Buch lesen: «All or nothing»

Throughout our lives, it sometimes happens that spirituality becomes a topic of conversation. Rare are these privileged moments when we dare to touch the ineffable essence. Discussing spirituality is a delicate art where each word is a tightrope walker, sliding on the fragile thread of metaphor. As for me, I dance on it with difficulty. Not that I dislike the exercise, but do we know how to convey in a word, a sentence, ideas that embrace infinity and the absolute?

It's a complex undertaking to clothe the invisible in words and animate silence, especially as we quickly realize that none of us speaks the same language. But I'm not giving up on this dialogue, because every word spoken becomes a precious stone for each of us to add to our collective treasury of wisdom.

That's why I decided to write this book. I do so in the hope that, by putting my philosophical constructs down on paper, I'll find a way of clarify my concepts. In this way, I hope to make future discussions more fluid, richer and more exciting.

This book has no higher ambition. It doesn't aim to reinvent the genre or offer anything beyond what I consider to be real. Beneath the widely accepted fantasies, spirituality remains an undeniable reality. There is indeed something that transcends matter. But I will return to this obvious point in due course.

This essay is primarily a pedagogical work, attempting to express in simple terms what I believe to be accurate and concrete concepts. Normally, the biggest problem for me has always been to wade through mountains of elaborate fantasies of all kinds. These dreams, buried in the collective unconscious, are propagated by tradition or by what we call books, but it remains an arduous task for all of us to abandon these dreams in order to embrace reality.

Nor do I claim to be the exclusive possessor of new knowledge or sensational discoveries. Almost all the ideas and considerations I will develop in the following pages have been expressed with talent and ingenuity by countless writers, thinkers, and researchers.

So what's the point of continuing this exploration? Well, the main point is to offer a fresh perspective, a compelling insight that sheds light on some overlooked or neglected aspects of these ideas. My goal is to give these familiar themes an original and distinctive color, inviting readers to rediscover and appreciate them in a new light.

I'm also convinced that clarifying and simplifying complex ideas is a valuable contribution to the philosophical and spiritual conversation. Too many nebulous stories and myths have created a confusing and muddled landscape, obscuring vision and sometimes leading to extreme actions that echo with eschatology.

It is my hope that through this process of clarification and simplification, readers will discover not only fascinating new ideas, but also a strong foundation for reflection, dialogue, and a deeper understanding of the mystery of consciousness and the universe that encompasses it.

However, this book does not seek to challenge traditions or beliefs, nor stories, myths and fables, although it does invite you to engage in this confrontation in an honest and constructive dialog for the sake of understanding reality.

Above all, I want to share it with you as a thank-you. Because reality is good, it relieves, it heals, it clarifies visions, approaches, relationships and the world.

My dearest wish is that you will find peace and strength in these lines, but also the joy that dwells in each of us and makes peace.

May these lines accompany you on your personal journey and give you coherent support. And may they help you to rediscover a healthy balance between mind, body and the ineffable.

The Key called "Infinity"

For me, infinity is the key to understanding, although it's only one component of my concept of spirituality. It is the cornerstone upon which the whole rests, and I'll develop the reasons for this assertion later.

Unfortunately, in the present state of our cognitive faculties, we are unable to grasp infinity with our thoughts, which makes it difficult to state it clearly. To do so, we must first familiarize ourselves with this concept, which, paradoxically, is not a concept at all.

For many of us, including myself, approaching infinity means imagining an object-such as a bubble, a sky, a circle, a light, or anything else-and mentally erasing its boundaries.

At first, this approach seems satisfying, but we soon realize that we must constantly push back the new boundaries that our mind tends to establish further out. This is because our imagination is constantly incorporating this object into a larger one. The result is always emptiness or nothingness, which inevitably implies the total negation of all life. This shows the limitations of this approach.

Another approach, more time-consuming and uncertain, is meditation. Time consuming because it requires training, and uncertain because it depends on the "tool" of the mind with which we are endowed. This method ultimately culminates in immersing ourselves in a space that isn't a space, because there is no space in it. And yet, within this "space," the now hypothetical "I" feels completely complete.

Those who have a personal meditation practice and have experienced similar situations will probably quickly understand what I'm talking about. However, if you've never been initiated into this discipline, trying to imagine this experience is like trying to imagine the sensation of warmth without ever having felt it. So I sincerely apologize for not being able to give you a more tangible and concrete explanation.

The meditative approach is eminently more conclusive for grasping the infinite, just as the sensory experience of heat transforms an abstract concept into a tangible, perceptible reality. Unfortunately, this cannot be experienced in a book. That's why I propose in this chapter to train your mind on the "concept" of infinity.

Let's start by imagining a book in which all the stories of humanity, the earth and the world are written. A book that would tell us about the future, the present and the past. In its pages we would rediscover our childhood or youth, but also our future and our potential. This book would evoke the earth and its history. It would tell of multiple universes and their countless epics. But also more insignificant things like the phone numbers of your neighbors or the number of pebbles on your way to school.

