Seeing Things

It can be difficult to get our heads around a concept like the electromagnetic field. It is a complex and extensive subject. Still, we need to know that what we call 'light' is more appropriately called "visible light," and resides in the electromagnetic spectrum. It makes up a very small fraction of the entire field, which consists of: Radio waves--Microwave--Infrared--Visible Light--Ultraviolet--X-Ray--Gamma Ray.

Within visible light there is a subset of 7 parts, as there is in the electromagnetic field. (it might be of interest to know there are 7 musical notes as well) These are what we call colors. Red--Orange--Yellow--Green--Blue--Indigo--Violet. Just as in the EM field, working from left to right, red is a lower frequency than orange; as radio waves are lower in frequency (energy) than microwaves.

So what does all this mean? What you perceive as color is just energy (light) operating at a particular frequency. The frequency of color is measured in 'terahertz,' which is the number of cycles per second. (terahertz = one trillion cycles per second) So red, which vibrates at 400 to 484 terahertz, is vibrating 400 trillion + times per second. And red is the "slow" one! (violet vibrates at 700 trillion + times per second) And that rate of speed is simply incomprehensible.

Understand, I am not disputing the science. I accept it. It's just too much for me to process. I can't wrap my head around it. I find this mindset beneficial when I talk to an agnostic or atheist. I contend that 'God' is everywhere and everything. As possible explanations go, atheist's "can't see it." And that's alright. But if something as simple as color vibrates at such velocity, then maybe what we call God vibrates at the rate of a centillion. (that's 303 zeros behind a number) After all, who can say? We'll just have to wait and see.

The Man Behind The Curtain

Thomas Kuhn (author of "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions," [one of the most influential books of the 20th century] and Professor of Philosophy at MIT) compares the way scientists perceive (or don't perceive) the unexpected in nature. "In science, as in the playing card experiment, [see; the Red Spade Experiment.] novelty emerges only with difficulty, manifested by resistance, against a background provided by expectation. Initially, only the anticipated and the usual are experienced even under circumstances where anomaly [deviation] is later to be observed."

Like the rest of us, scientist tend to see WHAT THEY EXPECT TO SEE. Darwin once spent a whole day in a river valley and saw "nothing but water and plain rock." Eleven years later he walked in the same valley, this time looking for evidence of glaciers. "I assure you," he wrote a friend, "an extinct volcano could hardly leave more evident traces of its activity and vast powers...The valley about here must have once been covered by at least eight hundred or a thousand feet in thickness of solid ice!" Once Darwin knew what to look for, IT WAS EASY TO FIND. ~Mind Over Matter (Conversations with the Cosmos)  K.C. Cole pp 217 [emphasis mine]

Those that wander to this site are looking for something. My effort is to make it easier to find. To this end, we examine what we call reality and apply the lessons we learn from the world around us. All the while, we are aware of statements from the likes of Nobel Prize winner Sir John Eccles who says: "I want you to realize that there exists no color in the natural world, and no sound--nothing of this kind; no texture, no patterns, no beauty, no scent."

What we learn is color is actually electromagnetic waves of different frequency. Sound is simply fluctuations of air pressure. Our interpretation of this phenomenon becomes our reality. We see blue, we hear trumpets, and we smell the chocolate chip cookies in the oven. That God is a construct of our mind in no way deters that He exists. Having the ability to infuse our world with texture, patterns, beauty, and scent, (though they don't exist) enhances our experience--exponentially! So, too, with God.

Wanna Play?

Nothing delights an infant quite like peek-a-boo. The gasp of surprise and amazement shown when a person reappears from behind concealing hands--WOW! How did they do that?! They were gone and now their back...that was awesome! Do it again!

Why baby finds this so amusing is that they lack "object permanence." That is the ability to know objects still exist even if they can't see (hear, smell, taste, or touch) them. And I think people behave like babies when it comes to God. What we lack is "spiritual permanence." The ability to know God still exists even if we don't see Him.

I think it fair to say most adults have experienced a transcendent moment (or two) during their life. Be it the exquisite intimacy of lovemaking, the vastness of the ocean, or the unity of purpose with all life forms, we step outside our ego and catch a glimpse of the eternal. The hidden face of God. And we know with a certainty (despite all logical objections) there is something "more."

Still, to be fair, such moments are fleeting. We are left yearning for the face behind the hands. (Do it again!) God, though, wants to teach us other games. Games of nuance and complexity like, 'hidden in plain sight,' and 'yes! it's really me.' (the game board is earth and there are 7 billion moving pieces)

Of course, you don't have to play. You can do as you wish. Just be careful is all. The day may come when someone slips up behind you and whispers, "tag...you're it!"

