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PART II
THE SUPER-
NATURAL FLOW
 

The Butterfly of the Soul

PART I - THE SUPER AWAKE FLOW

I have never worked a day in my life. It was all fun.
Thomas A. Edison
 
Let the beauty we love be what we do.
Rumi

My master has revealed to me
The mirror within my own body;
Now I'll sing and dance in ecstasy.
Mirabai

Shakespeare, through Hamlet, posed an essential existential query:

"To be or not to be"

Acknowledging the profundity of this question, I propose a complementary one:

"To surf or not to surf"

Do you stand on your surfboard or not? Flow is the essence of life. It's experienced when we engage in activities that resonate with our purpose, yet with joyous ease. First we have to be in a state of glow. Then we have to surf in a state of flow.

My hope is that Meditation.dk can inspire you, not to become a monk, but to be a playful surfer on the ever-changing currents of your life.

Traditional eastern meditation philosophy suggests the world is empty, impermanent, an illusion, and advises disengagement due to its constant change. In the sarch for this state the ego becomes the enemy.

I offer a different perspective: Why not surf the waves of life? Why not be a friend of the ego?
 
Sure your life is not permanent, but your surf can be more permanent than the waves themselves, which last mere seconds.

You have the potential to stand on your surfboard for a lifetime.

To achieve this life in flow, you need to strike a balance within yourself, navigating between engagement with the world and disengagement in meditation, balancing introspective practices with active participation in life's vibrant flow.

If you're overly absorbed in your external life, you'll fall off your surfboard. A stressed person cannot surfe in joyous ease. On the other hand, if you retreat into prolonged meditation, you might become so disengaged from life that you fall out of the flow zone. I heard about a man who went to an intensive meditation retreat. When he came back from the retreat he could not find the love he previously had for his children.
 
The ancient Indians had valid reasons for perceiving the world as an illusion, living in times of uncertainty with constant threats of war and drought. In our more stable era, it may be more beneficial to view life as real.

The Heart Points out Reality
What determines the reality of phenomena? It is your heart. What your heart engages with becomes real. In its absence, a sense of unreality prevails.

If you do not love something it will not bloom.
If you do love it too much and with attachment, it will be taken away from you.

The essence of true surfing lies in navigating the golden middle path along life’s river.

The Surfing Buddha
In our modern lives, many of us are overly immersed in the outer world's circus, and thus, a dose of meditation can be essential to find the sweet spot where we are in a state of creation.

Deep relaxation in powerful action. This is the way of the surfing Buddha.

The Intro-version of Holger the Dane
The legend of Holger the Dane depicts a hero in a deep, trance-like sleep, ready to awaken and defend Denmark should the nation face grave danger. As a Danish child, I grew up with this story, never imagining that my history teacher's enthusiastic retellings would later crystallize into a compelling metaphor for the phenomenon of flow. My teacher was for sure in the zone when he narrated this tale. Otherwise I would not have remembered it.

Holger the Dane in Kronborg, Helsingør, Denmark

This is how I interpret the story today: Although Holger seems to be asleep for years, he is actually in a meditative state filled with inner peace, heightened awareness, and latent potential. His sudden awakening serves as a vivid emblem for transitioning from this contemplative state, primed to face challenges with clarity and purpose. Just as Holger's dormant strength bursts forth to safeguard Denmark, so too can a meditator's inner tranquility transform into a dynamic outward flow of creativity and energy.

An Indian tourist, deeply knowledgeable in his own spiritual traditions, might view Holger in his Kronborg cellar through a similar unique lens that I acquired during my formative years spent with Indian saints. According to ancient Indian philosophy, Holger's trance-like meditation could be seen as an intense accumulation of spiritual energy or Shakti, the potency of which grows with the length and depth of his meditation.
 
Unlike a yogi, who would keep this energy internalized to elevate his spiritual prowess, Holger's intended use of this amassed energy is intriguing. The yogi seeks to accumulate and retain this energy, reaching a state of desirelessness and consequently becoming more powerful than even the gods, according to the adage, There is nothing the gods fear more than a man who does not want anything. This state of desirelessness acts as a crucible for immense spiritual energy, which purifies the yogi and bestows upon him various powers, or siddhis, from clairvoyance to healing abilities.
 
Holger's meditation serves a different purpose. Rather than retaining this energy for self-purification or attainment of divine abilities, he is poised to channel it outward in a moment of national crisis. In this sense, both Holger and the yogi touch upon what can be termed as zero, shoonya—a metaphysical state of pure empty potential where all dualities dissolve into a unified consciousness. While the yogi remains in this state, transcending divine limitations and becoming an "almighty version" of everything, Holger emerges from it with a very earthly and nationalistic purpose: the defense of Denmark.

The absence of Flow in the Indian Traditions
A paradox here is that, particularly in Indian mystical traditions, the creative outcome of meditation, has not received much attention. Historically, these traditions has often extolled depersonalization and passivity, viewing the physical world as an illusion, or 'maya'. While India is abundant with anecdotal tales of miracles following the path of saints, there's seldom a direct connection made between meditation and down to earth practical, worldly activities.
 
The Indians have typically seen the phenomenon of spiritual joy as an internal experience, not connected to their work. In the philosophy of karma-yoga, the yoga of action, practitioners disengage and disidentify with what they do, focusing all attention on God. Hence, emphasizing the outpouring creativity in a state of joy as a result of meditation introduces a novel facet in the evolutionary progression of this art, at least within the context of the ancient Indian tradition.

In India, Holger still sits and accumulate spiritual energy in a cave in the Himalayas.
 
The flow of the Budai
However, we must not overlook China's influence. When Indian spirituality, in the form of Buddhism, reached China during the Han period, the concept of maya was cast aside. The Chinese civilization was too firmly rooted in Taoistic engagement with ordinary day-to-day life. Taoism highlighted the flow state or Wu Wei, and through the subsequent intermingling with Buddhism, Taoism reshaped Chinese Buddhism in the spirit of the effortless action of flow. The slender Buddha from India transformed into the jolly and robust Chinese Budai.

