Ian

Looking at reality, one of three ideas must be true, at the expense of the others. This is essentially the Cosmological Argument. 1. Reality itself is the uncaused first cause. 2. There is a finite chain of causes that terminates in an uncaused first cause. 3. There is an infinite chain of causes that never ends. Theory one is easily disproved as we have much evidence that this universe had a beginning, and cannot be uncaused, therefore. Theory three is, I guess, possible, but is unnecessarily baffling. So I propose that the second of these three is true. I also go one step further and claim that the finite chain is of length one, and that the cause of this universe is itself the uncaused first cause. I cannot prove this, but I know this to be true. I will also go one step further and state that this uncaused first cause is called Yahweh, and he is who he is: the great I AM. He is the God of Judeo-Christianity, and is the one true God. Again, I cannot prove this to you, but I know it to be true. Yahweh is holiness. Yahweh is power. Yahweh is might. Yahweh is wisdom. Yahweh is fire. Yahweh is wrath. Yahweh is justice. Yahweh is goodness. Yahweh is mercy. Yahweh is love. Yahweh is beauty. Yahweh is hope. Yahweh is playfulness. Yahweh is joy. The list is, presumably, infinite, for Yahweh is absolute infinity - he is boundless. The only way to the truth, Yahweh, is through his Son Yeshua/Jesus. Any other method is a deception, and they can be extremely convincing. I won't go into full detail here, as my aim is not to evangelize, but simply to speak truth, as I am moved by the Holy Spirit, which dwells inside my heart.

Abba Father, or simply, Daddy

I agree with OP that science is the best tool to discover the truth of reality. Its biggest problem as far as your own life is concerned, however, is that it could take centuries before another big paradigm breakthrough that comes nearer to explaining the truths explored in the spiritual communities. Therefore, it seems sensible to undertake your own journey of truth seeking, rather than hoping that somebody else will work it out for you! Ian's pet theories (nothing said past here is anything but wild speculation): My current pet theory is some sort of combination of quantum mechanics and string theory. The universe itself is fundamentally nothingness/awareness/membrane, in which there is the potential to create infinite energy. As far as I'm aware, this energy is either light or matter, with the relevant formulae being E=hf and E=mc^2. You are an aspect of the infinite light (the soul?), contained within a body of matter. In order to increase your energy, you would have to increase your vibrational frequency. This is why you often hear things like "raise your vibration" within certain spritual teachings. Why the light of the universe should want to increase its energy, I do not know, but it seems like higher energy is perceived by the body to be 'positive': it brings joy, gratitude, peace and love etc. As for how energy is created, I have no idea. I've heard that Nikola Tesla supposedly unlocked the secrets to unlimited, free energy, but I do not know this for a fact. Given the first law of thermodynamics, this would imply that the universe is not an isolated system, or that the law is simply wrong. In quantum mechanics you learn that not all energies are accessible, and that waveforms can only take on certain discrete energy levels. This could explain why progress is usually long plateaus and then sudden 'aha' moments, as your energy leaps up to the next level. According to M-theory, the universe is made up of 11 dimensions (other theories have slightly different numbers). I can't pretend to know much about this, but you can find sources that talk about the fifth dimension being that of Christ or Buddha consciousness, the sixth and seventh being Melchizedek consciousness, and the ninth being Metatron consciousness. In the absence of scientific understanding, it makes sense that humans would do their best to fill the gaps with spiritual understandings. And in fact, it is my understanding that the Earth is currently undergoing a transformation from 3D/4D to 5D. But that's another story... It is a fallacy to suggest that 'everyone is right', but in my experience, it's rare that any major school of thought or truth is 100% false. I always seek to integrate different understandings together to form a cohesive whole.

@Nadosa Firstly, I am so sorry for your pain, you beautiful, magnificent person. It may well be true that you have no control over the events that play out in your life, but please, know that you absolutely have free will over how you choose to perceive and judge the events. To me, you appear to be what is known as an 'empath'. An empath is an energetically-sensitive person, who is tune with the feelings of themselves and of others. In fact, it's often incredibly hard to tell what are your feelings, and what are the feelings of others! While people like Leo can blast their consciousness to the moon and not suffer too badly, the empath is working on a deeper, energetic level. The path of the empath is one of unconditional self-love. You are an aspect of divine light (a soul) seated within a body. You are its spirit guide. Yes, you can do intense enlightenment work to realize that you are not the body and are the infinite light of the universe, but that's not really the point. Your mission is to understand, at least conceptually, that you are perfect, and it is your body that is on an intense healing journey. Your wanting to end your life, then, is a perfectly understandable reaction of your soul to a body that is very, very sick. You want to be anywhere except in the body you have been born into, and that's ok. If the only satisfactory resolution is to kill the body, then that is what is best. But remember this: the body is completely innocent. Are you ok with the idea of murdering an innocent, ill body just because you don't want to be inside it? The ideal solution, then, is to accept that it is not you that is on a journey, but your body. Give it the space, time, and love it needs to heal. May you be blessed with healing love ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ (Main ideas are from this video):

