On Lucid Living

On Lucid Living
Notes from the Digger's Manual... 1-16-04

Reality is whatever we make of it, our perceptions are shaped by the ways we approach the world and the filters we use to see the world through. Quantum physics points to innumerable different views on what the underlying reality could be, whether as shaped by our perceptions, an infinity of possible worlds, as a hologram, or colliding waves of energy. Any or all of these views could (or not) be correct in describing reality as we can know it, and may all just be different methods of interpreting the patterns we discover in the world. In this sense, anything we can imagine can be possible, as long as we develop the filters to perceive the world in a certain way. This means reforging the connections between our senses in order to perceive the subtle aspects of reality. We are raised and trained to perceive the world from certain points of view that fit together in the consensual reality, that is, our senses remain isolated from each other and we remain oblivious to patterns of energy and events that point to some higher-level structures in the organization and movements of the world.

However, we humans have the ability to imagine different realities and do so each time we create subjunctive worlds in order to prophecy our futures. These alternate realities can be simple or wild as our imaginations, and as possible as the amount of energy required to bridge the state differences. This ability to create our worlds can be turned inward to posit realities in which we can gather quite different information with our senses, These worlds are quite possible, to the extent that we can put energy into forming and maintaining perspectives which surpass those we typically use to interpret and perceive reality.

For instance we see the claims of mystics who throughout time have been able to perceive the subtle forces of energy which flow through (are) everything. Or being able to understand the synchronistic and dreamlike nonlinear causality of events and actions. In order to perceive these interpretations of reality one must create visual and mental representations through which to perceive these worlds, and constantly practice to perceive and maintain these views of the world. One has to be mindful of reality-shifting for it to occur. Luckily the resonant nature of the Universe plays in to this, for the more you look through one filter, the more the world will appear that way. But one has to look in the first place, and complacency and normalcy are just as resonant patterns if that is how one chooses to perceive the world.

Of course, It is often not enough just to practice visually representing alternate views of reality, for the bonds of our senses and connections are strong and must be cut through to truly view the world in new ways. Often severing and reforging tools are needed to restructure our minds in a way which allows the mental abstractions of alternate realities to become true perceptions rooted in the paths of our brains. Such tools would need to place the agent in vastly different positions in regards to the world so we can learn to bridge the gaps between the two in our everyday living. Usual tools for doing this include meditation and entheogenic (literally 'the birth of the divine within') drug experiences that allow us to actually 'see the light' behind the pure being of reality.

Such experiences can only work to reshape our perceptions if practiced regularly and approached with pure intentions. Thus these practices can act as gates or paths to reshape our worlds, but only if well-oiled/kept and approached with clear goals of states to move towards. One must remember that there is no absolute true reality behind the veils of Maya, but an infinity of interpretations which extend beyond our everyday sensations, so one must establish how one wishes to perceive the world before it can be perceived in that way (or in any other way than the 'normal' way). Gradually the gap between how one perceives the world and how one wants of perceive the world is closed until there is no difference between the two, and connections are formed to hold these views together.

Certainly, the human ability to forget, and the need to remember to remember play a large role in reshaping our world views. It is easy for us to forget what we strive to learn, and without constant maintenance the paths can become overgrown or lost, whether through intentional acts of suppression or pure slippage between our thoughts. We must be vigilant, or whatever we have put towards a connection will fade back into our everyday realities and perceptions. This is why such practices as meditation are important in keeping us on the right track.

The entheogenic experience is great for fast shifts in our connections, allowing us more immediate understanding of other realities, but the intensity of these experiences is counterbalanced by the speed with which they fade from our thoughts if we do not constantly practice in maintaining the visions we are shown. In this sense, drugs can break down walls and burn bridges, but without the continual mindfulness of meditation to build new paths we will just reconstruct our old ways of being again, as best we can. We must remember to remember the differences between the states in order not to fall back into our old patterns of living.

Though the practice of meditation allows us to build up new connections to how we perceive the world, we are always forgetting and therefore must constantly remember to remember in every moment. mindfulness of our being and becoming must be held in our every act and breath in order to not backslide into the sleep of the mundane. We must take care to always be waking up throughout everything we do and experience. We must truly be in each moment as it is and could be all the time. This is lucid living, the constant realization that life is a dream from which we can always be waking up. This practice keeps us on our way and completely transforms reality through how we approach it.

Of course, remembering to remember is the easiest thing to forget, as it requires complete focus of will and intention in each moment. However, the energy required to do so is in all of us naturally, making this approach an extreme possibility if it is constantly kept in mind. This is hard to do though, and requires a lifetime(s) of practice, patience, and perseverance to maintain and uphold. Nothing less than complete mindfulness will allow us to be in the world in this way. This is where the continuation of such practices as meditation and entheogenics becomes important in strengthening our will towards lucidity, either in our everyday lives or/and in short circuiting us towards higher levels of awareness to work from. It is a learning process that requires positive feedback to deviate us from normal living towards lucid living.

Certainly what makes meditation and entheogenics valuable for remembering to be lucid is that they are experiences that differ greatly from normal experience and therefore can be learned from in reminding us to approach the world anew. These are not the only experiences that carry this interstitial lesson though. Really any experience that carries differences can be used to realize being in the moment if we pay attention to the distinctions. Thus, music, dance, travel, etc... are also good experiences for remembering to live lucidly.

And beyond that, one can see that each moment is different from all others, and all experience of life is perceiving change in the differences between one moment and the next. And though these distinctions are often negligible and almost imperceptible, they can be paid attention to and allow us to remember in each moment, all the time, if we are mindful of being here and now. All living can teach us to be awake if we let it touch us this way, and all experience has the potential to completely reshape us in every moment. And allow us to reshape ourselves. We are always transforming, and always exactly who we are now.

There is no 'right' way to become, but we are always becoming. With constant practice and remembering to remember, we can be anything/everything we can imagine.