Book #9:  An Electrician’s Guide to Our Galaxy – Living Life On The Widest Frequency; Chapter One

Book #9:  An Electrician’s Guide to Our Galaxy – Living Life On The Widest Frequency

Chapter One–Ground Zero

The number 42 is significant in the book The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy, by Douglas Adams.  

The number 42 answers the ultimate question of Life, the Universe, and Everything, calculated by an enormous supercomputer named Deep Thought over a 7.5 million-year period.   

Can we, the human race, be saved by the number 42?

Though I often ponder the BIG questions of life, and what lies within the furthest reaches of our Milky Way galaxy, and even beyond, I am not in contact with superintelligent aliens, nor am I a galactic hitchhiker, so my journey must be of a philosophical, intellectual, and spiritual nature.  I once was an electrician, however, and my insight powered personal supercomputer, through some “deep thought” of my own, found another answer.

The answer to the grearest questions of life is ZERO!

How can we possibly be saved by ZERO?

Let me explain by starting with a few definitions of the word zero.

• The symbol or numeral 0 represents the complete absence of any quantity or magnitude. 
• The point, marked 0, from which positive or negative quantities are reckoned on a graduated scale, as on a thermometer.

Who is the father of zero?

• Aryabhatta—Zero’s origin in India came from a well-known astronomer and mathematician of his time, Aryabhatta. The well-known scientist used zero as a placeholder number. In the 5th century, Aryabhatta introduced zero in the decimal number system and, hence, introduced it in mathematics.

What was the original term for zero?

• Sifr evolved to mean zero when it was used to translate śūnya (Sanskrit: शून्य) from India. The first known English use of zero was in 1598. The Italian mathematician Fibonacci ( c. 1170 – c. 1250), who grew up in North Africa and is credited with introducing the decimal system to Europe, used the term zephyrum.

What does 0 signify, symbolize, or mean spiritually?

• The number 0 is seen in many number sequences but has incredible power when seen in numbers 00, 000, and 0000.
• Before any number, there is zero. As a result, in numerology, zero is often associated with potential and possibilities and all that comes before the changes.
• Number zero relates to eternity, oneness, potential, infinity, wholeness, cycles, and flow, listening to your intuition, and beginning a spiritual journey.
• The number zero represents the absolute reference voltage for ground for all electrical circuits on planet Earth.

Navigating the Infinity Within Zero: A Reflection on Ego, Universe, and Existence

The simple symbol for zero, 0, often taken for granted, holds within it a rich tapestry of meaning that stretches across mathematics, philosophy, spirituality, and culture. Its circular form, a line that meets without beginning or end, encloses a space that both is and isn’t, simultaneously representing the bounded individual and the boundless universe. This duality, the finite and the infinite, the ego and the cosmos, invites a profound contemplation on our place within the vastness of existence.

At first glance, the symbol for zero appears as merely an empty circle. Yet, this emptiness encapsulates a fundamental human dilemma: the sense of being an isolated ego cut off from the rest of the universe. However, the “stuff” inside zero is the same material as everything outside, symbolizing our intrinsic connection to the cosmos despite our perceived separateness. This duality of being at once separate and unified with the infinite challenges our understanding of self and other, inviting us to reconsider what it means to be an individual within the grand tapestry of the universe.

Philosophically, zero embodies the challenging concept of nothingness or emptiness. It tempts us to ponder the nature of existence and non-existence, framed by the boundaries of human cognition. The transition from nothing to something – from zero to one – mirrors the mystifying leap from non-being to being, a central inquiry of ancient and modern thought. In this light, Zero is not merely the absence of quantity but a placeholder for the profound mystery of creation and the void that precedes it.

Mathematically, the invention of zero revolutionized arithmetic, introducing the concept of a placeholder that enabled the decimal positional notation system and the arithmetic operations as we know them today. The complex calculations underpinning modern science, economics, and technology are possible with zero. Zero’s introduction to mathematics was as much a leap in human understanding as a practical tool, enabling us to quantify the world increasingly sophisticatedly.

Culturally, the acceptance of zero has traveled a remarkable path. Initially met with suspicion and rejected by some societies for its representation of the void, zero gradually became recognized as a symbol of potential, innovation, and the beginning of the new. Its acceptance marked a shift in civilization’s viewpoint, from seeing emptiness as lacking to appreciating the space of possibility it represented. Today, zero is celebrated for its utility in computation and its philosophical and cultural significance, embodying the paradoxical nature of human progress.

The symbol for zero invites us on a reflective journey. It challenges us to confront our ego’s limitations and acknowledge our inseparable connection to the infinite universe. By meditating on the meaning encapsulated within this simple symbol, we can appreciate the profound truth it signifies: in the heart of nothingness lies the potential for everything. Zero, therefore, is not just a number but a symbol of human exploration, creativity, and our unending quest to understand the universe and our place within it.

Why I Become An Electrician

The start of this epic galactic saga began at my personal zero point, or conception, which happened somewhere around Valentine’s Day, 1955.  Fast forward to December of 1964, when I was nine years old.  My family lived near the Willamette River, which had a great flood near the Christmas holiday. We lived about I30 feet up a gentle slope from the river bank.  Our house was located at an elevation which corresponded to near the highest reaches of the flooding waters, with the raging, destructive river coming within one inch of flooding the living room floor. The furnace and water heater, located in the garage at two feet below the living room floor level, were to become in need of replacement because of the water damage, but little else was irreparably damaged, save the family’s sense of safety and security..

My father became concerned about the potential for future flooding and decided it was time to move the family to higher ground.  He located some property on a high bluff across the river from our home and secured Jim Stobaugh, the builder of our existing home in West Linn, under contract to build the next house.  We inspected the new home several times while it was under construction.  One time we visited, the roof and exterior walls were present, but the interior sheet rock had not been started.  The builder was there and told Dad that the sheetrock would be installed after the electrician had completed most of his tasks.  It just so happened that the electrician was working in the basement, and Jim asked me if I would like to go downstairs and watch him work.

I remember walking down the stairs and seeing him pull electrical cable through the wooden studs to the junction boxes he had already roughed in. I was fascinated by the work. It almost seemed like magic that a house could be wired so that we could control lights and power from just toggle switches and outlets. I asked the electrician several questions, and he was very pleasant and answered me in a friendly manner.  I was very impressed with the electrician and immediately respected him and his work. The thought of bringing power and light to families appealed to me. I began to wonder if becoming an electrician might be a good thing to do when I became an adult, but there were a lot of other things I was interested in, too, like becoming a jet pilot, an astronaut, and an explorer of the farthest regions of the known universe, like the heroes of some of the science fiction books that I read at that time.

We moved into our new neighborhood, and I met and befriended many boys my age over a short time period.  One of the boys was my neighbor Craig Salter, a brilliant young man who, by age eleven years, seemed to possess a creative and mechanical skills package far above my own.  He struggled a bit in school because the subject matter was dull and his IQ was far higher than the average student, which was not a good combination for him.  We spent a lot of time together designing, building out of mylar and balsam wood, and launching rocket ships thousands of feet into the air, building plastic models of ships and aircraft of all types, climbing trees, and building tree forts. 

For our largest ever civil engineering project, we progressed to digging a secret underground bunker on an outlier section of his family’s large piece of property.  We needed lights in our bunker, so we secured a coil of electrical cable called Romex and dug a trench from our fort to an outside receptacle of the garage to his house.  Craig wired a plug on the line side, and I connected a small light on the load side. Voila, we had lights when Craig took the plug from its hidden, buried place and plugged it in to the outside receptacle.

One summer evening, very late, when we were supposedly sleeping outside in an outbuilding his father had constructed, we entered our secret bunker to continue digging further back into the hillside to make more room.  There was only enough room for us to lie down, as the ceiling was only about three feet tall, yet the chamber progressed to be about eight feet across after about a month of excavation.  We only excavated at night, knowing his father would immediately shut us down for safety reasons if he became aware of our bunker-building operation. 

We had just one light, which functioned well for our purposes, but the electrician on the job, who was me, failed to adequately insulate the hot lead on the fixture.  I discovered the mistake when my bare elbow made contact with that energized connection, and my body became the new ground or replacement light fixture, if you will. My eyes lit up in shock and terror, and I convulsed uncontrollably for an unknown period of time until I shook free of the connection.  Had the electricity passed through my heart, it probably would have killed me.  In this case, I was not “saved by ZERO” or ground potential, but only by good fortune.  However, I learned a powerful lesson about safe wiring practices and respecting Earth and its ground potential.

