EFFLORESCENCE IN THE WISDOM TRADITIONS

(Developing Conceptual Paradigms for Interdisciplinary and Interfaith Program Development)

ABSTRACT

This manuscript explores the fundamental conceptual paradigms that various Interfaith communities can utilize for curriculum development concerns as well as program development concerns. The conceptual frameworks are applicable to religious, spiritual, interfaith and interdisciplinary organizations in theology, the social sciences and the humanities.

Keywords:

Wisdom, spirituality, spiritual organizations, interfaith, religious organizations

INTRODUCTION

         The concept of the Interdisciplinary as well as Interfaith Discussion Group is one of the timeliest developments in spiritual collaborative efforts for communities nationwide and worldwide. The interfaith brings together spiritual people from various walks of Life to come together, discuss similar ideas, celebrate commonalities and join together in the spirit of Wisdom and Loving Service. This manuscript therefore explores the fundamental conceptual paradigms that various Interfaith communities can utilize for curriculum development concerns as well as program development concerns.

         The freedom to conceptualize and organize spiritual, interfaith, and religious communities is enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines:

“No law shall be made respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. The free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination or preference, shall forever be allowed. No religious test shall be required for the exercise of civil or political rights.” (Article III Bill of Rights, Section 5, 1987 Philippine Constitution).

Thus, in accordance with this law, interfaith and interdisciplinary religious dialogue is a right of the sovereign Filipino people. This inspires us and gives us the impetus to outline and highlight conceptual paradigms that various interfaith and interdisciplinary religious and spiritual communities in the Philippines can utilize for organizational purposes.

DISCUSSION

Symbiotic Unity in the Spirit of Service

         Spiritual seekers from all inclinations and from all walks of life are now beginning to come together and share knowledge, insight and wisdom. Coming together from various spiritual frameworks and backgrounds, these spiritual people have realized the need to unite in the spirit of service. Unity is a crucial factor in all historical epochs and more so in an age where Ascension is possible. Symbiotic Unity is a conceptual paradigm that could have a very powerful impact in the way interfaith and other spiritual communities come together, coalesce, and manage themselves and their relationships with fellow organizations and the community as a whole. In understanding Symbiotic Unity, we have only to access the legacies of various mystical orders, shamanic associations, and spiritual communities since the dawn of time. Their spiritual lessons have always included the facet of unity as a very crucial factor in achieving their dreams and goals. For example, we can see Symbiotic Unity as a crucial factor in the management of Celtic Druids. The great Druids of Europe would come together every now and then, share knowledge and help each other in the service of their Celtic tribes. They were the fathers of their respective peoples and commanded respect far and wide. The conceptual paradigm of symbiotic unity can be seen in the inner workings of the Shaolin Temple of China. It was a massive demonstration of unity at a time when monks were not given proper attention by the ruling elite. Eventually, the symbiotic unity of the Shaolin Temple monks helped raise awareness about the many productive endeavors that they were regularly contributing to the community.

         In the present age, spiritual people from all walks of life can utilize the lessons of Symbiotic Unity to improve the cohesiveness of their mystical or spiritual organization in ways that can transcend their particular backgrounds and religious frameworks. It is understood that spirituality can be a guiding force that binds together seekers of various inclinations into one cohesive, dynamic and cheerful whole.

Collaborative Harmony in the Spirit of Cheerfulness

         From the fields of psychology and management, humanity has acquired the lesson that inner passion must be one of the guiding forces in the choice of vocation and occupation. Spirituality and mysticism can join this insight with their spiritual wisdom and produce groups, teams and organizations which are functioning at a very high level because they incorporate the aspect of “FLOW.” Flow is a term in motivational psychology referring to the zone state where a human is performing at the most optimum level. It has been recognized that mastery of a skill or talent requiring the utmost performance level can be achieved when one is fully passionate about a particular activity. (Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, 2008).

         Spiritual organizations and interfaith communities can take a cue from these findings of psychology and management. It is very important for spiritual leaders of all kinds to have the utmost enjoyment in their craft. The spirit of cheerfulness, therefore, can be another guiding force that can enlighten and solidify the performance of spiritual tasks. It is already a given that spiritual leaders love their particular vocation. However, they should also incorporate the spirit of fun, adventure, humor and cheerfulness in their calling. The best spiritual communities are those who are imbued with an element of fun. If it is not fun, why quest spiritually?

Infinite Diversity in the Spirit of Love

         The Cosmos is a massive ensemble of worlds, like sands in the seashore. The infinite permutations of the Divine Essence of the Supreme God are so numerous as to dazzle the mind and imagination. Thus, all the fields of thought themselves are expressing this principle of Infinite Diversity. All the souls of all the universes are playing a symphony in eternity that is so dazzling and so deep and so multi-dimensional that it can only elicit the spirit of wonder from any observer.

         It is this principle that the interfaith communities nationwide should exercise as another guiding principle in the conduct and management of their organizational strategies and tactics. Infinite diversity as a conceptual paradigm can be celebrated in many ways. Be open to the ideas of new as well as old seekers. Celebrate their uniqueness. Everyone has a story to tell. Ennoble the storyteller by listening attentively and actively as well as testing that narrative in the crucible of experience. Spiritual insight produces its validity when examined by the crucible of experience, modified by the uniqueness of the context where it arises. Another way to express Infinite Diversity is to celebrate creativity in all its forms. The artist is brother to the medium. The artist is brother to the mystic. The artist is brother to the shaman. When interfaith communities incorporate this conceptual paradigm into their operational goals, Love will naturally bloom with its finest essence.