Such a book would undoubtedly take up an infinite amount of space, and the language in which it would be written would have to be understandable to everyone. Our minds refuse to believe that such large books could exist or have been written, yet such books are legion.

We all know at least one, so famous that we have a letter in our alphabet dedicated to it, a letter that symbolizes only it.

These books are written in the form of numbers, and we've given them a name. We call them "Universe Numbers. They are fascinating because each section of their decimal progression contains all other possible numbers, giving them a fractal structure. Considered to contain the infinite information of all finite numbers, they have appeared in many mathematical disciplines as well as in music and art.

The number Pi(π), with an approximate value of three commas, one four, one five nine…, is a classic example of a universe number. Its decimals extend to infinity without ever repeating. Before it was considered infinite and universal, this number always represented the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. This is an attempt to show that drawing a circle tells the whole story of the world.

In the numbers called universal, the decimals are not regular. In fact, any combination of digits is possible. For example, a three can be found next to a six, then a four, in a completely random way, so that the next digit can never be predicted. However, if you follow the decimal points one by one, you're sure to find your date of birth, age, phone number, and so on.

Incredibly, every regional, national, and worldwide directory is also hidden in these universe numbers. But that's not all. Suppose we encode the letters of a book according to a sequence of numbers, which is the case in any computer format. However, much simpler than binary coding, if we imagine that A = 1, B = 2 and Z is 26, we can find in the decimals of the universal number a sequence that corresponds exactly to this book. The same is true for every book ever written, including the entire history of your present and future existence. While some may be tempted to interpret this as proof that "everything is written," we must be cautious before drawing such conclusions. We'll come back to that later.

Let's continue with this little exercise. This time, if we encode the entire universe, for example, by imagining that the hydrogen atom is worth 1, helium is worth 2, and so on, we'll find somewhere in the decimals the sequence of all the atoms that make up our universe, in order.

The purpose of this little exercise is to enable our minds to push their own limits. To many, it seems impossible that our universe could be encoded in such a small number. But what's even crazier is that there are all possible universes. That's the power of infinity. "Everything is in almost nothing. In the end, these universal numbers seem to symbolize the infinity and complexity of the universe.

Let's continue this little appetizer with a brief description of space. Space is probably the most incredible thing there is because it seems to have no limits. It can go on and on, beyond anything we know. What makes space even more fascinating is that it's everywhere, even in the most unexpected places. For example, there is space between every atom, and the same is true between all material objects. Nothing can really be touched because the space between them cannot be eliminated.

It may seem paradoxical that we have such a strong sensory experience of touch when we now know that this sensation is produced by complex interactions of electromagnetic fields rather than by direct contact between physical objects. Despite our intuitive belief that we can actually "touch" something, it's important to realize that we can never completely bridge the gap between ourselves and other objects.

Over time, science has gradually rediscovered some of the nature of the basic constituents of the universe. For example, we've learned that the particles that make up atoms – and thus everything that exists, including ourselves – are not solid, tangible objects, but rather wave phenomena, oscillations, fluctuations, fields, and other terms that express the manifestation of energy.

This remarkable notion implies that matter as we perceive it, as well as the ultimate essence of the universe, is pure energy.

Of course, this worldview may seem abstract and difficult to grasp, given that our everyday experience shows us a universe filled with concrete, tangible forms. Yet it's becoming increasingly popular and widespread.

How about exploring these hitherto unsuspected new perspectives, visualizing a cosmos traversed by oscillations and vibrations. Where the effervescent choreography alternates between communion and complicit distance, bringing to light not only the masterpieces that weave our deepest identities, but also the equally sublime one of the universe?

This energy running through space is actually a manifestation of it. That's another statement, but I'll come back to that later. Our energetic essence is an integral part of immensity, so space cannot intersect itself, but it remains omnipresent.

More specifically, energy and space are intimately linked, for example, in quantum field theory, which is currently one of the most complete and powerful theoretical frameworks for describing the fundamental interactions between subatomic particles. According to this view, space itself is made up of a kind of living tapestry of quantum fields, each of which represents a different form of potential energy. When two of these fields interact, they can create new particles, such as photons, electrons, or quarks.

All this pseudo-scientific mumbo-jumbo is there to express a simple idea: space vibrates, and these vibrations form worlds here and there, much like air forms clouds, lightning, or holes in places. Here and there, space forms planets, galaxies, or universes.

Given this profound relationship between energy and space, we too are literally part of the immensity of infinite space, both physically and metaphysically. We are part of space. Every molecule, atom, and subatomic particle that makes up our body is nested within the surrounding spatial continuum and is permeated by the forces and influences of other parts of this interconnected whole.

In reality, space is not the boundary of our existence or that of our universe. A more accurate description is that we do not constitute the boundaries of space; rather, we – along with all other forms of matter and energy – are simply transient fluctuations in this immense continuum. In other words, we do not define the boundaries of space; rather, we are a temporary, dynamic manifestation of it.

What's more, the movements and changes that occur within our bodies are constantly influenced by external conditions and events, such as variations in the Earth's magnetic field, cosmic radiation, and photon flux.