I took several classes at our local Owen Sabin Occupational Skills Center during my junior year and senior year in high school.  I was already committed to going to college and getting a degree in electrical engineering because I had excelled scholastically, had high proficiency in math and science, and hoped to showcase that educational excellence to entice the Air Force into allowing me to become a pilot.  I was then going to parlay the fighter jet pilot status into a chance to train to become an astronaut.

Albert Critzer was a local Union 48 electrician turned instructor at the Skills Center. He taught classes in electrical theory, and construction wiring.  He was an intelligent man who also had a great love and enthusiasm for the industry. His energy was absolutely infectious, and it rubbed off on me. I knew that, somehow, someday, I must also become an electrician.

I took a long and circuitous route through college and university electrical, electronic, and computer engineering levels.  I also briefly was in the Air Force ROTC, where I could not find what I was looking for.  The Air Force no longer needed pilots, as they had an excess already trained from the Vietnam War; thus, they wanted me to be a ground-based electrical engineer for them.  I said 

NO THANK YOU,

eschewing a full-ride scholarship with them to find my own unique path to reach the heavenly realms.  After a few years of bouncing around doing less than happy, fulfilling things for local major and minor companies, I applied to and was accepted into a local electrical union’s apprenticeship program in 1988.  I have never regretted the decision.

Since 1987, my life has been devoted to understanding reality, as promoted and supported by our history and present-day political, social, and religious institutions, and finding sane pathways away from any collective insanity and malfeasance towards a higher ground of understanding, experience, and expression. I am intensely interested in all connections, yet I now focus on those that are primarily human in nature. I am also fascinated with our true ground of being; the Universe, Mother Earth, Nature, and their timeless teachings.

I am an expert in electrical theory and practice, having been an electrical, electronic, and computer engineering student for six years in the 1970s and 1980s, and both an electronic technician and an electrician from 1980, and a computer engineer from 2006 until I retired from all fields in 2016.  I have found much in my field of expertise in electrical theory that is both a metaphor for our human experience in consciousness and for many aspects of spirituality and its potential for human expression and empowerment.

Very few people look to electricians for the Truth, though the public sure loves for us to remodel, repair, and upgrade the old, or install new electrical systems.  Yet this background has sufficiently provided me a foundational consciousness for understanding the art of measurement of reality and consciousness.  I have been given access to the doors to mankind’s hidden knowledge, which isn’t commonly accessed by the rest of humanity.

Electricity as a Foundational Phenomenon

In a process control theory class in 1992, I observed and was impressed by how these feedback and feedforward dependent control systems resembled the functions and internal workings of our human minds, especially with activities like maintaining order and balance or goal setting and achieving. I spoke to the teacher about my observation.  He was impressed with my insight and stated that though we all work with practical electrical theory, only some gain a nodding familiarity with its esoteric principles and teachings. 

No secret handshake is required for admission into advanced electrical teachings or the application of esoteric theories to practical applications in our lives, but in Oregon, ensure you are licensed before undertaking any paid employment in the electrical field!

Electricity, much like the air we breathe, is omnipresent yet invisible, a force so integral to the tapestry of our modern daily lives that its presence is almost taken for granted. Yet, in its quiet omnipresence, electricity mirrors foundational phenomena like words, and languages formed from those words, or our innate bond with Mother Earth. It is crucial to recognize that electricity demands not our belief but an understanding and respect for its power to both empower humanity and inflict harm when misunderstood and mishandled.

Just as language has shaped human civilization by enabling communication and the sharing of knowledge across generations, and the connection with nature has grounded us to the planet that sustains us, electricity has been a catalyst for monumental leaps in our development. From the first light bulb that illuminated a dark room to the complex web of global connectivity, electricity has sculpted a new reality, redefining what is possible. The analogy extends beyond mere utility; electricity, like language, must be understood for best utilization. One must grasp the grammar of circuits and the vocabulary of volts and watts. Remember, this is The Electrician’s Guide To Our Galaxy, and not the Plumber’s, Carpenter’s, or Goatherder’s Guide, so we need to learn some of the language for effective communication about electricity.  

Fundamental Components To Electrical and Communication Circuits

The fundamental unit of electricity is the electron, a negatively charged particle, which, when moving in a coordinated movement called current, will do many forms of work for us.  An electron being negatively charged does not imply a value assessment; it is only a convention adopted to describe its voltage or difference in potential energy relative to a neutral or positively charged source.

There are five primary components to any simple complete electrical circuit.

1. Voltage Source (derived power from battery, generator, solar cell array, etc.)
2. Load and non-load resistance (conductor resistance losses)
3. Conductors and connections
4. Ampere/Current flow
5. Ground or zero voltage reference potential

A voltage source provides for a difference in potential energy.  The presence of a source for voltage enables current flow to reach a load, such as a light or motor, where work can be done.  Current flow is those electrons in a guided concentrated movement generated by the voltage source, directed through the “line side” of the load (470 ohm resistor+LED in diagram), through the load, and into the return path, in this case a conductor but often ground, and back into the source through a completed circuit connection.  This is the normal action of a circuit when the energy released from one terminal (-) of the voltage source (9 Volt battery in diagram) passes through a circuit and all loads back to the other terminal (+) of the source. This is because the positive terminal has a higher potential, while the negative terminal has a lower potential. Electrons are negatively charged, so they are attracted to the positive end of the battery and repelled by the negative end.

Energy cannot be created or destroyed, so in these simplest of electrical circuits, whatever energy is delivered by the source has to be utilized by both the loads and the conductors that carry that energy throughout the closed loop.  Ohm’s Law states that the sum of all voltages in any closed loop circuit must be zero, so by Law, it is verified that, in these simple circuits, the energy given by the source is completely utilized by the load and conductor resistance..  To complete this simple circuit understanding, it is by convention that when a ground connection is present, the ground is always connected to the negative terminal on a voltage source and to the load side of the resistor.  If there is a difference in potential between the two “grounds,” there will be circuit unpredictability and unexpected performance degradations, so a wire is invariably used to tie them together to keep at the same potential energy, or voltage level.

Similarly, our symbols and letters are analogous to electrons in an electric circuit.  They are fundamental units of consciousness and require an intelligent application of our perceptual capacity working in concert with our senses, previous knowledge, emotions, insight, or even intuition upon any object of our awareness.  And, guess who or what becomes the source for voltage in this analogy?  There is a conceptual voltage, or difference in potential, created by the action of the knower (you, or I, or both) attempting to understand the known (that which we are witnessing, knowing, or perceiving) by assigning a symbol, a string of characters, a word, a sentence, or even a book to the phenomenon observed. This is how we build up our potential energy, or the voltage difference, between the speaker and the listener. 

There are five primary components to any successful completed information exchange between two people.

1. Speaker/writer #1, who develops higher potential energy and derives power from knowledge base, present moment awareness, insight, creativity, life wisdom, etc., metaphorically equivalent to electrical circuit voltage source
2. Listener/reader etc, with any of their resistance to what is stated,  metaphorically equivalent to any load in an electric circuit.
3. Air, microphone and speakers, as metaphorical equivalent of electrical circuit conductors
4. Spoken word, sentences, book, etc., metaphorically equivalent to electrical circuit current flow
5. The very ground of all being, as represented by our mythology, religion, science and quantum theory, metaphysics, Mother Earth and Nature, which becomes metaphorically equivalent to ground in any electrical circuit.

Words are the energy bridge, or neural link, between the knower and the known.

What does that mean?

Hold out your coffee cup in front of you for a moment. Now pretend that you, the knower, dont know what the coffee cup is, the soon to be known.  Engage the object with “the beginner’s mind”, the mind that does not know. (I know, this is hard to do, we know our coffee cup so well!).  To start, your senses tell you that this object is real. And, it has something attached to its side resembling an ear without a center.  It also has an empty reservoir carved out of the body of it, so it can be used to hold liquids or solids.  It appears to made out of a ceramic material, which you already know is a great insulating material, which means that we could put hot liquids into it and not burn our fingers while holding onto it.  Hmm, what shall we name it?  Since it appears like a cup that we have previously used for other liquid consumption, and it has a handle that facilitates the drinking of hot liquids, what hot liquids could we drink with it?  Hmmm, if coffee is your favorite hot drink, you might call it a coffee cup!  Every time you see this object in the future, you wil know it as a coffee cup.  So the knower, you, and the known, the coffee cup, are forever linked in consciousness by the energy bridge, or expression “coffee cup”. You will continue to expand your consciousness by the ever increasing amount of interconnecting neural links between the original name, coffee cup,  and all future experiences with that object, which we call associative memory.  You are building potential energy around that expression, the expression now becoming a new energy bridge, or neural link. 