         In the saga of Philippine History, we can see the paradigm of Infinite Diversity to be expressed in a very unique form in the panorama of the 1898 Philippine Revolution. Our heroes and heroines were unique personalities with outstanding individual talent. The wisdom and prudence of their leaders was palpable in the harnessing and integration of those singular talents into working wholes. For example, Marcelo H. Del Pilar was the archetype of leadership wisdom, Andres Bonifacio was the archetype of martial courage, Apolinario Mabini was the archetype of sacrificial service while Dr. Jose Rizal was the archetype of versatile intelligence. (Teodoro Agoncillo, 1990).

Organizational Autonomy in the Spirit of Empowerment

         Spiritual communities like the Interfaith initiative here in our country are organizations that can stand on their own if imbued with the proper set of strategies and tactics. Strategic planning must blend with operational implementation in such a way as to manifest and create a successful program of development. Spiritual empowerment, therefore, is another crucial conceptual paradigm that interfaith offices nationwide can study, incorporate and implement as part of their organizational goals. (Erwin Rimban, TAR Paradigm, 2016).

         Here in the Philippine islands, various spiritual Seekers understand the crucial role of spiritual empowerment as a conceptual paradigm that should be explored and implemented in order to insure organizational success. We are currently exploring various strategies and tactics to enhance organizational effectiveness and better serve our spiritual communities. We recognize the need to absorb and utilize insights from various fields of thought, like the sciences, philosophy, psychology and education in the management of our spiritual community. We realize the pivotal roles played by organizational autonomy, self-reliance and spiritual empowerment to insure that we achieve our organizational goals in the most effective and efficient ways possible. The fluidity of our team management can only be a testament to the beauty of our spiritual paths and the primacy of our spiritual vocation as a blessing from God.

LITERATURE CITED

1987 Constitution, Republic of the Philippines

Teodoro A. Agoncillo, History of the Filipino People. Garotech Publishing. Manila, Philippines. 1990.

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. Harper Perennial Modern Classics. 2008.

Erwin L. Rimban, TAR Paradigm: The Tests of Authenticity and Relevance. (https://dreamingcastle.wordpress.com/2017/07/31/the-tar-paradigm/).

Sensei Erwin Rimban was born in the Philippine Islands. Since a young age he has been fascinated by the esoteric realm and avidly read books on world history, philosophy, astrology, mythology, the social sciences and similar fields. Educated at the University of the Philippines, where he graduated Cum Laude, he added Evolutionary Biology to his plethora of interests. After graduating from college, he spent many years in the tourist destination of Baguio City where he pursued a career in writing and teaching, while at the same time finding time to be a meditation teacher. His hobbies include chess, poetry and Tarot counseling. Currently, he is active in organizational work, where he is promoting advocacies in educational philosophy, spiritual counseling, and environmental issues. He is also the founder and mentor of a learning organization and Wisdom Community, the ANAM CARA Philippines Learning Organization. He has written numerous essays on wisdom, metaphysics, mysticism, psychology, history, educational philosophy and psychotherapy

Deconstructing the Psychology of Reincarnation

Critical Thinking and Paradigm Development in the Mystical Philosophy of Reincarnation

The soul and its vehicle are locked in opposite domains, yet living in the same wave-space. The paths of the soul ever beckon to the higher realms. As if in counterpoise, the paths of its vehicle, the body, always remain in fascination with the matrix of space-time. The two sides are always in disagreement. But they manage to have a conversation. This conversation, this dialogue, this concord is a difficult one. But it must occur if they are both to thrive in their native domains. Having made temporary peace, they are free to pursue their respective aims.

The one who is born from the upper realms is an explorer of multidimensionality. He or she or it (actually this form has no gender, but we will try to use conventional terms for ease of comprehension) is a pure being, without assumptions, devoid of biases, totally open to new experiences and possessed of the spirit of wonder always. But, in order to explore the realms of multidimensionality, this pure being must acquire and maintain vehicles of exploration. There are several kinds of these vehicles, each suited to the plane or dimension or universe of its current fascination. Normally, the soul that journeys within its vehicle is not cut off from the Source. Meaning, he maintains and enjoys actual contact with higher realms, especially with its realms of Home. There is a saying: “Home is where the Heart is.” And indeed, it is also true in this instance. In fact, the monad, that is locked within the temporary prison of its vehicles, has made a massive sacrifice just by encasing itself in various case sheaths, as it were, in its efforts to sample and explore the various multidimensional realms. At some point, the soul will be extremely interested in the sensual delights and other pleasures of the realm that he is exploring. This is normal, as long as he always connected to his base, his Source, his Home. 

But what if, by some mechanism, whether intentional or accidental, the monad or the soul is suddenly cut off from the Source, from his Home, and from the memory of his origins? Then a very interesting existential dilemma arises! We shall go back to this subtopic later. 

