that we are all light, that all is light.

I disagree, if we were a unit, all just couldn't be light, because there is no light without darkness, there is no good without evil. And why should we suppose we are one harmonic unit instead of an aglomeration of individuals?

Why are we part of others? Sharing similarities does not mean we're one.

I say this without meaning to offend, just wanting to discuss.

[blazeofglory]

I disagree, if we were a unit, all just couldn't be light, because there is no light without darkness, there is no good without evil. And why should we suppose we are one harmonic unit instead of an aglomeration of individuals?

Why are we part of others? Sharing similarities does not mean we're one.

I say this without meaning to offend, just wanting to discuss.

We all are rooted to the planet and for that matter organically we are one, even if there are seeming differences on the surface.

Nikolai has realized this truth more than anybody on this forum.

[FanofdeBeauvoir]

We all are rooted to the planet and for that matter organically we are one, even if there are seeming differences on the surface.

Nikolai has realized this truth more than anybody on this forum.

Being organically the same doesn't make us the same, the differences are enormous because we are a composition of the "same" matter, and the possibilities for combinations tend to infinity.

You also might want to explain how are the differences on the surface only. As much as this is beautiful, and something interesting and pleasant to believe, these factors doesn't account necessarily for truth.

Everyone's entitled to their view though, this is just mine. >>

[NikolaiI]

I disagree, if we were a unit, all just couldn't be light, because there is no light without darkness, there is no good without evil. And why should we suppose we are one harmonic unit instead of an aglomeration of individuals?

Why are we part of others? Sharing similarities does not mean we're one.

I say this without meaning to offend, just wanting to discuss.

I'm glad you posted. :)

There are two things I'd like to address. One is the idea that we are separate from the world, or the universe.

The thing is, we think, in body and ego thought, that we are separate from the world, or the universe. Yet consider, subtract the universe from the equation, and what is left? We are not separate or alien, but continuous.

Normally we think of ourselves as being our range of conscious actions. Everything I consciously do, say and think, that is me. The activities of going driving, of eating, talking, etc. But my actual range of being is greater. I am also what my heart does without my conscious intention - pumping blood throughout my body. I am also my cells reproducing and cleansing the body. I am my bones and my hair growing. And all of these are part of one and the same process. Alan Watts said, once you see that you are also your heart beating the blood into your veins; then you also realize you are shining the sun.

The second is related. Normal consciousness is kind of reverse to truth-consciousness. In normal consciousness we feel we are separate from our source. This is only revealed when one realizes one's source. In that moment one realizes that all suffering, anxiety, etc., one has felt has been unnecessary. One is never separate from the source; and when one realizes this, then all karma, anxiety, conditioned thoughts, actions, everything, falls away. All illusion falls away and one realizes that beneath all is peace beyond comprehension. When one finds oneself it is an interesting phenomenon. You realize you are one with the universe, and then you are filled with this joy - the whole universe comes from this inestimable peace and bliss... which cannot be explained in words.

Then you burn with a desire to grab someone by the hand, and tell them it is simple, to be at peace. No matter what happens, no matter anything, even if action is necessary; still, the soul is surrounded by peace...Sri Ramakrishna described it well in the quote I put at the end.

[FanofdeBeauvoir]

I'm glad you posted. :)

There are two things I'd like to address. One is the idea that we are separate from the world, or the universe.

The thing is, we think, in body and ego thought, that we are separate from the world, or the universe. Yet consider, subtract the universe from the equation, and what is left? We are not separate or alien, but continuous.

Normally we think of ourselves as being our range of conscious actions. Everything I consciously do, say and think, that is me. The activities of going driving, of eating, talking, etc. But my actual range of being is greater. I am also what my heart does without my conscious intention - pumping blood throughout my body. I am also my cells reproducing and cleansing the body. I am my bones and my hair growing. And all of these are part of one and the same process. Alan Watts said, once you see that you are also your heart beating the blood into your veins; then you also realize you are shining the sun.

The second is related. Normal consciousness is kind of reverse to truth-consciousness. In normal consciousness we feel we are separate from our source. This is only revealed when one realizes one's source. In that moment one realizes that all suffering, anxiety, etc., one has felt has been unnecessary. One is never separate from the source; and when one realizes this, then all karma, anxiety, conditioned thoughts, actions, everything, falls away. All illusion falls away and one realizes that beneath all is peace beyond comprehension. When one finds oneself it is an interesting phenomenon. You realize you are one with the universe, and then you are filled with this joy - the whole universe comes from this inestimable peace and bliss... which cannot be explained in words.

