Q1. What is Reality? What is Truth?

[Questioner]

First of a series of metaphysical questions I'd love to explore with you all this year. What is Reality? What is Truth? As I understand these concepts:

Reality is All That Is. What Is? Various waves that occur in space and time, sometimes close enough in space and time to interact with one another. Each of these interactions is a one of a kind situation. These are what we perceive as events.

Occasionally the interactions repeat, because the proximity and frequencies involved are close enough to provide another opportunity for the wave patterns to meet each other again. These are what we perceive as recurring events. Ultimately, these waves originate from, travel through, and return to the ultimate substance of the Creator.


The waves go out because of the original Source's desire for expansiveness and experience. The waves come back because of the original Source's desire for unity and inclusiveness. As the waves interact, they make persistent patterns we can identify as the fundamental building blocks of Nature. These particles seem to have their own solid identity, but they are actually merely an ongoing interaction of waves.


As Bucky Fuller put it, in his typical way of condensed words for expanded thoughts:

The comprehensive fact, however, is that nothing in Universe touches anything else. There are no solids. There are, in fact, no things. There are only complex critical-proximity and -frequency, unique event aggregates interoperative in pure principle.

Some of these waves may come from different directions, and go in different directions, compared to other waves. That being said, there are no contradictions in Reality.

As a simple example, consider a traffic jam. Traffic as a whole may not be going anywhere in particular. However, each individual car is going in a particular direction, with a direction and speed, at each instant. That direction is the composite total of all the forces acting on the car, including gravity, momentum, road friction, air resistance, and the work of the engine.

Even if the car was to be in a collision, each individual piece would trace its own path through space and time based on all the forces involved in its cause and effect. Each car, and each piece of each car, is true to its own nature as it moves in its own path.


In the same way, each person's own conscious awareness is the sum total of all the waves that are accessed by that consciousness, some integrated with awareness, some not.


An individual human mind can only comprehend some portion of Reality. As we ourselves are a collection of waves in space in time, there are some other waves we resonate with, and some we don't. There are some other waves that we can be aware of with consciousness. Of those waves in our awareness, we can communicate some of them. As Bucky put it:

Universe is the aggregate of all humanity's consciously apprehended and communicated nonsimultaneous and only partially overlapping experiences.

This means that Universe may well be smaller than Reality. For today's discussion, I'd like to refer to an accurate perception about a wave pattern within Reality as a Truth. There are infinite ways to accurately understand any particular Wave, such as knowing its source, direction, frequency, amplitude, phase, and its history of encounters with other waves. Any one such understanding has only one accurate statement from any one point of view, and this is the Truth from that point of view. From another perspective, additional Truths may be observable about the same wave or events.

Reality is like events that occur in the dark. Truth is a light that shines on some of these events, making them visible to us.



As we ride through life, we are able to perceive some of Reality: we perceive as much of the Truth as we can.


The Real picture may be more, less, quite a bit different than our peephole's worth of Truth.


Truths never contradict each other. The only place a contradiction can exist is inside the mind of a confused person.

If we add up Truths that different human minds have perceived, we gain a more integrated, more holistic, larger view of Reality. This is turn is what makes possible the scientific method; due process in justice; debate; and, ultimately, recognition of the love inherent in each moment. In this way our comings and going can light each others' paths.


Your thoughts?

[Ali Quadir]

First of all grats on a beautiful article. The pictures and illustrations made it quite a view You must have put a lot of effort into it and the results looks great.

I have some ideas I want to add to the mix, you mention that wave forms interact when they are close to each other. I agree, but there's also in my understanding non local non temporal interactions. These imho tend to be more subtle but in the long run have the larger effects. Examples are the examples we've discovered in physics like quantum non locality and possibly gravity, but also ideals and thought forms or archetypes. What do you think?

Also you say that reality might be much larger than the universe. Logically speaking it has to be at least the same size as the known universe and can potentially be much larger indeed. Although isn't that larger part strictly speaking not also the universe? Just a part we don't see yet? I don't see the direct reason to assume it to be much larger, (it's pretty much infinite as it is ) but I do agree that it potentially is. Why do you feel it is much larger?