My suggestion would be to own the feeling. Really sink into it. Be grateful for it. Feel the aching, the longing. I find it to be very powerful, and a mystical experience all of its own. If you are lonely, then that is because it is what you need to experience to achieve your highest potential. Take the opportunity to really become aware of what you are feeling in your body, and how it is healing. Let your body know how special it is to you Namaste

@LaucherJunge I think there is truth to what people are saying regarding experience. However, it could well be that you sense that your twin flame is approaching. I sense this in my own life, but am keenly aware it could be a massive self-deception. Perhaps look into the idea and see what feels right to you?

@Jamie Universe Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. THANK YOU. I cannot even begin to express how grateful I am that you created this post. I had never, ever, thought to separate right vs wrong from good vs evil. But they are different words, so they HAVE to mean something different! I understand my internal conflict much better now. The burning desire within me is to DO GOOD, not to BE RIGHT. But because I had these completely confused, I was trying to be right all the time in my attempt to do good. I guess this is why the road to hell is paved with good intentions! As a corollary, my overarching life purpose has suddenly clicked into place. It seems so obvious now. My general life purpose is: "To create abundance in the most loving way." Why do I want to create abundance? To DO GOOD. "The object of all life is development; and everything that lives has an inalienable right to all the development it is capable of attaining." "Life is the performance of function; and the individual really lives only when he performs every function, physical, mental, and spiritual, of which he is capable, without excess in any." - Wallace Wattles from 'The Science of Getting Rich'. To create abundance is to self-actualize, and to help others to self-actualize. Why do I want to do it in the most loving way? Because creating abundance in ANY OTHER WAY, is to DO EVIL. If you create abundance for yourself at the expense of others, then no true abundance has been created, for you are all things. To create abundance, the total amount of good things must increase. In order to act in the most loving way, it is necessary to self-realize, to become 'enlightened', but NOT SUFFICIENT. To solely persue the creation of abundance or to solely persue enlightenment is to DO EVIL. Donald Trump DOES EVIL. Some enlightened dude in a cave away from society DOES EVIL. Be like Leo. Leo DOES GOOD. Should I make a new forum topic on this insight, so further discussion can take place?

Episode 8 was a bit...all over the place, but there was one scene that spontaneously moved me to tears and nearly gave me a full blown panic attack, so it seems worth investigating. * SPOILERS* During the awesome battle in Snoke's throne room, Kylo Ren and Rey both try to pull Anakin's old lightsaber towards themselves with their Force powers. It is a symbolic clash of the polar opposites in the traditional duality of light vs dark. As they pull harder and harder, Kylo and Rey are actually repelled away from the lightsaber. It then splits in two and releases an intense, pure, light. The way I interpret this at the moment, is that the traditional battle between light and dark, is really a battle between the false light and the rejection of the false light (and the true light too, I guess). The TRUE light is contained WITHIN ALL things. Any appearance of false light will always create a rejection of it and create 'balance'. The true light itself is beyond the concept of balance. I would LOVE to hear other takes on this.

@Shiva "Darkness is just the absence of light, isn't it?" In this context, I have no idea. Perhaps. Perhaps not. @Martin123 Thank you for enduring my dickheadery "How can you be arrogant when you're aware of your arrogance?" How can I be a self when I'm aware of my no-self? I guess there are differing levels of awareness. Perhaps noticing something is not really the same as being aware of it? Maybe I have no idea what true awareness even is, or rather what it points to. "I admire the fact that you're so earnest about your own path and on doing the right thing." Haha thanks mate. I had a little...back and forth...with my mother this morning, where I once again realized that just being honest, open, and vulnerable always leads to better results than aggression. The Dark side sucks major ass, but is always so alluring, and as Yoda says, so quick to join in a fight. @Nahm Define myself as a non-definable being, gotcha. Wait... @aurum I just watched Leo's video on The Highest Hero's Journey, which I think has clarified your last two sentences for me. Leo says I need to slay the dragon (the ego), whereas Matt Kahn says the ego needs to be loved and integrated, not destroyed. They both feel right in different ways, but also seem diametrically opposed. I guess this is just yet another expected paradox for me to explore? I'm also seeing Star Wars Episode 8 tomorrow, so hopefully the screenplay has had some divine intervention, and actually contains some more juicy wisdom for me. To be honest, I can make almost anything seem deeper than it is, so it shouldn't be too challenging to find stuff.

