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On Intelligence 1 of 6 - Infinite living system life, the book of zen awareness alan watts, mindfulness key to happiness peace joy

~ ∞ ~ On Intelligence 1/6 - Awaken the Living Awareness Within ~ ∞ ~

Now that we have established a base of understanding about the main themes of the book, we are ready to delve into a more complex topic, that of Intelligence. This is a wonderful way to conclude this introductory section as it crystallizes some of the more important themes which are woven through previous chapters.

This part of the Prologue can be considered as a continuation of the chapter titled About Writing Style – its purpose is to delve deeper into the process known as Holofractographic Intelligent Emergence – an intelligent process which is based on both holographic and fractal principles.

Essentially, this chapter was written to open up a discussion on the topic of Life’s Intelligence. As such, here, in this chapter, we are not so much concerned about the form of intelligence we typically see in humans. Instead, what we are most interested in is Intelligence – emphasis on the capital letter, or more aptly, Living Intelligence within Life itself.

On that note, if we did want to talk about intelligence with regard to human beings, we would be talking about Spiritual Intelligence, or Existential Intelligence – and in a way, we will; you see, it is an essential prerequisite to possess this kind of intelligence to be able to even talk about it, let alone talk about Living Intelligence within Life itself, you see? So, what is this kind of intelligence, exactly?

In short, Existential Intelligence can be seen as the ability to be sensitive to, or have the capacity for, conceptualizing or tackling deeper or larger questions about human existence – the proclivity to pose and ponder questions about life, death, and ultimate realities. On a deeper level, Existential Intelligence includes the capacity to transcend the physical and material aspects of life, and hence the ability to experience heightened states of consciousness, by which the ability of utilizing spiritual resources to solve problems comes to fruition.

As regards to Spiritual Intelligence, it demonstrates not only Unconditional Love (Agape – Universal Love, Loving-Kindness and Compassion) as its ethical value and guiding principle, but also Self-Awareness that is key to many essential aspects of this type of intelligence, such as mindfulness, humility, holism, compassion, and the capacity to be virtuous. It is worth noting that spiritual experiences are but precursors to something deeper.

You see, in order for spiritual experiences to evolve into Spiritual Intelligence, an individual must seek to understand the meaning of those experiences and integrate them mindfully into the totality of one’s life. Intelligence is critical to this process because the experiences can have profound effect not only intellectually and psychologically, but also biologically and interpersonally.

Furthermore, individuals seeking to develop Spiritual Intelligence need to learn to tolerate uncertainty and paradox, recognize and acknowledge that all religions, wisdom traditions, and spiritual experiences contribute important and unique insights into the larger phenomena of consciousness and the collective reality that we experience through our individuated consciousness.

Against this backdrop, we can see that there is an intimate connection between said “Existential Intelligence” and Living Intelligence within Life itself. If one truly experiences this kind of intelligence, whilst directly experiencing it, they would arrive at the conclusion that there is hardly any distinction between the two.

What there is, though, is the difficulty in conveying the essence of it. You see, even the very terms “existential” or “spiritual” with regard to Living Intelligence doesn’t lend themselves to a precise meaning since it’s nature is such that it can only be experienced directly.

And so you see, by naming something, we separate it from totality, and the more are the number of the words, the more is the fragmentation. The very second you assign meaning to it, give it a name, or definition of any kind – locks it in time, and in so doing, externalizes it by breaking it down to something tangible and intelligible, which in turn causes it to lose its essence, which makes it rather challenging to talk about it.

Hence, the term “existential” in this context reflects the conscious recognition and acknowledgement of such deeper underlying Intelligence; likewise, the term “spiritual” reflects the nature of this Intelligence. Unfortunately, there are no other suitable words in our vocabulary that could intelligibly describe such Intelligence, so we need to settle for these two terms.

This is also the reason why we use “Living Intelligence” in this book to give it a more accurate expression. As such, it is worth pointing out that the discussion about Life’s Intelligence will continue in some shape or form throughout the entirety of the book. In the next section titled INFINITE, we will once again return to this topic, especially in the chapter Infinite Living System (The Miracle of Life).

This brings us inexorably to the conclusion that even though the discussion is distributed throughout the other sections, it will not lessen or diminish the difficulty in conveying the essence of Life’s Intelligence or its many ways of communicating with itself and its many emanations.

As such, this part of the Prologue may be one of the most challenging to write, not only because it involves explaining the process that is highly subjective and not fully understood by conventional scientific methods and thinking, but also because the general population is largely unaware of the concepts discussed in this book. Hence, it poses a huge challenge in conveying the best possible explanation – one that is both understandable and easily approachable, yet precise and comprehensive enough to cover the essentials.

Having said that, it should be mentioned that this chapter contains some not so well-known terms that are covered in greater detail later in this book – therefore, we should start with a nutshell version and then expand upon it. Even though some of the terms are briefly explained in the footnotes throughout the book, glossary at the back of the book may be immensely helpful.