Be careful not to mix up Bodai with a Californian surfer.
Bodai, first and foremost, serves the state, a state as
intrinsic and potent as the ocean's waves.

While the Chinese concept of wu-wei was perceived as an ethos of public service, embodying a frictionless, "do nothing" state of being in the world and human society, the modern Western concept of flow emphasizes personal success above all. In short, the Chinese Confucian flow-individual served the state, with the promise of food in abundance while in the contemporary West, the state serves the individual in his self improvement. This individualism is, in my eyes, a great blessing, but no great thing comes without a corresponding challenge or curse.
 
Emergence of New Hybrid Movements
Though Holger seems serious, my experience suggests that meditation often nurtures one's playful sides. Being in a flow state requires a relaxed, humorous baseline, offering fertile ground for our inner child's spontaneous ideas and playfulness.

For me, the tale of Holger the Dane serves as a compelling example that introspection and flow are both timeless universals and reflections of their specific times. While the Vikings undoubtedly experienced a form of flow, it was distinct from the kind of flow that the hippies of the '70s danced to while chanting Make love, not war. Thus, the flow I am about to explore is not of the berserk variety. It has been shaped by my unique experiences, especially my engagement with Indian meditation movements since the 1970s.
 
It's not coincidental that the concept of flow was articulated not by an Indian saint but by a western psychologist in 1970. In today's world, we are all hybrid beings, and my understanding of flow reflects this multifaceted reality. Like rivers that flow into the ocean, flow is both a universal phenomenon and one that is shaped by its specific context.

In this context, it is significant to note that the progressive hybrid meditation movements of the 20th century originated in India, not China. Beginning with the Theosophical Society, these movements embarked on a journey to explore the potential of meditation to effect tangible, positive changes in the world. Transcendental Meditation, which rose to prominence in the late 1960s, and Osho's movement, which gained traction in the 1980s, stand out among the most influential of these groups. They adopted an innovative perspective, one that sought to channel the transformative power of meditation towards personal growth and global betterment. While I do not necessarily advocate following these or other specific movements, I acknowledge a debt to them for their innovative perspectives.
 
In the modern era, meditation's connection with the concept of flow has become nearly universally accepted, showcasing a profound intersection between ancient practice and contemporary understanding. In the same hybrid spirit I have allowed myself to transition from one cultural or philosophical context to another quite rapidly.

Significantly, there has been a surge of scientific research documenting the state of flow and outlining methods to achieve it. From my perspective, it appears that in America, this concept of flow has been co-opted by a pervasive drive for self-optimization, fueled by a societal fear of failure — a legitimate concern in the 'Yes! You can do it!' culture.

In contrast, my upbringing in Scandinavian society, with its robust social safety net, instilled a less intense fear of failure. Here, failures are cushioned, preventing the kind of destitution seen among the homeless in California. Consequently, my ideal of flow leans towards a more relaxed approach, reminiscent of the easygoing Indian rickshaw drivers who, despite poverty, always find time for a smile. Their attitude is truly admirable!

Why did the Indian, rather than the Chinese tradition of spirituality, come to dominate the West? My conjecture is that it relates to the anarchistic and fractal chaos inherent in Indian culture. In India, there was never a central figure like a pope who could concentrate and monopolize spiritual storytelling. Consequently, India possesses a myriad of different spiritual traditions, reflected in their overwhelming number of gods. This cultural approach aligns perfectly with the Western focus on individualism. With so many gods to chose from, 'I' can be god too.
 
MEDITATIVE GLOW & FLOW
Isn't it fascinating that during the quiet act of sitting in stillness, unprovoked and inexplicable waves of happiness often seem to emerge? Meditation happens in a state of internal glow that could be described as a feeling of purposeless purpose. In this luminous dark space, we embody meaning rather than perform it. This state of grace occurs spontaneously, here and now, in a state of will-less surrender, accompanied by an inexplicable joy and interoceptive well-being.
 
The esteemed mystic, Emanuel Sørensen, beautifully labeled this divine offering as a state of joyous ease, while the Indians encapsulate this unique state of self-absorption and desireless existence as ananda or sat-chit-ananda. 

To experience even a fragment of that glow can be life changing.

Immersed in the Glow

After-Glow comes Flow
This divine gift, first encountered during meditation, gradually seeps into our everyday activities, provoking a spontaneous, creative flow. This almost magical transformation from luminosity to fluidity is one of the most delectable fruits yielded by a life committed to the art of meditation.

The journey begins with an interoceptive encounter with causeless, blissful glow. This luminosity transforms into flow when the non-doing 'ananda' state overflows into creative action. Actions emanating from this state are as effortless and thought-less as the meditative state itself. Inner passivity in attention gives rise to spontaneous outer activity. Inactivity within oneself thus fosters spontaneous creative action in the external world.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness;
and all these things shall be added unto you.
Jesus

Thus the kingdom of divine potentiality should be our prime pursuit. Let me sum up with a little rewriting of a famous Nietzsche quote: One must have silence in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star.

And now in the Flow

You cannot bodybuild the Soul

He who seeks God in some way (read meditation technique or ritual),
grasps the way and loses God, who dwells in the way. But he who seeks God without a way, grasps God and lives with the Son.
Meister Eckhart

As with many life phenomena, this meditative glow-flow can't be grasped through sheer willpower. After all, the soul's strength cannot be cultivated like bodily muscles. Deep meditation can't arise from ego-driven willpower; you can tense your muscles through sheer force of will, but you can't relax them using the same method. This is a key challenge for Western, success-oriented cultures when it comes to embracing meditation. It is difficult for a Jane Fonda no pain - no gain mindset to understand that we can achieve anything by not doing anything.
  
We should be meditation rather than merely do meditation.
  
When we transition from human-doings to human-beings, we become meditated rather than actively meditating.
 
So, to reiterate: meditation is not a practice or a routine. It is pure, effortless creativity that blossoms the moment we relinquish the act of 'doing' meditation.

For this reason, meditation cannot rely solely on methods, techniques, or exercises. The paradox lies in the fact that any deliberate intention to meditate moves us away from the state of meditation itself.
 