Hoi Polloi

We had a special visitor yesterday. His name is Reverend James Richardson and I would be remiss if I didn't strongly encourage you to read his comment. (on The Hidden Face Of God post) It is an extraordinary gift that I don't want any of you to miss out on. That said...

I've harbored a dream that the comment section at G-G-G would become a rousing sanctuary of spiritually minded individuals. (lively while respectful) Though I have failed miserably in generating anything of the sort, I still hold out hope. My fear is, bringing attention to the Reverends comment, you think some sort of bar has been set. (or exists) Nothing of the sort! The Reverend spent 20 years writing for the Sacramento Bee before turning to the ministry. (He has a Master of Divinity as well) He writes better than I do! So please don't be intimidated by anyone else's thoughts, perspectives, experiences or degrees. You belong here, as do your comments.

"If you compare yourself to others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself." ~Desiderata  Max Erhmann




(A personal aside to the right Reverend. You have been misled. The SF Giants are utterly wicked. This I tell you as a life-long Dodger fan. Proof is Juan Marichal's bat and John Roseboro's noggin. That and turning the first base area into a quagmire to thwart Maury Wills. Despicable!)

The Hidden Face of God

We all have preconceived notions of what we mean when we use the term God. Whether they came from a temple, mosque, bible study or bull session, concepts have formed in our head what is meant when we speak the word "God." It is important that you understand what YOUR definition is. Is He Almighty? Merciful? Jealous and quick to anger? (see Old Testament) Or all these things and more? Do you fall back on, "God is love," and feel confident you have successfully answered the question? (if so, please define what love is) I'm not suggesting there is a correct answer, or even a better or worse answer, only that your answer is of vital importance. You can't get to the place you want to be if you don't know where you are.

Exodus 33:20 states; "Thou cannot see my face; for there shall no man see me and live." Yet, just a few verses before this (Exodus 33:11) we are told; "And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend." (see Genesis 32:30 as well) My point? Why let others define your relationship with God? One will tell you this, another will tell you that. And I am sure they mean well and are of good intention. Still, the fact remains they are describing THEIR experience of God, not yours. The intimacy of your relationship with God is yours to decide.

King David in the 2nd Psalm, verse 7 says; "I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day I have begotten thee." John 10:30 has Jesus stating, "I and my Father are one." (Personally, I think of this as a metaphor similar to what you would hear at a wedding; the preacher declares the two have become one. Of a certainty, John and Sally are still two distinct persons. It is their hearts, minds, and souls, that have been [theoretically] fused.) These are both powerful examples of how David and Jesus saw their relationship with God. Intimate in the extreme.

Rumi suggests: "Your task is not to seek for love, but merely seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it." I wonder if we can't say the same about God.

Bind Us Tight

The response to "let me know if you are interested," has been very encouraging. However, before we proceed, I would ask you go to the first post written. (you can simply click 2012 in the archives to the right side of the page and scroll to the bottom--Aurora Co) I want you to understand the enormity of what I am asking you to undertake. If, after reading, you think you would still be willing, click on the link in the next post. (Aurora Requiem 7-29-12) That song (If It Be Your Will) is the benediction that allows us to integrate the unimaginable. Medieval alchemists attempted to turn lead into gold. I ask something entirely different, for you to transmute evil into grace.

In 1962 a movie based on the life of Helen Keller was released. It was called "The Miracle Worker." In it Anne Sullivan (played by Anne Bancroft) attempted to teach a blind and deaf girl, Helen Keller, (played by Patty Duke) sign language. Helen had no concept that the "finger game" held any other meaning than play. It was simply something to do to occupy one's time. Then Helen experienced illumination. A piercing of the veil of ignorance. The finger patterns she had been exposed to represented something much larger and far grander than a game. Sign language became the vehicle that allowed Helen to understand and interact with the here-to-for unseen, unheard world around her.

With that in mind, I ask you to consider this: While breathing in (slowly and deeply) say, "I recognize the divinity within." While breathing out (slowly and gently) say, "I smile to my divine self."

This might appear to some as vain, ludicrous, inane or insane. All well and good. Still, I ask you do it as often as it comes to mind. We are at the initial stage of learning a "spiritual language" that may be as foreign and alien to you as sign language was to Helen. Indulge me. When rising in the morning and retiring at night, (and as many times during the day as you remember) let the words saturate your conscious mind: "I recognize the divinity within--I smile to my divine self." It will be our point of origin.

Thus Saith The Lord

I care less what you believe than how you act.