Distortions - The Black Hole Of Reality

This term "distortion" is something that is quite familiar to me. As a musician, distorting my sound is crucial if I am to obtain the overall feeling and ambiance that I am looking for. A distortion pedal is not something that is foreign to me, as a matter of fact, it is almost always necessary to some degree, however there is a difference in my use of the term in this post, because unlike the distortion which my foot pedal produces, the distortions that I wish to speak of cannot so easily be turned off by the click of a button.

I have always known of the concept behind this term, but, it was not until I came across an online copy of "The Law Of One" which is a book that contains the written records of the channelings of "Ra" as the book refers to it. In this book, (If you are curious, I would suggest looking it up on Google) this "Ra" character speaks to those conducting this interview, and the context is that of some being from either another planet, or an entirely different plane of existence. This "Ra" is quite familiar with our existence, and from where I stand, finds us to be quite primitive, using this term "distortion" quite a bit to define most of our understanding of "God" (and life in general), even going so far as to classify our view of god and the use of the term and even our concept at it's core, as being a distortion. It never quite goes into what exactly is distorted about any thing, but rather, this "Ra" simply uses this term as the only true way to describe us to ourselves, as those who are conducting the interview are attempting to gain knowledge of things that they probably shouldn't know in the first place. It is quite an interesting read if I do say so myself, but... moving along.

Now, I want you who have been keeping up with the posts thus far, to realize the pattern that seems to reverberate throughout "the all". The title of the blog is "The Meaning Of Life" and the posts have all been about various subjects, containing explanations for various metaphysical jargon and whatnot. If you are unsure of what I'm talking about, or you have not seen the connection between all of these posts, even the Voices On The Wind post, (The one with my guitar-work...and distortions... ha!) then please, go back and re-read them if I've caught your attention with this post, as I'm sure that you will become completely lost in your attempt to "decode the mystery", but I'll attempt to write this post in such a way that any such journeys through my blog are unnecessary.

The pattern that I speak of, is that, in nearly all of my posts, I somehow wind up referring back to the reality that reality is not always as it seems, but a new thought has entered into my "mental class on life" that I have with myself constantly (that's what life's about btw) and that is that things are not always as they appear, but that doesn't mean that they aren't either.

I read a post today on Guru Singh's blog that caused me to realize just the term that I have been looking for to use in my day to day explanations of reality to people. I am familiar with the use of the term in more than just the context of musical equipment (as stated) as well as my use of it, but I have rarely implemented it into my day to day conversation, and that is what I am attempting to do.

For the general idea or essence of what I'm getting at by the term, if my defining of it seems unclear due to all of my many words that seem to twist and linger around leading one in circles, then, if you will notice, "Guru Singh" is linked to the post that I've just finished reading, and even if you understand my ramblings, I would highly recommend you giving it a thorough read through, as he explains such a concept much more clearly and to the point than I am...but, I do what I do for a reason.

In my post Belief vs Reality - Part Two I attempted to define what distortions of perception look like, and I used some examples, like that of the chair, and it is to me, very clear what I am getting at, but it may not be to you, for you are not me, and thus, we do not share the same distortions. When you take a bunch of rhetorical malarkey and overlay reality with it, you get an unclear picture of what you're truly looking at, and for the most part, those who create these "advertisements" know this. You have to realize people, that if you're every going to be able to truly find yourself, you're going to have to accept the fact that there are people in positions of power who got there, not because they were lucky, or special, or given a great opportunity, but because they are two things, both greedy, and intelligent. They did not present you with the mind-shaping "advertisements" (that term is not speaking of commercial advertisement alone, but mass media as a whole, whether it be through television, school curriculum, religion, or any other medium through which one message is presented on several platforms) because they were merely trying to make a dollar off of you, they did what they did the way that they did it so that you would read this, see the reality of what I'm speaking of, understand it, and subsequently reject it as rational thinking. They don't want your money, they want your mind, because if they have your mind, you will not wake up, you will not stand up, and you will not fight, thus, they are free to do whatever they wish without your interference.

You see, the powers that be do not want for you to read this blog. They do not want for you to think this way, and they most certainly do not want for you to understand this concept of "distortions", because if you do, then you become you, rather than that which they have molded you to be. 