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~ ॐ ~ Sambodhi Padmasamadhi ~ ∞ ~

Get the Book: Awaken the Living Awareness Within – Discover the Keys to Happiness, Inner Peace & Harmony

[ Click » here « to read the next part: On Intelligence 2/6 – Prologue: Part XII ]

Extra Material: Video: You're It - Alan Watts. Video description: "An inspiring and profound speech from the late Alan Watts. Speech extract from 'Zen Bones and Tales' by Alan Watts"

On Change and Transformation 1 of 3 - Infinite living system life the book of zen awareness, alan watts mindfulness key to happiness peace joy

~ ∞ ~ On Change and Transformation 1/3 - Awaken the Living Awareness Within ~ ∞ ~

One of the central themes of this book is transformation – and thus, here, in this chapter, we will have a brief discussion about this underlying key aspect of this work. Before we go any further, it is important to emphasize the fact that both change and transformation can be either beneficial or detrimental, which is another way of saying that we as the collective human species can either evolve or devolve, depending on the choices we make.

In this book, when we talk about transformation, we are talking about conscious transformation – self-directed, mindful process of self-exploration that can transform one’s life; and not only that, but also the transformation of society, as well. You may consider this discussion as a starting point for a deeper exploration of the subject.

We begin this chapter by giving some basic definitions, namely change and transformation. These closely related terms are often used interchangeably, but the question is: Are they really the same? Well, the short answer is no, they are not the same. There is indeed a clear distinction between change and transformation. This leads to a follow-up question: What is the difference between the two? Let us explore this further and find out, shall we?

By definition, change is something that uses external influences to modify actions to achieve desired results. In contrast, transformation happens from within – it doesn’t require any external influence to maintain. Change is often temporary and can be reverted. In contrast, transformation is permanent. Change is an incremental alteration to the existing processes, whereas transformation is a completely new process.

Change is about improving something to be more, better, efficient. Transformation, on the other hand, invents or redefines a whole field, paradigm*1, process. Transformation is a clear change from one state to another. In other words, transformation is a breakthrough into a whole another level entirely.

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*1 A paradigm is the collection of ideas and assumptions that pass from one generation to the next and which seem to be immutable. The paradigm shift, then, is when the paradigm shifts. In this process, everything that no longer serves its purpose – begins to fade away, to be replaced with something else; and with it goes all the old, outdated and outmoded structures that are limiting us. This in turn gives way to a new understanding, a new way of seeing, a new way of living, being, and doing. Paradigm shifts are necessary for growth and transformation. This area is explored more in detail in the section titled INFINITE, in a chapter Metaphysical Paradigm Shift.

To give an example: as the caterpillar hangs itself up to begin its transformation, its skin hardens into a chrysalis. Inside this chrysalis, deep in the caterpillar’s body, tiny cells called ‘imaginal cells’ begin to form. What happens next is nothing short of a miracle: once in the cocoon, the buds – essentially, stem cells – link up and build a butterfly from the chrysalis fluids. A butterfly is a transformation, not a better caterpillar – see?

The miracle of metamorphosis in one species is just one facet of a much bigger story. You see, all Creation is in process of transformation, in process of returning to, and, into the fullness and awareness of its Source. We too are in process of transformation, but unlike the caterpillar, we have the privilege of having choices; through our free will, we can work with the dynamic of transformation, or against it. The way we make our choices will determine the future of human life on Earth, you see?

That said, we can move the conversation forward by pointing out the obvious: humans generally lack the will to evolve, change, or transform and transcend beyond self-imposed limits. This has a much greater impact than most realize – not only on the individuals themselves, but also on the society and the environment, as well.

Indeed, it is the lack of will that impedes from following the way of wisdom, which is another way of saying that the weakness of will, combined with ignorance is causing people to wander in complete oblivion. As such, most people live their lives with little thought of who they are, why they are here, or where they are going. By the same token, we can say that most people are moving through their lives completely unconscious, without present moment awareness.

Now, someone might point out that these people live their lives in this way by their own volition. Well, if that’s the case, then what does that say about us? That we choose ignorance over truth, blindness over sight, and in the end – stagnation over transformation?

Clearly, we are well aware that we have a choice – in everything we do, in every moment, in the whole of life, between creation and destruction, yin and yang, as it were. For you see, everything is a choice – even not to choose is still a choice; we can decide to have life “do us,” or we can choose to “do life,” the choice is ours to make – see? And here we enter into the territory of free will, which is another topic of its own, and is therefore covered later in this book.

In the context of transformation, it is necessary to ask the following question: How can anyone change or go through transformation of any kind, if they don’t know where they are falling short? Cultivating the present moment awareness throughout the day is the key in solving this issue. It is through mindfulness that we can become aware of our thoughts, feelings, emotions, physical sensations, and behaviors – the way we think, speak, and act – see?

