Four Elements

I have been thinking for a while about formulating a few basic Principles that I would consider relevant in pursuing The Art of Living. I wanted to make them as general  and as easy to relate to as possible. The final result is rather synthetic, concentrating within the Essence of my Beliefs. It contains little detail and it doesn't enounce any complex Relationships between the Human Being and the various Levels of the Universe. Such powerful Bonds within the subtle Structure of the Whole are for everyone to Find, each according to their own Skill and Measure. Some of them have been revealed but, without the Experience itself, that Knowledge is of lesser Benefit.

The Art of Living requires creativity and imagination, both unique to each individual. I believe that freedom is an important factor in the process of perfecting one's own personal Formula. In this Age, when we are so separated from the Divine and even struggle to find a paradigm that unites us all, each and every one of us must become an independent Creator, exercising his freedom and individuality .Our individuality is both an asset and a clue, thus becoming the Basis upon which we must build our Temple. Our common goal can only be Enlightenment. It is the most important Achievement of one's earthly existence, bringing with it Peace, Happiness and Balance. Enlightenment is pure Knowledge and can only be reached by using all our available Resources, in perfect Harmony. It is the goal of the theosophical art, lifting man to his highest form and helping him merge with the Divine. It is indeed, as some alchemists and mystics have often called it, the true Magnum Opus of an Initiate. Like the Great Work that is the Universe, our own Work must be Whole and Perfect, reflecting Creation itself. It is the Work that Man must undertake to separate himself from the profane World and lift himself to the upper Realms of Spiritual Existence. These Realms are many, as are the Challenges one must overcome and Barriers one must break. All these Trials require Willpower, Discipline and absolute Determination.

Before we get to it I must clarify a few notions and warn you not to take everything literally. Keep an open Mind and remember the basic Principles that I am trying to illustrate. Again, this is my personal way of describing things and I am aware that it will not resonate with everyone.

Man is a being of Earth, Water, Air, Fire and Ether. Man has at his disposal four crucial Entities, all of which he inherits by birth and all of which he will possess until the day he dies. These Entities must be understood and must be treated with equal Care and Respect, if one is to advance on the Path of true Enlightenment. They are the Corpus, Animus, Mens and Spiritus. Many people confuse the Soul with the Spirit, because both are perceived as the unseen Entity that survives the Body after Death. The Soul and Spirit are nevertheless two different Aspects of the Whole. The Spirit is the Divine Flame that inhabits our Body while the Soul is the Shape of our emotions. The Spirit is subtle and hard to connect with (in a normal state of consciousness), while the Soul is "tangible" because it is felt and expressed more easily. The Spirit is independent and will separate from the Body while the Soul is intertwined with the Mind and Body, making itself felt trough emotions. When you get a "gut feeling" or you sense a pressure in your chest, that is the Soul manifesting itself. The Body represents the sum of all your physical parts, as determined by the five senses, as well as your Ethereal Body. The Ethereal Body is used by the Spirit as a Vessel. The Mind is the sum of all your acquired knowledge, connected by the complex sets of relationships that determine your cognitive processes. It gives rise to your unique individual consciousness, allowing you to experience and interpret Reality. The Mind must be aware of the other Entities and must learn to Communicate with them.

        Each of these Entities is traditionally associated with one of the four basic alchemical Elements, as follows: Body is Earth, Soul is Water, Mind is Air and Spirit is Fire. Additionally, our beings also interact with Ether, which is the subtle Substance of the Ethereal Body. Ether can also be viewed as a Resource, Neutral and Divine in nature, which we acquire while we Rest and subsequently use for various Processes. In our daily Activities, we consume this Divine Life Force, causing imbalance, illness and eventually death. No one can escape this Process, but Understanding it and avoiding wasteful Behavior can greatly improve our Lives and aid in our quest for Enlightenment. Based on the four Entities described above, I will formulate my four Principles.

 

1.Treat your Body like you would treat the most Enduring and Reputable Home.
 

-Like Earth, the Home's Strength, Durability and Purity are dependent on the Minerals it contains. It is the Basic Element of your Whole and it must endure the effects of all the other Elements. It is also the Hardest and least Flexible of all Elements. Earth represents Work, Toughness, Shape and the Material Life.
 

-The Structure of the Home is represented by the Materials that you use to Build, Sustain and Repair it with. These Materials must be Pure and True to nature, therefore reflecting the Essence of the Home. If they are not adequate, the Home will be of lesser Quality and will deteriorate quickly. Do not attempt to Store too much, as this will reduce the Comfort of your Family. Also, do not attempt to Build too much or too fast, as large Buildings are harder to Sustain and Fast Built Walls are Constructed poorly. It is always better to have less than you think you need, than to have more than you need. Your Family will learn Modesty and Appreciation.
 

-The Life of the Home is the Family that Resides within. Think of it as your vitality. You must Educate this Family and Teach it Discipline. Only then will it reach its full Potential. Your Family must learn the value of the Materials you Build your Home with. The Family must be Happy, balanced and well adapted to the outside World, forever Communicating with the Neighbors and Knowing its Surroundings. Your Family must be part of the Community and must embrace unity in diversity.
 

-Do not abuse your Home with unnecessary or self indulgent activities. Such activities will weaken and corrupt your Family, making it lose sight of the necessary Activities. It will become unfit to Clean and Repair your Home, therefore failing to Nurture and Support you.
 

-Your Home must be a Honorable one. Maintaining its good Reputation is of the utmost importance. Do not Build your Home on the Suffering of Others, no matter how small or weak. If you Take from other Homes for the sake of luxury you will damage your Reputation and your Home will be unwelcomed in the Community.

 

2. Your Soul is like a Beautiful Wild Stallion that you must learn to Tame.
 

-Like Water, the Stallion Flows endlessly, following the Path of Least Resistance and seeking Balance. Just like Water, the Stallion shapes the Earth it gallops across. Soft Earth is destroyed immediately and carried Downstream, while Hard Earth is carved slowly, forever baring the marks of the Water. However, Earth needs Water in order to sustain the Seeds of Life. Water also represents Faith.
 

-This Stallion is often unpredictable and full of Impulses. It will desire to do many things at once or nothing at all. The Rider is your higher consciousness, able to communicate with the Stallion, which is the embodiment of all your emotions, Flowing endlessly trough you. The Rider must learn to approach the Beast and focus it on the Task at hand. He must be forever Agile, Calm and Confident. He must however pay close attention to the Stallion, making sure that it gets enough Rest, Nourishment and Friendship. The Rider must not attempt to Enslave his Companion and must be Wise to its Needs. The Stallion will reward him with its Strength, Courage and Devotion. These Attributes are essential in the Journey.
 

-The Stallion has limited Energy. If left Unsupervised, it will gradually consume itself, becoming chaotic and easily distracted. Without the Guidance of the Rider, It can often engage in self destructive Behavior. The Rider must never lose the Attention of his Companion, if he wishes to advance on the chosen Path. If the Rider becomes Weak, the Stallion will take over and lead both of them into Anarchy. The Two are inseparable. They must learn to Communicate and Understand each other perfectly.

 

3. Your Mind is like your Car's Radio, receiving Broadcasts as you Drive through a Hurricane.
 

-Like Air, the Radio is connected to the Environment, receiving Information as Vibration and Processing it into Effects. Also like Air, the Radio is affected by Storm Clouds, baring the unresolved Energy of Water. Air that is saturated with Water becomes Burdened until a Storm sets it free. Air represents Experience and Intelligence.
 

-The Radio can be tuned to receive countess Stations, all offering Information, Directions or Solutions. The Radio is your Mind, the Stations are your thoughts and the Hurricane is the endless barrage of experiences that you are subjected to every day. You must attempt to Tune your Radio to the adequate Stations in order to successfully Navigate through the Hurricane. When choosing your Stations you must consider the current Environment while continuously filtering out unnecessary or conflicting information. Never listen to Stations that broadcast trivial or unrelated Programs. Doing so will cause you to become Lost, Trapped or Injured. Never ignore Stations that seem potentially helpful but learn to prioritize and Listen to them according to Urgency.
 

-If the Driver Listens to Stations that attempt to predict the future he makes room for Fear and if he bothers himself with Stations that dwell on past occurrences he limits his freedom. Both those actions diminish him and make him weaker in the present, where he forever lives. The Driver must concern himself with the present and, never forgetting his Destination, he must deal with the Road as it is laid out in front of him.
 