As a result, it becomes clear that we should not consider space as a separate entity independent of ourselves. On the contrary, we should recognize that we are deeply embedded in this spatial continuum, and that our existence is an expression of this space, made up of the same underlying principles that govern the order and harmony of the universe as a whole.

In this worldview, space oscillates, it vibrates, and the waves that make it up are free to come and go according to the great currents that flow through it.

The oscillations on all sides can interact and overlap at any given moment. When this happens, their respective amplitudes and frequencies influence each other, resulting in complex and varied modulations.

By analogy, when two ocean waves meet, they don't necessarily merge into a single massive wave, but rather influence each other, creating new and unique patterns of crests and troughs. Transposed to the microscopic realm of subatomic particles, this interaction leads to similar results, where energy fluctuations intersect, intertwine, and partially overlap, creating fleeting, unstable patterns of force and motion.

Of course, this idea raises many questions and deserves further investigation, including the various ways in which energy fluctuations can manifest and interact with each other. Rest assured that I will return to this topic later.

But before I do, I think it's essential to get a good grasp of infinity. And to do so, I'm going to state a few attributes: as it is limitless, it has no form, it is formless. As it has no limit, its size cannot be calculated, it is sizeless. As it has no limit, it is neither small nor large, it is neither before nor after, it is neither moral nor immoral, nor anything other than what it is, infinite and existing.

We conclude that infinity has no shape based on its very definition, which is the absence of limits. Formally, shape implies limitations: a border, a limit, or a boundary. The same applies to other attributes associated with infinity. For instance, infinity is neither small nor large, as these descriptions imply relative limits. Similarly, infinity is not located in time, meaning there is no past, present, or future, as these notions suggest a succession of discrete moments. Ultimately, infinity is neutral with regard to morality, as it does not explicitly favor good or evil.

These observations directly stem from the intrinsic nature of infinity: its dominant characteristic, the absence of limits, challenges our habit of categorizing and structuring familiar concepts. Faced with infinity, we are forced to broaden our worldview and adapt our restrictive vocabulary to a reality that transcends our conventional mental schemas.

At this point in the demonstration, you will probably tell me that space, like infinity, is undeniably close to the concept of God. However, nothing could be further from the truth. God, it is often said, is merely a mental construct, limited and finite, forged in the human mind and often nurtured by an archetype of domination so ingrained that we end up not perceiving its omnipresence. And although this traditional view of God can in no way be linked to infinity, since it is by nature condemned to finitude, it remains evident that an intelligence is at work in the universe.

Indeed, from a statistical point of view, chance cannot explain the perfection of the world around us. There is obviously an organisation, a harmony that goes beyond anything that a simple random chain of events could produce. This intangible direction testifies to the presence of a force that transcends chance.

Many people will argue that if God is only an archetype and not a reality to which we must offer eternal obedience and submission, then there are no rules and no reason to live or behave like the archetype of a "good person". In my opinion, this is looking at the problem backwards. The concept of God adorns itself with the virtues of infinite space to establish its power over minds. Like all avatars, it inevitably leads those who follow it to a disappointment as abysmal as the hope they had placed in it. If God is an archetype, rules do exist truly, even if they are far from what most traditions and books lead us to believe. But I will return to these important points later.

In summary, Infinity IS, and no other qualifier applies to what it is. Some diehards may say, "Yes, just like God. The sharpest minds will understand that it's the opposite.

Paradoxically, it's precisely in trying to compare infinity to God that apparent contradictions arise, as infinity is, in reality, vastly different from any anthropomorphic representation of the divine. Unlike a personified deity, infinity is an objective reality that cannot be confined within the boundaries of a particular doctrine or subjective worldview.

For example, when we try to rationalize the existence of evil by invoking traditional divine attributes – infinite goodness, omniscience, and omnipotence – we find ourselves in a dead end, as these same attributes should normally make evil impossible. Yet, evil exists, giving rise to an intellectual and spiritual tension known as the "paradox of evil" or "problem of evil."

This paradox highlights the limits of our ability to conceptualize reality by relying solely on material categories and attributes. Our tendency to anthropomorphize what is, can lead to inconsistencies and paradoxes.

The archetype of god cannot embrace what is. It can only lead to dead ends. This is how we recognize that its true use is actually more complex than just allowing us to express the whole.

Philosophers and mathematicians have long been fascinated by the enigmatic infinite, a concept that, while intimately connected to our existence and understanding of the cosmos, remains elusive and undefinable. Also, when we attempt to associate it with god or other metaphysical constructs, we risk compromising its uniqueness and magnificence by reducing it to a mere figure of speech or a heuristic tool.

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Matter

Is there something beyond matter? To answer this question, we need to go beyond our senses and explore what normally escapes our perception. Let's take a simple phenomenon like death. Many of us have now heard of near-death experiences (NDEs). They can generally be described as a series of events that describe what happens after death. According to these accounts, one passes through a tunnel, sees light, and most feel a pleasant sensation in the presence of unconditional love. Exceptionally, some people experience fear of the dark light. Overall, these stories converge on the idea that the end may not be as final as it seems.