Ever since my childhood days I’ve been interested in the “quintessence”, structure and relation of things in this universe. This web spun by my consciousness was constantly transforming its shape, its threads widening here and narrowing there, as I directed my attention more and more in distinct directions with child-like curiosity.

Such a web obviously does not cover everything, it is not complete. Occasionally when something inspires you, suddenly you “discover” a new thread interweaving itself with the web.

Now let us go one step further. Let us visualise a multidimensional structure, consisting of a large (countably infinite?) set of units or “nodes”, with all nodes being directly connected to each other by the imaginary threads. The emerging loops and “patterns” with stronger interconnections are like super-nodes, representing larger memes or memeplexes, and you can freely combine all of these… and go beyond.

What is the point? Where does it end?

Maybe one possible “goal” of this game is to rediscover all the connections, until a completely homogeneous structure emerges, leading to full transcendence. Greed, aversion and delusion should be abandoned on the way, lest they would automatically create inhomogenities. But then again, it’s just a visualisation of a path that has been described already in the past – in various different ways.

This is where structural matches, isomorphisms, linking and translating, dichotomies, triangles and lots of other funny things come into play. I will explain my views on these later when my thoughts are sorted. :-)

The “body-mind-split” (also known as “mind-body problem”) has been investigated by philosophers for millennia. I am not so familiar with their distinct views, but I believe that the separation between body and mind only exists at a conceptual level. Postulating the separation, however, results in exactly that experience – along with some strange side effects like cursing your stomach just because it sends you signals which you perceive as “pain”. (I am talking from experience! :-))

How can the split be healed?

In the wonderful Ambalatthika-rahulovada Sutta, Gotama Siddhattha delivers an inspiring teaching to his seven-year-old son Rahula. Indeed the suggested reflection already points towards a possible remedy. In some other suttas Rahula is instructed on mindfulness techniques. Apart from these ancient words, I believe that (among others) the following developments are highly beneficial:

(1) communication on the non-verbal level. Listening to the body is a non-verbal experience. For “talking” (not in the classical sense) a small set of commands seems to exist.

(2) synaesthesia – the establishment of “structural matches” between different senses.

The body is a very intelligent entity, equipped with its own memory and loads of abilities. It keeps supporting and healing itself almost regardless of what your mind thinks about it! A patient and enduring entity indeed. However, in the long run it suffers from a “negative” or malevolent mental attitude.

Baz Luhrmann suggests in “Everybody’s Free To Wear Sunscreen” that your body is “… the best instrument that you have”. I think he’s got a point! Benevolence towards your own body is essential. If only I had always been benevolent towards mine… healthy nutrition, regular sports, refreshing sleep, upright posture: you never believe your parents on those. My suggestion: let’s all start today. :-)

“We say farewell so that later we can greet one another again.”

My beloved girlfriend started her letter to me with these words. It’s a recurring theme in our relationship – simple and beautiful.

Even in her absence I can learn things from her. In the past I have tried explaining to her what I knew about the brahmaviharas, and I suppose I did not understand them myself back then, but I always knew (and felt) that she “radiates” a lot of metta (loving kindness).

Now it is always easy to perceive things in my environment, but a lot more difficult to apply that kind of perception to myself. I often sense a lack of metta in people around me when they converse, even though they clearly wish to “help” each other and firmly believe in their own good will. It’s a bit like jumping immediately to karuna (caring friendship) or mudita (sympathetic joy), but forgetting about metta. Experience shows that it doesn’t work, as the principle predicts.

Yeah, and it simply doesn’t work on myself either. I do “forget” about metta very often. Usually when I perceive something in others, there is at least one instance of the same principle active within me. I just have to get used to look into the mirror with open eyes. :-)

Some days ago in the park I played some chess games with a nice fellow called Alberto. While doing so I explained and demonstrated to him various tactical and strategical principles of the game. In the end he said he was delighted to learn from such a good player, to which I replied that it was not such a big deal: “If you want to improve further, just carry on – learn, practice and combine all the elements!”

And whoooooosh, there was the answer. Putting the pieces together in practice. The time is now, and this is how it works, as simple as in a game of chess. Create a beneficial environment and start investigating the beneficial factors. Explore the realms of mind and body, and as the split diminishes, keep working towards the goal. It’s amazing! :-)

Upon further reflection I would consider parts of my last posting slightly inconsistent. I suppose the “quintessence” is the emergence of a cooperative system for mankind – a thought that comes to me quite often in recent times.

In the last few days I have had some interesting and challenging conversations with Thomas. He told me a few things about NLP Trinergy and we spun a few other ideas as well. For a moment I felt like understanding the “cycle of rebirth” and kamma for the first time. I also wondered whether there could be a structural match between the Buddhist triad “greed, aversion, delusion” and some Trinergy triads (e.g. mentor/saviour, muse/victim, doer/culprit).

Discovering such matches can be great fun. It’s a bit like highly abstract pattern recognition. I probably like it too much, but who knows? Someday it might be good for something.

Today I re-discovered (I tend to “forget” a lot of things!) the significant role of internal and external justifications. This could be one of the key inhibition factors for my progress, as I can easily observe how they create and nurture loops and “vicious circles”. Yes, there is a loophole for this loop! It encompasses mindfulness and constant practice.

