The matter of initiation

A LOOK IN DEEP SPACE

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen! First,   there   is   the   theory   of   relativity 

Welcome to the intergalactic forum! unearthed   by   Einstein   and   refined   by 
others,   which   simply   states   that   obser­
vation  and observer  are  interdependent, 
The dream of mankind to go beyond the  that   is,   influencing   each   other.   That   in 
known  to   the  unknown  can  become   re­ the course of such a voyage not only the 
ality.  Should  become   reality!   To   clearly  object (what we look at) changes but per­
see and situate the predicament of life on  ception as well (the way we look at). One 
this planet and thus transform it into a  interesting   fact   connected   to   this 
predicament   of  intelligent  life   on   earth  discovery,   and   which   everyone   on   the 
does   not   have   to   remain   a   dream.  trip will eventually experience, is that the 
Dreams are legitimate, nigh, they are ne­ notion of time changes: There may be no 
cessary  and  the precursors  of  things   to  more time left...
come.   Without   dreams,   there   is   no   un­ A   second   result   of   different   scientific 
derstanding   of   the   permeable   space   of  disciplines   such   as   nuclear   physics, 
the possible. Dreams are therefore doors  micro­biology,   and   astrophysics,   shows 
to the impossible.  that deep space is all around us, and, as 
Who would refuse a look in true deep  a matter of fact, within us, and therefore 
space if afforded one? Billions of dollars  the   notion   of  deep,   that   is:   seemingly 
are spent around the world for this pur­ beyond direct sensory access. This deep 
pose but only vague glimpses ­ rather in­ space   shares   the   same   characteristics, 
direct, captured by huge electronic ears,  shows the same vibration patterns, be it 
radio­antennas and interpreted by com­ within   us   or   without   us,   so   that   these 
puters ­ have so far been yielded.  limits become redundant. Therefore, the 
continuum of deep space is quite aloof of 
It should therefore come as a huge sur­
any notion of self or I. Deep space in fact 
prise that there  is  a way for all to afford 
is   where   the   I,   the   observer   is   not. 
more than just glimpses into deep space.  Therefore,   as   long   as   there   is   an   I,   we 
But  to continually stay tuned to the vi­ cannot   see   deeply,   much   less   travel 
stas of deep space, and what's more and  through   it,   even   though   we   hang   in   its 
tops   it   all,   to   realize  THE   DREAM   OF  expanse ­ suspended by it.
DREAMS,   NAMELY:   A   VOYAGE   THRU 
DEEP SPACE.  The structure of it seems to be evenly 
distributed:   vast   expanses   of   nothing 
And this without any intermediary devi­ stretch between things, be they heavenly 
ces (it has been measured that a manned  bodies   or   atoms   (thus,   a   human   body 
space­probe to the Omega  constellation,  condensed fits easily into a needlepoint). 
the   nearest   possible   landing   point   still  Be it in the macro­ or micro­cosmos, the 
well   within   our   Milky   Way   would   con­ behavior   of   its   constituents   follows 
sume more energy than produced on the  similar   uniform   patterns:  similar   ratios 
whole globe) but scientifically and in di­ of great velocity to seeming inertia, distri­
rect   observation   and   flesh­contact   with  buting similar fields of gravity. Therefore, 
deep space! the   definition   of   deep   space   as   a   conti­
To understand the probability and, yes,  nuum:   if   we   penetrate   still   deeper   into 
feasibility   of   this   it   is   necessary   to   re­ deep   space,   into   the   sub­atomic   realm, 
mind us of the results of some scientific  we   observe   a   great   deal   of   movement: 
research   and   understand   what   is   so  what comes into existence almost imme­
deep  about   space.   Research   has   shown  diately   disappears.   Physicists   have   con­
two  very   important   facts  to  those  inter­ densed   all   the   existing   phenomena   to 
ested in intergalactic travel:  four   fundamental   forces   active   in   the 
universe:   gravity,   fluidity   (or   cohesion), 
temperature and movement.
