Two books in the works

I am currently writing two books. The titles are provisional, but the basic premise of each is pretty clear to me. I started writing the first a few months ago but began to realise that I needed to separate the practical ‘how-to’ part off into its own work.  So now the first book focuses on the knowledge aspect of the first-person perspective — i.e. the truth one can see from this unique vantage point — whilst the second is a practical guide to getting there, with step by step exercises. The two feed and support each other.

One of the problems with the truths I am attempting to convey is that they derive from a very different perspective to the ideas found in conventional ways of thinking. Conventional thinking builds concepts on concepts, thinking about thinking. Most of the energy goes into determining how a new concept fits into the previously accepted conceptual structure. The ‘rational’ person, despite their pretensions, only varies in this respect in that they try and ensure that their thought structures are as coherent as possible. What everyone misses is that the entire conceptual enterprise — what most people would call their world view — is fundamentally based on imagination. By contrast, the truth I am attempting to communicate derives not from thinking, nor from its foot soldier, imagination, but instead from observation and description of what is. My discovery is how to see* without thought clouding the direct perception of that which is seen.

(*note the word see, not look. To see implies that you allow what-is to come to you, whereas the term ‘to look’ has intention in it, some wilful interference)

My declaration is that the true nature of the Universe, God and consciousness are ‘hidden’ in plain sight, obscured by nothing more than our conviction in our own thoughts. It is our insistence on constantly looking at our own imaginary structures that make us unable to see the truth that is right before us: around us and in us. By focusing on that-which-is-not and believing that we are seeing that-which-is means we fail to see the simple truth that is right under our noses.

So to truly understand the reality expressed in these books one needs to learn to observe without thought. Observing without thought is actually very simple; it’s the thinking and conceptual baggage that we habitually project onto everything that makes it seem otherwise. Thinking expects to understand a thing by quickly relating a new concept to our preconceived and tightly held assumptions. The more easily the new concept fits with our previous world-view the easier it is to accept. Learning to see without thought, as I lay out in these books, is a fundamentally different process, which initially may appear confusing. It gets easier with practise, but like learning to drive, ski or dance it takes many hours to master.

First Person Singularity

The incredible reality behind your existence

Our greatest achievements – science, technology, healthcare — all are based on a world-view that is so pervasive and persuasive that we fail to see how it colours our understanding. This normal way of thinking about the world and our place in it I call the third-person perspective because it arises from considering the relationships between the things we see around us. This indeed is the right approach for understanding the external world, but it leaves out a crucial, unarguable element — the first person – the one you call I — the being within you reading these words right now.

In this book I demonstrate an entirely new view of the world that arises when one learns to view experience from the first person perspective. I call this reality the first-person perspective, because it requires you to see the world, and yourself from the perspective of being the subject — the I — the first person — which is your real, unarguable self. In the process of learning to see from this perspective you will come rely on your own experience instead of some external authority so you will not have to take my word for anything and will begin to grow in authority. As you progress you will realise that you and the world are completely different to anything you have ever imagined, and new vistas of being will open up for you.

As it stands right now, the whole of society – including all of philosophers, theologans and scientists, as well as everyone you know – views the world entirely from a third-person perspective. They do not realise they are doing this as it is a deeply embedded habit. But the habit can be broken. I’ve done it. And I’ve done it without recourse to imagination. In this book — First Person Singularity — I will explain how by returning to a first-person perspective the individual regains the power to see the world as it truly is. I will share the extraordinary perceptions that arise about some of the deepest and most meaningful questions: truth, existence, purpose, the universe, God and consciousness.

Topics covered:

• How the whole world – social and academic – is stuck in a third-person perspective and why the tools that work in that framework limit the ability to see clearly.
• How the first person perspective must be approached to enable a totally new vision to be awakened.
• Subjectivity vs objectivity: how they are currently misunderstood
• The power of observation to penetrate to the truth.
• The difference between what-is and what-is-not
• The nothing behind everything.
• How time and space are created out of being.
• The relevance of the speed of light.
• The true structure fo the universe.
• 3, 2, 1, 0… the dimensions of one’s beaing.
• What screens and virtual reality teach us.
• The role of love.
• The singularity at the heart of one’s being

The Cloud of Unknowing Rebooted

A practical guide for reaching the truth within

The Cloud of Unknowing is a 14th century Christian mystical text written by an anonymous author. Essentially it explains how to glimpse the truth beyond existence (God) through emptying ones mind of all thoughts about god — or anything else for that matter — and in so doing to see beyond.

The methods outlined in The Cloud work. They do exactly what they proclaim. I can testify to that. The problem is, that they were written for a long-gone era, when people had no doubt about the reality of God. In the intervening years materialism has taken over our thinking and has drawn a veil across our vision, such that those 600 year old words have lost the power to pierce us and change us.

In my book I am going to provide a set of exercises that  make sense to the modern Western mind. By practising these exercises the Cloud of Unknowing can be approached, entered and held, until that-which-is-beyond finds us and reveals what must be revealed: the truth of one’s being.

Topics include:

• How to start observing yourself.
• Understanding the autopilot.
• Finding some solid ground within.
• Stilling the mind and emotions.
• Looking into the nothing