The Nature of Reality

Reality is.

Understanding that reality is, stems from knowing what reality is. Reality is much more than merely the semantics involved in defining it. Conscious awareness (through experience and intellectual cognition) is the fundamental basis for acquiring the wisdom essential to understanding reality’s true identity.

Specifically, reality is the ultimate, real, self-contained, and absolute realm of itself, by itself, for itself, from itself, and intrinsically within itself. Since reality exclusively deals with that which is real, the only thing not contained in its realm is nonexistence. Therefore, reality is everything real, the nature of everything real, and all aspects of everything real in actual existence.

It is easy to see the difficulty in comprehending the specific identity of something broader than that to which it belongs, as reality is to existence. It is therefore obvious to me that sensory perception alone is insufficient to fully understand the nature of reality. The proper distinctions must be made between aspects of particulars and aspects of meaning. Such distinctions can only be made from the

coordinated efforts of observation and analysis, i.e., between the physical sciences and philosophy.

I have often heard it said that no one can know with absolute certainty what reality really is.disagree. Learning the fundamental nature of reality is a thought process that begins with acquiring the objective recognition of its identity. This objectivity is the essential premise to developing the conviction of knowing that things are only what they are (in and of themselves) regardless of perception. It must also be understood that perception (as an activity) is as much a part of reality as what is being observed, only that it may or may not be a complete and accurate representation of the actual objects or events about which it communicates via the mind and the senses (chapter 19). Assuch, active-minded awareness is the true teacher of experience, for the process of cognition is essential to learning. Experience alone will only stimulate the senses of the complacent observer, thus

limiting the value of the experience to the immediate moment. One should instead learn to distinguish the relative similarities and differences between the nature of events and the structure of conditions thereby gaining the valuable lessons in life while reaffirming the natural law of cause and effect.

There is no such thing as an occurrence without a source of explanation (i.e., an effect without cause), only the occasional appearance of a phenomenon which either presents itself as something is actually not, or as something consisting of causation elements outside the realm of knowledge andcomprehension of the observer. Some examples would include the sunset, wherein as the sun appear to be at the edge of the horizon, the arrival of its image through the vast distance of space is actually placed beyond the line of sight because of the refraction of its light through the atmosphere, and together with the fact that it takes eleven minutes for the light to reach us from the sun, its actual relative position moves below the horizon more than eleven minutes before we see it set. Similarly the stars in the sky are observed from earth as they were thousands of years in the past; some galaxies are seen millions and even billions of years in the past, leaving the possibility of observing the distant objects in space that actually no longer exist. “Magicians” and “psychics” perform tricks that deceived the audience with clever devices, background checks and prearranged meetings to access personal information, and slight-of-hand techniques, all of which give the appearance of a “magical”, “mystical,” or “paranormal” effect from a hidden actual cause. The erratic behavior of subatomic particles that appear to break some of the known laws of physics, wherein their extreme sensitivity perhaps causes their essential patterns of activity to be altered by the instrumentation and apparatus which observes and measures the effects of their motion during experimentation. (Consider Einstein’s proverbial black box, wherein upon it being opened the tiny particles of energy behave differently than they do when isolated in the box unobserved.) The discernible markings on a fast-spinning wheel or say the blades of a fan running at a high speed can, from time to time, appear to be slowly turning backwards due to the visual effect caused by the observer’s inability to continually track the circular motion at the same rate as the rotating disc. Three-dimensional images from two-dimensional holograms, an effect produced by the distinctive separation of refracting colors of light. Hearing the sound of distant fireworks a few seconds after seeing the flash from the explosion because the sound reaches the ear long after the light reaches the eye. “Psychics” on rare occasions accurately predicting future events made thus from the conditions set forth by either chance or the influenced actions of the believers. The appearances of ghosts as actual bodies of energy from spirit or perhaps as aberration from activities of a vivid or fearful imagination. Actions appearing without cause by forces unknown to the observer experiencing them. Past-life regressions as the result of the transference of spiritualenergy from one soul to another, or perhaps as mere imagery from the subconscious recall of certain experiences suppressed by conscious denial. Senseless, random acts of vandalism and violence for no apparent reason, which in different cases with different variables lend different explanations, as of which are essentially the result of an unstable and irrational psyche of the perpetrators. Situation such as these present forms of deceptive sensory data which do not directly reveal actuality. Andeven though to some people certain conditions and events appear to be of an unknown source and cause, they do not indicate reality as unstable, but merely as things either visually inaccurate or which conceptually extend beyond the current reach of the observer’s ability to discover certain actualities. Aberrations do not exist but for in the form of abstractions that contradict natural law. Delusions are initiated from a false premise. To say, “A thing that is not real . . . ,” is a false premise, becau there is no thing that is not real. Thus, if the “supernatural” were real, it would not be supernatural nor would magic be magic, hallucinations, contradiction, nonexistence, nothing nothing.