 Assuming   there   is   a   way   to   galactic  First the cleanliness of their dwellings, 
travel   open   to   all,   independent   of   our  and the humility of their demeanor strike 
linear notion of time:  could it be that its   you. As a first time visitor it may not be 
technology   has   been   encapsulated   in   clear to you that the protocol, the hierar­
some   form   to   survive   various   relative   chy, the gestures, the composure, the de­
perceptions   of   time,  tainted   as   they   are   portment,   the   looks,   the   greetings,   and 
with local culture, local beliefs and under­ the   exchange   of   water   are   all   part   of   a 
standing?  Let’s   call   the   process   using  teaching of initiation. 
this   technology   initiation.   Let’s   assume  As   a   modern   man   you   have   come   to 
further that the technology resides at the  look   for  tools,   as   symbols   of   mastery. 
heart of religion, mostly unrecognized. And, indeed, you will find what we call a 
Each   period   of   mankind   has   its   hue  rosary. Not very convincing for the high­
concerning   the   captivating   notion   of  tech   space­age   microchip   invader!   But 
time. E.g. in the middle ages, the stagge­ look, what a rosary  is:  beads assembled 
ring   and   absolute   faith   in   God   around  on a string. These beads are passed one 
which   civilization   was   shaped,   and   lite­ by one through the fingers in a mindful 
rally   all   decisions   were   taken   ­   even  way,   often   accompanied   with   a   mutte­
small   ones   of   daily   necessities,   made  ring, a murmur, a ‘holy’ word or phrase. 
time   relational   to   God.   God   was  With the making of contact between each 
experienced  as eternal,  beyond  time.  To  bead and the fingers, a new moment  to 
many,   whose   beliefs   and   actions   were  perceive  this has arrived. It demands at­
rooted in constant contact of the fact of  tention from one's mind. Then, this mo­
divine   intervention   from   beyond   time,  ment is gone. A new one may arise with 
time   took   on   the   quality   of   a   straight­ the awareness of pressure or heat gene­
jacket, of suffering, and the references to  rated by the contact. Whatever it will be, 
a   so­called   ‘here­after’   were   numerous  it could be anything.  Important is to ob­
and   certain.   We   can   still   observe   this  serve   what  is. So  one mind  is following 
medieval   conception   of   time   in   Muslim  another   mind.   A   mind   of   softness   may 
countries, for instance in Africa. Invoking  precede a mind of awareness of touch; a 
the mercy of Allah precedes every action,  mind   of joy  may   precede  a  mind  of the 
and many a word!  perception   of   joy,   or   a   mind   full   of   the 
mortality   of  the   moment,   it   all   depends 
There are human beings, who by their 
on   what   prevails   at   this   particular   and 
constant   appreciation   of   the   supra­
unique never­to­come­back moment. The 
temporal workings ­ you may call it the 
experience could humble you, since you 
mercy of Allah, divine intervention ­ have 
will  discover,  that  whatever  may  prevail 
mastered to exit time the way we know it. 
at a particular moment of observation is 
Yes,   for   those   candidates   with   inter­
not of your doing but beyond your con­
galactic   ambitions:   to   exit   time   will   be 
trol! And this gives you a first cue to this 
necessary   to   capture   the   edges   of   a 
modest   tool,   capable   to   shake   some 
universe receding at light speed!
deep­rooted assumptions about yourself.