By exploring our direction in life with self-awareness we open to the possibility of following the path of wisdom. With mindfulness, one can become aware of how and why one reacts to events or situations instead of responding impulsively due to past conditioning. With mindfulness, one can transcend this perceptual conditioning that separates us from universal wisdom; one then no longer experiences life through the narrow limits of conditioned perception – see?

This brings us inexorably here – to realize that we have come upon a time of convergence, a turning of the tides. As we head into the third decade of the 21st century and beyond, it is more clear than ever before: we as the collective human species are in dire need of conscious transformation – this will only become more pronounced as years pass.

Consequently, we need a catalytic process – a change of perspective, a spiritual awakening. By going through this process, we could reclaim our ancient ways of seeing and awaken ourselves to the world-wide awareness of our inherent Divine nature.

In the beginning stages, it all boils down to personal transformation – a change of perspective, transformation of one’s life; leading us to a point where we can experience a transformation of the world itself. This, in turn, can lead to the emergence of a collective awakening, which holds the potential for a balanced world where humans are conscious participants in the evolution of their cultures, and even of the entirety of human society, as well, you see?

Should we choose, both as individuals and as a species, to utilize our free will to rewrite our story, and consciously take part in our future growth and expansion, integration and transformation – is entirely up to each and every one of us.

Here we arrive at an important point: we may have a desire for change, but the honest truth is that it’s not enough – change has to come deep from within; and it to be permanent, what we need is transformation. You see, if we want our outer world to change, we must transform ourselves, and to do that, we need to have the will to change our ways, the will to change our values, the will to change our attitudes – see?

Having said that, it is worth pointing out that each generation comes into this world thinking they can make the world a better place – eventually ending up making the same realization: we cannot change the world without changing ourselves.

Therefore, it is essential to understand that change always begins with ourselves – we must be willing to change ourselves to change the world; to develop we must grow; to grow we must change, and to change we must transform. The world itself will change as the people on Earth themselves change – see?

And so it goes that at the moment, we find ourselves at a crossroads – a point of no return, where a decision has to be made: Do we continue our old ways, repeating our past mistakes, or do we take the critical first step towards the process of adaptation, change, and transformation? Do we move forward towards a bright future, or do we follow the old worldview and plunge deeper into oblivion?

The question facing humanity at this critical juncture in human history – a time of convergence, a turning of the tides, is whether we are willing to take up the responsibility and opportunity to grow, ripe and mature?

Will we embrace our inherent unity, interconnectedness, and interdependence as the collective human species and self-consciously adapt to the new conditions of our existence, or do we cling to inherent patterns of belief and behavior that are driven by ignorance and hubris – and learn the lessons of interdependence the hard way, through the deepening social and ecological consequences of a failure to adapt, change and transform?

Furthermore, are we willing to do what needs to be done to make things better, to keep things balanced, to be the best we can be? If we can answer yes to this, then we will find the way; we are the process – the way, you see?

This process implies not only the change and transformation of the individuals, but also the structure of society that will reflect the underlying principle, or truth, of the oneness of humanity. This principle entails the emergence of a consciousness that recognizes and acknowledges this oneness, which in turn establishes equality between all people, regardless of their gender, ethnicity, nationality, language, and culture, you see?

What will our future hold is but anyone’s guess – what matters most is the truth that our future is ours to envision, discover and co-create together, learning from one another and helping to build a legacy for future generations.

This raises the question: Why do we accept the status-quo? Why should we continue to live like past generations? Why do we continue repeating things that have painful outcomes? Why don’t we initiate something new? What fears are holding us back? Why don’t we do everything within our power to reach our God-given potential? In many ways, it seems as though we are stuck in a loop, and thus in today’s technology-driven world someone clever might just ask: Why don’t we just break the simulation?

What would it take for us to see that it was we ourselves who held the key to our own transformation all along? That we are the ones who write our own destiny, with how we choose to live our lives, with what we choose to learn, unlearn, and relearn, with what we choose to let go and leave behind, with what we choose to envision and create, and what we choose to cherish and value. What would it take for us to see that the decision is ours, and ours alone, and has been so from day one? And so yet again, I ask you this: Why do we accept the status-quo and settle for less?

___
~ ॐ ~ Sambodhi Padmasamadhi ~ ∞ ~

Get the Book: Awaken the Living Awareness Within – Discover the Keys to Happiness, Inner Peace & Harmony

[ Click » here « to read the next part: On Change and Transformation 2/3 – Prologue: Part X ]

Extra Material: Video: You're It - Alan Watts. Video description: "An inspiring and profound speech from the late Alan Watts. Speech extract from 'Zen Bones and Tales' by Alan Watts"

About This Book, Infinite living system life, the book of zen awareness, alan watts mindfulness key to happiness peace joy

~ ∞ ~ About This Book 1/3 - Awaken the Living Awareness Within ~ ∞ ~

Somewhere, somewhen, someone realized that everything is nothing with a twist and vice versa. From this realization arose a desire to know more, and so was the wish sent out into the universe: it would be fantastic if there would be a book about everything and nothing and everything in between. Whether that wish was shouted out loud somewhere on a mountain top, or silently whispered in someone’s prayers – it was heard and fulfilled; and it just happened to be that someone, somewhen, somewhere decided to write that kind of book – this is that book.