I just laughed to myself. How many of you have seen "The Matrix"? That is a movie that was highly popularized because of it's cool effects, the fight scenes, and the seemingly unstoppable power of the main character, but it is the metaphysical concept that is hidden within those three films that is the true beauty. The metaphor of the matrix is the reality of existence. We are all blinded in some way by own perception, and just as it is in the matrix, so it is with us, we are batteries plugged into a machine, giving it all of the power that it will ever need, and as long as it can keep us entertained, there is no war to be fought, which means there is more energy to be used elsewhere...But my question is, just what were these machines in the matrix doing? They had successfully driven humanity underground and had full reign of the earth, but to what end? So that they could have a picnic at the park? It's madness, that people in power don't want the power for the sake of freeing themselves to enjoy life, they want the power simply for the sake of the power, and in that, they possess the greatest distortion of all. They can no longer enjoy life, because their enjoyment comes from the destruction of life. It is, just as synchronicity, a conundrum.

I have gotten a bit off topic it seems, but, this blog is not about one post, it is about the blog as a whole, and this blog is not about this blog at all actually, it is about those who read it, and the message that it speaks to them, and more importantly, what they do with said message.

Now, on the concept of black holes and distortions being the black holes of reality, first one must think of what a black hole is. It is not just something that sucks, nor is it a mass of darkness. It is the remnants of a super-massive star which has essentially imploded, losing none of it's mass, and thus has a gravitational pull that is so strong that not only does it pull the very fabric of the universe towards it's center, but also, which even light itself cannot escape from. Can you imagine, watching light attempting to escape from something? Light moves at a speed of 700 million miles per hour. That's 186,000 miles per second. The gravitational pull of a black hole is so great, that even something moving at that speed, which is near incomprehensible to our human minds, cannot escape from, nor does it stand a chance.

I have in this post compared distortions of reality to a black hole, (<----And i'm not the only one) so the question is, how does one free themselves from such darkness? The truth of the matter is, that if you are looking for the answer, you will never find it, and if you are hoping for a savior, there is none. If you want to be free from thinking the thoughts of others, or thinking the distorted thoughts of your own fallible mortal self, then you must let go of even that desire, and rather, embrace the reality that ultimately, you are who you are because you are, and when you do this, you realize, just like Neo, that you don't believe in any of this fake crap anyway...(enjoy your cookie)

I will admit, it can be painful, and it will be. Neo had to die before he knew himself, and once he did, not even death could stop him. The rules of the matrix no longer applied and he was free to do as he pleased. He had no rival at all, and in the end, he realized that it was inevitable, and even he could not escape the black hole by fighting against it's pull, but rather, he had to enter into the heart of darkness, and shine his own radiant light out of it in order to bring peace to his world.

Have you ever wondered just why light cannot escape from a black hole? Can gravity really be that strong? Well, have you ever wondered why your eyes take in light, but give off none of their own? We cannot change the way things are until we first change ourselves, and in the matrix, Neo had let his enemy do all of the changing to the world that he would ever need, and as the last man standing, he let himself too become a part of the whole, and it just so happened that when he did, he was reunited with himself, and the curse was lifted.

I do apologize, I have been rambling, and have gone from books, to movies, to black holes and back again, but please do not mistake my words for what they seem, and miss the reality of what they are, and if you do not understand, then let this and all of my words be an example of just how distorted one can become by an over abundance of information. One cannot hold within his mind two opposing opinions and expect to still be sane, that is why the term "schizophrenia" was created, because at it's root it means, "split-mind", however, one can find a balance between those two opinions, and take that third option, using the two opposites as a measuring stick.

Synchronicity - The Paintbrush of God

To anyone who has lived for any amount of time, it can most accurately be stated that you indeed know exactly what I'm speaking of, even upon reading the title of this article, the term "Synchronicity" is familiar to you, even if you are unfamiliar (on a conscious level) with the definition of said term.

