T H E  H A P P I E S T  M A N  I N  B A B Y L O N

Copyright © November, 2009, Bill Pfeil

[Author's Note: This is a rough draft of my evolving book. Writing continues. Edits and expansions will occasionally be made.]


CHAPTER ONE

THE 'BIG GAME'

Each year we would meet for the Cal - Stanford 'Big Game.' Both college football rivals across the San Francisco Bay had non-winning records at the time, so that name was a bit of a joke. Often, so was the play. But the 'Big Game' is what the late November event is called.

Cal track teammates Steve, Carl, Bobby and myself, Evan, would meet at Kip's Restaurant off Telegraph Avenue near campus, have a few beers to catch up, laugh a lot, then walk up the hill to the stadium, or trek across the Bay, for the game. Camaraderie rather than sport was the attraction for our annual get-togethers. Our friendship developed further over the years, despite having very different viewpoints.

1. Steve - - genius, early developer of computer software applications. Later he expanded his business influence and wealth by creating and standardizing the language code now used in the world wide web. Steve was our man of action. Each year Steve was listed among the world's richest men.

2. Carl - - after Cal, went to Boalt Law School, and became chief of the Western U.S. Public Defender office (famous for counsel to the uni-bomber). Carl was the cynic among us with a likable but sarcastic sense of humor.

3. Bobby - - our distance runner, used to pound the laps on the outside lane while Steve, Carl, and I did sprint repeats during our Cal track afternoons. Even in those college years, he wanted to follow his famous father as an evangelistic preacher. Bobby now has a huge religious following, and is often seen in TV interviews. He served as host when the Dali Lama visited the U.S.

4. Myself, Evan - - Cal BA in philosophy. I am fascinated with religions, cosmologies, and philosophies of all kinds.

Discussions were always lively and hilarious. We looked forward to our Big Game meetings as one of the highlights of each year. We would sometimes bring our wives or girlfriends-at-the-time to these fun rendezvous. Each year Steve, being a famous man of great means, would astound us with a starlet, or Las Vegas entertainer, or the like. Several years ago he brought Norah Jones at the beginning of her fame. We had a gentlemen's agreement that there would be no mention of guests brought the previous year.

We happily filled hours and hours with stories of successes and misdeeds, bawdy jokes, and dreams for the future. Most people consider birthdays or Christmas or other holidays their most important holidays. Ours was the Big Game.

At first, we little suspected that these meetings would evolve into discussions of such life-changing importance.


CHAPTER TWO

REALITY CHECK

I remember the day several years ago when our yearly rendezvous took an important philosophic turn. Our before-game discussion started as all fun and laughs as usual. Steve brought a stunning model this trip. Carl always brought his wife Dee. Bobby quit bringing his wife because she seldom spoke and never understood our humor. This is the first time the guys met my Thai girlfriend Bee who just arrived on a fiance visa.

Steve would often tell off-color stories and jokes. Carl's humor was cynical, but funny. Bobby the preacher would tell clean jokes and anecdotes. We liked Bobby because of his warmth and charisma. Being a man of God, that encouraged our moral sensibilities. I think that my subtle humor produced longer laughs because there was more thought involved.

I noticed the guys taking a greater and greater interest in how thoroughly my girlfriend Bee, when she occasionally understood our conversations, would laugh. She naturally radiates joy, and when she would laugh, she would close her eyes, wrap her arms around herself and writhe around in her chair as if in ecstasy. This was fascinating to the guys. There are many reasons I am attracted to this beautiful Thai girl, and her complete, joyful laugh was one of them. Bee's displays were so infectious that we would all laugh again in empathy. Carl's wife Dee would observe such overt displays of joy with, what I detected, a tinge of envy. I noticed that Steve's model date had been studying Bee all day, surely taking mental notes.

These were the best of times among best friends. We had it all. And we often boasted of that fact.

Then our discussions changed. I remember Steve saying in a good natured way, "Now what?" That probably started our inquiry of discovery. We began to wonder if, despite our successes, there was something important which had eluded us. We concluded that our lives would be wasted if we did not examine what that was.

As usual, we would meet again at Spengler's Restaurant down University Avenue after the game to continue our discussion.

It was nearing game time, so we walked up the hill to the stadium. Steve and Carl both confided in me, "Wow Evan, you sure have a sweet lady."

."I know," I said.


CHAPTER THREE

A NEW DIRECTION OF DISCUSSIONS

At the restaurant after the game, we were among other alumni groups waiting in the lobby for a table. University of California sports fans have learned to be philosophic about football losses. We chose to focus on our good times in college, and were proud that our school produced such successful, productive people. We ignored Berkeley's other reputation for omnipresent counter-culture characters as part of a tolerant university community.

Once seated and ordered, Steve, Carl, Bobby and I again resumed our stories about our previous year. And our hopes for the future.

The good humor lasted for about half an hour. The guys again were keenly observing my girlfriend Bee. Often I had to translate a story or joke beyond her minimal grasp of English. She would collapse against me laughing hysterically. Steve commented, "I thought I had everything in life. Evan's girlfriend makes it clear that I've been missing something all this time."

Carl said, "I was thinking the same thing. If I could wish for something more in life, being able to experience joy like that is exactly what I'd ask for."

Bobby knew to avoid preaching scripture to us. But he did paraphrase that joy was as close to Godliness as man could experience.