These saintly men are called Marabouts 
Its   seeming   simplicity   actually   implies 
in Saharan Africa, and, yes, as you make 
unlimited   access   to   what  is,   at   a   given  
your way to their often hidden dwellings, 
difficult to get at, you are astonished to  moment. To what can be perceived in the 
see around the bend of the road, or after  temporal   world   of   moments   following 
having  negotiated  a  cliff,   their  places  of  more  moments.   It  could   be,  before  long 
worship ­ of work. Indeed, very often they  for some, that the nature of time reveals 
resemble   space   platforms,   with   their  itself.   The   very   porous,   ephemeral,   im­
domed   houses   and   mosques,   strewn   in  permanent, uncontrollable, haunting and 
the expanses of the desert. Now, I cannot  unsatisfactory   nature   of   time   to   which 
ascertain   that   they   are   intergalactic  our existence is bound and subject  can 
travelers, but of some I suppose them to  come as quite a shock to those who live 
be. What could be their technologies?  time   solidly   and   thickly   ­   usually   assu­
ming   that   others   also   live   by   the   same 
time,   equally   solidly   and   thickly.   Quite 
wrongly,   since   each   person   paces   and  closer   detail.   Actually,  this   is  what   ma­
lives   time   on   his   or   her   own   terms   ­  kes time: that we are never quite looking, 
aware of it or not! As a rule we are so to­ not   quite   knowing   ­   from   moment   to 
tally absorbed by our own making of time  moment  ­  the weaving of time.  There is 
that we don’t take note of it at all. We all  observation   and   there   is   what   is 
splash hugely around with moments. observed.   He   understands:   There   is 
Time management!  mind,   there   is   matter   ­   and   at   each 
contact   between   the   two   there   is   the 
Highly paid decision­makers know that  making   of   time.   Thus   the   possibility   of 
there   are   different   times,   and   that   they  deep  space travel  within, literally  at his 
shape   perceptions.   Self­aligning   natural  fingertips,   unfolds.   No   smooth   ride   for 
ability­hierarchies   are   shaping   and  most, at first, due to all the mind­matter 
reshaping   the   modern   corporation   in  clutter jumping into view and hindering 
ever­shorter intervals offering executives  traffic through to final destination.
fluidity  and rapid mobility  to the extent 
of their mastery, if not wizardry of time!  For   this   kind   of   inner­world 
This measures  success  in  their context:  galactonaut,   to   observe   ever   more 
The skilful mining of one’s time and the  minutely   the   interaction   of   both   matter 
skilful   mining   of   other   people’s   other  and   mind   becomes   the   engine   for 
times.  burning   up   the   fossilized   fuel   of   the 
conceptual landscapes of his past which 
What   the   marabout   and   the   modern  have till now been hindering the vision of 
executive   have   in   common   is   a   certain  being and making the present. His nose 
skillfulness   with   time.   Achievement   is  steadfast   at   the   edge   of   time,   he   is 
measured in time. Efficiency is measured  unwaveringly   travelling   through.   The 
by   the   time   available.   The   joy   derived  frozen images of his past are recognized 
from success and wealth is contagious to  as errors of calibration when striving for 
the   notion   of   gaining   maximum  one’s higher nature by earlier efforts for 
momentum with a minimum of effort. transcendence.   Time   vanishes   to   the 
Marabout   and   executive   share  extent his vision improves as he lets the 
alertness to this ever­vanishing precious  past past. This was meant by the word: 
commodity   of   time.   They   sense   it   as   a  Let the dead bury the dead. 
fugitive,   fleeting   resource.   But   their  As one gets familiar with the making of 
employment,   their   objectives   are   dif­ time   by   personal   physical   experience 
ferent. While one wants to gain time (for  through   ceaseless   endeavor,   flashes   of 
golf?   Or   to   reach   that   outer­space  the   unmaking   of   time   come   into   reach. 