Also, an interesting question that I think would be impossible to answer other than from the heart... Is the total universe larger, or smaller than that which is contained in the total consciousness of all that is?

[Questioner]

First of all grats on a beautiful article. The pictures and illustrations made it quite a view You must have put a lot of effort into it and the results looks great.

Thank you, Ali! I love this mixed-media format and will use it for more inquiries this year.

I have some ideas I want to add to the mix

Please do! That's what I hoped for. Everything you mentioned so far is just the kind of material I hoped for in this thread.

you mention that wave forms interact when they are close to each other. I agree, but there's also in my understanding non local non temporal interactions.

That's an excellent point. I will need to ponder how to include that material in my synopsis.

As for thoughts, I believe they are also waveforms and we can tune into them. As with any waveform, they can interact in ways that make larger, more complex waveforms. (A Fourier series or harmonic analysis picture would go well here.) These complex waveforms can, in turn, serve as signal modulating other waveforms. We can "tune in" to these patterns because our nervous systems are complex wave transceivers. I'm not sure just how, but I suspect the convolutions of the brain make it especially suited to gather and focus waves around the pineal gland.

In this sense, thoughts really are things. Napoleon Hill and the Law of Attraction people are right about our tuning into various frequencies of ideas, based on our focus, persistence and passion. Napoleon Hill's "Master Mind Alliance" and Ra's "support group" are two examples of people joining their focus in order to more effectively tune in to a particular range of thought forms. I believe this is also true of the archetypes. As we study them, we join, to some degree, in the thought process of our Logos.

Also you say that reality might be much larger than the universe.

That contradiction comes about because of Bucky Fuller's idiosyncratic definition of Universe as everything that people have comprehended. It is possible that there is more to ultimate reality than any person has comprehended.

I realize now that it would be less confusing to say that Reality might be much larger than any person's perceptions of Truth, even if all those Truths are correct.

Also, an interesting question that I think would be impossible to answer other than from the heart... Is the total universe larger, or smaller than that which is contained in the total consciousness of all that is?

The Law of One material, and the visions of Peregrinus and Carrie, all describe an Existence that became Aware. Once it become Aware, it expanded into a small number of fundamental principles and then, as the Tao says, "the ten thousand things." Does it means anything for our Awareness to speculate on the nature of Existence before there was Awareness? If so, we'd be unable to be Aware of what that might mean, by definition, wouldn't we?

[fairyfarmgirl]

Questioner:

Your post and illustration of this immensely complex topic is breathtakingly beautiful. Thank you. I am full.

fairyfarmgirl

[Sacred Fool]

It's true that there's all that stuff. The illusions appear more interesting the more closely one observes them.

From my perspective, it's the developement of the quality of conscious awareness that's more exciting than the content of what's perceived. All this on the one hand can yield awareness of interesting complexities. Yet, truth/reality may--like phenomena--fall away in the end.

I wonder if it all ends up in crystallization simplified, in consciousness at rest? If so, then Truth would conduce to a pristine, balanced beingness, no?

[Lavazza]

My apologies for entering the discussion late! This looks like a fun topic.

One interesting idea or interpretation we might discuss is the idea that many entities give us through channels about our physical reality being illusory. The L/L contacts as well as many, many others repeat frequently that this is so. So what could this mean, exactly?

It may mean that the big bang never really happened. From that supposed point in time, illusions started. The creator began to hallucinate at that exact point. This would mean that we are all one, that is, we are literally speaking, all packed down in to a singularity at this moment. The octave that we find ourselves in is the elaborate dream of the creator. This view is echoed very closely by the Hindus and their mythology of Brahma taking cycles (octaves) of dreaming. This view also explains quantum entanglement. For those not familiar, that is the 'strange' way in which very small particles can become linked, and somehow defy relative physics by communicating with each other instantly, regardless of their distance of separation.

