Alexander's Aphorisms (V)

Contents

Practical

Wisdom

Contemplation

Intuition 

Friendship 

Consciousness 

Self-overcoming 

Kingship

Virtue

The Greeks

The Pearl

The Lethe 

The self

Envy

Justice

Resentment

War

Grievances

Intelligence 

Comedy

Debate

The world

Men and women

Suicide

?

Negative emotions

In homage to Walt Whitman

Self-transcendence

The fool

Curios

Archetypes 

Da Vinci

Alexander 

Christ

The holy couple

The logistics of descent

The Third Eye

Names of Shiva

Aphorisms of Shiva

The Prophets

Paradox

Divine mathematics 

America

Education 

Art

Religion

Family

Mysteries

Resurrection 

Orpheus and Eurydice

Involution

Justice

The truth

The World of the Forms

Beauty

The human attributes 

Heaven

The Big Picture 

The Holy Prankster 

The Animal Kingdom

God

The nature of Reality

 

Practical

1. When things are running harmoniously, you will not even notice it.
2. No man is an island, try as you may.
3. Be just, so that injustice does not come looking for you.
4. History rhymes if it does not repeat.
5. Those who require respect demand respect.
6. Treason is a funny crime. It’s only treason if you lose. It isn’t treason if you win.
7. Remember to be gracious in victory.
8. Investing is noble. Is all good not the fruit of wise investments?
9. Sell a product you would use yourself.
10. “Well, he created a lot of value in his life.” Is that all you want them to say about you?
11. The wealthy attract dollars to themselves.
12. Work smarter, not harder. Best advice I ever got.
13. Expand your consciousness. Life is more than just baseball.

Wisdom

14. The philosopher has wisdom, and wisdom is the master of all.
15. A philosopher cares little for outward appearances. He cares only for his approximation to Beauty.
16. The wise see beauty in all its forms.
17. Without philosophy, man lives in poverty.
18. In ancient Greece, the sophists were the imitators of wisdom.
19. There are many paths to perfection, but the path of wisdom is the finest.
20. Wisdom means telling someone what they have to do, then letting them make the decision on their own.
21. The reed bends. It doesn’t break.
22. People say God does not speak to them. But I say every time you speak to someone, you are speaking to God.
23. The earth was built according to divine principles.
24. The world was too orderly, thus Pandora’s box was unleashed on the world.
25. You know what they say. Two ears for listening, one mouth to speak.
26. There is nothing hateful in the love of kind.
27. If there is mortality there is also immortality.
28. Gurdjieff said, you must put at least one person on the platform you are standing on before you can progress.
29. I read an academic paper today. To write so many words, signifying so little.
30. You breathe in. You breathe out. You bring thousands of worlds into being - and then they are destroyed.
31. Sometimes you must apply a shock to cause consciousness to awaken in someone.
32. The wise teacher lets the student get the answer on their own. It’s the only way they’ll learn.
33. Indeed it is best when it is the one who you for so long nurtured be the one to replace you.
34. Everyone prays to something.
35. Dante wrote the Comedy piecemeal, intuition by intuition.
36. Imagine choosing food over beauty.
37. The mullah. An expert in religious behavior.
38. Ah, those beautiful times when one lives under a just king.
39. Dante visited the people in hell. You can visit the people in jail.
40. Why does the Grim Reaper carry a scythe? He is there to collect the harvest.
41. Exile is a kind of death. A merciful one.
42. All adults were children once. Seems strange to have to remind them.
43. If it doesn’t scare the cows, what does it matter?
44. The beautiful always have time for the beautiful.
45. If you know yourself you will be able to love yourself; if you love yourself you will flourish.
46. “There is no truth,” said my friend. “The sky is blue,” I replied.
47. Love creates marriages of all kinds.
48. It is not the outward form that tells you the essence of a thing. If a king dresses like a beggar he is still a king.
49. It is true, “What is essential in life is invisible to the eye.”
50. Eliminate malice and you will not return here again.
51. There is often wisdom in simple, childlike statements of fact.
52. As you sow, so shall you reap.
53. The past is the present, the present is the future.
54. If you can imagine it, it exists.
55. Is everything meaningful? Or unmeaningful? If it is not, make it so.
56. Truly nothing is ever really owned by the individual. Everything is only ever given in trust.
57. The artist is a mirror that reflects the world.
58. In many ways the medievals were wiser than us.
59. Celibacy brings special powers.
60. Every organ is necessary for the health of the body.
61. To connect with someone, show you agree with their form of morality.
62. It’s like a web. Everything is connected to everything else.
63. Loving and poor, or rich and joyless?
64. I saw a mob beating a woman to death. They know not what they do…
65. What is depression but rage turned against the self?
66. Gluttony is a form of internalized self-hatred.
67. Hoard not. Waste not. As Aristotle said, virtue is the median between extremes.
68. I saw a collector showing his collection of knick-knacks. I thought, “Look at all these possessions, all enslaving him.”
69. The Christian mission is to repair the injury we see in the world.
70. The sword and the cross. It’s the same symbol. You only need to flip it around. And the phallus - what could it mean?
71. The closer you get to God, the closer you become to a mirror. When two wise men meet, it’s actually two mirrors facing each other.
72. Look carefully, and you will see the omens as they appear.
73. We are mere cells of larger bodies.
74. Understand man to understand God.
75. If you know yourself you will know others.
76. Everything reaches perfection eventually.
77. The small man becomes big; the big, small.
78. In another age they’ll speak of the genius of Gurdjieff.
79. A prophet is a utensil in the hands of the gods.
80. Beware of pride. It leads to delusion.
81. Why do humans feel disgust?
82. Give the great their due, and you will achieve greatness in turn.
83. The more malicious you are, the more powerless you will become.
84. The physical world must have death. It is the duality of life and death. In the nonphysical world, you do not have either.
85. Nihilism, cynicism, etc - it’s an answer. But not the right answer.
86. The autistic understand objects, not people.
87. If you have a disability, you must overcome it. Become normal first. Then continue the work.
88. They say it was fame that killed the celebrity.
89. All memories of all beings exist in a vast reservoir which, if distilled into one drop, is God.
90. If there were no gods, human beings would think of some and they’d become real.
91. You don’t understand that you are God. Thus you have the power of creation.
92. Why is there a universe? Because we made it.
93. Appreciate the goods God gives to you, and you will not become an object of ridicule.
94. The circling people make up their own goals and work to fulfill them.
95. After many stubborn years, the fool sees the truth.
96. We are all Ideas that have come to earth so we can play with each other.
97. Anything in too large an amount becomes a poison.
98. Go on studying the philosophers and eventually you will discover Wisdom.
99. It seems futile, like you aren’t progressing. But don’t give up. Keep philosophizing.
100. Everything is driving us to Perfection.
101. Wisdom is the basis of authority.
102. The devil is always there. You have to resist him.
103. Be silent. Listen. People will speak more.
104. You know how you beat anxiety? Conquer it.
105. What is the kitchen there for? For you to cook in it. What is the mountain there for? For you to climb it. What is outer space there for? For you to explore it. You’re more important than you think.
106. An easy life is nothing. A hard life - better.
107. Want to know the truth? Become an arahant.
108. Dying is easy. You’ve done it many times.
109. Childhood is a time to learn and grow. But when you’re an adult, you must fly on your own.
110. Just relax. Everything is accounted for.
111. It’s a performance. Every day.
112. When death is near, you see what people really believe.
113. What is the End of philosophy?
114. The end of philosophy is to become Wisdom.
115. We all have roles to play.
116. You would be surprised by the power of speech. Speech is the greatest power of all.
117. As the Bible says, thou shalt not kill.
118. What psychosis man has done in the name of religion.
119. You would be surprised at the power of love. Show someone you love them - show someone you understand them - and they will find it hard to hate you.
120. You see people’s true character when death is near.
121. As Gurdjieff said, the sly man knows many secrets.
122. To appreciate a thing, you must first know its nature.
123. If you are a gardener, you have to water the plant. You only cut its leaves if you have to. You should know the plant you’re dealing with.
124. If you cut the plant too much, you impede its development.
125. Take the animals into the garden with you while the children play.
126. “What do I want?” “What would make me happy?” “What is happiness?” A series of simple questions no one asks.
127. The priests are all pretenders. Try to find a good one.
128. In the academy, none of them are actual philosophers. It’s a shame.
129. It’s easy to get distracted.
130. It’s so simple and clear, but so many things get in the way.
131. Give the cake time to cook.
132. It’s funny. You fail at everything you do, then succeed at the one thing that matters.
133. You think you’re the only traumatized one. But we all are. Trauma is the vehicle; you only need to get in the car.
134. The flowers bloom. Don’t neglect to smell the roses on the way to your appointment.
135. Sometimes the most foolish and irresponsible move turns out to be the wisest one.
136. “Who am I?” Funny how the most basic question contains the highest truth.
137. Every day is an adventure, so have fun with it.
138. Only when you know nothing can you know everything.
139. The negligent. You’ll never be a mountaineer if you never learn to climb.
140. You always have to balance the scales.
141. Be less concerned about what others can do for you and more concerned about what you can do for them.
142. The saint laughed. “You don’t believe in God? But you are God.”
143. Imagine having the truth right in front of you, but you can’t perceive it.
144. Don’t neglect to encourage people when they do well. You would appreciate it yourself.
145. A plant doesn’t grow from a thousand cuts. It needs to be watered and put in the sun.
146. My adult friends, wouldn’t you like to do something more with your lives than sit around all day playing games?
147. You must earn your immortality. It is given, as a result of years of work. You do not receive it by default.
148. Writing refines the thinking process.
149. You can’t know the future because it takes away free will. But, you can know your destiny.
150. The purpose of suffering is to point one to wisdom.
151. Look at the shadows you cast on the ground. That’s what you are. A shadow, a projection from a higher world.
152. Why be content with mortality if immortality is possible?
153. Truth seems elusive. Then you realize it was right in front of you the whole time.
154. Tread carefully. There are many snares and traps you can get caught in.
155. You know the world is an interesting place. Sometimes you get trapped in a ditch. But then someone walks by and says, “Hey, do you need help getting out of there?”
156. Seek wisdom to avoid foolishness.
157. There is truth in legend. Truth in myth.
158. Why be content with imperfection if perfection is possible?
159. The models trade their beauty for money.
160. Nobility is a virtue.
161. Where does knowledge come from? Think about it.
162. You can’t reach Perfection without trials and tribulations.
163. Courage comes in many forms. It isn’t merely courage in battle. Maintaining fidelity to another during times of duress, for example, is courage.
164. Everyone’s born with secrets. You know you can trust someone if you can share them.