watering   hole),   the   other   is   striving   to  The   knowledge   of   the   first   lets   shine 
gain timelessness.  through   the   knowledge   of   the   latter.   In 
To him, time is already available, quite  the cool­shining light and in view of the 
literally readily at hand: To the extent he  disappearance   of   time   the   feel   and   the 
makes it available for his research, it’s a  field   of   reality   become   unmoving:   The 
raw material he uses as input to gain a  philosopher's   stone,   by   which   the   im­
precision   tool   in   combination   with   the  mutable   divine   order   is   signed,   is   un­
rosary: a sharp mind. In the cauldron of  veiled and manifests upon his heart. The 
the   mind,   time   may   swap   at   first   and  heart, organ of his vision sees now in a 
rush,   behaving   wildly.   This   is   normal,  different light ­ clad ­ as he would never 
since it hadn't been pinned down before  have  imagined  before  (Allah  is  so  much 
and   domesticated.   This,   however,   is  more   generous!)   ­   in   the   black   basalt 
needed   to   comprehend   lucidly   the  cube   of   the   Ka'aba!   There   is   now 
contraction   and   expansion   of   the  tremendous   light   in   the   dark, 
universe   as   viewed   from   each   vantage­ tremendous   lightness   in   the   solidity   of 
point. Things are relative: this resurrected meteor of the heart! This 
immovable   breathless   sight   of   utter 
The   universe   expands   from   all   its 
selflessness   around   which   all   things 
points   as   well   as   collapses   into   all   its 
seem to move1 shines on all these things, 
points. And this all the time, or at least 
whenever we care to look or to know in 
1
Even a non-Muslim can get a glimpse of the emotion
by watching this metaphor - staged yearly by over 2
souls and sorrows with endless compas­ according to the rising of the sun and the 
sion and the wish for all those  'standing  lunar cycle. One also discovers Islam ­ in 
out' in time and space to attain paradise.  its   substance   as   well   as   in   its   repre­
Tremendous   resonance   fills   his   heart  sentations of buildings, decorations etc. ­ 
with  la   illahu   il­Allah!2  And   the   true  to   be   riddled   with   references   to   'outer 
understanding   of  Allahu   akbar!  A   vast  space',   to   niches   and   the  effervescent, 
display beyond all words. porous  and vanishing  nature  of  time.  If 
Islam   may   have   guarded   secrets   con­
He   has   accomplished   his   pilgrimage, 
cerning   space­travel   which   outsiders 
the hajj; the heart has found its seat in 
usually   consider   to   be   'just'   a   spiritual 
the core of matter. All this by just sitting 
initiation and evolution, it does not have 
there, starting from what is available to 
a   monopoly.   Different   spacecraft   are 
him whenever he comes back to it: body 
available,   but   they   all   use   the   same 
and mind, the senses and mind!
unchanging laws concerning the overco­
Prayers do not strike us as vehicles for  ming of human gravity. We are not living 
outer space. Though they are, their un­ in a prayerful culture as we can find in 
popularity is part of a misunderstanding  some other areas of the world. And even 
as   being   parochial,   retarded,  'religious',  once there, our head gets in the way of 
and   above   all   old­fashioned.   Time   has  practice,   of   submission.   Therefore,   our 
taken   its   toll,   simply   not   being   under­ access   may   be   more   easily   secured   by 
stood anymore, being transmitted not by  scientific observations of time.
extra­terrestrial   space­engineers   disgui­
Thus,   in   animist   West­Africa,   esoteric 
sed as angels3  but by clergymen  disgui­
traditions   and   initiations   into   shape­
sed   in   supermen   attire   more   known   for 
changing, dream­travel, dream­time and 
aberrant   behavior,   they   present   hardly 
other unusual  crafts  are  still  communi­
an incentive to try.
cated   and   the   weaving   of   the   spiritual 
There   are   prayers   which   function   like  with   the   material   world   in   all   affairs   of 
keys   to   denote   subsequent   realities   en­ life   is   such   an   utterly   prevalent   reality 
countered in time­travel, just like rockets  like   traffic­lights   in   a   big   city.   And   it 
which   throw   off   boosters   on   their   way  works as such: 
out of gravity.
It's   the   commonly   shared   un­
Witness   the   hours   of   prayer   in   a  derstanding of all West­Africans, that the 
Muslim   market­place   where   everything  different notions of time, namely rhythm, 
comes to a stand­still, traffic stops, and  have   to   pass   the   time­less   at   every 
prayer,   physical,   bodily   prayer   starts   to  moment   and   particularly   at   crossroads. 
penetrate   time   and   discover   its   porous  Just   as   traffic   lights   regulate   traffic   in 
and   conditioned   fabric:   spread   out   over  Western   urban   areas,   the   different 
public areas for all to see and participate  psycho­physical   speeds   of   members   of 
in.  West­African societies are constantly in­
With   awe   we   discover   that   public  tercepted,   scrutinized   and   responded   to 
transport   have   built­in   prayer­breaks  in   a   communal,   continuous   manner   by 
other members of society acting as spiri­
million pilgrims from allover the world in the central tual   observers   and   the   spiritually 
court of the Holy Mosque at Makkah.
