From Chapter 12: The Paradox of Truth and Human Hubris
“You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” — Jesus of Nazareth
In our pursuit of truth, we encounter a profound paradox. Truth, in its essence, is freely available—yet, humanity’s collective hubris and ignorance render it inaccessible. The irony is stark: the same truth that promises freedom is obscured by our refusal to acknowledge it. Hucksters and charlatans exploit this ignorance, selling false promises and diluting the essence of truth, while our ignorance costs us everything.
In a world inundated with information, we’ve grown accustomed to digesting wisdom in bite-sized chunks. Social media, daily meditations, and surface-level spiritual practices have become the norm. However, true growth requires deeper, introspective work. We cannot find our greatest good through superficial engagement with sacred texts, brief meditative practices, or yoga sessions devoid of inner healing. This superficiality offers a semblance of progress but ultimately fails to address the root of our existential struggles.
I’ve been asked to distill my life’s work into a few paragraphs. This is akin to capturing lightning in a bottle. While I could condense infinity into soundbites or memes, the challenge lies in ensuring that the message truly resonates. Words, though powerful, often fail to penetrate the depths of our consciousness. They slide through our minds like water through a sieve, lost amidst the noise of cultural and religious soundbites.
To elucidate our spiritual potential and our frequent failure to achieve it, I draw upon two mythological narratives: the Old Testament story of Genesis and the Greek myth of Theseus, the Labyrinth, and the Minotaur.
When humanity mythologically left the Garden of Eden, we became ensnared in the labyrinth of our minds. Knowledge—our tool for understanding good, evil, and everything in between—became our prison. Knowledge, born of words, creates a division between the “knower” and the “known,” trapping us outside our Eden. This division manifests as our unenlightened self, steeped in illusion and unreality.
Knowledge forms a web around us, creating perceptual walls between ourselves and others, and even within ourselves. It names, defines, and conceptualizes, but as the Zen saying goes, “the finger pointing at the moon is never the moon.” Our minds, in their quest to understand, forge dynamic processes into rigid concepts, alienating us from our timeless hearts and the truth.
In the labyrinth, a Minotaur lurks—symbolizing the marriage of our divine and unilluminated animal natures. Until we confront and transform this Minotaur, we remain lost in the labyrinth of our disfigured minds. This Minotaur also represents unhealed wounds and traumas inflicted by family, religion, culture, and Mother Earth’s feedback.
To escape the labyrinth, we must heal from our wounded past and stop creating perceptual walls. This requires an honest examination of our lives and a recognition of the collective and individual trauma we’ve endured. Patriarchy, toxic masculinity, misogyny, racism, and other cultural distortions have damaged our dignity and created false narratives.
We need to create new narratives and healing images that honor our infinite spirit. Enlisting the aid of trusted therapists, spiritual advisors, shamans, and/or indigenous plant medicine can sustain this healing momentum.
The truth is both freely available and elusive, obscured by our ignorance and hubris. To access it, we must engage in deep, introspective work, transcending superficial spiritual practices and confronting the labyrinth of our minds. By healing our wounds and dismantling perceptual walls, we can return to our true, enlightened selves and rediscover the Garden of Eden within.
Healing from Our Wounded Past: A Path to Personal and Societal Redemption
How then may we escape the labyrinth, defeat the Minotaur, and return to the Garden of Eden? This question, rooted in myth and metaphor, speaks to a profound human yearning for healing and wholeness. It is a call to heal from our wounded past, to dismantle the perceptual walls that confine us, and to reclaim our dignity and authenticity.
Understanding interconnectedness is the first step towards healing. We must acknowledge the collective trauma we share and its impact on our bodies and minds. Only by addressing these broader societal issues can we hope to foster genuine healing on a personal level.
To heal, we must create a new narrative that honors our infinite spirit and promotes mutual respect and understanding. This involves dismantling the false images and narratives imposed upon us by society and replacing them with a healing image that reflects our true selves..
One of the key steps in healing is slowing down the verbal and perceptual creation mechanisms within our minds. These mechanisms, subjugated by habituated stimulus-response patterns, have been inculcated into us during our development as human beings. They store misinformation and traumatic influences, creating unconscious matrices of disordered energy within our bodies.