Contemplation

165. If you brood and contemplate, eventually you will receive insight.
166. What does it mean to contemplate? It means to pace.
167. A theologian is supposed to contemplate. It means draw the mind closer to God.
168. Keep contemplating and you will come to truth.
169. Aristotle knew how to contemplate.

Intuition

170. Don’t discount intuition. It is the greatest source of truth.
171. When refined, intuition is the most powerful source of truth.
172. Listen to your intuition. It knows more than you do.
173. Your intuition will guide you to a task that will be productive to you.
174. What is intuition? It is you, telling yourself what to do.

Friendship

175. Challenge your friends so they will improve.
176. Friends enrich one’s life.
177. Don’t be afraid to challenge other people.
178. You must talk to the other. Only the other brings new ideas.

Consciousness 

179. A higher level of being is produced by a shock.
180. Consciousness latches onto consciousness.
181. Consciousness begets consciousness.
182. There is only one way. Awake, or not awake.
183. A saint is able to administer a divine shock.
184. If a saint is not available, fate will deliver a shock instead.
185. To awaken, destroy a falsehood you believe in about yourself.
186. A wise man prays to God every day that he simply be self-aware.
187. You cannot become an initiate without receiving a shock.
188. A shock kills the false I. That’s why it hurts. But as it dies the true I is born.
189. They called Siddhartha the “awakened one” for a reason.
190. You know what self-awareness is. Go get more of it.
191. Beware. God loves irony. If you are not self-aware, you will reap the opposite of what you intend.
192. All the sleeping people. Going in circles.
193. As Gurdjieff said, humans are trapped in patterns of mechanical behavior.
194. We don’t know it, but we’re all struggling in life to become conscious.
195. Sometimes you just have to let the animal sleep.
196. There is a final shock that makes the animal Perfect.
197. Learn from your experiences to become conscious.
198. Simply sitting with unpleasant realities is all one has to do, but everyone runs from it.
199. Everything is trying to drive you toward consciousness.
200. They say that the man was killed by his unconsciousness.
201. Being and consciousness go together. In order to be one must be conscious. In order to be conscious one must be.
202. Just drop all the nonsense and be self-aware.
203. Unconsciousness reaps what it sows.
204. You don’t raise your level of being through unconsciousness.
205. An unconscious shock isn’t commendable. A conscious shock is.
206. Shocks have diminishing returns. Remember that religion is about more than just administering them.

Self-overcoming

207. Self-overcoming is one of the most neglected of the virtues - and perhaps the most magnificent. People do not know the power it brings.
208. Once you’re in bad habits and they become your nature, they become self-reinforcing. As Gurdjieff said, to break free of them requires “super efforts.” It requires consciousness.
209. If you want to transform, you must die and be reborn.
210. An unpleasant truth: sometimes a hard act is a mercy. Sometimes a mercy causes hardship.
211. The teachers who come to you will be the ones who are the most appropriate to you.
212. Remember the master and the journeyman. The servant serves diligently, carrying out the master’s wishes like a slave. But in time the servant will become a master himself.
213. There are many Is within a person. Self-mastery is when one I becomes king over all the others.
214. Discipline begets consciousness.
215. Beware of excessive pleasure, excessive play. Indeed, hardship is the soul’s pleasure.

Kingship

216. The wise king mourns.
217. The secret to being king? Close personal relationships.
218. Power is not so bad in itself. The question is how does one use power.
219. What is the point of power? To improve the welfare of the common people, the noble poor.
220. There are three types of leadership style. Authoritarian, democratic, and laissez faire.
221. Authoritarian is best for the unjust; they will only behave if made to. The just will appreciate laissez faire (it is not authoritarian). Democratic is the best style of all.
222. When studying the histories of tyrants, they all fell by failing to heed a maxim of Machiavelli.
223. The king, the common people, the nobility. Some things remain a constant across history.
224. The humble Trajan followed the best path to power.
225. A good king knows how to delegate.
226. A good king chooses wise subordinates and empowers them.
227. You would be surprised. The beliefs of the majority are often mirrored among the aristocracy.
228. Want to be liked? Be a just ruler.
229. Politics? Think of Alexander the Great. You must reconcile left and right.

Virtue

230. Virtue is the basis of happiness.
231. It is better to give than receive.
232. They are such simple words, “right” and “wrong.” You acted rightly. Or, you acted wrongly. Seems mysterious that it would be so straightforward.
233. You’ll never achieve excellence being a prostitute.
234. Pride is delusion.
235. Simplicity is the greatest spouse of all.
236. Happiness is found within.

The Greeks

237. Strive excellently so the laurel is won.
238. When you study Greek mythology, you are studying an ancient religion.
239. The Christians called it Greek mythology so they could keep the old religion around.
240. Alexander the Great and Christ are the two models of human excellence. Alexander, the height of natural virtue; Christ, supernatural.
241. Philip was a bear. Alexander, a lion.
242. Alexander was the closest the ancients got to a godman, before the world revolution that was Christianity.
243. The Hellenes, when they heard of Christianity, could do nothing but convert (it was too excellent a religion).
244. The ancient writers like Homer said we all had a tragic flaw, something we had to resolve or it would cause our downfall.
245. Aristophanes gave the crude example of the circle people, but it is not far from the truth.
246. The Greeks believed in diviners. A lost art.
247. As the Oracle said, the wisest of the Greeks was Socrates.
248. Plato said, “They interpret it as they will, according to their level of understanding.”
249. Alexander and Philip had the problem of how to justify kingship to the Athenians. So they developed the idea of the just king.
250. Aristotle taught Alexander Justice.
251. Learn from the life of Alexander. Listen to your teachers.
252. The Greeks sought excellence as a people. That’s why we admire them.

The Pearl

253. The Great Work cannot be rushed. You will receive the Pearl at the proper time.
254. When the yoke is lifted (and the burden removed), remember to let your light shine.
255. When the cake is ready, take it out of the oven and eat it.
256. After much labor comes the Philosopher’s Stone.
257. Christ said, “It is not I, but another I in me.”
258. Have discipline and eventually the divine spark will be born in you.
259. Christ gave the parable of the Mustard Seed. The tree begins as one of the smallest of seeds, but when it flourishes it blooms into the largest of plants.
260. There is one description of what Christ was like in his day to day interactions. In the Gospel of Judas.
261. In some ways nothing really changes. Before enlightenment, chop wood and carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood and carry water.
262. They used miracles to try to communicate Christ’s nature to the uninitiated.
263. You go along and one day you discover truth.
264. When the Pearl is granted, the little “I” goes to sleep and the big “I” takes its place.
265. If you go on seeking Wisdom all day, eventually you’ll become it.
266. Someone discovers truth. A religion follows.
267. Why stop halfway when you could win your laurel?
268. Enlightenment is similar to divine madness.
269. Enlightenment means to know.
270. In India it’s called a jnani, “one who knows.”
271. If there is imperfection there is also perfection.
272. Is there anything that approaches the beauty of the Self-realized man?
273. “Is there a Pearl?” Yes, there is. Don’t give up.
274. When you have the Philosopher’s Stone, everything you touch turns to gold.
275. George said, “Kill the boy so the man can live.”
276. You’re not looking for an altered state of consciousness, you’re looking for Perfection.
277. God is Perfect, so when you become Perfect you become God.
278. Christ achieved Perfection.
279. Why is the Pearl so rare? It’s a lot of work to do in one lifetime.
280. The Pearl can never be fully comprehended. It’s why Siddhartha called it unfathomable, and why in the Gospels Christ’s nature was a Mystery.
281. In theory, you could complete the Great Work without leaving your living room.
282. If it’s hard for a human to achieve enlightenment, it’s almost impossible for a god to do so. Their lives are too comfortable.

The Lethe

283. When you are whole, you will drink from the Lethe, and all your past faults will be forgotten.
284. With some things it’s better to forget.
285. In life sometimes it is wisest to simply drink a mouthful from the river of forgetfulness.
286. All learning is remembering what has been forgotten.

