Infinite Quantum Zen

~ ∞ ~ The Fear of Annihilation (Non-Existence) ~ ∞ ~

So now, then, if we consider the idea of non-existence, we would find that by definition, non-existence doesn’t exist, and therefore existence cannot become non-existence. In other words, that which exists cannot become that which does not exist – simply because there is no such thing as non-existence in existence.

Of course we can talk about it and think that we are talking about non-existence, but in all actuality, we are not, for you see, the very term ‘non-existence’ exists within existence, and hence ‘non-existence’ in all of its essence is made out of existence itself. Furthermore, existence has only one quality – to exist; that is its fundamental state, you see?

Because we as individuals are an aspect, a reflection of existence – therefore it is our fundamental state as well. We exist, because we do, and we are here, because we exist. Even though this may seem profoundly simple, for most people – it isn’t.

Now, let us explore this in the context of science in terms of energy, frequency, and vibration, shall we? One doesn’t have to look very far to see that what we call life is the combination of ever-changing physical and mental energies; and that energy is eternal – meaning that we are infinite on a quantum scale, are we not?

According to Quantum Physics, everything already exists in a ‘pre-extant’ state, or simply in ‘pre-existence,’ out of which everything comes into manifestation through form (pattern, order, quality) into substance (matter, structure, quantity) when that something is being observed.

When we combine this with the mass–energy equivalence, or simply E=mc2 equation (which states that energy equals matter, thus being interchangeable; mass=energy and energy=mass), it gets pretty interesting. You see, Einstein’s law of conservation dictates that Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed.

Now, what does that mean? Well, you do the math. Considering that Light is the Origin – the Source of everything that comes into being, the Source of everything we term as “real, concrete, tangible, material, physical.” Considering that Light is Energy, and matter is densified Light Energy.

Considering that just in the same way as water, steam, and ice are all the same one thing, same substance vibrating at different frequencies, so in the same way matter and energy are the same substance vibrating at different frequencies. Considering that all “things” are essentially the same one thing – vibrating at different rates or frequency. Considering that reality is not composed of discrete building blocks, but rather webs of relationships that are interrelated and interdependent.

Considering all that, and taking into account that most of us believe in the idea of a Soul or Spirit – the formless and timeless part of us that makes us who we are – the essence that is often compared to Light – it does add up, doesn’t it? That everything is made up of Light, of photons in different arrangement, of energy, of consciousness, of awareness. So now, then, what does that say about us human beings? Well, you do the math.

What’s fascinating about this is that if we break down matter over and over, we end up with octaves of light energy that breaks down into octaves of consciousness, which goes on to say that ultimately the light in every reality membrane is consciousness. In other words, all things are Spirit vibrating at different frequencies. Matter is therefore solidified energy; Spiritual energy vibrating at a slower frequency.

This means that our bodies are solidified Spirit, crystallized Spirit, you see? Considering the fact that physical and mental energies that constitute the so-called being have within themselves the power to take a new form, grow gradually and gather force to the full – does it not, indeed, mean that with the physical death, our energy only transforms, and we disperse back to the universe? Our cells, every fiber of us – from atoms to the tiniest particle; the very essence of us being made of the same composition of the cosmos – goes back to whence it once came.

And now, let us explore this from another perspective. If one can comprehend the aforementioned, then it should not be difficult to comprehend the following either. Just in the same way as the aforementioned physical and mental energies that constitute the so-called being disperse back to whence they once came, so in the same way does our Souls.

Even though the identity that we have constructed during our life might come to an end – it does not mean that the underlying consciousness and its purest form – Living Awareness, our Spiritual Essence would cease to exist. Like a river flowing into the sea, the Soul or Self eventually returns to its Source, becoming one with the Ultimate Truth, leading to the final goal or destination – absorption of Soul or Self into the Ultimate Reality, you see?

As you can imagine, there are many paths to take, and countless ways to tread the path, which brings us to the next aspect of the same. You see, when the physical body is no more capable of functioning – energies and consciousness don’t die with it, but instead, they propagate through various levels of existence, and eventually continue to take some other shape or form that some would call “another life.” One might call this transition from existence to post-existence, “afterlife.”