I could attempt to define it for you, and perhaps you would get it, but, if you just so happen to be familiar with the term, most likely you would agree, that such a concept is not one of which someone can truly be "told" what it is, but rather, it is something that one must "see" for themselves.

syn·chro·nic·i·ty/ˌsiNGkrəˈnisitē/

Noun:

The simultaneous occurrence of events that appear significantly related but have no discernible causal connection.

The image to the right is an example of what I would term as an example of what this "experience" would look like in a metaphorical context. Notice that nearly every line, though it is linear (like time), consists of a mirror image on the opposite side of the page, and yet, at the same time, this figure is split into three parts (like time). 

So what we have here, is an impossible explanation, and were the image not here, surely my words would seem most illogical, (and perhaps they do to you) but if you're going to get that involved in finding mistakes, you're never going to be able to see that duality has it's place in life, as well as the the reality that while things are split into "twos", there is also a third part of nearly all things.

For instance, you have the concept of time, yet it is nearly always referred to in terms of "past" and "future" as the "present" seems to be irrelevant in most discussions. You have two opposing sides, and in the center what do you have? This concept works with most things, but for more literal examples of duality, think of black and white, or dark and light, or yes and no, or male and female, or right and wrong.

Nearly all of those can be dis-proven as being concrete, for there also exists the color grey, no one can see anything in total darkness nor with a flashlight shined in their eyes, sometimes people say maybe, hermaphrodites exist, and right and wrong is just a matter of opinion anyway.

Now, for one to understand the concept of synchronicity, one must accept the reality that such concrete concepts of duality, morality, or even mortality, are not ends in and of themselves, but rather are simple hints which lead one to be capable of understanding something that goes much deeper. That reality is that we are not alone in this life, and that, while "destiny" essentially does not exist, because it is our choices which determine our fate, it is in fact "destiny" that determines everything, and no matter what we do, or who we are, we cannot escape it.

I am happily not a member of the "religious community", but I can say this, synchronicity has haunted me for some time. It is not so much a belief in some deity in my mind, as it is an understanding and inner-knowledge that I am a part of a whole, just as everything else is, and that being said, it is clear to me just how interconnected everything is in this universe.

Astrophysicists have as of late began toying around with the theory of a holographic universe, or, the idea that our existence is not so much as it seems. They are starting to wonder (as they attempt to study black-holes) if our entire universe is nothing more than a mirror image, and that everything that happens here, is not so much happening, as much as it is just a reflection of something that has already happened or is happening outside of our universe, simultaneously....or just on the edge. 

For a tangible example of what they are starting to understand about our universe, go stand between two mirrors and move your arm and attempt to count just how many "you's" move their arm as well. I cannot explain such concepts any further. You either get it, or you don't.

The Paintbrush of God

The experience of synchronicity will make a believer out of anyone that this "reality" that we are experiencing is not as "in-tact" as we would like to think of it, and that there is "something more". That something has been witnesses, experienced, and defined by humanity for longer, it would seem, than our ability to breathe. Some call "it" God, or Jesus, or Allah, etc...

It is so funny to me that when Moses in the bible first spoke with god, he asked of him, "Uhm...hey, what's your name, what do I call you? So I can tell everyone else...they kind of need to know..." this essence of life, creator, this god, this "it", responded by saying, "I am what I am."

A phrase that is used with increasing frequency now a days is "It is what it is", and yet, I find that such a phrase is rarely intended to be a reference to the religious idea of an ultimate and all encompassing deity.

When one begins to experience the phenomena of synchronicity, (And it most certainly is nothing less than a phenomenon) they often times shrug it off as a "coincidence" and think nothing of it, but it is when such occurrences continue, or even intensify in frequency, that one begins to wonder if they are awake or still dreaming, and if it is an awakened state that they find themselves in, it is their sanity that they begin to question. Such experiences, simply cannot be understood by those who have not experienced them, for those who have experienced them understand that such experiences cannot be explained in the full measure that is deserved, and even if they could, it would not have the same effect, gravity, nor meaningfulness.

When a synchronous occurrence happens, there are many factors which account for the experience seeming "unnatural" and yet, at the same time, despite all of the "unnaturalness" of said event, it is the natural flow of the entire event that creates the apparent uncanny nature of such an event. It is a conundrum. 

