Wrap Up
“Every man is a divinity in disguise, a god playing the fool” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
“One's values are profoundly changed when he is finally convinced that creation is only a vast motion picture, and that not in it, but beyond it, lies his own reality.” ~ Paramahansa Yogananda
“The universe is at root a magical illusion and a fabulous game.”
~ Alan Watts
“Every man is a divinity in disguise, a god playing the fool” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
“One's values are profoundly changed when he is finally convinced that creation is only a vast motion picture, and that not in it, but beyond it, lies his own reality.” ~ Paramahansa Yogananda
“The universe is at root a magical illusion and a fabulous game.”
~ Alan Watts
This section consists of the following;
"Mystical" endorsement
About the author
Contact info
Website pictures
Purpose of website
Website content
Final thoughts
"Mystical" endorsement
About the author
Contact info
Website pictures
Purpose of website
Website content
Final thoughts
"Mystical" endorsement
Throughout the website, I have used many, many quotations from the mystic Swami Abhayananda. I have learned much from his deep and insightful wisdom and I enjoy his forthright way of expressing it. After completing my website, I got up enough nerve to email Swami Abhayananda to see if he would be willing to review my content to ensure that I had not misrepresented the thoughts of the mystics. He graciously agreed to do so.
Upon completion, he let me know that everything that I had written was accurate. But he went further than that. I was most surprised when he wrote me the following;
Throughout the website, I have used many, many quotations from the mystic Swami Abhayananda. I have learned much from his deep and insightful wisdom and I enjoy his forthright way of expressing it. After completing my website, I got up enough nerve to email Swami Abhayananda to see if he would be willing to review my content to ensure that I had not misrepresented the thoughts of the mystics. He graciously agreed to do so.
Upon completion, he let me know that everything that I had written was accurate. But he went further than that. I was most surprised when he wrote me the following;
Your new website on mysticism and spiritual enlightenment contains a comprehensive treatment of the philosophy of mysticism, including an excellent and extensive formulation of the contribution contemporary physical science has made to this philosophy. It is not only a well-informed and accurate presentation, it is one that is done with a marvelous sense of poetry and artistic value, and brings together all the many strands of mystical understanding—illustrated by quotes from numerous mystics from diverse traditions—into an eloquently formulated and cohesive whole. I enthusiastically recommend your website.
~ Swami Abhayananda - September 2016
Ken Gordon - I am older now, but I like this picture. It's all just shadows and light anyway.
About the author
A brief overview of the website author;
body-conscious activities
married; one son; one daughter; five grandkids; engineer; director of R&D in satellite communications; 35 years working in high-tech field; retired; photographer; lover of sports (cycling, cross-country skiing, hiking, tennis, not golf); minor hockey coach (in younger days); wood-worker (decks, porches, basements); puzzle solver; wacky sense of humour; lousy singer (except as seen by his grandkids and himself); creative thinker; avoider of smart phones and social media; “a god playing the fool.”
god-conscious activities
dedicated Raja Yoga devotee; daily meditator for some 45 years; vegetarian; lover of all living things (well, almost all); volunteer - spending time with children who are dying or have life-threatening diseases; volunteer - spending time with elderly residents of long-term care facility; volunteer - “end of life” photographer for families of dying children; mentor to those few who want to listen and to some who do not; constant seeker of wisdom; “a god playing less of a fool.”
Contact info
Anyone with questions or comments regarding the content of this website may contact the author at the following email address;
[email protected]
Anyone with questions or comments regarding the content of this website may contact the author at the following email address;
[email protected]
The author resides in Ottawa, Canada.
Website pictures
The pictures on this website come from three sources;
- NASA pictures of space
- Selections of uncopyrighted images from the web
- My own photographs
If the picture is stunningly beautiful, you can assume that it is not one of my own.
Purpose of website
I am often asked why I meditate. I am never happy with the answers I give. If the answer is short, it is of little value. If I try to answer meaningfully, the answer starts getting into a variety of other areas which themselves require more detailed answers and soon the answer has spiraled way out of control. I usually opt for the 140-character twitter type response, which is basically useless but avoids the trauma of getting into an answer that has the questioners walk away with eyes glazed and telling themselves never to ask that question again.
Well, this website in now an official answer.
Another reason for this website is that I am particularly drawn to the generation that my son and daughter are a part of. I have had the pleasure of knowing a number of individuals of this generation, my children and their partners; their friends; people I coached in hockey many years ago but still keep in touch with; etc. They are wonderful people with great character – warm, caring, sharing, compassionate, friendly, inquisitive, energetic.
They are also a highly informed generation with instant access to news from around the globe. As such, they have become deeply disenchanted with religion, when they read about how religions that supposedly preach love instead engage in wars, hypocrisy, hate towards others, fundamentalism, child abuse, etc. The few that I have encountered that have any connection to religion are children of Roman Catholic parents that retain a slight connection to the church primarily of out fear rather than love.
