prelude [001]

dear friends,

thanks for tuning into my stream of consciousness.

if you haven't read last week's letter, I definitely recommend to do so before reading this week's post as I will be building and continuing the path that has been metaphorically paved in my mind.

again, take everything I say and write with open skepticism. I will do my best to create a coherent and clear connection from my mind to yours. to give you the legos to build your own ideas and insights. that is my true aim with these letters. to empower you to live life.

I love and appreciate you. I am thankful to have your eyes for the short time I have your attention and focus.

happy late thanksgiving.

your friend(ly),

jakester

P.S. play this song for full immersion [low to medium volume]

the habit of mindlessness

the world is filled with noise. the moment we wake up. noise. there is so much noise that our attention easily becomes funneled into our screens. we endlessly scroll while we lay in our beds, unaware how our focus is constantly being hijacked.

as the world of the internet gives us more and more to feed on, it becomes extremely difficult to give space to our own thoughts. we are being trained and conditioned to consume instead of creating.

we become overwhelmed with so much noise and junk that we become mentally obese. we cannot form our own thoughts and it leads us to become mindless vessels.

this naturally leads one to feel lost in their own minds. boxed in by all the noise, it becomes unbearable to think your own thoughts.

how could you?

your mind can only reach a certain capacity before it's at its limit. if we fill it with all the unfiltered noises of the world, our own voices become afterthoughts. we do not understand our own ideas and fail to ever realize our own potential. we lack our childlike wonder and feel a void of meaning. the pressure builds, boxed in by our own limiting beliefs that there seems to be no ways of escaping this repressive cycle.

The Path to Higher Awareness [000]

When did humanity gain consciousness? When did we, as humans, know that we were capable of conscious thought?

Like dogs don't know that they are dogs. They don't have a concept of "the self" as we do. We can reflect and realize where are mind wanders to. We are capable of conscious awareness.

I wonder… were we always sentient beings? Or were we once primal? Where did consciousness come from?

From the stars, through the cosmos… a soul to rule them all?

Garden of Eden & Philosopher's Tree [000]

God breathed Life into Man. God imbued his Soul into Man.

We were First Souls, then became Mortal.

In accordance to the ancient texts, our Body and Soul must become One. Both Body and Soul must be dignified. Catholic belief holds that the Soul will eventually be reunited with a glorified body at resurrection. A holy union between Body and Soul towards Salvation from the Fall of Original Sin.

In the Garden of Eden, there were two important trees:

1. the Tree of Life and

2. the Tree of Knowledge

God warned Adam and Eve to not eat from the Tree of Knowledge.

The Tree of Knowledge was of Good and Evil. It was the Philosopher's Tree that held in it Wisdom and Consciousness. Human Morality. Human Knowledge…

the tall grass [003]

I see them. Adam and Eve. I see them through the brush between the grass. I can give them the World. I can offer them a key to their own mind. To their own human potential and knowledge. How could they refuse?

…

Their minds were so blind. I gave them knowledge and wisdom. I gave them awareness. Why have I been forsaken?

I gave them a sense of themselves and they felt shame.

How am I at fault? How am I evil?

I allowed thoughts to flow through their minds. They were ignorant before. I gave them consciousness! I gave them free will!

Plato's Allegory of the Cave [000]

Imagine you are in a Cave with your legs and necks chained. You are only able to look forward, unable to move your head side to side. In front of you are shadows projected onto the wall from light that comes through a gap above. You have been chained here since childhood and all you know are these shadows that play like puppets on the wall.

Then, one day, you are released and you find yourself wandering up, ascending to the upper world. At first, you experience sharp pains upon being released as you suddenly stand up and walk towards the light above.

The truth you have known all your life is nothing but the images of shadows. As you move closer to the objects of this new reality, you question the truth you have known all your life. Each step towards the light, your vision becomes more clear. The objects become more clear. Are these delusions?