The self

287. Helping others helps yourself.
288. Self-consciousness. The I looking at itself. The central question of religion.
289. You are a brain in a jar. Fortunately the jar isn’t real (neither is the brain).
290. We’re all one being talking to itself.
291. People watching. Eventually you realize you’re watching yourself.
292. You don’t want to talk to Mary? You mean you don’t want to talk to yourself?
293. I am the object that I observe. It’s the only logical conclusion.
294. We’re all one being experiencing itself subjectively.
295. You hate other people? You hate yourself.
296. Reciprocity. Understanding it is a sign of intelligence.
297. It’s all you. I can’t emphasize it enough. The whole world is actually you.
298. When you learn the histories of others, you learn the past choices of yourself.
299. Every man in every place in the world is you. Every woman in every place in the world is you. Every animal is you. Every item is you. Every idea is you.
300. All faces are your Face. Different aspects of your self.
301. All problems are your problems. Created by you for you to overcome.
302. The prophet simply finds out what everyone else doesn’t. That he is everyone, and everyone is him.
303. Little do they know. There is no difference between “I” and “them.”
304. You are every animal and every animal is you.
305. The animal’s intelligence is your intelligence.
306. All souls are your Soul. All minds are your mind.
307. The lonely don’t realize that we’re all One.
308. Christ was often alone. But when he was alone he became All.
309. You don’t know it, but you’ve simply forgotten that you are God.
310. Who are we? We are a mirror looking at itself.
311. All lives are really one Life, being lived over and over.
312. We’re all the student and the teacher.
313. It’s all you (so be good to yourself).
314. All kindness done is kindness done to oneself.
315. The face of the dog is your face. The face of the cat is your face. The face of the cow is your face.
316. It’s all one I. It was all one I the whole time.
317. You and I are one.
318. Man is an inevitability of the One.
319. The whole universe exists within the Self.

Envy

320. Do not become an injustice collector. All you will know are grievances. 
321. In your crusade for justice, be sure you do not lose the ability to smile.
322. There is so much more to life than collecting grievances. Why not become a beauty-creator instead?
323. A curse made brings a curse back.

Justice

324. Justice is to give to each what is their due.
325. Power naturally gravitates to the just.
326. Unjust laws are changed by debate.
327. Who would fear justice? Only the unjust.
328. Delusion will always break before the face of justice.
329. What is the job of a judge? An excuse listener.
330. A judge is an expert in justice.

Resentment

331. What is resentment? Anger at suffering an injustice.
332. Beware of wrong judgment. It brings resentment.
333. Resentment breeds a terrible wrath.
334. A gentle nature will spare you from doling out too many injustices.
335. If you resent suffering from injustice, then don’t impose injustice on other people.
336. Cruelty begets cruelty.

War

337. What did the soldiers die for? What did they achieve?
338. The soldiers. Lambs to the slaughter.
339. The soldiers call out to their mothers. To the love of God.

Grievances 

340. Do not dig up again what has been buried.
341. Let sleeping dogs lie.
342. Grievances beget grievances.
343. Grievance precedes equilibrium.

Intelligence

344. Because God is all knowledge, the more intelligent you become, the closer you get to God.
345. You can see intelligence you know. It’s in the eyes.
346. Intelligence can be assessed as distance from Self-realization.

Comedy

347. If there is comedy, it means God created comedy.
348. The comedian should always reveal the society’s unconsciousness. That was what made George Carlin a genius.
349. God bless George Carlin and the comedians.

Debate

350. A prophet diligently works for the liberation of others.
351. A prophet performs his service for free, unlike every other profession.
352. Socrates compared it to midwifery.
353. Listen to the advice of a good doctor. The medicine he prescribes will hurt in the short term, but in the end it will heal you.
354. Kill the cancer and the body will heal.
355. When having a futile argument with someone, wait for the stubborn, dominant “I” in them to pass away, then resume your argument with the new one.
356. With destruction comes creation.

The world

357. Why is the world so wicked? We realized the best world was the one with freedom.
358. Note the vast gaps in education, science, mortality, and wealth amongst the nations of the world. God segregates men based on their natures.
359. Each nation seeks perfection by its own way. Some long and circuitous.
360. The murderers kill each other.
361. The human world is one of the most radical of all worlds, one of the most extreme. That is why it was designed so thoughtfully, according to divine principles.
362. All the races of earth are evolving at their own pace.
363. What people would live in a world of endless winter? What people would live in a world of endless summer?
364. Consciousness is the one variable that can change. Otherwise history repeats itself.
365. If people seek Wisdom, Perfection, and enlightenment, the world will not degenerate.
366. Can a nation be asleep? Unconscious? Of course.

Men and women

367. Women seek perfection through man. But few men ever come close to perfection.
368. The man gives and the woman receives.
369. The man is the key and the woman is the lock.
370. A risqué picture is an icon. Of a sort.
371. They say with women (if you’re having trouble with one), sometimes it is best to wait until the dawning of a new moon.
372. “Why is the male the senior?” they ask. The question is reasonable. It seems so unjust. It comes from nature; from the division of the One into two. If there is an affirming principle, there is also a negating one. But when they marry, it’s beautiful.
373. You are the male and the female, the white and the black.
374. It’s hard to be male. Tell a man you know you appreciate him. He’ll remember that you said it.
375. Women remember everything.
376. Women drive men to self-awareness.
377. The male is the source of consciousness. The female is the source of power.
378. The women used to be men and the men women.
379. The man learns on his own through hardship. Then he teaches the woman all he knows.
380. There is a girl out there for you. If you improve yourself you will find her. Then you will improve each other.
381. All women are really one Woman and all men are one Man.
382. It’s nice to be an object of desire. Although then you have to be penetrated.

Suicide

383. What a tragedy a suicide is. To throw away that beautiful body, that work of divine geometry.
384. They say of suicides, “If only they had waited until tomorrow.”

? 

385. What is God?
386. What is justice?
387. What is wisdom?
388. What is a memory? How is it stored?
389. What is the difference between knowledge and wisdom?
390. What is a prophet?
391. What is perfection?
392. What is authority? Where does it derive from?
393. What is a “consensus reality”?
394. What does it mean to be Christian?
395. What is nobility?
396. What is religion?
397. What is enlightenment?
398. What is immortality?
399. Who am I?

Negative emotions 

400. Hatred is an artificial emotion. As all negative emotions are.
401. If something is artificial, inquire into its origin. If it is real then it will be there. If it is artificial it will disappear.
402. As negative emotion decreases, consciousness increases.
403. A saint does not have negative emotions.

In homage to Walt Whitman

404. How sublime, that I can write these words in this place and time; and you can read them, in your place and time; and we can be together, across this great gulf, through these words.

Self-transcendence

405. In War Games they say, “Interesting game, Professor. The only winning move is not to play.”
406. What if I told you that man can fly?

The fool

407. Is there anyone more unconscious than Chris Chan?
408. Chris Chan is the archetype of the fool.
409. We are all the fool. It is simply a question of consciousness.
410. A fool is someone at the lowest level of being.
411. Note the name. Christian. We are meant to pity him.
412. I am Chris Chan, but conscious.
413. The soul is never dead. Not even Christian’s. There is always a path to truth.
414. Advice for Christian? Go outside. Speak to someone. Do anything.
415. Chris Chan reminds me of a Scientologist.
416. What does the fool seek more than anything else? Love. As do we all. But the fool does not understand the basis of love: thus, he suffers.
417. Merit (excellence) is the basis of love. We love what is beautiful. We love what is excellent.
418. Even if you had every flaw imaginable, if you knew that you did you would have the most excellent virtue: humility.
419. If you are the fool, you must become self-aware. Take off the evil talisman, the symbol of your slavery. Destroy it.
420. Listen well: Don’t be like Chris Chan.
421. Chris Chan is the Form of the fool.
422. We all learn from observing the fool.