So this group of wonderful people with great character lead their lives with no other purpose outside of working, playing, raising a family and enjoying their friends. Nothing wrong with that, of course, except that no time is spent on seeking answers to the big questions of why are they here, where did they come from, where are they going, what is the purpose of life, what happens when you die, etc. Maybe they think there are no answers to these questions, since the religious institutions that are supposed to have the answers do not.
So the second purpose of this website is to provide information based on the words of those individuals from all parts of the world and in all historical times who have found the answers. These are the words of the mystics who have experienced the true reality of existence. They include the words of the ones around whom religions were formed. Sometimes the words of the mystics are hard to understand, as the reality of this creation is hard to understand. The wonderful thing about our time on the planet is that modern science, in particular the astounding findings of quantum physics in the last 100 years, is arriving at a understanding of ourselves and our mysterious universe that sounds remarkable similar to that of the mystics. As such, modern science is helping us to understand the mystics and the mystics are helping us understand modern science.
The ideas and concepts in this website are not my own. I have merely tried to make the words of the mystics and modern scientists easy to understand. Nor do I claim that I fully understand all of what the mystics and scientists are saying. That is beyond my reach. We are all learning as we go. But perhaps there is enough herein that whets your appetite such that you want to undertake your own search for answers – a search that might be on the Internet as well as within the deep wellsprings of your own superconscious mind.
I am often asked why I meditate. I am never happy with the answers I give. If the answer is short, it is of little value. If I try to answer meaningfully, the answer starts getting into a variety of other areas which themselves require more detailed answers and soon the answer has spiraled way out of control. I usually opt for the 140-character twitter type response, which is basically useless but avoids the trauma of getting into an answer that has the questioners walk away with eyes glazed and telling themselves never to ask that question again.
Well, this website in now an official answer.
Another reason for this website is that I am particularly drawn to the generation that my son and daughter are a part of. I have had the pleasure of knowing a number of individuals of this generation, my children and their partners; their friends; people I coached in hockey many years ago but still keep in touch with; etc. They are wonderful people with great character – warm, caring, sharing, compassionate, friendly, inquisitive, energetic.
They are also a highly informed generation with instant access to news from around the globe. As such, they have become deeply disenchanted with religion, when they read about how religions that supposedly preach love instead engage in wars, hypocrisy, hate towards others, fundamentalism, child abuse, etc. The few that I have encountered that have any connection to religion are children of Roman Catholic parents that retain a slight connection to the church primarily of out fear rather than love.
So this group of wonderful people with great character lead their lives with no other purpose outside of working, playing, raising a family and enjoying their friends. Nothing wrong with that, of course, except that no time is spent on seeking answers to the big questions of why are they here, where did they come from, where are they going, what is the purpose of life, what happens when you die, etc. Maybe they think there are no answers to these questions, since the religious institutions that are supposed to have the answers do not.
So the second purpose of this website is to provide information based on the words of those individuals from all parts of the world and in all historical times who have found the answers. These are the words of the mystics who have experienced the true reality of existence. They include the words of the ones around whom religions were formed. Sometimes the words of the mystics are hard to understand, as the reality of this creation is hard to understand. The wonderful thing about our time on the planet is that modern science, in particular the astounding findings of quantum physics in the last 100 years, is arriving at a understanding of ourselves and our mysterious universe that sounds remarkable similar to that of the mystics. As such, modern science is helping us to understand the mystics and the mystics are helping us understand modern science.
The ideas and concepts in this website are not my own. I have merely tried to make the words of the mystics and modern scientists easy to understand. Nor do I claim that I fully understand all of what the mystics and scientists are saying. That is beyond my reach. We are all learning as we go. But perhaps there is enough herein that whets your appetite such that you want to undertake your own search for answers – a search that might be on the Internet as well as within the deep wellsprings of your own superconscious mind.
Website content
It is clear that for most people, the information on this website will be very hard to grasp and as such, easy to dismiss. We humans can be a strange breed. We do not accept new ideas very readily or gracefully. In fact, we tend to oppose them fiercely. It is only in overcoming such reactions that we can move to new and greater understanding of ourselves and this mysterious world we occupy.
Science is helping in this regard. Modern science is revealing a world that is remarkably different to what our human senses tell us it is and to what it was assumed to be just a hundred years ago. That should be a hint that things are not what they seem. As this website was being put together, much time was spent going over and over these ideas until understanding finally came. And that is the key. If one contemplates these ideas again and again, rather than dismissing them, an extraordinary understanding is arrived at. A revelation. To those who persevere, much is gained. And even better is to enter the deep silence and stillness in meditation wherein remarkable insights come easily into your consciousness of their own volition.