@Omni Conceptually, I agree with your first paragraph. However, that is of almost zero use to me because it's not my experience. Obviously what I AM experiencing is a dumb victim mindset and can be broken down, but that doesn't change the fact that it's my perception of reality, and it's bothering me. I cannot simply believe something else and have it go away. I can see the beauty in the absolute freedom of choice, but to be honest, it's just overwhelming, rather than exquisite, right now. Thanks for your direct words. Perhaps something will come to me if I think deeper about what you say. @Nexeternity I was thinking that the "awareness alone is curative" method would probably be the sensible way. Anakin himself took the entirety of episodes 4,5&6 before he finally got fed up of darkness, so it's clear that it can take a while. It's interesting that you think selfishness can provide the right motivation for the noble path. Perhaps you could clarify what sort of selfishness you mean? If it's just "taking care of yourself, so you can better help others" then I can agree, but I'm wary of going any more self-centred than that. @Nahm Anybody who says anything that challenges how I view myself. I don't mind people pointing out my flaws if I've already identified them as flaws. It's when other people say I have a flaw that I don't believe I have that I suffer. It's an inability to accept that other people could possibly have a clearer view of me than I do of myself, in certain domains. Either I'm angry at their very suggestions (I perceive them as being arrogant so my response is righteous anger), or I'm frustrated that I have no idea how to see myself clearly and work out who is correct (if either!). @Martin123 OK I'm gonna be a little harsh here - sorry in advance. "The moment darkness enters your field it transforms." Is that something you've actually experienced, or are you simply regurgitating Matt Kahn and hoping that he's correct? Do you even know what it means? I'm not saying you should be completely distrusting, but at least toy with idea that he could be a wolf in sheep's clothing. Maybe some of things he says are brilliant, and maybe some are false. How would you know? Just because something makes you feel relaxed and at ease doesn't make it true. It makes it incredibly dangerous and worthy of serious skepticism. Obviously I'm projecting the hell onto you right now, but that's ok right? @aurum Your post is the one that resonates with me most - for what it's worth. Whether that's because the truth is singing, or whether it just agrees with what I was already thinking, I do not know. So would you agree with @Nexeternity that I will have to realize for myself the detriment to my well-being that the 'darkness' brings before I might be motivated to choose otherwise? Maybe I don't REALLY think there is no right and wrong and I'm secretly moralizing against myself for being fearful and angry. Thanks for your replies all, sorry if I'm sounding really bitter at the moment

I took the opportunity to watch Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back yesterday. Having been in 'spiritual circles' for two and a bit years now, a lot of the themes of Star Wars seem a lot more meaningful, e.g. Hero's Journey, the unity of all (the Force), etc. The lines that hit me hardest were these ones (important parts in bold): Yoda: "You will know (the good from the bad) when you are calm, at peace. Passive. A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defense, never for attack." Yoda: "Yes, a Jedi’s strength flows from the Force. But beware of the dark side. Anger, fear, aggression; the dark side of the Force are they. Easily they flow, quick to join you in a fight. If once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny, consume you it will." Yoda: "If you end your training now — if you choose the quick and easy path as Vader did — you will become an agent of evil." Darth Vader: "The force is with you, young Skywalker, but you are not a Jedi yet." I have noticed (and has been pointed out) in myself that I am "turning to the Dark Side", so to speak. I have a paralyzing fear of choosing the long and difficult path. I have tendencies to use my divinity as an attacking weapon on others. When people stand in my way, I become angry. The problem is that I have had many insights and revelations along my path, one of them being an 'understanding' that there is no right or wrong. This means I am perfectly free to choose the Dark Side, should I so wish. How then, do I find the courage to walk in the Light? From where do I find a cause so noble that it is worth dying for? NB: Whilst the analogy is amusing, I am being deadly serious here. I am at THAT point in my own hero's journey.

@NEW11 "You obviously ignored what I've been saying. I was talking about romantic love, and you cannot be "in love" with yourself unless you are narcissistic." This is your understanding. It is beautiful, it is perfect and it is to be honoured. There is no aspect of you that I ignore - I adore all of it. As for what Jesus said? He never made a "should" or an "ought" out of anything. The word "shalt" (or shall in modern English) is a declaration of universal truth. The law that "thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself" is as true a law as "In a natural thermodynamic process, the sum of the entropies of the interacting thermodynamic systems shall increase." or "like poles shall repel, unlike poles shall attract." Science and spirituality is a duality that can be dissolved with greater clarity. #stageturquoiseunderstanding "You can't force someone to love somebody else, no matter what type of love you're talking about." You are 100% correct. This is what is labelled as free will. "And punishing them for disobeying this with hell for eternity? Well, I'm sorry, but for all my dislike for "horrible people" in my initial comment, I dislike this a million times more." Firstly, you cannot disobey a natural law any more than the sum of entropies can decrease, or like poles can attract. Secondly, you do not resonate with idea of eternal punishment and find it completely unloving and repulsive? Guess what? So do I, and everybody who understands the nature of love (possibly an overstatement, but whatever, stop me!). I am truly sorry that you have had such a bad experience with regards to religious dogma in the past. In this work, you must be ultra-wary of putting people into ready-made boxes of your own design. You are clearly very intelligent and very courageous. These attributes will serve you well on your journey. Do you notice just how much stuff we actually agree on? Our understandings are not mutually exclusive; they complement each other, as do all understandings and all perspectives. I love you