Upon deeper examination, one finds that every moment we are born and die, but still we continue. Life, therefore, is an unbroken series that continues but changes every moment – this movement is like a flame that burns through the night: it’s not the same flame nor is it another.

This brings us to conclude that both, birth and death – are gateways through which Life passes in and out of time in physical existence, which goes on to say that the difference between death and birth is only a thought-moment: the last thought-moment in this life conditions the first thought-moment in the so-called “next life,” which is the continuity of the same series, you see?

Considering everything that was discussed and brought to light in this chapter, the question remains: Why can’t we see death as a natural part of life – as a continuation and transformation rather than annihilation? After all, in death, we only become more of what we already are as spiritual beings, but on a more deeper level – see?

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~ ॐ ~ Sambodhi Padmasamadhi ~ ∞ ~

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[ Click » here « to read the next part: Change Is the Only Constant – The Existential Paradox: Part III ]

~ ∞ ~ The Fear of Annihilation (Non-Existence) ~ ∞ ~

As mentioned earlier, no matter how we look at it, it does, indeed, seem that one of the biggest fears we humans have is the fear of a total annihilation, or non-existence – we will come back to this in a moment, but first, let us take a look at some of the causes behind it. As much as this is true, that we humans fear non-existence, there is another fear that is much worse – the fear to be who we truly are. Because of this, yet another one surfaces – the fear of rejection.

These fears are inseparable and go hand in hand – feeding each other, creating a vicious cycle of worthlessness. Partly this is due to our modern science which holds a view that out of nowhere, for no apparent reason, nothing spontaneously became everything – without any purpose, and without any meaning. Supposedly, according to this view – humans are nothing special in the context of the cosmos – as if the Earth and its inhabitants were just a big “cosmic accident” of some sort.

And it doesn’t stop there, for you see, this same worldview also holds that the entire universe is without any intelligent design whatsoever, and hence without any purpose or meaning. Is it any wonder, then, that the fear of death, the fear of one’s life to be finite, the fear of total annihilation (non-existence) prevails?

Is it any wonder, then, that most humans define their own existence as individuals to be an accident based on randomness; that in their ignorance and hubris they believe that there’s not one scintilla of evidence that any other factor was involved in their creation? Is it any wonder, then, that all too many have convinced themselves into thinking that there is no meaning, no significance, no purpose, and no manifest destiny to human life?

In part, this is the result of scientific materialism – a view that physical reality is the only reality there is; that all things are composed of material, and all phenomena (including consciousness) are the result of material interactions; that the brain creates consciousness and that consciousness cannot survive without the brain; that the death of the brain is the death of the individual and the death of consciousness.

The lens through which we perceive the world and ourselves has a tremendous effect on us, both individually and collectively. As a result, we begin to formulate a belief that we are only these limited physical bodies and mind. This belief begins to ingrain in us the idea that we are nothing but a product of an amoral, evolutionary process – an accident, if you will – insignificant creatures in a vast cosmos; and because of this, we live in constant fear that the limited self we have identified with – will die, cease to exist, and return to nothing.

If we really stop to think about this, we can see that science is not only a tool we have invented to make sense of life, but also a story, a narrative, through which we try to create permanence for ourselves within an essentially transient world; through which we try to find meaning into our seemingly purposeless lives.

In light of our growing mastery over so many aspects of the physical world, it is not unsurprising, then, that many have come to place all their hopes in science, and even to believe that happiness can be achieved by means of what material science can deliver – hoping to find solace in scientific explanations, most of which are based on the unfounded assumptions, models and predictions, claims and promises that very rarely, if ever, come to pass.

One might even say that science is useful but dangerous tool that promises to give us purpose and meaning, and in this sense, science is no way different than the numerous religions of the world, which all in their own ways are promising the salvation from ourselves.

As a result, we human beings seem to hold a belief that life is some kind of an accident that just happens to us, rather than something that happens for us. This belief is extremely harmful in more ways than one. You see, as a result, we are accustomed to assume that we only have this one life, and what awaits us after we die – is nothing; thus the saying “You Only Live Once,” or just simply “YOLO.”

This kind of thinking encourages moral irresponsibility and material hedonism, which in turn results in nihilism, which denies the existence of genuine moral truths and asserts the ultimate meaninglessness of life or of the universe. So, what about this instead: “We only die once, and we live every day.”