From then on, there was no turning back. We were to change the direction of our discussions.


CHAPTER FOUR

BEGINNING OF A METAMORPHOSIS

We continued, taking turns with honest revelations about what we might want in life beyond our current successes and experiences.

The discussion got personal. Steve, having a wealthy, enviable life of fulfillment, said "I have everything. I have experienced practically everything. Every wish fulfilled. Every lust satiated. For years and years I have made decisions to make my life more complete. With every achievement, I ask 'now what?' I am running out of things to accomplish. Seeing the way Evan's girlfriend expresses joy shows me exactly what I've been missing in my life."

An hour ago, Steve was smiling with his arms around his gorgeous date. Now he showed vulnerability we had never seen. He had made a personal pronouncement that could only be made among long-time friends. We couldn't help notice the girl squirming ever-so slightly.

Carl said that his public defender life is unsatisfying and that he was looking forward to retirement to change his life. "Then what?" we asked. "Put myself and my loving wife Dee first." "How?" we asked. He didn't know specifically.

Then Carl, ever the cynic, pounded the table rattling the glasses and silverware and said, "We want more, we want more" in his gravelly voice.

"No not more. 'More' usually means more things," I said.

"OK, we want to feel more," Carl corrected himself.

Bobby took a wider view and said that greater expressions of joy of life is exactly what the world needs. This has always been his interest.

I told the story of my first trip to Thailand which changed my life. Bee had heard this story before and sat back in her chair and looked into the distance. But the guys didn't know what to expect and leaned forward to the story. I asked a sweet cutie, omnipresent in Thailand, to go with me on a motorcycle ride in the mountains outside Chiang Mai. On a remote jungle road, the motorcycle got a flat tire. My reaction was anger and profanity. Kanya (I'll never forget her name) looked at my odd behavior with giant warm eyes. The total absence of any anger in this girl contrasted so profoundly with my temper. It was a moment of revelation. She looks at the world from a perspective of joy. It was suddenly obvious to me that this is exactly what I want in my life. Previously, I knew intellectually that I wanted to hold good feelings all the time, even in adversity. The will to act on this wish became very real with this experience.

Carl asked about the flat tire. I forgot to finish the story. We walked the rented Honda back down around the mountain road a few bends to a shack with a lean-to motorcycle repair bay. A tooth-challenged peasant lady came out of the shack, had the tools, and easily fixed the flat. She did not want any money for the repair, but I gave her 1,000 baht, about $25 at the time, an amount she may never had seen all at once.

Dee asked about Kanya. She had no telephone, and stayed with me the rest of that trip. The last time I saw Kanya was at the Chiang Mai airport. This sweet, simple girl will never know that she helped me make one of my life's most important commitments to myself. I wanted to learn how to feel good all the time. I wanted to let go of all feelings that got in the way of being happy. The watering in my eyes showed the guys that this brief encounter touched me deeply.

Steve said that it was obvious that we all were ready to make important attitude changes in our lives. He paused, then continued his previous thoughts, "I'm satisfied with what I've built. I'm satisfied that I'm one of the richest guys in the world." We knew there was more coming. And there was. This time he was on the verge of sobbing. "I'd give it all for what I have overlooked - - real joy in my life. This is what I want," as he hung his head. His girlfriend was shocked.

Bee became embarrassed again when we all looked at her. "She's got it," said Steve. "I want it too."

Then and there we made an agreement. We awkwardly put our hands together like you see sports teams do. We agreed to learn how to experience what had eluded us - - to be happy.

We decided to meet every two months to pursue this subject.

We began a journey together which would change our lives. Four smart guys, best friends from college days, each with very different life perspectives, now with a shared goal.


CHAPTER FIVE

A SHARED GOAL

Steve organized our next get together. Fitting to tradition, he scheduled to meet for a Cal - Stanford basketball game in Berkeley. It was a Saturday afternoon game. We appeared at the restaurant at 10 o'clock, almost instantaneously as planned. This time things were different. Previously we met for laughs, have a few beers, see a game, and enjoy good friendship Now we had a purpose of greater significance to us.

Carl and his wife Dee were in good spirits. This was a rare time that Bobby was accompanied by his quiet wife. Steve brought his corporate secretary Marlee whom I recognized as Steve's girlfriend at Cal years ago. I asked Steve why he separated from this smart beauty. He replied that they never really separated, and that they made an agreement years ago that if he could make her the world's first million-dollar-a-year personal assistant, he could act out a rich man's silly fantasy to occasionally date starlets. Steve and Marlee indeed had a solid relationship that could weather his explorations. They'd always been a team, and probably always will be.

The guys were pleased that I brought Bee. They were curious about her. I explained that she grew up in rural Thailand without much. But she did have a loving family who always seemed happy.

Then we went right to our challenge made last time to make quantum changes in our lives. We agreed that it would be a travesty if we did not at least try.

The ladies started the discussion.. Marlee made the observation that of all the huge business deals she'd seen Steve excited about, this meeting with us seemed the most important to him.