This is a very interesting thing to consider, although the knowledge that this may be so does not really change anything too much about what we take to be 'reality'. I bounced this idea off my wife a few months ago, and she said something to the effect of: "What? So everything is just an illusion?? That's really depressing". But I made quick to point out that just because this may be so, does not mean that the life we are living, thoughts we are feeling, etc. are any less important or "real" to us. Indeed, I noted to myself this morning at 2:45AM as I woke to warm a bottle of milk for our youngest, just how vivid this illusion is. So in our everyday life it doesn't help very much to consider everything as a grand illusion. But when you're trying to make sense of the greater reality of things, and try to resolve paradox, it may.

A last note here, the spoon bending phenomena may be our best tangible method of showing how this reality is a put on. Nothing in physics indicates that metal should obey the mind. But if we are one with the creator / co-creators of our reality, certainly this should be the least of our ability.

[Questioner]

My apologies for entering the discussion late! This looks like a fun topic.

I'm delighted to have you join. I'm seeking to learn about eternal concepts here, so by definition it's never too late.

I hope it is fun. I'm gathering notes and pictures for further multimedia inquiries coming soon.

It may mean that the big bang never really happened. From that supposed point in time, illusions started. The creator began to hallucinate at that exact point. This would mean that we are all one, that is, we are literally speaking, all packed down in to a singularity at this moment.

You compare this to Hindu traditions. I'm no expert on Hinduism but I have studied it enough to see the point.

I also read some books by a controversial figure in Kaballah studies. It would take me a while to dig up that reference now. His perspective was that originally, Light was all there was. This Light as he referred to it is not just electromagnetic patterns, but also the essence of love, caring, goodwill, generosity, open-hearted acceptance, and so forth. This Light continuously cycled back and forth between two differentiated aspects of the Divine.

One of those aspects asked a hypothetical question along these lines: "What if love had to be earned?" Asking that question created a pause in which the Light was not received. In this moment, which the kaballist called Shattering the Vessel, all the structures of our universe were initiated with the Big Bang. We are now in a rather detailed and complex mental conception to answer that question, "what if love had to be earned?" Eventually we'll all realize that love doesn't have to be earned, and the flow of Light will resume unimpeded after this mental digression within the mind of God.

That depiction of Creation is easy to make compatible with the Biblical idea of "creation ex nihilo" and with the scientific understanding of the Big Bang. It contradicts with Perigrinus's vision of the universe simply flowing out gently. As I understand it, in that vision, the Original Source simply asked, "What if there was something more to discover with love?" and so here we are.

Either vision of the Original Cause - shattering bang, or gently growing curiosity - implies that all the seemingly disparate phenomena, including time and space themselves, are merely artifacts or aspects of a primal unity. That's why I started with soliton wave picture. This canal experiment repeats an experience described in a scientist's journal, more than a hundred fifty years ago.

When the boat suddenly stopped Scott Russell noticed that the bow wave continued forward "at great velocity, assuming the form of a large solitary elevation, a well-defined heap of water which continued its course along the channel apparently without change of form or diminution of speed". Intrigued, the young scientist followed the wave on horseback as it rolled on at about eight or nine miles an hour, but after a chase of one or two miles he lost it.

The full site is at http://www.ma.hw.ac.uk/solitons/press.html.

What this shows is a wave that is not an up and down motion of water molecules that return to their original position. Instead, a mass of water itself moves through the river without engaging the underlying particles in wave activity.

Some physicists use this as a metaphor for how electromagnetic particle/waves might not be some kind of field passing through empty space or an ether. Rather, they are themselves the growing substance from which time/space is constructed. I'm not sure if I can find all those references again any time soon, as I think I tossed those web references my mistake.. let alone summarize them well. But those ideas seem to me to be entirely compatible with the cosmology offered in the Law of One material.

[Peregrinus]

That depiction of Creation is easy to make compatible with the Biblical idea of "creation ex nihilo" and with the scientific understanding of the Big Bang. It contradicts with Perigrinus's vision of the universe simply flowing out gently. As I understand it, in that vision, the Original Source simply asked, "What if there was something more to discover with love?" and so here we are.

I thank you for the reference. It is strange to see such reference, and the distortion of what I saw/experienced in your words. Perhaps I may be more clear at this time in relation to what you understand/relate to.