2
observed  at  the  same  time. They do  not 
In the language of the Buddha: Sabbe sankhara
think   that   time   is   lost   in   the   process   ­ 
anicca, sabbe dhammâ anattati (All objects of existence often   experienced   as   cumbersome   by 
are bound to vanish, all objects of being are free from foreigners   (heard   of   custom   procedures 
self).
3 in Nigeria?) The 'people­continuum' testi­
Read the description in the Bible of the people who fies   to   time   by   assessing   mind   over 
warned Lut to leave Sodom.
Djibril appeared to Muhammad (peace and blessings
matter, the core of African tradition ­ and 
of Allah upon him) and his companions (may Allah be its essential institution ­ without which it 
pleased with them) as a black-haired stranger in shining is lost. One is scrutinized to the probabi­
white without any signs of journeying and asked the
prophet: Explain «Ihsân¸. The prophet said: It is to lity of his righteousness at this moment 
worship Allah [from moment to moment] as though you in   time.   This   is   done   in   a   playful, 
see him, and while you see him not yet truly, [you
continue to know that] He sees you. leisurely, laid­back way belying the rigor 
of   hidden   examination   and,   indeed,  want   to  assess   the  probabilities   of  arri­
cross­examination,  taking  place.  It   is in  ving safely before taking off.
the   nature   of   the   people   who   do   not  It is at this point you will be looking for 
know   anything   else,   and   could   not  a   tradition,   for   knowledge  capsulated, 
fathom   life   without   it.   But   for   all  and   you   will   be   looking   for   evidence, 
consciousness   is   clear,   that   perception,  since it can be safely assumed that you 
time and space is involved and that they  are not the first  human being who ever 
are variables expressed in one's behavior.  arrived, by desire and intelligence, at this 
This   helps   explain   West   Africa's   diffe­ conclusion.
rent   pace   and   direction   of   development  It may not occur to you that in this part 
from the rest of the world, and the sur­ of   the   world   Islam   in   its   own 
prises awaiting many an unwary visitor ­  understanding   is   such   a   vehicle.   Take 
hinged on a different concept of time.  therefore   a   large   mind   able   to 
This goes to show that there are diffe­ accommodate surprising options!
rent   notions   of   time   and   that   they   are  Constantly caught up by its own snags, 
shaping life and awareness much, much  of   its   own   making,   ordinary   mind   has 
more   than   is   commonly   acknowledged.  unlimited   capacity   for   pitfalls,   rash 
With so much possible and actual, that  judgments,   fumbling   and   stumbling! 
is   virtual   conditioning   as   regards   time  Under   such   circumstance   it   would   be 
and   space,   culturally   as   well   as   physi­ clearly   unwise   to   send   any   body   on   a 
cally,   if   we   want   to   ready   us   for   the  300.000   km   per   second   mission   equip­
ultimate   trip   we   need   some   quiet   and  ped with so much faulty decision making 
solid   ground   and   schedule.   We   do   not  power. Simply put ­ and lucky for them ­ 
need   the   bustling   nervousness   of   the  that is why so many people never get off 
time­shuttle just before take­off!  the ground...