It is now clear as black coffee, right?

Grab that coffee cup, and build up more potential energy!

The Divine Power of Words: Reflecting on John 1:14

Now before you close this book in disgust because an electrician is reinterpretting the Bible, OF ALL THINGS, I ask you to be patient and open-minded with me for a few moments.  I am not a Christian or a Jew, but I am a seeker for truth, wherever it is to be found.  And sometimes the greatest truths may be discerned from the inevitably misinterpreted passages from sacred scripture.  Most people have not developed spiritual discernment and it’s associated insight and  intelligence, and this includes most theologians and biblical scholars.  All too often these so-called experts in religion “cannot see the forest for the trees”.  I do not look through the stained glass etched windows supplied by others to peer at the sunlight of truth like most others do.  Please consider the following material carefully and considerately, and profound realization may come upon you, especially for those who do not accept religious dogma as the truth.

In the rich tapestry of theological discussion that has spanned centuries, few passages have been as widely analyzed and debated as John 1:14 – a verse that merges the concept of divinity with the tangibility of human existence. Yet, amidst the theological discourse, a profound reinterpretation emerges, proposing that this passage offers not merely a narrative of divine incarnation but an allegory for the human capacity to shape reality through language.

At its core, the assertion that “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” transcends literal interpretations to reveal a metaphor for consciousness and creation through language. This perspective insists that our ability to articulate our thoughts and perceptions into words is not a mundane feature of human existence but echoes the divine act of creation itself. Every act of naming, describing, or communicating is thus an echo of the Genesis, where the world came into being through a divine utterance.

Central to this interpretation is the distinction between words that convey truth—thereby aligning with the divine or sacred—and those that deceive, which can be considered profane. Language, in its most elevated form, becomes a vessel for truth, embodying the essence of the “one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Words have the inherent potential to either elevate our collective understanding or to distort and diminish it. The power to name, to describe, and to communicate is akin to a sacred trust, with the capacity for profound impacts on our shared reality.

The Holy Spirit emerges in this analysis as the conduit of consciousness that underpins our linguistic endeavors, ensuring that our words and their meanings remain intertwined with our broader worldview in a coherent and rational manner. This interpretation elevates the Holy Spirit from a mere doctrinal entity to the very essence of understanding and wisdom that guides the relationship between word and world.

Understanding John 1:14 in this light draws a direct line back to the Genesis narrative, where the world was spoken into existence. It posits humanity as participating in a continuous act of creation, mirroring the divine through our constructs of language. Just as the divine word manifested reality in the beginning, our words continue to shape the world around us—crafting narratives, ideologies, and truths.

This reinterpretation of John 1:14 thus serves as a poignant reminder of the power vested in our words and the responsibility that accompanies this creative capacity. Recognizing the divine aspect of truth and the creative power of our words invites a deeper consciousness about how we communicate and the realities we choose to articulate and manifest. It is a call to discernment and integrity, urging us to wield the profound power of language with awareness and reverence, acknowledging that, in a very real sense, the world we experience is continuously spoken into being by each of us.

In contemplating the vast expanse between the sacred and the profane, between truth and falsehood, this perspective on John 1:14 invites us to consider more deeply the world we are participating in creating. It challenges us to hold sacred the trust of truth, recognizing in our words the reflection of a primal divine act of creation and the ongoing responsibility we carry in shaping our collective reality.

The Transformative Power of Naming in Expanding Human Consciousness

In the beginning was the Word.  Whether we are ready to accept this mystical truth or not, it is the very creation of words in our minds that concurrently created our sense of self.  Are we the divine son or daughter of cosmic consciousness, are we Satan who is a fallen angel, or are we just imaginary creations in human consciousness?  Fill that coffee cup up, we are about to take a fantastic voyage through the infinite galaxy of consciousness itself.

Words are far more than mere placeholders in our lexicon; they are potent symbols that wield the power to connect us with the world around us. When we engage in the seemingly simple act of naming, we do not merely assign labels but partake in a fundamental act of recognition and understanding that forms an “energy bridge” between us, the knowers, and the objects of our knowledge, the known. This process goes beyond the mere identification—it is an expansion of our consciousness, enabling us to articulate, share, and evolve our collective understanding of reality.

Naming is an intrinsic part of our encounter with the universe. It is through the act of naming that we discern one entity from another, identifying and categorizing the world around us. By assigning a name to something, we acknowledge its existence and, more importantly, its significance within our lives. This is not a mere imposition of our will onto the external world but an act of engagement. It signifies a relationship, an acknowledgment that what is being named holds importance or value in some manner. Through this act, we expand our understanding, integrating new aspects of our environment into our consciousness.

Words shape how we perceive reality. They are the tools through which we build our understanding of the world, influencing our thoughts, actions, and interactions. Consider the myriad languages that exist across the globe—each with its unique way of naming and categorizing experiences. These linguistic differences reflect diverse perspectives of reality, highlighting how pivotal language is in constructing our worldview. The dynamism of language, with new words constantly being created to describe novel discoveries or societal changes, underscores its role in reflecting and catalyzing human progress.

The act of naming enables us to articulate complex thought and emotion, bridging the gap between the internal and the external. It is an act that ties the knower to the known, creating an indelible link in our consciousness. Through naming, we immortalize our experiences, allowing them to be shared and understood by others, thus weaving a collective tapestry of human knowledge and emotion. This communal exchange of understanding is what propels society forward, fostering empathy, innovation, and collaboration.

The evolution of language attests to the growth and change in human understanding and experience. New words emerge to describe technologies, concepts, or phenomena that were previously inconceivable, showcasing the limitless adaptability and creativity of human thought. This linguistic evolution is not just a reflection of new inventions or discoveries but a sign of how our collective consciousness grows, adapts, and redefines itself in an endless dance with the universe.

The power of words to create and shape reality cannot be overstated. Naming something brings it into existence in our consciousness, as evidenced by the example of the coffee cup. This act of naming, while seemingly mundane, is a profound demonstration of the power we hold to define and interpret our experience of reality. Through naming, we assert a form of control over our perception, transforming the unknown into the known, the abstract into the tangible. This process is at the heart of progress, enabling us to conceptualize and pursue new horizons.

The process of naming is a testament to the beautiful complexity of human thought and the intricate ways in which we engage with the world. It is through words that we map the contours of our existence, crafting bridges between ourselves and the myriad entities that populate our universe. Naming, then, is not just a linguistic exercise but a deeply philosophical one, expanding our consciousness and tethering the known to the knower in a dynamic interplay of understanding and discovery.

Words are how we categorize or name each new connecting link between our sense of self and the environment in the movement of consciousness. The word we create in consciousness out of our letters and symbols and use to represent the new known becomes the equivalent in electrical circuits of storing increasing charges on the line side of the voltage source, thus increasing its potential energy. The  linking of our knowing self to the latest known increases our potential energy.   Each verbal creation is a new iteration of our conscious self and adds to our sense of self, our potential energy as a source, and to the vast accumulation of knowledge we already have.  Our accumulation of knowledge, literally and figuratively, increases the actual energy potential of us as human energy sources.

We build up our potential energy with words, sentences, concepts, and knowledge in order to communicate with another human being, who becomes our “load” in this circuit analogy. This character stream is shared with our partner in communication, equivalent to a load in our simplified circuit of human consciousness.  This perceptual creation makes us, the so-called knower, the electrical equivalent of the previously mentioned voltage source in all active circuits.  Like in a standard electrical circuit, there is also a reference ground that must fundamentally be connected to the voltage source, which is our fundamental understanding about our relationship to the Universe, Mother Earth, Nature, and also to our “load”, or partner in communication.  Do we have a common ground, or will our communication circuit experience instability?.

The Intriguing Parallel Between Electrical Circuits and Human Conversation

At first glance, the comparison between the complexities of human conversation and the technicalities of an electrical circuit might seem far-fetched. However, upon closer inspection, this analogy not only holds water but also unveils some profound insights into the nature of effective communication. It’s a metaphor that does more than just describe; it enlightens, making the abstract intricacies of our daily interactions a little more tangible and, dare I say, more manageable.

In a basic electrical circuit, the flow from the voltage source through conductors, across the load, and back to the ground is quite similar to the progression of a conversation. The first speaker, or the initiator of dialogue, acts as the voltage source, energizing the conversation with their thoughts or questions. The air, or any medium that carries sound (or in our modern world, digital signals), serves as the conductor, allowing the speaker’s message to travel to the listener. This message, much like an electrical current, is the invisible yet palpable energy that connects two points – or in this case, two people.