If you have anything other than a playful easy going relationship with meditative techniques or exercises, well, my site may not be for you... or perhaps exactly for you...

I have personally observed Papaji escorting guests out
of his home when they attempted to assume
rigid meditation postures in his presence.

Nurturing Meditative Flow in Vulnerability
So how can we nurture this joyous ease in our meditation? By giving up effort. Therefore the secret lies not in mastering an array of techniques or in enrolling in expensive meditation courses. It requires assuming a state of surrender to an inward-focused, passive vulnerability.

Surrender to the Flow

In this vulnerable state, untouched by identity-formation or story-weaving, we access a self-oscillating state of consciousness where our inner world is amplified in an introspective feedback loop. When we love ourselves enough to live in the sensitivity of our inner wounds we enter the echo chamber of the inner cathedral. For me, this sacred chamber is the true spaceholder of the 'flow' phenomenon. From this perspective, glow encapsulates self-love in its latent potential, while flow signifies self-love in its most dynamic manifestation.

Stress, Trauma and Flow: The Delicate Balance
It's important to note, however, that even mild, chronic stress can render this creative tranquility elusive. Intriguingly, certain practices that temporarily disrupt the body's homeostasis, such as sauna therapy, winter bathing, or specialized breathing exercises, can not only initiate this flow but potentially enhance it as well. Furthermore, even experiences as severe as childhood trauma might, in some instances, trigger remarkable flow as a survival response. The legend of Holger the Dane serves as a compelling example of this nuanced relationship between stress and flow, emphasizing the need for a finely tuned balance to fully tap into the transformative potential of this remarkable state of consciousness.

Flow in the Garden of Eden
The Genesis verse, By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, is often interpreted as signifying the hardship, toil, and effort needed to sustain oneself in life. It's part of the curse laid on Adam after the Fall, symbolizing the transition from an effortless existence in the Garden of Eden to a life of labor and struggle.
In today's context, such existential burdens could serve as potent catalysts for chronic stress.
  
However, when viewed through the lens of meditative, effortless flow, this biblical axiom offers an intriguing counterpoint. Meditation and the philosophy of "effortless flow" strive to transition us from a realm of hardship to one of ease and equilibrium, akin to a return to the Edenic state of being.
 
Flow in the lab of science
The human brain, as we understand it currently, can be thought of as containing two primary systems or modes of operation: the default mode network (DMN) and the task-positive network (TPN). These systems can be seen as metaphors for the contrasting states of being referenced in the Genesis verse and in the art of meditation.

The Default Mode Network (DMN) could be thought of as the system related to the "sweat of your face" state.  When this system is dominant, we're often engaged in self-referential thinking – planning, worrying, ruminating, dwelling on the past, fretting about the future. This network is associated with a state of mental tension or 'sweat,' as it often involves effortful control, self-discipline, and toil. In a way, this network symbolizes the post-Eden state of existence, where life is often seen as a struggle or a series of tasks to be completed. The DMN-network is not able to lead the way into meditation, but out of old habits we again and again let this system take the charge.
 
The Task-Positive Network (TPN), on the other hand, is active when we're fully engaged in a task in the present moment, where our attention is wholly absorbed in what we're doing. This could be likened to the state of effortless flow found in meditation.  This network is also linked with nonjudgmental awareness and acceptance, key elements in meditation and mindfulness practices.
 
In the light of these two systems, the practice of meditation can be seen as a way to cultivate the capacity to shift more readily from the DMN to the TPN – from a state of 'sweat' and struggle to a state of effortless flow and presence.

THE SOUL SURFER AND THE ART OF FLOW

Let me introduce the concept of the Soul Surfer, an individual existing in a heightened, yet effortless state of dynamic super-awareness as described in the chapter of the same name. The surfboard, lacking its own propulsion, gains momentum from a nuanced balance between the surfer and the elemental forces of nature.
 
The intrinsic beauty of this imagery lies in the harmonious symbiosis between the wave and the surfer. This equilibrium encapsulates the very essence of flow. Much like a surfer, propelled by a colossal wave, experiences an awe-inspiring moment, we too can navigate the powerful tides of our internal and external worlds while maintaining a state of mindful equilibrium.

In this state, the Soul Surfer isn't simply a meditator immersed in a non-dual consciousness. He isn't enlightened in the conventional sense. Instead, he serves as an extraordinary exception—a ceaseless, dual balancing act in the dance of perpetual motion within the framework of space and time. He surfs on the razor's edge between duality and non-duality. Here, a palpable sense of danger and risk coexists with an utter trust in the unfolding process.

Super-aware, yet curiously resembling a sleepwalker devoid of conscious intent, the Soul Surfer has the unique capability to safely navigate the towering crests of emotional waves and the unpredictable terrains of external circumstances.
 
The Soul Surfer, in this respect, is a flawless speck of dust in the eye of the Divine. We humans are, in this sense, the universe's perfect Quasimodos—wondrous anomalies capable of surfing the dynamic energies of space-time duality. It is within those who can channel these energies beyond the constraints of the ego that spontaneous meditative action manifests.

As we shall delve into later, a more advanced operating system of super-awareness modulates this dynamic balance between the opposing yet complementary forces of Yin and Yang—functioning on dimensions far beyond the scope of human cognitive understanding. To master this modulation requires an entirely new form of identity, one that transcends our conventional, ego-based selves.
 
This delicate balance cannot be attained by our antiquated, lethargic ego-centric operating systems. Nor can it be achieved by subscribing to others' directives, or by clinging to the dogmas of traditional religions that emerged in eras without an appreciation for individuality. Only through an unwavering presence of consciousness, free from superfluous thought, can one successfully navigate this flow without succumbing to the turbulence of life's unpredictable waves.
 
In juxtaposition, Eastern spiritual philosophies often present the ideal of a wave without a surfer—a concept implying the diminished role or even absence of individuality. This perspective contrasts sharply with the idea of dynamic balance, highlighting different cultural attitudes towards the role of the individual in the broader cosmology of flow.