This simple change in one’s thinking can bring about lasting change, it can be transformational to say the least. Other than that, this belief that life is some kind of an accident puts us in a victim mentality, in which we believe that we are powerless in the world, and that we have little or no power at all to change things.

If we really stop to think about the aforementioned, we can find that in all actuality, life is something that happens for us, and through us – reflecting everything we believe to be true for us, just like a mirror does, you see? Nevertheless, many people live in a world where they feel they have no control, feeling powerless and abandoned by the world; deep inside they are afraid – especially of death. They constantly search for the meaning of their lives, feeling alienated, vulnerable and all alone.

So, if we take the previous into consideration, is it any wonder, then, that we hold a belief that we are born from nothing, and when we die, we mysteriously once again become nothing; and that our entire existence is only a life-span – beginning from the moment we are born, and ending at the moment we die. From this, the question arises: How far have we fallen into ignorance if we are to believe this?

The curious thing about this is that when we really start to uncover the real truth about ourselves – we eventually come to realize that we’re not merely the end result of the so-called process of a “big bang,” but rather, we are the ongoing process itself – a living process that is happening all around and within us – here and now, you 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: The Fear of Annihilation (Non-Existence) 3/3 – The Existential Paradox: Part II ]

~ ∞ ~ The Fear of Annihilation (Non-Existence) ~ ∞ ~

One of the most unspoken truths in life is that from the very moment we are born – we start dying. And now, taking that into account, one might go on to say that in this respect, what we call life is not life at all – it is death. Indeed, we have a limited lifespan and healthspan – no matter how difficult it is to bear, this is how it is. Therefore, ultimately, it boils down to perspective on how one chooses to see it. You see, from this very moment onward – from the moment of birth, we have a choice: to grow, ripe and mature, or to wither, decay and perish.

It is no wonder, then, that when we observe the world around us, the comings and goings of people, their likes and dislikes, it doesn’t take too long to realize that people have always been fascinated by the mystery of death; and yet, at the same time, people are in a deep denial about their own mortality and suffering. The fascination toward death comes from its incredible contrast to life, but alas, the interest is shallow at best, and thus artificial in nature.

At some point in everyone’s life, there comes a time of reflection and introspection – this natural process leads each of us to the exact same place, where we find ourselves at the crossroads asking ourselves: What have I accomplished, and what legacy will I leave once I’m gone? Here, in this very place, we all start to question our own mortality. It’s in these moments that we find ourselves asking not only the questions relating to why, but also how.

Among such questions are: Why are we here? Where will we go, and how will we get there? Why do we exist? What does it mean to exist? Can existence become non-existence? What lies across the threshold between life and death? Yet, we have no consensus – this is because we as the collective human species have created ourselves social structures (civilization) that are ultimately an elaborate, symbolic defense mechanism against the knowledge of our mortality.

These structures of civilization include prevailing ideas, concepts, theories, narratives, assumptions, beliefs, perspectives, and values; it also includes worldviews, philosophies, theologies, ideologies, and even consensus reality – which, in and of itself, is the product of all the aforementioned. These together act as an emotional and intellectual response to our basic survival mechanism, resulting in that we humans seem to be living in a deep state of denial – most notably of our mortality and suffering.

It seems that death is a taboo that cannot be explored rationally – even though it is inevitable for all of us. In the Western culture, the acknowledgment of death is often reserved only to those who are directly facing the inevitable experience of death; for others, it is simply a form of entertainment (films, tv-series, games, novels, etc.)

Evidently, death is one of the most harshly pronounced and well-protected taboos that we have in current society – one is not supposed to talk about it, but one is supposed to show empathy and regret, and then move on to a different topic. But why exactly is that? Why does death frighten us so much that we don’t even find it appropriate to talk about it? Well, it goes without saying that the ubiquitous fear of death, the fear of one’s life to be finite, seems to push people towards avoidance with severe consequences.

As a result, in our Western culture, we have lost touch with the art of dying, not to say anything about the art of living. To be honest, in our culture, we don’t know how to die properly, but alas, yet we are doing so – dying slowly and gradually, continuously suffering on the way. Culturally, we don’t even have any constructive and beneficial ways of dealing with this wholeness.