By cultivating mindfulness and insight, we can regain control of our minds. Healing our wounds and finding the gap between thoughts allows us to break free from the predetermined course of darkness—ignorance, resentment, hatred, divisiveness, fear of death, grief, suffering, and alienation from peace of mind.
The oppression and thought control exercised over us by our family, religion, and culture often keep us from our greatest good. They promote the idea that by practicing disempowering dogma, we can find a way out of our dilemma. However, true healing requires rejecting these false narratives and seeking personal discernment and compassion.
One of the greatest lessons we can learn from those nearing the end of their lives is the importance of living authentically. According to hospice nurses, the top regrets of the dying include not having the courage to live a life true to oneself, working too hard, not expressing feelings, losing touch with friends, not allowing oneself to be happier, and not doing something of significance.
These regrets highlight the importance of finding our real voice, dealing with harsh realities, and bringing compassion and healing to life. Those who fail to do so often devise unhealthy variations on religion, politics, and misunderstanding, perpetuating lies devoid of empathy and compassion.
We must stop following the politicized and religious minions that lead us astray. All that we see, or will ever see, is our Self, whether we are steeped in our ego’s illusions or seeing from a higher perspective. The collective consciousness shares a profound dysfunction, and as long as we practice misunderstanding, we will never become real persons.
When we stop trusting the thoughts that create walls, judgments, religions, and false bridges back to our SELF, our minds will finally find peace. This peace, once extended through meditation, contemplation, prayer, nature walks, yoga, breathing exercises, and communing with spiritually minded souls, leads us back home to our unique spiritual garden.
In moments of true humility and healing, the Universe, God, Love, Truth, and Peace will speak to us. We must entrain ourselves with this silence, allowing it to speak through us and guide us home. This is our spiritual heritage—our starting point and destination.
True salvation depends on our intentions, personal work, understanding, and movements back to our SILENCE. The TRUTH has never left us; we have simply allowed our minds, past, traumas, hubris, and social dependencies to replace its eternal music with perceptual noise.
By letting go of the controls imposed by our parents, culture, and wounded history, we can travel upon the enlightened paths of a healing, spiritualized consciousness. Practicing gratitude for who we are and settling into the mystery of our unique identity fills our minds and hearts with awe, wonder, and gratitude. Love becomes the stream that carries us into eternity.
Our civilization can evolve its Common Knowledge Game to fully embrace collective dignity, love, and freedom for all. When our world achieves this potential for greatness, it will be a safer place for humanity.
Remember, we find what we look for—whether it is good, bad, or a mixture of both. We are the very emanation of the God we seek, and in our truest essence, we are spiritual empaths, psychics, non-religious saints, and mystics.
Cease the fruitless search through knowledge and religion. Settle into the truth of our true selves. Our infinitely patient Self awaits. When we quiet our minds enough to allow an enhanced perception of reality, we will find all the support we need once we have returned home.
“My kingdom is not of this world.”
Words and our misapplication of them in defining ourselves and each other have created the mess we now live in. We are this very Universe experiencing itself in human form, with the innate capacity to elevate our vision and understanding.
May we all find our real Kingdom.
Silence is golden.
Please take a moment to reflect on these insights. Our spiritual potential is immense, but realizing it requires courage, honesty, and profound inner work. Let’s walk this path together, seeking truth and freedom, and transforming our world in the process.
For further exploration and guidance, consider reaching out to trusted spiritual mentors or communities that resonate with your journey. The path to truth is arduous, but the rewards are boundless.
“I AM: The Interconnectedness of Humanity and Nature
Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.” – Psalm 46:10
I AM (poem)
I am the brightest of mornings, I am the cloudiest of days,
I am the silent night altar upon which mankind prays and preys.
I am the Olmec and Mayan of times old, recent, and new,
I am all civilization’s ruins, and I am the ever-evolving life that regrew.
I am the bird’s call, I am its flight, and the wind beneath its wings,
I am the music and its spirit that joyously lifts all hearts up to sing.
I am the water, I am the lagoon and the bay,
I am the infinite ocean where my children are birthed, live, love and play.
I am the blue sky, I am the weather changes, and the gathering of clouds,
I am the lightning storms that are now appearing so dangerous and loud.
I am the wind and the sun, I am the warm soothing breeze,
I am even our cold’s most raucous cleansing sneeze.
