I suppose I and my contemporaries have been fortunate that our lifetimes have spanned the most extraordinary human era. The years from c.1940 to c.2030 have witnessed more highs and more lows, more change and more colour, more light and more dark than any other era, so far. As of this early morning, I thank my lucky stars for having survived, and ponder, would I have had it any other way ? Of course, the answer is affirmative : so much of the change has been seriously detrimental to so many and so much; a nightmarish drift into crazy commercialism, loss and empty gain, political mayhem, and common destruction. In these ‘Reflections’, I have often projected into another time – after the ‘Correction’ – because I see the modern world paradigm can only destroy itself, which people of my age have witnessed as progressive defilement throughout our lifetimes, clearly-sighted or not. I was a born ‘watcher’, observer, witness, (think of it how you will), albeit influenced by dint of circumstance, naturally one of those countryside or maritime folk with what can appear to be second-sight, but more likely is a translation of intelligence and clear-sight; a double-faceted gift. On the up-side, one can sometimes see a bigger picture, and ‘make provision’; on the flip-side, one’s good nature can be vulnerable to charlatans and lost souls.
‘ Commerce is supported by keeping the individual at odds with himself and others,
by making us want more than we need,
and offering credit to buy what refined senses do not want.
The masses become shackled;
I see how their eyes weep and are desperate – of course they feel desperate –
for something, for some remedy that a poor soul feels needs to be bought.
I find nothing more offensive than a god who could condemn human instincts in us
that time in all its wonder have made perfect.
I find nothing more destructive to the well-being of life
than to support a god that makes you feel unworthy and in debt to it.
I imagine erecting churches to such a strange god
will assure endless wars
that commerce loves.
A god that could frighten is not a god –
but an insidious idol and weapon in the hands of the insane.
A god who talks of sin is worshipped by the infirm.
I was once spiritually ill – we all pass through that –
But one day the intelligence
In my soul
Cured
Me. ’ [1]
It is, and has been, the apparently ambitious, but mistaken activities of ‘lost souls’ that undermined the wellbeing of the human species for all the reasons paraded previously; too often seduced by apparent easy comfort and convenience; too often using resources and fossil fuels mindlessly translated as ‘practical necessities’; too often the very opposite of essential awareness, of the vital, foundational breath that is connection to ‘Love, Life, and the Universe’; too often precluding any real choice. While the extreme over-population of humans on earth can appear to offer obvious commercial opportunities, cheap-fixes for consumers actually degrade and pollute our environment, not unlike rodents in the house. That mindless, posturing politicians too often dance the dance is everyone’s misfortune.
Any awareness – apparent cognition and recognition – however woolly or bizarre, may be described as some level of Consciousness. We feed into our consciousness what we will. On awakening of a morning, we might direct ourselves into the bathroom and kitchen to perform ritual tasks, sleepily. On going to bed of an evening, we might follow a familiar nighttime routine – reading, for example – to relax the mind before switching-off the light and snuggling down for sleep. Just for now, we might imagine our regular actions and motions involve an ‘Objective Consciousness’ – beaming our consciousness into and onto whatever we are doing.
While it can be argued that our various senses feed into our consciousness how they may, it is recognised that sometimes some will not, for example when they are ‘switched-off’ by the host, (when sleeping), or by some external agency, (accident, anaesthetic), or deliberately blinkered by a Wrong Culture’s conventions; the contemporary nightmare.
Much has been discussed about dreams and dreaming by others all over. During our deep-sleep, something may stir our unconsciousness just a little, such that we may become subconsciously aware of one or several dream ‘movies’, not unlike a procession of situations, which in our dream state seem real, and we seem to be a part of in some way. Whereas in the dream ‘movies’, we may seem to playing an active part, actually we are dream-observing active parts of our brains linking aspects of our life, sometimes seemingly rationalising, and ‘filing’ (as in office cabinets), particular passing thoughts, observations, uncertainties and fantasies from recent days, sometimes linked to past stuff. And then we pass back into the oblivion of deep sleep. For what it’s worth, we may imagine dream-awareness as ‘Subjective Sub-Consciousness’.
We may imagine Consciousness to have Subjective and Objective aspects. Both Objective and Subjective Consciousness are determined by Mind, our ‘Real Consciousness’, the Us that is in control, (or not), who hopefully tells Brain what to do. However, when Mind is absent, (asleep, distracted, wandering, unrealised), different parts of Brain can lure Us into foolish ways. ‘Mr. X’, a cerebral automaton, may take over, temporarily driving the car, doing mundane chores, even making love to one’s wife [2]. Thus, we can project that Mind and ‘Real-Consciousness’ are one and the same; and that an ‘Unreal Consciousness’ can be fabricated by Brain, when we’re not looking, not ‘watching’, when Mind wanders, is distracted, or perverted.
The Consciousness that scribes this piece is ‘Real-Consciousness’, a mix of Subjective Consciousness (receptive), and Objective Consciousness, (translating subjective reception into language, and transferring it into action – ‘watching’, speaking, typing, etc), both present and correct, always maintaining Open Reception [3] ; ‘listening’ and at once ‘translating’ and ‘acting’. And I suggest that this awareness is the natural and normal way for Humans to be and to act. And, by association, any human thoughts and deeds, beings and doings, are likely to be misguided without it; to easily go awry.
It follows that dimensions of Awareness and Consciousness need to be realised in stillness, and practised, which could be the foundation of all New Education. How to balance this ‘stillness’ with the natural exuberance of children is quite simple as children, from around 50 months, naturally welcome it, (after a bout of fun and exercise), when practised in communicating, circular sitting groups, regularly, thereafter.
Adults need to unlearn so much indoctrinated claptrap, to re-educate themselves along ethical lines founded in common-sense and conscience, and in Real Consciousness, in profound spirituality, in the Intelligence In Our Soul.
Many of us have become dimly aware of approaching Artificial Intelligence, of automatic mechanisms and robots that can replace human activities more efficiently and in half the time. For some, such will appear as commercial investment opportunities; for most, we will have little choice but to conform, to do what we are told in de-humanised environments. Music for some ‘men in grey suits’, but slow torture for most sentient beings.
And there can only be a deeper tragedy in all this. Robots, like computers, are only as good as what is fed into them. Real Consciousness, imagination, core creativity, the muse, originality, feeling, real care, love, real sexuality, real spirituality, profound stillness, cannot be fed into machines. It appears intimated that the human race will become bound by inanimate robots; possibly, we will become redundant, Ho ! The ‘men in grey suits’ may imagine the most devious among them will control the robots, and the rest of us; but, as always, they continue to delude themselves, and mislead the world all the way to terminal catastrophe.
Time for everyone to Get Real.
First, look within. Find the courage to be completely honest with yourself, and with everyone else.
What have you got to fear ?
[1] ‘An Insidious Idol’, Meister Eckhart, c.1300AD. trans. Daniel Ladinsky.
[2] See Colin Wilson’s ‘The Occult’, 1970.
[3] To Love, Life, and the Vastness; to the breeze in the trees; to beauty, colour, light, and truth.