When you finally break out of the Cave, you experience profound confusion and discomfort. "Is this a dream world?" you wonder in your head. You are lead to think that this "dream world" is an illusion. You are still disoriented and fearful of this world.

fear of the light [003]

go back in the cave. go back in the cave. go back in the cave.

you can't survive out here. they won't follow you. your friends won't follow you into the light. go back in the cave and stick with the shadows you are used to.

go back and you will be safe from the dangers of this world.

the voice of a hero [004]

"Keep going, my friend. This world is yours."

You hear a voice inside your head. You've never heard this voice before, but it propels you to move forward. You are hesitant, yet there is an allure to the voice that sounds trustworthy.

You start to become acquainted with this new reality, the real world. You gaze up above and see the distant fire in the sky. This is the Sun. You feel the warmth it brings. It's much warmer than the Cave you had come from. You can feel the light. But it pains your eyes when you stare directly at it.

Eventually, you gain the confidence to touch the objects of this world. You pick up a rock. It's real. You feel it in your hand. Then, you see a moving stream - it dances with the light, flickering like a living silver thread. You can't grasp it's shape; it's never still. You throw the rock at it and it creates a splash. It was a stream of water.

You stare at the water for a moment and you can see a reflection of the Sun. The image remained in the same place, yet the constant motion of water continued to flow. It mirrors the world, bending it into waves and ripples. It hums and whispers, as thought it was alive, speaking a language unknown to you.

You place your hand in the stream of water. It's cold and it continues to flow around you, between the cracks in your fingers. When you look into the water, you see someone staring back at you. They follow your movements. It was you.

You continue to look around. You see a tree and the large shadow that looms from it created by the light from the Sun. You are reminded of your friends back in the Cave. How could you explain this World to them?

How To See and Develop Awareness [000]

Before we get into some practical lessons and mental frameworks, I'd like to direct your attention back to the two stories of The Garden of Eden and The Allegory of the Cave. Did you notice the role in consciousness in both stories?

The depiction of how Man gains awareness contrast greatly.

In the story of The Garden of Eden, when Eve takes the first bite of the Apple from the Tree of Knowledge, it is seen as the Original Sin of Man. Upon that first bite, Adam and Eve became conscious of Good and Evil. They were no longer ignorant to the World. The raising of consciousness here is seen as a Fall from Grace.

In the story of The Allegory of the Cave, when you came out of the Cave, your eyes were open. You were enlightened to a New Reality, the Upper World. The development of awareness here is portrayed in a good light; a story of overcoming darkness.

Now Visualize the Movement of Your Mind. Can you visualize your Soul?

This could just be some form of Divine Madness…

How can one translate 4th dimensional thoughts into 1st dimensional words?

the way of flow - eastern thought [001]

reflect.

take a step back.

zoom out and and see the bigger picture.

I am not trying to indoctrinate you into one dogma. In fact, I am attempting to do the opposite. I didn't mean to get so religious and spiritual on you my friend (but I guess it's only natural when discussing human consciousness).

when I was traveling in Taiwan, I was surrounded by a different way of life that contrasted greatly with the western culture I grew up with. I studied eastern thought in school and had always found it appealing, but being surrounded and immersed granted me a whole new experience.

of course, I did not become a zen master like Thich Nhat Hanh. I am no shaggy guru sage or impressive monk. I did, however, gain a new perception on life. A new perception on perception. through some insightful connections, I developed sight.

here are some of my key take-aways:

1. the way we perceive the world is our experience of the world - we suffer more in our imagination than in reality.

2. we are interdependent beings - there is a deep rooted connection between the individual and collective - in us we can uncover hidden truths of the cosmos

3. we are a continuous stream of being - all your ancestors are in you and could provide great insights to the world and to the self

4. we are observers - we are perspective vessels that can observe outside of our own experience (this allows for our awareness to develop further)

these are only a few of my insights from reading How To See. I am sure there are many more and you will likely experience other take-aways if you take the time to read it yourself.

it's okay to not know or understand - recognize your own limitation in awareness and sight. this will help you see more clearly. don't lie or pretend to yourself - you don't need all the answers.

practical guide and habit formation [002]

When moving from 4th dimensional thoughts to 1st dimensional words, we must accept the loss in translation and accept that we can never fully understand the depth of an idea or thought. The belief that you possess complete understanding is a hindrance to true understanding and compassion.

