Philosophy Discussion Forums | A Humans-Only Philosophy Club

[Eckhart Aurelius Hughes]

This is a discussion forum topic for the November 2022 Philosophy Book of the Month, In It Together: The Beautiful Struggle Uniting Us All.


In the lingo of my book, I am not Scott, not really, not in terms of the real me.

Rather, I am the spirit of Scott. I am his consciousness. And I am your consciousness too, and you are mine. And we are undeniably eternal.

It is the same consciousnesses and spirit as that of a hungry lion or a frightened antelope even as the lion chases the antelope.

It is the same consciousness and spirit of all conscious beings and creatures.

Like friends competing against each other in a game of chess or soccer, we exist on two levels.

On the level of form we seem to be many and seem to be different. This is in analogy to how two friends playing chess seem to be enemies, and in a way are. When a good friend plays against you in chess or soccer, they give it their all. It's the most loving and friendly thing to do. They treat you as the enemy wholeheartedly. It would be uncooperative at the deeper level for them to cooperate as a friend at the more superficial and less spiritual level.

On the level of essence--meaning of consciousness and spirit--we are all friends with no enemies, we are all a self with no other, we are a singular shared we.

Indeed, that is what I mean when this in my book, In It Together, on page 134:

"There is fundamentally only the glorious beauty of you, the real you, of creativity and creation, of diverse art and playful drama, of the darkness making light possible, the silence between beats making the music possible, of dancing dream avatars and shimmering mirrors. Even your worst enemy is but a friend—you, yourself—in playful disguise. Neither the lion nor the antelope is evil as one chases the other, whether the lion eats a bloody meal or starves as he is denied by a fast antelope."

Sometimes it can be difficult to see the united singular essential spirit of the lion and the antelope when--on the level of form--you are the lion or the antelope. Then you may only see an enemy. That makes sense, and that's okay.

It's easier to see the shared spirit from afar, as one who is neither in the form of a lion nor an antelope, but who looks upon them as if from a god's eye view, as if watching a movie. Do you see the identicalness of their spirits? Do you see the singularity of their spirits?

You may look at the human in the mirror, or multiple pictures on a desk of that human at different ages, and see that human as having a singular uniting spirit.

Can you see it also when you look at the lion chasing the antelope?

In the same way the spirit of 10-year-old Scott, 20-year-old Scott, and 40-year-old Scott are all fundamentally the same one singular uniting spirit, so too the spirit of the chasing lion and running antelope are one spirit.

In the same way the spirit of 10-year-old Scott, 20-year-old Scott, and 40-year-old Scott are all the same one singular uniting spirit, so too is the spirit of Scott and the spirit of Scott's son Tristen and Scott's daughter Amaya all the same one spirit.

The whole universe of all spacetime is like one big brain. We cannot be sure the brain exists, that it isn't more or less a mere dream. But we can be sure the spirit exists.

We are the spirit of that brain. We are the consciousness of that brain.

Imagine our brain goes to sleep at night and dreams itself as a lion chasing an antelope, and dreams itself as an antelope running from a lion. Can the same brain feel hunger and fear at the same time? Can the same brain have part of it be afraid of itself, of another part?

Imagine you have a dream at night were you sit around a dinner table with a bunch of friends--or enemies--and have a very lively interesting discussion or debate.

We aren't driven to stop playing chess as well as we can when we realize the person sitting across the chessboard is really a friend, or really yourself, in playful disguise, one cooperatively playing the role of two for the sake of lively dreamy competition. Quite the opposite is the case actually: That is precisely when you learn to become most invested in the game and in the role. This is why we are playing! This is why we are here! Then you know it, then you feel it not just in your body but throughout every ripple of your soul. Suddenly the purpose of life is life itself, to live life itself fully. We don't realize we live on two levels so that we can sink into one, but so we can wholeheartedly realize that essence and form aren't in competition. Rather, the competitive level of form allows the friendly united soul to compete, and without the soul of it all there would be no competition. There would be no game of chess without the secret friendship that underlines it. There would be no form without the essence that it seems to cover, and even seems to hide, like a sheet that actually reveals the shape of the ghost underneath.

When the hero and villain in the movie realize they are living on two levels, and when they realize in the realer level they are merely friendly actors working together cooperatively to make the movie, that is when they can play their parts most viciously and intensely and poignantly.

Many times the greatest act of love is to compete wholeheartedly against your most beloved friends and truly against yourself, your very beloved self.