Abstractions do not exist in and of themselves; instead, they rely on conscious being to actual them into reality and remain in existence, from which they become just as real as their source origin and are absolutely essential to understanding reality. Thoughts are the abstractions originat from the mind’s intellect, and emotions are the abstractions originating from thought. Unrecord thoughts not acted upon will simply cease to exist. Falsely premised thoughts delude one’s percept of reality with inaccurate conclusions and conceptual contradictions. (Contradictions can only e as a thought in the mind, not as a fact in reality.) In order to see things as they really are, one m base one’s thoughts on the premise that the truth is absolute.

So what is reality? Is it enough to say that it is that which is real? Perhaps that is too obvious perhaps it is the obvious which makes it possible to understand. The obvious is often overlooked and hidden and lost behind the layers of complicated chaos and confusion. Humanity itself is a partial reality capable of understanding its own nature. It would therefore seem plausible that humanity can also understand the realm in which it exists. The progressive advancements in science, mathematics,medicine, and technology are the results of a growing intellectual ability with unlimited potential (Save for the natural boundaries set forth by the laws of reality.) Such virtue and greatness, when with metaphysical wisdom, will inevitably yield the certainty of a complete awareness of self and truth.

The integration of identity and meaning brings about the defining nature of something. The identity of reality is truth. The meaning of reality is the identity, condition, and inherent purpose of all things and events real, actual, and true. The nature of reality is absoluteness.

Beyond all of this and within it there is simplicity, and a single profound word to describe and explain it all. It is a word referring to beauty, ugliness, grace, and lethargy. Its identity is both irrespective of and inclusive with perception, perspective, introspection, interpretation, analysis, hypothesis, emphasis, and elimination. It can visually and audibly both deceive and enlighten. It originates, propagates, imitates, directs, indicates, conceals, reveals, creates, and destroys. It is all about plants, insects, reptiles, animals, birds, fishes, microscopic organisms, and all other forms of life and everything they do.It’s a word representing what makes all human knowledge possible. It is the provider of all t all, yet in itself it knows nothing. It knows not right from wrong, good from evil, truth from falsehood or sin from virtue, yet it makes possible the aspects and attributes of action responsible for th characteristics and conditions of all circumstances and the nature of their consequences.It’s about people and all that they think, don’t think, feel, don’t feel, do, and don’t do. determines the particulars and indicates the nature in every situation of human participation. It’s bot the triumphant and disastrous. It allows for both political freedom and tyranny. It plays the full arra of experience, from joy to sorrow, exaltation to suffering, happiness to misery. It makes possible the civilized trade of goods and services in a free marketplace, as well as the slavery of the oppressed forced into poverty by a few dictators.

It makes possible the existence of this earth and all things on it. It breathes life into the living and death into the dying. It lays the ground work for symmetry, random occurrence, harmony, and chaos. It allows for the precise combination of elements in the formation of the solar system to evolve intelligent life. It is responsible for the existence of all the stars, galaxies, matter, mass, and energy the universe.