-The Driver must occasionally stop the Vehicle in a Safe Spot to Rest and Refuel. On such occasions the Driver must close the Radio, thus Silencing all Stations. This will Energize the Driver, improving his Hearing as well as all subsequent Reception. As soon as the time for Resting is done, the Driver must start interacting with the Radio once again, balancing the Outside with the Inside. This is the right way to Travel, keeping true to the Middle Path.

 

4. Your Spirit is your Divine Essence, granting you the Experience of Life.
 

-Like Fire, the Spirit burns with Divine Energy in the form of Light, animating Earth, Water and Air. Without this Energy, Earth would not bare Seed, Water would not Flow and Air would not Circulate. The World would be cold and barren. Fire represents Force, Motion and Initiation.
 

-The Spirit Whispers in the Ears of The Master of the Home, The Rider of the Stallion and The Operator of the Radio. It grants them Light and Life, but also Knowledge. Your own Spirit is not the only one that desires Attention. The Whispers are many, soft and subtle, but only Trained Ears can Hear them. Your must close your eyes and learn to Listen. After you Listen long enough, you will learn to See with new Eyes. -As you gain the True Sight, you will learn to Walk Outside of your House, to Dismount your Stallion and to Know without the aid of the Radio.
 

 

 

    The Mysteries of Time, Space, Vibration and Energy will unfold, casting your Understanding far beyond the abstract, rational and mechanistic view that conventional science has to offer. Such a limited view will never find Hope in Existence and Intent in the Cosmic Void. It does not accept the Unthinkable and does not understand the Limits of the Human Mind. It can never know Love or Light, because it seeks them in the wrong Place. Love and Fear are considered by most scientists to be just a sequence of synapses. However, Love emits a high frequency Vibration and Fear emits a low frequency Vibration.  It has been discovered that about a third of the 64 codons  in the human DNA are used for synthesizing proteins. The other two thirds seem to compose a highly sophisticated electromagnetic receiver/transmitter. A single cell in the human body contains about two meters of DNA strands, if you were to stretch them out. The human body contains trillions of cells. We therefore have millions of kilometers of DNA strands in our body. Modern science hasn't even come close to creating an artificial antenna as sophisticated and enormous as the one contained in each and every one of our Bodies. In its Blind arrogance, it seems to have forgotten that the most complex thing in the known physical Universe is still the human Body. The human heart emits an electromagnetic field so strong that it can be detected by our simple instruments from meters away. If Love and Hate emit electromagnetic pulses and our DNA is the ultimate antenna, what does that say about our emotions and the way they interact with our Bodies and the people around us? Think about it.  
 

    When the Initiate Finds Light, he smiles and Sees everyone around him as they truly are. He will not separate them by their Appearance but by their Age. He will See that old men are often Young, young men are often Old and educated men are often both Young and Blind. This Blindness comes from an imbalance of the Elements. Only after you See and Embrace all the Elements, can you Detach from them and Continue Upwards. Only after you Find the True Connections between the Human Being and the Universe can you experience the Fulfillment and Joy of Enlightenment.

I AM

 

I have the Dark Lord Saturn and his somber ally Pluto fighting the radiant Lion of Seven Hearts within my soul. Wise Mercury sits calmly as the Buddha, blocking the Moon as it shines the silver Light of Yahweh and his warrior Archangel Michael, who wields his terrible sword of flames within my eyes. I am the Darkness, the Snake and the Light, forever dancing in mysterious Trinity, thriving in the face of chaos and cursing order alike.  I am the middle, contemplating beginning and end, up and down, good and evil, cold and warmth. I am Man, I am World and I am Universe. I am all things and nothing at all, as my nature lies hidden in the hearts of all Men and above my Essence is the Word itself. Word comes from a Throne of Light and gives rise to all Strengths and Principles.  He is ever so mighty and pure that my ears won't hear Him spoken and my eyes dare not see Him written. Pious Purity flies around this ultimate Truth, separating Him from my unworthy presence. The Seraphim are both strong and humble, chanting as They dance in endless joy before the Throne. From this Perfection descends all spirit, both high and low, both seen and unseen. Time comes and goes, rises and falls as all things are constructed from this Crown of Will that precedes all Wisdom, Strength and Beauty.

 I am one but I am all and my Strength comes from breathing, feeling and knowing, all in Unity and all at once. I am my own Nemesis and my own Salvation, because good and evil spring from the divine Neutrality gifted to me each day. I am a black Warden holding an executioner's sword of steel and I am an Archangel swinging a blade of furious flame, fighting myself with subtle conclusion. I have fallen from my Essence of no color, taste, smell, sound and texture, to know great passion and sin. I have felt my Essence being drained and stolen by emotion, taught, food and lust. But I also found freedom both inside and out. I have found Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic. Further, I have found the Number, the Shape, the Sound and the Lights of Heaven. I have found freedom in expression and glory in mortality. Such wonderful illusions are all these things that are invented by mortal Mind! Such freedom and joy they all bring!

I have sent my Ether away from its first Cavity, ever lower, harder and darker to the abyss of Man, only to lift it once again with renewed purity, on the Ladder of Seven Steps, spiraling towards the Stars. Now, as Two become One, my eyes become dark and my Darkness fills with Light. What my eyes could never see, my soul now feels and my spirit welcomes as glorious Perfection. I see wise alchemists, pious saints, golden pharaohs and beloved heroes blessing my vision and calling me home. I am everything that ever was, is and will ever be…The countless Stars behold my spirit, the Sun keeps my soul and the Body is my home. Blessed are all the moments of such an existence and blessed are all those who in Earth, Water, Air and Fire dwell, keeping Truth and Balance. What is Man if not a Mirror into which the Heavens stare?

JADE

    I think a comparison can be made between the purest piece of jade and an enlightened being. Many ancient cultures valued jade and in some cases, it was more important than gold. I believe the ancients understood the essence of the human soul and made jade into a symbol, representing their highest aspirations of purity, beauty and strength.

    I said before that I consider courage to be a sort of "prima materia" of a fully expressed human being. It is the quintessential tool for expressing our true self. Without it we are unable to overcome fear and therefore we become weak and unbalanced. Now I want to go a bit further and explain what I believe makes us who we are. An enlightened human being is strong. With true knowledge comes diligence and colossal strength. This strength comes from our courage and conviction. It comes from understanding ourselves and knowing the true power of choice. After all, it is choice that makes us who we are. All of us make hundreds of choices every day but few of us understand what that represents. Too few people make true choices, based on true understanding and conviction. That is why I would like to divide choices into two categories: weak choices and strong choices. Weaker persons make mostly weak choices while stronger people make some strong choices. Wise people make only strong choices because they fully understand the meaning and impact of their decisions.

    So what makes a human being weak? Is it the environment or perhaps a genetic trait? Is it because he or she is truly helpless? NO. That is a great pile of HORSE SHIT. Individuals are weak by choice. Indeed, weakness itself is just another basic choice. Weak people are usually ignorant, which makes them fearful. As many of you know, in an age of free flowing information, ignorance is a choice for most of us. When you are ignorant of your body, mind or spirit you are weak. You don't make any strong choices and you are easy to manipulate. You bend to the slightest wind, following directions at every turn and you break at the first storm. As the saying goes: "If you stand for nothing, you will fall for anything". Only a small percentage of people are capable of making strong choices while the others fall prey to situations and environments they don't fully understand. This may be a direct or indirect phenomenon. I believe that making weak choices is a natural part of our development, granting us valuable experience and determining how fast we achieve our true potential.

    So, what should a strong, enlightened observer do? Should he intervene promptly and inform the less knowledgeable individual of his weak choices? Is it his duty to step up and correct the behavior of others even against their will, if need be? Absolutely not. This is the most common mistake that well intentioned but inexperienced individuals make. It is also a common mistake that parents make. It is caused by frustration, which has its roots in fear. This is important to understand. Just like children, all human beings grow and expand their consciousness, following a number of crucial steps. These steps cannot be skipped, as each and every one of them is essential in the development of the enlightened being. Some people are naturally able to stride across these stages of development while others may never be able to fully rise. It is the duty of the strong to guide the weak and offer support while climbing, not to push them forcefully.

    The strong willed and wise have the moral authority to offer guidance. This authority is not self proclaimed and is granted by those they would lead. It becomes their duty to inspire others with their conduct, showing impeccable consistence and everlasting fidelity to their principles. They are like unshakable pillars, attracting respect and the hunger for knowledge. They must assume this responsibility willingly and happily, forever bound to continue their work for the benefit of all mankind. They must work in the spiritual realm, ever silent and humble, spreading waves of compassion to those around them.