Just as a break in a circuit prevents the flow of electrons, a conversation without both a sender and a receiver falls short of its purpose. This circuit needs to be complete for effective communication to occur, highlighting the importance of engagement and attentiveness in conversations. Both parties must be connected and receptive for the ‘current’ of conversation to flow smoothly.

Resistance in an electrical circuit can decrease the efficiency of current flow, much like misunderstandings or distractions can impede the transmission of information in a conversation. Recognizing and addressing these ‘resistances’ promptly can restore clarity and purpose to the interaction, ensuring that the message is received as intended.

Perhaps the most critical parallel is the concept of grounding. In electrical terms, the ground provides a reference point for the current, a return path to the source that completes the circuit. In conversation, grounding can be seen as the common understanding or shared knowledge between the participants. Without this grounding, conversations can feel disjointed or unproductive, as if speaking into the void without a return path. Establishing common ground ensures that both participants are oriented and connected, providing a stable basis for meaningful exchange.

Understanding these parallels can significantly impact our approach to communication. It prompts us to consider, “Is my circuit complete? Is there resistance I need to be aware of? Are we properly grounded?” Reflecting on our conversations through the lens of an electrical circuit not only offers a novel perspective but also encourages us to be more mindful communicators. Just as engineers strive to optimize circuits for maximum efficiency and clarity, so too can we hone our conversational skills, seeking to enhance understanding, connection, and collaboration in every interaction.

In essence, recognizing the metaphorical equivalence between a simple electrical circuit and human conversation can illuminate the dynamics of our daily communications. It frames our interactions in a new light, encouraging us to cultivate conversations that are as effective and energetically charged as a well-designed circuit. By applying principles from the realm of physics to our personal and professional exchanges, we can aspire to achieve not just communication, but true connection.

Further Meditation Upon The Word

In some varieties of meditative practice and experience, the practitioner is given a mantra or word to focus upon during a meditative session.  The word could be any word or expression, with the intention of the practitioner to concentrate on the word, eventually at the exclusion of most or all other thoughts, if possible.  Suppose the practitioner can develop and maintain a clear enough focus. In that case, all that remains during this meditative session is the knower, the practitioner’s awareness, and the known, which is the mantra word.  This is a completed circuit of consciousness, and the knower, in a realized state of being, becomes ONE with the energy behind the word represented by the mantra itself.  The practitioner sees the reflection of him/herself in the mirror of the realization of the word itself.

In July of 1987, while performing this exact style of meditation, I had a unique, transformative experience.  My mantra was “Master Teacher of the Light,” which I recited repeatedly.  I had used this mantra for several days, with little success, yet I was persistent and kept after it.  After about five minutes of reciting the mantra, without warning, I was lifted out of my everyday bodily awareness and started having an “out-of-body experience.”   I perceived that my life was like driving an automobile, with my mind as the operator of the car’s steering wheel.  I had a choice to make, to continue letting my conditioned mind, which is the sum total of my past experience of my body and my previous 32 years of life, dictate the direction of my life in the present and the future or let go of the controls, and experience a new realm of understanding and being.  Well, the choice had been made long ago, and almost magically and mysteriously, I did let go of the controls and was lifted out of my bodily awareness.  I no longer had any awareness of my body or my past, just of my present state of being, which was a total mystery, yet had an irresistible, magnetic attraction to my awareness.

I was carried by the river of the unknown through a fantastic, infinite, vibrating array of interconnected living structures, which I came to understand was the actual matrix of consciousness itself.  As if in a half spiral downward, my awareness was carried through this matrix, and I then “materialized” within a chamber without boundaries, where there was no light or darkness, just Peace and Joy.  An inexplicable SILENCE and a VIBRANCY felt so familiar, yet I had never been here before in my regular or meditative life.  My time here might have been a fraction of a second, ten minutes, or 2 hours in length, yet I will never know, for here there was no sense of space or time, only SILENCE and an inexplicable sense of the presence of an ENERGY.

Here is where things go from interesting and unusual to transformative and transcendent.  As I remained in this meditatively inspired womb, I could clearly see the entirety of consciousness itself,  its truth and magic, its nonsense, and all variations of it between these two apparent poles.  I saw how each word that I created and incorporated into my personal knowledge was ONE with me; there is no such thing as YOU in this exalted state of being.  I saw that every concept of YOU that I have ever created is only an extension of me, YOU cannot ever be real in any lasting, spiritual sense.   There is only ONE, no matter how tightly I cling to the MANY.   Each so-called “known” in this new understanding is another iteration of my sense of self, so me as a knower and me as the knowns are forever ONE.

 

Concepts are words married together in a creative and/or evolutionary movement in an increasingly sophisticated fashion.  Communication is words and concepts in an interpersonal movement, transferring actual intelligence and understanding.  And spirituality is words, concepts, communication, and action in a creative, loving movement. By definition, any energy that moves over time is doing work, and all of these energies can be harnessed to do the work necessary for the betterment of mankind.  The intention will become prime movers of consciousness and its action in the world and become the directors of this great energy in this world that we share.

 

Like all electrical and human systems that I have studied and attempted repair upon, I always seek to understand each installation or human being entirely and then improve all faulty or underperforming supporting systems as necessary.  Suppose the system was created from a defective foundational understanding. In that case, I will even be part of the creation of a new system that will more effectively carry our intentions, and do more meaningful and efficient work for us.

If establishing or maintaining order and balance is our concern, we can channel all relevant knowledge into intelligent systems of control that will maintain maximum stability wherever necessary, but only under those conditions where we understand most or all of the variables. The basic process control theory underlying all modern industrial and manufacturing systems has an equivalent in the human mind, where feedback and feedforward information loops are used for defining, refining, and maintaining order. The human and spiritual equivalence is called mindfulness practices, purpose-driven goal setting and achieving, personal inventory, course correction and the making of amends, and meditation.

There are fundamental limitations of the body and the mind that must be taken into account to have any hope of understanding all supporting and non-supporting abilities to implement stability and control and even to enhance our evolutionary potential.  For humans, the primary systems of control are through the implementation of the laws of family, society, and religions, as well as their enforcement and/or obeyance.  However, we have not accurately developed an understanding of all of the boundary conditions for our human experience until we cultivate a more Mother Earth-centered approach to living supported by the practices of mindfulness and enhanced self-awareness.

Humanity’s egregious blunder has been attempting to bring stability to itself while disregarding the laws of our spiritual heritage and Mother Nature, which mankind continues to ignore, at its peril. The instability introduced into our collective Earth life system by humanity’s ignorance of these laws will not be correctable until we humble ourselves enough to learn from our mistakes, be they theological, philosophical, religious, economic, ecological, or social in nature.

We are all alive today due to the self-organizing principles of life itself. In manufacturing and industrial processes, our planet Earth and its journey through the solar system, and even in the human mind, we witness the wonders and mysteries of self-organizing systems in action. The human brain has evolved into a capable predictive mechanism and is the source of conscious action since the introduction of language as a tool for communication. Words are used to measure our experience and are our primary avenue for communication with each other. And, our words, and knowledge subsequently built upon the foundation of our words, are our mediums for establishing a ground of shared knowledge, and a medium for communication of that knowledge.  Family cohesion and societal order owe their stability to the documention and practice of values that bind people together in interconnecting webs of safety, stability, and love.

 

Words are containers for energy, becoming a manifestation and representation of static or potential energy, which is the energy of rest, or kinetic energy, which is the energy of movement. The knower (you and I), when in movement towards a goal, is kinetic energy itself. However, the knower (you and I) can become quite static when our words do not motivate us to become active in this world. Those whose energy channels are clogged with religious dogma or traumatized responses to life may become burdened by this unrealized potential energy.

 

Remember, our words are our attempts to bridge the gap between the knower and the known, and they become part of the basic, though potentially infinite, substance that defines us as verbally conscious beings. The introduction of words into the conscious void of the ancient human being must have been the most transformational, apocalyptic event in human history, probably being more important than the harnessing of the power of fire and water for the creation of the conditions for safety, security, and even society itself.  Yet, we still need those who are knowledgeable about these connections, how to safely utilize them, and understand the energy behind them to assist all of us in reaching our collective potential.

Does anyone know of any enlightened masters or even master electricians whose knowledge and understanding we may access to achieve our individual and collective goals? Just as social engineers and spiritual masters have insight into how to bring greater balance and order into a person or the society that they live within, so do electricians also have their teachings around such issues.

