I will mention here that it is no coincidence that banks and nations are the ones who value and wish to control ‘gold coins’ and the other representative forms of value the most, this to be able to maintain a monopoly of force. This facilitates a monopoly of everything else, including information control. This then enables the control of societal norms, habits and beliefs through representative forms of meaning; via a virtual assault of symbols, words, colors and sounds, rather than allowing individual and collective meaning to develop organically through individual and shared collective experiences that would reveal meaning directly.

Conversely, I will mention here that some of the most lovely ‘civilizations’ were the indigenous ones that had no real interest gold or money and thrived without representative value systems and were deeply connected to nature/source. We also see that these cultures did allow individual and collective meaning to develop organically through individual and shared collective experiences, through ritual and communing with nature, having meaning revealed directly through the spirit from the unmolested natural surroundings.

After fully considering the above it can safely be concluded that the only meaning and value that a ‘gold coin’ possess is the result of individual people or groups of individuals deciding, agreeing and believing that it has value and meaning and acting as such. This then is where desire, clinging and attachment come in, arising due to all sorts of misapprehensions and false imaginations causing untold folly, misfortune and the idea of lack rather than abundance. What is the natural condition of man suppose to be in the earth realm? How are we to be sustained?

‘Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on… But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ -Jesus.

Take note that the instruction here does not forbid taking action, only forbidding thought/worry. I think the main take away from this quote is to move away from the fear of lack and the need to hoard for the future. Do we really need insurance? What is insurance really anyway? I am convinced proper attention and action at the right time is always your best insurance.

Proper attention looks past the false ideas that men have created that cover the; ’unrestricted, complete, perfect, unconditional, eternal, limitless, fullness of agency and Intent, animating, vital and life giving principle influencing a living being’. Man and society’s coverings and false imaginations can weaken and even sever the ‘divine and source/soul connection’ if followed long enough. I think this is quite visible collectively here in the western modernized world.

The last tradition I would like to look at here is the Toltec/shamanic tradition as described by Carlos Castaneda. What is significantly different about the shamanic path in comparison to the Buddhist and Gnostic/Judaeo-Christian ones is that the later two, through a degradation of the true teachings, has marginalized the active aspects, those of the Bodhisattva and ‘greater works shall you do’ and have stagnated and instilled great passivity. There is nothing passive in the shamanic path, it is all expedient action with sobriety and impeccability towards seeing and realizing the All, the Nagual.

‘For sorcerers (shaman), there’s no pondering, wondering, or speculating. They know that all they have is the possibility of merging with the intent of infinity, and they just do it.’ ‘Everything you do has to be an act of sorcery. An act free from encroaching expectations, fears of failure, hopes of success. Free from the cult of me; everything you do has to be impromptu, a work of magic where you freely open yourself to the impulses of the infinite.’

                        ‘It is the nature of infinity,

                once you cross a certain threshold,

                    to put a blueprint in front of us.

                   You will find endless wealth in it’

                                                    –Don Juan

We also see very similar descriptions of the All/Infinite/Nagual, as described earlier, in Don Juan’s teachings.

‘Some say Nagual is All That Is, and that it is concentrated into a shape known as the Tonal.’ also ‘The Nagual and the Tonal are dual aspects of reality and being such are perceived either through the First Attention, where we experience the Tonal, or the Second Attention where we experience the Nagual.’

All of one’s practices/actions in this tradition are geared, directed and performed so as to enable proper attention and ‘seeing’ thus enabling true action aided by the spirit/intent itself.

‘To abstract means to make yourself available to the spirit by being aware of it’ ‘To understand the Nagual one is instructed to turn everything into what it really is, the abstract, the spirit, the Nagual.’

We will continue our inquiry by turning our attention now to the symbol Ouroboros (tail devourer/shown here); the following interpretations of these next symbols are to do two things. First, to provide another example of how similar symbols or ‘things’ can have such wide variance of interpretation, meaning and value; and second, to try and show how the nature of the way that symbols and metaphors reveal reality does not have to conform to standard logical possibility as they hold many facets of meaning depending on the context and complexity of the environment as well as the other symbols and metaphors simultaneously considered in one’s observation or contemplation.