    How do we become strong? How do we get to the point where we say: "I wish to know more and transcend my physical boundaries?" There are no magic formulas or universal answers. I guess that everyone must arrive at that essential point on their own terms and in their own time. Once they do, they will need guidance and seek the masters on their own. They will need no pushing because then, standing on that threshold, they made their most important strong choice. From there on, there is no turning back. Fear will slowly disappear and with it the illusion of anger, hate and envy will also be undone. After a while they will learn to read the signs around them, using both intuition and reason. They will learn what fidelity, courage and virtue mean and they will become like the strongest oak, reaching high into the skies but also equally far into the ground.

    What is the essence of that knowledge? What is the grand revelation. It is so simple and elegant that any one of us will smile and agree, but few will truly understand. To truly understand, you must set your roots deep in the unseen world and become like the oak. You must feel with your soul before you think with your mind and learn to see all things in a new light. You must brush away the hologram of time and space to see what lies beyond. You will see that matter does not determine us but, beautifully enough, we determine matter. Intent came before there was even an atom in the universe. You will see it inside you and inside all the things around you, no matter how small or large. At that moment, you will know God.

    Pause for a while and ask yourself these questions: Where do I belong? Why do we humans create these structures that promote gross inequality and competition instead of cooperation and equity? Is it because some of us are superior and better suited for decision making? Do any of us have the right to dictate to another human being what they should do with their life? Do we need to manipulate and deceive each other in order to gain meaningless so called"advantages". Is privilege a commodity to be traded and regulated, like silver and gold? Imagine a world where none of those things occupied our minds and wasted our time. Is this world even possible? The answer is YES. It is possible.

    Before we can achieve that, we must first know ourselves and love ourselves truly. Only then can we understand and love other human beings. Only by recognizing our divine nature and the limitless potential that resides in each and every one of us can we open our eyes and see the world and everyone in it as a whole. All life is connected and all living things are sacred. This is a fundamental truth that mankind seems to have forgotten over the past millennia. Never in our history have we been more disconnected from our world and from our own spiri-tuality. We have fallen so deep into the abyss of materialism that it has become hard to imagine that we were ever anything else. We are so much more than flesh and blood. Our bodies are just the vessels that carry our consciousness in this physical world. This is something the ancients seemed to understand. I will argue with anyone who tells me that mankind has evolved over the past five thousand years. We have done little to further our collective perception of balance, freedom and happiness. This fact is reflected in the current state of the world. Right now, our consciousness is limited and our perception of the world is impaired. Just like the veils of Isis that hid the divine essence of the goddess, so we have countless veils before our eyes, separating us from the truth. We must become strong enough to lift those veils, courageous enough to challenge our perception of reality and wise enough to understand what lies beyond. It is a journey that we can take separately as individuals or collectively as a society. In the end, when the truth is finally before us and all material burdens are unloaded, there will be only love. Indeed, love is the only force that consciousness needs to achieve creation. Because we are all acts of creation, we are also all products of love.

    Fear is the biggest veil that blinds you from this truth. It is the root of all negative emotions you perceive and unless you learn to control it and eliminate it from all aspects of your life, you will never be truly enlightened. Fear is in your self image, fear is in your hate of others and your false sense of superiority. Fear is in disgust, anger and envy. As long as you are afraid, you will never be free. Those who would lead you and who attempt to manipulate and control you know this all too well. Fear is the single greatest instrument of manipulation in history.

    Understand fear, love and the relationship between them and you will hold the key to your higher self. Understand that light and shadow are both parts of the world and you will achieve true balance. Understand that no shadow may exist without light and that light comes from within you, if you so choose. That is the ultimate strong choice you can make. Expand your consciousness and tap in to the energy of creation that binds us all. Then, as you learn to see behind the thin curtains of reality, you will begin to change the world.

    As for me, I'm setting my roots deep, like the oak. I will be myself, smiling in the face of every storm. If ever you are in need of shelter, come and sit beside me and you will never feel alone. I will put a piece of jade into your palm and tell you: "Be as strong as steel and as beautiful as an emerald."

 

The bull, the man, the eagle and the lion

I stood there speechless and I watched them fight.  I had never seen such an apparently uneven match-up and I was both terrified and intrigued. There was nothing I could do to intervene so I accepted the role of the spectator.  To my left stood a man dressed in rags. He was dirty and his hands were all battered, probably by long years of hard work. His hair was long and entangled. In his left hand he held an old rusty machete that seemed blunt and well past its usefulness. He seemed to place no value on his physical appearance or on how others perceived him. Perhaps he did not have the luxury of fine clothes or quality gear but that did not excuse his general appearance, I taught. There was however a strange glow in his eyes and his entire being seemed to burn with the rage of a thousand suns. 

His opponent was the complete opposite. He was well groomed and he wore a complicated black armor the likes of which I had never seen before. His face and arms were covered in battle scars and tattoos the meaning of which I did not know. In his right hand he held a long curved sword. It was a soldier's weapon and although it had seen its share of combat it was well maintained. He was as cold and still as a mountain of ice. There was no expression on his face and his eyes were dark and empty. It was as if he was not actually there and his very soul was stripped away by the unrelenting carnage his eyes had witnessed and the pain and death his hands had surely delivered. Only an eternity of darkness could have forged a man into this pure embodiment of terror.  As I looked upon him a sinister and cold fear overwhelmed me, as if I had seen the devil himself.

The fight seemed pointless. The ragged man stood no chance but his courage in the face of certain death was strangely inspiring. I found myself hoping for a miracle. It's funny how hope, no matter how dim, makes some things worthwhile. As disturbing as it may seem, If there was even a infinitely small chance that he would walk away from this fight, then that made witnessing his struggle a worthwhile experience. At least, that is how I justified my presence there. 

The fight started quickly and unexpectedly. The ragged man launched himself at the dark warrior swinging his machete. Barely moving from his spot, the solider blocked the attack and countered with lightning fast punch to the chest. The ragged man fell to his knees gasping for air.  Strangely, the solider did nothing. He just stood there looking at his opponent, fully realizing he could end this if he so pleased. It was his choice not to. Perhaps he somehow felt that this is not how the fight should end. I did not know if he was torturing that poor soul or if he was granting him the chance to die on his feet, instead of on his knees. This is where it all became very interesting. Was there honor and decency behind that empty cold gaze after all, or was this just a cruel form of amusement for the dark warrior?  It was impossible to tell, as he revealed nothing. Perhaps it was just habit or a discipline of steel that drove him to give his opponent a warrior's death. But why? Why bother with the ragged man, who seemed so utterly insignificant? Why offer him a fighting chance when undoubtedly, others did not receive such consideration? Could that dark gaze pierce into the souls of the opponents and judge each one, passing verdict and sentence as some sort of sinister judge? All these questions rose in my mind while the ragged man lay on his knees.

There were only a few moments of stillness and silence. He got up slowly and tightened his grip on the rusty weapon.  He was surprised that he was still alive and was no doubt wondering, as I did, why his opponent had spared him. He then understood that he had a long and agonizing fight ahead of him, and that he would not be killed before he gave all that he had. It was his final burden and he seemed ready to carry it with dignity. He would keep himself until the bitter end. The fight continued and the ragged man kept attacking and failing to strike his target. Each time he fell he was allowed to rise to his feet and each time he seemed to become faster and stronger. It was as if all his attempts and failures had made him tougher and more determined instead of weak and desperate. I had never seen such a thing. Instead of slowly extinguishing, the fire within became ever stronger, until I could see a raging inferno behind his eyes. I could tell that the dark warrior was pleased, even though he remained silent. The events seemed to be going according to his plans, and he showed no signs of distress or fear.  I found myself wondering what the outcome of this sinister spectacle would be.

As the fight progressed, both combatants became wounded. The dark warrior was less affected, as his far superior skills served him well.  Then, something unexpected happened. He kicked the ragged man to the ground and, in the seconds of pause, he removed his chest armor. As his opponent rose, the dark warrior threw his sword to the ground. "Pick it up" he said, in a commanding voice that echoed in my head like a dark incantation. Puzzled, the ragged man slowly moved towards the weapon and picked it up with his right hand.  I did not understand what was happening, because now the warrior was unarmed and lacking his armor. Was this what he intended all along? Did he choose this fight to be his final one or was he so arrogant that even so, he believed he held the advantage? 