Notice the boats that are at the mercy of the waves.
You can barely make out an insignificant
person in the boat on the left.

Indivi-Duality: A Synchronized Surf of Conflicting Life-forces
From an evolutionary vantage point, flow emanates from a harmonic and dynamic synchrony among the eternal conflicting voices within our interior choir. In a broader sense, it epitomizes a deep equilibrium achieved among the myriad and diverse operating systems within the human organism, as discussed in the chapter, Consiousnes & Evolution.
 
As soul surfers, we are intimately close to our own emotions, but within the balanced point of the conscious present, we're not tossed around by inner emotional storms. In the same flow we are attentive to our marvellous advisors called cognition, intellect, and thought but without allowing them to by tyrants.
 
In this impossible middle way, we're intelligently propelled forward in the flow by our body's innate life force in its unfathomable interplay with the multible forces outside of us.
  
Consciousness must here journey back to its unconscious origins, and the further we regress, the less language and conceptual understanding we can carry with us. In this realm, we become aware of things rather than comprehending them, experiencing them directly instead of grasping them through intellect.
 
The Devine Animal

Mankind is poised midway between
the gods and the beasts
Plotinus

Note the demon like primitive head
the boddhisatva is sitting on.
For me it seems this beast
could be much more happy
on a surf board.

One could certainly argue that acting instinctively with fewer thoughts marks a return to a more animalistic state. Indeed, it does. In this context, fostering super-awareness essentially transforms the primal instincts within us into something divine, while also allowing the divine aspect of ourselves to find solace in our human animality. Through this dual transformation, the human caught between the divine and the beastly can navigate life with the poised action of a legendary figure like Holger the Dane or, more contemporarily, as a member of the Beach Boys.

Within the framework of bio-operative systems, achieving a balanced state of flow involves becoming "multilingual" in a unique sense. This multilingualism doesn't merely refer to speaking different human languages, but to understanding and interpreting the diverse "languages" spoken by the various operative systems within us. These systems, each hailing from different evolutionary epochs—from the complexity of modern cognitive functions back to the primal instincts inherited from our pre-Cambrian ancestors—communicate through distinct channels and signals.
 
The modern, cognitive mind communicates using structured language and logical reasoning. It's the part of us that's hyper-attuned to verbal interactions, written instructions, and abstract thought. However, alongside this cognitive "language," there are older, more primal systems that speak in non-verbal cues like bodily sensations, gut feelings, and emotional shifts. These are the languages of our animalistic heritage, relics from evolutionary periods when survival depended on instinct and reflex rather than abstract reasoning. There are hundred different animals within us and they don't understand our little cognitive king and even further: they do not understand each other.

Practices like meditation and therapy help us become multilingual in the way of a-ha super-awareness. Super-awarenes is a multi-lingual translator that teach us how to interpret the various bio-signals conveyed by our different bio-operative systems. For example, while engrossed in a conversation with your boss, your cognitive mind may be laser-focused on the words, evaluating their implications for your career. Simultaneously, the older, more primal systems might signal discomfort through a tightening stomach or shallow breathing.
 
Because our modern lives are so oriented toward cognitive, language-based interaction, we often become monolingual, ignoring or misinterpreting the signals sent by our older operative systems. Such a limited understanding can lead to a state of imbalance and disrupt our flow navigation. It's like trying to navigate a multilingual city with proficiency in only one language; you'll miss out on the richness and depth of the full experience, and may even find yourself lost or in uncomfortable situations.
 
The less non-verbal "a-ha" super-awareness we possess of our internal bodily state, the shallower the communication between the divine and the animalistic parts within us becomes. True, profound flow-individuality can only manifest in an awareness field that is deeply rooted and intricately connected to bodily sensations, from the hair on our head right down to the subtlest feelings in our feet.
 
EGO-DEATH AND FLOW IN SUPER-AWARENESS

All change is a dying.
Wherefore we die from time to time.
Meister Eckhart

The meditative feedback in accellerating body-awareness is not a static event. Here our inner body becomes a spatial canvas for an incredibly broad spectrum of bubbling colors, emotions, and energy flows. Most of them of are almost indescribable. The enhanced awareness creates a river of nuanced feelings, which in turn provoke spontaneous creative actions in the world often in elegance and graceful dance bypassing the more slow thought based cognitive systems who are the preferred tools of the old ego.

Place an old school ego on a surfboard, and watch it falter
To become a soul surfer, one must give up the old school ego operating system's overly slow and rigid control. The one who constantly has to control through thought based actions is thrown off the surfboard. However, there is a higher form of 'control', a control which is an integral property of a potentiated state of conscious super-awareness without too many, but instead significant, thoughts.
In this higher consciousness operating system, there is lesser room for any ego-based doing or exertion. Everything happens by itself in an organic life that is its own cause, that creates itself in higher and higher forms of order depending on the clarity and intensity of awareness.
 
The old ossificated ego-catapillar
The conventional DMN system operates through an ego entity, gaining its capacity for action through strenuous effort and a repetitive self-narrative: "I am the doer." This traditional ego, a personality that clings to control, incessantly strives to maintain a status quo. It tends to be self-perpetuating, aiming to ensure its own survival and the preservation of its kind. As Meister Eckhart puts it, "It is every man's intention that his work should be himself."

The tendency is ever towards self-repetition,
towards the preservation of the species:
it is every man' s intention that his work should be himself.
Meister Eckhart

Such a rigid old school ego represents an operating system that has arguably surpassed its psycho-evolutionary expiration date. However, I do not advocate waging war against this ego. Such action only reinforces its strength, as struggle, polarization, and effort are precisely the tools the ego uses to consolidate its power. Instead, the ego should gently be starved of its influence, suffused with kindness and love, or rather, better yet, be transformed like the catarpillar into a butterfly. After all, without an entity within us that prioritizes its own survival, we could not exist at all.

