How Yesterday’s Conversation Led to This Entry

Yesterday I had an interesting conversation with Frank DeMarco, as we usually do on Saturday mornings. I cannot recall how we began talking about the difference between thinking and absorbing, but the concept stayed with me and led to writing this morning.

First we talked about my blog entry titled The Project: Part One which Frank accurately perceived didn’t have much energy in it. It seemed more like an “I have to do this” entry and it was true. I had written it days ago, rewrote it many times (as I usually do) and, when I was about to post it, I deleted half of it and then clicked post. I had missed explaining why this project has taken hold of my life.

What is the essence of the project? Beginning about thirty-five years ago I realized this obsession with wanting to know how we got here, why we are here, and what happens when we die. Thus began my search which led to compulsive reading and taking notes. And, believe it or not, at least for me, I feel as if I found answers that satisfy two of the questions. Reluctantly I admit that I don’t think it’s possible to know exactly how we got here.

The Project: Part One

My original project began in 2010 and lasted through most of 2011. It spanned from reading about the formation of the earth from both the scientific and mythical perspectives, the evolution of plants, animals and the hominoid species, the levels of consciousness described by Ken Wilber and others, ancient stone structures, the pyramids, Edgar Cayce readings, Zecharia Sitchin’s books about the creation of the Sumerian culture which he believed was due to a race of extraterrestrials from the planet Nibiru…and much more.

Nothing was beyond the scope of my research. I read and read, took lots of notes, and sat by the lake conversing with herons as I tried to absorb the information. I even started writing chapters for the book.

Then, Jenny and I went to an animal shelter, rescued a Goldendoodle with lots of physical and emotional problems, and named her Sophie. Next, thinking that she needed a companion, we rescued another dog and named him Muttley. Soon I was spending more time walking and playing with dogs as my research fell into the background.

Conclusion to the Previous Entry

I ended the previous entry this way: “After reading, rereading and editing the newly-added section above, I continued thinking about another part of the answer which will have to wait for another entry.”

I felt there was a missing part which focused on the question that Jacob Needleman asked in his book, Why Can’t We Be Good? The question being, Why should we be good? Why should we do unto others as we would have them do unto us?

First Explanation of dream 2-19-2024

Recently I have been focused on the concept of the Life Force, Unconditional Love and Skillful Means. Then along came the dream of February 19 which confused me, so I’m still looking at its symbolism and meaning, but I have no idea what the broom, rushes and alligator represent.

For the first time in many years I feel on firmer ground with my view of…well…everything, although I’m not ready to write the book titled The World According to Charles. One piece of the puzzle that remains has to do with loving a Creator, but I’m always perplexed by what the Creator is. If it’s consciousness, Ain Sof, or the Wheel of Life which turns because of karma and ignorance, how is one supposed to love that? If form is emptiness and emptiness is form…or the All That It Is is everything and nothing, what is there to love?

So, in the dream the aunt, niece and nephew suddenly have faith in God when they receive a vision from Him somehow telling them everyone is safe and protected. In my mental world I see this as subject-object consciousness because an objective God is outside of them and His word reassures them that all is well.

The Road I Know by Stewart Edward White

Once again I have returned to Stewart Edward White’s book The Road I Know in which he wrote about Betty White’s experience with the Invisibles and how they introduced her to the Life Force.

The Life Force, Betty was told, “is the vital principle that is the basis of all manifestations and energies that make up the universe. It is the underlying evolutionary power, force, life that makes things, and keeps them in being, in development, and in functioning. The highest expression of this force on earth indubitably is human consciousness.”

Further, “Consciousness is the one and only reality. We sense this highest of reality, but not broken into bits as is our own experience, but all-inclusive-and all knowing. Some people name it God: some people name it something else. That does not matter.”

More from Franklin Merrell-Wolff’s Pathways through to Space: An Experiential Journal

As mentioned in my previous blog entry, I am rereading the book and adding to the many pages of quotations I typed in the first and second reading. Below is a long quotation that I have returned to many times. I have no idea if it resonates with everyone as it does for me.

Franklin Merrell-Wolff’s book Pathways through to Space

After a month or more dealing with physical pain that has now subsided, my mental clarity returned. My first thoughts focused on Franklin Merrell-Wolff’s book Pathways through to Space and his experience with what he called “High Indifference”. I have returned to this book many times and continue adding pages to my notes because each time I understand more clearly.

But, as frequently happens, or more accurately, as it always happens, one book leads to another and another. At the time of Merrell-Wolff’s Realization, he was reading Shankara’s explanation of The System of the Vedanta, so I purchased the version translated by Charles Johnston and written by Dr. Paul Deussen. In the introduction John Lilly writes that Merrell-Wolff’s books Pathways through to Space and Philosophy of Consciousness without an Object alter his “state of consciousness into highly regarded and delightful regions”. He continues and adds that Olaf Stapledon’s book The Starmaker has the same power over him. So I purchased it and the kindle version of Stapledon’s other book Last and First Men: A Story of the Near and Far Future.

I could attempt to paraphrase Merrell-Wolff’s explanation of his Recognition, but it’s better to read it directly:

Some thoughts about the personal mind or ego: Michael Singer, Krishnamurti, The Wheel of Life and Ken Wilber

Thanks to Jenny, I listened to and watched Michael Singer’s presentation titled Stepping Back from the Personal Mind. https://youtu.be/G69MajgBm0E?si=X13EtIQsv605kB9i.

The personal mind, Singer said, is essentially the cause of all the problems in the world because it’s preoccupied with “I, Me and Mine”. And with eight billion people in the world, most thinking only about themselves, it leads to a lot of conflict and greed.

The personal mind is what defines us because it is formed entirely by the experiences that have happened in our lives. Once programmed, the personal mind is always searching for what we like and avoiding what we don’t like. But, Singer adds, before any experience that has or will happen to us, we are who we really are—the mind behind the personal mind.