The View from Here
This is not an autobiography, because who really cares (“<so and so> was born in 1951…”), but instead it is a look back at who and what inspired someone (me) over these past 70+ years on the planet, what I learned, and what I would pass on to anyone coming after me who might be interested to listen and think about it. Hopefully, a gift, but who knows? I’ll also throw in descriptions of a few events in this life that led me to where I am today.
It’s a collection of essays on a variety of topics. Some describe meaningful life experiences—the ones that (you could say) “changed me forever.” Others are pointers to teachers and teachings that I found to be profound. Sometimes, certain pieces of music always touch me deeply whenever I hear them; I’ll share some of those. There are singer-songwriters whose tunes I’ve lived with and enjoyed for many decades, and authors that have inspired me with their deep insights, and fascinating people I’ve met along the way. All that might give you some idea of what this one life has been about, so far (it’s far from over, I think).
In my view, there are fundamental questions that are easy to lose track of in the ongoing distractions and stress of life. Questions like “what makes my life worth living?” and “is there ‘life after death’” (e.g. “is this all there is?”) and “do I really have free will?” and “is there a God, and if so, how do I contact him or her?” I also had questions kicking around in my head like “what makes me different than a computer?” and likewise “can Artificial Intelligence attain sentience, and if not, why not?” Don’t expect any final answers here; the words here are just musings.
I wanted to understand what makes people (me, specifically) happy, as opposed to stressed, depressed, afraid, or angry. To that end, I found certain teachers that seemingly had found the answer and had attained a state of apparently eternal calm, where they exuded pure loving kindness alongside their beautiful words of wisdom. I’ll share some of those I’ve found.
Things I Know
- There is a divine purpose and a sacred exquisite beauty inherent in the physical universe
- There are no accidents; serendipity (divine coincidence) is real
- Fear arises from identification with the body
- I’m not my body
- I’m not a victim of anything, ever
- I am loved, unconditionally, forever, beyond space and time
- Love, somehow, is the fundamental driving force of consciousness and of physical existence
- My thoughts define my experience in this world
- The only thing that is real is what is now: past and future are constructs of the mind
- If you really want to touch “reality” though, it is that which is beyond space and time: the eternal
- To understand myself and to explore fully the question “who am I?,” I recommend you study the ego
- There is a higher power, or “vast intelligence of the universe” as Eckhart Tolle put it
- My heart sings a joyful song when an old psychic wound is healed, or when animosity or divisiveness yields to forgiveness and connection
- Every living being is precious and has a right to thrive; diversity is to be cherished
- I am grateful beyond words for my life and for the opportunity to be alive at this time
- I weep for the inhumanity, injustice, cruelty, and greed I see in the world; I try to respond by renewing a vision of a world in which everyone gets along with one another with love, support and respect, each contributing in their own unique way to an abundant and joyful world community, free from fear and material lack
- Music can reach a deep part of my soul; I’m grateful for all the musicians of the world and their creative contributions
Note that I’m not claiming to be “enlightened.” Of course, I do identify with my body! I’m not fearless yet. Anyway, I’ll explore some of these topics here.
Topics
My First Love — remembering a beautiful gift in my young life
Ah-ha Moments — a couple of those “just wow” experiences
Manifestation — a way that has worked for me, anyway
Love Story — how I met my Sweetheart ❤️
Grand Mysteries — several things that might blow your mind if you ponder them
Parents Should Know — things all new or prospective parents should know
Physics and Consciousness — something to ponder from science
The Non-Dualists
Music
The Big Questions
Artificial Intelligence
Exploring the Mind — scratching the surface of the gray matter
Society—What’s Going On Here?