Of course, the spell of cosmic hypnosis is never far away to pull us back into thinking that appearances are reality. But they are not. No one said it would be easy.
"All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." ~ Arthur Schopenhauer
“When a thing is new, people say: ‘It is not true.’ Later, when its truth becomes obvious, they say: ‘It is not important.’ Finally, when its importance cannot be denied, they say: ‘Anyway, it is not new.'” ~ William James
It is not new. Just explained differently.
It is clear that for most people, the information on this website will be very hard to grasp and as such, easy to dismiss. We humans can be a strange breed. We do not accept new ideas very readily or gracefully. In fact, we tend to oppose them fiercely. It is only in overcoming such reactions that we can move to new and greater understanding of ourselves and this mysterious world we occupy.
Science is helping in this regard. Modern science is revealing a world that is remarkably different to what our human senses tell us it is and to what it was assumed to be just a hundred years ago. That should be a hint that things are not what they seem. As this website was being put together, much time was spent going over and over these ideas until understanding finally came. And that is the key. If one contemplates these ideas again and again, rather than dismissing them, an extraordinary understanding is arrived at. A revelation. To those who persevere, much is gained. And even better is to enter the deep silence and stillness in meditation wherein remarkable insights come easily into your consciousness of their own volition.
Of course, the spell of cosmic hypnosis is never far away to pull us back into thinking that appearances are reality. But they are not. No one said it would be easy.
"All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." ~ Arthur Schopenhauer
“When a thing is new, people say: ‘It is not true.’ Later, when its truth becomes obvious, they say: ‘It is not important.’ Finally, when its importance cannot be denied, they say: ‘Anyway, it is not new.'” ~ William James
It is not new. Just explained differently.
Final thoughts
I end with a personal story.
It is September 2015. Refugees are fleeing the horrendous war in Syria anyway they can. Some are crossing the border into Turkey and then being smuggled on boats to Greek islands with the hopes of getting from there into other parts of Europe.
One day the news outlets across the world carry the picture shown on the left. I look at the picture and read that it is a 3-year old Syrian boy who drowned when the boat he was on capsized just off the coast of Turkey. His body washed up on shore. That is as far as I get.
I am overwhelmed with grief and despair. It is almost unbearable. I have to get up and leave the room. My 3-year old grandson looks just like that. I can hardly breathe.
I need something to control my reaction. By coincidence, I have just completed the section on Why is There Suffering? for this website. I think about what I had written – fantasy bodies in a fantasy world; cosmic hypnosis making everything seem so real; each one of us a divinity in disguise – a god playing in this illusory drama; bodies of light energy in a universe of light energy; our real selves being infinite, immortal, bliss consciousness; that creation is only a vast motion picture; that the universe is at root a magical illusion and a fabulous game.
I can breathe again. And I once again realize how strong the cosmic hypnosis is that makes us think that all of this is so real.
As mentioned above, nobody said it would be easy. But it is priceless for those who persist.
I end with a personal story.
It is September 2015. Refugees are fleeing the horrendous war in Syria anyway they can. Some are crossing the border into Turkey and then being smuggled on boats to Greek islands with the hopes of getting from there into other parts of Europe.
One day the news outlets across the world carry the picture shown on the left. I look at the picture and read that it is a 3-year old Syrian boy who drowned when the boat he was on capsized just off the coast of Turkey. His body washed up on shore. That is as far as I get.
I am overwhelmed with grief and despair. It is almost unbearable. I have to get up and leave the room. My 3-year old grandson looks just like that. I can hardly breathe.
I need something to control my reaction. By coincidence, I have just completed the section on Why is There Suffering? for this website. I think about what I had written – fantasy bodies in a fantasy world; cosmic hypnosis making everything seem so real; each one of us a divinity in disguise – a god playing in this illusory drama; bodies of light energy in a universe of light energy; our real selves being infinite, immortal, bliss consciousness; that creation is only a vast motion picture; that the universe is at root a magical illusion and a fabulous game.
I can breathe again. And I once again realize how strong the cosmic hypnosis is that makes us think that all of this is so real.
As mentioned above, nobody said it would be easy. But it is priceless for those who persist.
“I came of my own accord here. Still I had to struggle. The Lord’s maya is not easy.” ~ P. Yogananda
“The treasure I have found cannot be described in words, the mind cannot conceive of it” ~ Shankara
“The treasure I have found cannot be described in words, the mind cannot conceive of it” ~ Shankara
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"The Perennial Philosophy is expressed most succinctly in the Sanskrit formula, tat tvam asi ("That art Thou"); the Atman, or immanent internal self, is one with Brahman, the Absolute principle of all existence, and the last end of every human being is to discover the fact for himself, to find out who he really is."
~ Aldous Huxley
"And you? When will you begin that long journey into yourself?" ~ Rumi
