Listening to Socrates

Socrates was a smart guy. If you doubt that you should check out some of his thinking in the dialogues of Plato. He spent most of his time hanging out on the streets with his friends discussing the MAPOL (meaning and purpose of life). It's valuable, in my opinion, to explore some of his conclusions after years of conversations and study. One of his most famous quotes is "The Unexamined Life is not Worth Living". Another famous one is "Know Thyself:" It's worth spending a little time considering these statements.

We need to start any quest for learning about ourselves with the realization that we don't really know ourselves. We ascribe certain abilities and traits to ourselves and imagine that we are one way or another. We live our lives under many illusions. The main one is that we believe that we already do know ourselves. We believe that we have made choices in the past and that we can make choices in the future, when in fact most of the things that happen to us are a result of accident. We believe that we are consistent in our thinking and that we are the same person each day. In fact we are very inconsistent and we have many different personalities, each of which believes that it is who we really are.

The view that we don't know ourselves and that before we can progress in our lives and reach any level of happiness or contentment we need to get to know ourselves is one of the consistent threads of thought that runs through the thinking of all religions and philosophies. All the problems in the world can be traced to this simple and undeniable fact. We don't know ourselves and because we act without any real knowledge of who we are and what we need we are capable of any action, even the most irrational and self-destructive.

When you really begin to understand this about the human condition, you can begin to appreciate the "Terror of the Situation". We are living in a world that for the most part consists of people who are out of control. Under the right conditions they are capable of doing anything, and justifying their actions with some belief system that has them hypnotized into believing that they really do know who they are and what are the right things to do.

I don't want to paint too negative a picture. Matter of fact what I am describing here is usually hidden information. Most people are not ready or willing to hear it or understand it. There is actually the possibility that we can escape from this situation and create a world that enables us to achieve a level of peace and happiness. It all begins with self-knowledge.

Socrates spoke about accomplishing this through his student Plato in "The Republic". P.D Ouspensky spoke about the possibility of creating a new man and a better world in "In Search of the Miraculous." Jesus in "The Sermon on the Mount" points the way towards the possibility of creating a new life and turning our exisiting world topsy turvy.

Socrates, though, more than anything was a realist and gave this advice to those who don't want to think about any of this stuff which I imagine is most of us. What he said was, "Enjoy yourself, it's later than you think."

Baseball, Theoretical Physics, and MAPOL

I was walking on the beach with a friend this weekend discussing theoretical physics and string theory. He had just completed reading a book on parallel universes and was trying to explain this to me. He told me a story about three umpires who were discussing their approach to balls and strikes.

The first umpire said, "I call them based on what they are. If they are strikes I call them strikes. If they are balls I call them balls.

The second umpire said, "I call them the way I see them."

The third umpire said, "Whatever I call them, that's what they are."

This pretty much summarizes the different views of reality. View number one is that there is a reality independent of our existence that we can identify, classify and know. This reality is the same for everyone and it is up to us to learn to see it clearly. This reality is based on Newtonian physics. Newton saw the universe as a machine which acted according to very specific laws that could be calculated and understood mathematically. If we understood these laws and the mathematics behind them we could accurately predict the movements of bodies in the universe and ultimately all reality was knowable and predictable. The theories of Newton helped create a scientific revolution that resulted in the world moving into an age where man began to believe that he could control and influence the forces of nature.

View number two is that reality is different for each of us depending on our point of view and overall peceptive skills. This reality is the one espoused by Einstein in his theory of relativity. According to Einstein there was not a fixed reality that was based on mathematical laws. Reality was relative to the speed and position of the observer. He developed this theory by noticing that the orbit of Mercury did not correspond exactly to what Newton predicted it should. Einstein's thinking enabled us to unleash the power of the atom but also created a level of humility regarding our ability to see the world accurately.

View number three is that we create our own reality and then we name it and act as if it is the truth. This view is embodied in the theories of quantum physics, and especially Heisenberg's "theory of uncertainty' Quantum physics has caused scientists to question whether or not reality exists independently of our consciousness. It seems from a mathematical viewpoint and from the experiments of quantum physicists that there is no fixed realtiy, that there is no solid matter and that reality is created primarily by our observation and perceptions of that observation.