In my vision, love/light did not flow out gently, but it was as though instantaneously once the One Creator had thought to know itself. In this way I meant it was not a big bang, because there was no explosion of such. In truth, I cannot describe in words the thought, for there are no words to describe it. Once the plenum was made with love/light, I saw/understood infinity, seeing the lack of beginning and end of that which is and which is not, and that is where my vision ended. There were not yet galaxies or suns or planets, but there appeared to me to be a cosmic dust/gas/other which was interacting with the One Creators love/light, or perhaps it was the One Creator thinking about what to do next.

I hope my clarification helps.

[Questioner]

I thank you for the reference. It is strange to see such reference, and the distortion of what I saw/experienced in your words. Perhaps I may be more clear at this time in relation to what you understand/relate to.

I meant to follow up on your thread, I just hadn't got there yet. Sorry to surprise you with a reference before I talked with you directly about it.

...I hope my clarification helps.

Not really, but that's not your fault. As you say, you had a nonverbal experience of a situation that can't be put into words. Therefore, any attempt to put it into words will come up short.

I do appreciate the correction that your vision was of an instant beginning, which actually is congruent with Hinduism point that Lavazza made. My misunderstanding was that you had described a gradual beginning, rather than an instant one. Maybe the "gradual flow" concept was from something I read about Taoist cosmology.

As for the rest of your vision, it's not that I misunderstand it, it's that I don't understand it. I'll respond in your other thread to find out if I can gain any understanding through words.

[Lavazza]

Hello again!

I also read some books by a controversial figure in Kaballah studies.

The Kaballah itself is controversial, if memory serves. But then again, so are so many other belief systems and issues. I looked in to it briefly about a year ago, it's sort of an esoteric division of Judaism I believe?

Either vision of the Original Cause - shattering bang, or gently growing curiosity - implies that all the seemingly disparate phenomena, including time and space themselves, are merely artifacts or aspects of a primal unity.

I started a thread, I think about six months or more ago that asked the question, 'What other belief systems tie in to the Law of One'? Or something on those lines. 3D Sunset was able to offer a few, but really it's almost folly to ask the question because on some level it ties in to each and every. Some of the larger western religions require some degree of reinterpretation (the Bible) to fit in, but I assume many of those religions are distorted from what they were like a long time ago. The eastern belief systems are *very* compatible. And many smaller theologies, philosophies are also friendly to the concept of unity. Have you noticed, also, that quite frequently in western culture, "crazy" people will claim that they are Jesus. Could it be that this is just a distorted exclamation that they have realized that they are not separate, but apart of god? Anyway, I'm wandering around the topic a bit, but yes, there are so many systems of thought that either speak to directly, or tie in nicely with our unity.

That's why I started with soliton wave picture. This canal experiment repeats an experience described in a scientist's journal, more than a hundred fifty years ago. [...] What this shows is a wave that is not an up and down motion of water molecules that return to their original position. Instead, a mass of water itself moves through the river without engaging the underlying particles in wave activity. [...] Some physicists use this as a metaphor for how electromagnetic particle/waves might not be some kind of field passing through empty space or an ether. Rather, they are themselves the growing substance from which time/space is constructed. I'm not sure if I can find all those references again any time soon, as I think I tossed those web references my mistake.. let alone summarize them well. But those ideas seem to me to be entirely compatible with the cosmology offered in the Law of One material.

At some level, physics goes over my head, much to my dismay! I think I follow you though. Are you using this wave experiment to illustrate the concepts from Dewy B Larson, that Ra validated at the request of Don? From what I understand, which is little, Larson's theory is that the creation of the universe was not a case of matter ejecting outwards in to space, but that whatever it was that came out of the big bang (consciousness?) stimulated and gave cause to begin vibrating [something] that then in turn became matter. (???) I can already hear what Ra would say to this... "This is a much distorted view. Allow us to try and untangle this mess..." haha

[Questioner]

The Kaballah itself is controversial, if memory serves. But then again, so are so many other belief systems and issues. I looked in to it briefly about a year ago, it's sort of an esoteric division of Judaism I believe?