It radiates the sun’s heat and energy, releasing it from its nuclear collisions in the form of lig which remains as constant and unchangeable as its speed. The integrity of its laws is as absolute as truth and identity. In spite of it being spurned, spit at, laughed upon, misinterpreted, or ever completely denied, it can never be defied or destroyed.

It is the beginning, middle, and end of all things non-eternal. It is eternal. It is both the source a substance, and cause and effect of all that is real and actual. It is the factual basis of all the aspects every circumstance in existence.

It presents itself to human consciousness and makes conscious awareness possible as well. It is the nature of what everyone does both individually and as groups of individuals acting either togetheror against each other. It provides the checks and balances for the integrity of all human relationships. It represents the past, the present, and the future. Hence, it is both the potential and the actualized, attempted and the accomplished, the unknown and the discovered, the mysterious and the obvious, simple and the complex, the theory and the practice, the process and the conclusion, the question and the answer.

It establishes the foundation of nature’s inherent qualities as well as its opposing characteristics.It is both the positive and the negative, the safe and the dangerous, the up and the down, the in and the in and the out, the high and the low, the quiet and the loud, the single and the plural, the solid and the space, the liquid and the gas, the black and the white, the color and the gray, the rough and the smooth, the round and the square, the top and the bottom, the easy and the difficult, the winner and the loser, the giver and the taker, the owner and the client, the victim and the thief, the law and the whim, the producer and the looter, the innocent and the guilty, the strong and the weak, the good and the bad, the leader and the follower, the brave and the fearful, the young and the old, the slow and the fast, the action and the purpose, the journey and the goal, the related and the random, the form and the object, the container and the contained, the molecule and the mass, the atom and the universe, the energy and the matter, the nature and the identity, etc.

There is no limit to its domain except for the limit it places on itself by the nature of its own existence. It embodies both all that which occupies space and the space in which all that is occupied. It makes possible for the laws of nature by virtue of its own laws as inevitably immutable, such as the constant realm in the time-space continuum of relative bodies in motion and the dimensions the occupy.

It is a profound word that by its own definition is so concretely specific in its identity, and so vastly broad in the depth of its meaning and nature that for all it represents is infinitely more than just a word. Perhaps Aristotle identified it best in his expression, “A is A.” The best way I know to conclude this lengthy introduction to the most significant and meaningful word of all is with the following poem:

IS

All that is, is meant to be, determined by

REALITY

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Awareness

The meaning of my illustration on the cover.

The idea of the separate eye, infinity symbol, earth, galaxy, stars, and universe, is the idea of relative  interdependence  and  independent  action.  The  body  of  the pairs  of  eyes  represents consciousness of both self-awareness and the awareness of others, as well as the nature of particular circumstances. 

The earth, galaxy, and universe are only physically separate, but spiritually they are not. Their ethereal connectedness can only be seen by the mind’s eye, shown as the single eye representing the source of original thought and analytical observation. 

The body of consciousness is smiling to indicate the presence of emotion, and it is formed by a single line to indicate the oneness of mind, body, soul, and spirit. The earth is but another part of the total picture, which is the sum of all parts in the wholeness of existence. Just as a team cannot exist without individuals working together and wholeness cannot exist without the existing parts of it functioning cohesively.

 In other words, it is from all the parts of the whole properly interacting with one another which gives harmony and order to  the  endless  cycles  of  reality.  Within  the  framework  of  space,  matter,  and  energy  arise consciousness, spirit, and wisdom. From within, throughout.

Thus is the nature and meaning of reality and human existence . . . Forever now . . . Profound an simple.