String theory is the latest advancement in our thinking. Although it has not yet gained universal acceptance in the scientific community it is pointing to the existence of a multidimensional reality that intersect and curve in ways that make our conventional definitions of space and time meaningless. The technological possibilities that may come from this level of thinking include space and time travel as well as understanding mathematically the nature of creation itself.

We have continued to progress scientifically since Newton's discovered the basic laws of physics. There is no reason to think that we will not continue to progress and there is high probability that our progress will accelerate. We are getting to the time when spiritual thinking and scientific thinking are merging. Any serious student of the MAPOL must take the discoveries and theories of science and theoretical physics into account in formulating their own belief systems. This is a very exciting time. We must keep our minds open to all possibilities.

Tentative Conclusions on MAPOL

If life is a mystery, then discovering life's secrets requires thinking like a detective. Being a good detective requires looking for clues. Where do you look for clues? If there were twenty people at the scene of an accident, only one or two would be good witnesses. What makes a good witness?

I don't enjoy having conversations with people whose sole purpose is convincing me of their point of view. More enjoyable, and valuable, is a purposeful conversation, a mutual discovery. Most people are not interested in discovering the truth; most people are interested in defending their exisitng beliefs.

If you google "meaning of life" you'll find over thirty five million results. If you google "purpose of life" you will find over fifty eight million results. There are a lot of opinions, theories, and viewpoints about the meaning and purpose of life (MAPOL.) If you are a seeker of the truth how do you cull through this mass of information? How do you find quality information, worthwhile clues, reliable witnesses?

Some will claim they can end this search immediately; they might tell me to look in the bible. "All the answers are there," they might say.

Others will agree: the bible has the answers, but only their bible, or their interpretation of the bible.

Some will insist I am on a wild goose chase. There is no meaning and purpose to life. Life is what you make it and it is different for each person.

Any point of view that ends the search for the meaning and purpose does not go far enough. Although I have not found the answer to this question, I have found good clues, better witnesses. Some individuals have spent their life studying these issues; many supply good insights or information that might be useful in solving this mystery of life. Others dabble: power and glory seekers, charlatans, and delusional thinkers--these ideas, too, are included in the millions of results showing up on Google.

A good clue holds up to intense scrutiny, fits with the body of evidence. In regard to the MAPOL, there are constant themes that continue to reappear over thousands of years and across all of the world's population. These to me represent real clues, not answers, but sign posts that lead in a certain direction. Let me try to express some of my tentative conclusions. They are primarily the results of my life experiences. I am also including books, individuals, and general subjects that have impacted me.

1-We cannot determine the MAPOL in our existing condition. We do not have the intelligence or the tools. We have a limited perception of reality. (Plato, Einstein, Gurdjieff, Jung)

2-We have tremendous potential that we do not use. There are methods that can be used to tap this potential. Once we begin to tap this potential the world and our lives change and expand. (P.D, Ouspensky, Cosmic Consciousness by Joseph Bucke, Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill)

3-The primary method of tapping our potential requires two activities. The first is to be more present in the moment, less reactive, less controlled by our programming, and more free to witness the now. The second is to learn to get along with each other, to be more kind, compassionate, understanding, and generous--to experience a certain feeling of love for all organic life, especially those close to us. (Jesus, Eckhardt Tolle)

4-Once we begin a real search for the MAPOL, we recognize at all times, in all situations, and all relationships, that things may not and usually are not the way they seem to be. This viewpoint helps keep us more objective and less subject to brainwashing. The greater our objectivity the more free we are to progress on our path. (Theoretical Physics, Beelzebubs tales by Gurdjieff, Khrisnamurti, Buddhism)

5-In physical reality there are laws that govern actions. These laws can be discovered and used to improve our lives. We have not discovered all these laws but will continue to discover more and more. (Theoretical Physics,

6-There is a spiritual reality. This reality cannot be seen by our ordinary senses. There are different laws that govern this reality that can also be discovered and used for our benefit. (Human Personality and its Survival of Bodily Death by G.W.Myers, Boris Mouravieff, Rodney Collin, The Seth Material, Rudolph Steiner)

7-There is a hierarchy of energy. This is expressed in many ways by different traditions and teachers. What it means is that there are more refined substances that vibrate at a higher or faster level and more dense substances that vibrate at a slower or lower level. It is possible to learn about these levels of energy, how to use them, contact them, or invoke their presence. (Kaballah, Alice Bailey, E.J. Gold, Millie Benoit)

Writing this blog has been a good exercise for me.