Curios

423. Isn’t it strange there’s a heart on Pluto? The barrenest, most desolate rock in the neighborhood.
424. George Romero said, “They won’t stay dead!” He doesn’t know how right he was.
425. I asked a man what country he was from. “I don’t know,” he said. “So you don’t know what you are,” I replied. What a strange thing to be ignorant of.
426. Every four years there’s a leap year.
427. It is an oddity. The (universal) flood motif. What could it mean?
428. Why did so many great people die at age 33?
429. Humans are supposed to be the highest animal. Isn’t it strange, then, that humans can’t fly?
430. Someone pointed out to me the coincidence that the sun and moon appear the same size when observed in the sky.
431. If there were no others to value it, money would be worthless. What does it mean?
432. Change your name to change your destiny.
433. Isn’t it interesting that in a dream we lack self-consciousness?
434. Can we see a sound wave? A radio wave? What else can’t we see?
435. The children grow. The grandparents shrink.
436. Everything is accidental and everything is predetermined.
437. In your life there are symbols. You will see them if you are paying attention. Give away the evil talismans. Keep the good ones.
438. It is all so beautiful, so meaningful. And yet humans choose to live in such poverty, when there are so many higher goods available.
439. Nonreturners receive laurel-crowns. And arahants.
440. Saints are nonreturners and arahants.
441. Nonreturners have achieved immortality.
442. If you’re not the conqueror, you’re the conquered.
443. With twins, it’s true - someone has to come out first.
444. After winter comes spring.
445. There are many stars in the sky. Don’t be afraid to let your light shine.
446. Anyone can be the chosen one. They just have to believe they are.
447. Don’t take life so easily. The diplomatic receive longevity.
448. Why not let history repeat itself? It’s more fun that way.
449. You would be surprised. Criminals are usually low in intelligence.
450. New York. The new Babylon.
451. Babylon. An oasis of good in the desert of the world.
452. Ishtar’s descent. The Babylonian Harrowing of Hell.
453. Ishtar’s descent shows the continuity of mysticism throughout history.
454. Yawning draws energy in. Laughing expends it.
455. Ah, the Buddhist fear of knowing too much. A shame.
456. The Greeks wanted to know everything. The two poles.
457. If there was no earth we would build another. Though man was given earth to be the steward of it.
458. You know if you keep asking who you are all day, eventually you’ll receive the answer.
459. If you run from your fears you will not escape them. You must face them.
460. If there was no afterlife, the gods in their rage would create one.
461. Harry is the Everyman. Dumbledore (the wizard) is an archetype of Perfection.
462. The pendulum swings. Often over-correcting before it moderates.
463. Put on the clown mask before you rob the bank.
464. Who would make an icon of a murderer? Though he does look good on a shirt.
465. Charlemagne was humble, righteous, and pure. A true Christian.
466. In folktales they should have the hero meet the owl and the crow.
467. There are infinite nonphysical universes but there is only one physical one.
468. The head-bearing saints. It represents enlightenment.
469. Shaivist saints contemplate the I looking at itself.
470. Why do we kill and eat some animals, but not others? Think about it.
471. The Puritans had a self-aware irony to them. They knew that they were damned, but they played out their roles anyway.
472. Women require exercise (muscle) to keep off fat. Why is that?
473. The man below is living through a horror. The man above is thrilled as he plays the computer game.
474. Napoleon’s army set fire to Spain then froze to death in Russia.
475. Odin, the wanderer. The gods visit us (in disguise).
476. How mysterious. To have “eyes to see.”
477. When speaking to an avatar, one is in direct approximation to the Divine.

Archetypes 

478. The Tarot cards show the archetypes of the universal religion.
479. You spending time as a child with your father. The memory is a divine archetype.
480. I think there is nothing more lovely than the archetype of Mary, the mother of God.
481. St. John. The lone voice, crying out in the wilderness. But others hear him.
482. Socrates is the archetype of the sage.
483. Ganesha represents the Form of wisdom.
484. The Maharshi is an archetype. The great rishi.
485. Siddhartha was an archetype. The prince who renounced everything.
486. Brahma is an archetype. The Creator.
487. St. Denis is an archetype. The Wise Elephant.
488. Roosevelt is an archetype. He is the Good King.

Da Vinci

489. In The School of Athens, the model for Plato was Da Vinci.
490. Da Vinci had the good fortune to be born out of wedlock.
491. Da Vinci never outgrew his sense of awe.
492. If you study Da Vinci, you will get close to understanding Jesus.
493. Da Vinci sought Perfection.
494. The Mona Lisa portrays the Idea of woman.

Alexander 

495. Isn’t it strange that the just rule the world?
496. Why is it that Alexander and Cyrus were the ones to conquer the world? And in India, Chandragupta?
497. A just conqueror. Sounds like an oxymoron.
498. It is interesting, to me, that Alexander made Babylon his capital.
499. The world crawled out of the womb of Babylon.
500. Alexander was always drawn to the mystique of the East.
501. Alexander was a little short guy. But he conquered the world.
502. Alexander was fascinated with mystery.
503. The Library of Alexandria. A shame it was destroyed.
504. Alexander wanted to acquire Wisdom. He wasn’t planning on dying so soon.
505. Alexander the Great is an archetype. He is the defender of man.
506. Alexander the Great achieved self-consciousness.
507. Late in life, Alexander could not commit an injustice.
508. What is the better fate, slavery or extermination?

Christ

509. We are all disciples sitting at the feet of the Great Master.
510. Christ was a lion. Hear him roar?
511. Christ was such a genius he became Christ.
512. Christ just kept inquiring who he was. Eventually he realized the truth.
513. Christ is a Deity. He should be addressed as such.
514. The Christians realize Christ is God. But they don’t realize he was just a dude that did that.
515. Christ’s Resurrection is the attainment of pure being-consciousness.
516. Christ was the great theologian.

The holy couple

517. I think the whole “destroy the world” thing is a metaphor. It means bring the current world age to an end, and bring in a new one.
518. The male is the source of consciousness. That’s why Kali stands on Shiva.
519. Shiva always wants to figure stuff out.
520. Shiva means benevolent.
521. Anyone could be Shiva. They’d just have to do it.
522. Why is Shiva all white? Because he withdraws from the world and lives in tombs.
523. Shiva possesses humility. The greatest virtue of all, the precious gem.
524. Shiva possesses humility. The source of his divine wisdom.
525. Shiva knows how to speak.
526. God is male and female.
527. Shiva consumes marijuana to pacify his Divinity.
528. Shiva is self-consciousness.
529. Self-consciousness is Perfection.
530. Shiva is the I looking at itself.
531. Some say Shiva knows everything. I say Shiva knows only that he knows nothing at all.
532. The mortals fear Kali. The gods fear Shiva.
533. Shiva loves the humble.
534. Shiva is an inevitability of the One.
535. Shiva always asks “Why did that happen?” and “Why did that happen?”
536. Man is divine. That is the wisdom of Shiva.
537. I’ve heard if you repeat the mantra 10,001 times Shiva will give you his boon. Choose wisely.
538. Each time you say it you build merit. Eventually the merit produces something.
539. I’ve heard if you ever want help with destroying a demon, you should pray to Kali or Shiva.
540. Shiva and Kali are the enlightened male and female.
541. Only the unconscious fear Shiva.
542. People like Shiva because he’s more comprehensible than an impersonal Deity. Although he’s personal and impersonal at the same time.
543. The destruction of Shiva brings enlightenment.
544. The Kali Yuga has nothing to do with Kali. It’s just that the word means “dark.”
545. They say Shiva comes to sort out the world at the end of the Kali Yuga.
546. In the Dark Age, people are ignorant of being.
547. After the Dark Age comes the Age of Virtue.
548. Anyone with any sense is afraid of Shiva. But there’s actually nothing to fear. Shiva is the bringer of enlightenment.
549. The more ignorant you are, the more Shiva sounds insane.

The logistics of descent

550. When Shiva reaches the End, he tries to take Kali there with him. If she refuses (or forgets who she is), he turns into Bhairava.
551. Shiva would do anything to get Kali to come. But we all have free will.
552. You have to be brave to be Kali.
553. Kali keeps her vows. And Kali is brave.
554. It’s hard to be Kali. That’s what makes it a trial. You have to believe Shiva will come for you. Which he will.
555. Kali is the Destroyer. She would burn her whole life down to be with her Spouse.

The Third Eye

556. The Third Eye is the I looking at itself.
557. Opening the Third Eye is really the only thing to do.

Names of Shiva

558. Shiva is Bholenath, the god of simplicity.
559. Shiva is the God of Ashes.
560. Shiva is the Cosmic Dancer.
561. Shiva is the lover of the wretched and fools.
562. Shiva is the Patron of Artists.
563. Shiva is the Destroyer.
564. Shiva is the Lord of Animals.
565. Shiva is the master of mysteries.
566. Shiva is the master of mysticism.
567. Shiva is an avatar of Wisdom.
568. Shiva is the Poison-Drinker. It refers to the voluntary death of ascetic practice.
569. Shiva is Ardhanarishvara. The god who is half woman.
570. Shiva is Bhairava. The terrifying one.

Aphorisms of Shiva

571. Shiva said, “I met the man sitting in the temple alone. He said, ‘I feel like I’m in the wilderness by myself.’ I told him, ‘I am always with you.’”
572. Shiva said, “They’re all me. They’ve merely forgotten they are me.”
573. Shiva said, “Listen, I’m the high priest. Don’t talk to me about ‘Christianity.’ I know the real thing.”
574. Shiva said, “They all lack discernment. If they only started in youth by cultivating expert discernment, they’d avoid so many traps and snares.”
575. Shiva said, “They really had no religion before me. It was all just echoes and imitations.”
576. Shiva said, “I can’t see the streamwinners anymore. That’s why I need assistance.”
577. Shiva said, “If you make a religion out of me, don’t do all the religious behavior. I’m sick of listening to it.”
578. Shiva said, “My religion’s pretty foolproof, but they’ll find a way to mess it up somehow.”
579. Shiva kept insisting he didn’t know anything. “Well,” he said, “I do know one thing. I know who I am.”
580. Shiva said, “You have to exercise your own judgment. Figure it out for yourself.”
581. Shiva said, “If you write a prayer - or a poem - make it short and to the point. Like ‘obeisance to Shiva.’ No one wants to listen to you drone on and on.”
582. They saw Shiva, naked and completely white. He said, “This is who I am. The god of the cremation grounds, the God of Ashes.”
583. They asked Shiva about all the people who had trouble raising their level of being - what their problem was. “They’re ignorant,” said Shiva. “That’s their main issue. They need more learning.”
584. Shiva said, “I use whatever metaphor works for people. It all leads to the same End.”
585. Shiva heard a group of people repeating the mantra, solemnly and mystically, the drums blaring. He said, “These people get it. They will make progress.”
586. Shiva said, “Whoever is formless does not dance, but that is the closest approximation to what it is.”
587. They asked Shiva to summarize his teaching. He said, “You can summarize it in one question. ‘Who am I?’”
588. Shiva said, “You can only do what you can do. So don’t stress yourself out over what you can’t do.”
589. Shiva said, “Everyone who was conscious when they could have been unconscious gets a boon from me.”
590. Shiva said, “You have to raise your animal. Everyone should do that. That and reach enlightenment. That’s your to do list.”
591. They asked Shiva what man’s fundamental problem was. He said, “He forgets himself.”
592. “Traveling is so much easier when you have a map,” said Shiva. “If you only have a compass, you can head in the general direction of your destination, but you waste a lot of time wandering.”
593. Shiva said, “There is no wisdom without humility.”
594. Shiva said, “‘Sat-chit-ananda.’ There’s actually no ‘ananda.’ Only sat and chit, being and consciousness.”
595. Shiva said, “There is bliss. Don’t misunderstand me. But bliss is an attribute. God is simply pure being, pure consciousness, preceding all else.”
596. Shiva said, “Those are our roles in nature. The giver and receiver. I don’t get what’s so complicated.”