Then you burn with a desire to grab someone by the hand, and tell them it is simple, to be at peace. No matter what happens, no matter anything, even if action is necessary; still, the soul is surrounded by peace...Sri Ramakrishna described it well in the quote I put at the end.

This is really interesting. :) Though I must admit to not be a fan of things that justify themselves as being "beyond comprehension", I rather too consider all sides, the optimistic, beautiful one, and the pessimist, horrofying one. Ultimately I just don't believe in either. :blush:

But this is a nice poetic view of it, and just as one can't prove it to be true, one can't prove otherwise. So we're all kind of entitled to believe or not, without one option being more valid than the other I guess..... :santasmil

[Judas130]

I enjoy your first concept, because it is a concept we can clarify empirically. We are all part of the universal organism, and you call that God, I call it nature, we all agree, the name isn't important - what is important is that the occurrence is real and we can feel comfortable in accepting it - for we are stripping back the rubbish which we have accumulated in life, and we are getting down to the roots of what we are, what everything is. Its the most simple idea, and the most complete knowledge. I like the idea that we are on a path that has no destination, and this is true, because beyond death what made our body will make new things and those new things will make more.

Where I don't agree with you on, is your willing to see an end to various 'brutish' facets of human character. It is naturally in our character, and even though we are part of the wonders of nature, we are also subject to the cruelty and the cold reality that it wouldn't care less if we did not exist. Ideals of peace are not natural. There is no peace in the ill dear that falls from the herd to perish, or the gazelle that is leapt upon by the lion, or the oppressed beneath the power. There is peace in mankind's concept, as there is love, and there is also hate, and ideas of supremacy.

Nature has two tiers, what is natural objectively, and what is natural subjectively. Nature cares nothing for peace, but you personally may do, because of your society or you strive for your ideals of peace to resonate - which is a desire rooted in your ego, for why would the warmonger wish to listen when his ego is driven elsewhere? The mob's stupidity you mentioned is what I would prefer to call our instinct. It is a man's instinct to hurt when he is hurt, it is our subconscious morality that hinders us from doing so - but the instinct is that which is natural to our animal selves - our subconscious morality is rooted not in nature, but in the nature and organism of society. Mankind is selfish and this is the nature order of things - there was a time when many cultures lived to strict moral, to purging the self of their animal traits that nature gave them, and to indulging in guilt. Yet before culture, man had to look out for itself, and the self interests were what concerned man fundamentally - not anything else, well, besides having offspring and I would fathom perhaps care from both male and female parents.

I suppose the opposite, that we embrace what we naturally are - not pious, but selfish. There is no such thing as sin if nature is your morality system. Yet we are all subject to the universe, but that is not to say we are to adhere to a visionary morality of metaphysical reasoning. The only reasoning we need is what is in our instinct. What is in our hearts is tissue and blood and veins, what is in our instinct is our animal, and this is nature.

:crash:

[NikolaiI]

This is really interesting. Though I must admit to not be a fan of things that justify themselves as being "beyond comprehension", I rather too consider all sides, the optimistic, beautiful one, and the pessimist, horrofying one. Ultimately I just don't believe in either.

Nothing should be justified for being beyond comprehension, yet there are things which exist beyond our comprehension. They are just rare. But that is a necessity or a cause of their being valuable.

There is something called the "Falling Elevator Paradox." Or that may not be the right name for it; but it goes like this: You are in a cube, the size of an eleavator room, and there is no gravity. Yet you have no knowledge of anything outside. You have no knowledge of how you got here, all you know is there is no gravity. With no clues as to what is outside, you can only deduce that you are a: free falling, in Earth's atmosphere, or b: orbiting the Earth, in outer space. Or just in outer space.

This is a paradox or an example of knowledge and comprehension in life. We have limits. And yet it is possible to transcend those limits, to comprehend something previously incomprehensible, and yet true. And it is generally or only done in leaps and bounds of intuition, or in other words, revelation. There are many saints, seers, sages, and other mystics who have given nearly identical accounts of truths beyond our comprehension. I've also had revelatory experiences, which were profound enough that I felt hardly anyone ever in existence could have felt or seen the same thing.