Even though this book is a response to that wish, it doesn’t mean that all the answers to Life’s questions are laid out for all to see – answers are found somewhere between what may be possible and what may be probable; somewhere in between meaningful and meaningless. Life’s secrets and the containers are invariably intertwined and paired together – answers lie hidden beneath appearances, which means that the questions and answers are separated only by imagination and abstraction.

This goes on to say that in the hands of those who are not equipped with the needed inner faculties, the book is as meaningless as life without an afterlife; and in the hands of those who see beyond the mere limits of the physical realm, the book is as meaningful as life and death combined, for they are the same – greatest mystery of all – see?

In other words, this book is as meaningful as it is meaningless, as useful as it is useless, as purposeful as it is purposeless. And for that reason, this book may appear to be full of paradoxes, while at the same time being a paradox in itself – after all, it is a book about everything and nothing and everything in between. Hence, one of its key elements is contradiction, which is the perfect vehicle to capture the essence of life in all its purposeful purposelessness.

You see, life itself is the path, not the goal – when we drop the goal, the emphasis will be on the path. In other words, there really is no becoming – we merely discover what we truly are as we walk the path that life lays before us – you see, we cannot become that which we already are. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves here – all in due time, as they say.

Now, let us return back to the concept of paradox, just for a bit, shall we? Let me ask you this: Is it not true that life is a paradox, too? For there would not be life without death, nor death without life; light without darkness; harmony without high and low notes, nor living things without female and male, which are opposites; and herein lies the key: one implies the other, and if you take away one, you have to take away the other as well.

This leads us to an obvious conclusion: birth cannot occur without death, nor death without birth, which leaves us with an intriguing question: Can there be Life without birth? And further: Is Life the same as life? Even though there is a nuance of difference in the meaning – it makes all the difference; and if you pay close attention to this detail while reading, you might gain some valuable insight.

After reading all that, you may be wondering: to whom is this book written? Briefly speaking, this book is written for two types of readers: the first are those not yet acquainted with the mysteries of life, the mysteries of existence, and the mysteries of the quantum world – it is for those who feel the need for a systematic introduction. The second type of readers for whom this book is meant are those, already acquainted with such matters – it is for those who still cannot see how various aspects fit together into an intelligible whole.

More broadly speaking, this book is for those who have become aware that there is more to life than what they have been taught or experienced; that there is more to life and reality than meets the eye – a spiritual dimension, if you will.

This book is for those who are striving to explore new horizons; for those who aspire to go beyond what is accepted as the norm; for those who dare to push the boundaries beyond the accepted norms and conventions; for those who are ready and willing to go the extra mile to uncover deeper truths beyond appearances; for those who leave no rock unturned when seeking better ways of doing things; for those who have a genuine interest in the pursuit of Self-Mastery, you see?

On that note, here it should be made clear that this book is not a self-help book, neither is it a work of philosophy, nor yet another book on spirituality. Yet, paradoxically enough, it is all that and so much more; it is unlike anything you have read before: devoid of empty promises and cheesy platitudes. It doesn’t offer salvation or quick and easy ways to achieve success, happiness or fulfillment.

What it does offer though – is direction; you may consider this book as a compass that points to your true nature. It offers you a mirror to see your own reflection on an inner level; it offers you the chance to become something new, to transcend beyond limiting beliefs, ideas and concepts, which goes on to say that this book is more about dismantling concepts rather than adding new ones.

At the center of it all is the reader, like the universal sound “OM,” the very first vibration which became sound. It is said that the Creation itself was set in motion by the vibration of “OM,” and hence it resonates within and radiates outward, warming the hearts of those in its path, dynamically creating and holding space for exploration and discovery. This book resonates with the vibration of “OM,” being a single key which holds the potential to unlock the treasure within, you see?

Indeed, it is you – the reader, who holds all the keys to the greatest mystery of all – Life itself, for you are the lock and the key. And for this very same reason, it is you – the reader, who is in the position of utilizing this book to its full potential – it is the way of the future. Soon, intellect alone will be way outdated, and quite frankly, primitive. When the individual combines the human intellect with their Inner Wisdom, then, and only then, will the fullness and richness of Life be of service to oneself and others.

And because the reader is in the driver’s seat, so to speak, the author of this book has absolutely nothing to teach anyone, as their role is only to show the way and nothing more. As such, there is nothing to prove and no need to convince anyone of anything. You see, the purpose of this book is not to give answers, but to raise questions that open up new perspectives – in so doing, readers may arrive at their own answers.

In other words, the purpose of this book is not to explain life, mind, or consciousness, anymore than it is to explain awareness, universe, or God; instead, its purpose is to spark the flame of curiosity and the will to discover one’s True Self; perhaps touch the Divine within, and who knows – maybe find God along the way – see?