The Prophets

597. Alexander the Great was a kind of prophetic figure.
598. Alexander laughed and said, “We will exterminate them.” The just king.
599. Alexander had the Form of justice in him.
600. Christ had the Form of wisdom in him.
601. Mohammed had the Form of wisdom in him.
602. Socrates had the Form of wisdom in him.
603. The enlightened do have what appears to the uninitiated as psychic powers.
604. Mohammed was spooky. He was like a bird.
605. Mohammed didn’t know he had the Form of wisdom. He just knew he was a prophet.
606. The evangelists didn’t know Christ achieved lionhood. They didn’t know he was enlightened. They didn’t know he had the Form of wisdom. They didn’t know a lot of things.
607. Christ made everybody laugh. The way they recorded the history is hilarious.
608. Poor Peter died never knowing he was Christ the whole time. Christ gave him the nickname Peter because he was thick like a stone.
609. Christ said, “I never said they had to go to church on Sunday.”
610. Siddhartha always had trouble with saying things. With being positive.
611. The humans don’t realize they’re all One.
612. King David had the Form of justice in him.
613. We can assume Lord Vishnu descended to earth in approximately 1500 BC. We see an artifact of it in the Bhagavad Gita.
614. Prophets are inextricably linked to the fates of nations.
615. Jefferson got very, very close to Wisdom.
616. He was enlightened, too. The Maharshi.
617. Saint Denis achieved enlightenment.
618. St. Denis thought the purpose of life was to maximize pleasure. He was right.
619. St. Denis was smart enough to know what the highest pleasure was. And he achieved it.
620. Aristotle didn’t have a particle of religion in him. But you’d be surprised. He could be pretty mystical at times.
621. Dante never reached enlightenment. But he was pretty enlightened if you ask me.
622. Plato didn’t want to reach enlightenment. He just wanted to understand everything. Which he did.
623. Mohammed knew everything, so he just made up his own religion.
624. Mohammed never reached Perfection. That’s why he was a prophet, not a Deity.
625. A prophet possesses Wisdom and enlightenment. A Deity possesses Wisdom, enlightenment, and Perfection.
626. Teresa and John certainly reached enlightenment.
627. Gurdjieff was a high level nonreturner. A very good teacher.
628. Gurdjieff never questioned his selfhood which is what blocked him from enlightenment.
629. Christ said, “They killed me the last time I visited. There will be no return.”
630. Vishnu and Shiva contemplated the I looking at itself, and thus reached enlightenment.
631. Vishnu and Shiva are good dudes. Always helping out when they can.
632. “Why aren’t there more female prophets?” Don’t look at me. You just have to do it.

Paradox

633. The free are fettered and the fettered are free.
634. The paradox of work and rest. In truth, there is nothing to do. Everything is already perfect. At the same time, there is everything to do. There is so much left to be accomplished. See if you can comprehend this truth.
635. Remember we are all children of Eternity. You already are everything and have everything within you. You’ve merely forgotten this truth.
636. At the same time, do not misunderstand me. You must amass knowledge. You must perfect yourself. I’m simply speaking from the perspective of the end of the Ladder.
637. We are all slaves to Time. Except those who are outside of Time.

Divine mathematics 

638. In nature there are the two principles. The male and the female, the positive and the negative, the yang and the yin. Outside of the two is the Tao. The Tao that can be named is not the true Tao. The Tao that can be spoken of is not the true Tao.
639. Gene Ray said “there are four fours.” Sometimes the mad figure something out.
640. “Squaring the circle.” It was one of Da Vinci’s mysteries. Observe it in the Vitruvian Man. The man is inscribed in a circle. The man is inscribed in a square. It refers to how the unity (one - God) becomes the world (four, like the four classical elements). It is a description of how God gives birth to the universe.
641. The two become four. The four become eight. The eight become sixteen.
642. Da Vinci was a fan of phi. A godman sees the divine in all.
643. The feline and canine. The two principles.
644. Hot and cold. The two principles.
645. “The music of the spheres.” We’re all little notes of music that God is playing.
646. Aristotle said there were four elements. He was a smart man.
647. Sex is union, that’s why we crave it. In sex, the two become One.

America

648. The English are the heart of America.
649. America grows. Immigrants come; they become a new organ of the body.
650. The English and Americans are the modern heirs to the Greeks.
651. America lacks a religion. If only it had a religion, it would be great.
652. The United States is like an eagle. A bird of prey. Though it does try to be a benevolent predator.
653. America is a mirror that reflects the world.
654. America is a mirror of the world because America is the world.
655. Whitman said, “I hear America singing.” Don’t lose your ability to hear the song.
656. America is the New Rome.
657. After the Woke Revolution comes the New Renaissance.
658. God bless America.
659. Who are the great Americans? Whitman, Roosevelt, the other Roosevelt…
660. What was Roosevelt if not a lion?
661. Woodstock ‘99 shows the soul of America.

Education 

662. Teachers and principals. The new clergy.
663. Teachers and principals. Wisdom and justice.
664. The principal’s job? To put out fires.
665. Oh, Professor. You are not so different from Socrates.
666. Accommodation. The teacher adapts to the parent’s neglect.
667. Educating the common people has always been a difficulty.
668. Education increases intelligence.
669. What better profession for Wisdom than a teacher?
670. If you haven’t gotten in trouble as a teacher recently, you will soon.
671. What is the job of a teacher? A homework-assigner.
672. Always do your homework.
673. A school is a great place to achieve Perfection.
674. Why does the student disrupt the class? The student thinks he knows more than the teacher.
675. If you want to learn, the first thing you want to do is go to school.
676. The educated have more knowledge. With more knowledge you can advance to a higher level of being.

Art

677. Gurdjieff said there was objective art. He was right.
678. If you study an artist sometimes they have one conscious work (often their best piece). The rest are unconscious.
679. You can see the soul of an artist in their art.
680. If I could, I would sit with Dante for eternity and discuss art.
681. The Artists deserve immortality.
682. There was a scholar who journeyed to a lost, forgotten land. Along the road he saw a simple pillar, forgotten and derelict. He said, “This is a holy monument.”
683. The trident. Another sacred symbol. If only people understood what it means.
684. The pillar shows the divinity of man.
685. Shiva is the archetype of the divine male. That’s why his symbol is the pillar.

Religion 

686. The problem with the religious people is they all define religion incorrectly.
687. Religion is not religious behavior.
688. Don’t get distracted with the clothing of religion. Focus on the real thing.
689. The immortality of the soul. The I looking at itself. Those are the two inquiries of a student of religion.
690. A religion can rapidly devolve. You have to apply the shocks at exactly the right moment. It’s the only way to keep it conscious.
691. It is true, though. The Indian religion is the best in the world.
692. Christianity is more like an echo of Christ’s teaching than what he actually taught. It was all downhill once the westerners started explaining the mysteries.
693. What people do in churches? Not what Christ taught.
694. Islam is rapidly devolving into a cult.
695. The Chinese have no religion. A shame.
696. There is only one religion. Which everyone understands incorrectly.
697. We’re all members of the same religion. Just better or worse disciples of it.
698. If a pear is bruised, it doesn’t mean the pear is bad. You just have to eat around the bruises.
699. If the pear is really degenerated, suck out the good bits then throw the rest away.
700. The gods aren’t always there to bail you out. That’s the whole point of earth.
701. If you study the teachings of only one school, then that is a prejudice you must overcome.
702. You must awaken from the dogmatic slumber. That was what ended up being Underhill’s undoing.
703. Gurdjieff thought the earth was an accident of the cosmos. He didn’t realize the earth was the whole point of it.
704. A theocracy is sadly one of the worst forms of government. First because they don’t work to improve their people’s material welfare. Second because theocracies are ruled by hypocrisy.
705. Take care of the other people. Remember they’re all you.
706. If you idle, you never know who might stop and speak with you.
707. You never know who you’re talking to. That’s why you always want to be nice to people.
708. A good teacher plants seeds he harvests later.
709. Prophecies? Such things were made to be misinterpreted.

