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The Logic of Spirituality

Walking on water at sunset

Reference:  The Logic of God

This is a universe of continuous change. This change seems to be part of a harmonic disturbance that is going back and forth like the swinging of a pendulum. The pendulum keeps on oscillating under the constant influence of gravity. Similarly, the universe seems to be changing continuously under some fundamental influence. Ancient Vedas have referred to that influence as Brahma.

The concept of Brahma is supposedly arrived at by contemplating on ‘neti, neti’—not this, not that. In other words, one cannot know anything about Brahma through projections of knowledge gained in this universe. However, one may arrive at an intuitive understanding of Brahma as one sets out to resolve all inconsistencies in one’s understanding of this universe.

According to the ancient Vedas, the continuous change of this universe seems to run in cycles much like a circle with no beginning or end. This describes a harmonic motion.

This universe is a harmonic disturbance on a cosmic scale with no beginning or end. The underlying driver is some unknown constant influence.

A harmonic motion has extremes of static and kinetic states. Between these states there is a whole range of motion. Therefore, this cosmic disturbance must go through from no disturbance to extremely complex disturbance. All the levels of disturbance may lie between these extremes.

We may plot the cosmic disturbance on a scale from static to kinetic in increasing levels of complexity.

Each level of cosmic disturbance contributes to the form of the universe. The attributes of these forms range from concrete to abstract. The five physical senses perceive the concrete attribute of the form. The mental sense perceives the underlying abstract patterns that can go quite deep.

The disturbance levels manifest into forms with attributes ranging from concrete to abstract.

We associate “physical” with the concrete attributes of the universe, and “spiritual” often with the attributes that go deep into abstraction. Thus, we associate spirituality with the attributes of the universe that are abstract.

Spirituality is a consideration applied to the abstract aspects of the universe.

At the static end of the disturbance scale there is little disturbance. The physical attribute of the universe at this level appears as space, and the corresponding spiritual attribute appears as primitive and broad awareness.  Probably there is not much of an abstraction scale between space and broad awareness. Space is a very light disturbance corresponding to which the awareness is very primitive.

Primitive broad awareness corresponds to space.

As the disturbance levels increase, the change becomes more strident, and so does its reaction. Action and reaction appear as a frequency that increases with disturbance levels. There is a whole spectrum of it. The physical form of this spectrum appears as electromagnetic radiation. The spiritual form appears as perceptive awareness.

Perceptive awareness corresponds to electromagnetic spectrum.

At the upper end of frequency spectrum the disturbance starts to converge and condense. On the physical side, the condensation appears as atoms of a variety described by the periodic table. On the spiritual side, the condensation appears as concepts of a variety described by the words of a language.

Concepts and ideas correspond to atomic configurations.

Beyond the level of condensation of disturbance, we have elemental forms, combining into more complex forms. A whole “spectrum” of increasing complexity of forms now ensues. On the physical side we have evolving inanimate and animate solid forms. On the spiritual side, we have evolving automatic and self-determined systems.

Complex awareness corresponds to the complex structure of the body.

There is no soul separable from the body. The body and soul are simply the physical and spiritual attributes of a very complex disturbance.

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The Logic of God

Golden pendulum swinging

Golden pendulum swinging

Reference: The Logic of Non-Duality

According to the reference above, duality appears when we focus only on the extreme states of a varying characteristic. So, when we look at the idea of a spiritual entity called God having created a physical universe, we may ask, “Is that just looking at the extremes and not considering the gradients in between?”

Are God and Physical Universe the extreme states of some continuously varying characteristic?

We look at God as infinite cause, the effect of that is the physical universe. God and physical universe are essentially Cause and Effect. The continuously varying gradient from cause to effect shall consist of cause-effect elements, each contributing to the overall change in a consistent manner. We may compare this to the domino effect, but the time between successive “falling of dominoes” shall be infinitely small indeed. We can say that from cause to effect there is a continuously varying change.

The fundamental unit of cause and effect is CHANGE.

When we look at the two extreme ends of a scale of change as Cause and Effect with an infinite gap between them, we see them as infinite. So we call them an invisible God and a visible universe.

This change is occurring in a myriad of ways. It is visible in the changing of the seasons, in the blowing of wind, in temperature fluctuating, and birds chirping. It is visible throughout this wonderful universe. Everything in this universe seems to be participating in a cosmic dance of change.

The scale that lies between the Creator God and the created Universe is the scale of change, and that change is still going on in the infinite number of dimensions that make up this universe.

We see a continuously changing universe, but we do not see the source of that change. We do not know how the universe was in the beginning, or how it is going to end up. We don’t even know if the universe has a beginning or an end.

The universe appears to be a disturbance arising from some undisturbed state. It is now trying to return to that undisturbed state. But in that attempt at restoration, it tends to overshoot the undisturbed state and then tries to restore itself again. It seems to be a cosmic oscillation much like a swinging pendulum.  The harmonic motion of a pendulum occurs under the constant pull of gravity. This means that there is a constant all-pervading influence, which is driving the change in the universe.

We may refer to that fundamental attribute, which lies in the background of this universe, as God; but it is not so concrete that it is comparable to the image of man.

The concept of BRAHMA in Hinduism is this infinitely abstract cosmic influence that underlies the continuous change.

There is a kind of inevitability associated with the cosmic oscillations. This shows up in the laws of this universe, such as, “conservation of mass and energy”. But it is more like “conservation of cosmic oscillations”. The idea of INERTIA points to this inevitable oscillatory movement. And from this inevitability also comes the idea of KARMA.

Karma is essentially a very complex cycle of action that is moving forward towards its completion in slow motion. There is a sense of inevitability associated with it. Any hindrance to that cycle results in all kind of repercussions. But these repercussions once again force that complex cycle toward its completion.