Factors Involved

• The immediate and direct surroundings of the experiencee, to include not only what he/she sees, but also what they hear.
• The thoughts of the experiencee prior to the event, and the method in which said thoughts began to stray in that particular direction.
• The flow of life in general, and the way one's day is going.
• Everything....

To some who read the above list, it will seem as though I am speaking a foreign language, and for those who have experienced synchronicity, it is more than clear what I am describing. Perhaps there is someone who is reading this, and is for the first time realizing just what these series of random coincidences are, or at-least how to term them, and their visit to this blog has turned into a synchronicity in and of itself. 

Why do they happen?

If synchronicity is the metaphorical paintbrush of god, then what exactly is he/she/it saying, and is it what I think, or am I missing the picture? The simple answer is, "yes, no, and maybe". 

Whenever one begins to focus on their synchronous experiences, they notice an increase in the frequency of occurrences, and sadly, some do not know when to quit, and actually do "go over the edge" so to speak, but you see friends, synchronicity is not what this article is about.

It is quite possible to misinterpret synchronicities as being something that they are not, but you see, it is also quite possible to misinterpret synchronicities as being something of little importance, a neat and odd coincidence that you think nothing of, I.E. not something to use in decision making. This can be either very bad, or very good, but by now, I think you all know that I don't really view things in such dualistic manners anyways. 

What are synchronicities and why do they exist? I cannot tell you. All that I can do for you is make you aware that you are not the only one experiencing them, and yes, they are "proof" of "something", and that in and of itself is, yet again, a synchronicity, because while they cannot be truly defined, or explained, they seem to always have the essence of being a confirmation of sorts for "something". They an undefinable also, simply because of the very personal nature of them.

The purpose of them on a personal level is something that you must find for yourself, but the purpose of this post is to emphasize the reality that we are indeed all a part of a whole, and everything happens for a reason. So don't ever think that it doesn't. Everything has a purpose, a meaning, and a point. That's life. It is what it is.... :)

Belief vs Reality - Part Two

Perhaps I was not clear? It may be stated that my last post was rather disorganized and scattered. It was not intended to be so, and yet, it was. The true question is, did you get the point? You see, in the battle between personal belief systems and reality lies within what said person "knows" and what said person "believes" to be true. To put it simply, think of it like this. I have heard many people throughout my life proclaim to me on a near daily basis that they "know" that the god of the bible is the "One True God" and subsequently, they also "know" that all of the words of their holy book is the infallible word of God, and that it should be viewed by all of humanity in the same context that they personally believe that it should be. I find a contradiction in such statements. You see, when I look out at the world, and all of it's "problems" I can very clearly see what the true dilemma is, and infact, I am not the first to see it, nor am I alone in my "beliefs" about such a reality. One of my favorite rappers (and various other artists of any form of art) has seen it, and describes the current situation in the world today rather well. He speaks of two things essentially, with a third seemingly hidden within his words. You see, words, as I (poorly) attempted to explain in my last post, are completely pointless. However, they can be quite useful in getting a point across. Instead of giving you my personal opinion of what Lil' Wayne has seen that I have seen, which other's also see, (quite clearly mind you) I'm simply going to quote the lyrics, and let you decide what it is that he's talking about. You be the judge as to whether or not it is relevant to this blog and my ramblings or not.

"Gorillas in suits The holy war, the spiritual troops Fighting over the mythical truth Drowning in the political soup They shoot missiles and nukes Taking out such a pivotal group The body count is the physical proof And they thought drugs were killing the youth"  

Lil' Wayne -"President Carter"

You see, the problem in not just "America" but the entire world seems to lie within the fact that people are given positions of power, and, driven by their greed, they seem to get together in one massive attempt to blind the masses to their schemes in order to remain in power. Essentially, everything going on in the news today, that we ALL hear about and have grown quite accustomed to hearing, is explained in the first four lines...and the ones which follow after tell you just what they're all covering up, and how. For the "why" refer back to the first stanza. Now you see my friends, these words are not mine. I did not create this idea. I am not some radical conspiracy theorist. I am simply a person who seems to be completely immune to being blinded by people who simply think of me as one of the other mindless zombies who comply with their demands as to what I should and/or shouldn't believe. Do you know why? It is because I avidly attempt to push away my own personal beliefs and/or biases for the sole purpose of seeing things as they truly are. Not as I wish them to be. Not as I "think" they are, but rather, just as they are.