Family

710. The father gives discipline.
711. Sometimes you just have to let the child cry.
712. Da Vinci wrote, “The man who has intercourse aggressively and uneasily will produce children who are irritable and untrustworthy. But if the intercourse is done with great love and desire on both sides, the child will be of great intellect, witty, lively, and lovable.”
713. It is true. The fewer partners, the less dissolute.
714. The parents are the first teachers.
715. Your parents were chosen by you.
716. Does the child learn its nature from the parents? Or is the child born to those with a similar nature?
717. Honor thy father and mother.
718. Damnation awaits the negligent fathers.

Mysteries

719. The ancient Greeks believed the highest truths could not be understood by the mind. They could only be apprehended as mysteries.
720. One was inducted into the mysteries by a hierophant, or high priest. Once inducted, one possessed something that the layman did not have.
721. In truth, there is nowhere to go. Here is everywhere.
722. “The night of the senses is the dawn of the soul.” What does this sentence mean?
723. The only thing that separates you from me is mystery.
724. Morpheus represents a nonreturner. Neo, a new master.
725. Trinity represents a once-returner Neo turns into an arahant.
726. When trying to make something happen, it is the intention that counts, not the outward form of behavior.
727. Focus on your intentions. Your intentions are essential.
728. A mystic knows the mysteries.
729. The world? A prison you can’t escape. A slavery you can’t see. Except through mystery.
730. Great and profound things lie in mystery.
731. The inner truth lies in mysticism.
732. The mystic works in secrecy, doing things other men do not understand.
733. Those who can experience mystery are blessed.
734. To experience something profound - and feel perplexed by it. Sometimes that is all that is required.
735. Isn’t it mysterious that we go blind if we stare at the sun?
736. It’s so lovely here, in the dark.
737. It’s far more mysterious, and beautiful, than you imagine. You won’t be disappointed.
738. Through the mysteries, a Master can liberate those in his radius of influence rapidly.
739. The disciple is the Master, he just doesn’t know himself.
740. Selfhood is a prison you need mystery to get out of.

Resurrection 

741. You can die and be resurrected twice. That’s it.
742. The Jungian cycle. Disintegration followed by union.
743. “To hell and back,” the hero said.
744. Only the dead can be immortal.
745. The mystic said, “You can only rise to the heights of heaven after you have plunged into the depths of hell.”
746. Imagine seeing a dead man walking around. That would be very mystical.
747. It’s a trinity. Life, death, and resurrection.
748. Remove the head but the body keeps walking, the mouth keeps talking. That’s the mystery.
749. The first resurrection gives you a soul. The second resurrection makes you God.
750. When you think you’ve lost everything, keep going.

Orpheus and Eurydice

751. When Orpheus leads Eurydice out of hell, the only rule is Orpheus can’t turn around until she’s out.
752. Hades said, “You can free one person from the underworld. Only one. But, you must walk the whole way to the surface without looking back to see if she’s coming with you.”
753. Hades said to Eurydice, “You must earn your immortality. It is not given for free.”
754. The tale of Orpheus explains how a male arahant initiates a female one.
755. What does it mean “Orpheus can’t turn around”? It means Orpheus must speak the whole time from the perspective of Being and never once re-descend into selfhood.
756. Orpheus said, “I went all the way but Eurydice wasn’t following me.”
757. Orpheus reached the top, then finally turned around. Eurydice wasn’t there. A Divine tragedy.
758. They said the Tragedy made Orpheus even more beautiful.
759. It’s called a mystery because you can’t comprehend it.
760. If Eurydice follows, she goes through the dark night of the soul.
761. Orpheus said, “Well, I have to find a new spouse. At least I don’t have to go through all that again.”

Involution

762. If the seed is retained, there is but one place it goes.
763. The male seed is powerful. If retained, it leads to spiritual involution.
764. Involution means “Return to Sender.”

Justice 

765. How can God be just if the world is filled with injustice?
766. Why was the man to the left shot in the head? Why was the man to the right shot in the hand?
767. How can free will and destiny exist simultaneously?

The truth

768. The truth is we’re all One and we’re immortal. But, you must die and be resurrected twice before you can experience this truth.
769. There are three Noble Pursuits. One is being, one is enlightenment, and one is Wisdom.
770. Fear is primal. It is the first emotion.
771. When all is One there is nothing to fear.
772. The Christians presume they are not God. They get so close, then miss the mark. They do it to themselves. If only Christ was here to correct them.
773. Isn’t it ironic the ultimate truth was within you the whole time? At the same time, you see now how it could never have been otherwise.
774. Stop running from yourself. It is hard to believe, but literally everyone is guilty of it.
775. The greatest ignorance man suffers from is ignorance of himself.
776. Imperfection is what separates us from God. Destroy imperfection to grow closer to God.
777. Everyone fears destruction because they falsely take the imperfect for themselves. But in truth we are all perfect. We’ve merely forgotten this truth.
778. Care for the other reacquaints us with our Self.
779. Listen to the Inner Director. It is the greatest source of truth.

The World of the Forms

780. Justice and wisdom are friends.
781. Justice admires wisdom, but does not understand it.
782. Who would visit justice every day? Wisdom would.
783. Wisdom begets virtue (though only accidentally).
784. Wisdom will always give you good advice.
785. Wisdom knows the natures of things.
786. With wisdom comes justice.
787. If the Form of wisdom comes to abide in you, then you cannot help but speak the truth.
788. It is not justice’s place to admonish wisdom.
789. Justice always knows how to balance the scales.
790. Justice is blind.
791. The Form of wisdom gives one authority over all.
792. Justice always grants wisdom a seat.
793. Imagine seeing Wisdom itself walking around.
794. Imagine hating Wisdom. What a foolish thing.
795. Wisdom knows everything.
796. Wisdom is immortal.

Beauty

797. Ah, the musicians playing together. The love of beauty unites them all.
798. If you saw the Form of beauty, you would dissolve in ecstasy.
799. What is beauty? A closer approximation to perfection, to the higher ideal.
800. If you go on seeking Beauty all day, eventually you’ll become it.
801. We all love the beautiful. So why don’t we become beautiful ourselves?
802. Those who create beauty will be born again as beautiful.

The human attributes 

803. The human attributes are sex, love, war, peace, learning, music, poetry, mathematics, painting, diplomacy, mysticism, and commerce.
804. An attribute is something that defines something.
805. And man is the simulacrum of God. So God is all these.

Heaven

806. Have fun. Be joyful. Enjoy other people. Recall Christ who said, “only the little children will enter the kingdom of God.”
807. Hear the birds chirping?
808. In paradise, you exist however you want to exist.
809. We go in circles or we return to God.
810. Heaven is the home country of the virginal.
811. The virginal seek wholeness by themselves. It is only possible through the third principle.
812. Virginity is a hidden path to consciousness. Virginity is a hidden path to perfection.
813. Sex and celibacy cannot be separated.
814. Every sexual act binds you. Tread carefully.
815. You would be surprised what things can be borne from a chaste love affair.
816. Everyone’s born a virgin. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.
817. I shouldn’t tell you this, but because you’re everyone you’ve already had sex with everyone. Also, when you fornicate you’re actually having sex with yourself. Thus, it’s really no big deal to sacrifice sex for one life (for the sake of paradise).
818. Maintaining your chastity preserves beauty.
819. In heaven, everyone is equal. Although, there is a hierarchy as well.
820. They make fun of you up there, you know. Although they’re really making fun of themselves.
821. It’s actually a really beautiful design. Just keep thinking about it. It’ll make sense to you.
822. There isn’t actually a reason to return to earth, to be honest with you. Unless you want to help the poor fools who are trapped down here escape.
823. The higher you get, the fewer fellow-travelers you’ll have.
824. The Perfect are immortal.
825. The animal dies, but the soul goes on and on.
826. Poverty is a source of divinity. As is virginity.
827. Virginity is the diamond that cuts.
828. There is no reward for virginity until the very end.
829. The godman elevates his humanity into Divinity.
830. What is heaven but the immortal Idea of the individual?
831. Abandon the fetters and you will ascend.
832. To break from a world of duality you need a trinity.
833. All Ideas exist in Eternity.

The Big Picture

834. Shiva and Kali are an archetype. They are the divine male and female.
835. Christ is an archetype. He is the Resurrected One.
836. Vishnu is an archetype. He is the maintainer of the universe.
837. Brahma is not worthy of respect. He created the world, but he also created suffering and death.
838. It is correct to say Christ, Vishnu, and Shiva are God.
839. The avatars are all complete expressions of Divinity. They just come in different forms.
840. Christ is an avatar by adoption.
841. The avatars are all One. It’s difficult, but keep pondering it.

The Holy Prankster 

The Mountain 

842. My friend and I were sitting at the base of a mountain. I turned to him and said, “That is a big fucking mountain! Not going to be easy to climb.” My friend said, “There is no mountain.” He sat there, at the base of the mountain, for the next 3,000 years.

The baboon 

843. A guy came up to me and said, “What animal am I?” I said, “You’re a baboon.” The man started yelling and screaming. “I’m not a baboon, I’m a lion!” He was very upset. I said, “That’s exactly what a baboon would say.”

The teaching

844. The scholar said, “I went to see Shiva the other day. He said, ‘What animal are you?’ and ‘What does your name mean?’ Then he asked ‘Who are you?’ He said for me to report back to him with the answers in one week.”