Transitioning from Ego to Essence-Entity in Flow
An ego, illuminated by humor and heightened awareness, does not present an obstacle, nor should it be dissolved. Instead, it transforms into a fluid core essence. This internal flow persona possesses an innate capacity for action. Its power is instinctive and spontaneous, requiring no effort. The actions of this revitalized river-ego are as autonomous as our bodily functions like hair growth, heartbeat regulation, and digestion. Other activities like breathing and sexual activity straddle the boundary between conscious control and involuntary response. Our innate ability to meditate, replete with its astounding revelations, resides within this same intriguing domain. The emerging meditative individuality seamlessly blends into a constant state of flow, devoid of anything else than situation based self-importance. It learns incessantly through acknowledging its own errors and is akin to our soul surfer, reveling in the invigorating waves of life's ocean.

The New Ego Dies to Live
Such an enlightened ego does not fear its own demise but recognizes its own continuous cycle of death and rebirth. In this context, meditation embodies la petit mort - a brief respite - fostering the emergence of a rejuvenated ego-entity. A participant in this cosmic play, or leela, undergoes a kind of rebirth with each meditation session, repeatedly experiencing death and life multiple times within one lifespan. It's a profound humility where every time you concede, "Yes, you were right - I was wrong," you die only to live again.

The Triumvirate of Meditation, Psychedelics, and Therapy
Drawing on insights from my personal introspective explorations, I posit that the meditative flow necessitates an elevated level of neurochemical interactions within the brain, guiding us towards a heightened foundational state of wakefulness.

In this context, the careful use of psychedelics may act as a powerful tool for mastering the art of psychological death, thus enhancing a deeper appreciation for life. On a substantial dose of a psychedelic, you will likely experience psychological death in one form or another. With time, you become accustomed to this sensation of losing control, a familiarity that can indeed make you a more adept navigator in our tumultuous era of big data and disruption.

Among the transformative methodologies I've encountered on my path, the most impactful constitutes a triumvirate: meditation, therapy, and psychedelics. Within this triad, it is paramount for meditation to lead the charge, guiding the collective force towards the intended target.
 
This threefold cultivation provides a composite efficacy that surpasses the capacities of each individual element. Acting as a potent amalgamated remedy, it holds the potential to subdue the resilient habitual bodily systems that otherwise tend to return us to our despair after a fleeting breakthrough. Escaping the gravitational pull of our burdensome earthly habits such as low self-esteem, childhood traumas, and the like, requires potent propulsive forces. This triumvirate, however, is equipped to catalyze the metamorphosis of the ego from a stagnant pond into a flowing stream.

Effortless Intelligent Action: The Precedence of Action Over Thought
Thought, ego, and control are intricately linked. For those liberated from the constraints of thought and ego, actions become instinctively spontaneous, so swift that one's actions may seem unbeknownst to oneself. Self-knowledge necessitates a certain degree of separation; to comprehend oneself requires space. Controlling oneself through thought processes demands both time and space, hence individuals with high self-control often appear somewhat slow in their actions.
 
The authentic Individual
Let us return to the previous mentioned discussion about the existence of a true individuality. Authentic communication is an energy liberator. It's simply inefficient to guide one's life based on the ego's dictates. The ego, in contrast to our core personality, incessantly expends energy to maintain its facades.
 
Once again, it's crucial to remember that this core essence is not a fixed, tangible 'entity', but rather a harmonious dance of heightened awarenes, orchestrating optimal dynamic compromises among our internal, conflicting biological operating systems that have evolved since our inception as life forms.

Contrary to the views of Professor Hans Georg Müller and philosophers from various epochs, cultures, and schools of thought, I assert the existence of genuine individuality. A healthy human operative system embodies a distinct, subjectively felt subjectivity. Labeling this authenticity as an illusion is as futile as attempting to locate it in the pineal gland.
 
To cultivate authenticity from this viewpoint, take to heart Socrates' timeless counsel: "Know thyself." Yet, pursue this not as an intellectual exercise, but as an interoceptive journey in heightened somatic self-awareness.
 

WHAT PREVENTS FLOW

Only a few are mature enough to stare into God's magical mirror

Embracing the Magic Mirror of God: Meister Eckhart posits that only a handful are mature enough to gaze into God's mystical mirror. If we, like Adam and Eve, see ourselves, our own nakedness, in the first layer of budding meta-consciousness, taken quasi-hostage by an angry and condemning patriarch, it is not a good situation. Meta-consciousness and the super-awareness that follows needs to be liberated from this Jahveh-like figure to fully unfurl its sails.

46 years ago, when I was a young man of 23, I experienced my first explosion of light. This epiphany ignited a year-long period of intense ecstasy and bliss. What followed was a time when I was able to internally observe what had previously been mercifully concealed. I was shocked to recognize my own negativity, low self worth and hidden aggressiveness. Like Adam and Eve, I found myself not naked, but nonetheless steeped in shame. Low self-esteem, guilt, and negative thinking had always been present, but now I confronted them directly in God's magical mirror of Consciousness. Gradually, I began to cleanse my inner domain of the filth that had lurked there in the darkness. This cleansing process unfolded not in duality, but in an odd sense of unity that embraced and transformed everything. This self-cleansing labor of love has been ongoing ever since. However, I can assert that it accelerated around the age of 60. But don't let that dissuade you from feeling inspired. Each small increment of integrated self-healing and interoceptive psycho-somatic self-knowledge enhances the present day, making it better than the last.

I dropped out of university for almost two years: one year in bliss and one year in darkness and frustration. However, after rediscovering a new balanced state, I was surprised to find my ability to concentrate for extended periods had significantly improved. With this newfound focus, I joyfully returned and completed my academic journey in a state of flow.

A meta-consciousness contaminated by guilt is something I perceive primarily as a historical developmental phase, a conflict of timing between the emergence of a modern meta-brain and an outdated cultural operating system, busily engaged in dividing the world into good and evil.
 
Sartre posits that humans are doomed to self-awareness. I interpret his assertion as acknowledging the pain that the birth of self-awareness inflicts on innocence. However, these birth pangs should not deter us from entering this "fall from grace," which can usher us to unprecedented peaks and depths of innocence. Armed with a modern, updated cultural operating system, I would argue that meta-consciousness is the only force that can redeem us from our inherent folly.