Carl's wife Dee was always at our meetings, and was keen on our project from the beginning. She told a story about the time she and Carl were dating in college and went to a restaurant after a Jefferson Airplane concert on campus. That restaurant was filled with loud college kids, confident and enthusiastic about their future. Dee said that she and Carl will always remember an older couple, in retirement years, enter that restaurant totally and happily absorbed with each other, oblivious of the young raucous crowd. This couple had a glow and a joy about themselves that was fascinating. Every one of the college kids recognized the significance of this sight, and stopped talking to stare at the older couple. A heart-warming sight. Dee said that she and Carl made a decision right then - - this is exactly how they want to be in the future. This is their favorite story.

I told another story about my travels. Exploring rural Thailand and Cambodia on a motorcycle, you see simple shacks built with only gathered materials. The families living there have almost nothing. Barely making a living with subsistence agriculture. Like Bee's family. But those people often are smiling and have a happiness about themselves. They have a difficult life with little possessions. But they surely have something in much greater abundance than we have - - joy in their lives.

Bobby added, "Look at children laugh. They can express that uncontained joy we are talking about. At one time we knew this feeling. Somehow along the way,we lost it."

Steve wanted to know, "What is going on?. Children have it. You can see it in some third world cultures. Let's figure out how to get it."

We all considered the enormity of our task when I said that we were going to re-examine the most important question, asked since the beginning of time, to which no one apparently has ever given an adequate answer.

Bobby again showed the charismatic leader we'd seen on his Sunday TV program and occasionally on the news. He assumed the role as moderator, and smartly suggested we first eliminate the obvious dead ends.

We knew that success can make us happy but also knew that this is not enough.

Lust is fleeting, so was quickly eliminated..

Power.was another dead end.

We wondered if there might be any self-discovery benefits in the use of psychedelics. We concluded that we would proceed naturally.

We had mixed feelings about meditation. We weren't so keen to become like anyone we'd known as advocating meditation. Or to emulate those sad gurus sitting lotus on a pillow advocating the philosophy of denial. But we reluctantly agreed to maybe look at meditation later as a possibility.

Other ideas flowed about what might be helpful to us reach our goal.

Carl said looking at Dee, "my loving wife makes me happy." Good - - we agreed that love can be associated with being happy. We didn't know what to do with this concept, but at least we felt a beginning..

Bobby was careful to not use religious terms. So he told us communication is the source of his happiness. We knew Bobby meant 'communication with a higher Being,' but we were intrigued with the general concept of communication Yes, this philosophic pursuit might be fruitful, so we would look at communicationtoo.

Exercise is Marlee's passion. She said that the energy she experiences from workouts can generate happiness for her. We all knew 'energy' well from our Cal track days. We knew that energy could be associated with being happy, but suspected it could not be a source alone. However we did agree to consider energy in our future discussions.

Steve asked, "Evan, you seem to be in good spirits all the time. What about you?"

I had been thinking about this, and responded immediately, "OK, I feel most happy when I am (and I said slowly), L-A-U-G-H-I-N-G"

Carl questioned, "But we laugh because we are happy, not the other way around."

Steve countered, "Wait, I agree with Evan. This is the closest feeling I have to being happy too. It doesn't matter which came first."

Bee became embarrassed again when we all looked at her. Steve continued, "Evan, the way your girlfriend laughs so thoroughly shows me this is something we should look at."

Carl, always analytical, said, "That sounds too simple."

Bobby said that we often look beyond the simplest and the most obvious. "Let's start here."

We were successful in life because we had focused on the objective world. It was uncomfortable to speak in such introspective, subjective ways. But we thought it possible that developing our abilities to laugh could be a route to our goal. It was an experience we knew. It might be the easiest to understand. We agreed to give some attention to the very experience of laughing first.

It was approaching game time, so we would think about it, and we would continue after the game.

It seemed like an odd but vital project to us. We were not sure how to proceed, or even if such discussions would lead us anywhere. We had identifiedour new goal in life - - to be happy. And we were bold enough to begin pursuing it.


CHAPTER SIX

REALIZATION SUCCESS IS POSSIBLE

At the restaurant after the game, in contrast to our heavy discussions earlier, we decided to lighten up. We might get some insights how to proceed with our project along the way. So the remainder of the evening was just fun For hours we told every funny story we could think of so we could laugh and laugh.

As the evening went on, we began to confirm that the feeling of laughing intensely a nd for long periods could produce the attitude change we were looking for. We discovered a tool that could improve our lives.

Yes, as Carl said last time - - it all sounds too simple. But it just might work.

Steve suggested we meet in two months with ideas and insights how to proceed. It seemed like an odd assignment from our college days. Intuitively, worth trying.

Finally we had a direction for our journey. Here are four friends from Cal, goal-oriented and successful, now daring to confront a challenge of a more personal and meaningful kind.


CHAPTER SEVEN

NEW WAYS OF THINKING

Two months passed quickly. Steve's longtime girlfriend Marlee engineered our next meeting for the Cal-Stanford track meet which was in Berkeley. This was our first track meet we had seen since our competitive days. So we were excited about recalling those enjoyable years at track practice and in competition. As usual, we arrived at our morning rendezvous within 15 minutes of each other with an enthusiasm that comes with a shared purpose.

Again, we told stories to catch up. And again the guys were fascinated with the intense joy Bee displayed when she laughed. She did so with such total abandon it seemed to consume her whole body. Bee is naturally shy and became even moreso when she notices attention on her. The guys quickly assured Bee that t hey admired her ability to express such total joy. They further admitted that they envied it, and added that these are the type of feelings they want to develop too.

