"I of my own knowledge…"

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A little long-winded, perhaps, but not the less insightful for all that. I copied out this quotation back in 1972. It doesn’t seem any the less applicable to the 21st century than it did to the last third of the 20th.

In human terms, how are we to describe… our own Western civilization, or any other of the 10 or 20 civilizations which we can count up on our fingers? In human terms, I should say that each of these civilizations is, while in action, a distinctive attempt at a single great common human experience, or, when it is seen in retrospect, after the action is over, it is a distinctive instance of a single great common human experience. The enterprise or experience is an effort to perform an act of creation. In each of these civilizations, mankind, I think, is trying to rise above mere humanity — above primitive humanity, that is, — toward some higher kind of spiritual life. One cannot depict the goal because it has never been reached, — or, rather, I should say that it has never been reached by any human society. It has, perhaps, been reached by individual men and women. At least, I can think of certain saints and sages…. But if there have been a few transfigured men and women, there has never been such a thing as a civilized society. Civilization, as we know it, is a movement and not a condition, a voyage and not a harbor. No known civilization has ever reached the goal of civilization yet. There has never been a communion of saints on earth. In the least uncivilized society at its least uncivilized moment, the vast majority of its members have remained very near indeed to the primitive human level. And no society has ever been secure of holding such ground as it has managed to gain in its spiritual advance.
Arnold Toynbee, Civilization on Trial

I have been going through more than 40 years of journals, finding and indexing quotations from various writers and others who have influenced me over the years. In the first rank among these, certainly among the first in point of time and among the longest lasting in terms of continued influence, is Colin Wilson. Perhaps this quote from one of his earliest books, which I copied in April,1970, will give you a sense of how and why he was so significant. As slightly later with Carl Jung, when I first came across Wilson’s work, I recognized immediately a mind that worked as mine did, that valued what I valued.

“This is the problem of our time: to destroy the idea of men as a `static observer,’ both in philosophy and art. All imaginative creation is involved with the three absolutes: freedom, evolution, religion.”
Colin Wilson, The Strength To Dream

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It is pretty well understaood in spiritual circles, and increasingly even in some circles in science, that our mental world calls forth the external circumstances of our lives. If that’s so, then the clearer our image of the world we wish to live in, the more powerful our visualizing ability, and the stronger our “pull” toward another world. So, wouldn’t it be a good idea to sharpen our vision?

The mechanism for doing so is simple enough! Write out your vision, and when you’ve written it out, sharpen it, refine it, re-write it. And when you’ve written it out — subject to revision as often as you feel the need, as your inner world clears, perhaps — mull it, ponder it, let the vision become an integated part of your everyday mental world, rather than a wistful “wouldn’t it be nice if….”

This is not about producing a literary masterpiece. It is a mental exercise that has the potential to become part of your spiritual discipline.

An example, from my friend Nancy Ford:

My world is a safe, peaceful and abundant universe where conscious, loving and responsible beings live in an integrated, mutually beneficial manner with all other forms of life, balanced and harmonious.

A society that is aware of the determining factor of choice in the events surrounding their lives, and the life of their communities. The sensibility and understanding that to destroy another is to destroy oneself. The ability to live without causing damage or pollution and to transmute any that exists,

An honoring of diversity as the norm and the desire to learn from others, including off-planet beings, and other life forms,

A world where all are sheltered, fed, clothed, educated, and have access to advancement,

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In the fall of 2004, at the end of several days of asthma during a business trip to Ohio, I wound up being taken by ambulance from the Charlottesville Airport to the Emergency Room at UVA Hospital. I am a very independent person, but on that day I had realized that I had reached my limit, so I allowed myself to be taken care of.

I have many a quarrel with the conventional medical system, but that brief period of enforced observation (I tottered home the next day) reminded me of the love and caring that may be found within any such institution.

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My friend Rich Spees and I had a brief exchange this morning after I left a comment on his blog entry about the first world-wide Gallop Poll on what the world’s people actually think about things. (It’s very interesting, if long. Find it at the-sacred-path.com).

Rich said he didn’t think the crowd in power would pay any attention, as it is not in the best interest of the governing crowd to give the masses what they want. I replied:

“Fortunately the people at the top of the food chain who always think they are important because they can fire people and jail people and kill them, and because they get free helicopter rides and VIP treatment everywhere – are just scum riding the wave. The wave is what counts, not the scum. So I don’t worry much about what they’re willing to do; what counts is what they will be forced to do. When has it ever been different?”

Waves always have self-important scum riding on them. It reminded me of a poem I wrote long ago, which follows.

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This being Easter, it is perhaps a good time to point you to a very interesting discussion that I had with Joseph Smallwood some time ago, which you can find here:

http://frankdemarco.wordpress.com/2007/05/02/chasing-smallwood-32/

Beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 22, some of Rita’s friends and neighbors gathered in David Francis Hall at the Monroe Institute to celebrate her life — not least by telling stories. As usual I had my camera in my pocket, but it never seemed appropriate to take photos of the room or the participants beforehand, and, I admit, afterward I entirely forgot. There weren’t a tremendous lot of people there — maybe 50 — mostly I imagine because few of her extended network of friends, former students, fellow TMI participants, and former colleagues were able to attend on such short notice, and on the day before Easter. But I noticed that pretty nearly everybody from the New Land (the residential community surrounding the Institute) was there, which didn’t surprise me.

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Before we get into this short transcript, a caveat. To the question, “How do you know that you were really talking with Rita and not making it up?” there can only be one true answer: I don’t know. I think so, but I don’t know so. I can’t prove it, any more than I could prove any other conversation I have ever had Upstairs. All I can do is present the material as it came, and let you decide.

Rita Warren was stricken with a massive stroke at a little after 10 a.m. Tuesday morning, March 11, and lingered, paralyzed on her right side, without the power of speech, before finally obtaining release late Wednesday afternoon, March 19. While she was in that in-between state, on Friday morning, I decided to try to communicate with her, on the theory that although she was still tethered to the body she might have more freedom to communicate. Hence this. Material in brackets is added by me for the sake of clarity.]

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Rita Warren (1920-2008)

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