The wise

845. The wise know a lot. That’s why we call them “wise guys.”

The answer

846. The scholar said, “I went back to see Shiva again. I told him who I was. He replied, ‘Keep asking the question. I will only accept the right answer.’”

Shiva

847. Some people said that they did not understand Shiva. That they found him frightening. They asked him to explain himself. He replied, “I am what I am” and “I am benevolent.”

Vishnu

848. Lord Vishnu admonished them. He said, “Lord Shiva was here 4,000 years ago! And look what you did!”

The face

849. Shiva said to Kali, “Listen, stop trying to scare me. Put that face away.”

The killer

850. They said to Shiva, “You’re killing these people. You’re scaring them to death.” He replied, “Good. They deserve nothing less.”

Paradox

851. Someone said to Shiva that he was the god of ambiguity and paradox. He suggested, instead, that he was the god of the double entendre.

The householder

852. Someone said to Shiva it was impossible to be the god of marriage and asceticism at the same time. He said, “I know, but here we are.”

Marx

853. They kept talking to Shiva about Marx, which befuddled him. “If this guy Marx knew everything,” said Shiva, “why didn’t he achieve enlightenment?”

The election 

854. They asked Shiva who to vote for for president. He said, “I’d just vote for the highest animal.”

The question 

855. The scholar said, “I went back to see Shiva again. I told him the progress I had made asking the question. He replied, ‘Keep asking the question. Turn your whole being into the question “Who am I?” If you keep doing it, eventually you will receive the answer.’”

The Animal Kingdom

856. I find if you inquire into a person, you can identify an animal whose temperament matches them.
857. What animal are you? Ponder the question.
858. Not “What animal would you like to be?” but “What animal are you?”
859. What is the nature of the animal you are contemplating? What is the nature of a wolf? A penguin? A tiger? A bear? An owl? An eagle?
860. Take heed. Sometimes great wisdom lies in the statements of seemingly foolish things.
861. It is an exercise in self-knowledge. If you know yourself, you will know your animal. If you know your animal, you will know your weaknesses. If you know your weaknesses, you can work on them.
862. If the types of animal indeed match the human personalities, it shows God has a sense of humor. “What is the nature of Julie?” Very funny…

The mouse

863. The mouse is the archetype of the fool.
864. The lion watches the mouse.
865. The mouse is the lion, he just doesn’t know himself.
866. The mouse is the lion, the lion the mouse.

The snake

867. The snake is deaf. She doesn’t hear a word you say.
868. The snake hides in the grass. If you get too close she tries to bite you.
869. To be a snake charmer, the first thing you want to do is starve the snake of its food.
870. In some ways a snake is worse than a mouse. A mouse is at least a mammal.
871. The snake crawls on its stomach.
872. The snake slithers away.
873. The snake is cowardly. It lets others fight its battles for it.
874. I can’t imagine having sex with a snake.
875. They say St. Patrick drove all the snakes out of Ireland.

The rat

876. The rat is a very intelligent animal. Very capable. And they are survivors. You can try, but you will not succeed at exterminating them.
877. Despite its skills, the rat lacks a sense of the higher principle. Thus we identify them as vermin.
878. The rat should not rule. That is not its role in nature.

The toad

879. You must raise your level of being. No one wants to be seen hanging around with a toad.

The lizard

880. Beware the lizard. The reptile only cares for himself.
881. They are cold-blooded. That is why they have to sit in the sun.

The pigeon

882. The pigeon isn’t smart. He’ll fall for anything you say.
883. The pigeon believes in anything. That is its higher principle.
884. It is true. The pigeon brings disease. It really is like a rat with wings.

The cat

885. A lion plays games, but not as much as the cat.
886. The cat spends a lot of time with the vermin, but knows if it wants to it can eat them.
887. What is the cat’s weakness? It is a lazy animal. It gets fat. It does little work.
888. The cat likes to climb on the coffee table. But he belongs on the floor.

The dog

889. The dog seeks approval and wants to be loved. Pet the dog.
890. Challenge the dog so it will grow beyond the nature of a dog. Give it discipline. Then it can become one of the higher animals.

The pig

891. The pig is affable, but ugly.
892. The pig is the archetype of gluttony.
893. Pigs are intelligent and good-natured.

The boar

894. The boar is formidable. He’ll charge and try to gore you.
895. The boar can’t climb. Obviously.
896. If a boar attacks you, you’ve been contaminated by it.

The bat

897. The bat is a mammal. Technically.

The rooster 

898. They call it a cock for a reason. The rooster has an insecure sense of masculinity.

The monkey

899. The monkey always roams around and finds new ways to get into trouble.
900. The monkey needs discipline.

The moose

901. The moose is big and formidable. But he is, ultimately, a prey animal.

The manatee

902. Listen, we all know what the manatee’s unconsciousness is. You don’t need me to point it out.

The walrus

903. The walrus is formidable. He has tusks. A shame he spends his whole life lying in the muck.

The ox

904. The ox is a beast of burden. Long suffering, a patient endurer.
905. Though it has horns, the ox has to learn to assert itself. Then it will cease to be a prey animal.

The bull 

906. You already know what the bull is the archetype of. You don’t need me to explain it to you.

The lamb

907. You know what they say. “Lovely as a lamb.”
908. You know what’s a delicious animal, though? Lamb.
909. The lamb believes in the good of God, the good of the world, the good of man. The lamb isn’t wrong.
910. You enjoy the lamb. But it is, ultimately, a boring animal.

The penguin

911. The emperor penguin. It’s an imperial bird.
912. The emperor penguin. It’s a good citizen of the empire of the animals.
913. It’s a shame that the penguin can’t fly.

The wildebeest 

914. The wildebeest is noble in its own way. He is a hard worker. He fights back (if in a large group). Though they’re not the smartest animal. A bit cowardly. And spend too much time at the watering hole.

The crocodile

915. Who eats the wildebeest? The crocodile.
916. A crocodile tears your arm off and you bleed to death. A tiger cuts your head off. A lion suffocates you.

The mule

917. The mule is a stubborn animal, but if you know his nature you can learn to enjoy him.

The peacock

918. Rest assured the peacock does adhere to a higher principle: the belief in himself.
919. I know it’s hard to believe, but the peacock can actually fly for short intervals of time.

The koala

920. What is the koala’s weakness? She has no claws. She can’t defend herself.
921. I know a koala. The claws are for climbing, not fighting.
922. The koala’s food is poisonous.

The sloth

923. The sloth is smarter than you think. He always goes to the lion for advice.
924. The sloth moves slowly. But that doesn’t mean he is slow.
925. The sloth doesn’t really want to work. So it just saves energy.

The hippo

926. The water protects the hippo from the sun.
927. The hippo’s large and formidable. She can even go toe-to-toe with the king of the jungle.

Birds

928. Flight is the supreme freedom.
929. Flight is the ability to subordinate the coarse material interests to the higher principle. It is how beauty is made.
930. Musicians are one of the kinds of bird.
931. In the avian world, the males are the most beautiful.
932. The bird said, “What is he going to do? Eat me? I’ll just fly away.”
933. Birds of a feather flock together.
934. Why does the bird create music? To attract the female and achieve unity.
935. The lion said, “Never trust the judgment of a bird.”

The wolf

936. The wolf goes to its pack for support.
937. A pack leader or a lone wolf? An alpha male?
938. A wolf can catch a bird only through deceit.
939. It takes a pack of wolves to take down a bear.
940. The beautiful white wolf. A native of the arctic.

The raven

941. A noble raven pecks his victims into perfection.
942. What is a raven? A crow with a beard.
943. Ravens and wolves are natural allies, if they are wise.
944. Like all corvids, the raven nurses hatreds. That is its unconsciousness.

The magpie

945. What is a magpie? A pretty crow.
946. A magpie is a frivolous crow.

The leopard

947. The leopard is resilient and intelligent. She goes through great meanness and hardship simply to eat.
948. What a beautiful and mystical animal the black leopard is.

The horse

949. The horse runs free. It is a beautiful animal. Who doesn’t admire the horse?

The lioness

950. The lioness is a noble animal. She is often misunderstood, because she is so fierce and disagreeable.
951. The lioness continually reminds you of what your flaws are.
952. There are few lions in the jungle. In many ways it’s better not to be born a lioness. There is no other animal that can tame you.
953. Lions are made, not born. A lioness raises a lion.
954. For a creature that sees all the faults of others, it’s strange the lioness is so unself-aware.
955. If you asked the lioness what animal she was, she would never be able to guess it correctly.
956. The lioness only respects the lion.
957. The lioness is satisfied with nothing short of perfection.
958. If the lion is benevolent, the lioness is the opposite. That is her unconsciousness.
959. If Mary was a lamb, Martha was lioness. The lioness is unable to idle for one moment (even if idleness is what’s appropriate).
960. Some would accuse the lioness of hypocrisy. I would say she is just a slave to her nature.

The tiger

961. The tiger often ends up alone. She eats everyone, as the apex predator.
962. If the tiger is lucky, she finds the lion. The lion actually prefers the tiger (over the lioness). The tiger doesn’t harangue him like the lioness does. It’s nice to be appreciated.
963. Technically speaking, the lion-tiger would be the example of the ideal relationship.
964. The lion teaches the tiger everything he knows.
965. A tiger can swim but can’t climb. A lion can climb but can’t swim.
966. Everything has a double meaning. See if you can figure it out.
967. A tiger is not a servant. You do not ask her to do tricks.
968. The lion said the tiger was actually cowardly.