"It is what it is"

That's a statement that I can appreciate most of all, out of the millions of others that exist. You see friends, if you truly want to begin to understand what the "meaning of life" is, or find some purpose or reason for you being here upon this earth, then I would suggest that you stop attempting to find an outside source to tell you who you are and what you are here for. You will never find a purpose for anything if you continually focus upon what others attempt to persuade you to believe, and you need to realize that most of them want you to believe such things simply because they themselves believe the same way. No friend, you mustn't concern yourself with belief systems or personal opinion, but rather, you must view things from a metaphysical standpoint...That is...If you ever want to see things as they truly are.

Take advertising for example. From a metaphysical perspective, let me lay this example out for you in a hypothetical circumstance. You're watching television, and you're sitting in a chair in your living room which you've had for 10+ years. This commercial is an advertisement for a "special" chair. It's got twice the padding of yours, it comes in a variety of colors (one of which you personally enjoy much more than your current chair color) and it even has pockets on the side for you to stash your remotes, magazines, pack of crackers, etc... This commercial is attempting to draw you in of course; that's what advertisements are designed to do. It defeats the purpose of advertising for it to do anything else. Now, you watch this commercial, and as you do, you think to yourself of how you have been wanting a new chair, and you also like the chair on the television. At the end of said commercial, they tell you the price, and it just so happens to be $5,000 for this chair of your dreams. You also realize at this point that you have $5000 worth of "spare change" so to speak. (stay with me here, please)

Now, I want for you to imagine a hard, plain, wooden chair that you have seen at your local dollar store. It only costs $5.

Can you tell me the difference between the two chairs?

Besides the obvious, (Price, level of comfort, color) can you tell me why one is better than the other?

You see friend, the reality of the situation, not your opinion, but the reality, is that the ONLY purpose for a chair, is to sit in it, and whether you choose the cheap wooden one, or the expensive plush colorful one with pockets, at the end of the day, all that you can do with either of them is sit in them (Or stack stuff in it, but that's beside the point) and if you want to be real about it, a stump in the woods somewhere will serve the same purpose.

Do you see my point? You were sitting in a chair, and because someone told you about another chair, and convinced you that said chair was a "better performing" chair than the one you currently have, or the $5 one from the dollar store, your belief causes you to desire to have said chair. Congratulations, you have successfully been deterred from being able to understand the purpose of a chair, and thus, you are no longer thinking of having a place to sit, but rather, you are thinking of having a "wonder chair" which will allow for you to "sit better"!?¿

Let's get real. This what has happened to your life. This is why this blog was created, and this is why people seem to continually question their purpose! What is the meaning of life? Why am I here? Who am I?

You see, these are not questions that someone can answer for you. Yes, it is possible for someone to introduce you to a mirror, so that you can see for yourself, but it is obscene for anyone to tell another human being who they are and what their purpose is in this life. This is what has happened people. You have walked through your life, and been told of gods and of devils and of angels and demons and UFO's and morality and of good and of evil, and thus, you have lost your sense of purpose. You're just someone who's watching infomercials on chairs, sitting on your bare floor, though you have a chair that has served you well in the past, all because you are convinced that if you watch that screen for long enough, someone will tell you exactly what chair you need. .... And with that mentality... well, you must admit... you friend are acting as if you have some sort of psychological problem or mental illness. It's simply not logical.

This is exactly what this blog is about. Not to tell you who you are and what the meaning of life is, but rather, to show you the way towards a mirror, so that you can for the (possibly) first time, see yourself AS YOU ARE, free from any distortions of others who want to tell you what you look like rather than letting you see who you are.

So, if you want to continue arguing with yourself about chairs, and being blinded by the rhetoric surrounding such advertisements about who you are and what makes you the best you that you can be, then go ahead...perhaps that's your purpose?

We all need examples of what not to do and what not to be, after all if we didn't, just as if we didn't have shadows, we'd be blinded anyways, like deer in a headlight.