         Meanwhile, the vehicles of the monad or soul are its primary expressions in the realms of exploration. These vehicles are chosen for a purpose. They serve the goals of the Soul Curriculum which the monad follows as a guide in its mystical adventures. The soul curriculum of every soul defines the road-map of its journey. In the realms of the material universe, the vehicles achieve an unusual power that is characteristic of templates which are operating in their own elemental fields. We recognize that the physical vehicles are children of the material universe. Thus, while souls or monads are exploring in the material universe, their physical vehicles are apt to attain a position of great importance. Again, the normal attitude of the soul is to recognize that physical vehicles are simply tools for the navigation, learning and pleasure of the exploring monad. This equanimity is at its highest in the safety and security of the existential contours of the Deep Self or Higher Self, which represents the core of every reincarnating being. There arises a situation however, when the reincarnating aspects of the Deep Self, which I call the Fractal Selves, are cut off from their Source. This situation gives rise to what we mystics now call the “Existential Loop Dilemmas.” The reincarnating aspect, separated from the Source and its Deep Self Core, and phase-locked in the planes of matter, or whatever plane that has caught it as prisoner, may come to think that his current manifestation is already the most authentic one. The only real one.  When in fact it is only a façade, a mask, a vehicle of exploration. This propensity to exalt the fractal over the Deep Self or Higher Self may also be magnified by any devious system, born of negative polarity, which attempts to maintain such a state of ignorance for its own egocentric ends and agendas. If this is a state where you find your fractal self involved in, then you are required by the forces of destiny and serendipity, to muster all the resources at your disposal to overcome the boundaries of ignorance and attain the ascended state. To seekers from the planet Earth, we now usually call this the “wisdom quest.” The wisdom quest is the attempt of the fractal soul to realize its own true mystical nature, liberate itself from the bondage of ignorance and willingly and cheerfully choose to graduate from its present state. This is no easy task. 

         There are many, many roadblocks to Ascension or soul graduation. The acquired tendencies of the soul may be impediments or barriers. Negative attitudes are definitely impediments, but also are “actuations arising out of habit.” Failure to educate yourself in any way possible is a roadblock, too. Thus, it is incumbent upon every soul to pursue knowledge for its own sake, as well as knowledge for practical purposes. You never know when that bit of knowledge shall help you. Learn, learn, learn.  Institutional systems, when implemented by an invading race out of selfish intentions, may be barriers to mystical development also. And to this morass we can also add culture. Culture is definitely a product of the evolutionary successes of a race, but it also possesses challenging variables which may pose as impediments to Ascension itself. Thus, Ascension is a very, very subtle enterprise. It is the most challenging task in any incarnation! 

         Like any story or narrative, the spiral of reincarnation has its own theme, structure, flavour, timing, colour, vibration, story-line, beginning, middle and climax. Though the outline of the reincarnation process is defined by the soul curriculum chosen during cosmic birth; the variables, specifics and dynamics of that process itself is coloured by the specific requirements of the Higher Self or Deep Self. In this, as in many areas of Cosmic Life, free will and the liberty of choice are essential parameters. The Deep Self is free to choose what narratives it wants to explore, using his own particular paradigms of learning, in its own contexts, using its own timing and rhythm, and occurring in environments of his own choice. No one can interfere with this Cosmic Law. The Higher Self has complete control of its incarnational perspectives, including the nativity and culmination of those fractal selves. The Deep Self and its incarnational streams are all existing in their own incarnational universes. They are inviolate and given the ultimate freedom to decide their own narrative cycles and progressions. 

          A human soul is an explorer par excellence. In order to elicit maximum learning from its incarnational lives, the Deep Self is invited by the Cosmos to sample and experience as many varied lives as much as possible. The dance of the energies represented by the Houses of the Zodiac is only a guide to the variety and multiplicity of lives that a fractal soul can assume. At the same time, the natal astrology chart is a map that gives an insight to the range of possible lives and incarnational streams that a cosmic being can assume. An array of archetypes can dazzle the imagination. Child, warrior, lover, scribe, mother, father, sage, king, queen, mystic, genius and the like. These archetypes are the templates of assumption, characteristic of the infinite dances that a soul can assume. These and many more archetypes are you! You are them, in your thousands of lifetimes! You have loved before, been betrayed before, died before, a thousand times a thousand! You have been born a king, entrenched in the pedestal of power. You have been born a beggar, experiencing the extreme poverty that life can offer. You have been born a queen, a shamaness, a priestess, a lover, etc. You cannot graduate without experiencing the male as well as the female perspectives of the universe. All of us are both male and female, as well as beyond male and female.

         And now, let us try to appreciate the times we are living in. Prophets of the Mayan world have made precise calculations centuries ago. These insights have been popularized by Hollywood into the science fiction movies we all enjoy today. Technically speaking, these prophecies correspond well with the inspired research of individual Seekers like Terence McKenna, who elicited the wave-forms of the I Ching. They are all warning us, of the possibility in our lifetime of an event of maximum Novelty. This event indeed corresponds to what sages have been proclaiming as the graduation point, the Zero Point, or the Days of Ascension. Our generation is extremely lucky to even have the possibility of experiencing such an event. From the point of view of reincarnation, the culmination of a narrative brings with it all the connotations and associated meanings that are unique to such a transpersonal phenomenon. Again as learners of the phenomenal universe, it is incumbent upon us to contemplate the possibilities of such an event with the utmost care. Now is the time to harness all our spiritual and mystical resources. Now is the time to bring forth all the wisdom that we have acquired through eons of reincarnation. Now is the time to unite, brothers and sisters. For it is extremely imperative for all of us human souls to inquire and quest whether we are now in the stage of culmination. Ascension, the culmination of our quest eons ago, is our birthright. Always has been, always will be. 