So karma and inertia are closely related to each other. Karma is simply a more complex view of inertia.

The logic of God consists of complex ideas, such as, Change, Brahma, Karma and Inertia.

This essay describes these ideas in detail.

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2014 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2014 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 25,000 times in 2014. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 9 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

What Einstein might have Missed

Einstein

Apparently Einstein died wishing he knew more math. Actually he should have investigated the very foundations of mathematics.

Mathematics is a subject that is extremely consistent. One is not going to find any inconsistency in math. But Einstein should have been curious about the ideas on which mathematics is based. 

The Foundations of Mathematics

Einstein struggled to understand Quantum Mechanics all his life. He felt a fundamental disagreement with its basis but he could not put his finger on it.

Experimentations at quantum level have shown that there is wave-particle duality. This means that there is no such thing as a “point-particle.” Yet the quantum theory still looks for a point-particle in terms of probability through a wave function.

Maybe it is not a point-particle that is being assumed. Maybe it is a “point-location” and a “point-time” that is being taken for granted. This is possible because mathematics itself is founded on the ideas of “point” and “unit.” The truth is that our very thinking is constructed upon the ideas of “point” and “unit.” Mathematics is simply a refinement of logic.

Quantum Mechanics shows us that the classical thinking is no longer valid. The mass of a particle cannot be reduced to a precise center of mass . Nor is there an ideal disturbance with no center of mass. Infinite sine and cosine wave representations of disturbance are mathematical constructs only. The truth is somewhere in between. the center of mass gets increasingly diffused as we investigate the quantum levels.

The inconsistency seems to be that space and time are still being perceived as independent of the disturbance (wave) and the mass (particle). It is being believed that there is a “point-location” and a “point-time” even when there is no “point-particle.” Looks like reality is being confused with mathematical thinking.

Can the very space and time be “diffused” like the quantum “particle”?

Maybe space and time are not independent of disturbance and mass. Maybe space and time are as diffused at quantum levels as are the observations of waves and particles.

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TR0 and Mindfulness (old)

Mindfulness TR0

Please see TR0 with Mindfulness

TR0 is the very first exercise in Scientology. People get wonderful results on it, when they do it for the first time and apply the principles of mindfulness naturally. Unfortunately, Scientology instructions for TR0 do not mention mindfulness. This opens the door to misapplication of this exercise to control people, which is deliberately done in Scientology. This essay is written to correct that situation.

“TR” stands for training routines. TR0 is the very first exercise that one practices in Scientology. The first part of TR0 is called OT TR0. The purpose of OT TR0 is

“To train student to be there comfortably and confront another person. The idea is to get the student able to BE there comfortably in a position three feet in front of another person, to BE there and not do anything else but BE there.”

This exercise cannot be done correctly without the understanding of mindfulness. Mindfulness is attentiveness. The purpose of mindfulness is to recognize things as they are. In the context of assisting another, one should be able to deal with oneself, as well as with the other person, objectively and with full attentiveness.

Thus, in the context of assisting another person, one requires,

  • Recognizing oneself for what one is.
  • Being totally comfortable in proximity of another person.
  • Recognizing the other person for what he or she is.

TR0 is a brilliant exercise. Its formula can be applied to confronting other things in life as well. The following instructions are provided for OT TR0.

“Student and coach sit facing each other with eyes closed, a comfortable distance apart—about three feet… There is no conversation. This is a silent drill. There is NO twitching, moving, confronting with a body part, “system” or vias used to confront or anything else added to BE there. One will usually see blackness or an area of the room when one’s eyes are closed. BE THERE, COMFORTABLY, AND CONFRONT… When a student can BE there comfortably and confront and has reached a major stable win, the drill is passed.”

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With an understanding of mindfulness, these instructions may be expanded as follows (with eyes closed).

  • Become aware of the body and stay aware of it without interfering with its natural movements, such as, that of breathing. Do not resist anything.

  • Become aware of the mind and stay aware of it without interfering with its natural processes, such as, thoughts and feelings. Do not suppress anything.

  • Become aware of what your physical and mental senses present to you, such as, visual forms, sounds, smells, taste, touch, thoughts, emotions, and impulses. Do not strain to perceive them.

  • Let the body move in response to the natural impulses from the mind. Do not try to control the body movements. Let them unwind and settle down on their own.

  • Let the mind respond naturally to the stimuli present in the environment. Do not try to control the mental responses. Let them unwind and settle down on their own.

  • Let physical reactions, such as, twitches in muscles, minor pains and aches, sleepiness, etc., come and go. Don’t resist them. Experience the body as a whole, thoroughly. Such reactions shall unwind and settle down on their own.

  • Let mental reactions, such as, embarrassment, guilt, anxiety, anger, fear, grief, apathy, and even sleep, come and go. Don’t suppress them. Experience the mind as a whole, non-judgmentally. Such reactions shall unwind and settle down on their own.

  • If you find yourself mentally doing something else, or getting lost in thoughts, then simply recognize it, and continue. Let the attention roam freely.

  • Let the “pictures” of the current and past events come and go. Let the feelings, emotions and sensations play themselves out. Do not speculate on anything. Simply be aware.

  • Let the realizations present themselves without you making any effort.

Once the above is accomplished one may then move to the next part of TR0, which is similar to this exercise but with eyes open.

So get a friend to do this exercise with you, and have fun.

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Note added 2/14/15:

It may be possible to do OT TR0 and TR0 sitting in front of one’s reflection in a mirror. This may help one become comfortable with oneself. There is no possible harm in doing this if one follows mindfulness instructions.

After doing this exercise with oneself, one may then do it with another.

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