I will define Ouroboros here as: that which devours its own tail. In my interpretation, the symbol represents the lower nature of man individually, as well as representing entropy, disharmony and negative thought forms universally/collectively. It is man continually chasing its own tail, feeding off the lower energies, ignorance, false imagination, clinging and grasping, lust, greed, sloth etc… Collectively, tyranny, slavery, war, famine, the ‘devil’ etc… Although somewhat different, most common interpretations of the Ouroboros do emphasize a destructive aspect and include a cyclical aspect.

The symbol shown further below, although some may argue is the same symbol as above, is actually quite different in my view. Since Ouroboros literally means ‘tail devourer’ and since my interpretation of this symbol differs, I call it ‘I Am’. I see and define it as: That which speaks itself into existence and represents the highest nature of man individually, and universally, through un-manifest will, the great dragon/nature itself.

In my interpretation, the symbol on the left, is willing its own being (speaking its own face) into existence through its own intelligence and intent. In man, by living the higher principles, wisdom, love and joy, essentially multiplying them, he is then creating/expressing and is not destroying/consuming. This image below is showing man expelling, purging or throwing up its own tail/lower nature after he has seen and recognized his ‘original face’ and highest self, and then decides to become the latter. Universally, it represents the All, nature, the mysterious and beautiful planet and cosmos/universe continually ‘becoming’ itself.

In man, he is not to merely awaken, but to become the ‘wake maker’, the face and intent of the dragon itself. Thus turning himself into what he ultimately is, the abstract, the spirit, the Nagual.

It may be, that the reason the second explanation is not usually seen or embraced is that it involves a conundrum, an apparent logical impossibility, possibly two, that seems to defy our senses, reason and programming. One would have to actually accept the possibility that the manifest reality could come from the unseen/nothing, the un-manifest. One would also have to accept the idea that the manifest/man is aware that he can ‘host’ and actively participate as Intent/Spirit.

I will interject here that the contrary notion, as mainstream science would have us believe, that matter, however it was created, somehow arranged itself in order to enable and allow consciousness to be born within it seems of the utmost absurdity. That any number of inanimate objects could be ordered in such a way that life/consciousness would be created defies reason and even what is observed in nature.

‘Beckoning ‘intent’ to resolve the conflict of your two minds, or to hear the voice of your true mind, is not a petty or arbitrary matter. Quite the contrary; it is ethereal and abstract, and yet as vital to you as anything can be.’ –Don Juan

A tree is quite ‘unseen’ when one views a seed, however the ‘seed’ is the only thing which can make the ‘abstract’ tree, from one’s initial viewpoint of the seed, a reality. The tree in essence however was ‘within’ the seed from the beginning.

To the extent that one can fully internalize these conditions in one’s life by expressing proper intent (seed) through words and actions, is to the extent that almost any experience can become possible in one’s life. It would follow then that, if there is a connectedness amongst the entire universe that is in the dimensions of the unseen and if our connection with the universe is in the intuitive and un-manifest apparatus that is ‘within’ us, also the ‘unseen’, then it is here that proper discernment and calibrations must take place in order to align ourselves with reality. The Buddha describes how a ‘turning about’ in ones deepest levels of consciousness takes place though the patient acceptance of the two fold egolessness, the recognition of the non-substantive and transient nature of both things and beings.

When we settle for and draw conclusions from representative forms of understanding too tightly we can often limit our ability to intuit metaphoric content that transcends the rational mind. Having any kind of conception of what God is, especially visually, will most likely put you at a loss. How much of what we see, is metaphorically only the ‘finger pointing’ towards something and how much is actually the real thing?

The best way to understand most of what has been discussed in this writing is through one’s own experiences of the mundane activities of life, this by observing one’s motives and intent in any and all activities one undertakes. The effects of deep seated beliefs, assumptions and habits built on false premises can encourage a multitude of improper actions. Only the individual, of their own accord, can initiate these observations, this going within, and look as deeply as possible at all things. As is often the case, the initial glimpse of these false assumptions may only be seen when something extreme happens in one’s life that then makes ones question things.