This book is designed as an open system that you can explore in a wide variety of ways. However you choose to use the book, is up to you, but here is a word of encouragement: because this book is an open system, dynamic framework – you are invited to invent new creative ways of using the knowledge contained in this book in your life.

After all, it is the very purpose of this book to guide the reader into the field of their own genius. There are a variety of applications to which the information within this book can be applied, and a variety of ways in which it can be used – in general, there are three primary areas of use:

1.) Exploring the depths of our Infinite Being and Unlimited Creativity.
2.) Re-Structuring our life based on what we find in our exploration.
3.) Creating an alternative way to live (Lucid Living).

Furthermore, the purpose of this book is simply to provide a coherent conceptual framework that can help broaden the way we see the world and ourselves. This framework resides within everyone who comes into contact with this book. It is like a seed – when planted in fertile soil, it can bear the fruits of wisdom, peace, happiness, harmony, and virtues; it dynamically creates and holds the space for exploration and discovery.

The framework achieves this by deconstructing false assumptions, borrowed beliefs and imposed ideas; it achieves this by facilitating alternate perspectives beyond the narrow limits of conditioned perception – reorienting the ordinary everyday perspective we hold by pushing the boundaries of what is possible.

While the book is down to earth and easily understandable in its simplicity, it doesn’t hesitate to push the envelope just enough to gradually venture into the unknown. You see, exploration inspires us to discover what lies beyond the limits of the known. After all, it is this very desire for exploration that is one of the defining characteristics of the human species. The exploration of the universe of the unseen – our inner space, our own consciousness and awareness is the next great frontier; this unexplored world of consciousness – Innerverse, is where we discover our true nature – would it not then be worth exploring?

Through experiencing and exploring these inner realms, the author was able to gain insight and wisdom of the unseen world, which brings about the question: What did the explorers do after their expedition? After having asked that question, one has to wonder: How do we know what we know? How did we learn what we know? And so you see, that same underlying incentive behind those questions is what propelled the author to write this book – incentive to share and contribute to the greater good – for all of humanity; for the future generations – see?

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~ ॐ ~ Sambodhi Padmasamadhi ~ ∞ ~

Get the Book: Awaken the Living Awareness Within – Discover the Keys to Happiness, Inner Peace & Harmony

[ Click » here « to read the next part: About This Book 2/3 – Prologue: Part II ]

Extra Material: Video: You're It - Alan Watts. Video description: "An inspiring and profound speech from the late Alan Watts. Speech extract from 'Zen Bones and Tales' by Alan Watts"

Opening Words, Infinite living system life, the book of zen awareness, alan watts mindfulness key to happiness peace joy

~ ∞ ~ Opening Words - Awaken the Living Awareness Within ~ ∞ ~

Before we can begin our journey into the Mysteries of Life, it is important to note that if you are the type of person who skips the preface and introductions to books, I advise you to go back and read them. This is because they contain valuable information that you may want to consider before getting more involved with the book.

This is to say that the preface, introduction and the rest of the book are inextricably linked together – forming an integrated, unified wholeness. In other words, this book is designed in a way that allows the message to build upon itself – gradually adding new layers of depth and complexity to the whole, which in turn gives room for more context to emerge to support the wholeness.

This book was designed and intended to be a single volume work, and thus it was published as a single volume, albeit a large one; and there is a good reason for that: to put it simply, in this way, it is easier to get the point across. You see, in a perfect literature, all books should be only a single book and touch the Soul of the reader in a special kind of way – so that the book is eternally remembered as it was originally intended.

In real life, there are no prequels, sequels, or do-overs – there is only the ever-present now – the eternal moment that contains everything – see? In a similar way, the perfect book contains everything meaningful. This is also the reason why, after a long consideration, I decided to write a separate introductory section – let us call it a “Prologue,” where the stage is set for a further discussion.

What led me to this decision? Well, you see, it was the realization that if we are to fully understand the upcoming sections, it is vitally important to lay some groundwork by having a discussion about some key aspects underlying this work. As such, here, in this section, we outline the main themes of the book. In this way, the work as a whole can be made more approachable.

That said, there are a couple of remarks worth making. First, in many ways, this work reflects a new way of thinking and seeing, and so it requires a certain amount of orientation to prepare the reader for what is to come. By providing this preliminary material, later sections and chapters are placed within a broader context.

In this way, the reader may have a better understanding of the subjects discussed in this book. And it might very well be that after reading this introductory section, you may conclude that this book is not for you – and that is perfectly ok. For you see, if that is the case, you will find something that suits your interests and needs somewhere else.

And if you do decide to continue this transformational journey with me as your guide, it is recommended that you empty yourself of any preconceived notions about the world, and drop every idea you might have about what life is and is not – this will enable you to consider new ideas and approaches. Keeping that in mind, it is worth noting that if we shift our thinking to include such notions as energy, frequency, vibration, consciousness, and awareness – it opens up a whole new level to our understanding.

