The Perils of Time Travel

Throughout the Tek-Gnostics writings, the ramification of being born as a sentient earthling human into a dualistic, material universe is a core physiological and philosophic thread. It is most often considered from a somewhat Buddhist perspective of navigating the trials and tribulations of being human and the mitigation of suffering. The following is taken from the Applied Tek-Gnostics Tantra, within our member’s sector…

“To occupy a sentient body in 3-dimentional space-time necessitates that Universe be dual in nature: Light/Dark, Yin/Yang, Observer/Observed, etc. It would not be possible to bask in the warmth of light without the contrast of the shadow of darkness. For earthlings, the interface between us and universe is our senses.” 

This perceived duality is our human heritage as conscious beings in the material world. From the physiological perspective, typified by circuits one through four within the Eight Brain Model of Consciousness, we navigate the world of flesh and bone… or to use William Gibson’s terminology from his cyberpunk classic: Neuromancer… “Meatspace” …by relying on our five senses for navigational coordinates and early warning systems. This steerage, of course, includes societal interaction: the reading of social cues, appropriate response, and integration within the human collective.

The material world has often-times been referred to as: the real world. Again, from the Applied Tek-Gnostics Tantra, within our member’s sector…

“To collectively understand what we perceive, we co-create a shared framework or consciousness "matrix" to suspend universe in. We choose to share this matrix so we can talk about it to one another and cooperate in what we have invented.” 

From the intuitive perspective, typified by circuits five through eight within the Eight Brain Model of Consciousness, we learn to navigate the subtler, non-ordinary realities or realms of consciousness such as the psychedelic, the psychic and the synchronistic. In so doing, we begin to develop and normalize what has been labeled the sixth sense… we traverse the paranormal and beyond. This process can be typified in the Jungian sense as integration… a return to the source or a journey back to oneness.

Meanwhile, back in meatspace… as the curious, the adventurous, the initiate… begin to explore the higher circuit realms, we look for esoteric systems or “Tantras” to assist us in these explorations. Within these systems, we look for specific techniques, practices or “Yogas” to help achieve or activate our higher circuits, thereby accessing higher realms. The highest (or eighth circuit) realm, is widely and multi-culturally described as a return to the source or the attainment of oneness.

This is the “Bodhi” that the great Intelligence Engineer, the Buddha… sought beneath the sacred fig (Ficus religiosa) or Bodhi Tree.

One such ancient and time-honored tool or technique utilized in activating Bodhi, in the return voyage to oneness, is described as… meditation. The history of meditation can be traced back at least 5,000 years (likely much further back), to when the calming effects of staring into flickering flames of the primordial campfire was first discovered by ancient humans. This discovery became a form of practice as early man sought to repeat the experience.

Emerging from this "first practice" ...several meditation techniques were developed and began to spread throughout Earth's early (known) civilizations. It can be argued that these early practices were the foundation of spirituality, as well as its "evil twin" ...religion. It should be noted here, that the Tek-Gnostics system views religion as a political institution, thereby making it suspect. We prefer the unmediated Gnostic analogy of the commune between Self and Universe, but I digress…

These meditation technologies were designed to promote mindfulness, develop clarity and invigorate internal energy or life force (chi or prana). These various techniques entrain the mind and body to be familiar with specific, beneficial brain-state modalities such as concentration, compassion, correct understanding, patience, humility, perseverance, etc. Meditation’s most ambitious form seeks to effortlessly sustain single-pointed and enthused concentration. Rather than to seek oblivion, or to "turn off" the world, meditation allows its practitioner (Intelligence Engineer, in Tek-Gnostics’ parlance) to enjoy a sustainable sense of well-being while being fully engaged in day-to-day activities.

The experience of a state of single-pointed and enthused concentration… is none-other than the proverbial “oneness” sought by the curious, the adventurous… the initiate.  