The material I read claims to be an esoteric understanding of deeper truths that are encoded in the Torah, but misunderstood, lost, denigrated, or subverted by traditional Judaism. Obviously that interpretation is not considered delightful by traditional Jews.

I started a thread, I think about six months or more ago that asked the question, 'What other belief systems tie in to the Law of One'?

If that thread is still available, please link to it here and I'd be happy to move that part of our conversation onto your old thread.

Have you noticed, also, that quite frequently in western culture, "crazy" people will claim that they are Jesus. Could it be that this is just a distorted exclamation that they have realized that they are not separate, but apart of god?

Yes. If someone has an STO heart awakening but has to describe it in traditional terms, then the name of the loving Savior and Shepherd may be their only metaphorical words they can find. Also, if someone had an STS polarization but no words for their more vigorous selfishness, claiming to be connected in the ultimate spiritual hierarchy - that of a mainstream Christian God - may be the only word they can find.

Anyway, I'm wandering around the topic a bit

One of the delights of this forum.

When I can locate the rest of the soliton material, I can link to some good animations that show how soliton patterns can combine to form particles. In any event, I think I'd like to move the physics talk to another thread.

My point in this particular slide show was to distinguish the limited understandings that can fit into our individual minds, from the overall total truth of the universe. Or something like that. It's kind of hard to put into words, which is why I added the pictures.

[Chett]

Interesting topic but a bit over my head. I actually did a post on my personal blog several months ago discussing the difference between Truth and Reality, but at a much more mundane level. I guess I find it interesting sometimes to consider the nature of the universe and time and well whatever huge concepts that are out there but for me it seems simple better understanding of day to day life needs a lot more work.

I'm not sure what policy is here on links, I guess a mod will remove this if I do wrong but here is my old discussion of the topic:
http://ifiknew.net/?p=95

If you read that you can see I tend to take a much more practical view of things, but the primary point of truth being something known to the individual self (at least in this life) seems similar to me.

[Questioner]

Chett, your commentary says exactly the same thing in a more concise way. I'd actually thought of using the color blindness analogy myself, when I was searching for metaphors. I think I'll add it to a follow-up essay.

I'll get more down to earth in some other topics throughout the year, but for me, I like the unique ability this site offers to explore the spiritual "big picture."

I happen to like your blog and I'm glad you posted the link! I think any of your essays there would be great topics for discussion here. Thanks again for joining us.

[Lavazza]

I thought of a fun analogy to the process of spiritual evolution while I was washing some pots and pans over the weekend (my usual time of inspiration, hah!) That is, seeing your soul as a dice with a very, very, very large number of sides to it. Each side could be likened to a distortion (of the one creator).

here is a simple 20 sided dice.


then try and imagine the newly minted soul, which may have as many as a googol number of sides (just as a fun illustrative example). A dice with that many sides would be indistinguishable from a perfect sphere. The number googol is a 1 with one hundred zeros following it, or 1.0 × 10^100. Oddly enough, as a soul moves to 'evolve' itself more and more, it actually hampers it's perfect spherical nature and becomes more and more faceted. This would continue throughout the ages of infinite time. Eventually it will come to a place where it becomes very simple. A six sided dice, then a three sided dice, then a two sided dice (a coin, vis-a-vis the ying-yang). Then, finally, the soul reaches perfection and comes in to unity with the creator, and becomes a one sided dice. That's impossible to illustrate in three dimensionality other than a single point. Or you could say, if you're speaking in holographic terms, that the one sided dice is both a point and everything at once. Or how about suddenly becoming a dice with an infinite number of sides?

Analogy can be such a joy.

[Lavazza]

Here is the link to that other thread we were discussing, Questioner. Titled "The Law of One in History"

http://www.bring4th.org/forums/showthread.php?tid=482

[Questioner]

Lavazza, thank you for the die analogy. That's a really interesting way to consider the expansion/contraction from Unity to All The Differences.

I saw the other thread and added my two cents worth.

I'm preparing Q2. What is truth? Exploring the lighthouse. Hope to have it up in a week or so depending on health & busy-ness levels around here.