The fight continued, and the ragged man attacked ferociously using both weapons. Even so, he did not manage to fatally wound the dark warrior, whose agility allowed him to evade almost all the blows and counter with punches and kicks. After a while, the ragged man became exhausted from swinging those heavy weapons in such a chaotic manor. He stopped attacking for a few moments to catch his breath and think. He was hurt and his strength was failing him. Only now did I understand that this was a battle of the fire more than it was one of steel and blood. It was his very soul that the dark warrior was after. He felt humiliation, fear and desperation slowly creeping their way into his mind, clouding his judgment. He did not understand why that happened and he looked with disgust at the weapons in his hands. He saw all the wounds and the blood and realized he was fighting a mortal man and knew that no man is invincible. Looking at the many scars that covered the warrior's limbs and face he understood that wounds alone would not win the fight. The dark warrior just stood there as silent and still as he was in the beginning. The pain didn't seem to bother him and blood was surely an all too familiar sight to his eyes.

The fight was now in its final stage. The ragged man dropped the heavy and ineffective machete and took a deep breath. His eyes were losing their glow and his pace was slow and unsure. He started swinging and shouting, taking longer and longer each time to recover and strike again. He finally stopped and fell to his knees, gasping for air.  He had finally succumbed to his own weakness. The warrior looked at him for a while, waiting for him to get up. He didn't get up, and it was clear that the fight was over. The victor picked up the machete with his left hand and slowly moved behind the kneeling man. I expected the final strike to follow shortly, but it never did.  The warrior smiled and spoke with a changed voice: "It was hope that betrayed you. You see, in the end it was not your body, soul or spirit that succumbed. It was your mind". After these words, he turned away and left, taking only the old machete as his prize and leaving his sword and armor behind. The ragged man remained there on his knees, with the words of the mysterious warrior echoing in his head.

I do not know what became of the ragged man or the warrior. However, I later heard of a strange person living in the wild and roaming the countryside, looking for something. No one knows who he is or where his purpose lies, but every time I hear tales of him I think of the fight I witnessed that day.

The value of time (a lucid dream)

        I had a lucid dream. It was about an architect who had a good life, a bright mind and a heart that could conquer the entire world with its passion. Being a creative person, he enjoyed many things like painting, writing and even building things with his hands. He was happiest when working on one of his projects and as soon as he finished it or at least solved the major problems, he moved on to the next one, and then to the next one. You see, he got bored easily and as soon as an activity was no longer a challenge, he saw no reason to keep at it and moved on.

        He worked on allot of interesting projects and soon he put together a business of his own. At first it was difficult but after a while things started to fall into place and he got more and more commissions. He was an excellent professional and a charismatic leader who treated each of his clients with respect and put a lot of effort into his designs. His work did not go unnoticed and as time passed he became a known and appreciated architect. His business grew steadily as he gained notoriety and the acknowledgement of his peers. By now he was happily married and was starting a family. His wife was a wonderful and supporting person and his new born son was a joy to behold. He spent every minute he could with his family and every other minute working on his projects, which were…more and more ambitious. He had a couple of nice cars, a great house and the perfect family. One might say….he had it all. After all, what more can a man ask for in life.

        As the years passed, you could find his projects presented in many magazines and on the internet. He even published books and articles about his work.  He was now a famous architect and clients from all over the world rushed to him with wonderful commissions. He now had the luxury of choosing his clients and complete control over the design process. The business expanded even more and he now had a lot of people working for him and a lot of responsibilities. In all this chaos he somehow still found time to spend with his family and got to watch his son grow up and become a great person. He was now growing old and tired from all the long years and 12 hour work days but still had the strength to lead his business and go hiking with his son and his new fiancé.  Soon he became a grandfather and he again felt the joy of holding a newborn in his arms.  Staring into his grandson's eyes he saw all the endless potential that a single life could offer. He had great hopes and dreams for his grandson but, being a wise man, he knew better than to burden others with his expectations. He instead hoped that the child would have a remarkable life, as he did.

        One day, while he was hiking with his son and grandson he came across an amazing sight, at the top of mountain peak.  It was late in the day and the setting sun lit the sky and all the clouds in to a magnificent show of color. The beautiful play of shadow and light painted an almost surreal landscape. It was the most amazing thing he had ever seen… and he had seen and made many wonderful things.

        As he stood there alongside his son and grandson, contemplating the beauty, he finally understood what his life was all about… It was all about those wonderful moments that took his breath away.  As he made his way down the mountain path, he could not help but ask himself why there were so few of these moments in his life and why did so many years have to pass before he understood the things that he now understood. 

        He enjoyed most of his work and he got to actually make a difference in to many people's lives, over the years. That was more than most people accomplish in their lifetime.  However, things seemed to become more complicated with the passing of time and the innocence and burning passion he had in his eyes when his journey was starting, had faded. Suddenly none of his past seemed to matter and all but a few moments, like the one he just had, were vivid and fresh in his mind. It was those moments that gave him meaning but it was not enough.  He felt that there was so much more to do and to experience and each idle moment  became like a great weight bearing down on him, suffocating him and filling him with a sense of urgency. Time was now more precious than ever so he decided that, no matter how much he had left, he would spend it doing all the things he wanted to do but somehow ended up convincing himself to neglect. He did not understand anymore: Why in the world did he do that?  Why did he not do all those things? 

        Suddenly he remembered about the novel he started to write in those early years, when it seemed that nothing was impossible and settling for anything less than changing the world seemed like madness. He now wondered where and when he had lost that feeling. It was a mystery but it did not matter anymore because the feeling was now back and all was not lost. He was going to finish the novel and fulfill what was perhaps his true destiny.  His spirit was invigorated and bathed into renewed light as he rushed down the mountain path with the energy of a young man. The impossible seemed possible again.

        As he skipped from one rock to the next, fate dealt him his final hand. He tripped and hit his head on a large boulder then tumbled downhill injuring himself fatally. When he finally stopped he knew he was not to rise ever again. As his son and grandson desperately rushed towards him, his mind became haunted by flashbacks and all the major decisions he had ever made in his life were now returned to him in vivid colors. He remembered passages from his unfinished book and reviewed all the words that he had written and that no one else had ever read.  They were inspiring words of hope, courage and compassion that resonated with his whole being and even now brought tears to his eyes. They were words that embodied a young man's dream of a better world. That young man had the courage to act as his heart dictated, defying the status quo and the aged rules of society. Was he all that different back then? Could his rusty courage not have shined once more? Time, that was it…..back then he had time…

        "Why is grandpa crying?" the grandson asked.  "Grandpa is happy" his father replied, "He is going to fly with the angels, now" 

As the dying man took his last breath, he wished he could tell his son and grandson that he loved them… just one more time. It was time he did not have.

CINE SUNTEM?

Aseara am fost si eu in Piata Universitatii.  Eram curios sa aflu care este atmosfera si doream sa citesc cateva pancarte mai interesante. Nu am sa va descriu cum este sa inhalezi gaze lacrimogene in Piata Universitatii sau sa fii imbrancit pe trotuar de un jandarm mitocan, platit din banii tai. Acestea sunt lucruiri pe care le puteti  intelege cu adevarat numai daca le simtiti pe pielea voastra si nu va doresc….. In primul rand, trebuie sa marturisesc ca am fost surprins de "diversitatea sociala" de acolo.  Am intalnit atat batrani cat si huligani, betivi, studenti sau intelectuali. Am fost surprins si de categoria de varsta dominanta. Majoritatea oamenilor prezenti la ora 22:00 erau cu varstele cuprinse intre 20 si 30 ani. Acest lucru este semnificativ. Vorbim despre studenti si tineri profesionisti, deci oameni care reprezinta viitorul acestei tari. Vorbrim despre oameni inteligenti si motivati, dezamagiti dar si curajosi, furiosi dar si plini de bun simt. Nu m-am simtit ca un extraterestru mergand printre ei si  pot sa spun ca ma identific cu furia lor si cu lupta pe care sunt hotarati sa o poarte. Pot sa spun ca avem nevoie de oameni ca ei, care au curajul si vointa necesara pentru a se ridica de pe banca sau canapea si a veni acolo sa se faca vazuti si ascultati.

            Va recomand tuturor celor care nu ati facut inca acest pas, considerand ca nu este necesar sau important sa va puneti urmatoarea intrebare: "Cine sunt eu?". Daca raspunsul la aceasta intrebare este un om cu demnitate, un roman care doreste sa poata afla pacea si fericirea in propria tara sau un profesionist care munceste de dimineata pana seara, tinand in carca acest sistem corupt si ineficient, atunci nu ar mai trebui sa stati pe ganduri.  Locul vostru este acolo, printre acei oameni care sunt in mare parte ca voi,…nu mai prosti sau mai ghinionisti. Trebuie sa fim toti dispusi, de acum inainte, sa ne facem partea, nu sa ne uitam ca simpli spectatori in timp ce altii se lupta pentru drepturile noastre.