Then we got down to business. We had agreed to gather ideas on the connection between laughing.and being happy.

We had been e mailing our discoveries and observations. We summarized them.

Googling 'laughing' didn't bring up much for our purposes. There are plenty of joke sites. There were rebroadcasts of movie and TV comedy skits. There were clips of the nighttime standup comedians. There were videos of people telling jokes. There are sites analyzing humor.

Marlee found research papers done at universities on the physiology of laughing. She referenced medical journals done at hospitals on the effects on laughing on health. It is no surprise that laughter is scientifically proven to lower heart rate and blood pressure, and improve neural mechanism and immune system function. She read stories of those claiming to have been cured of disease by laughter.

Bobby became thoroughly immersed in our project. He discovered a cult in Japan with laughing their only activity. As strange as it sounds, they sit in a circle and simply laugh. No jokes, no funny stories. They just laugh, trying to teach themselves how to develop that ability and feeling. They claim real improvements in health and happiness in the real world as a result.

Steve discovered the "Laugh Club" which has seminars in cities around the world. Their website claims life quality and health benefits among those attending their workshops. They believe that the act of laughing makes physiological changes which affects the q uality of life. Steve said that at least someone besides us was interested in this subject.

Carl, the cynic in our group, said, "I see crazy street people laughing to themselves. I don't see them as healthy or happy."

He had a good point. We would be mindful of breaks from reality.

Steve is successful in the business world because he looks for practical solutions to situations. He said, "I think we should find a way to rekindle that feeling of laughing we had as kids. We knew it. Let's get it back."

I suggested that perhaps in learning socialization, we are forced to focus on the world outside of ourselves. Natural inner feelings of joy we had at a young age became less exercised and atrophied. That may be the reason we lost our ability to laugh so easily. I thought maybe we could use some process to exercise those feeling .again.

Bobby continued the thought, "In my counseling, we use exercises all the time. They can be a valuable tool. If a laughing exercise could be simple or disguised so it was not such a foreign concept, it might be helpful."

It became obvious to us that we must find a way to exercise the feeling of laughing.

It was time to walk down to the track. In the evening, we'd get some ideas on how to proceed with our project.


CHAPTER EIGHT

AN EXERCISE TO TEST

It was such nostalgia seeing the track again. And a bit sad that we had moved beyond those simpler times. We would have been pleased to know in those days how our lives have evolved.

Track meets are not known for continuous action. There was plenty of time between events for reminiscing about our years in practice and meets on that track. We wondered how much effort would be involved in competing in Masters track meets. We were still in good shape and could do it. But we decided just because we can do something, that does not mean we should do it. Bobby paraphrased that if we are smart enough to do something, we should be smart enough not to do it. Anyhow, our project of developing our personal lives was more important than just another worldly accomplishment.

Carl made a philosophic observation. "Notice that every time we laugh, we laugh AT something. It needs a context."

Yes, he had a very good point. It would be a severe limitation if we had to create an object of humor every time we wanted to have the feeling of laughing.

I thought about this for a while. Then I recalled something that might answer this, "I have a story to tell this evening which might solve this philosophic dilemma."

The outcome of the track meet came down to the 4 x 400 meter relay (mile relay back then). Our anchor leg did not finish through and was passed at the tape. That miffed Carl.

At dinner, Carl briefly continued his rant about the anchor runner not finishing strongly. His pet peeve was people who do not maximize their lives. This could apply to us in our project too.

We reminisced further about our competitive days. Sports had been a great teacher. We learned about the importance of being in good physical shape and about physical efficiency. We learned discipline and that we could expand our limitations. And we learned the importance of friends.

I then told the story promised earlier at the track stadium. In grad school in Hawaii, I would read notices on bulletin boards about lectures by gurus and mystics often scheduled around the community. I was curious and enjoyed going to them. Bobby noted that this was an error. But I insisted that they sometimes were philosophically interesting. Most of the self-proclaimed gurus looked like a wrinkled fetus sitting aloof and sad, and they preached a sad message. Their 'inward' route to enlightenment seemed self-centered and isolating. Those gurus looked dead, and their philosophy was dead. A truer philosophy was to be active, not passive. On, not off.

Carl was wondering what the point was for us. "Hold on, I'm getting to it," I said.

I continued, "One guy had a terrific message. He was happy. He laughed easily. He had the whole auditorium laughing and feeling good. Enlightenment-by-joy was his message. One particular thing he said resonated with me then. I knew it would be important to me later.

He said that a simple exercise to use when you would like a boost to a feeling of joy is to REMEMBER LAUGHING."

We sat back in our chairs and thought.

"Wow, just remember laughing," I repeated. "That is something that might apply to us here."

It seemed to solve Carl's philosophic dilemma that you had to laugh at something.

I knew the concept just remember laughing would be valuable. This was the correct time to express it. I continued, "An easy exercise. Just remember laughing. It requires no joke nor any reason for laughing. Just remember the feeling of laughing."

We reflected on the idea. The long pause indicated we each were examining the consequences of this idea.

Carl, usually the cynic in our discussions, surprised us saying that he did not object to this concept for several reasons. He said he had an aversion to phony displays of emotion. He said the exercise required no object or context for laughing. And he was most pleased that you did not even have to laugh.

Steve liked the idea too, "It is the feeling of laughing is what we want to develop. Just by remembering laughing, you arrive at that feeling immediately."