The honest truth is that it would make everyone’s life much easier if we could only learn to deal with it properly. You see, by allowing the acknowledgement of death into awareness in a respectful, reflective and supported fashion may bear meaningful effects upon one’s life and experience. Bringing this awareness into conscious awareness influences our approach to life, the choices we make, and reminds us that it’s our individual responsibility to create the meaning we desire in our life.

By virtue of the aforementioned with regard to death being used as a form of entertainment, it should be pointed out that we are, indeed, exceedingly so, doing everything we possibly can – to avoid the confrontation with our own impending death. On the other hand, one might say that because the art of dying is almost completely missing from our culture, it is a coping mechanism of sorts.

But now the question becomes: Does it do any good for anyone, or does it do more harm than good? If violence, suffering and death, as they are portrayed in popular culture through various mediums – is a coping mechanism, then it is awfully bad one, would you agree? Now, let me ask you this: Isn’t it strange that we are taught to fear and hold off death of anything from the moment we are born?

As humans, one of the biggest, if not the greatest, fears relating to death seems not to be dying in itself, but rather the fear of the unknown: What lies across the threshold between life and death? Is there anything beyond that threshold, or nothing at all? Pure nothingness? Total annihilation? Does it all end after crossing that threshold?

Once again, this brings about the question: Why does death frighten us so much? Let us explore. Our fear of death springs from our ignorance of death, it springs from the thought that death is the end of everything, which is due to the “I-am-the-body” idea. Essentially, our fear of death springs from attachment to physical form, from attachment to physical body. Indeed, we are so attached to the kind of life we’re used to living that we cling to it as much as we can, to make sure it won’t flee from us.

In other words, our fear of death comes from the fear of ceasing to exist, losing one’s identity and foothold in the world we are familiar with. This, of course, has a huge impact in our lives, limiting our capability to enjoy life. In other words, most of the time, most of the people are so afraid of this natural part of life that eventually the fear of fear itself prevents them from living happy, joyful, and fulfilling life.

That said, it is not only important, but paramount to highlight the truth that spiritually wise individuals are not afraid of death, because their state of being is beyond body-consciousness, or just simply beyond space, time, and form. Since the spiritually wise individuals know that they are neither the body nor the mind, but rather Spirit that transcends the boundaries of material existence – the event of death has no effect on them.

When one understands that they cannot be destroyed, one becomes liberated from the fear – this is a great relief because after this realization, one can enjoy life and appreciate it in a whole new way. In other words, our true essence is established in the timeless consciousness, timeless awareness beyond mental limitations and conditioning, which means that the loss of this world of names, ideas, and forms don’t affect those who know deep down in their core that death does not mean non-being, or non-existence, nor total annihilation, you see?

In this context, one might say that the ultimate goal of man is to know God, and to know God is to know truth about Life – that it is indeed Eternal, and in turn one can become conscious of their continued existence, whether in the physical realm, the spiritual realm, or whatever stage of development one may be passing from physical life unto spiritual life, you 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: The Fear of Annihilation (Non-Existence) 2/3 – The Existential Paradox: Part II ]

The existential paradox - alan watts the book of zen mindfulness awareness meditation

~ ∞ ~ The Existential Paradox - Awaken the Living Awareness Within ~ ∞ ~

In this chapter, we will take a look at something called the “Existential Paradox,” which serves the role of being a preliminary exploration of what comes up in the following few chapters, dealing with the fear of death, the fear of one’s life to be finite, the fear of total annihilation (non-existence).

The purpose behind these following two chapters is to highlight the truth that by definition non-existence doesn’t exist, and therefore existence cannot become non-existence, which goes on to say that death is not the end of life – it is merely the end of the physical body we inhabit in this life. In other words, there is no death “as such,” only a change of worlds, for you see, nothing ultimately ever dies, only changes form – transforms and transcends.

We begin this chapter by defining existence and paradox, although we have already discussed about them in earlier sections and chapters in different context. By giving basic definitions, we will lay the foundation for more in-depth discussion of specific aspects of existence in the context of human life with regard to its paradoxical nature. For you see, we are information, yet we are uncertainty, and paradoxically enough, information is thought to be the resolution of uncertainty.