The pinnacle of awareness buckles under the weight of guilt, shame, and low self-esteem accumulated in the form of family karma through generations. Truly awakened consciousness can only flourish to the extent that you liberate yourself from the constraints of your own thoughts— to the extent that self-hatred, shame, and despair have been transmuted by the transformative power of the magic mirror of consciousness.

As noted by Eckhart Tolle, there's typically a significant amount of interoceptive pain experienced within the body, what he refers to as the "pain-body". This discomfort straddles the boundary between psychological and physical pain, essentially representing the cumulative impact of various forms of stress that the conscious mind has failed to address. Intriguingly, this pain gradually diminishes and eventually dissipates through a healing process when it's embraced within the context of abstract super-awareness. Actualy all this inner pain is the united cry of all our inner animals in their frustration of not being invited to the party of conscious life.
 
I can't overlook the final prerequisite for the flourishing of super-aware flow: freedom from judgment. As Rumi so eloquently put it, Beyond the realm of right and wrong, there is a field. I'll meet you there. This highlights the necessity of moving beyond judgment to fully immerse ourselves in a state of super-awareness.

Every act of judgment against another person or situation is, in essence, a form of self-judgment rooted in self-dislike. In this context, it's important to clarify that it is indeed possible to identify wrongdoings in others or in situations around you. However, it's crucial to recognize that if doing so evokes negative emotions within you, what you're actually witnessing is a reflection of your own deficiencies in love.
 
The Cosmic Fool
The archetype of The Fool is shielded by youth, optimism, and a freedom from judgment. When you reach an age approaching 70, as I have, and still feel youthful, you become an even greater fool than The Fool itself.

Tarot card: The Fool

Noted for his unconventional entrance into Konya, Shams of Tabrizi was seen riding backwards on a donkey. This image presents two interpretations of the fool: one who, like my younger self, is safeguarded by ignorance, and the other, embodied by Shams of Tabrizi, who is protected by super-awareness.
In super-awareness, one is Aladdin, Filius Fortunae, the favorite of fortune, who finds the Divine Golden Horns by almost stumbling upon them. Nurturing  oranges rain down in the turban of the one who is super awake.

PART II - THE SUPERNATURAL FLOW
Harnessing Intelligent Conscious Systems That Transcend Entropy
 
Certainly, for many of you readers who have embarked on deep meditative journeys, there may be experiences that defy rational explanation. Instances of synchronicity, miraculous occurrences, and paranormal phenomena that cannot easily be dismissed nor confined to empirical investigation.

In this chapter we will discus what could potentially happen if Holger the Dane had kept sitting in his trance like state, like the Indian yogis from ancient times.

Thus, I propose we take a moment to explore the boundaries of what may be considered unorthodox or even pseudoscientific. By doing so, we open ourselves to possibilities that traditional science may overlook or dismiss.

Synchronicity, for example, often appears as meaningful coincidences that connect our inner thoughts with external events in ways that are both mysterious and profound. How does one quantify the connection between a deeply personal contemplation and the unexpected appearance of a symbol or event that perfectly mirrors that thought?

Miracles, likewise, challenge our understanding of natural laws. Healing, transformation, or intervention in a time of dire need, seemingly facilitated by a higher power or universal consciousness, defy explanation.
 
Paranormal events, such as telepathy, precognition, or even the subtle awareness of another's feelings or thoughts, push us further into the realm of the unexplained.

These phenomena invite us to question and expand our understanding of reality. While they may not fit neatly into a scientific test-tube, they are nonetheless part of the rich tapestry of human experience.

In embracing these enigmatic occurrences, we need not abandon reason or scientific inquiry. Instead, we can acknowledge that our current understanding of the universe, as vast as it may be, still has its limitations. Our tools and methodologies evolve, and what once seemed implausible or even impossible may one day find its place within the broader context of knowledge and exploration.

Abundance
I would also like to add the concept of abundance to this magical equation. Spontaneous abundance-flow occurs only in a relaxed, greed-free space of heightened awareness. Subjectively, it feels as though the entire universe is presenting you with everything on a platter. Time and space collapse, and waves of bliss appear before you in the form of life's fruits, which you distribute around you, partaking only of what you need yourself. You return to existence through a currency known as gratitude and personal happiness.

Does this sound too good to be true? Indeed, it does! It's a miracle, but not the greatest of all miracles. The fact that we, a collection of buzzing, whirling molecules, are alive in human form constitutes the greatest of all miracles. When you truly contemplate it, it's astonishing, bordering on the unbelievable.
 
The magic flow of conscious life
I have decided to include these thoughts in this chapter, which is focused on describing flow. To me, the above phenomena, such as synchronicity, miracles, and paranormal events, all share a flow-like quality. They manifest in the sphere of human interaction with the external world, a realm that remains beyond the controlling grasp of the ego.
 
By indulging in a bit of pseudoscience, we allow ourselves to dream, to wonder, and to embrace the full spectrum of human experience. We acknowledge that not everything can be measured, categorized, or explained, and in doing so, we open ourselves to the awe and mystery that makes life a truly magical journey.

As the yin requires a touch of yang and vice versa, science should not altogether shun the immeasurable, for the frontiers of scientific legitimacy are not rigid, but evolve as our understanding and methodologies progress.

Countless theories once deemed outside the scientific purview have been integrated into our knowledge as our tools and perspectives evolved. For instance, quantum physics, now underpinned by extensive empirical evidence, was initially considered conjectural.

The yin and yang that mold us into glowing and flowing surfers of the soul are super-awareness in ouroboric consciousness. Consciousness sprang from the slumbering bodily awareness within the single cells of the Precambrian ocean. These cells were the pioneers in focusing the light of the all-encompassing pan-consciousness. Suddenly, human consciousness began to spread its wings, soaring into the grand heights of abstraction. It almost forgot the body from which it originated, creating entire universes from imagination and words. In this profound state, consciousness started to loop back onto itself in some individuals, evolving both qualitatively and quantitatively into super-aware ouroboros-consciousness.
 