I also realized – thanks to the conversations with Thomas – how the “Systematic Approach” (a structured collection of mind-maps which I have created some weeks ago) is far more problem-oriented, rather than solution-oriented, than what I thought. Indeed it was supposed to facilitate a transition from the former to the latter orientation: status quo – disadvantages – analysis – solution ideas – experiences – progress – advantages – destination. But guess what, I have mainly been focusing on the former (problem/past-oriented) part. I still think it could be useful to some extent, but only when properly used! D’oh. :-)

These are interesting days. And still there is so much to learn. Oh, by the way, I learned my first Polish words today! :-)

This morning I’ve had a stunning non-verbal thought experience. Clear like water, very simple, and intense like a blast. Unfortunately my verbal description appears to me like a terribly flawed approximation, but I will give it a shot. Let’s start with the rather simple part:

The game of life that we (humans) are currently playing can be seen as a game of – and “played” by – atoms, quarks and beyond. Viewed as such, our experience is therefore obviously
(1) not-self (anatta),
(2) impermanent (anicca) in the sense of ever-changing, and
(3) stressful (dukkha) in the way as we currently play it.

Buddhist principles derived from game theory? Unfortunately I know very little about the latter. Maybe the related terms should be paraphrased differently, but I will keep using them for now.

I suppose that the third conclusion is least obvious, as it probably requires a glimpse of knowledge about dukkha, which is not everyone’s cup of tea. I have also included the assumption that consciousness is part of the universe and its laws. Our universe along with its laws could be regarded as “higher-level” player.

So far, so simple. Now it becomes complicated. :-)

After this initial thought I reflected upon the benefits of Gotama Siddhattha’s teachings, which somehow involve centering yourself in the here-and-now (“easily” observable through direct experience). Then I wondered whether such a path is ultimately leading your consciousness one level (like a “dynamic” or an abstraction level) upwards? Maybe, if enough human beings perform this task, they will “pull” the rest with them as the critical mass is reached? (this seems difficult to explain, as it was more like a “structural vision”)

I suppose we cannot yet speculate about similar tasks for other species and whether they will accomplish them as well (or have already done so, probably with a different set of rules?!), since we (humans as a “unified player” with “unified consciousness”) have not yet been able to “stand there on top and look around in all directions”. Nor can we speculate about what comes next (structurally something similar on higher levels, I suppose). But with this “pulling effect” arising from those “enlightened” ones who have reached the top, cooperation (involving active and passive teaching) would be a property of the game. The goal of any individual player might thus coincide with the goal of the unified player! And maybe this vast “journey upwards” is what the game of life is all about. :-)

I would not be surprised if these speculations contain numerous flaws. But I have no doubts about the intense non-verbal insight itself that gave rise to them. Maybe with growing experience I can create more fruitful and compatible conclusions.

I have no idea whether all of this makes any sense to anyone of you, but obviously I could not resist sharing my thoughts. As usual. :-)

Are you prepared for something odd? :-)

One year ago, I was experiencing a series of insights and cognitions, gradually increasing in both density and intensity. This experience eventually reached its culmination in the early morning hours of May 23rd, 2005. After the shooting of the “party scene” for “Jenseits”, I spent an inspiring night in the company of two dear friends. It was so overwhelming that I noticed how my mental capacities became positively exhausted. I made a remark about how useful the ability to expand one’s mental capacities might be. I really had no idea… yet.

Upon returning home, I suddenly felt compelled by my inner voice to sit down on my bed and to simply “let things happen”. The majestic wave appeared without warning: profound and relentless it came crashing down right over me, yet it caused no damage – washing away time and space. Although it was dark, I noticed a light around me. Although it was cold, I felt warmth on my skin. With closed eyes I could perceive the previously unknown, an experience for which there are no words. My whole body was trembling with awe. The doors of perception were opened, and I found myself wide awake for the first time.

It was literally a wake-up call: the first of its kind, followed by many others right up to the present, which I heeded but partially. Fear, doubt and confusion delayed my progress for almost a year. Now the year draws to a close, and I notice an increasing density and intensity of insights once again. And what now? – I have already made my experiences about how not to heed the call, about how not to follow the path. And I have seen glimpses about what happens if I do. A glimpse is not enough; it is nothing to be merely talked about either.

Ooops, I did it again. Enough words now! :-)

The books I have received recently (birthday gifts and Amazon orders) contain far more than 5000 pages. How many seasons will it take me to read them all? Some “older” items on my ever-growing planned reading list are not even included yet (Tolkien, Eco, …). And then there are lots of math & physics scripts, too.

In order to satisfy my curiosity, I have started reading about a topic called “General Semantics”. The first book on my list, “Language in Thought and Action” by S.I. Hayakawa (late US senator), provides a very good introduction as it combines some of Alfred Korzybski’s theories with aspects of everyday communication, society, politics, media, advertisement, etc. So far it does not increase the complexity of thoughts (as I had previously suspected), but rather the awareness of language, thoughts and abstraction processes. Thus I can highly recommend this book.

My next books on the subject are “Drive Yourself Sane” by Susan & Bruce Kodish (a simplified and application-based approach towards General Semantics) and “Science and Sanity” by Alfred Korzybski. The former book is much thinner and less “scientific” than the latter 900-pages volume. I guess that with this combination I am well equipped for the upcoming summer. :-)

And then there are books like “Gödel, Escher, Bach” by Douglas R. Hofstadter (824 pages, considered a “life-changing must-read” by many people), “The Elegant Universe” by Brian Greene (448 pages, probably a very useful and entertaining complement for my ongoing String Theory lecture), “The Holographic Universe” by L. Susskind & J. Lindesay (200 pages, a lot of black hole physics, information, entropy, and the “Holographic Principle”… sounds very intriguing!), “The Road to Reality” by Roger Penrose (1136 pages, explaining the whole world with a mixture of prosa and formulae in this “Complete Guide to the Laws of the Universe”), “The Zahir” by Paulo Coelho (350 pages), “The Abhorsen Trilogy” by Garth Nix (1700 pages, a fantasy epic recommended to me by Mario), some scientific cooking books to pose with my knowledge about chemical and physical processes in the kitchen (just kidding!), and many more …

I suppose I shall not buy any new books until the year 2010. :-)