Furthermore, there is no fine line between life and death, living and non-living, animate and inanimate, like we have seen earlier in this section, in the chapter “What Is Life?” We can call this Existential Paradox, or ‘coincidentia oppositorum,’ or just simply Unity of Opposites, which means that a thing is both what it is and what it is not, and yet it somehow escapes contradiction – that’s how the Miracle of Life is possible – see?

The word “existence” comes from the Latin word ‘exsistere,’ meaning “to appear”, “to arise”, “to become”, or “to be”, but literally, it means “to stand out.” So when something is made to appear, or to become visible to the human senses – which can only perceive a very narrow spectrum of light, we are saying that something exists; clearly, this doesn’t mean that ‘something’ isn’t existing if we’re not able to ‘tune-in’ to the vibrational level of it.

What it means, though, is that we have collectively agreed upon that we use certain words to explain something that we are able to perceive with our physical senses, or detect through the microscopes and particle accelerators, or through other scientific gadgets and gizmos.

And, indeed, if one looks deeper, utilizing the very tools provided by the science itself, namely Quantum Mechanics, it’s just as plausible to argue that consciousness exists before the formation of the brain, and therefore consciousness can exist after the death of the brain. This, then, suggests that there is not only existence, but also pre-existence, as well as post-existence (afterlife).

From this, we can conclude that there is an intimate connection between the mystery of consciousness, the mystery of existence, and the mystery of reality. This triune connection is interesting in more ways than one. You see, reality needs existence, which in turn needs consciousness. Reality cannot be reality without existence, and consciousness cannot take place without awareness of existence.

And so we can pose a question: What came first: reality or consciousness of it? After all, reality is experience in our consciousness, is it not? And now, we can ask: What came first: existence or awareness of it? This, indeed, is a mystery. What we know about it, though, is that underlying our consciousness, there is awareness – through which, and by which, we become aware of consciousness, and therefore, of existence, and, of reality, you see?

Now that we have defined “existence,” we can move on to paradox. As regards to our existence as human beings, it is clear that the most profound questions about life and its mysteries cannot be answered without using paradox as a tool, let alone the mystery regarding what lies across the threshold between life and death.

In a nutshell, paradox is a statement that contradicts itself, and when investigated might actually be true; paradoxical statements may seem completely self-contradictory, but they can be used to reveal deeper truths. In this sense, paradox can be seen as a method to reveal the interdependence and interconnectedness of all things, and in turn perceive the higher truth directly without intellectualizing filter, you see?

In the context of paradox, it can be said that the logic behind the Western thought is very much classical in nature, which means that there is an underlying belief, according to which every statement becomes false if a contradiction is true. For some reason, it is difficult for us to appreciate anything that goes against the norm, that is, logic and reason as we know and practice them today. Hence, it goes without saying that this is, indeed, a narrow-minded approach.

In contrast to the Western approach, some ancient wisdom traditions like Advaita Vedanta, Taoism, and Zen, are dialetheist in nature where non-dualistic thought is used to refer to true contradictions. A paradox which is both true and false at the same time and in the same sense – is called dialetheia; a dialetheia is the view that some statements can be both true and false simultaneously, which goes on to say that there can be a true statement whose negation is also true – such statements are called “true contradictions,” dialetheia, or nondualisms.

Hence, it is worth noting that paradoxes only arise in the dualistic mind, with a dualistic mindset, and with a dualistic belief system – beyond it, there is only Oneness – and yet, Oneness is also a limiting concept, because if there is one – it always implies that there must be many – one cannot be if there isn’t many; it’s only through the experience of the many – from where the One is realized, you see?

In spiritual terms, this means that there is a definite difference between the ideas of Oneness, Unity, and Non-Duality (Advaita). Oneness is an idea; Unity is a concept from the realization of the idea of Oneness (a generalization from experience), and finally there is Non-Dual Beingness within that realization, you see?

Keeping that in mind, it can be concluded that there are some truths that can only be expressed in contradiction by using paradox as a tool – such truths are existential in nature, most profound questions and answers about life and death – more precisely, the questions concerning consciousness, awareness, and presence, you 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: The Fear of Annihilation 1/3 – The Existential Paradox: Part II ]

When Does A Human Life Begin? All Life Exists in an Interconnected Web

~ ∞ ~ What Is Life? – The Essence of Life ~ ∞ ~

After the previous chapter, which focused on the Preciousness of Human Life, it is appropriate to pay a homage to the idea of Miracle of Life with respect to the moment it starts, by asking the question: When Does a Human Life Begin? For however small this chapter ends up being, doesn’t matter as much as showing respect to this important area. You see, it is important to bring it up, because in the next chapter, namely “The Existential Paradox,” we approach this same issue with a different set of questions: When does a human life end, or can it end?