Doorway to the Esoteric Path

I'ts difficult to believe in an all powerful, all knowing , all loving, god when you consider the weaknesses and shortcomings of our physical bodies. You can justify our mental and emotional anguish as a result of our free will. It's easier to rationalize that the problems of our mind and heart are created by lessons that we need to learn. But what is the purpose of our needing to eat, of growing old, or of the need to sleep. It seems that a God of greater wisdom would have considered these factors when he created us.

Now it could be that God acts in mysterious ways and we just don't understand the big picture. It also could be that we are a work in process and that we are evolving into more perfect and efficient machines. Maybe we are an experiment of an advanced species who are observing how we adapt ourselves to the limited equipment they gave us. The miracle of it all is that we are capable of analyzing and trying to understand our situation.
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The majority of people either believe that it is a waste of time to speculate about these matters or that the stories they have been told about god, creation, the Garden of Eden, heaven, and hell are acceptable explanations for the meaning and purpose of life. There are a few who don't accept the traditional stories and myths, and also have an interest or a desire to investigate and discover what is really going on. I don't think those in this ladder group have a choice in the matter. They are driven, by some inner force , which no matter how much they try to ignore, keeps driving them to find the answers to these unanswerable questions.

There is much that can be discovered and uncovered by science. Scientists take the view that if we can't observe or measure a phenomenon it doesn't exist. What they have succeeded to do in thousands of years of observing and measuring is put together a pretty good picture of our world and its components. They have also helped us advance in our abiity to control our lives and change the physical world so that it is more accessible and easier to navigate.

What scientists have not done is research that which can't be measured, that inner force that drives us to find the deeper reason for our existence. It is a little naive and even illogical to believe that the scientific method is our most advanced tool for understanding. Where does this leave us? It leaves us at the doorway to what I consider the esoteric path, the hidden path that leads to a higher form of awareness or consciousness. We are now on the threshold of making a breakthrough to this new way of being and perceiving. It will change the world in ways we cannot imagine.

Atlas Shrugged and The Third Eye

One of the first books that impacted me was Atlas Shrugged. I was sixteen when I read it. The first book I remember that effected me was The Third Eye, by T. Lobsang Rampa. I was thirteen and read this on a train going to California. My parents had given me a choice of having a Bar Mitzvah party or a trip to California.

These books describe very different perspectives of reality. Atlas Shrugged is in the Aristotelian tradition of a=a, what you see is what you get. There is no reality other than what we experience and it is up to each of us to create our own world. Our first responsibility is to ourselves and it is only in meeting this responsibility that the world can prosper.

The Third Eye tells the story of an Englishmen who begins having dreams about Tibet and feels drawn to go there. When he does go there he remembers a life in which he grew up in Tibet, was trained in a monastery, and a hole was put into his head that enabled him to have psychic powers. He was taught that he must use these powers to help others. This book is in the mystical tradition, favored by Plato, that believes there is a reality beyond our senses. The path to freedom comes from our recognition of our insignificance and our willingness to submerge our selfish interests for the greater good.

What to do? What to do? How do you determine what to believe when both sides make so much sense and each point of view is backed by the thoughts of history's greatest minds? On one hand we are told that there is a virtue in selfishness and on the other that we must transform our desires to receive for ourselves alone into the desire to receive for the purpose of sharing.

After many years of contemplation of this philosophical dilemma I have come to see that both points of view are valid. We cannot help others unless we help ourselves. We must live in the world and respect the things of this world but also recognize that there is something more. We need to listen and observe with attention and go about our lives with a respect for both reason and magic. Truth is revealed in different ways at different times to those who don't already believe they know. When we can simultaneously accept opposite points of view as equally valid we are beginning to understand life in all its fullness and variety. There is no requirement to take a stand except against that which blocks our progress.