         Reincarnation is a gift, a very powerful gift of the Cosmos. It allows spiritual beings from various dimensions of the Cosmos to discover the manifold realities of Life in all its plethora of permutations. It is the fulcrum of soul pilgrimage. As cosmic learners, let us learn to use it to our optimum advantage. 

About The Author:

Sensei Erwin Rimban was born in the Philippine Islands. Since a young age he has been fascinated by the esoteric realm and avidly read books on world history, philosophy, astrology, mythology, the social sciences and similar fields. Educated at the University of the Philippines, where he graduated Cum Laude, he added Evolutionary Biology to his plethora of interests. After graduating from college, he spent many years in the tourist destination of Baguio City where he pursued a career in writing and teaching, while at the same time finding time to be a meditation teacher. Currently, he is active in organizational work, where he is promoting advocacy programs in educational philosophy, spiritual counselling, wisdom, metaphysics, mysticism, psychology, history, educational philosophy, ecology and alternative medicine. (He can be reached at this email: mentorpath@gmail.com).

NONLINEAR THOUGHT IN METAPHYSICS, PSYCHOLOGY and EDUCATION

INTRODUCTION

                  The current thought process occurring in education all over the world is the sequential thought pattern. The purpose of this critical and exploratory essay is to explore the nonlinear thought pattern as well as elucidate its possible applications to such diverse fields as education, psychology, philosophy, theology, humanities and the social sciences.

DISCUSSION     

                  We must understand that the masses are used to thinking using a certain methodology. This method is called serial processing. The two methods of processing are actually two ways by which the brain is processing information. The left brain is the serial/analytical processor while the right brain is the nonlinear/synthetic processor. The left brain analyzes disparate information in stages because that is the way it digests knowledge. Furthermore, the left brain cuts down a pattern into different clues. The left brain is a destroyer of pattern matrices, in order to comprehend them. The left brain is the primary tool of the scientist and technocrat.

                  On the other hand, the right brain apprehends disparate information as whole, for the right brain is the chalice of the artist. Looking at a pattern as one, the right brain synthesizes the pattern information matrix in one singularity and attempts to absorb its data in one loop. This is obviously a higher order of processing, with the left brain serial processing being a lower order of rung. Yet both have their advantages and disadvantages.

Let us start with a very simple exercise to illustrate these two different informational processing realms. Collect twelve pebbles and arrange them in a series from left to right, one after each other, in a straight pattern. You could give them names like alpha, beta, gamma, delta and so on. Speak their names out loud if you wish, to accentuate the exercise. Now, look at what you have constructed. This is a serial or linear pattern, you called out the names of the pebbles from a certain perspective, using a certain direction only. This is how the human mind in the 3d universe thinks mostly.

                  Now, let us create another pattern. Arrange the pebbles in a circle, taking care to make the distance from each other similar as much as possible to effect maximum symmetry. Now, call one of your friends and ask them to contemplate the pattern. Can they tell which of the pebble came first in the order and which came last? Surely not, in normal terms. This pattern you created is now what we call the nonlinear pattern. It has no beginning nor ending, it is apprehended as holistic pattern by the mind, and it is not ordered in a sequential way. This is the true pattern of the universe, nonlinear reality. The sequential universe that we currently comprehend is thus only a simple derivative of the true universe.

                  The seeds of understanding the difference between nonlinear and sequential thought actually begins with the study of light. Light is both a particle as well as a wave. Here is already the difference. The particle property of light simulates the sequential universe while the wave property of light simulates the nonlinear universe.

                  The sciences by their very nature are exercises in the inexorable logic of the left brain, while the arts are delicious adventures in the panoramic feast that is right brain nonlinear processing.

WHEN THE MAPS ARE LOST IN TRANSLATION

                  Calibration, prediction and measurement are facets of sequential thought. They achieve their zenith in the predictive sciences. Since sequential thought is about the step-by-step processing of the mortal mind, then it makes sense for that mind to engineer and contemplate a sort of predictive method whereby he can believe that he controls the evolution of its worldsphere through space and time. Unfortunately, every time the sequential mind contemplates this fact, the very polarities that he wishes to control will now dance in his face, defying his well thought out schemes. The polarities themselves supply the challenge to his very mindset, and thus he rationalizes that use of technology for greater and greater mastery of the known variables of each continuum arrayed before him. He patiently categorizes all knowledge into the known and the unknown, and makes a persistent effort to discover the unknown. Much to his dismay, however, he finds that for every known that he masters, a new set of unknowns fly in his face. This causes him mental suffering. Locked in sequential thought processing, he wil continue to master every set of unknown variables thought time and space. Why? Because there is no other way to solve his conundrum.The sequential mindset is therefore locked in a vicious cycle of its own making.

