Cyclic Existence, Linear Existence and Symbolism

There are only two shapes in existence that carry a consistent “way,” or in a mathematical sense, angle. They are the line, and the circle. I find it highly interesting that these are the two consistent shapes, for they coincide with the two ways of understanding reality. Most interpret it linearly, which correlates with the line. There have been some, like the Mayans, who interpreted reality in a cyclic sense; this, of course, coincides with the circle.

In a circle, there can be no “beginning” that contrasts with the “end.” When you truly internalize this, I think you can see where most understandings of this sort of existence have not been fully grasped. True cyclic existence cannot function in a linear manner at all. You cannot say that “this cycle” begins at “this time,” and ends at “this time,” for that would be understanding cyclical existence in terms of a linear time-structure, at least partially. Every point on a circle is what you could call the “beginning” and the “end.” Every point in time, and every thing in space, is, itself, an entire cycle. This moment is the beginning and the end of existence. Right now is the cycle of reality. You are the cycle of reality.

In a linear time-structure, all you can do is hypothesize about some sort of theoretical beginning or ending. To speak of an end, you must assume a beginning. To speak of a beginning, you must assume an end. The entire idea of a beginning and an end is predicated on the assumption that we are coming from somewhere in order to get somewhere. A cyclic existence, when properly understood, cannot really be saying anything. To even assert some sort of “cycle” that is not NOW would be to undermine the fundamentals of the premise. Therefore, when you move past this limiting linear time-structure, there is no reason to absolutely assert any idea, and sound foolish to one who has been disillusioned by their left-hemisphere thinking. It is clearly they who have not thought through what they speak of, but anything that runs contrary to their assumptions will seem, to them, to run contrary to “common sense,” since their ideas of common sense are determined by their assumptions.

Let’s think of this circle, as it represents so-called cyclic existence. Let’s break it down in terms of a straight-line way of viewing reality, as we humans like to do. This reality, and all of its points in space and time, could be looked at as a horizontal line. As long as you believe that “this reality” is the “real reality,” you will get lost as a tiny part in a never-ending sea of things, and points in time. When you stop seeing one set-in-stone reality, you get in touch with your vertical nature, which transcends this reality, and serves as a connector between many different realities. So, let’s combine all of this graphically. You have the circle, which represents cyclic existence. You then have the horizontal line, which represents limited linear existence. You then have the vertical line, which is that which transcends the horizontal reality. If you were to draw a horizontal line perpendicular to a vertical line, that would meet in the center of the circle, you would have a cross. The cross, of course, is a highly revered symbol.

Portals of Nothingness

Scientists say that the entire universe came from an infinitely small, and infinitely dense, singularity, which expanded out into what we call the Universe, which is still expanding today. Even as it continues to expand, it is still an expansion of that initial singularity. When we want to talk about who we truly are in this equation, we could say we are something like a portal, or a gateway. We are a nothingness, through which all information has the potential to pass through. What we like to call things are really thoughts, and what we like to call thoughts are really things. The two do not differ, in truth. The “thoughts” and “things” fight to sustain their existence, and since they are momentary phenomena, it is necessary for them to latch on to something in order to gain some sense of a lasting existence. They lack any inherent nature, and so beyond the fight to be sustained as entities, they need to be processed by us in order to be separate entities in the first place.

Information is the essential nature of all things. Pure information populates all of reality. Information is pointless without being processed, which is why it seeks a portal through which to be understood. The portal itself is nothing, but it is only through these portals of nothingness that the information can be processed. We are these portals of nothingness. The information cannot exist without the portals, for the nature of the portals is infinite potential, and a thing cannot exist without the potential for that thing first existing. The source for all things is the nothingness, and this nothingness manifests as portals for information to pass through, something like a black hole. Although the portals are essentially nothing, they contain within themselves all potential information, and therefore it is not so inaccurate to say that the portal is everything.

Any particular range of information is limited, which is why it is impermanent and cannot sustain itself. We, as portals, tend to identify with a limited range of information, which is why we ourselves feel so impermanent and insignificant. As information passes into your awareness, allow it to flow through you, without getting caught up in it. Recognize them for what they are, limited expressions of your potential as it expands, entering into the portal that is your consciousness. They are not who you are, and through your attachment you make them more than they are, while simultaneously making yourself less than you are.