What is difficult to do is to accumulate  After   all,   the   part   of   the   body   already 
time. Time is here and now, actually, it is  traveling at the speed of light is our mind 
only here and now. Passed time has gone  ­   in   the   form   of   electromagnetic   waves 
and future  time  has not yet  arrived.  So  called   thought.   Only   thought   is   usually 
here   and  now  is  the  only   time  we  have  not aware of its velocity. In order to know 
truly got, but we would rather be some­ it needs to relate itself to something. This 
where else, like on intergalactic mission,  something   is   body,   matter   ­   something 
with a female companion, that is.  we   easily   recognize   due   to   its   relative 
Unfortunately, we do not have the time.  slowness  ­ as no­mind.  Matter is as far 
(do  we  have time? time has us.) So, we  as   we   can   go   from   mind,   as   far   as   we 
should consider something to be skewed  need   to   go   to   start   the   mental 
with our asset management: Each of us,  benchmarking.   The   closest   in   this 
if he is slightly lucky, disposes of about  domain between matter and mind is our 
half   his   lifetime   left,  once   he   discovers   own body, and we needn't go further (like 
this fact:  We have ­ after the daily chores  scientists do, at the CERN for instance. 
­ time left to dedicate uniquely to time ­  They   do   so   due   to   some   laziness   in 
our mind's resource ­ and its exploration.  focused   thinking,   and   hampered   by   the 
Because,   by now, we  have realized  that  traditional   western   belief   in   apparatus. 
the   Marabout   approach   to   time   though  This has led to these huge contraptions 
not   easy   either,   is   more   probable   to   be  which   try   to   shed   light   on   light, 
successful   than   executive   time   ma­ something   in   its   finality   only   human 
nagement   as   regards   interstellar   incen­ mind   can   do   by   its   own   empowerment, 
tive travel.  its   own   alighting.   This   of   course   does 
revolutionize   current   viewpoints   on 
As   time   is   very   porous   by   Einsteinian 
evolution and creation of unverses.) 
standards and saintly experience, highly 
compressible as well as expandable (ever  By   focusing   mind   on   our   body   syste­
lived through a nightmare? It lasted se­ matically   (that   is:   from   moment   to   mo­
conds, those eternities. Ever had a good  ment), by having the mind travel on and 
time?   You   wished   you   had   more),   you  through the topos of matter, it will like a 
magnet   pry   off   particles   and   burn   off  suffering   until   ready   to   incarnate   when 
their energy. Gaining speed and therefore  ‘time’   (here   in   the   sense   of   lapse   of 
gaining glimpses of its speed until speed  remembrance) is up. A thought is a seed 
of   mind   becomes   visible   to   itself   in   full  and produced as such to procreate one's 
velocity.   Mind   eventually   is   present  characteristics and whims.) They are the 
throughout   body,   throughout   matter  wings   of   desire   and   will   faithfully   fulfil 
through   such   initiatory   work.   It’s   a  their   content.   You   may   doubt   this,   and 
slightly starved framework, a poor mind  the   capacity   of   your   mind   to   produce 
(as in the sermon of the Mount) in a poor  such powerful thoughts. You forget that 
setting which  turns our life,  a  naturally  all your doubts and other negativity (fear 
occurring   combustion   process,   into  etc.)   are   just   as   powerful   mental 
building   our   own   particle   accelerator,  formations   bound   to   fulfil   themselves, 
turning matter into awareness.  creating lots of confusion (and therefore 
By introducing a process of equanimity  proving the point you are doubting right). 
comparable   to   revolving   x­ray   radar   or  Streamlining your output would certainly 
steadfast mining by laser, matter is pried  have very beneficial results on your life, 
off   and   becomes   airborne4.   We   are   now  thanks to your Quest. 
engaged   in   particle   physics   with   a   true  Because such formations are obviously 
glimpse of our own make­up and destiny.  painful, the ego is quite bewildered by its 
As   the   body   is   scrutinized   by   mind  unhappy,   tormented   and   paranoid 
(through   systematic   contact   with  offspring.   Haunted,   this   earthling   cries 
sensations),   the   way   mind   does   so  out   for   babyhood,   and   pampering   to 
becomes also a matter of scrutiny. As the  illusion   compounds   much   of   human 
body (‘son’) becomes thoroughly object of  activity.