Electricians must learn the philosophy of grounding and bonding to prevent safety issues or accidents from happening for any existing facility or any new installations.  Grounding and bonding techniques are utilized to design and properly function any electrical system.  “Ground” in the power distribution grid is the ground around you when you are walking outside. It is the dirt, rocks, groundwater, and so on . Mother Earth is the direct source of all successful grounding.  Grounding is connecting electrical systems, appliances, and metal enclosures to a common reference point, typically, the potential of the ground that Mother Earth provides.  Grounding provides a low resistance path for electricity to flow and is part of the return path for any complete circuit.

Bonding is a process for connecting all conductive materials together that do not have a direct connection to Mother Earth or Ground and then connecting that connecting link to Ground. Thus, bonding between discrete components and building structures supplies the necessary conductor paths to ensure that those circuits have a consistent reference potential grid tied to Mother Earth’s ground potential.

By internationally accepted electrical standards, ground potential is set to ZERO volts, and all derived or existing voltages are referenced to that ground or zeroed voltage.  The safety and operational integrity of any system is preserved, protected, and

SAVED BY ZERO,

or a common ground reference potential. What is the relationship between Mother Earth as an electrical ground and Mother Earth as a spiritual ground?

Our modern world has encouraged us to become increasingly disconnected from nature. Civilization, with its need for farming and cities, has overrun vast tracks of the natural world, eliminating much of our spiritual and physical support.  We eat, sleep, and live indoors, drive automobiles that are supported by insulating rubber tires, wear shoes that create a barrier to the Earth, work in offices with no plants or outdoor views, are subject to constant distraction and philosophical oppression and corruption from religious and political authorities, hyper-stimulated through smartphones and media obsession. This 21st-century lifestyle contributes to a  lack of connection with nature, which is the manifestation of our True Ground.

Without being connected to the Earth, we become ungrounded.  In at least a figurative sense, if not literally, we are constantly taking on frequencies that aren’t very supportive of our human minds and bodies, frequencies that conflict with our natural resonance.  Without grounding, it becomes difficult to discharge the frequencies we’ve taken on board. We can even become controlled and oppressed by those chaotic energies.

Without a common reference point, our words and concepts will be out of phase with other reference points, minimizing harmonization with others.  Communication failures resulting from conflicting frames of reference create stress and anxiety. Over time, it takes its toll on our mental and physical health, too. Without a connection with the Earth, we don’t share in a healing common knowledge, negating or preventing any sense of supportive calm and well-being that happens naturally when we are earthed.

 

The complexity and beauty of electricity lie in its fundamental requirement—a difference in potential energy that propels its movement through a completed circuit, connecting a network of components with purpose and direction. This elegant principle, at the heart of physics, also extends into the realms of spirituality and truth, embodying a profound metaphor for the human condition and the essence of understanding our consciousness and existence.

Just as electricity cannot exist without a voltage differential and a closed loop, spirituality and truth are manifestations of the difference in potential energy between a person’s collective self-concept and any ultimate, ground truth. There lies an inherent tension between what we perceive ourselves to be and what we aspire to connect with beyond our limited selves—a grounding, a fundamental reality that anchors everything. This difference in potential energy not only drives our spiritual quest but also defines the trajectory of our personal growth and understanding.

In our ceaseless attempt to comprehend and articulate the essence of our being, we generate a torrent of words. These words emerge as bridges seeking to span the vastness between our collective experience and understanding and the elusive, immeasurable ground energy of consciousness. This attempt, though sometimes seeming vain, reflects our innate need to grasp our existence and place within a broader, incomprehensible reality. We long for a vocabulary that can encompass the depths of what it means to be, to belong, to understand, and to connect.

However, these bridges of words we build are often fraught with their own limitations, fragmenting into myriad interpretations and perspectives that can, if unchecked, lead to increasing divisiveness, volatility, and incoherence within our human systems. The very tools we wield in our quest for clarity and connection can become instruments of separation when we lose sight of the common reference point—they try to elucidate.

Herein lies the crux of our dilemma and, inherently, its solution. Our human systems—our societies, institutions, and interactions—require a unifying reference point. Without it, we risk perpetuating a cycle of misunderstanding and conflict, driven by the varying voltages of our individual and collective experiences without a ground to unify and stabilize our interactions and growth.

In electricity, a common ground ensures safety and coherence, allowing diverse components to function in harmony towards a shared purpose. In our human quest for understanding and connectivity, establishing a ground of being or ultimate truth as our common reference point serves a similar purpose. It does not diminish the diversity of our experiences or the richness of our individual quests for meaning. Rather, it provides a foundation upon which these quests can converge, fostering understanding, empathy, and shared purpose.

The necessity for a unifying reference point in our human systems cannot be understated. Just as a closed circuit allows electricity to fulfill its potential in creating light, warmth, and movement, a shared ground of existential and spiritual understanding can illuminate our paths towards more coherent, compassionate, and interconnected communities. This fundamental shift in perspective requires us to look beyond the immediate disparities that divide us, seeking instead a deeper connection that binds us all at the core of our being.

In conclusion, the principles of electricity serve not merely as a metaphor but as a guiding insight into the essential nature of our existence and interactions. By acknowledging and striving towards a common reference point in our spiritual and truth-seeking endeavors, we can bridge the gaps that separate us, reducing the divisive thinking, volatility, and incoherence that plague our human systems. The pursuit of a unified reference point becomes not just a philosophical endeavor but a practical necessity, compelling us to reevaluate how we understand ourselves, each other, and the foundational truths that underpin our collective existence.

 

Electrical Theory and Communication Theory

What about those other broken connections that are human in nature and have greatly harmed us and others?  What about that boss who has built up a huge anger charge and is just waiting to discharge it through some unwitting recipient?  Or how about that religious fundamentalist who bullies or cajoles everyone who does not believe in the same biblical story that he was inculcated with?  Who hasn’t ever wanted to ground out that obnoxious narrative?  We never know who is just waiting to use our life to discharge their negative energy through, do we?

A primary law of consciousness is that all we see while living in the universe of symbols and words are extensions of our concept and image-filled minds unless, through extensive meditation or grace, we have developed a sacred capacity to observe with an unconditioned mind.  Our minds are just another form of energy that utilizes our brains and bodies’ potential and kinetic energy.  Because we are both an individual and a collectively conscious person, virtually all of the images and concepts that we have, all others have, whether they are consciously entertaining them with us at the same time or not.  So, the energy that our mind sees through the action of its perception may or may not have any ultimate standing in reality, even though all may share in a common understanding of both the symbology and its application to a consensus worldview that we now call reality.

 

Remember, everything we see or experience is ENERGY, either in its potential (resting) or kinetic (action) form.  In its potential form, energy is the scenery we witness before naming or categorizing.  In its kinetic form, it is the words and concepts we have created to represent what we are now seeing and then attempt to share with others through communication.   Either way, we are ENERGY, with an infinite capacity to do work or be at rest.  The words, concepts, and languages we utilize help us build energy, store it, and then use it through communication in ways that resonate with the concept of our greater good.  Yet, will these ideas be appropriate for enhancing the greater good of ourselves, humanity, and Mother Earth?

 

Electricity does not exist without a difference in potential energy, or voltage, between components and a completed or closed loop circuit to carry its energy, with a common reference potential.  Spirituality and truth are manifestations of the difference in potential energy between a person’s collective self-concept and any ground of being or ultimate truth.  Words are continuously being formed in our minds to bridge that gap in our sometimes vain attempt to measure and understand our elusive ground energy of consciousness, which may be immeasurable. Yet, it must become our common reference point, lest we continue to build into our human systems, increasing divisive thinking, volatility, and incoherence.

Like in electrical connections, reference potentials in the real-life human experience of consciousness help stabilize connections and provide stability and extra predictability to relationships.  If all people share common knowledge and understanding, there will be no catastrophic failures in the communications aspects of social networks.

The best spiritual reference point is also Mother Earth.  If the materials of Mother Earth are remembered to be the source for all life, then whatever true potential we have is sourced through that sacred connection.  A great way to stay spiritually grounded and bonded is to remember our true source and that we are of Mother Earth and may consciously carry that spiritual energy into our relationships.  As the Mother loves us, we must bring that motherly love to ALL of our relationships; this dynamic energy exchange is a form of entrainment or resonance.  We will discuss this unique and potentially transformative quality of energy exchange in greater detail later.