Secondly, it is important to emphasize the fact that it would be practically impossible to write a book of this sort without referring to the concept of a Higher Power, Creator, or God. You see, when we talk about anything that even remotely touches upon subjects related to metaphysics, such as existence, reality, nature of being and the like, we have to also talk about God.

As such, it is necessary to cover some of the terminology used in this book to avoid confusion or misunderstanding; these include the words ‘God’, ‘Spirit’, ‘Soul’, ‘Religion’, ‘Belief’, ‘Knowledge’, and ‘Wisdom’. We will discuss these in the following few chapters. That said, it is important to note that the author of this book doesn’t adhere to any particular religion, doctrine, belief or creed, and therefore is not an advocate of any denomination, sect or congregation.

Thirdly, it is worth noting that for the first time in human history, we have everything we need to make Life beautiful for all of humanity. Therefore, it is our personal and collective responsibility to change ourselves if we would like to see humanity moving towards this goal. If we break free from old ways of thinking and seeing, we can change ourselves – both individually and collectively.

What makes the difference is how skillfully we learn to utilize everything we have already discovered. Therefore, may this book help inspire you to love Life, and to find your way as co-creator of our common future. What awaits us in the future is ours to envision, discover and co-create together, learning from one another and helping to build a legacy for future generations; in the end, it is we ourselves who write our own destiny – see? Having said that, we can take a step further in our journey.

In our journey through this book, we will discuss various topics that are interconnected in more ways than you may first think. Covering these topics will help us to understand our core essence – that of awareness in more detail. Consciousness, awareness and presence are at the very heart of this work, as they are an inseparable part of our existence.

As such, this book is a contribution to our common discussion of what must inevitably be for us the most important subject that could be discussed by sentient beings. The pages which follow do not attempt to give an explanation of the world or of ourselves, but only offers an introduction to such an explanation.

In this way, this book is an invitation to a deeper exploration of ourselves, of the meaning of life and existence itself, and thus it can be said to be an unapologetic exploration of the human species – the only intelligent, sentient bipedal species known to exist in this universe that seeks to find answers to the deeper questions concerning existence and life itself.

As such, the message of this book gradually builds upon itself and the Mystery of Life unfolds itself as you grow in understanding of yourself and the Life within you. In this way, this book is inviting you to join the conversation – you see, without you, it would not be complete, which is another way of saying that you are an inseparable part of this book, and thus you can find yourself within these pages – they are you as much as you are them.

In that respect, it can be said that the words speak to you as if they had been written especially for you – making a deeply profound and lasting impression, as if they would have life of their own, coming off the pages and surrounding you with comfort, courage and strength while you embark on a journey of discovery – holding you in the sweetest, most tender, loving embrace of such knowingness and limitless possibility.

And so you see, it can be an experience like no other, an experience to behold and remember. So if there is a word of advice or encouragement I can give you from experience, it is this: let the words dwell in you richly in all their wisdom and insight – teaching you more about yourself. It is my deepest wish that this book would be as good a teacher to you as it was for me, and still continues to be, you see?

Here it should be noted that there is nothing new under the sun, meaning that everything we have ever wanted to know about life has already come out from the collective unconscious in one form or another. This brings us to an important point: there are some universal truths that are timeless, and so there can only be different angles and points of view in different times to be shared.

This book is no different in that regard, as it is only a vehicle for transmitting timeless truths and wisdom to this time we are currently living in. There are certain timeless truths and principles that are important to any era – through which, and by which, we can live our lives in more peaceful and loving, wholesome and fulfilling ways.

While the arrangement of words are mine, the ideas and concepts are not; you see, there are no such thing as “original ideas,” for they have existed for thousands of years. Many authors have written about them many times before, though not necessarily with the same level of sophistication and depth, nor in the same style.

Keeping that in mind, it is easy to understand that many have come before me, and many will follow – these curious individuals have existed in every civilization, every culture, every era since time immemorial; they have always been in the minority – pioneers of progress, human development, self-mastery, and the first discovery. So as time goes on, and years turn into decades; decades into centuries; centuries into millenia, into eternity and beyond – there will be others who will share similar pieces of timeless truths and wisdom with their peers.

By virtue of the aforementioned with regard to timelessness, it is worth highlighting the following: while this book reflects the times we live in, it was written in such a way that it can be relevant to any era. You see, as time goes on, humans remain largely the same, and so does those things that we need to deal with – unless, of course, humans as a species choose to go through a process of Conscious Evolution, or Involution, which means transformation, i.e., a process that follows the completion of evolution in the human form – the process of fulfilling the telos of human existence.

And so you see, the legacy of history, it seems, is that our human tendency is to repeat our past and do things as we have learned to do them – often starting in our childhood, without questioning or challenging what we do; constantly projecting past into the future without transcending ourselves in the process. This means that collectively we become our past – repeatedly, and so it goes that we not only face the same issues and fundamental problems, but we also embrace similar ideals as did humans thousands of years ago.