Suntem martorii unui fenomen unic in istoria postcomunista din Romania.  Poporul  se trezeste din letargia generala iar constiinta se ridica la un alt nivel! Acest fenomen este ireversibil si marcheaza un punct important in evolutia societatii. In sfarsit, putem striga "Pana aici!" si in sfarsit avem oportunitatea sa curatam structurile statului de acesti "politicieni" compromisi moral, care ne paraziteaza de 22 de ani. Nu mai vrea nimeni sa auda aceleasi promisiuni reciclate si regurgitate de aceiasi indivizi, indiferent de partid sau functie. Marturisesc ca simt o scarba profunda fata de acest mare "club al trisorilor", in care intrarea se face be baza de dosar penal.

L-am auzit pe domnul presedinte PNL Crin Antonescu cum urla cat il tin plamanii, plin de patos si tupeu, ca daca vrem sa traim mai bine in Romania , avem nevoie unii de altii. Prin "unii de altii" se refera la ei , politicienii si noi, poporul. As vrea sa-l informez pe domnul Crin Antonescu ca se inseala. Cuvintele lui nu au nici o valoare. NU avem nevoie de Crin Antonescu in mod special si NU avem nevoie de Victor Ponta in mod special asa cum nu avem nevoie nici de Traian Basescu sau Emil Boc. Daca actuala clasa politica isi imagineaza ca nu va urma decat o simpla si obisnuita schimbare de putere, asa cum se tot intampla de doua decenii, se inseala. Domnii politicieni, indiferent de culoare si nume, vor avea de muncit, de tras cu dintii si de depus eforturi colosale daca vor dori sa castige respectul romanilor. Respectul, …..domnilor politicieni, despre el vorbim. Se pare ca respectul si responsabilitatea  sunt doua cuvinte care nu prea rezoneaza cu dumneavoastra si le aruncati precum niste batiste murdare prin toate discursurile, fara sa le intelegeti cu adevarat.  Nici macar 10% dintre dumneavoastra nu au autoritatea morala, pregatirea profesionala si performantele necesare pentru a primi responsabilitatea de a conduce aceasta tara. Daca va fi nevoie sa rasturnam inca 10 guverne ca sa pricepeti aceasta idee, asta o sa facem. Vrem lideri care cred in performanta, motivati de rezultate  si animati de virtutea morala, nu o mana de actori mitocani.

            Eu va propun tuturor sa facem o promisiune: De acum inainte, toleranta noastra fata de incompetenta si coruptia din structurile statului va fi ZERO. Trebuie sa starpim pentru totdeauna acest flagel, in acelasi fel in care administram un antibiotic: sistematic si pana la capatul tratamentului. Daca vrem sa vindecam aceasta tara de boala coruptiei, trebuie sa mergem pana la capat.  Nu exista nici o alta cale. Numai asa vom vedea rezultate si numai asa vom fi multumiti. Daca vrem sa schimbam mentalitatile, acum trebuie sa incepem. Tineti minte: Umorul si comportamentul pasnic inving frica si violenta. Sper sa intelegeti acest mesaj si sa nu va lasati descurajati de sacrificiile pe care justa conduita le implica.

The unhappy westerners –a society of spectators

So why are people unhappy and stressed in the western world? I'm not saying that people in the third world or the middle east aren't unhappy,….just that usually, people in those places are unhappy because they struggle with hunger, disease and the elements. Their suffering is a simpler one. I'm not saying that it doesn't hurt as bad. The problems poor people have can be solved with physical means. They are simple problems with an uncomplicated solution. I think people living in societies with low economic mean suffer more physically and people in the western world suffer spiritually.  Some of the greatest philosophers, poets, writers and artists of European origin have struggled their whole life to give meaning to life, and in the end….came up short of a real answer. Some even concluded that life has no real meaning, and that it is all in vain.  They even believed that human beings are meant to suffer, bound by their condition. The people that come up with this answer are usually those of greater intelligence and education. Intelligence and education put together….this is important.  So why is that? Why is the suicide rate in the occident astronomically high in comparison with that in the orient or Africa? Why do more rich and educated people come to believe that life is pointless?? Why do more people living in complex societies find no reason to live? Is it because they've seen it all and done it all and ran out of any real challenges? Is it because they ran out of things to do and to experience? Is it because they live a superficial life based on activities rather than actions and are mindlessly driven by material fulfillment? I think all of these can be true. It is the loss of meaning rather than purpose that drives people insane. This is a very important affirmation. It is in this matter that western and eastern thinking become fundamentally different. Western society needs to always give life purpose , and to continuously drive the individual towards achieving new goals and to fulfill new desires. This hides the fact that this society has no real answer when it comes to the meaning of life.  A great number of individuals, of lesser or normal intelligence, fall victim to this goal-driven type of existence. This keeps them busy and gives them a reason to live, while utterly ignoring any profound spiritual meaning that life can offer. However, this only works up to a point, and only with superficial, ego-driven or less-intelligent people. This is where stress, anger and suffering come into play. Unable to fulfill their next superficial desire, or lacking any new objectives in life people become essentially empty. It is at this point that they begin to struggle and try to find a meaning to it all. When no answer is provided or they are unable to understand the answer, people either become insane or spectators. This is very interesting. Those deprived of love and social contact, which are intelligent enough, lose their mental integrity. They essentially become disconnected from reality because they cannot face it. I call this the intellectual way of becoming insane. Many great thinkers and artist suffered from this at one point. This mental condition is caused by a profound spiritual crisis. However, it is avoidable and even reversible.  It is a sort of a fake degenerative disease of the mind. Those lucky few who can see beyond their memory, education and knowledge become enlightened. I will talk about this a bit later. The intellectual madman is the minority case of the two presented above. The vast majority of western sufferers are the so called spectators. At least, I call them that. They are the people who lost any REAL purpose in life and who can find any profound meaning but don't even try. To them, life is uneventful and pointless. They are too scared to live their life as they dream, and therefore are spectators. They let other people live their life and accomplish their dreams for them, while they just watch. They watch in movies, they watch on tv, they read in books and whiteness on the internet. They are the ultimate spectators.  But few things really impress them anymore, and they have few things they feel strongly about. Because life is pointless there is no need to fight for anything or stand up for what they believe in. They just watch, while governments and companies dictate the rules and act on their behalf. They are essentially watching a big movie, waiting for it all to end. War? What do they care? It doesn't hurt them, right? Loss of civil rights? What do they care….they don't even exercise most of their rights or even know them….World chaos or crisis? Ehh….perhaps it's better that way, they don't like the world that much anyway. This is what happens when there is no spirituality and all meaning is lost. Emptied of all passion for life and unsatisfied by what is offered to them, people just give up on happiness. This is what I call the spectator syndrome. I believe that most of us so called westerners are at some stage of becoming a madman or a spectator. All because one little notion – MEANING.  Religion is but a partial answer to this problem, as it offers a doctrine and does not satisfy the natural intelligence of the human being. It's just another set of rules. Many shamans and mystics believe that religion is the worst thing that mankind has done to God. They have turned the almighty presence of nature ant the universe itself into  narrow minded, dogmatic thinking. This is not the fault of the wise men themselves (Jesus, Mohamed, Buddha, Lao Tzu) but the fault of their followers who perverted and misled others using religion.