Ultimately, healing, transformation, and enlightenment might be accessible if we dare to consciously consider and directly address all cultural forces and their often oppressive toxicities. We need to also ask new questions and seek new answers to old ones.

• Is that old 1962 transistor radio where you first heard a Beatles song still working?
• Would you visit a thrift store to look for materials for your solar array?
• Would you buy a new stereo amplifier made of old vacuum tubes?
• Would you try to fly a biplane to the stars?
• Can we troubleshoot and repair a complex system, be it mechanical, electrical, or human?
• Is there any relationship between technological advances and the improvement, or lack thereof, of the human condition?
• Can we continue in our old ways of thinking and behaving and expect any new or more intellectually, socially, and spiritually evolved outcomes?
• Would you pour new wine into old wineskins?

Technology is constantly improving, yet the forces of resistance and impedance, reluctance, capacitance, and friction-generated heat remain present in any system, be it electrical, mechanical, or human, in nature.  Everything has a life cycle, starting with its birth and/or introduction into the world and its exit through deterioration and death. As we remember from our high school physics class and the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics, every closed energy system will experience entropy, unpredictability, chaos, and eventual destruction through friction and heating.  It is a law, so there is no rationality to argue with it.  Rationality is understanding the rules and directing or redirecting our processes, including our own lives, to gain maximum benefit.

There is a human equivalent to this 2nd Law of Thermodynamics, and we see it arise in people and societies that fiercely cling to the past with all of its outdated structures of understanding.  The more that dissonance arises between our intuition, understanding, and personal knowledge and the socially accepted norms and dogmas of the day, the more conflict, friction, and inflammatory responses will be experienced by everyone.  Human energy systems, like parachutes, work the best when they open up.  Suppose a philosophy of continuous process improvement (evolution) has been adopted. In that case, functioning may be stabilized or improved to the end of the engineered system’s, or human being’s, life cycle.

As the Greek philosopher Protagoras stated over 2000 years ago, man is the measure of all things, the reality of those who are and the unreality of those who are not.  Malala Yousafzai, the great young Pakistani education and human rights activist, has stated that she once asked God for one or two more inches in height, but God laughed and made her as tall as the sky so that she could no longer measure herself.  Yet, continue to measure ourselves and each other; we must do so at our benefit and risk until we find true freedom and our spirits have finally joined with the energy behind Malala’s poetic and profound statement of being.

We often live a second-hand life, using the measurements or words and concepts provided to us by our family, culture, and history. These factors provide a vast base of knowledge that acts as a bridge or bonding jumper to possibilities that we have not yet creatively accessed on our own. Yet are they formed of the substance of reality, of unreality, or an unsustainable synthesis of both?

We must ask some difficult questions, such as:

• How do we weigh and measure our existence, and against which standard?
• How do we compare and contrast to discover for ourselves what a concept or an object of reality’s true value might be?
• What, within ourselves, do we have that enables us to establish a valid reference point for our measurements so that there is consistency within ourselves and across the human population we attempt to communicate with, as well?
• How did you see yourself yesterday, how do you see yourself today, and how will you see yourself tomorrow if you find that infinity is the accurate measure of your being?

The human race has become the measure of all things through its use of the energy of words and language and the tools of creative thought, intelligence, and technology.  Words, and all subsequent concepts derived from stringing words together into rational orders, are our measuring devices or containers for this energy.  Naming is the way that our consciousness weighs and measures new forms of life, ideas, and experiences in the attempt to insert the unknown and the mysterious into a present context for understanding.  Naming tends to attach a dynamic process to a fixed point in time and space, with a past frame of reference, and we all share in the confidence that the words we use have successfully created and adequately represent that which we are trying to define and communicate with others.

Many of us love to be educated and enlightened by the words and inspired messages from poets, philosophers, scientists, spirituality gurus, shamans or priests, well-meaning physicians, and therapists.  If these messengers are connected with truth, their messages, or “bonding jumpers,” may become temporary verbal bridges back to our internal source for peace and healing.  Some people travel far and wide to sit in the presence of those who claim they are “ONE” with or grounded with the Truth.  Truth comes from only One Source, and it requires an intense desire to find it, unless, like the great herd of humanity, we wish to continue just a second-hand life experience, where we drink liberally from both the troughs of reality and unreality.

The Power of Words: Building Bridges and Charges in Communication

In the realm of human interaction, words are not merely vessels of communication; they are the foundational tool that bridges the seemingly insurmountable void between the knower and the known. This analogy extends beyond mere transmission of ideas; it encompasses the very act of elevating understanding, akin to an electrical charge seeking equilibrium. In this context, the development and expansion of one’s vocabulary serve as the building up of a voltage charge, ready to bridge the potential difference in a conversation and perhaps, elevate the listener to the speaker’s level of energy and comprehension.

Words, in their essence, are the enablers of connection. They allow us to share our inner worlds, our thoughts, feelings, and perceptions, with others. Just as a bridge spans a chasm, words span the chasm between the subjective and the objective, the personal and the shared. The clearer and more precise our words, the more accurately we can convey our thoughts and feelings, and the stronger the bridge of understanding we can build.

Consider for a moment the power held within the growth of vocabulary. Every new word acquired adds to our communicative potential, much like building up a charge. This isn’t simply about using complex or obscure words to impress; rather, it’s about having the right word, the perfect word, to express a thought or feeling completely and succinctly. In doing so, we not only achieve clarity but also create the opportunity for a more profound connection and understanding.

Good communication does more than merely exchange information; it transforms it. It can elevate the listener, raising their level of understanding, empathy, or enthusiasm to match that of the speaker. This exchange is dynamic and reciprocal; as we elevate others, we are ourselves elevated by the responses our words elicit. This is the potential difference being bridged – not a one-way transaction but a mutual elevation of energy and understanding.

Given the undeniable power of words to connect and elevate, it follows that one of the most beneficial pursuits for any individual is the continual expansion of their vocabulary. Learning new words and ways to express ourselves is akin to increasing our charge capacity; it enhances our ability to communicate effectively, connect deeply, and elevate those with whom we share our worlds.

To ignore the importance of words and the necessity of continually expanding our vocabulary is to limit our potential for understanding, connection, and transformation. Words are not just tools; they are the conduits through which we convey not only information but also emotion and energy. By building up our lexical charge, we can bridge the gaps between us more effectively, elevate our communications, and, perhaps most importantly, elevate those we communicate with. In the end, words are the sparks that can light the path to mutual understanding and shared elevation.

Words as Catalysts for Energy: Harnessing the Power Within

Words, in their essence, are more than just a means of communication; they are containers of energy. This energy, depending on how it’s utilized, can manifest either as static (potential energy) or as kinetic (the energy of movement). The shift from one form to another, or the stagnation thereof, profoundly impacts our lives. The words we choose and the energy they embody have the power to propel us towards our goals or tether us to our current state, leaving us yearning for change yet unable to move.

Every word we utter, every thought we entertain, carries with it an energy that can influence not only our internal state but also the world around us. Language, therefore, becomes a tool of immense power—a means through which we can transform potential energy into kinetic energy. This transformation is critical because it represents the difference between dreaming and doing, between the idea of a goal and the motion towards its realization.

However, not all energies are created equal. Words tinted with negativity, fear, or doubt act as barriers to our progress, keeping us locked in a state of static energy. On the other hand, words filled with positivity, aspiration, and determination can free us, turning our inner potential into tangible action.

Static energy, while necessary for contemplation and planning, becomes a burden when it remains the dominant force in our lives. This state of inertia is often compounded by many different factors—poor self-esteem, religious and cultural conformity and dogma or past traumas—that cloud our energy channels, turning what should be a reservoir of untapped potential into a swamp of unrealized dreams.

It is in this space of inaction that frustration breeds. The knower— you and I—becomes burdened with the weight of unmanifested desires, ideas, and opportunities. The longer we remain static, the heavier the load becomes, until the very thought of movement seems insurmountable.

The key to transitioning from static to kinetic energy lies in our ability to recognize and alter the language we use—both internally and externally. By consciously choosing words that reflect our aspirations rather than our fears, we can begin to unclog our energy channels.

Breaking free from restrictive dogmas and healing from past traumas are equally critical steps in this process. Such actions entail a deep and often challenging reevaluation of the narratives we’ve held onto, a willingness to question and, if necessary, abandon beliefs that no longer serve us.

The decision to harness the kinetic energy our words can carry is a decision to live actively rather than passively. It’s a commitment to use our language as a force of good, a catalyst for change, and a vehicle for manifestation. When our words begin to move us toward our goals, they not only transform our lives but can inspire those around us to reevaluate their own energies.