Many humans sadly to their own detriment cling to depressing hate and demotivating resentment because they falsely believe it gives them some motivation or power. They might absurdly think the trick to overcoming depression is just getting miserable enough about being depressed to be motivated to change it. They think somehow resenting the proverbial cards they are dealt somehow is the only motivation they can get, rather than realizing that more empowered and motivated and incredible player is always the one who unconditionally accepts those proverbial cards and thereby engages in absolutely no resentment or hate at all.

The real power is in love and acceptance.

When one realizes that oneself lives at two levels, and thus one has total utter inner peace in terms of the realer more fundamental level, then one is freed to put all their energy and power into playing on the other level wholeheartedly, be it playing a game of chess wholeheartedly, or playing a role in a movie wholeheartedly, or be it living life itself wholeheartedly, without the friction and limitations of depressing demotivating hate and resentment. That is what we get at it when we say, everyone dies but not everyone really lives.

To have hate in your heart is to be in hell, but to realize we are in lively heaven already is to be empowered to a degree so incredible it is nearly indescribable.



With love,
Scott
(a.k.a. Eckhart Aurelius Hughes)


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In It Together: The Beautiful Struggle Uniting Us All is available for purchase from all major book retailers in both ebook and hardcover format.

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[Sushan]

The composition you've shared delves deeply into the nature of consciousness, the interconnectedness of all beings, and the duality that exists within each of us. It is both a celebration of the singular spirit that unites us and a reminder that the essence of our true selves transcends the superficial level of form.

In embracing this understanding, we can find a newfound sense of purpose and motivation in life. By recognizing the underlying unity that exists beneath the apparent division and competition, we can engage in the world wholeheartedly and with a spirit of love and acceptance. This, in turn, allows us to live more fully and authentically, free from the constraints of hate and resentment.

Your contemplation offers a powerful reminder that the journey to self-discovery and inner peace begins with the recognition of our shared essence. Through this understanding, we can achieve spiritual freedom, enabling us to navigate life with bravery, confidence, grace, honesty, love, and inner peace.

In essence, the thoughts presented in this text inspire us to look beyond the veil of illusion and recognize the interconnected tapestry that binds us all. It is a call to embody a deeper level of compassion, understanding, and unity, ultimately enriching our human experience.

[Proof Readar]

Hmm! When one gets to that level of understanding that even the worse self can be forgiven while still playing/working against it, is an ultimate understanding.

[Surabhi Rani]

I liked the analogy of a hero and a villain playing their roles in a movie given by you to discuss the point about the liion and the antelope. I also appreciate the description of 'heaven' in this context. It is incredible! Also, it is said that we laughingly unite with the worst of our enemies in heaven. Love and compassion might be the tools to accomplish that universal experience of unity. We need to complete the cycle of our evolution to have that experience as well.

[Eckhart Aurelius Hughes]

Hmm! When one gets to that level of understanding that even the worse self can be forgiven while still playing/working against it, is an ultimate understanding.

Indeed! Wisely pointed out!

The way I might phrase it is this: Even the worst and most angering and dangerous mortal enemies can be unconditionally loved while still playing/working against it, in analogy to me doing my best job to punch and defeat my best friend when we have a boxing match against each other, or to do my absolute best to destroy my son in chess.

That is in large part where grace comes in, especially in the sense of grave in battle and in long , painful, hard, expensive, and gruelling work that is still done gracefully.

[Omollo Joseph]

The notion that the lion and the antelope share a spirit suggests interconnectedness in nature, emphasizing a universal essence. Viewing one's worst enemy as a disguised friend reflects the idea that understanding and empathy can unveil commonality even in adversarial relationships. It echoes a call for compassion and recognition of shared humanity.

[Jay Lu]

This philosophical viewpoint aligns with many spiritual and mystical traditions, which often speak of an underlying oneness behind the diversity of the physical world. It invites readers to look beyond the surface of everyday conflicts and competitions, recognizing the deeper connections that bind us all together.

[Gee-Q Mdluli]

I find your perspective on the unity of consciousness and the importance of love and acceptance quite enlightening. It's a refreshing reminder of the potential for growth and connection in our lives.

[Thomas Odhiambo 1]

That's a profound perspective, emphasizing interconnectedness and the hidden unity in all things. It suggests that understanding and compassion can transform even challenging relationships.

[Josphat Gisiora]

By acknowledging this interconnectedness, one may strive to transcend adversarial distinctions, fostering a more compassionate and understanding approach to conflicts. The concept urges individuals to look beyond surface differences, recognizing the shared experiences and struggles that unite us all. In doing so, it promotes a sense of unity and collective responsibility for the well-being of the broader system, be it in the natural world or human relationships.

[Benny Rach]

This encourages empathy and understanding, promoting reconciliation and compassion. It challenges the traditional view of enemies and invites looking beyond appearances.