We can start by bringing up something that was said in the very beginning of this section: “If we cannot create Life in a lab from scratch, with the same building blocks that Life uses to create multitudes of life forms we find on Earth, would it not then mean that the core essence of our being is not found in matter? This leads us to a staggering conclusion: the gift of Life is passed on — this is why we have babies, to continue as a species — see? Against this backdrop, it is reasonable to ask ourselves: What is Life, really?”

From the aforementioned, we can conclude that the parent’s Life Force*1 is temporarily anchored to an egg and a sperm. This happens via morphogenetic field, which is why the egg and a sperm can “survive” outside the body. It is astonishing to realize that Human Life comes into existence in just a fraction of an instant, and yet, there are so many aspects involved in this process that we have only scratched the surface.

To this day, it is still a mystery as to when Human Life can be said to begin. As a result, this topic, in and of itself, is also a cause for a heated debate in the world today for obvious reasons. For curiosity’s sake, it is worth mentioning that in the time of Aristotle, it was widely believed that the Human Soul entered the forming body at 40 days (male embryos) or 90 days (female embryos), and quickening was an indication of the presence of a Soul.

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*1 Life Force has many different names in different parts of the world. In China it is called Qi, in Hawaii it is called Mana, in India it is called Prana, in Christianity in the Western world it is called the Holy Spirit.

We have two parent cells, a human egg and a human sperm — their sole purpose in life is to meet each other and fuse to create a one cell human being. The development of a new human being begins at fertilization when a sperm fuses with an ovum to form a zygote. So in this sense, it can be said that Human Life begins when the elements of a potent sperm merge with those of a fertile ovum, but on a deeper level, the answer is not so straightforward. You see, here we arrive at the question of the most profound: What is it that makes you — you?

What is it that makes up the whole of who you are? Are you just a bunch of cells put together randomly, nothing more than a collection of cellular tissue, the processing organs, innervating nerves, bones and muscles — or, are you more than that?

From the extraordinary moment of fertilization, our bodies form a design unlike any other, through a wondrous process that is both a replication of an ancient blueprint and a uniquely individual expression. These structures from bones to the tensile fiber of muscles, the processing organs, innervating nerves, and the oceanic fluid systems of the body — don’t alone make a human being.

Even though our physical bodies start out as single cells — it is clear that Life is more than chemistry, DNA, RNA, proteins, enzymes, and heredity — Isn’t it? So now, then, the question becomes: What happens in fertilization? What is it that gives birth to a new life? The question of when life begins is essentially one of the moment of ensoulment (the moment at which a human being gains a Soul). Why?

Because it is the Soul, whether the vegetable — and lower animal variants, or the Human Soul — that when joined with a material entity possessing a particular potential exclusive to its nature, brings life or animation. This means that just as a lightbulb is useless until it is connected to electricity, the raw substance of our body does not become human until it is infused with the Force of Life (prana, qi, chi).

This mysterious Life Force expresses itself through the projection of light from our eyes; it circulates the blood through our hearts and causes the ceaseless cycle of inspiration and expiration. This Life Force also provides us with a blueprint for optimal movement in the form of universal movement patterns that govern all our actions — these patterns organize our intentions into effortless actions.

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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: The Existential Paradox ]

Preciousness of human life 2 of 2 - alan watts the book of zen meditation

~ ∞ ~ The Preciousness of Human Life 2/2 - Awaken the Living Awareness Within ~ ∞ ~

By virtue of the aforementioned with regard to the miracle of life, it is worth highlighting the following truth: life really is precious and transient – it is a window of opportunity, and it won’t last forever.

To someone who is observant and has a keen eye for detail, it may be impossible to notice that people don’t really understand how precious human life really is – far too many take it for granted, failing to see, recognize, and acknowledge not only the immeasurable value of human life, but also the deeper implications and possibilities that the human life presents us with – those of spiritual in nature, you see?