                  The predictive power of the sequential mind, in its own context, is awesome, for it seeks to create, cultivate and propagate alphabets of understanding, which it uses to navigate from the known to the unknown. These alphabets are all the languages, from the linguistic forms to the mathematical worlds, to the computer languages and thence into all the symbolic forms. These languages are powerful in their own right, for they give rise to a certain kind of internal logic that arises out of their syntax and coding. Like a game of chess or GO, these languages persist for they can define protocols in their own worldspheres. Remember that all forms are fractals of the Cosmos, and therefore partake of its power. In this sense, sequential constructs have an abundance of order. Why? Because that is the part of the cosmos that they express. The problem, however, occurs when the sequential mind attempts to translate these languages and interpret the Cosmos as a whole. Here the map fails. And it fails miserably! The Cosmos is too awesome to be interpreted by any kind of mental map, however profound that map is. A map is still a map. Thus, there are limits to what a map can understand. These limits are defined by the nature of the fractal contexts of which the map is the intended instrument of measure. Farther and farther away from this fractal context, and the map loses intelligibility. The map “crashes” so to speak, meaning it lacks translation protocols to define new ways of understanding the terrain. It becomes “lost in translation.”

                  What is the lesson here for the sequential mind? Savor the various maps and languages and instruments for their own purposes. But remember, all maps have limits. Know when it is time to discard them. And never make the mistake of thinking the map is Infinite Reality itself.

THE ARTIFICIALITY CALLED TIME

                  We shall use this knowledge of the two informational processing realms and bear them on to a deeper understanding of the phenomenon called time. The arrow of time seems to be moving forward all the time. But this is an illusion. When consciousness singularities are experiencing the three dimensional universe, they are automatically delimiting their multi-dimensional selves into special vehicles that can assimilate a limited informational worldsphere, in this case the 3d universe. What we call time is really a special focus of attention whereby a consciousness form tracks the presence of certain worldsphere events and arranges its vector dynamics to travel that worldtrack in a specific fashion. The consciousness singularity is, of course, aware, that he can traverse the infinite manifold of the cosmos in many different worldtrack permutations. But, to maintain consistency in his 3d universe worldtrack, he prefers to traverse it using a specific vector frequency. This is called spacetime. And it appears to be flowing in one direction only, though of course, that is an illusion only. Since the consciousness is mainly using a serial processor biological mainframe to traverse the worldtrack, it makes sense to delimit his multi-dimensionality and focus only in one direction, otherwise the serial processor will not comprehend the data that he is exposed to.

                  Thus, spacetime in the 3d universe is configured to be assembled by the serial processor. They are made for each other. In order to comprehend the higher order data from higher order realms, another distinct information retrieval system should be manufactured or discovered or utilized.

                  Enter the nonlinear processor.

                  The nonlinear processor apprehends multi-dimensional realms simultaneously. It is like looking at an art form, or listening to a piece of music, or watching a dance number. The whole is assimilated completely, not part by part like the one in sequential thought. The learning style is holistic, and the learner assimilates a large amount of data.

SYMBOLIC SIGNATURES

                  The triangle or pyramid is the symbolic flag or rune signature of the sequential processing aspect of reality, while the circle or sphere is the symbolic flag or rune signature of the nonlinear processing aspect of reality. The triangle shouts its linear allegiance, and demands worship from its adherents. This is a way for the triangle simulated thought worldview to make its presence felt. Adhering to sequential processing, it must attempt to warp and force its native consciousness forms to partake of its feast. This process is almost a form of cruelty, because it uses coercion to manipulate the mind to become its slave. The mind is the direct child of consciousnesses, thus it is apt to be spontaneous in the beginning. The triangle attempts to surpass this nativity, by bringing the mind into full control. It wrestles with the mind, it seduces the mind, and when all else fails it coerces the mind through direct manipulation. When the mind surrenders, it surrenders itself to the machinations of the sequential universe. It begins to process in a linear fashion, delimiting itself and surrendering its full powers. It becomes heavy. It falls prey to gravity. It becomes enmeshed in the planes of matter. It becomes lost in the maze of its own making.

                  When sown in this manner, all the systems of thought are derivatives of the sequential worldview. The sciences, once powerful and objective, become slaves to it. They are quickly seduced by its twisted logic. And they come to believe that there are limitations to the unknown set of variables in the universe itself. They now begin to quest to master these unknown variables. Sadly, the sciences themselves become egocentric, refusing to countenance the possibility of paradigms that do not suit the tastes of the sequential universe. Science now becomes an adept at manipulation. It dictates the fashionable paradigms, it dictates the way to transmit these paradigms, and it dictates the way to deal with bifurcations in the road. The result is the glorification of the vehicle of the technosphere, for it represents the current mastery of its sequential paradigm. The hardware is glorified, the software is suppressed. The dream is under way…..

                  Being a slave to the sequential worldview, the sleeping soul trapped in the planes of matter holds fast to whatever tool is present at the moment that can ease its suffering. The sleeping soul itself become addicted to control and controlled environments. It reeks of sequential processing also. It desires to know, yet uses only the sequential thought process. It is trained by its master, the sequential mind. It comes to abhor all forms of nonlinear processing. They occur only to him as diversions, hobbies suited for playing in its leisure hours. It does not imagine that leisure itself may supply the answer to its quest……

                  Art becomes only a diversion now.