We decided to look at this idea to see where it would lead. We knew the feeling of laughing. It might be the easiest place to start. We would at least try the exercise.

Steve offered his mansion in Silicon Valley for our next meeting. In corporate CEO fashion, he said, "We now have an interesting exercise to test. I want to see results."

For two fascinating months, we would try our new exercise of remembering laughing and test if it would be a valuable tool to use in our project.


CHAPTER NINE

RESULTS OF OUR EXERCISE

I'd seen computer tycoon Steve's corporate campus in magazines. It was even more impressive in person. There were many split-level buildings of different geometric shapes. The designer cleverly maximized the interaction of buildings with nature. Gardens were growing in structures, and structures were extended into gardens. Whole walls were retractable to adjust to the weather and mood. There were indoor brooks and waterfalls. Some floors were soft grass. Marlee lived in the giant dome with double-helix-spaced rooms inside, accessed by a spiral escalator winding upwards to her penthouse which consumed the entire top of the dome. Marlee was the distance swimmer on the Cal swim team. Now she could water-slide or take the tall jump into her lap pool below for long workouts.

Steve lived in the black reflective glass pyramid monolith with sides positioned exactly north-east-south-west. We noted the alleged rejuvenation properties reportedly associated with pyramids. He looked surprisingly young for someone with huge corporate pressures.

All the geometric buildings on Steve's and Marlee's futuristic-looking campus were connected, in contrast, by a relic Lionel-looking train system. Steve engaged the drive and we began to clack along the tracks and sway around corners, past manicured lakes and jungles. Briefly we were re-living our childhood toy train days.

We arrived at an elliptical corporate conference complex. It partly overhung from a mountain slope, and partly built into the mountain. It looked like a moored spacecraft. We entered the inner sanctum which Steve asked the architect to conjure a feeling of being on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise. His corporate decisions were made there, and now it was ours to explore our own new world.

We continued stories of our lives the past two months. As usual, the guys were enviably transfixed on Bee's laughing which consumed her whole body and displayed boundless joy. Before Bee's fiance visa had expired, I married my longtime Thai girlfriend in a beach ceremony in Hawaii. There was another round of congratulations to Bee. And especially to me.

Then we got down to business of reporting the progress on our project. As usual, I report the highlights of our discussions as I remember them.

Carl thanked me for suggesting the exercise of recalling a time of laughing and holding that feeling. He tried it often with surprising results in changing his attitude. Now he has an accessible doorway to good feelings.

Carl's wife Dee . "We know that Carl is cautious to express his emotions. But several times a day he would reveal that the exercise was making a good change in him. He would sit with a peace I had not seen in a long time. He is losing his sarcastic edge."

Dee looked at Carl to check if she had spoke correctly or had not betrayed any trust. Carl nodded.

We like Dee as a supportive wife and high-spirited person. So it was in character for tears to fall saying that the exercise rekindled her hopes of having the feelings in life she has always dreamed of.

Bobby saw the exercise as a tool to help others, "In my counseling and services, my stories make people recall joy in their lives. What results. In personal lives. With couples. Within families. I am trying to figure a way to make an effect on the societal level too."

Steve was excited how the exercise worked for him, and made several observations. He said that the longer duration of using the exercise, the greater the effect in feelings. And the more intense the laugh remembered, a still greater effect.

He.was not finished telling us his discoveries,, "If you were to physically act out the exercise, it also affected my physiology. It felt that my body was changing too. It was like my brain chemistry was improving, or neural synapses were re-wiring."

We understood the sensations Steve was reporting. I said that it would be difficult to show that the laughing exercise actually produces organic changes, and more difficult to convince others. Steve said he intended to do just that.

I had made similar discoveries and quickly agreed about the success of our experiment. But my conclusions were that it was not the body changing, but our consciousness. But this is an entirely different topic, so I would not elaborate until the guys were more open to philosophic conjecture.

Of course it does not matter if the changes are physical or in consciousness. For our purposes, we were having success toward our goal.

I noted that it was not possible to have bad feelings when doing the laughing exercise. Emotions I want to hold were replacing ones I knew were destructive. I was fulfilling my promise to myself made years earlier.

Bobby thought that our exercise might solve many personal and social problems as well.

I noted that this exercise did exactly what we intended it to do. Its effect was not only in the moment, but could permeate longer-term general attitude. It could be made lasting. This is what we were looking for. Yes, we had discovered a tool which might help us reach our goal.

Steve suggested we drive the couple hours to San Francisco. We had the finest dinner I'd ever had in a revolving restaurant overlooking the city. Steve said that our society demands what we are productive, at the expense of personal development. Paradoxically, the more success we have in the world often points us away from what is the most important. We accepted Bobby's quote, "It is easier for a camel to go through an eye of a needle than a rich man to go to heaven."


CHAPTER TEN

DOCUMENTING OUR DISCOVERIES

The next morning we worked out on the narrow track weaving around Steve's and Marlee's corporate campus. We stopped to admire Marlee's sleek body in her lap pool. She liked the attention as much as we enjoyed giving it. Bee, typical of Thai girls, could not swim, did not like skin-darkening sunlight, and was sloshing around in the nearby jacuzzi. She shyly sunk down to her giant almond-shaped eyes at our attention. We expressed our thankfulness for the yin/yang makeup of the universe as we continued our slow run. Steve continued the thought, "The plus and minus polarity is seen on all levels in nature, from the size of atoms to the size of galaxies, in between and beyond."