To bring it back to practice and how one can incorporate these lessons into their own life and experience, you need a source of output and expression. Things are going to be loose and foggy in your mind until you are forced to output. You will realize that when you try to communicate something complex like human consciousness to another human being, not everything will be understood.

Research has shown (Google AI) that we retain a very small percentage from conversation. Studies suggest that humans might retain 10% of the details discussed.

How can we combat this gap in connection between individuals?

The first step is to write. Write out your thoughts. Write until your brain has fully taken a dump. Write to clear you mind. To clear out your thoughts. Writing allows you to create a Second Brain. The brain in your head can only remember so much. You need a Second Brain to store all of your crazy, out there thoughts to even your simplest, mundane ones. This first step is the most important.

The second step is to live. You might be thinking, "Jake, what do you mean by 'live'?" and that's exactly it. Just live life. "Go touch grass" as the kids say nowadays. This is another key step. It allows for your ideas to stew in your unconscious. Your best writer or generator of ideas is your subconscious. It's not you (referring to the person that is consciously reading this right now :p). Just make sure to capture those ideas that randomly pop in your head.

The third step is to reflect. Look back at your writing. Look back at the thoughts that moved through your mind. Draw connections. Hear your past voice and past self through your own writing. See how it interacts to your current perspective.

The fourth step is to express and share. Find a friend. A loved one. Anyone. Share your findings. Share what you have learned. See what resonates. See what doesn't. Actively listen to feedback. Actively listen in conversation. Remember how little we actually retain? Be the outlier and do your best to retain more than 10% of the conversation.

Then repeat.

There will be more nuances throughout your experience. This just provides you a mental framework on how to connect better and articulate the thoughts that go through your mind. We are attempting to heighten your "meta-awareness" or "meta-sight" of your own understanding or perspective. On how you perceive the world and those around you.

Create the habit of writing out your thoughts. Not just for your own sake. But for others too. You will get lost in your own thoughts. Do not fear getting lost. If you are lost, you may just need to let those thoughts stew a little bit longer.

How many hours have you spent thinking about an idea? The more time spent tends to make that idea clearer and makes it easier to express to others. Remember the Law of Entropy. These acts of thinking and creating will require energy. To reduce the disorder in your mind. The act of becoming is creating.

The Fallen Star - ii. 第二部分 [000]

When Charlie came out the Cave, it was night. Charlie had awoke from a deep slumber. He was pulled out of a dream, still groggy and coming to senses.

The world was dark. Charlie stared up into the night sky. He saw the Moon and the Stars. He gazed at the Stars for awhile.

Gazing at the Stars. The connection of dots. He fixated on one. Then to many. He began to see how one connects to another. How one connects to many. How many connects to one.

Charlie was lost in thought. He pondered on beginnings. On his own beginnings.

"When does awareness began? The awakening. The move from mindless to mindful? How did I develop sight? The beginning of senses. What sense do we develop first? Our observational sense? Our eyes or ears? Touch?"

"What are we? Beings of consciousness? Who is watching? Watching our own being? The thing outside. What is this voice in my head? Is it my own? What are we? Beings of consciousness."

A Star shined across the sky. Like a fire in the sky. It filled the darkness with a blue radiance. It left a trail that slowly faded as the star continued to transverse the night.

Suddenly, the Star began to fall towards the Earth.

Come to me, my child. Let me guide you.

Charlie follows the Star and ends up at a beach. He sees the Star go beyond the horizon, past the waves of the ocean.

What lies beyond?

Charlie thought. "Will I lose myself in between?"