What do we want

Very few people ask themselves what do they want. Not what their parents want for them or their friends, or spouses, or children or the society, or the media, or the government. We are constantly being barraged by messages telling us what we should want but very rarely get the clarity, courage, or time to truly consider what it is that we really want in our lives.

What we are good at is justifying or accepting what we have. As long as it not too bad and their are enough moments of pleasure and something to look forward to, it is easy to become comfortable and accept our lives as they are. There is nothing wrong with being happy with what you have, with being grateful for what you have accomplished and acquired in your life. There is though, a certain lack of freedom in never deeply considering what it is that would enable us to tap our deepest nature, to live in harmony with our essential nature, not with the personality, or mask that we have acquired over our lifetimes.

This line of thought may seem a little impractical or even unreasonable in a world in which most of our energy is used up in just trying to survive. I've never been able to feel comfortable believing that we were created or evolved to spend our time in activities that we have not chosen but have been foisted upon us by influences beyond our control. In investigating this dilemma I have come to believe that that there are at least three levels of influences that effect us.

The first of these influences are the influences of ordinary life which work to keep us in line, to prevent us from harming ourselves and each other and which enable the society to function in an orderly fashion. The second types of influences are those that we can get from studying the great minds of the past, from listening to the music of the great composers, from being in the presence of great art and architecture. They stir within us a sense of something higher than our ordinary lives and can lead us to living with creativity, nobility, and a purpose of creating a better world and life for ourselves and our children. These influences remind us of a possibility that we often forget in our mundane existences.

The third influences are those that come from some unknown source within ourselves. It is these influences that are the source of the creation of all the worlds great religions and connecting with them are the goals of all mystical, and spiritual teachings. These influences directly connect us to the forces from which we have been created. They are difficult to interpret or explain and it is this difficulty that has resulted in the variety of religious and spiritual beliefs. We must learn to reconcile these differences by realizing that words alone cannot describe these influences and that we are all connected in a very fundamental way . It is this realization and the results from living with this view that will truly enable us to know and get what we truly want.

WTF is going on?

At some point in your life if you are a thoughtful person you probably ask yourself "what the f--- is going on around here?" What are the possibilities? There are basically two ways to look at it. First, life is totally random without any meaning or purpose beyond what we decide. Or there is some "intelligent design" or creative force that either set things in motion or continues to be involved on some level in our lives. Another way to view the ultimate question about meaning or purpose considers whether or not reality is limited to what we see and has a physical nature that can be measured, or there is a spiritual reality that exists independent of form.

Atheism vs religion, evolution vs. creation, logic vs. intuition, body vs. soul, science vs faith, Dodgers vs Yankees--these are all deeper issues that divide us, but make life interesting.

When we spend time pondering these issues with a commitment to not-fooling ourselves and only accepting what we personally can verify, we soon realize that our present intellectual capacity and ordinary logic cannot truly understand these mysteries. We can never answer the question: Who created god? We cannot know for sure whether there is a reality that we do not know or see. We can only speculate about these matters. Despite this, there is quite a bit of information and discussion, elaborate, well written or spoken theories about the nature of reality. People believe or pretend to believe they really know.

What I have come to learn is that our present level of consciousness and understanding does not enable us to see things clearly. We are limited in what we can know for sure because we have not fully cultivated our higher powers, those that can give us insight into these mysteries. And until, we know for sure we cannot even be positive that there is a higher way of seeing the world. It is our limited view of reality and the belief that we know more than we actually do that is the root cause of most of the world's problems.

The starting point for all progress is the recognition that we truly don't know.

It is in the exploration and in the living in the question that we have the possibility for growth. Humility and courage are key prerequisites for our survival. We need humility to admit our weaknesses, and courage to live in a state of not-knowing what to do. Too many of us have taken the easy way out; we've replaced the quest for truth with the comfort of a belief system. This is the enemy that we constantly struggle against. We do have allies and a tradition of warriors of truth whom we can learn from.