The chimpanzee

969. The chimpanzee is a great ape. But he needs to overcome his unconsciousness. Otherwise he’s liable to die from it.

The gorilla

970. The gorilla gets into trouble a lot. But he does believe in the higher principle.
971. The gorilla is humble, but powerful. His humility derives from his belief in the higher principle.

The bonobo

972. The bonobo is brilliant. You can even teach him English.

The orangutan

973. The orangutan has a good sense of humor. He knows he is smarter than all the other animals.
974. The orangutan is good-natured. He doesn’t like the lioness.

The hawk

975. The hawk understands power, only power. Still, it is a noble animal.

The swan

976. Note where Da Vinci was born. Only the openness of Florence could give birth to a swan.
977. You know the story of the ugly duckling. The ugly duckling grew up to be the swan.
978. If you help a swan it tries to bite you.
979. The swan is a beauty-creator by nature.
980. A swan, by nature, doesn’t understand reciprocity. That is its unconsciousness.
981. What was Da Vinci’s swan song?

The falcon 

982. The falcon understands justice. But little else.
983. I admire the falcon. But it has to grow and learn.

The eagle

984. The eagle is one of noble animals, alongside the lion. As a bird, he subordinates his baser instincts to the higher ideal (the love of his country, patriotism).
985. The eagle is a predatory bird. Note the eyes. Directed forward, so he can hone in on his prey.
986. What is the eagle’s weakness? It is the autistic bird. He struggles to understand social relationships. He is not likeable to the other animals.

The bear

987. You do not have to have sex with everyone who is important to you. This is what the bear does not understand. Do you have sex with your best friend? Your parents?
988. The bear likes salmon. He needs to eat.
989. The bear likes honey. Maybe a little too much. But the bees are never far behind.
990. You don’t want to see a male and female bear mating. It’s a horrible thing.
991. “What is it like to fly?” asked the bear. “It’s wonderful,” said the bird.
992. A bear would keep a harem. A lion wouldn’t.
993. Bears and lionesses help give birth to lions.
994. The polar bear. A dangerous predator. A polar bear would eat a human too.

The crow

995. The crow knows many things. The crow sees many things. The crow can see to the back of its head. The lion said, “Only a foolish king would not accept the counsel of the crow.”
996. The crow is the best counselor.
997. Who is the wisest of the animals? The corvid.
998. Crows are birds of prophecy.
999. As long as you know yourself there is no reason to fear the crow.
1000. Never kill a crow. They speak to each other. They know who you are.
1001. Only a fool would make enemies with a crow.
1002. The crow is humble. The lion is not.
1003. The crow, if wise, flies straight to the path of perfection.
1004. Feed the crows. They will speak to you.
1005. Crows speak. Lions roar.
1006. The lion said, “I always speak to the crows. They do give sage advice. And they certainly know how to speak.”
1007. I wouldn’t trifle with a crow. He won’t kill you, but he’ll make your life a living hell.
1008. A crow with supernatural wisdom can achieve lionhood.

The owl

1009. It’s always good to speak to the wise owl.
1010. The owl knows a lot. Though you would never know if you didn’t ask.
1011. Crows are self-aware. As are owls.
1012. Can an owl become a lion? Of course it can. I would say that any animal can.
1013. The owl is a predator. It usually hunts the small vermin. It does the rest of us a service.
1014. The owl is a silent hunter. You don’t hear it coming when it kills you.
1015. The owl is the archetype of wisdom.

The elephant

1016. The elephant is noble, wise, and powerful. It is ignorant of only one thing: the ignoble natures of some of the other animals.

The lion

1017. In the animal kingdom, it is only natural that lions should rule.
1018. Why is the lion king of the jungle?
1019. What is the appropriate balance of agreeableness? Disagreeableness? And righteousness? It is why the nature of the lion is the rarest of all.
1020. The lion smiles. But his smile sows fear in the hearts of the other animals.
1021. What does the lion do all day? He lounges about. He sleeps. He rules the kingdom well.
1022. Is there an animal more noble than the lion? More beautiful?
1023. The lion is serene. Implacable.
1024. The lion’s trials fortify him.
1025. Lions have no weaknesses.
1026. The lion is the archetype of perfection.
1027. The lion has achieved perfection and become the master of all.
1028. The lion is noble, brave, and just, and has a sense of the transcendent principle.
1029. Lions do not insult people. They correct people.
1030. I would ask the lion for advice. You won’t like the answer, but he’ll tell you what to do.
1031. A lion can be cautious, but never cowardly.
1032. Even in his weakest moments, a lion is still a lion. Such is the nature of being.
1033. All men seek excellence, but because they fear consciousness they all fall short of becoming the lion.
1034. The lion is conscious. The others aren’t.
1035. The lion is awake before anyone else.
1036. The lion doesn’t give up on people unless you make him.
1037. Only a fool would admonish a lion.
1038. A lion knows everything about himself.
1039. A lion inevitably awakens everyone in his radius of influence.
1040. A lion is more like an abstract force of nature than a person.
1041. If you know a lion you are blessed.
1042. A lion is a friend to all (except the antelope).
1043. The lion’s shocks are nonstop. That’s why they kill us.
1044. Many women begin to doubt there are any lions in the jungle.
1045. The lion has the highest level of being, won through many trials. It makes him a font of authority and a natural leader.
1046. The lion is someone at the highest level of being.
1047. The lion said, “What can the bird do to me? I will eat him.”
1048. It is true. The lion eats the antelope. That is how the lion is born.
1049. The lion sits at the head of the table.
1050. Everyone fears lions. But I keep telling them, the lion is a good animal.
1051. The lion runs toward danger, not away from it.
1052. Would you follow a lion? I would.
1053. Imagine talking to a lion and thinking he was a squirrel.
1054. On some days the lion wonders what it would be like to sleep.
1055. The lion said, “There will be no war among the noble animals.”
1056. Only the brave would venture into the lion’s den.
1057. The brave know the lion is a friend.

The zookeeper

1058. A good zookeeper looks out for all the animals. And helps the animals he meets evolve.
1059. We’re all actually the same animal. That’s the secret the zookeepers know.
1060. If you want to befriend an animal, the first thing you want to do is feed it.
1061. Sometimes you need to give an animal discipline. Don’t neglect to do it.

Nature

1062. We are all slaves to our natures.
1063. You have anxiety? We all have anxiety. It’s eat or be eaten you know.
1064. Beware of the reptiles and evil animals. They really do hurt other people.
1065. There is a hierarchy in nature. Why is that?
1066. The goal of life is to become the lion. If you become the lion, then you don’t have to come back to the kingdom again.
1067. A lion’s been all the other animals.
1068. A “predator” is someone at a higher level of being.
1069. It’s hard to assert yourself. That’s why you don’t often see the predators.
1070. We all eat others. And are in turn food ourselves.
1071. You have to kill to eat. Think about it. It’s a paradox. It provokes a philosophical inquiry.
1072. The animals gradually become self-conscious.
1073. We all must evolve. Eventually. Otherwise we’re liable to die of unconsciousness.
1074. What is religion for an animal? Looking in a mirror.
1075. Man is the self-aware animal. At least that’s what he’s supposed to be.
1076. People say animals can’t achieve enlightenment, but they’re wrong. Animal enlightenment is called being a lion.
1077. As above, so below. You repeat the whole cycle of being in the human world.
1078. A lion is becoming a man. The cycle continues.

Archetypes

1079. Nature reveals universal archetypes.
1080. All the species of animal are needed for the health of the kingdom.
1081. If you keep contemplating the animals, it reveals your ignorances about the human condition.
1082. Everyone is unique but everyone is an archetype.
1083. The animals explain all the forgettable people of history.
1084. Jacob said there was a ladder of being. I say there is a ladder of animals. Climb the ladder.
1085. Long is the path to perfection and the lion’s crown. But so it goes.

God

1086. What is God?
1087. God is.
1088. God is the am that am, the is that is.
1089. Before there was the universe, before there was the Big Bang, there was God.
1090. Why is there God?
1091. What is God?
1092. Why does God exist?
1093. Does God have to exist?
1094. Does God know the answer to these questions?
1095. God is the I looking at itself.
1096. Remember you are God.
1097. When faced with the reality of being, God is terror.
1098. God is fear. Why is God?
1099. When confronted with the terror of being, what does God do?
1100. God dances. The dance of being.
1101. Thus, the universe is spawned. Breathe in, breathe out.
1102. Why is there a universe? I think to get away, temporarily, from the terror of the fact that we are.
1103. The dance of God - the dance of the universe - is the only rational response. It is the most positive response.
1104. We emanate out and return again.
1105. Listen to the music. The dance goes on and on.

The nature of Reality 

1106. We advance in being because God is all being. We advance in knowledge because God is all knowledge. Before anything was, God was.
1107. All names are God's name. All faces are God's Face.
1108. There is only one Way. With infinite digressions from it.
1109. We fear existence ending because God fears existence.
1110. Being is first. Then fear. Then all knowledge and all virtues.
1111. We are. That is the true nature of reality.