We briefly postulated on what existed before that. That discussion will be reported in a later chapter.

At breakfast, we made an overview of where we were at. We have always felt the need to maximize our lives and feel fulfilled, We saw the need to go beyond our worldly accomplishments. We were wise enough to identify it is joy and happiness which fulfills. And we were bold enough to try to find it. In just a few months, we had come a long way

Steve suggested we continue our overview by helicoptering down the California coast .

It was not long before the four of us rose above the corporate campus and headed south above Highway 1. As Steve piloted his aircraft, he said, "It is sad that for much of the world, their goal is just to survive. But it is sadder that for those whose survival is assured, they quit trying to maximize their lives."

Bobby thought that if we continued to make real discoveries, that perhaps we should document them.

I noted that I had already been taking notes of our meetings and discussions. "I could write a journal of our discoveries."

"What, a How to Laugh instruction book?" Carl mused.

Steve suggested that our original goal was to be happy, so if we write anything, that should be the focus.

I had a brainstorm. "Have you guys read the book The Richest Man in Babylon?" Most of us had read this classic treatise on how to gain and maintain wealth. "We might consider documenting our discoveries in something called The Happiest Man in Babylon."

It was a wild idea. But we all liked it. I could fill in the notes of previous meetings, and continue note-taking. This book was launched.

We continued our overview of the scenery below from our airborne vantage. A fitting parallel to what we were experiencing in our personal lives.

As it is turning out, we had just begun to scratch the surface of our collaborative project. We were pleased with our progress so far. But there was much more to come.

The direction for the next two months was clear. We would each expand our Idea gathering in our own personal way, and meet at Steve's again.


CHAPTER ELEVEN

THANKFUL

As we continued the simple laughing exercise, we reported our results. it was creating the radical and lasting changes in ourselves we wanted. We knew we were on the right path for maximizing our lives.

But there was a disagreement on where the changes were made. Carl and Steve thought that the brain was re-wired and the changes were purely organic. Bobby and I believed greater joy was experienced because of a difference in viewpoint in consciousness itself. We concluded that if we reached our goal of creating greater joy in our life, it did not matter which philosophy we believed.

Carl and Dee revealed that they are evolving personally the way each wanted. And better yet, as a couple. They reminded us of their favorite story of the beaming older couple they had admired years earlier. Dee said they are becoming that couple. Now college age kids are staring at them, recognizing the significance.

Bobby said that when he discreetly incorporates the exercise of remembering laughing in his services and TV shows, the response is enormous. Carl took a cheap shot, "Revenue is up." Bobby was not amused.

Marlee said that she had always feared her occasional moments of sadness or lack of energy. She said that taking a break during those times and doing the exercise is her sure way through. A great discovery.

I told them I did the exercises often throughout the day. No idle moment wasted. I even go to sleep holding the laughing feeling. I noted it is not possible to have bad feelings while doing the exercise. And the good feelings can persist. I recalled the story of my outburst on the motorcycle ride. I am fulfilling a promise to myself to rid myself of the temper had since I was a kid.

Our host Steve waited patiently for his turn. He had e mailed us that he was Having success with our simple exercise, and thought it could be extended.. So we were not surprised when he reported assigning a few of his free-thinking corporate executives to go with him to the San Francisco 'Laugh Club.' Steve was ahead of us in many ways. ."The most amazing experience in my life. For two hours, we took turns standing up telling stories and jokes trying to make the others laugh. We'd try to laugh at every sentence, funny or not. It was extremely uncomfortable in the beginning. It felt very contrived and, yes, phony, as Carl would say. But we were instructed to get into the personal feeling of laughing. It exercises the synapses in the enjoyment centers of the brain. It took a while to get into. It was an epiphany when I finally was able to hold onto the feeling. This is what I want to keep."

Steve continued, "But then my face and body began hurting because I was using muscles seldom exercised. We've been denying ourselves the best things in life, letting the joy we had as a kid atrophy away. Now I know how to get these feelings back."

Carl listened, and said that he now can hold joy in his life that has always eluded him. He hung his head in embarrassment as tears fell.. Probably the biggest change was in Carl. He was always a kind person, and we were glad to see that bitter cynical edge gone.

We had discovered there is a magical connection between laughing and being happy. Later we would conjecture just what that connection is. But for now we were just pleased that we developed a way to bring the feeling of joy into our lives.

We felt that our lives were turning upside down. Or perhaps more accurately, righting ourselves.

Bobby made an observation, "I hear people say 'if I could only solve my problems, I'd be happy.' But it's really the other way around."

After one of Steve's belly laughs he now could so thoroughly enjoy, he looked at Bee and at me, nodded to us. A non-verbal 'thank you.'

"We can choose the feelings to have. Why would anyone choose to be any other way than be happy?" I asked rhetorically.

We were eager to continue, and make further discoveries. We were to discover another just as powerful tool to be happy.


CHAPTER TWELVE

ANOTHER EXERCISE

For a while, we reveled in our success. Our laughing exercise works. It took will power and effort, but over time we felt the metamorphosis.

What followed next astounded us more.