Belief vs Reality

"When I was a child, I spoke of childish things, but now that I am a man, I have put away childish things"

This is a quote from some verse of the Bible. Which one? I'm not really sure.

Now. Let me ask a question? Does that last statement bother you? If your answer is yes, then another question is in order I suppose. Are you a "Christian"? And if so, then why does my paraphrasing, and lack of knowledge of exactly where said verse is quoted from? Perhaps it is your belief, (If you know me personally) ((Or if you've read my content thus far)) that I am an immoral person? A sinner even, and my use of your precious words from your precious book is somehow considered as "sacrilegious"?

Well, today's "lesson" if you will, is about that very concept of your belief...and it is not limited to simply "Christian" belief systems, but rather, belief systems in general.

 On the left is a picture of a book and a candle. Now, I'm sure that to someone, that book is much more precious than the candle which gives one light to read it, and yet, though without light, the book could not be read, the candle is the thing that is set aflame, and not the pages of the book, for if such a thing was done, the reading of it's words would become impossible. And besides, there's always more candles to burn, right?

Now, what am I getting at? All that I'm trying to explain here is that just like the words in that book, or rather, simply words in general, have a seemingly immeasurable amount of power.

They have the power to both edify and to destroy, to inspire and to disillusion, to lie and to tell the truth.

Just why is it that simple letters put together in certain orders when used in particular patterns are given such power? 

Is the true power within the sound of these "words" or is it within the concepts that lie behind the meanings of said "words" or "sentences"? Now, before you answer to yourself , keep in mind that certain statements seem to have more persuading power based upon the tone and volume of the voice of those who use them, while others, can simply be typed and subsequently read and hold even more power. The power of words, in my "belief" has more to do with the reality of what they say more so than who it is that says them or the method in which they deliver them. 

For the sake of remaining relevant, and putting things in a context in which most of the "western world" can identify with, let's take the bible for example. Do you know why it is that such a book has so much power? It is not because of who wrote it's words, and it is not so much because of the one who wrote them, but rather, it is simply because of what people as a majority tell you about it's contents, and that is, that "every word is God-breathed" and it matters not how one responds to it on a personal level, but rather, it is the majority's perception of what is the "reality" behind such statements. 

Speaking in a metaphysical context, let it be said, that at the end of the day, all that the bible is, is simply a book. Pieces of paper with markings upon it...The same way that you are simply a person staring at a screen.

Now, if it were just a book, and it held no inherent power within itself, why then is it that such a book has the power to persuade such hostility amongst it's readers? And why do such words bring such joy to other readers? Is it truly because the book is from God? Well, in all honesty *Reality, it is simply because of the belief's of those who not only read the book, but also, those around the person who chooses to read it.

And such concepts apply to any and all religions or belief systems, not just religion in general. I am not singling out the christian faith, as if I am some "Christ-Hater". I am merely using an example that should be easy enough for anyone living in present-day America to identify with. We've all been victims of "food-poisoning" so to speak, and that food comes in the form of words, and what is being fed is our inner-self, or our mind, our consciousness....

You see, it is not the words of the bible which caused that church to decide that it is "sin" to allow an interracial marriage to take place in "their" building...And it is not the words in that book which causes inexplicable joy in those who consider themselves "saved". No, it is their belief systems that they know no other origin for said beliefs other than that book. 

I am going to write a follow-up post to this, as it is rather lengthy already in my opinion, and I have much more to say about this subject.

Let me end this with requesting that you leave a comment with your thoughts upon this issue, and let's make it into sort of a discussion, not an argument please. The point of this post is to realize that the point of life is not so much to form a belief system and then to live rigidly according to that belief system, but rather, that while belief's may be essential to human development, it can also, if it is not viewed in the proper context, "stunt one's growth" so to speak. 

Leave a comment with your thoughts about that last paragraph, and come back in a day or two for my follow-up post. I apologize for the seeming "un-togetherness" (I cannot think of the word I am searching for) of this post. I have many thoughts, and none of them seem to be capable of being explained in words. 

....Oh, and ... Have a nice day. :)