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~ ॐ ~ Sambodhi Padmasamadhi ~ ∞ ~

Get the Book: Awaken the Living Awareness Within – Discover the Keys to Happiness, Inner Peace & Harmony

[ Click » here « to read the next part: About This Book 1/3 – Prologue: Part II ]

Extra Material: Video: You're It - Alan Watts. Video description: "An inspiring and profound speech from the late Alan Watts. Speech extract from 'Zen Bones and Tales' by Alan Watts"

Preface - The book of zen awareness, alan watts, mindfulness key to happiness peace joy

~ ∞ ~ Preface - Awaken the Living Awareness Within ~ ∞ ~

This book is an extension of Infinite Quantum Zen Website – a website that was initially created to share this new vision of hope with all of humanity. One of the core tenets of this new emerging vision of hope is that of transformation, and hence this book is a glimpse into a way of seeing – it may be summed up as an attempt to see and help others see.

It is devoted to sharing of a new vision of reality that might be able to unite a fragmented humanity in a shared approach to the deeper issues facing us at this crucial time of choice. It may show us that having faith in Life’s greater Intelligence is a hopeful and positive approach to chaotic events in our rapidly changing world.

Although it was almost a decade-long process to get to where I am now, writing these words into this Preface; and although it took me more than seven years to finish this book, I can wholeheartedly say that the journey with all of its ups and downs, challenges and difficulties, surprises and rewards – was well worth it. During this time, I somehow managed to keep myself outside the perimeters of “normal” society, which in turn allowed me to focus solely on Self-Mastery.

In hindsight, I can say that there could not have been any better way to use the time that was gifted to me by Life itself. I used the available time wisely and effectively, doing my very best to present everything that I wanted to convey – in a single, clear, concise, comprehensive, engaging and easy-to-read volume. This “privileged” background allowed me to focus on what is truly important and enduring in life. As a result, cultivating the awakened mind and heart has led me to become what is called a fully realized being.

As I’m writing this preface, I am ever so grateful that I was fortunate enough to be born in a country and into an environment that made it possible for me to pursue the path of Self-Mastery. For obvious reasons, I do not wish to disclose my age, gender, ethnicity, nationality or current location – simply because from where I stand, I see humans as being one race, one species without further subdivision. It is not important who, what, where or when the writer is – let that be an enigma wrapped in mystery. What is important, though – is the message.

Now, it is worth pointing out that there seems to be a tradition among those who walk the path of wisdom to leave behind some kind of legacy – a thread which those who come after may use as a guideline in their own remembrance. And so it can be said that on my path to Self-Mastery, this book represents the Magnum Opus (“Great Work”) – it is my gift to the World; something that is left behind for the future generations – a legacy of wisdom.

As such, it is a powerful tool that assists in remembering eternal, timeless truths – in this way, this book acts as a mnemonic*1 of sorts. In a way, this book can be said to be the end product of the process of fulfilling the telos*2 of the individual, and for that reason it can be seen as a guiding light for those who seek to know themselves on the most profound level.

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*1 A mnemonic is any learning technique that aids information retention or retrieval (remembering) in the human memory. Mnemonics aid original information in becoming associated with something more accessible or meaningful – which, in turn, provides better retention of the information.
*2 Telos is a term used by philosopher Aristotle to refer to the full potential or inherent purpose of a person – supreme end of man’s endeavour.

When I reflect back a couple of years, I can see in hindsight that Awaken the Living Awareness Within – Discover the Keys to Happiness, Inner Peace & Harmony was only an idea – a tiny seed for something big and transformative. The idea for this book grew out of Self-Transformation which took place over a period of a decade. Multiple layers of the idea was contained in the seed of inner knowing; these layers began to open slowly but surely – like the petals of the Lotus Flower.

Eventually the seed began to sprout, and so the project was started in late 2013. All I had at that point in time was the deep inner knowing that the project would eventually lead up to become a cohesive whole. When the idea was born, it had no name or any outline of its contents, but the aim was clear – to crystallize years worth of learning into an easily understandable format that could offer a radically different view of reality, of the existence of a primal web of energy – connecting our physical body, mind and inner consciousness with the World and the larger Universe.

During all this time, I had a sense of certainty that the personal subjective experiences combined with the latest scientific understanding of the Quantum World, coupled with Ancient Wisdom – would open up the door to the Mystery of Life. In hindsight, I can say that the certainty alone was the main driving engine behind the success of the project – the more I trusted the path I was on, the more certain I became. Consequently, what was once a tiny seed, has grown into a mighty tree – a Tree of Life, containing vast body of Living Wisdom.

Eventually, also the name emerged to describe the crystallized idea of the project – Infinite Quantum Zen, which is essentially a framework (basic structure underlying a system) – something fundamental that can be applied for practical use. Consequently, in the beginning of 2015, the website www.infinitequantumzen.info was created; in 2020, the preface for this book was published online; likewise, the 80-pages long prologue for this book was published on the website as well; and eventually, at the end of 2020, this book – in its entirety, was finally published.