The invigoration that comes from this shift is palpable. Actions fueled by positive, goal-oriented language take on a momentum of their own, propelling us further than we might have believed possible. In this state of constant motion, the barriers that once seemed insurmountable now appear surmountable.

Words carry within them the potential to either hold us in place or propel us forward. Recognizing the inherent energy of language and choosing to use it as a force for kinetic energy is a powerful step towards realizing our full potential. It is not simply about moving from a state of inaction to action but about transforming the very essence of how we engage with the world. Once we acknowledge the power of our words, we unlock a wellspring of energy that can lead to profound personal and communal transformation.

Words and Arrows

In Greek times, sin was an archery term, which only meant that the archer missed the bullseye while competing, and the “sin” was the distance between the bullseye and where the arrow landed.  Naming is like an archer aiming his arrow at a moving target.  Though the archer may have perfect aim, the target, like time itself, is constantly moving, and he always just misses the mark, with his sin being the distance from the truth that his arrow has pierced.  An aspect of “sin”  in this explanation is our awareness becoming entrained with the movement of thought to time itself.  We will always “sin” while our thoughts remain hypnotized by the spell of time.

Yet, the human archers never give up, and in our vanity, we adjust the target in our minds to indicate that we have succeeded in hitting it. If we can find consensus or agreement with others and share in a collective understanding or misunderstanding, we have created more collective consciousness or “common knowledge.” We all attempt to establish internal modeling for an external reality that we witness from our own unique perspective while remaining “bonded” to a shared knowledge reference point.  As long as we have a common reference point, the errors in our “archery” can be measured against the mistakes of others. After dialogue, and perhaps more research, a synthesis may be developed that brings our communication into greater alignment with each other.

Just because it is common knowledge does not make it accurate knowledge, however.  We must keep this in mind and keep our minds open to new understandings, lest we institutionalize our assessments into permanent memories that are resistant to change.  Remember, our memories are often like Gods to us, always trying to convince us of their righteousness, while incessantly pulling us back into a conceptual, and often times illusory, past frame of reference.

Names are essential for communication, yet need to be more comprehensive and inclusive, and their meanings updated often, to adequately reveal the true nature of what they were created for in our minds to represent in the first place. Names, and our interpretations of them, change over the years as we strive for more accurate understandings of ourselves and of our worlds. When names gather together to illustrate concepts, know that the real miracle of consciousness is being experienced, as we become invited into the worlds of abstraction and, potentially, conscious evolution.

We are all alive today due to the self-organizing principles of life itself. In manufacturing and industrial processes, our planet Earth and its journey through the solar system, and even in the human mind, we witness the wonders and mysteries of self-organizing systems. The human brain has evolved into a capable predictive mechanism since the introduction of language as a tool for communication. Words are used to measure our experience and are now our primary avenue for communication. 

The development and evolution of human language have brought hope for new or enhanced order to the chaos inherent within the unconscious human experience, at least through the structure of words used to represent the world that one is experiencing. We only need to witness the “committee” or the “monkey mind” operating over time within our minds while it unsuccessfully tries to make sense or bring order out of the background chaos forever present in our lives. Those who are neophytes in meditation, and even some of us when troubled by current events, experience this hyperactivity and perceive it as a block to peace of mind. In truth, this internal mental chaos, when reinterpreted, becomes a gateway or portal to be passed through to access more profound, more peaceful, and benign regions of our spiritual identity.

There is an exciting interpretation of the Pauli Exclusion Principle that is very relevant to our understanding of the word. The Principle simply states that in our effort to describe or define any particle or object, or to establish its exact location in the universe, we can never know all of the characteristics of the object of observation at one time, such as its angular momentum, direction, speed, and mass, being limited to three out of the four descriptors. Like our imperfect attempts at locating a particle in space, our words are our sincere, though incomplete, collective measurements or representations of reality or our theories for how things now are or could become in the future. We attempt to measure and locate eternally elusive phenomena, and our words are perpetually “catching up” with an ever-unfolding new reality.

The nature of self-organizing systems is that once the quiescent point (the Q point, set point, functional operation level, balance, or homeostasis point) has been altered, the system naturally seeks a return to its native state, or “normalcy.” For our human experience, this may be both a blessing and a curse, depending on the “state” to which we are being returned. Typically, if we stretch a rubber band and release it, it returns to its original state. But, if we stretch the rubber band too hard and too often, it loses its elasticity and will never return to its original state again. A human being who has been stretched beyond their capacity through excessive stress, anxiety, and/or addictive behavior cycles will NOT be returning to their “original” state once they remove all stressors, if they were stretched into emotionally unhealthy, and physically diseased states.  And what about those who recognize that the “original” state was, in fact, an unhealthy, abnormal state of being in the first place, which in turn led to the creation of their present chaotic mindset?

When Going Back Isn’t Moving Forward: The Paradox of Self-Organizing Systems in Human Behavior

In the world of physics, the concept of self-organizing systems is well-documented—an entity inherently seeks to maintain or return to homeostasis, its equilibrium, after a period of disruption. This principle has profound implications beyond the physical realm, intricately weaving itself into the fabric of human behavior and psyche. But as we apply this principle to our lives, particularly in the context of overcoming stress and addiction, we encounter a paradox. The very nature of returning to a “native” state, while comforting in theory, can be both a blessing and a curse.

Take the analogy of a rubber band. Under normal circumstances, its flexibility allows it to return to its original state after being stretched. This resilience is mirrored in human beings, showing our remarkable capacity to recover from challenges and adversities. However, just as a rubber band can lose its elasticity if overstretched or subjected to stress too frequently, so can individuals be changed irreparably by excessive strain or unhealthy habits. Herein lies the rub—the individuals, once having been stretched beyond their limits due to chronic stress, anxiety, or addictive cycles, cannot simply bounce back to their “original” state, especially when that state was one of disease or dysfunction.

Further compounding this complexity is the realization that for some, the “native” state or the baseline to which they unconsciously seek to return is, in fact, inherently unhealthy. This is the curse. It underscores a poignant reality for many: individuals who have normalized stress, anxiety, or addictive behaviors may not recognize these patterns as aberrant but rather as comfortable, familiar states of being. Thus, the quest for homeostasis can inadvertently become a cyclical trap, ensnaring individuals in the very behaviors they seek to escape.

This realization prompts a significant reframing of our understanding and approach to personal growth and healing. Rather than striving to return to a perceived state of normalcy, the objective becomes one of transformation—recognizing the limitations of our metaphorical elasticity and seeking not to revert but to evolve. It is about acknowledging that in some cases, going back isn’t akin to moving forward.

Breaking free from this cycle requires introspection and acknowledgment of deep-seated patterns that may have been with us since our formative years. It demands a conscious effort to redefine our equilibrium, to set a new, healthier baseline that deviates from the past’s dysfunction. This is not a simple task. It requires continuous effort, support, and sometimes professional guidance to untangle oneself from the web of habitual stress and addiction responses.

The blessing, however, is that while the human psyche may share characteristics with self-organizing systems, it possesses something a rubber band does not—consciousness. This consciousness allows for the recognition of unhealthy patterns and the agency to initiate change. It equips us with the capacity to envision a state of being that transcends the former, to build resilience, and to forge new pathways.

The path to wellness and true homeostasis lies not in returning to our original state but in creating a new state—a state of genuine health and balance. It is about stretching, not to the point of breaking, but growing. In doing so, we may discover that our greatest potential lies not in our capacity to return but in our ability to reimagine and rebuild.

For our planet Earth, this may mean ridding itself of any or all offensive life forms that threaten its very existence and continue to drive it out of balance with itself. The time intervals for finding a new, or returning to an old, “set point” that indicates a healthy life is far different between an individual human life and the life of planet Earth. The Earth may take thousands or millions of years to return to or reach its optimal state. In contrast, the evanescent ones must act immediately and decisively, lest we need to live longer to witness any real healing progress.

A life out of balance means more knowledge must be uncovered or applied to guarantee harmonious system operation. And it is of utmost importance to realize that, in the end, the human race is not the determiner of what homeostasis is for the world, as that has been established through many billions of years of its evolution and, thus, its changing relationship with itself and the rest of the Universe. It is also important to realize that no man or woman is an island in this vast universe. Our perception of harmony and balance is inextricably intertwined with the rest of humanity. No matter how healed, balanced, or empowered we believe we are becoming, we are eternally linked with the rest of humanity and the universe in our attempts to create order or balance out of our own unique versions of the collective chaos known as human knowledge. The temptation to follow the herd or swim with the lemming is built into the foundational nature of our socialized existence.