Steve, Carl, Bobby and I were meeting less frequently now, but had been e mailing describing other changes happening as a result of our exercise of remembering the feeling of laughing.

Each one of us began to realize that there is an important interconnectivity in the body. Changes occurring in one part will affect other parts. We noticed that the act of laughing, or even remembering laughing, can involve the whole body. Each of us independently felt the need to do yoga, core exercises, isometrics and stretching exercises to strengthen and especially to align our body. Now while doing the laughing exercise, we discovered that there is a definite resonance the heart. Here we discovered a whole new center of feelings.

When we started this project, we had thought it possible for there to be several routes to become happy. We were about to discover another one. We had intuitively known love was a route to become happy, but we examined laughing first because we knew the feeling better, and it seemed easier.

It was an logical deduction that if remembering laughing was a tool to change ourselves, perhaps a remembering loving exercise could produce changes also.

This idea sounded odd and simplistic. But so did the laughing exercise in the beginning. The laughing exercise works, so this one might too.

We agreed to experiment with a remembering loving exercise to see where it would lead.


CHAPTER THIRTEEN

LOVE

It was difficult, and took a long time to learn how to do this exercise. We grew up learning that loving, like laughing, is so conditional. This exercise demanded we reach the very essence of loving. It was a sad commentary for us that we had trouble remembering pure loving. Eventually we each learned how to do the exercise in our own way.

Carl finally got into the exercise. Dee was pleased when Carl said that his love for his wife was his entrance into this exercise.

Steve said that he had better luck with this exercise if it was called a 'focus on your heart ' exercise instead. He needed a physiological context to do the exercise.

Bobby and I eventually could conjure the feeling of love philosophically.

Similar to the laughing exercise, we discovered the longer duration of holding the sensation of loving, the more profound the change in attitude. And the more intense the feeling, a still greater effect.

We made some startling realizations. There appears to be a greater abundance of feelings here. But loving has so many considerations and convolutions attached. Holding the feeling is extremely difficult to arrive at. The more we looked at this fascinating dilemma, the more we began to realize its importance. This became our focus.

We admire how babies can laugh and love so purely. Albeit egotistically. Then something happens during socialization. So many associations are made. Love gets distorted. Sadly, this probably is the most personally devastating part of our development.

Just for fun, Steve, Carl, Bobby and I personally each began to catalogue the astounding number of associations we had with love. Each to ourselves, of course.

It was shocking to realize the sheer intensity of some expressions we thought was love. Some fantasies can consume total attention. It is amazing how and why we allowed them to develop so strongly. Being aware ot this confusion was huge. We were seeing a major block in continuing to maximize our potential.

We wondered if novels and films would not be interesting without confusion about love. We thought this was partly true, but thought the best stories have it right.

The love exercise was painful to go through. The realization was harsh that we evolved socially in such a bizarre way about love. We knew that we could not erase what we mis-took for love because they are a part of our memories. But we could make them less intense by giving them less attention. And re-program our sense of love.

We concluded that the finding the simple pure feeling of love was a 'common denominator' of all people. We knew that untangling the false associations could solve so many problems. Personal. Between partners and among friends. And among cultures. If we could only do it. This was a big one.

I conjectured that this exercise might give us an understanding of the interconnectivity of all consciousness.

We felt the potential of this exercise is more powerful than the laughing exercise. "That is because there is more consciousness in the heart than the head," I said. Carl objected to these statements saying that we had agreed to keep our discussions in the objective world. Fine, I might bring this up later.

This exercise is ongoing, and will continue our whole lives. We are learning it probably is the most important pursuit a person could do.

The rest of that trip, Steve showed us technological developments in his R&D complex. He said that in the future each of us will have a wearable communicator to access communications, worldwide media broadcasts, computing, and all interactive material. We wondered if this would make us each more connected, or more isolated.

The chapters to follow are grouped by topic, rather than by time sequence.


CHAPTER FOURTEEN

COMMUNICATION

We had already gone farther than we initially had guessed. We would continue to see what else we could learn.

Bobby finally got his turn. At the outset of our project, Bobby had suggested communication as a possible way to maximize our lives

We knew Bobby meant 'communication with a higher Being.'

Steve and Carl thought this might be worth examining if we used terms relating to the real-world, like 'the future,' or 'mathematical perfection,' or 'the ideal world,' or 'the philosophic world of forms.'

I told them that 'communication with other consciousness' made sense to me.

Of course it did not matter for our purposes which philosophy we believed if it produced results.

Steve, was initially suspicious of this exercise, but soon became an advocate. He began realizing that historically when he was confronted with a dilemma in business, he would sit still, and always get a solution to that dilemma from some 'perfect world.' He thought that there is mathematical order underlying the chaos of the world. An order which could be sensed. He thought it was indeed communication. He expanded that thought saying communication with a 'perfect world' was his source of inspiration in many aspects of life.

Bobby was pleased at the significance of that, but kept his mouth shut.

Eventually we each found that this tool had great value. Bobby thanked us for gaining an appreciation for something similar to what he found so useful. And we understood his experiences better.

Bobby pressed his luck and suggested that there is some 'divine direction' from this 'perfect world.' We avoided a religious discussion.

With the exercise, we were at least trying to learn about realities outside our limited comprehension. We felt that it was important to expand our awareness to 'an ideal world,' or 'the future,' or 'mathematical perfection,' or 'a philosophic world of forms,' or 'consciousness itself' beyond our limited comprehension.