                So, what is this fundamental difference of thinking between west and east? What is the difference between the philosopher and the mystic? Why is the educated philosopher unhappy while the mystic dances in the rain? Why does the philosopher feel the need to rationalize and explain the world using his so called knowledge?  Why does the mystic feel the presence of god and acts every second of his life driven by pure creative energy? All perfectly valid questions. I bet the philosopher looks at the mystic and says- look at this mad man, how he behaves so irrational and illogical!! He does not know that his rationality and knowledge are his main constrains. The mystic looks at the philosopher, as he sits surrounded by his books, all alone in his dark study, trying to find the formula for life and says—why don't you leave your books for a minute and come outside to dance! It's a beautiful day! Stop trying to put life in a book and live it!!! The philosopher answers—Nonsense!! There will be a day like this later!! I don't have time to waste on dancing and singing!! But that day never comes for him, because he forgot how to live. He says that he is trying to accomplish something. But what is the meaning of his accomplishment?? Does his purpose have a real meaning, or is it just the struggle to outrun his own madness and unhappiness. You need to learn meditation, the enlightened mystic says to him. You need to empty your mind of stress and memory and let God flow thru you. All the answers will come to you then… --This is pointless!!! Says the philosopher. I'd rather kill myself then waste my life like you do!-- Don't you know that all life is sacred? Says the mystic disappointed, and leaves to admire the sunset…

People, you need to realize that spirituality is not a hobby, to attend to in your spare time, if there's nothing good on tv !!!!! Love and be loved. Bring happiness to the world and be creative. Respect the sacred nature of life and of all creation. Learn to appreciate nature, and realize that a single flower is more valuable than a whole empty galaxy. Smell that flower and admire it, and understand that it is one of the ultimate products of the universe and its complexity. All the answers are there for you to find. There is no better place for you to be then there, in that fresh spring field, admiring that flower. It is the ultimate savor of your ultimate privilege--consciousness.  Is it hard to live in the moment? Is it hard to do what you are passionate about and to be an original creator? By definition, it is impossible for that to be a burden. However, you must first let go of prejudice and fully understand yourself. Anything else is a waste of your time.  Mystics have given a very nice definition of time—Time is the measuring unit that allows thought to become reality. So? How are you spending your time?

About us humans

I'm sure you read a lot of love stories and watched a lot of films about love. It is, after all, one of the most passionately debated, depicted and talked about subjects in history. Ironically, it was the reason for a lot of pain, suffering, violence, and even wars. Humans have always misunderstood love and have caused, in direct consequence, a lot of misery on its behalf. We have always believed that love is a prize, and …..like any prize, it has to be won or taken. Our egos made us think that love is something we deserve, take for granted and even demand. We have used love to exploit, manipulate and hurt each other. That is the sad reality. Love has become a vicious tool in the hand of those who don't even understand it. It is also sad that most of us don't even understand its meaning. In a sense, it can be said that we are like newborn children, given a precious gift by our maker but, being young and inexperienced, we are unable to appreciate it. We waste love, pervert it and hurt each other in the process. All of these things happen because of our very nature. All men are not equal…People can choose to evolve, or can choose to live a life of pleasurable ignorance. The human spirit can exist on many levels, all of which occupy the same world. Some spirits need a lifetime to understand their purpose, some need many lifetimes, and some may never evolve, haunted by their insecurities and dominated by their chaotic and egoistic nature. Fear is mankind's biggest plague and courage is our most precious resource. Again, an irony can be found. Both of those characteristics can be born out of egoism. The human ego is a paradox in itself. We cannot exist as separate individuals without an ego, and at the same time, it is our biggest enemy. So, were does love fit into all this? Love is perhaps the only expression of selflessness. Love is surrendering  to an emotion and letting  the voice of god resonate inside of you. Love is understanding, even at a subconscious level, that  the notion of "me" is just an illusion and that time is artificial. Love is living in the moment and giving the most you are able to while only taking what you need. This is how nature works and this is what was intended for all living things. Nature is selfless and balanced. Nature is all individuals and al individuals are nature. The whole has no sense without it's parts and any part has no sense without the whole. Quantum physics and fractal geometry have proven  this reality without a shadow of a doubt. Ancient mysticism and religion have known this for thousands of years (Zen Buddhism, Kabbalah  and Taoism ) So, why is it so hard for us to accept it? Is it because we think it will render us useless and insignificant? Is it because it means that our destiny has parts we can't control? Is it because we refuse to think that we are not in charge, as separate individuals? Society has taught us from am young age that:

- life is hard

-we must work to achieve titles

-we must work to earn lots of money

-we must improve our social status and become "successful"

-we must be "better" then others

-we must strive to distinguish ourselves

-we must become educated and demand respect

 

I ask you.....What parent doesn't  want all those things to come true for their child? What parent doesn't feel a sense of pride when his son or daughter becomes what society considers "successful" . What parent doesn't  brag to others about their son or daughter getting admitted in to the best collage? They all do. Why? Because of their giant egos. They are just saying: "My child is better than yours" or "I've been a better parent than you". Far to less are parents asking their children : "Are you happy?" or "Are you sure that this is what you are passionate about?" or "Why have you stopped singing?" or "Why have you stopped drawing like u used to?" They are all giant idiots. Most push their children to achieve things they don't even want or need, just to satisfy their ego. This is a pathological sickness.  This is why people are mediocre and unhappy. They fill their lives whit activities, forgetting to even ask themselves :" Is this what I should be doing?" Happy are those who are patient enough, strong enough and wise enough to act in their true purpose.  Your purpose may be to paint, act, dance, draw, write and do allot of other creative things that inspire and bring joy to others. Instead of embracing this role, people become lawyers and engineers and economists, because that's what society considers a true achievement.  Let me tell you right now, Bob Dylan has accomplished more with a single song, and Renoir has accomplished more with a single painting than most lawyers or economists achieve in a lifetime. Their spirits were free and their creation was pure. The work they did in a few hours or days, has the power to inspire millions of people. Bob Dylan wrote "Blowing in the Wind" in 10 minutes....So, why don't we have the courage to be what we need to be anymore? Why don't  we have the courage to love what we need to love anymore? Is it because society may consider it wrong? Is it because mommy or daddy don't approve or because people will talk?  All this peer pressure is ridiculous. I want my children to be happy. I want my children to dance and to draw and to dream.  I want them to experience the universe in all its limitless glory, so that when they grow up, they will know what it means to be free. Only then can they be what god intended them to be, and not what society or I may desire.  

 

Creativitatea -Primul "Eridu": un exercitiu de imaginatie

Am citit aseara cateva afirmatii interesante intr-o carte care trateaza fenomenul creativitatii. Autorul ( inspirat din gandirea religiilor orientale) defineste creatia ca fiind un gest absolut obiectiv, in sensul ca necesita o "golire" a eului patologic care marcheaza secolul trecut si in general arta moderna. Astfel, creatia necesita o odihna mentala si un echilibru al individului in starea de a actiona si nu de a avea o activitate. Trebuie sa te lasi patruns de spiritul divin si sa prezinti doar creatia pura si obiectiva, nu sa exteriorizezi asa numita "mizerie" interioara. Astfel de activitati pot avea rol terapeutic pentru autor, insa nu pot provoca o stare de meditatie si o inaltare spirituala. Creatia este deci un act de daruire. Este un act de manifestare a vointei divine prin intermediul creatorului. Creatorul acorda un sens propriei existente si nu se considera accidental.

Am avut un "vis" deosebit. Vreau sa-l descriu in asa fel incat sa va puteti imagina ca priviti acel spatiu, la un moment dat. De asemenea, am sa ma straduiesc sa nu fac un spoiler din acest textJ. Am sa va invit sa faceti un mare exercitiu de imaginatie. Sa incepem: Ne aflam intr-un loc foarte indepartat.  Undervra in univers exista un loc care nu se misca niciodata.  Toata materia si toata energia  fuge de acest punct.  De aici a inceput totul. Aici un gand a devenit o idee, ideea a dat nastere unor reguli si acele reguli au dat nastere universului. Totul s-a intamplat foarte rapid. In prima secunda scenariul a fost deja scris si toate destinele au fost faurite.  Restul este doar o piesa de teatru mega-galactica, interpretata mai bine sau mai rau de micii actori pierduti prin spatiu si atat de izolati. Pentru ei totul este un mister si totul se misca atat de repede. Aici, in centru, timpul curge foarte lent si adevarul se lupta cu el insusi in echilibrul tensionat al realitatii. Aici, in centrul tuturor lucrurilor, exista o lume. Este o planeta pe care o vom numi Eridu. Aceasta orbiteaza in jurul unei stele de culoare rosie . Sistemul mai are o stea, de un alb-galbui stralucitor. Aceasta este mult mai masiva si este legata intr-un dans etern cu mica stea rosie.  Planeta are o fata permanent orientata catre mica stea si este foarte apropiata de aceasta. Acea fata este un infern  acoperit de stanci. Cealalta fata a planetei nu vede niciodata steaua in jurul careia orbiteaza si este scaldata in lumina alba a celulilalt astru. Aici viata a gasit un mediu mult mai stabil. Exista tot felul de vietuitoare, in ceea ce se poate numi o adevarata gradina zoologica si botanica  a intregului univers. Aceasta colectie impresionanta a fost adusa aici de catre forte necunoscute. Ambele fete ale planeitei au cate un mega-continent  inconjurat de apele oceanului planetar. Cele doua mase de pamant sunt separate de mii de kilometrii, insa exista o legatura intre ele. Un lant de insule leaga cele doua continente. Acest lant trece prin polul sud al planetei. Mai exista un grup de insule  mici situate la polul nord. Aceste insule sunt separate de ambele continente si sunt total inaccesibile datorita fenomenelor atmosferice si oceanice. O furtuna permanenta inconjoara asemenea unui inel  polul nord. Mai trebuie spus ca Eridu are trei sateliti foarte diferiti. Unul masiv de culoare rosie,  unul mic de o culoare verzuie si unul moderat ca dimensiuni, de culoare albastra. Ziua dureaza cam 70 de ore si este impartita egal intre lumina si intuneric. Nu exista sezoane.  Timpul pare a sta pe loc aici. Viata exista pe ambele fete ale planetei si pare a fi adusa aici cu foarte mult timp in urma. Cele doua continente sunt insa lumi total diferite. Haosul si ordinea sunt aici separate de mii de kilometrii si inca nu se cunosc. Aceste capodopere vii ale marelui experiment cosmic sunt foarte diferite . Ele se afla in "zone" diferite ale relatiei  individului cu universul.  Toate insa au ceva in comun: Intensitatea energiei pe care o emit in gandirea proprie si in actul creatiei. Toata aceasta energie capata aici un comportament unic. Totul pare a fi un adevarat reactor al constiintei. Insasi energia constiintei este aici atrasa de singularitatea nucleului cosmic si directionata in locuri nebanuite. Marele experiment urmeaza sa intre in ultima sa etapa. Echilibrul tensionat urmeaza sa fie rupt iar energiile dominante se vor intalni in conditiile perfecte. Odata cu finalizarea acestei confruntari va fi decisa si soarta intregului univers.  De fapt, intregul univers exista pentru a da o solutie acestei confruntari, inainte ca intreaga sa energie sa se dilueze  dincolo de orice structura finita si palpabila.