We can see this in the way we humans are going about things – from cradle to grave, people are sleepwalking through their lives. Not only do they have any sense of how unique and precious human life is, but they also have no idea that they are asleep; people are dreaming dreams that are influenced by external stimuli.

In this state of enchantment, their minds are open not only to the influence of the will of others, but also to all external circumstances, primal drives and desires that keep the vicious cycle alive – keeping people distracted, keeping their minds focused on anything but the true nature of their existence – preventing them from seeing the true value of their lives.

Now, we should ask the question: What is it, exactly, that makes us precious? Well, some would say that there are as many answers as there are people who ask. While many would like to list various qualities of humans compared to other forms of life, the truth is, though, that those are but attributes of being human – describing appearance rather than the essence, you see?

Those who have gone through internal processes of spiritual growth and development, change and transformation – without exception, would agree that what makes us precious is what we hold within – connection to our Inner Being – to our Soul, through which we can connect not only to the deeper aspects of ourselves, but also to the Truth, to Spirit – God, if you will.

It is this same core essence within each of us – the Human Spirit, which ultimately unites us all, and that is what makes us precious – our innate ability to recognize and acknowledge, to be aware of and reflect on this Truth.

It is our innate capacity of being able to reflect on the nature of our own thinking and feeling, our own past and future, our own life and death, on the nature of consciousness, and on the nature of awareness itself, which makes self-reflection possible – see?

It is our innate ability to recognize that the core essence of another is essentially the very same core essence of oneself – we are all expressions of the same core essence of Infinite Awareness of Living Life, and that is what makes us precious, does it not?

That said, we should reflect on how rare a human birth is. No one knows exactly how many millions of different species there are on Earth, and how many millions more there are to be discovered. Considering the aforementioned, and taking into account how many millions of species have lived on Earth and have then disappeared – it is clear that humans are outnumbered many times over, if not by orders of magnitude. For every human, how many billions of other life forms there are on Earth?

What are the odds that you were born as a human instead of any other of those life forms? With such a rare opportunity to experience life, one should appreciate human life – and not just their own life, but others’ as well. Even though we are fundamentally different from each other, we can do well to appreciate our differences. We may be different on the surface, but underneath, at the very core, we are all the same – human, awareness, consciousness – see?

We often think that our human population is huge, when in actuality, it is very small compared to the vast numbers of beings in other forms. That is to say, there are millions upon millions of life forms on, above, and below the Earth and in the oceans. Keeping that in mind, it becomes not only obvious, but crystal clear that a human life is all the more precious for being so difficult to obtain. Therefore, one should truly contemplate the rarity of life in the universe, and then the rarity of intelligent life in the universe.

When taken that into account, one should embrace the sheer beauty and marvel of it all – and to top it off with the appreciation that comes from the following: keeping in mind how many other forms of life there are on, above, and below the Earth, what are the odds that you were born as a human, that you exist as the unique you that you are? And so you see, when properly digested, everything does, indeed, start to fall into perspective, doesn’t it?

Let us conclude this chapter with the following thoughts. Would you have the same opportunity to spiritually grow and mature if you were born as an insect or a jellyfish, instead of a human? Would you have the same opportunity to recognize and acknowledge, to be aware of, and to appreciate your very own preciousness if you were born as a frog or a bird, instead of a human?

With a little contemplation and reflection, the inevitable and unavoidable realization begins to dawn on you with its adamant presence – in this regard, human beings are, bar none, unparalleled to anything else living on Earth.

From this realization arises the appreciation of the preciousness of human existence, for it presents us with a rare opportunity to consciously evolve and grow spiritually. This brings about the question: Of all the people on Earth, how many bother to think about such things at all? A short and concise answer – only a few do; of those who do, only very few contemplate, and even fewer reflect upon it.

Now, considering that it is fairly rare these days that someone would go to such lengths, how many of those individuals who think about, contemplate, and reflect upon such things, recognize the cyclic existence of sentient beings? How many of those are willing to create the ground of happiness rather than the ground of suffering? And furthermore, how many of those recognize ignorance and all that arises from it?

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~ ॐ ~ Sambodhi Padmasamadhi ~ ∞ ~

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