The book itself comes from the perspective of pure awareness, which is a natural state of effortless being, in which we are able to directly connect to the Source of Life itself. In this state, creativity, inspiration and intuition can move freely. On a deeper level, it means that all creative endeavours are always vibrantly alive, and when we are fully immersed in creative process – we feel this aliveness inside of us.

From this, the question arises: Creativity – where does it come from? From what source does creativity spring? The unconscious mind? The Universal Soul? Whatever its source, creativity is flowing within each of us, ready to be tapped at any moment.

This goes on to say that creating this book was an effortless, yet growing experience to embark on; it was tremendously enjoyable and wonderful to write. The writing task was effortless in its essence, and crystallizing all of those realizations into written form created moments of exquisite joy. In other words, this book is a labor of love – it was written out of, and for the sake of aliveness.

To be more specific: it was that growing process in itself that brought me the most joy. On the other hand, it was also the hardest part of the journey; and by this I mean all of those countless inner realizations that Life in its Infinite Wisdom brought forth to be realized – they had to be grown out from the actual experience.

To expand this a little more, I may also say that the creative energy that moves within us, through us, and around us – is like a dance that effortlessly guides us. This goes on to say that sometimes while writing, I had a feeling, or more aptly, an Inner Knowing that the contents of the book was being written through me, rather than by me, which goes on to say that this book was co-created together with Living Life, under Divine guidance, you see?

And hence it can be said that this book was, indeed, Divinely inspired. In other words, all the way through the writing process, I had a sense of certainty that Living Intelligence within Life was guiding me in the writing process. So in this sense, it can be said that the book wrote itself, for it was Life itself that delivered this important message for all of humanity to hear. From another perspective, it can be said that it was collective humanity that wrote this book to itself.

To be more precise, it can be said that this vast body of wisdom comes from the depths of the Human Spirit, as it is an amalgamation of the wisdom contained in the collective unconscious – the part of the unconscious mind that is derived from ancestral memory and experience, and is therefore common to all humankind, as distinct from the individual’s unconscious.

The style in which this timeless wisdom is presented, can be said to have a unique, distinguishable and memorable vibe to it. A perceptive reader might even find a distinctive flavor in the writing style, which hints at the possibility of a real transcendence. This flavor is best described in capturing the essence of fluidity of space and time, of malleability and elusiveness of reality, which goes on to say that as one becomes a new person – one also changes their history, their story – if you will, their whole being, you see?

This is a whole topic of its own, and is therefore covered in the section titled PROLOGUE, in a chapter About Writing Style. The only thing that can really be said about it without giving too much away, is to say that the way in which the contents came together, can be said to resemble more of a Holofractographic Intelligent Emergence than anything else.

When I wrote the book, I had a strong feeling that I was merely uncovering something that was quite obvious, but for some reason – too close for the majority of people to perceive. Nevertheless, I knew that everything I wrote, would be common knowledge in the future.

That said, as we are standing on the precipice of a new paradigm, an advent of a new era – it is clear that the times we live in calls for new approaches, ideas, and most of all – a journey into our inner selves; if we are to make this leap into a new era of awareness, we need to be willing to explore new horizons to find better ways and solutions, leaving no rock unturned when seeking better ways of doing things.

Therefore, it is my hope that this book will spark deep inner realizations and shifts within those whom this book might reach. The sole purpose of writing this book is to point the direction, to show the way. Hopefully the powerful message embedded in the pages of this book will reach those individuals who are ready and willing to make the necessary changes within themselves – to change the world toward peace, unity, equality, compassion, and empowerment of humanity as a whole.

In closing, let me ask you this: Can you imagine what it would be like, if we could – for once, live in peace with each other? Now as you ponder that question – take a look around in your mind’s eye the current state of humanity, our values, and the ways of thinking and being. What do you see? What does it take to achieve peace? And so it becomes clear that this is a dream that we have only dared to dream but failed to make it reality. Achieving peace is up to our willingness to change ourselves.

The core message of this book will eventually boil down to these important questions: Are we as the collective human species mature enough to be truly free? And more importantly: Do we even want to be? Are we mature enough to take responsibility of our actions and mistakes, reflect on them, learn from them, and grow from them? Are we mature enough to take responsibility of our happiness, health and well-being, and thus of our lives, both as individuals and as a species?

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~ ॐ ~ On Earth, 10/10/2020 ~ Sambodhi Padmasamadhi ~ ∞ ~

Get the Book: Awaken the Living Awareness Within – Discover the Keys to Happiness, Inner Peace & Harmony

[ Click » here « to read the next part: Book Introduction ]

Extra Material: Video: You're It - Alan Watts. Video description: "An inspiring and profound speech from the late Alan Watts. Speech extract from 'Zen Bones and Tales' by Alan Watts"