                  And yet, hope prevails for a solution is embedded in the soul matrix itself. This is the quest motif. It is a feature of all consciousness forms, whether solitary or collective, whether playing in the sequential or nonlinear universes. The quest motif is the desire, deep within every consciousness, to know the truth about itself and the universe. It begins as a form of restlessness, or a yearning, or a desire to study, or a penchant to travel, or an inclination to inquire from others, or merely curiosity, or any permutations of the aforementioned. This small fire can be fanned into a larger steady blaze by a constant barrage of synchronistic and enlightening set of circumstances. Let us call this Serendipity. Serendipity arranges the events in the life of the consciousness singularity in order to awaken the potential within that soul to access the Truth. The querent now begins to truly travel, immersing himself in the world of the quest paradigms. And, whether formulated consciously or not, it begins to mould its inquiry along the lines of the fundamental metaphysical questions: Who am I? Why am I here? Where am I going?

                  The quest will carry the consciousness, let us call him the Fool, through mountains and valleys and caves of thought. He will encounter thousands upon thousands of thought systems, all clamouring for the attention of his foolish sequential mind. Initially, he will begin to question the system of thought which is its nativity. Its native system of thought, a child of the sequential universe, possesses the Truth in a distilled form, palatable only to the sequential mind, and consisting of various control parameters which make it hard for the seeker to embrace the nonlinear path. In addition, the doctrines of such a system has its own polarities, inconsistencies and dichotomies, which are the legacy of the sequential universe. Every system of thought in the sequential universe, being its child, possesses polarities at every level, in every dimension, and occurring in every construct. So, an added burden to the seeker is the unravelling of such polarities. This may even distract him from the true Quest itself. Thankfully, its Higher Self has the quest motif prepared in advance. The seeker will now have a life best by a continuous train of contradictory and challenging events which serve to awaken him to Absolute Truth. Such events may center, but not be limited, to various forms of existential dilemmas which challenge his loyalty, whether to the lower or the upper planes. As his consciousness begins to awaken, the inertial forces will in turn, become stronger and stronger and the querent must fight for the quest to continue.

                  It appears that the seeker is all alone in his quest, a lonely traveller in a dark road, where twilight and night entice him to rest from his quest. But, thankfully again, his Higher Self has prepared well in advance. Companions in his quest shall appear from time to time. These may take the form of actual people, or events, or books, or peculiar experiences, or even distressing occurrences. Environments may also become “companions” on the path. And so the quest continues.

                  One day, it all comes together. One lucky event, which appears to be random. But it is not random. And the traveller awakens. This is the awakening process, which shifts the consciousness of the seeker from sequential to nonlinear. And the drama returns full circle, and restores the symmetry. And the ending becomes the beginning…

                  The old paradigm is static, sequential and reductionist. The new paradigm is dynamic, nonlinear and holistic.

                  The eyes of the soul are opened once more, to the realities of the nonlinear cosmos. The veils of illusion are parted, the bars of the prison are broken. The seeker is awakened!

CONCLUSION

                  The nonlinear model of reincarnation is the greatest possible teaching for consciousness singularities traversing the breadth, height and depth of the Cosmos. For it encapsulates the nature of the cosmos itself. It is the very expression of cosmic life. Let us enjoy its priceless jewels:

                  The cosmos is nonlinear.

                  The cosmos is holistic.

                  The cosmos is one, the Oneness.

                  The cosmos is the supreme form of art.

                  The cosmos is infinite.

                  The cosmos is eternal.

                  The cosmos is interconnected, holographic and recursive.

                  The cosmos is absolute Love, in absolute permutation.

About The Author:

Sensei Erwin Rimban was born in the Philippine Islands. Since a young age he has been fascinated by the esoteric realm and avidly read books on world history, philosophy, astrology, mythology, the social sciences and similar fields. Educated at the University of the Philippines, where he graduated Cum Laude, he added Evolutionary Biology to his plethora of interests. After graduating from college, he spent many years in the tourist destination of Baguio City where he pursued a career in writing and teaching, while at the same time finding time to be a meditation teacher. Currently, he is active in organizational work, where he is promoting advocacy programs in educational philosophy, spiritual counselling, wisdom, metaphysics, mysticism, psychology, history, educational philosophy, ecology and alternative medicine. (He can be reached at this email: mentorpath@gmail.com).

UNDERSTANDING THE FUNDAMENTAL METAPHYSICAL QUESTIONS

UNDERSTANDING THE FUNDAMENTAL METAPHYSICAL QUESTIONS

By Sensei Erwin L. Rimban

Who are you?

         “I think, therefore I am.”

         “You are a child of the universe…”

         “We are all in a widowed state, and our task is to remarry.”

         The first one is attributed to the philosopher Rene Descartes. The second is from the poem Desiderata. And the third one is from Louis Claude de St. Martin. Throughout the ages, the greatest thinkers of humanity have endeavored to answer this most fundamental question of human existence. Let us now explore how various paragons of the ages have approached it and savor the insights we can glean from their thoughts.