I realize that this means basically nothing. Yet, it's the only thing I know to be true. What I experienced was beyond all of my previous comprehension - as I said it was a joy beyond joy. Inherent was the thought or idea that it was beyond all words; yet words somewaht accurately describe it. There are many statements of words I have used hence to describe it, statements I've seen nearly identical versions of in the greatest saints and mystics I've read.

One of these is: you were never bound. There is a state where you realize you were never bound. Bound means, suffering, limited. Beneath all - the source - the soul - is unlimited. That is within all.

One is - there was never any reason to feel any anxiety. Everything in general was geared as defense against defense of an ego which is illusory. The entrenchment of ego, and bodily conception, keeps us away from the knowledge of oneness with our source - a boundless, unlimited, infinitely joyful, blissful, and peaceful source; full of self-knowledge.

I experienced that source as deeply as I believe was possible, after hours of intense revelation. What I experienced I also read about in numerous places in the Vedas, Buddhist and Taoist scriptures.

The illusion of ego, of limited self, keeps us away from self-knowledge of oneness with the source, the universe, Brahman, Atman, or God - by whatever name. And why is it so pervasive, the illusion? Because most of humanity goes around reinforcing the delusion with each other.

At times I feel as though I am the last person left on Earth - completely alone, the only one here; that I am the slowest, the last to realize the truth and move on to a higher planet (heaven, or higher). Yet other times I need to keep some time to myself and limit my contact with certain types of people. For me simplicity is a great virtue; and in this way I try to cultivate it, so that I may gradually attain some peace, in only thinking of the present. In thinking more of those who are nearest me, in my life, rather than things past or future. I've had a lot of result from this.

What my fundamental idea seems to be is that the universe is one. To know the truth of one's self is to know oneness with the boundless source - Atman, the Universe, Brahman, whatever it may be called. So the only truth of existence is "I am the universe." As Alan Watts says, you are "The works." The works being - the whole. Not just something part of it, but the whole works. Nothing else is true. Not "I am American," "I am male," "I am female," "I am bored," "I am happy," "I am sad," "I am young," "I am old," or "I am human." This is true of animals too, but humans have the ideal body for crossing over the ocean of birth and death. It's said that one should make the body an ideal boat for crossing the ocean of birth and death.

So that is the highest realization I know of, that of oneness with the universe. I've realized this countless times. I can only say, others have said it perfectly well, one only needs to search them out and search out whatever truth one can find - completely relentlessly - not my truth or any others, but search out truth and also whatever individuals embody truth. Do not make any compromises!!! Do not compromise! That is the only downfall. Being cheated. Do not take my truth for your own but only whatever you can directly realize by experience. But I will tell you what my understanding and revelation is; even though it is not in accordance with the false ideas of limited self. It is that beneath all is an unlimited source - by whatever name, Atman, etc. And that one can realize oneness with this.

Once one realizes the non-duality of this, one knows peace. Black Elk said this; only when men know that they are one with the universe, shall they know peace in their souls. Check it out. Research it.

Alan Watts, Black Elk, Swami Vivekananda, Laozi, R.W. Emerson, and so many others... have lived their lives in search of truth; found a similar if not identical truth, and explained it brilliantly, cogently, and eloquently.

[blazeofglory]

Being organically the same doesn't make us the same, the differences are enormous because we are a composition of the "same" matter, and the possibilities for combinations tend to infinity.

You also might want to explain how are the differences on the surface only. As much as this is beautiful, and something interesting and pleasant to believe, these factors doesn't account necessarily for truth.

Everyone's entitled to their view though, this is just mine. >>

In point of fact it is really matter of great introspection. It is hard to feel that we are an organically one and the same. If you really and deeply can understand this you will be enlightened.

[FanofdeBeauvoir]

In point of fact it is really matter of great introspection. It is hard to feel that we are an organically one and the same. If you really and deeply can understand this you will be enlightened.

I respectfully disagree. On the same note I could say that when you realise this is all but a fantasy (not that I think so) you'll be enlightened, one can't claim something to be the Ultimate Truth.

[NikolaiI]

I respectfully disagree. On the same note I could say that when you realise this is all but a fantasy (not that I think so) you'll be enlightened, one can't claim something to be the Ultimate Truth.