                Aici, in centrul tuturor lucrurilor, mai exista ceva. Este un loc bine pazit si ascuns, aflat in cel mai rece si mai spectaculos loc de pe Eridu. De aici, lumina ambelor stele poate fi vazuta. Cerul are o culoare rosiatica tot timpul iar noaptea nu exista. Daca privesti catre linia orizontului, in orice directie te vei uita, vei vedea un ocean nesfarsit si acoperit de nori . Acolo furtunile sunt permanente si poti vedea chiar descarcarile electrice. Lumina celor doua stele aflate jos pe bolta cereasca coloreaza norii si le ofera un aspect unic. Aici unde stai tu, vremea este insa linistita. Desi este cel mai rece loc de pe Eridu, nu este foarte frig  si te poti misca in voie prin zapada fina.  Undeva,  aproape de tine, vezi o coloana de lumina aflata in centrul unui lac  negru. Atmosfera este linistita, parca golita de energiile conventionale insa te simti inundat de o pace interioara si intelegi ca te aflii intr-un loc important. Te apropii de acel lac si observi ca el nu reflecta lumina si nu pare a fi facut din apa. Te apleci si faci un bulgare de zapada pe care il arunci in lac. Acesta dispare imediat ce atinge suprafata intunecata si lasa in urma o mica coloana de lumina cat si sute de unde luminoase pe suprafata lacului. Brusc, intelegi ca aici este o granita, iar tot ceea ce tine de universul in care traiesti se termina la suprafata neagra a lacului. Dincolo nu poate fi decat alteritatea totala. Este oare acest loc sursa tuturor lucrurilor? Sunt oare, dincolo de aceasta poarta, toate raspunsurile la intrebarile fundamentale? Vei afla oare ca energia trairilor tale este mai puternica decat cea a unei supernove?  Vei trece oare in nefiinta intr-o realitate in care tu nu mai ai sens iar individualitatea ta nu mai inseamna nimic? Te uiti in spate si realizezi ca lupta care va decide soarta universului tau tocmai a inceput. Lupta nu va ajunge si la tine deoarece acest loc este izolat, insa rezultatul ei va afecta pe toata lumea, total si imediat. Vei alege sa ramai in lumea ta si sa speri intr-o victorie a ordinii sau vei alege sa te arunci in lacul intunecat, cat mai ai timp?…Indraznesti sa confrunti o noua realitate, o revelatie pentru care poate nu esti pregatit si care te poate elimina ca individ? Sa fie oare atat de radical acest pas catre evolutia spiritului? Este oare acesta destinul tau? Stai in zapada, la marginea lumii tale si nu stii cat va mai dura iluzia timpului…Acum, deschizi ochii si te trezesti. A inceput o noua zi si percepi lumina cunoscuta a soarelui tau. Eridu se afla la miliarde de ani lumina de tine si cu fiecare clipa care trece te indepartezi tot mai mult de acel loc. Totusi, in mintea ta, el este inca aproape…

Sfantul Gheorghe si Balaurul: Lupta dintre haos si ordine

 