‘It is Aphrodite (desire and attachment) that enslaves the soul

and it is only through strife that it is finally set free’       

-Persephone to Empedocles (Peter Kingsley:Reality)

One of these deep seated beliefs and assumptions are the commonly held ideas, fears and beliefs regarding death. However, it is generally accepted that in many of the ancient traditions ‘learning how to die before you die’ has been the fast track to deeper initiations and enlightenment. There are many rituals and practices described that simulate or induce this ‘ego death’, ‘dark night of the soul’, or ‘end of the world’ experiences which are designed to reveal the unreality of one’s own existence and the ‘world’ they had previously thought was real. Most of what has been so far written in this article points to this conclusion. Ultimately however, this is not as negative as it sounds.

‘Sorcerers, however do have the upper hand; they have someone whispering in their ear that everything is ephemeral. The whisperer is death, the infallible advisor, the only one who won’t ever tell you a lie.’ -Don Juan

To express my own understanding of the idea I would like to use an old biblical story. Although I strongly believe that not only are the scriptures compromised, mistranslated and misinterpreted, I also believe the entirety of our language and symbols have been hijacked. Nevertheless, this will be my own interpretation of the story, however the events and their order in this story as described below are fairly accurate to the KJV of the bible.

Prior to the creation of Eve, God created a garden fill with fruit bearing trees and puts Adam therein. God then instructs Adam to eat of any of the trees except the one in the middle, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (his own innate knowing), God then tells Adam that ‘in the day that though shall eat from this tree you shall surely die’. So God is essentially saying to Adam that he can stay in paradise if he agrees to stay ignorant and just follow orders (sounds like government to me and not a loving creator). It is after this that God then creates Eve.

After that, while in the garden, a serpent asks Eve if God said that they can eat from all of the trees. In response, without describing how she knew, she tells the serpent that she cannot eat or even touch the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden, or she will die. After persuasion from the serpent, who tells her that her eyes will be open by eating this fruit and she will be as a god knowing good and evil, Eve then agrees that it is good and proceeds to eat of it with Adam. Their eyes were then opened and then they knew they were naked so they then made coverings for themselves. Subsequently, God then expels Adam and Eve from the garden.

Let us focus now only on the concepts of naked and death, which were linked in this story, as I believe these to be of utmost significance. Naked is usually defined as ‘without clothing’ or ‘uncovered’ but it also means ‘bare’ (barren) or ‘empty’ (egoless?). However, metaphorically it ultimately means that there is nothing separating them from their environment. When there is no separation between two things then they are in fact one thing. If there were two previously and now there is only one, then surely one has died. The story and this article both confirm however that this is not a physical death.

‘The embrace of one’s death is the notice of assessment against one’s fear. No further debts can be incurred at this juncture.’ –Chiron Last

Is it not true that ‘we are what we eat’? it is then by consuming this inner knowing, going within, that we ‘become’ the inner knowing/wisdom and by that knowledge it enables one to recognize our own nakedness to the universe/the All, by being one with it, by actually being it. The metaphoric activities of both the Ouroboros and ‘I am’ are simultaneous, our lower ‘manifest’ nature is consumed by expelling it and our higher ‘un-manifest’ nature is expressed by consuming it.

‘The only way to have a grip on our world is by fully accepting that we are beings on the way to dying. However, it’s not the mere acceptance that does the trick. We have to embody that acceptance and live it all the way through… Sorcerers throughout the ages have said that the view of our death is the most sobering view that exists’ –Don Juan

This death then that we are in fear of has actually already occurred, we just don’t know it yet. This is the cosmic joke, a divine comedy.

It may even be more accurate to say that the thing or existence that we think we are has never even been born and never will be. This may all be due to misidentification.

‘The exalted state of self-realization is a state of mental concentration in which one seeks to identify himself with Wisdom itself while annihilating all vagrant thoughts and notions belonging to the externality of things, and all ideas of individuality and generality, of suffering and impermanence, and cultivate the noblest ideas of egolessness and emptiness and imagelessness; thus will he attain a realization of truth that is free from passion and is ever serene. While intuition does not give information that can be analyzed and discriminated, it gives that which is far superior, self-realization through identification.’ –Buddha, Lankavatara Sutra

‘Inner silence is a peculiar state of being in which one can function from a level other than that of daily awareness, it is the suspension of the internal dialogue, the perennial companion of thought, and is therefore a state of profound quietude. It is a state in which perception doesn’t depend on the senses, it is another faculty that man has, the faculty that makes him a magical being.