The meaning of this isn't fully clear. What are you saying?

[NikolaiI]

When I said, "all is light," I didn't mean in a moral sense. In moral analogy, it is true there will always be forces of light and darkness. But I am not speaking in this sense at all. Beyond morality, or rather before it, there are more fundamental questions. Philosophically, the most important thing to ask is, "Who am I?" and "What is existence?" Morality isn't the subject of my writing but rather the topics such as the nature of consciousness, existence, and so forth. I am giving my conclusion that "all is light" in this way, not in a moral but rather a physical, literal sense. For I observe and I see that all forms are but forms of light. And nothing could be more obvious.

Let's look at it from several different ways. One way is to go to the source of life in our solar system - Sol. The light from Sol is the source of heat, and thus is the principle necessity for life in this system.

So all life on earth can trace itself to the same source - Sol. How can anything be separate from its source? If the source is light, then everything is light. If all comes from light, then all will return to light. Indeed, all is light, all forms are but forms of light.

This is one of the most important parts of my philosophy. Because it raises questions - how to account for the discrepancy between theory and the actualities of weakness, sickness, suffering, confusion, etc.? The fact is, our existence is dependent upon our ability to interact with the world, which can be improved by several methods, such as meditation.

As a side note, I believe certain things are necessary for meditation to be efficacious, such as celibacy, vegetarianism, avoidance of intoxicants and other sense gratification. All of these produce what is called in Taoism, "wayward qi." Anyway, avoidance of vice is necessary because the goal is peace. Peace cannot be understood by someone with desire. Therefore freedom from desire, or purity, is necessary. There are other reasons to remain pure. Strength is lost when purity is lost.

In Hinduism, in Vedanta, the path of yoga is to fix the mind on the Absolute, Om. In this way God acn be realized. Vision of God is the highest benediction, and by the path of yoga, one can attain this vision.

All of this theory, it may seem complicated, constructed. But the only goal actually is to find the source of all sources. Nothing else, no layers of the creation or nature, no theory, but the source of all existence. But harmony of the body is equally important, equally necessary for harmony of the mind and spirit. In fact the letting go of attachments in the form of thoughts, cocnepts, images, and desires is part of the process.

All our anxiety comes from our not knowing some key parts of our existence - to be precise, the rest of it.

What we know as ourselves is ourselves, but only an inconceivably small part of it. You see, we are part of everything. That is literally true. All is connected, all is one. You divide up the universe into individual souls, but Existence, Existence is one.

You see, we are anxious for countless reasons. Our desires and attachment. But there is no reason to fear. I have no reason to fear because I am Existence. It's my nature - Existence. But, you say, when your body dies, you cease to exist. But beneath everything I am existence. Without knowing my source, I should endeavor for nothing except to know my source. Before I can apply any qualities to myself, such as male, female, young, old, etc., I must know to what essence I am applying them. And this is the key, the sledge-hammer blow to all false identifications - I am my source. How can I be separate from my source? If something comes from light, its essence is light, and it always was, and always will be light.

So this idea I have come to, is that "all is light." But I am still in the process of awakening. For other reasons, besides those mentioned, I know this is true, but those reasons are inadmissable as evidence...

Still, the questions of "what is reality," and "who am I?" give rise to the question, "what can I know?"

At present, I do not know that I am Existence, rather, I am under the illusion of being separate from my source. In the Vedas this is "the dream of separateness." In Buddhism it is samsara. But actually everything can be known. This is written by sages, and it is my experience also. As blazeofglory wrote, even a year ago, division is illusion. All are God, and God is all. All energy is God's energy, and we are all energy, or light.

Obviously, some austerity is necessary to become enlightened. It is necessary to give up all to the Divine to hope to be given a ray of Her light.

God, the source, is Satchitananda, or Existence-Consciousness-Bliss. Beneath everything is the same source, which is indivisible truth.

[FanofdeBeauvoir]

The meaning of this isn't fully clear. What are you saying?

What wasn't clear? All I said was that that he was basically saying when I thought the same as him I'd be enlightened, which is something I just don't agree with, you can't impose that what you think is simply right and someone else's point of view is wrong or not enlightened.