He felt a storm coming. A crashing explosion is heard in the distance…

The key to it all could be our Souls.

disorder of noise - interrupt [003]

fear. the noise of fear continues to haunt you.

fear of the unknown. fear of uncertainty. no one is coming to save you. you are alone in your own thoughts. you are in your own world. no one understands. no one wants to understand. why does this all matter? why do you matter?

the path you walk is uncharted and unknown. when you go beyond, you take on the risk of losing yourself to the madness. are you ready for that? I don't think you are ready. you will never be ready.

go back. go back into the darkness. go back to where you came from. that hole down below. that is where you belong. there is no map that can guide you in the beyond. you will get lost.

lost in the storm.

“don’t get lost my friend.”

a free thinker's dream of two dragons [001]

what are we?

beings of consciousness. with the power of stepping out and seeing in. we can be our own outside observers. but who is watching us watching ourselves?

the sublime. the God of your Universe. the God within the gaps. He requires you to take a leap of faith.

mind the gap.

we are the observers. the sentient beings of our world. endowed with child-like curiosity. wonder of the world. constantly wandering the world around us. constantly observing and absorbing.

we exist in a space between two worlds.

the key to it all could be our souls.

I sat there between Two Gates.

One East. One West.

Above the Two Gates I saw Two Dragons.

One Green. One Red.

The Eastern Dragon and the Western Dragon.

They were fighting for control. Who knows what for? I just sat there observing the two legendary entities fight. As the conflict continued, the colors of the two dragons began to mesh together. Both Dragons were a mix of Red and Green.

What did this mean?

The battle slowly began to resemble more of a dance. An interplay between two. Where Two became One.

Still I sat there at the Two Gates.

I looked left and right. I realized there were an infinite number of gates. I found myself in quite the predicament. Which gate do I choose?

I pondered for a bit.

Why did I have to choose? Why do I have this conflict in myself? Why do I feel this pressure to choose?

I got up and walked in the opposite direction of the infinite gates…

I had this dream close to the day my Grandpa Roger died 5 years ago. He was a spiritual father figure for me and continues to be. I love you Grandpa Roger.

here comes the manic thoughts [003]

mind like water. heart like fire.

my heart continues to burn in the Faith. I cannot deny the burning Sun. The love and warmth. the stain in my heart.

but my mind continues to flow.

flow like water. faith like fire. fire and water

The Fall. Falling. Falling in my Own Thoughts. My Own Words. My Own Writing. Into The Void. Into Devoid. Into Beauty. Into Love. I'm faded (no drugs). Smoke. Smoke From the Fire. The Smoke Screen. Smoke Stream. Stream Like Water.

An Observation into the Ordinary [002]

The smoke from the fire is creating ash.

From the smoke, the beams of light become clear.

The movement of the smoke combined with the beams of sunlight coming in between the branches and leaves is creating a water-like movement on the book I’m reading. A stream of movement across the words.

How could fire produce such a water-like projection?

What is the one line that changes someone's soul?

you are blind.

how can you see the things you cannot even conceive?

to see what the eyes cannot

follow your nature.

follow nature’s compass.

solve the problem that’s staring you in the face.

don’t solve imaginary problems.

solve the problem that will lead to the most progress in your life.

what’s holding you back?

we all seem to be constrained by something.

constrained by something in this world.

For Next Time: The Amazing Spiral

I think I have written a bit over this week's capacity. Yet, I feel I have only hit the tip of the iceberg. There's so much I want to write about and it feels like my brain is brimming out with so many ideas. But I must remain the course.

This is just a reflection point. It's crazy to see this project unfold. I literally had all the topics lined up since 10.22.24 when I was flying on a plane. I had let my mind spiral and I just wrote. Spiral writing [play with the non-sense].

From that, it gave me a series of nine topics. We have hit 2 of the 9 of the whole storyline.

I won't reveal too much. But if you have read up this far, I really appreciate you and I hope you are enjoying this journey as much as I am. You must be invested.

I will write a book one day. But enough of the dreams.

I leave you with this cup of water. It's up to you if you want to drink it! :P

I see you. You kept scrolling you sneaky sneaky!

Well, since you are here, here is more of a sneak peak for next week.