mind   (‘father’),   mind   also   becomes   an  But   pleasure   formations   are   ever   so 
object of observation (‘Holy Ghost’5). The  much   suffering   because   caught   in   time 
pretext of the body allows us to observe  and therefore bound to end. With a bit of 
mind at work. The process of observation  lucidity   and   some   resistance   to   desire, 
becomes   itself   object   of   observation.   As  an   inkling   of   renunciation,   their   habit­
we approach the velocity of time in pure  pattern   can   be   checked   and   finally 
observation,   there   is  transformation6  of  broken   by   intermittent   matter­of­fact 
matter (form) and observation (formation­ acknowledgement of their utter tempora­
information7).  lity.   This   creates   light   in   the   dark   and 
Actually,   in   doing   so   you   are   doing  helps you to start looking at life from the 
something   unconventional,   and   thus  liberation   point   of   view,   the   liberation 
breaking the cycle of existence. In intro­ point of you.
spective   radar­like   observation,   you   are  True   emancipation   lies   in   cooling   out 
turning   the   fleeting   particles   of   matter  our powerhouse with humble gestures of 
(=vibration,   subtle   and   not   so   subtle,  surrender, with dust on the forehead. 
coming to you as thoughts, imaginations, 
all   kinds   of   sensations   like   heat   etc.)  E= mc2
unto matter and unto itself.  E stands for Enlightenment here (or 
The natural process would be to let the  Extinction because you are not taking 
fleeting   particles   of   matter   procreate   as  anything along in this process of 
thoughts   or   emotions.   (A   thought   is   a  Emancipation). M stands for mass like in 
vibration   caught   in   its   own   time­wrap  body. Multiplied (that means solidly 
drenched electron by electron) with c 
4
Some sight levitation, some cite a feeling of joyous
lightness
times c, that is, speed of light aware of 
itself, photon by photon, as in pure ob­
5
in christian initiation terminology servation.
6
This relates to resurrection, to continue the analogy Realigning mind with matter means re­
further.
tooling the body with clarity.
7
The inconceivable Pancuppadânakhanda of the
Abhidhamma: rûpa=form, sanna=information,
This is the purpose meditation. Not any 
sankhâra=formation, vinnâna=transformation, and meditation, but meditation with mindful­
vedana=sensation
ness, the teaching of which is around. It 
will contain observation of the body, and 
the  sensations   appearing   and   vanishing 
within   the   body   ­   your   spacecraft.   You 
will learn to tune it, not to hard and not 
to soft, like an instrument, which it is. In 
time   (watching   takes   time   mainly   be­
cause we don't look, even while at it, so 
the process is at first very intermittent) it 
will  be   transformed   through   continuous 
observation  into a precision  inter­stellar 
telescope   and   sub­atomic   microscope. 
(What foretelling and beautiful irony that 
what  is  observed  will  turn  into  an  eye!) 
You   will   learn   ways   to   navigate   with 
poise   in   very   thin   air8  where   very   little 
adjustment will be needed to keep you on 
course. 
You   will   be   receiving   enlightening 
messages on the way on how to get rid of 
weight you have carried along so far ­ so 
you   can   shine   forth   as   well   ­   radiating 
goodness, joy, compassion and peace.
You may even become a fixed or hono­
red object in the Human Sky; they may 
give   you   a   name.   Though   this   matters 
not.
Care for directions to the desert?
Marc   Reinhardt,   Managing   Researcher,  
CRI   Centre   de   Recherche   Initiatique,  
Dakar, 16. August 1995

The mention of thin air is not just parable: The

technique of tuning mind with matter involves the
observation of breath, an object difficult to fathom due
to its subtlety. As one learns to take note of this
subtlety, more subtlety is unveiled to the point where
the totality of ambient instability concerning time and
space is clearly perceived. By and from this
experimental perspective of a Heisensteinian sea of
uncertainty, attention/perception becomes firmly
hinged to a very subtle breath and - paradoxically -
certainty is attained. The actual experience of deep
space is an unraveling process of great humility.