The desired result of Inner Silence is called stopping the world, the moment when everything around us ceases to be what it’s always been. This is the moment when one returns to the true nature of man, also called it total freedom, the moment when man the slave becomes man the free being, capable of feats of perception that defy our linear imagination.’ –Don Juan

‘That which has no intrinsic substance and no other sort of substance does not burn, and what does not burn is not extinguished; such lack of extinction is the meaning of ‘peace.’

The ultimate absence of misapprehensions is the intrinsic nature of the mind (the All).’ -Buddha, Vimalakirti sutra

This brings us to the third and final temple. This temple however is quite different from the others in a significant way. This temple is transcendent and metaphoric. ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’ of this third and final temple. What did the builders reject? They rejected idea that there is actually no stone and no temple, that there ultimately no-thing at all, nothing that they can truly control. That the entirety of the whole universe consists of one essence and is oneness itself, how can one conceive or speak of anything that can contain it or be outside of it.

‘At any time, man could not be nearer to or further away from God; that which is eternal, ever present, without limitation or boundary, is accessible to all things at all times. Thus, life per se is available to man at all times’ – Paracelsus

‘How can one speak of a relationship with the infinite? Is ones nose related to their face? Or is it by falsely imagining ‘nose’ as a separate and independent entity that one can come to this conclusion.’

‘The Nagual has been described as an Impersonal, personal source of the center of spirituality. In short, it interacts in human existence but the Nagual does not have human emotional qualities of compassion, love or empathy, In short the Nagual does not ‘care’ for humans individually.’ -Don Juan

‘Life really is, not the avoidance of death. What we call life, is fundamentally, willingness to die…

The game goes on you see, if you take a chance.’

–Alan Watts

Although this battle may be metaphoric in that the only true enemies which must be sought out and eliminated are illusion, ignorance and folly, however the willingness to die must be completely real. This willingness to die however is not careless or haphazard, it does not seek death. The willingness to die is simply being free from the false security and false imaginations that the unwillingness to die allows.

‘This kind of awareness is meaningless to our compartmentalized minds. Therefore the crux of the warrior’s struggle is not so much the crossing to the third attention, but rather to conceive that there exists such an awareness at all.’ –Don Juan

This third attention that Don Juan speaks of can be seen as the third temple, a oneness, an awareness of our nakedness to the universe where there is no separation. A bridging of worlds, the tonal (manifest) and the Nagual (the un-manifest); The ‘experiencing of a ‘turning-about’ in the deepest seat of consciousness and be able to enter into the realm of consciousness that lies beyond the consciousness of the mind-system’ by identifying with wisdom/the All itself. ‘When you make the two one, and when you make the inside like the outside and the outside like the inside’ When you transform from Ouroboros to ‘I am’. When you ‘change the movie’ so that now you are not only the lead character but you are also the author, the director, you are intricately involved in the plot, you are even part of the props and setting, you are essentially the whole production and the one mostly responsible for it.

Ultimately, increasing levels of freedom can be attained through these teachings. It is far from a sad and grim affair, the consideration and acceptance of these ideas allows for the oneness with the All/Spirit/Wisdom/Intent. It allows for a deep joy, born of the energy of love flowing in the universe. It allows for a deep understating of one’s experiences guiding one’s thoughts, words and actions towards impeccability. It allows for courage because you can embody courage itself. It allows for all virtues because virtue is the essence of your being. It allows for the great compassion towards all living beings because you have identified with the love, wisdom and compassion that is the inherent nature of the All.

‘The game goes on you see, if you take a chance.’!

Here is saying number three from Jesus in the gospel of Thomas:

‘If those who lead you say, ‘See, the Kingdom is in the sky,’ then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they say to you, ‘It is in the sea,’ then the fish will precede you. Rather, the Kingdom is inside of you, and it is outside of you. When you come to know yourselves, then you will become known, and you will realize that it is you who are the sons of the living Father and Mother. But if you will not know yourselves, you dwell in poverty and it is you who are that poverty.’

In conclusion, as stated by Rumi:

‘This is love: to fly toward a secret sky, to cause a hundred veils to fall each moment. First to let go of life.

Finally, to take a step without feet.’

TO PART 1