@NEW11 I can only apologize for how ridiculously preachy this is going to sound, but the pain contained in these sentences you wrote screams at me, and I feel obliged to acknowledge it and to attempt to soothe it. One of my favourite quotations seems very appropriate here, "You can render to God and humanity no greater service than to make the most of yourself." - Wallace Wattles. Another wise man who completely understood the nature and power of love once said this: "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." (Maybe you've heard it before? ) Those who do not understand this natural law take your interpretation: 1) Assume that we already love ourselves enough. 2) Any more self-love is narcissistic/evil etc. 3) Try our absolute best to love others, and then wonder why on Earth it's so difficult, and why the world is full of other people incapable of love. There is nobody better placed in the entire universe to provide you the love you need, than you yourself. It is to the detriment of the world that you neglect to love your own heart. If you truly want to help others, this is a necessary first step. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. May you be blessed with the love of divinity (If you're sufficiently interested: Jesus explains in three short verses that all is one, you are love, and that our interactions with others are simply a reflection of our interactions with ourselves): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+12%3A28-31&version=KJV

Hi, I'm writing this in a humble attempt to provide you with help and advice. Everybody has a different path to follow, so I understand the need to tread carefully. I do not pretend to have the best advice - this is merely a perspective that you may or may not resonate with. Follow the guidance that makes you feel more relaxed and more energized when you read it. You have identified an intense fear of being ridiculed as a problem for you. I cannot know whether your conclusion is correct, but I will honour your current understanding. In more general terms, this is a type of feeling unsafe. Therefore, a useful primary intention would be to realize that you are always safe, or at least far safer than you currently feel. For now, it's probably best if I let you explore this idea - you can always ask again later if you need more guidance. It is a common misconception that fear needs to be overcome before doing things. In general, fear never really goes away. The default solution to fear is to cultivate enough courage that it outweighs the fear. Therefore, a useful secondary intention would be to look into ways to increase your levels of courage. Another thing you might want to explore is your assumption that your actions can even change the outcomes of your life. Admittedly, this is a 'deeper' topic of exploration (the question of fate), but it could be fruitful, and provide some level of peace. And naturally, if you're not currently doing a meditation practice, it is indeed the single most powerful thing anybody can do at the start of their self-actualization journey. However, don't beat yourself up if it's just not happening for you - you will start exactly when you are ready, and no sooner. You don't have to believe this, but it may be of comfort to you to know that your journey is unfolding in exactly the way that will bring you to your highest potential. If you can live your life with an attitude of "so how is this aspect of my life helping me to evolve?" rather than "omg, this is awful and I want it to go away", you will find your life to be a lot less painful. In the event that these words resonated with you, I would be most honoured to chat with you further. I acknowledge your pain, and your deepest struggles. Know that you are truly a brave and beautiful person. May you be blessed with steadfast courage and the strength to love yourself unconditionally.

I'll give my personal experience for what it's worth, simply because it offers a different perspective to that of Leo. In stage blue, I was your typical progressive, liberal person. I was all about gay rights, abortion, and tax-payer funded social policy etc. Quite honestly, I was bordering on communist. I continually sacrificed myself for the good of my socialist, atheist, dogmas. I caused myself a lot of unnecessary suffering, and eventually, I had enough. In stage orange, I began to understand more about economics, business, marketing etc, but was still largely liberal. However, stage green is the first stage that can actually start appreciating balance as a value. The universe presented me with conservative videos on Youtube. For the first time, I actually listened to the opposing polarity. It did not take long before I realized just how necessary both sides of the balance are. In traditional 'pendulum' style, I then became fairly right wing (as a necessary over-adjustment) throughout stage green, and through most of stage yellow. Nowadays, I can simply appreciate both sides of a dichotomy e.g. light/dark, order/chaos, left-wing/right-wing, liberal/conservative. All of these are perfect aspects of divinity, and both sides are required to maintain the balance. Either they both exist, or they both disappear and are transcended. It's also worth pointing out that extreme communism and extreme fascism are basically the same thing. It's a strange loop! Love and light