Monakhos

… That someone just told me that this album art reminds him of me?

I don’t think I’ve ever actually fulfilled a New Year’s resolution. That said, I do have some goals for this year. I want to make 2008 the year of practice. I can never seem to hold habits. Especially the habits that have to do with practice. Hopefully with the help of some friends around town I can do better this year.

Language

Jon has been pestering me for ages to learn Esperanto. I want to, but I don’t practice and study enough. I have plenty of other languages that I want to learn or refresh myself on. If I can successfully start the habit of practicing Esperanto, it should be easier for me to dive back into French and Russian. I think six months of Esperanto should be sufficient to get a firm grasp on the language, and then I’ll move onto French (while still practicing Esperanto, but not studying it as intensively.)

Music

I used to practice more, but now I feel like I’m coasting. I practice enough in a band setting, but I don’t spend enough time on personal practice. I also want to study more theory and composition. The goal for 2008 is to start practicing the drums more regularly (so I can work through all the books I’ve started and never finished) and to write a symphony.

 Spirituality

Recently, I’ve been coasting here too.  I need to buckle down. I started focusing more in December, but I need a little more focus. I think I’ll start the year off finishing a study on the occult and then go back into Buddhism and Hinduism for a while.

Hopefully this year will be a year of practice. I need to get in the habit of making habits. Maybe that can be my resolutions. “To start habits.”

1. God is a projection of the human self.

Of all the points mentioned in the my last real post, this one needs the most explanation. At a glance this definition is inadequate and only covers a subset of the whole. After some explanation, however, I think I will be able to explain how this definition is all-inclusive.

God is a projection of the human self. What exactly does this mean? The first thing that needs to be established in this scenario, is the definition of the human self. It may differ from other’s definitions, but it is the best term to describe the concept. The human self is a collection of the individual (if such a thing exists) and all of the internal external influences that shape that individual. A ball of dough is the self. At first the dough may appear to be one thing and cast one projection, but throughout its life it can be shaped and formed by external ‘hands’ as well as its own makeup (i.e. chemical properties, etc.) So, while God may appear to be one thing at one stage in life,  God’s properties (shadow) could easily change throughout the existence of the individual, depending on internal and external influences. Religion is a group of people molding other people to see God, and in turn, morality in a specific light. This reminds me a little bit of the allegory of the cave in Plato’s ‘Republic.’

This explains some perspectives, but still does not consider the perspective of God as Isness (which Jon brought up in the last post’s comments.) An individual can look at his or her projection, and see some sort of God in it. There are lines, there is white and black and gray. It seems like it could offer a complete perspective on life. Some, however, will look at the projection, look at themselves, and see that the projection is nice, but it doesn’t really account for everything out there. He or she may notice that other’s projections are different, or that other people’s projections are shaped a lot by what their religion says. Whatever the case may be, when looking at the projection, an individual may look at his or her reflection and realize that it is just a projection, and that it isn’t really God, but simply a projection, and that everyone else’s projection is their own as well.

Once someone is at this point, an individual may see that God isn’t really there at all, but just some lines on a wall. What is present is a group of individuals, searching for what they already are. Most people don’t realize it and never will. A few will realize it and go crazy. A few will realize it and embrace it. The individual will realize he or she is free. Everyone is. There aren’t any rules, there’s no morality, just some silly lines on a wall. At this point, there’s no need.

… I think that’s it, but I’ll probably clarify a little bit more next time. Let me know if you think I’m totally out in left field (or is it right field, I forget which the phrase is… Oh well.)

Mi ne memoris Esperanto Tago 2007. Gxi estis la 15-a de Decembro. Do, mi posxtas hodiaux. Mi bedauxras, Esperanto. Esperanto estas la internacia lingvo. Kvankam gxi ne gajnis vasta uzado, gxi dauxras cxirkaux 120 jaroj, kaj ankoraux fortas, eble pli forte ol iam. Lerni pli pri Esperanto.

I didn’t remember Esperanto Day 2007. It was the 15 of December. So, I am posting today. I’m sorry Esperanto. Esperanto is the international language. Though it hasn’t gained widespread popularity, it has lasted 120 years and is still going strong; maybe stronger than ever. Learn more about Esperanto.

We just finished making this at work. See how you do.