In this explosive state, it is now on the verge on entering the next level from catapilar to butterfly: It begins to illuminate the body with its radiant darkness.

Drawing from my personal journey, I can attest that the dimensions of time and space yield to the commanding force of a strong combined ouroboros field of consciousness that has descended into super-awareness. Once this descend reaches a certain intensity, phenomena start to occur that seemingly challenge the bounds of scientific understanding. My life is full of these miracles, but out of privacy reasons I will only narrate a few of them here.
 
Does consciousness collapse the waveform?

In essence, Dean Radin's experiment proposes that particles respond differently based on the 'quality' of the observing consciousness. Sabine Hossenfelder, in her illuminating 'old school' YouTube presentation discussing the relationship between Consciousness and Quantum Mechanics, points out that this experiment has not yet been replicated. I would argue that this experiment should not be dismissed until it has been conducted with a group of experienced Tibetan monks, whose frontal lobes are pulsating with gamma waves. It is my contention that only a embodied ouroboros consciousness has the potential to influence time and space, as opposed to an ordinary human brain-derived consciousness.

Embodied Ouroboros Consciousness "nudges" Reality

What Shielded Tony Woody from Catastrophe?

The most probable outcome of Tony Woody's predicament would have led to a disastrous plane crash, resulting in fatal injuries and destruction. However, I posit that Tony Woody's miraculous survival was ignited by an ouroboros-consciousness that instantaneously enveloped him at the brink of his perceived demise. The sort of miraculous flow ensuing from a fully-fledged singular ouroboros consciousness carries a distinctive quality when juxtaposed with the creative flow we delved into at the commencement of this chapter.

This unique 'Tony Woody-flow' appears to manipulate the fabric of time and space.

The numerous near-death experiences, also documented and shared on platforms like YouTube in our current era suggest that this superconsciousness acts not only as an observer but also as an orchestrator, possessing a paradoxical ability to be aloof in a state of untouchable transcense while at the same time being able to manipulate events in time and space.

Such a strange dual function is difficult for scientists to accept seriously, typically dismissing it as pseudoscience. However, as Einstein emphasized, science cannot thrive without imagination. Let me illustrate this dual aspect of consciousness, which simultaneously exists beyond time and space while also having the capacity to influence them.

What do you do in front of a mirror?
Consider standing in front of a mirror: our behavior changes. We comb our hair, inspect for wrinkles, or apply makeup. The mirror remains indifferent to our actions. Similarly, organic life develops complex brains within the omnipresent mirror of pan-consciousness. These complex systems create time-space-bound copies of the transcendent pan-consciousness. This pan-consciousness, in its inherent form, as a Kantian thing-in-itself, remains indifferent to my biological manifestation of smal mirrors of consciousness, the thing-for-us, or more precisely, the thing-for-me.
 
This notion suggests that while omnipresent pan-consciousness is indifferent and exists beyond our individual experience, our personal consciousness, formed by our complex brains, is its imitated representation in time and space and is capable of influencing our actions and experiences.
 
The Trial in the Book of Job
As C.G. Jung outlines in his work, "Answer to Job," it is the humble figure of Job, post God's trial, who surprisingly emerges as the more sympathetic character. Job, a fragile mortal, effectively 'triumphs' over God by withstanding all of His severe and inhumane trials.
 
The focused luminescence of humanity, in spite of its fragility, encapsulates an element absent in God's infinite and omnipresent light. Jung infers that God, after the trial of Job, thus 'decides' to take on human form.

The advent of the Son of Man is subsequently prophesied within the tribulations of Job. And who is the Son of Man? It embodies, as Meister Eckhart proposes, every virtuous and devout individual.

The replica surpasses the original.
I dare to extend Jung's postulation by asserting that this scenario demonstrates how the replica can surpass the original. Job manifests more divine characteristics than God, in the sense that he concentrates the light of consciousness. What incarnates within humanity is the immensely more potent embodied ouroboros-consciousness, which is why miracles seem to orbit a brain resonating in gamma-mode. This atma-consciousness, despite its immense force, is dualistic and a product of the brain. It emerges within the time-space continuum, and thus, is somewhat bound by natural laws. However, as a time-space 'reflection' of brahma-consciousness, it is capable of manifesting miracles. We, as humans, all possess the feedback capability of super-aware ouroboros-consciousness. Nonetheless, only a handful of brains will undergo a full-blown singular explosion of superconsciousness required to facilitate miracles of the magnitude attributed to Jesus.
 
Thus, God crafted humanity in His own likeness, aiming to live in a magnified and glorified form through this reflection. It seems he love to eat sushi.
  
The Ubiquitous Proximity of Super-consciousness
One of the most important characteristics of ouroboros super-consciousness is that it does not seem to be caught up in the alienating distance that a normal conscious dual subject-object relation always entails.
Pay close attention to Tony Woody's description of the Pepsi can (4:50) that passes by the cockpit in a split second. In Tony's superconscious state, he 'sees' all of the Pepsi droplets at once in slow motion. He talks about how his soul left his body and had a view of everything from any point in space. "I became the debris," he says:

I had a 360-degree bubble vision view of every one of these millions of perspectives, even from the tiniest debris in the air.

The conundrum we face is: How can consciousness, derived from the brain, emulate the non-dual state of primordial consciousness?

Brain-derived consciousness appears to surmount duality by generating an infinite number of bubble-like subject-object relationships, encompassing perspectives from the infinitely grand to the infinitely minute.

The Krishna Leela of Consciousness
This phenomenon mirrors what we find in the profound wisdom of ancient India. Here Krishna, who personifies pure consciousness, multiplies himself, creating sufficient copies to engage in a divine dance with each of the gopi maidens, akin to the dance of Pepsi droplets. This is true divine flow. The Indians call it Krishna leela, playful fun.

In this operational mode, embodied ouroboros consciousness oscillates between duality and non-duality. It appears ubiquitous in range yet remains wholly tangible, reminiscent—only metaphorically—of the superposition principle in quantum mechanics.