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About The Title

When I first conceived of this book several years ago, at age twenty-seven, I wanted it to be highly philosophical in its meaning, yet simple in its expression to make it easily understandable. Hence the title, “Profound and Simple,” which I thought of very shortly after conceiving the idea for the book. In fact, I came up with the title so quickly that it was practically simultaneous with the book’s initial conception.
It’s very clear that the first part of the title, Profound, is an apt depiction of this book. Yet I can easily see a problem that many may have with the second part, Simple. After all, one may argue tha simplicity and complexity are highly relative terms which are defined by particular perspectives. I other words, what’s simple to one person may be complex to another. Although that is true, it is also true that all things have a certain degree of simplicity and complexity in and of themselves relative t other things regardless of anyone’s point of view.
For example, hydrogen, which is the simplest and most stable known element, having only on
electron, is obviously simpler and more stable than say barium, which has fifty-six electrons. Ye
barium is much simpler and more stable than say plutonium, which has ninety-four electrons, and s
on and so forth. The same holds true for molecules, animals, plants, chemicals, products of huma
technology—everything. I remember in my biology class in high school a particular assignment t
construct  models  of  different  molecules  by  connecting  color-coded  plastic  balls  together  wi
wooden dowels. It was much easier to construct a water molecule  (H2O) than it was to build
glucose molecule (C6H12O6). An amoeba, which is a single-celled animal, is far simpler than say a
African buffalo, which is made up of millions of cells organized into specialized tissues. A rock
simpler than an agate, a bicycle simpler than a car, a stopwatch simpler than an atomic clock,
typewriter simpler than a computer, etc. I think it is also worth mentioning that of all the species
earth,  the  human being is  inarguably by far  the  most complex because  of the  unique  traits
imagination,  creativity,  emotional  response (sometimes  chaotic),  self-destructive  capabilitie
unlimited  potential  for  productive  virtue,  self-awareness,  spirituality,  and  endless  variations degree and style of these and other characteristics.
Having established the objective basis for simple and complex systems, the complexity of t human soul lends much to the explanation for what I refer to as being “Profound.” The dictionar meaning of this word (profound) provides a good foundation for its relevant meaning to this book:
having deep insight; intellectually penetrating. 2. originating or penetrating to the depths of on
being.” Clearly, the consideration of what is seen as profound depends on the type and level
activity in the mind of the observer. That in itself I find profound since the observer is human and it
the activity of the human soul to which I refer in this book as being profound. Thus is the nature
introspection, i.e., self-observation.
The complexity of the human soul is essential to the ability of being profound. Introspectio
only possible with the intellectual ability to reason and create, the emotional ability to experie
joy, and the spiritual ability to give meaning and purpose for living. Along with these abilities are
abilities to destroy, instigate misery, and lead a meaningless existence void of anything good
sacred. Thus is the full array of human existence, beings of self-actualization—very complex and v
profound.
The nature of truth, however, is absolute and pure. It neither creates nor destroys, experien

joy nor sorrow, gives nor takes away meaning, and yet it is the fundamental aspect for human
prosperity, and is the foundation on which all of existence rests. Such a thing, being described as thus, would seem far from simple.
So broad and omnipotent in scale it is that it can never be defied, and therein lies its simplicity.
The truth, like mathematics, can only be one thing in one situation at one time, and is not open for
 interpretation. For example: Mathematics can be used to calculate the rate of the proverbial falling
rock. If it is miscalculated, it still falls at the rate determined by the truth, or in this case by the laws
of physics, specifically gravity. Thus is the constant of truth, which, like the speed of light, no matte
what the circumstances, it always remains the same. It can be argued, however futile, that as thing
change their truth changes. Not true, only the aspects of their truth changes, their identity is still thei
truth, and their truth is still absolute. Even as identity changes through time, the truth does not becaus
it is impervious to time, for as the changes occur, whatever has been transformed is still only what i
is during the immediate moment while its body and form is either in motion or at rest. That is th
beauty of truth, its purity, and its purity is its simplicity. It can only be all of what it is, i.e., it is wha
it is, pure and simple.
Therefore, when considering the whole of existence as an eternal realm of unchangeable realit profound it is in humanity, and simple it is in truth.

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