         “You are a creature of God,” pronounced the Western theologians. But a sinful one, they admonish and thus continue the argument by explaining how you can be saved in the form of the various theories of salvation. “You are atman, a fragment of the Universal Soul,” asserted the Eastern spiritual gurus. Sinfulness is not an issue in the East, compared to the West, but ignorance of one’s true nature is. Therefore, the Eastern spiritual traditions emphasize the need to know one’s true nature. Some would say the East presents a much more cheerful prospect. “Man is rational,” said the ancient Greeks. “Man is spiritual,” countered the ancient Eastern spiritual teachers.

         “You are a body”, intoned the mechanistic Western physiologists. A lack of subtlety there, everyone can see they have a body. “You are a mind existing within the confines of the body,” championed the Platonian idealists. More subtle, assuredly.  “You are a body with a mind that is full of psychosexual dilemmas,” declared the Freudian psychoanalysts. The various psychoanalytic paradigms all flowed from this concept. “Your psyche is rooted to the Collective Unconscious, countered the brilliant Jungian archetypal analysts. And their disciples have been searching for archetypes ever since, uncovering every nook and cranny of the human psyche.

         “You are a battleground of the forces of light and dark,” lamented the dualistic-minded Zoroaster. Dualistic religions and philosophies flow from this theological position. You are a combination of Yin and Yang, but they are enemies on the surface only. This is a paraphrase from the Taoist masters. For them light and dark, yin and yang, are lovers beneath, whose eternal dance comprises the phenomenal world. “You are nothing,” counseled Prince Siddhartha Gautama upon his ascendancy as the Sakyamuni Buddha, perhaps with a twinkle in his eyes. Did he mean it literally? Allegorically? Or was he thinking of something else. “You may be nothing, but you create your reality by your free will,” added the pragmatists and existentialists.

         “You are a collection of atoms, obeying the classical laws of physics, argued the mechanical Western scientists. For centuries, this has been the norm of Western classical thinking. But Heisenberg, Schrödinger, and other more super-intelligent quantum physicists arrived on the scene. And they changed the landscape of science forever. “You are a monad, a fragment of the universe, complete unto itself,” offered Leibniz, co-inventor of the calculus. “And you are immortal,” echoed Vardhamana Mahavira, champion of Jainism, thousands of miles to the East. Both of these thinkers are separated by distance and time, yet show surprisingly similar positions.

         So who are you?

         The best answer to this question comes from the hieros gamos, the sacred marriage, of quantum physics and the mystical arts. The most advanced quantum physicists are penetrating into the deepest mysteries of space-time, nature, and the universe. They are beginning to behold the Divine Wisdom, the wisdom of the ages, which has been shrouded in mystery since time immemorial.

         For centuries, the Divine Wisdom has been in the hands of the mystics of East and West. Experiencing firsthand the presence of Divine Intelligence, mystics are given a true experiential event where they apprehend personally the nature of man and the universe.

         Hieros gamos. The sacred marriage. More and more quantum physicists and mystical philosophers are communicating, sharing knowledge and critical insights. This conference of minds will help usher the Golden Age of humanity.

         This concludes our basic survey of the first fundamental metaphysical dilemma. It logically now leads us to the next question…..

Why are you here?

         “Something is doing we don’t know what.” A legendary remark attributed to Sir Arthur Eddington.  Let us continue our pilgrimage in wisdom by studying the second fundamental question of existence, the question of origin and purpose.

Two great systems of thought contested the nature of man’s origin in the past: creation and evolution. The diametrical opposition of the mechanical scientists and the stubborn theologians dominated Western civilization for centuries. But today, a new kind of thinking is emerging which is destroying the obsolete paradigms of the past. In this paradigm, both viewpoints can be assimilated into a new system of thought, one that synthesizes both creation and evolution.

         The universe is suffused with energy. And Einstein has demonstrated that matter is simply crystallized energy, a new concept that was extended by the mystical quantum physicists. This position correlates well with the viewpoint of mystical philosophers that matter is the lowest form of energy. We can accommodate the creation theory by tentatively accepting that the creation of this universe did exist as a point in time, corresponding with the Big Bang of the Western scientists. That settles the point of view of creation.

         Observe the universe. Explore our world. Open your eyes to your environment. The forms in our world exist as hierarchies. But the hierarchies are inter-related. Atoms give rise to various molecular arrangements. Molecules give rise to mineral categories. All the various kinds of plants are composites of atoms, molecules and minerals. But the whole is more than the sum of its parts. In other words, a plant is more than a collection of atoms, molecules and minerals. It is something more! And by extension, all the forms of life are more than the sum of their preceding hierarchies. Plants exist as the subsistence of some animals. But animals are entirely different from plants. In the same way, humans eat plants and animals, but their forms are different. Humans are infinitely more complex than plants or animals, although these forms are composed of the same fundamental building blocks: the atoms, molecules and minerals.

         Thus, there exist hierarchies in nature. Preceding wholes give rise to new kinds of wholes. The building blocks remain the same, but the configurations are entirely different. All these permutations in nature display the fact that energy configurations are evolving from one context to the next, from one level to the next, from one hierarchy to the next. Visualize smaller circles of life giving rise to larger circles of life. Smaller energy configurations giving rise to higher energy configurations. This, then, is the new paradigm that accommodates both creation and evolution. In this way, we see evolution manifesting as the development of energy configurations in different environmental matrices, each building on the preceding whole. And creation is the original impetus that gave rise to the universal primordial archetypes of these forms.