Per the trials and tribulations, the analogy that Tek-Gnostics employs to describe mental barriers to the meditative achievement of oneness is: Time Travel. In our preoccupation with meatspace… the material world… most of us spend most of our day thinking about the past or the future. We dwell upon regrets (illuminations come too late) of our past… what we could have done differently. Conversely, when we are not thinking about the past, we dwell upon our anticipation of the future, or what we plan to do in the next hour, the next day, the next week.

Thoughts of the past or future are, in essence, time travel. The time each of us spend each day in thinking about the past or future, demonstrates the extent of our ability to travel through time… no time machine necessary! Spending too much of our consciousness on such time travel can be perilous to our higher well being. The art of meditation allows us the benefit of “letting go” of thoughts pertaining to the past or future, and dwelling within the eternal now.

Strategically, from a circuit one through four perspective, a certain amount of time travel can have beneficial results. Reflection on past endeavors allows for the creation of more accurate forecasting strategies.  This human reflective and predictive capability has served us well from a survival standpoint.

From the intuitively strategic, circuit five through eight perspective, the ability to time travel triggers the law of diminishing returns. Time travel becomes less beneficial once survival needs are met. Moreover, time travel can be detrimental to the pursuit of higher human activity, especially for those seeking a return to the source… seeking access to the eternal now.

The dichotomy between past and future is an essential expression of duality. Like the proverbial yin/yang… the future does not exist without the past. And smack-dab in the middle… in the calm center of this duality… resides the human. A conceptual map or analogy might look like this: 

The imagined plane of space/time proceeds forward like a vast realm of potentialities, into the future. Likewise, the space/time grid of previous experience recedes into the past, diminishing as human memory fails. Collectively, the very contemplation of this realm creates the 3 dimensionality of space/time… the illusion of space to move around in, and the time it takes to do the moving. This illusion (maya) is the fabric or “Matrix” of the material universe. Sitting at the nexus point, the pivot between past and future is the contemplative human. 

By turning off time, by relinquishing time travel and dwelling in the eternal now… the contemplative human… the tekgnostic… the Intelligence Engineer… can fold the realms of space/time back upon him/herself, until nothing but the nexus remains. Letting go of thoughts of past or future, returns the experience of 3-dimensionality to the source. This is the resolution of duality and the return to oneness.   

The realm of the eternal now is coincidentally the realm of synchronicity. As the discerning reader of this blog knows, synchronicity is a-causal. It is not governed by space/time, but by meaning. Sitting cross-legged, at the crossroads of reality, the practiced intelligence engineer can take a break from time travel and experience the synchronous nature of a universe unencumbered by space/time.

And that, my friends… is when things begin to get interesting… for the abatement of time travel summons synchronicity.

In the previous post, entitled: The Buddha is in the Park… I suggested that this expression, coined by Philip K Dick, represents the power of the individual and the meditative development of a personal metaphysics. This personal metaphysics’ highest ambition seeks to effortlessly sustain single-pointed and enthused concentration, while being fully engaged within the natural world. In this sense, our beautiful Mother Earth IS the Park.

Again, the Intelligence Engineer’s intent is not to seek oblivion, or to "turn off" the world, but to harmoniously co-create with Mother Earth… with Universe. The etymology of the words Mother, Matrix and Matter stem from the same source Latin: mater. Therefore the concepts of the great feminine (Mother Earth) and the material world (Matrix) share a common etymological origin. The meditative mind is a return to the natural mind. The natural mind is not separate from nature, but rather a component of, or an element of nature.

The natural mind, dispensing with past or future, conspiring with Mother Nature, transcends duality while retaining physicality. Taking a break from time travel returns us to the nexus of the synchronous. It allows us to avoid the pitfalls… the perils of time travel.

Strangely enough, turning off time, enhances our ability to navigate time and space. The calm mental state, devoid of the dualistic preoccupation with the past or future, taps the creative, synchronous nature of oneness. This meditative practice rejuvenates, recharges and provides access to the wellspring of inspiration. Being recharged, the Intelligence Engineer returns to meatspace, to once again dance the cosmic dance with the ramification of being born as a sentient earthling human into a dualistic, material universe.