De mai mult timp mi-am dorit sa scriu ceva despre Sfantul Gheorghe. De asemenea, de vara trecuta cand am avut ocazia sa vad la National Gallery cateva dintre cele mai interesante picturi care-l reprezinta in epica sa lupta cu balaurul, mi-am dorit sa realizez si eu propria interpretare grafica a evenimentului. Pentru aceasta a trebuit sa studiez cele mai cunoscute icoane si sa citesc cate ceva despre viata sfantului si despre legendele care-l inconjoara.           Sfantul Gheorghe este una dintre cele mai venerate personalitati ale crestinismului. El este sfantul patron al mai multor tari ( Ethiopia, Grecia, Rusia, Anglia, Portugalia, Palestina etc.) si are o viata destul de bine "documentata". Acest lucru nu impiedica insa existenta unor legende legate de faptele sale. Papa Sf. Gelasius (cel care l-a canonizat pe Georgius in sec. V) spunea despre Sf. Gheorghe ca este "unul al carui nume este in mod just venerat intre oamneni, insa ale carui actiuni sunt cunoscude doar de Dumnezeu." Hai sa va povestesc pe scurt viata Sfantului Gheorghe. El s-a nascut la sfarsitul secolului al III-lea, intr-o familie nobila de crestini din Lydda (Orientul Mijlociu). Mama sa era din Palestina iar tatal sau era un respectat ofiter din armata romana (nascut in Cappadocia). In adolescenta, tanarul Georgius isi pierde ambii parinti. Acum el se hoaraste sa se inroleze in armata romana si este intampinat cu entuziasm, intrucat tatal sau fusese unul dintre cei mai buni ofiteri ai imparatului Diocletian. Tanarul soldat avanseaza rapid in ierarhia militara, ajungand la o varsta de 26-27 de ani la rangul de Tribunus (oarecum echivalent unui colonel actual, din cate am inteles) si devine un membru al garzii imperiale din Nicomedia. In anul 302, Diocletian semneaza un ordin in urma caruia toti soldatii crestini din armata romana urmau sa fie arestati, iar ceilalti trebuiau sa-si afirme supunerea fata de zeii pagani, prin sacrificii. Tanarul Georgius, care era pe vremea aceea unul dintre cei mai valorosi membrii ai garzii imperiale, il confrunta pe imparat si isi declara public credinta. Diocletian, care-l cunostea si-l respecta pe tribun, nu vrea sa-l piarda ca aliat si incearca in repetate randuri sa-l converteasca, oferindu-i cadouri, titluri si pamant. Georgius refuza de fiecare data si este in final arestat si inchis. Este torturat si decapitat in Nicomedia (in anul 303), devenind astfel un martir al crestinismului. Imparateasa Alexandra, care a fost martora la suferinta lui Georgius, este profund impresionata de convingerea si curajul acestuia si decide sa adopte crestinismul ca religie. Ea va fi condamnata si decapitata ulterior…           Pe scurt, acesta este cursul vietii sfantului… De unde a izvorat insa faimoasa legenda a "biruitorului de balaur"?? Aici, realitatea incepe sa se amestece cu legenda si trebuie studiate multiplele surse ale acestui motiv mitologic. Legenda Sfantului Gheorghe este adusa in Europa medievala de catre soldatii intorsi din cruciadele estului indepartat. Sfantul Gheorghe devine sursa de inspiratie a armatei crestine in prima cruciada si se spune ca acesta a aparut in fata soldatilor inaintea asediului de la Antioch (1097-1098). De asemenea, unul dintre cei mai nobili cruciati ai vestului, regale englez Richard I, (Richard "Inima de Leu") a avut revelatia Sfantului Gheorghe in lupta. Se spune ca, privindu-l pe Richard in mijlocul bataliei, Saladin (sultan al Egiptului si Siriei) l-a vazut pe acesta pierzandu-si calul. Impresionat de vitejia lui Richard, sultanul a poruncit imediat sa se trimita un sol cu steag alb, care sa aduca regelui un cal. Infrant in lupta, Richard trimite o scrisoare lui Saladin in care-i promite ca se va intoarce si va cuceri pamantul sfant. Saladin  raspunde, afirmand ca dintre toti printii crestini, daca ar fi sa piarda Ierusalimul in fata cuiva, atunci ar prefera sa-l piarda in lupta cu Richard. Aceasta mica paranteza am folosit-o pentru a evidentia una dintre trasaturie adesea atribuite Sfantului Gheorghe, si anume onoarea. In timpul cruciadelor, Sfantului Gheorghe i se atribuie propriul drapel: faimoasa cruce rosie pe fundal alb. Dupa cruciade, Sf. Gheorghe devine sfantul-protector al Angliei ("Oficial", dupa victoria miraculoasa a regelui Henry al V-lea, in lupta de la Agincourt-1415, in fata cavaleriei franceze).           Hai sa ne intoarcem la legenda luptei cu balaurul si sa studiem cea mai cunoscuta forma a acesteia. Se spune ca in orasul libian Lydda traia un monstru care teroriza localnicii, punand stapanire pe izvorul atat de necesar pentru supravietuirea acestora. Pentru a merge la izvor si a lua apa, localnicii erau obligati sa ofere o oaie sau un alt animal drept sacrificiu. Vesnic nesatul, balaurul devoreaza toate jertfele aduse si in curand, vine randul printesei sa fie oferita monstrului iar regele se roaga ca aceasta sa fie crutata. Sfantul Gheorghe este cel care intervine, ucide balaurul si salveaza viata printesei. In urma acestei fapte deosebite, locuitorii orasului decid sa adopte crestinismul ca religie oficiala. Sfantul Gheorge este deci cel care prin curajul si nobletea sa reuseste sa raspandeasca religia crestina. Cam aceasta este legenda legata de lupta cu balaurul. Ea isi are originea in orientul mijlociu si face parte din intelepciunea ortodoxismului grec al perioadei de inceput. Cea mai faimoasa reprezentare a sfantului (si anume cea in care acesta, calare fiind, strapunge balaurul cu sulita) are ca sursa de inspiratie o icoana greceasca de la inceputul celui de-al doilea mileniu. Aceasta imagine a fost preluata de artisti precum Raphael si este inca reprezentarea "oficiala" a sfantului. Acum urmeaza partea interesanta. Am sa urmaresc aceasta legenda, a infrangerii balaurului, pana la originile ei!!           Primul lucru care-mi vine in minte, avand in vedere implicarea grecilor in legenda Sfantului Gheorghe, este povestea lui Perseu si a Andromedei. Hmmm, hai sa vedem daca seamana!! Se spune ca nea' Perseu, dupa ce a belit-o pe Medusa s-a hotarat in sfarsit sa se duca acasa! Pe drum, o vede pe frumoasa Andromeda, pe marginea apei, legata cu lanturi de niste stanci!! El afla ca mama fetei, Cassiopeia l-a suparat pe Poseidon prin faptul ca s-a dat mai buna ca amanta acestuia!! Atunci, Poseidon, in loc sa o ia si pe Cassiopeia drept amanta, s-a atacat imediat si a trimis un potop si un sarpe de mare sa terorizeze pamanturile in care domnea regele Cephus, tatal Andromedei. Disperat, regale decide sa o ofere pe nevinovata (si probabil virgina) Andromeda drept ofranda sarpelui de mare! Aceasta il implora pe Perseu sa o salveze si el se indupleca, dar numai daca Cephus il lasa sa o ia drept nevasta. Eroul beleste sarpele si organizeaza nunta cu Andromeda, insa dupa ce rezerva si restaurantul,…afla ca tanara domnisoara era promisa deja lui Phineus. Acesta vine cu armata peste ei, insa Perseu pastrase capul Medusei si-l foloseste pentru a impietri adversarii! Celebra scena este pictata de Luca Giordano (am avut placerea sa vad pictura tot la  National Gallery , in Londra)…Ok! Se pare ca exista destul de multe elemente comune cu mult mai tanara legenda a Sfantului Gheorghe….nu?           In continuare, voi merge muuuuult mai departe in timp si voi vorbi despre  legendele sumeriene ale creatiei si despre mitologia babiloniana (pentru ca totul se leaga, mai copii). Cine are impresia ca exista prea multe "mitologii" total diferite si lipsite de influente se insala amarnic. Este vorba aici de un foarte interesant joc de "telefonul fara fir", in care diverse evenimente sunt preluate, prelucrate si prezentate sub semnul altei civilizatii sau al altei religii.          In mitologia babiloniana, se vorbeste despre o zeitate feminina numita Tiamat... Ea este un fel de "mama" a lumii, fiind creatoarea apelor primordiale care  apar in haosul universului. Tiamat este o zeitate "ambivalenta". Ea este atat stapana creatiei cat si un agent al haosului (lucru care se intampla odata cu evolutia socio-politica a sumerienilor). La inceputuri, Tiamat este zeitatea cu putere suprema. Nimeni nu se poate impotrivi dorintelor sale, ea fiind stapana "Tabletelor Destinului", nascatoare de monstrii si alte creaturi marine. Profunzimea acestei legende cat si originile ei sunt foarte….infricosatoare. Textele sumeriene sunt cele care vorbesc despre vizitatori din cer, zeitati supreme ale pamantului cat si despre unele lucruri din domeniul astronomiei a caror acuratete este cutremuratoare. Nu am sa intru in aceste detalii, insa trebuie mentionat faptul ca scrierile sumeriene sunt primele forme de inregistrare a datelor si a evenimentelor de pe Pamant…Ne intoarcem la Tiamat. Spuneam ca pe vemea aceea, dupa cum canta Tiamat, dansau toti zeii. Ea ofera  Tabletele Destinului lui Kingu pe care il alege stapanul zeilor, in ulma luptei primordiale. Un zeu numit Anu, se impotriveste insa vointei supreme si se lupta cu Tiamat. Se vorbeste si despre o "sulita invincibila", pe care Anu o poseda. In urma luptei, curajosul Anu (cunoscut mai tarziu drept Enlil si Marduk) o ucide pe Tiamat, iar moartea ei este cea care duce la formarea cerului si pamantului. Anu are acum Tabletele Destinului si se instaleaza in fruntea zeilor. Am adus deci, in urma acestei povestiri, legenda rapunerii balaurului in forma ei primordiala. Semnificatia care se ascunde in spatele acestei lupte este una profunda, fiind legata de insasi esenta existentei. Mitologica lupta intre bine si rau, ordine si haos, entropie si materie organizata este cea care ne defineste ca entitati constiente. Intreaga evolutie si dezvoltare a constiintei umane este o lupta cu haosul si cu propriile limite. Actul de a rapune balaurul este unul simbolic, legat de victoria asupra dezordinii si tiraniei. Sfantul Gheorghe este poate chiar un membru "tanar" in clubul celor care au rapus balaurul si au adus echilibru lumii. Exemple  de acest gen, pe o scara mai mica sau mai mare, continua sa apara si nu este de mirare ca legenda este una menita sa inspire si sa atraga admiratie. Fiecare se poate lupta cu propriul balaur. Indiferent daca acesta este mai mult sau mai putin fioros, infrangerea sa necesita curaj. Este inca o lupta cu cu propriul ego, pentru a aduce fericire. Este destul de evident de ce  "sfantul soldat" este unul dintre cele mai importante figuri ale crestinismului. El semnifica in mod direct lupta cu un inamic VIZIBIL, pe care-l simte cu toata fiinta si pe care trebuie sa-l rapuna, nu pentru bunastarea sa ci pentru bunastarea intregii lumi. Majoritatea oamenilor nu sunt capabili sa perceapa acest "balaur" si deci nu stiu incotro sa-si directioneze energia. Cunoasterea sa este prima etapa pentru motivarea personala si pentru cultivarea dorintei de a evolua. Lipsa intelegerii acestui fenomen poate duce la lipsa unui scop real in viata sau a dorintei de dezvoltare spirituala.           Sper ca am reusit sa va dau ceva de gandit astazi, cu ocazia sarbatorii Sfantului Gheorghe, cel al carui nume il si port si cel al carui mister am incercat sa-l deslusesc.