         Fascinating!

         If energy configurations are evolving, then the level of awareness of these energy systems are evolving too! The level of awareness of an atom is limited to energy interactions that maintain its nuclear shape and integrity and insure its ability to form molecules with other atoms. The awareness of a monocellular organism is something else entirely. Its biological activities revolve around the maintenance of homeostasis and the capacity to reproduce. Thus, its awareness of itself has reached a different level, not necessarily higher in essence than the preceding system of an atom, but perhaps richer in context. Because the necessities of homeostasis and reproduction will cause the organism’s awareness of its environment to be on a higher level of context, richer, and more detailed.

          Which leads us to human awareness. The consciousness of the human has reached a level where he begins to inquire on the fundamental questions of existence. His awareness of himself is not necessarily higher than molecules, plants or animals. Rather, it is richer relative to the environmental matrix. Because if the human is to survive, he has to assimilate and conquer more of its environmental variables as compared to the lower hierarchies.

         Therefore, we can see that evolution is proceeding level by level, whole by whole, context by context. This is a secret that used to be shared only by the best quantum physicists and the most enlightened mystical philosophers. This is the fact that evolution means not only the development of outer physical forms but it is actually the enhancement of consciousness as a form experiences its pilgrimage through the levels of complexity in the nature of the universe.

         Creation means the inception of a universe. Evolution means the development of awareness or consciousness in that particular universe as its levels of complexity deepen; thus revealing their inherent beauty.

         And now, we are ready to tackle the final fundamental dilemma…..

Where are you going?

         “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” This is a mystical saying attributed to the semi-legendary figure of Lao Tzu, reputedly the author of the Tao Te Ching, and considered the nominal founder of Taoism. 

         We have been exploring the fundamental questions of existence. We began with the question of fundamental nature: “Who are you?” Then we continued with the question of origin and purpose, “Why are you here?” Now let us study the question of destiny and finality: “Where are you going?”

         We have seen how the forms in nature are evolving into more complex forms, hierarchy by hierarchy. This process pervades the entire universe. And while matter is the outer form or clothing of this process, it is the evolution of consciousness which is the engine that drives it.

         There have been many allegories of this process. Some mystical writers compare life on earth in particular and life in the universe in general to a school. In this allegory, all beings are enrolled in some kind of school where skills are gained, lessons are learned and insights assimilated. In mystical Hindu philosophy, the tempering forces are called karma, dharma and samsara, among others. When a particular insight is learned, developing beings go on to the next level, where there are fresh lessons and new insights. Another allegory worth considering is that of a pilgrimage or a journey. In this particular allegory, the beings of the universe are on a grand adventure. The goal is perfection in evolution as well as the joy of exploration. I find this allegory to be a perfect educational tool for aspirants in the spiritual path.

         From the point of view of a single individual, life is so complex with its attendant problems and vicissitudes. Anyone can be overwhelmed by the sheer complexity of it all. Yet, all the great spiritual traditions of mankind have maintained that life has a purpose far more magnificent than our mundane existence. The trick is to discover the higher meaning of life. For this, all spiritual aspirants since time immemorial have been challenged to open their eyes to the wider world.

         Expand your consciousness. Inquire more. Reflect more. Contemplate more. Meditate more. Discover more perspectives. Get out of your shell, psychologically speaking. As the forms of the universe evolve into higher and higher modes of expression, so you too are invited in the great banquet of eternity. We have seen previously how the forms of life seek to produce more wholes, each more complex than the preceding one. In the same way, the journey of evolution is a pilgrimage of wholes. Let us see how this journey plays in the dance of the universe. Reflect very deeply as we essay the next few statements.

         You are a whole.

         Yet, you are incomplete.

         This incompleteness is not your fault (paradigm shift in Western religious thought). Rather, it is the product of inexperience. Why is this so?

         As you have journeyed in the planes of existence, you have assimilated experiences from your own perspective. Since you are a fragment of the greater whole, this perspective is necessarily incomplete. You can gain a better understanding of the infinite universe by increasing the quantity of your travels in awareness. This means experiencing more of the whole from your vantage point. More lives. More experiences. Thus, the wheel of time, the cycle of reincarnation.

         Meanwhile, you are a whole that seeks to enhance its wholeness. You seek perfection, but think it unattainable. Well, good news, your lower mind cannot attain perfection by itself. It must use other weapons at its disposal; some of which are known only to the Collective Unconscious. Waiting to be discovered, of course.

         You are a whole.

         Yet, you are incomplete. A fragment of the Greater Whole.

And this is the reason why there is a pilgrimage.

You are bound to evolve, into greater and greater Wholes.

Your coherence increases as your pilgrimage deepens.

Your capacity to process information shall increase!

And you shall evolve, more and more, expanding higher and higher!

Let me conclude by offering this saying of Teilhard de Chardin for contemplation:

“We are not human beings on a spiritual journey; we are spiritual beings on a human journey.”

Sensei Erwin Rimban (See Bios page for more information)