It's crucial to underline once more that consciousness—whether it be the non-dual transcendent or the dual brain-derived— not inherently 'perform' any of these actions. What we witness and interpret are the various manifestations of consciousness within time and space, akin to surmising a woman's recent encounter with a mirror upon observing her neatly combed hair and fresh makeup. I would also like to remind you of the footprints of the invisible thief in the chapter, What is Consciousness.

As discussed in that chapter, consciousness is fundamentally transcendental, markedly distinct from the objects mirrored within it. Yet embodied ouroboros-consciousness operates like a magical mirror, enabling phenomena deemed improbable in the reflection of ordinary consciousness.
 
The miracles made by super-aware ouroboros-consciousness represents the observable trace within time and space of the ding an sich superconsciousness . In this context, it offers the only fingerprint we possess of our unseen visitor.

Embodied Ouroboros-Consciousness and Evolution: A New Perspective
Descended Ouroboros-consciousness is perhaps the pinnacle of evolutionary innovation, symbolizing a survival mechanism unparalleled in complexity. When referencing evolution here, it's vital to clarify that I don't confine myself to a strictly Darwinian framework. Instead, I envision evolution as a dynamic push-pull system, with Darwin's principles metaphorically 'pushing' evolution forward, while the future simultaneously exerts a 'pull.'
 
Anton Petrov, in a YouTube video titled "Obscure Biochemical Paradox May Explain Why We Can't Find Alien Life," illustrates a paradox that suggests protein chains necessary for life shouldn't be able to fold in supportive ways. The title could very well read: "Obscure Biochemical Paradox May Explain Why There Cannot Be Life on Earth." If Darwinian principles solely guided the evolution of protein chains, life as we know it would be improbable. The odds of even one life-affirming protein chain folding correctly are so astronomical (a number with 300 digits to one) that it borders on the impossible.

Therefore, regardless of the validity of my intuitive retro-causal theory, life seems to transcend the confines of scientific test tubes, suggesting a dimension beyond mere chance and survival mechanisms.
 
So, I boldly assert that embodied ouroboros-consciousness, with its explosive manifestation and biological complexity far surpassing Darwinian evolution or mere probability, is fundamentally a miraculous creation. Its existence and function seem to transcend the ordinary, operating at what appears to be a paranormal level. Miraculous solutions, it seems, can materialize out of nowhere following a sudden and profound awakening of consciousness.

Throughout history, and across various cultures, tales of supernatural miracles persist, often attributed to divine intervention or the actions of extraordinary individuals. Some skeptics dismiss these phenomena as mere literary inventions, akin to the Deus ex machina device in Greek theater, confining them to the realm of fantasy and whimsy.

But my perspective invites us to dream differently and to consider the possibility that something extraordinary lies at the heart of existence, something that defies conventional explanation and beckons us to explore further.

HOMEOSTASIS AND EMBODIED OUROBORIC CONSCIOUSNESS
Earlier in this chapter, we briefly alluded to a potential relationship between sudden homeostatic stress and consciousness' self-perpetuating ouroboros-like implosion. A near-death experience precisely embodies such an event. Jesus hanging on the cross can easily be seen in the same perspective, a moment of ultimate life threathning crisis, that somehow provokes the embodied ouroboros consciousness to intervene as Deus ex Machina.

EMBODIED OUROBOROS-CONSCIOUSNESS AND ENTROPY
Let's now focus on the manifestations of consciousness in space-time—ranging from the simple origins of single-cellular life to the intricate complexity of Homo sapiens. These self-referential feedback control systems operate with a teleological aim: to continually accelerate the development of evolutionary intelligence, thereby creating countercurrents against the universe's thermodynamic drift. Rather than succumbing to the chaotic pull of entropy, they endeavor to channel energy upstream, constructing pathways that lead to order and complexity.

In this paradigm, consciousness isn't merely a passive byproduct of existence but an active, organizing force countering the universe's natural tilt toward disorder. Super-aware ouroboros-consciousness, in this light, embodies a higher-level understanding capable of reshaping reality itself, transcending conventional scientific paradigms. In this context, a unique sense of self-generated order emanates from those who perceive reality through the lens of this potentiated, omnipresent divine consciousness.

While the universe collectively adheres to the third law of thermodynamics, gravitating toward entropy and eventual heat death, the delicate sperm cell of conscious life swims defiantly against the current toward the waterfall of complexity. On this journey from disorder to order, life accrues greater intelligence, albeit at the cost of robustness.

Full-blown, super-aware ouroboros-consciousness is my wager for the future's control system of life. It is also the most vulnerable, as the most recently evolved elements are often the most fragile. We stand at an intersection between the obsolete ego-based operating system and an emerging super-conscious, super-intelligent control system. Linear, projective thinking is insufficient to foresee what lies ahead.

We humans, in our boundless self-aggrandizement, often consider intelligence to be a byproduct of our verbal articulations and endeavors. Yet, I propose that a form of intelligence far exceeding our comprehension is already immanent in the clarity of super-awareness.

Our brain's realm of thought and imagination is but a fractal simulation of a larger, inscrutable Intelligence. Projecting human characteristics onto this greater algorithmic Intelligence isn't entirely misplaced, as we ourselves are manifestations of this Intelligence.

In essence, if there is a God, it can only be us.

'

Today, our outdated egos drift aimlessly, confused and anxious, in the turbulent seas of big data. Our old cognitive control systems are ill-equipped to process the vast inputs we are currently exposed to. In the face of mounting chaos, as the world heats up, it's not fear but vigilant optimism that will be our salvation.

Perhaps, a miracle awaits.
 
 The phoenix may rise anew from the ashes of a burning world, but only in the hearts unafraid of death in the fire. Embodied ouroboros-consciousness is the overlooked wildcard in the game of existence. It doesn't merely replicate the old phoenix but crafts a version far more authentic and beautiful. In its stand against the entropy's cold embrace, super-awareness unveils infinite realms of possibilities, each leading to new doors and fresh equilibriums governed by new rules.

Only The Fool can perceive and traverse these alternate realities.