[NikolaiI]

Yes, but if it is a dream, and you woke up from it, and you realized nothing was real except the eternal Self, what then? It's like The Dream of a Ridiculous Man. You'd go on telling people the truth, even though they thought you're mad.

I don't think Blaze was imposing anything. But if you look at the idea, if you really consider it, you'll see that it's true. How can we be separate?

[Dirtbag]

Yes, but if it is a dream, and you woke up from it, and you realized nothing was real except the eternal Self, what then? It's like The Dream of a Ridiculous Man. You'd go on telling people the truth, even though they thought you're mad.

I don't think Blaze was imposing anything. But if you look at the idea, if you really consider it, you'll see that it's true. How can we be separate?
I think of the universe as the experience created by someone's consciousness. Everybody is creating their own world and everything we sense is in our head. Everything is continuous because there are not gaps of nothing in the universe but our unique arrangement of molecules that forms our consciousness makes us seperate from the air that surrounds us or the floor beneath us. We are seperate and that's why things have words. A person is a person because they're arranged like a person. So that's what we call that arrangement. Tim is not Jack. They're individuals. Connected only by being classified under the broad category of everything. Everything is everything. Everything is one. The universe is one. All is one. I don't see the significance of all matter and energy being considered one. Isn't compartmentalizing people into interesting and intricate packages a good thing? When I tell someone I love them, I don't mean I love myself and the rest of the world.

[NikolaiI]

I think of the universe as the experience created by someone's consciousness. Everybody is creating their own world and everything we sense is in our head. Everything is continuous because there are not gaps of nothing in the universe but our unique arrangement of molecules that forms our consciousness makes us seperate from the air that surrounds us or the floor beneath us. We are seperate and that's why things have words. A person is a person because they're arranged like a person. So that's what we call that arrangement. Tim is not Jack. They're individuals. Connected only by being classified under the broad category of everything. Everything is everything. Everything is one. The universe is one. All is one. I don't see the significance of all matter and energy being considered one. Isn't compartmentalizing people into interesting and intricate packages a good thing? When I tell someone I love them, I don't mean I love myself and the rest of the world.

But Tim is part of everything, and Jack is part of everything, therefore they are part of eachother.

We like to hold on to our individuality, and that is fine, but it is an illusion. It's not a bad thing, like once you lose it you lose control. No, actually, we are out of control as it is. Only when we gain complete control over ourselves will we even have the capability of having peace. As Black Elk said, only when men know they are one with the universe will they know peace in their souls.

We are continuous with the universe. We are part of it. That means we are it. Not just a part but the whole thing. Plants are part of my being, and I am part of their being. I live in every life. So do you, as do we all. Alan Watts explains, as an apple tree apples, so also the universe peoples. The apple is one with the apple tree, and contains in it the seed of the apple tree. Similarly, we are one with the universe, and contain within us the seed of the universe - which has the universe within it. As Swami Vivekananda has written, "My body is not this little body, but my body is the whole universe."

I am not merely parroting these ideas. There are several ideas in what I call my philosophy. One is the idea that we are one with the universe. One is that there exists a Supreme Consciousness, a universal consciousness. The first one is called non-duality. I did not create the idea. In Sanskrit it's called Advaita. I've exprienced these states. Almost everything I've read in Watts or Vivekananda seemed to describe my own experience.

There is never any reason to feel anxiety, because what we are defending - the ego - is not a substantial reality. In reality, our roots are in the universe, in all life, in the earth as well as everything else. Your source is your source, it is yours. You came from it, yes, but it belongs to you.

So everyone has desires. This whole society is partly hedonistic, running on desires. But when we fulfill our desires it doesn't bring completely Enlightenment, as the Buddhist and Hindu saints spoke about. That comes when we realize our oneness with the universe, then alone, as Black Elk says, do we attain peace. And that peace is infinitely greater. Then we know that we are transcendent to body, time, place - the whole universe is but a speck in the infinite God.

Another idea of mine, part of my philosophy, along with the other two, is that the nature of consciousness is light. Everything on Earth comes from light. Light heats us. In a way which is undeniable, all life on Earth comes from light. And but this isn't considered, and elicits no reaction from anyone. "Um, yes, but still I have to pay these bills, buy these things, deal with these people, etc..." But we need to find some time, in fact the more the better, to devote to finding out truth or peace. That peace is greater than our desires. But if you look at it in a simple way, disregard everything and consider the truth, that all comes from light. When you can set aside all designations such as body, place, time, world - all of them - then you can realize that we actually came from the light, it is our source. What does that mean? That means that our forms are forms of light... however this can only be discovered by an individual, not taught.