I am the dolphin and manatee, I am the mangrove lined shores,
I am waves crashing against rocks, that photographers adore.
I am the mind, and I am the end to its lonely thoughts,
I am the heart’s loving web in which we are miraculously caught.
I am the boisterous protests, and I am the crowd made quiet,
I can be even be found witnessing the white supremacists’ riot.
I am the wealthy, and I am the hurt, oppressed and poor,
I am your heritage, history, and future until we all are no more.
I am the Sanders and Pelosis, I am the Putins and Trumps,
I am love’s warriors, and I am also hate’s chumps.
I am the Christian, and the Hindu, I am the Muslim and the Jew
I am the Atheist and Buddhist who you never thought that you knew.
I am the cancer and its treatment, I am the movement towards health,
I am the healing balm that works mysteriously in stealth.
I am the grief, and I am the pain and the sorrow,
I am the deepest well of hope from which we eternally borrow.
I am your lifetime, I am your body and its breath,
I am the blessed last moment before each of our deaths.
I am the death of the false self that leads to the only true heaven,
Our denial of this truth brings the hellish news on channel two at eleven.
I am the sacred, and I am even the profane,
I am the source of all that we treasure, resisting me only adds to life’s pain.
I am not the movement of our thoughts, while we cling to concepts of time,
I am the emergence from all shadows, we all must reach for the sublime
What is my name, and where is my place?
Being ONE is seeing Me on every smiling and suffering sentient beings’ face.
In a world where the lines between humans and nature often seem blurred, the concept of interconnectedness is more relevant than ever. The poem “I AM,” inspired by my trip to Belize in January 2019, encapsulates this intricate web of existence. It prompts us to reflect on the profound unity that underlies all aspects of life.
The poem begins with a powerful declaration:
“I am the brightest of mornings, I am the cloudiest of days,
I am the silent night altar upon which mankind prays and preys.”
These lines immediately set the tone, illustrating the seamless integration of nature’s contrasting elements. This duality—light and darkness, prayer and prey—reflects the coexistence of opposites within and around us.
Our society often categorizes experiences into binaries—good and evil, joy and sorrow, success and failure. Yet, “I AM” challenges these simplistic labels:
“I am the bird’s call, I am its flight, and the wind beneath its wings,
I am the music and its spirit that joyously lifts all hearts up to sing.”
Here, the poem suggests that life’s essence cannot be confined to dichotomies. The bird’s call and flight, intertwined with the supportive wind, symbolize a holistic existence where every element plays a vital role.
By acknowledging the multifaceted nature of our experiences, we can adopt a more inclusive and compassionate worldview:
“I am the dolphin and manatee, I am the mangrove lined shores,
I am waves crashing against rocks, that photographers adore.”
These lines celebrate the diversity of life forms and natural landscapes, emphasizing that each component contributes to the whole. The mangrove ecosystems and their inhabitants are interconnected, supporting each other in a delicate balance.
The poem also underscores the importance of self-awareness and acceptance in fostering unity:
“I am the mind, and I am the end to its lonely thoughts,
I am the heart’s loving web in which we are miraculously caught.”
Here, the mind’s solitude is contrasted with the heart’s loving connections, suggesting that true understanding comes from recognizing and accepting our shared humanity.
Understanding the full spectrum of our shared humanity is essential for meaningful progress and unity:
“I am the wealthy, and I am the hurt, oppressed and poor,
I am your heritage, history, and future until we all are no more.”
By acknowledging the diverse experiences and backgrounds that shape our world, we can work towards a more inclusive and equitable society.
The poem further explores the connection between spiritual and physical realms:
“I am the sacred, and I am even the profane,
I am the source of all that we treasure, resisting me only adds to life’s pain.”
This line suggests that both sacred and profane aspects are integral to life. By embracing this duality, we can find deeper meaning and purpose.
“I AM” serves as a poignant reminder of the interconnectedness of all existence. It challenges us to see beyond conventional dualisms and recognize the unity that pervades our world. By fostering self-awareness and acceptance, we can create a more compassionate and inclusive society.
Set out, pilgrim. Set out into the freedom and the wandering. Find your people. God is much bigger, wilder, more generous, and more wonderful than you imagined. – Sarah Bessey
Together, we can strive for a future where all beings—human and non-human—thrive in harmony. We are, after all, one intricate web of existence.