I dare leave this subject with the presentation of an amazing, though disquieting, theory of human population control. Our immune system is automatically activated to fight and neutralize any invader in our body. Our minds work similarly as it attempts to fight and neutralize any offender who threatens our safety, security, or peace of mind. Our planet Earth, or Gaia, is also a vibrant, living being with almost infinite potential to bring new life forms into the universe. And Gaia has its innate power to bring balance back to itself, with unexpected consequences in store for our unwary, overpopulating human race. It is not a stretch of reason to assume that whatever consciousness Gaia may be infused with may interpret our reproductive over-exuberance as indicative of an imbalance within its energy field and make attempts to correct it.

Our planet Earth is now balancing itself and its energies, just as it has for billions of years. Though it may not have consciousness of the exact nature as humans (the mind of the immortal and the mind of the mortal do not have a lot in common), the self-organizing principle of this vast system includes the elimination and/or balancing of all forces that do not positively contribute to its life and further its evolution. Due to overpopulation, the human race has brought significant imbalances to planet Earth. Some experts believe that we may have ten times the amount of humans on our planet than our planet can sustain in harmony. The stress being generated in man’s mind by this overabundance of human life forms may well be part of the self-protective mechanism of planet Earth itself.

Humanity has captured a piece of Universal consciousness, which includes planet Earth and its collective awareness.  The respected mystic Teilhard de Chardin offered the world his Noosphere concept in the 20th century, which parallels this understanding.  Pierre Teilhard de Chardin was a French philosopher and paleontologist known for his theory that man is mentally and socially evolving toward a final spiritual unity.  He is not alone in this belief and understanding, and a modern, recently deceased Buddhist master, Thich Nhat Hanh, offered many heartfelt dialogues on the unity of Mother Earth and mankind in consciousness itself.  Yet, how might this truth reflect through the collective ignorance and chaos created by the human experience with Mother Earth?

Our collective desire to go to war, to kill each other, to commit suicide, and/or to not generally thrive as a collective may well be the Earth, acting through human consciousness to bring healing to itself through the removal of damaged parts of itself, at least enough to bring balance back to the Earth. The Earth is eternal, as far as we are concerned, and is PRIMARY here, while the human race presently has little conscious presence in eternity. Our own Armageddon may well be written into the operating system of Earth consciousness as it brings stability back to itself through all of its agents, be it Earth, air, sunlight, fire, or water, and its almost infinite expression of flora and fauna.

No homeostasis around a healthy operating point is possible without harmony and peace.

The miracle is not to walk on water, or in the air, or on burning charcoals.  The miracle is to walk on this Earth.  You breathe in, you become aware of the fact that you are alive.  You are alive and are walking upon this beautiful planet.  The greatest of all miracles is to be alive—-Thich Nhat Hanh.

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The complexity and beauty of electricity lie in its fundamental requirement—a difference in potential energy that propels its movement through a completed circuit, connecting a network of components with purpose and direction. This elegant principle, at the heart of physics, also extends into the realms of spirituality and truth, embodying a profound metaphor for the human condition and the essence of understanding our consciousness and existence.

Just as electricity cannot exist without a voltage differential and a closed loop, spirituality and truth are manifestations of the difference in potential energy between a person’s collective self-concept and any ultimate, ground truth. There lies an inherent tension between what we perceive ourselves to be and what we aspire to connect with beyond our limited selves—a grounding, a fundamental reality that anchors everything. This difference in potential energy not only drives our spiritual quest but also defines the trajectory of our personal growth and understanding.

In our ceaseless attempt to comprehend and articulate the essence of our being, we generate a torrent of words. These words emerge as bridges seeking to span the vastness between our collective experience and understanding and the elusive, immeasurable ground energy of consciousness. This attempt, though sometimes seeming vain, reflects our innate need to grasp our existence and place within a broader, incomprehensible reality. We long for a vocabulary that can encompass the depths of what it means to be, to belong, to understand, and to connect.

However, these bridges of words we build are often fraught with their own limitations, fragmenting into myriad interpretations and perspectives that can, if unchecked, lead to increasing divisiveness, volatility, and incoherence within our human systems. The very tools we wield in our quest for clarity and connection can become instruments of separation when we lose sight of the common reference point—they try to elucidate.

Herein lies the crux of our dilemma and, inherently, its solution. Our human systems—our societies, institutions, and interactions—require a unifying reference point. Without it, we risk perpetuating a cycle of misunderstanding and conflict, driven by the varying voltages of our individual and collective experiences without a ground to unify and stabilize our interactions and growth.

In electricity, a common ground ensures safety and coherence, allowing diverse components to function in harmony towards a shared purpose. In our human quest for understanding and connectivity, establishing a ground of being or ultimate truth as our common reference point serves a similar purpose. It does not diminish the diversity of our experiences or the richness of our individual quests for meaning. Rather, it provides a foundation upon which these quests can converge, fostering understanding, empathy, and shared purpose.

The necessity for a unifying reference point in our human systems cannot be understated. Just as a closed circuit allows electricity to fulfill its potential in creating light, warmth, and movement, a shared ground of existential and spiritual understanding can illuminate our paths towards more coherent, compassionate, and interconnected communities. This fundamental shift in perspective requires us to look beyond the immediate disparities that divide us, seeking instead a deeper connection that binds us all at the core of our being.

In conclusion, the principles of electricity serve not merely as a metaphor but as a guiding insight into the essential nature of our existence and interactions. By acknowledging and striving towards a common reference point in our spiritual and truth-seeking endeavors, we can bridge the gaps that separate us, reducing the divisive thinking, volatility, and incoherence that plague our human systems. The pursuit of a unified reference point becomes not just a philosophical endeavor but a practical necessity, compelling us to reevaluate how we understand ourselves, each other, and the foundational truths that underpin our collective existence.

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Unveiling Reality: The Dance of Perception and Consciousness

In the vast expanse of consciousness, where symbols and words construct the universe we perceive, lies a potent law of awareness that governs our understanding of reality. This law posits that our perceived reality, filled with concepts and imagery, merely extends from our minds’ depths unless we’ve ventured into the realm of deep meditation or have been graced with the clarity of an unconditioned mind. Our minds, radiant with energy, harness the physical capabilities of our brains and bodies, crafting a world that is as much a reflection of our collective consciousness as it is of our individual perceptions.

Perception Creates Reality

At the heart of our experience lies the profound realization that perception shapes our reality. The universe, in all its complexity and wonder, unfolds to us as a mosaic of symbols and narratives, each piece an extension of our thoughts and imaginations. This realm, born from the mind’s incessant need to categorize and understand, dictates the version of reality we live in. But this reality, stitched together by common beliefs and shared understandings, is as malleable as it is unique, contingent upon the lenses through which we choose to view the world.

Interconnectedness of Consciousness

Beneath the surface of our perceived separateness bubbles a wellspring of collective consciousness, a tapestry of thought interwoven with the fabric of reality itself. This interconnectedness suggests that while our experiences may differ, the foundational elements of our perceptions are shared, binding us in a web of collective understanding. Here, within this shared space of consciousness, lies the paradox of our individuality and our unity, pointing to the idea that the essence of all that we perceive is, in fact, a mirrored reflection of a universal consciousness that we are all part of.

The Role of the Unconditioned Mind

Emerging from the depths of contemplation, the unconditioned mind offers a beacon of clarity in a sea of conditioned perceptions. It is within this space of awakening that we stand the best chance of witnessing reality as it truly is, unmasked and unfettered by the constraints of our conventional interpretations. The unconditioned mind transcends the ordinary, peeling away layers of ingrained beliefs to reveal a reality untainted by the constructs of language and symbolism. It is in this sacred act of observation that we come closest to understanding the true nature of our existence, liberated from the shadows of illusion.

Concluding Thoughts

The dance between perception and reality is intricate and complex, guided by the primary law of consciousness that frames our understanding of the universe. Yet, within this complexity lies a simple truth—our perceptions shape the reality we experience, but it is through the lens of an unconditioned mind that we can hope to glimpse the essence of what is real. In cultivating such a mind, through meditation, reflection, and a conscious unlearning of conditioned patterns, we open ourselves to a truer understanding of the world around us. Therefore, the quest for reality begins not with the external, but with a pilgrimage into the depths of our own consciousness, where the seeds of perception take root in the fertile ground of awareness.