One further thing is that there is mystical truth. It is possible to transcend all of this and find a more true realm, to enter into knowledge of the real. The Hindu mystics found this out by meditation and knowledge - they eventually came to know the real. To know the real means to be enlightened as to one's divine nature, and to know peace, and perfect concentration, absorption. Only when we know ourselves can we be free. And when we do, then we know that all is light.

But I agree with certain aspects of what you wrote. Your first sentence for example. I agree - we create our own universe, always. Yet what is the purport of this? It means there are different levels of existence. For example - in normal consciousness we are under the illusion of being controled by externals. An analogy is we are in a story, one of the characters. But as you say, and in actuality, we are not a character in the story. We are the story's author. The meaning of this is that there are two levels of existence. One is ephemereal and one is lasting; one is limited and one is unlimited; one is illusion and one is reality. In illusion we are limited, but in reality we exist in a higher dimension.

And you said, all is continuous, all is matter and energy, but what is the significance? Well it's simple. We can begin from the part "You are part of everything." Well this is simple. Simple enough the Beatles sang it in Dear Prudence: "The wind is low, the birds will sing that you are part of everything." Here is the thing: we are under what is called in the Vedas the illusion, or the "dream of separateness." We feel that the universe is dual, we are one, the universe is another; we are the self, the universe is the other. But Advaita Vedanta says that reality is non-dual. So what is the significance? Well it means we should really search for that truth. Because we are part of everything, we are part of the universe, but we do not know this on all levels, only on our most subconscious. Only in our deep sleep, when are one with Being. But that is part of our existence - Being, God, is part of the range of our self. The universe is part of the range of my self, therefore I can experience, not as an hallucination, oneness with the universe. But as even Einstein understood, by a sort of optical delusion of consciousness we feel we are separate. So the difference between normal consciousness and enlightenment is same difference between sleeping and waking. The nature of the soul is divine, if you look at it religiously, or it is light, if you look at it physically. And we can be awakened to our divine nature - which is the highest life we can know, which was realized by Christ, Buddha, and others.

[NikolaiI]

There is something...

God is called simply "the source" by many... God is known to be the source of everything. God is known by so many names, Rama, Krishna, Allah, YHWH, Christ... But the essence that we call different names is the same. In my view, He is the ever-youthful Sage, the life of the inhabitants of Vraja.

But how to understand? In Hinduism there are two main schools of thought: Advaitin and Dvaita. Advaita Vedanta's philosophy is that the universe is non-dual. The self is non-different from "the other." The other is bhakti-yoga, the path of devotion. In devotion the devotee retains the ego, and says, "Thou art my Master, and I am Thy servant." The devotee doesn't want to become the sugar, but wants to eat the sugar.

And in the West, if someone says, "I am God," then they are locked away, but not before all attempts to denigrate and victimize them. The statement "I am God" is more offensive even than the statement "I am perfect." We react emotionally to it.

But what is God? God is pure love. If one attains the highest state, then one knows everything. One then realizes God.

Now God is the source of everything. God is your source. But we are not separate from God. How can we be separate from our source? Humankind is a manifestation of God.

God is the infinite, but God is also every person, and every person is God. This means, the individual is not the ego, but also the subconscious. Not the subconscious only, but also the whole range of everything below, all the plants, all the bacteria, all of the life below conscious level, all is part of the individual. And the whole unconscious universe, the rocks, the suns, the space, that is all part of the individual as well. The individual comes out of that. And God, the source, that is part of the individual as well.

"But what thing dost thou now,
Looking Godward, to cry,
'I am I, Thou art Thou,
I am low, Thou art high'?"

We come out of the universe. We grow out of the universe, just as an apple comes from an apple tree. And the apple contains future apple trees in it. Also, we contain the universe within us. We are the universe being conscious of itself.

And God - the Highest - that is pure love, that is our source. That is within us, too, that is part of us. It is not separate. That infinite peace, calmness and bliss is attainable, and verily, it is the only reality. We only have to realize. But we must devote everything to the Divine, and discard everything which is of the nature of ignorance.