This attempt to expand awareness was also humbling because we saw that words and thoughts were finite, limiting our comprehension. Yet it was heartening to know that we were trying to experience the larger universe.


CHAPTER FIFTEEN

ENERGY

We all provided input to this exercise. We are athletes, so energy is a comfortable and understandable subject.

We know the physical sensation of energy surges. We feel the endorphin rushes of workouts. We like the feeling of physical power.and know the satisfaction produced by physical exertion. But it seemed a unworkable stretch to think that energy alone could be a tool to become happy.

We each developed an exercise to experience energy. Remembering energy produced the feeling of energy for Bobby and me. The girls thought that exercises like yoga and tai chi and being aware of breathing brought them in touch with energy. "Follow breath back to source," Marlee enigmatically said,.

Carl had become the most sedentary of us and used power isometrics to feel the flow of energy. Steve needed a physical context and had to get in touch with the feeling of energy by maximizing a exertion like running with weights.

The mechanics were similar to the other exercises. Holding the feeling of energy for a longer period of time produced a greater effect in our consciousness. And the more powerful the energy experienced, a still greater the effect.

We felt that the energy exercise did create a feeling (and they accepted my terms) 'more present and more capable.' Steve thought he felt 'bigger'.

But we concluded the energy exercise has a limitation. We know that it was possible to produce the feeling of happiness with our earlier exercises. We did it. But we doubted that an energy exercise used alone could be a successful tool. We did believe that physical energy was a necessary component to be happy, but not used alone. Those who do not keep in shape and do not physically exercise have a distinct disadvantage. The energy exercise was important, but needed to be done in combination with the other exercises.


CHAPTER SIXTEEN

MEDITATION

We agreed to take another look at meditation.

Our feelings had not changed from early in our project about meditation. None of us wanted to be like anyone we had known as advocating meditation. Especially to emulate their sad gurus piously preaching to go interior to 'nothingness.' Their philosophy was dead, and they looked dead.

We intuitively thought that an 'exterior' direction to include all consciousness was far supperior to a sad and selfish inward one.

We concluded that our exercises got us in touch with our own cosnciousness and that of others, and would be our own form of meditation.

We now had several powerful exercises to produce quantum changes in ourselves. Our 'remember laughing' exercise was our first entrance to the possibility to achieve our goal to be happy. The 'remember pure love' exercise is powerful and ongoing. The 'communication' exercise was more philosophical but helpful to expand our awareness. The 'energy' exercise was a necessary.component, but was limited used alone.

We discovered that there is an interconnectivity in the body, so doing one exercise involves another. We use them concurrently, and they all are complementary

Steve and I are now examining two other exercises. But it is way too early to report on those. They are 'envisioning patterns,' and 'projecting thoughts.'

Steve, Carl, Bobby and I are now very different as a result of our project. We have quantumly improved our attitudes. We now hold the feelings we had hoped to find. We feel more alive. We have evolved.

We learned how to reach our goal - - to be happy.


CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

THE DIRECTION OF ATTENTION

As we independently explored our new-found abilities, each of us became aware that we could direct our attention better. That seemed simple to state in words, but it was profound in the management of our lives. We observed how our mind wanders, and that we could learn to control the placement of our attention.

It was astounding how we previously allowed our attention to aim haphazardly. It became obvious the importance to be at cause of the direction of attention.

This exercise was fun. It allowed us to focus on more life-affirming pursuits free of the past.

It was interesting to observe other people apparently sleepwalking through their day. Giving attention to whatever was randomly presented before them, or whatever they fancied at the moment. Like a rudderless ship drifting whatever direction of their surroundings. We know, because we used to be there.


CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

THE CONTENT OF ATTENTION

Being able to direct our attention gave us more control of our lives. We took it one step further. We all soon communicated to each other that the CONTENT of our attention was even more important.

There is a subtle difference in the direction of attention and the content of attention. What we choose to look at.(or not look at) is the direction of attention. That is a large enough task. What we choose to hold in our consciouness is the content of our attention That is a larger task yet

We saw that our control of both the direction of attention and the content of attention were more than just exercises. With competence comes responsibility. Being at cause of the direction and content of attention were mandates of a responsible, competent person.

It was good we went through the earlier exercises as a guide to our choice of what we look at and what hold onto. Now we can create new contents of our attention and make it easier for us to evolve.


CHAPTER NINETEEN

A FUNDAMENTAL REALITY

[The reader is urged to skip the next 4 chapters if wishing to avoid philosophic discussions.]

It was interesting that in our discussions, Steve and Carl believed that our metamorphosis was organic, while Bobby and I thought that changes occurred in consciousness itself. This started a philosophic disagreement.

They think that only the physical universe exists, We believe that a fundamental universe of consciousness exists which created the physical universe.

Steve and Carl think that it is nonsense to postulate a world of consciousness separate from what can be observed. Such a world cannot be scientifically proven to exist.

As we are discovering, believing that other realities exist, or believing that other realities do not exist, it does not affect our goal to be happy.

The philosophic disagreement started when I expressed my belief that our improvements in feelings were in consciousness itself. Carl reacted by saying, "I believe that we are only chemical computers. Nothing more. When we die, we disappear, except in the chemical minds of those still alive." Carl believes that he learned how to become happy by re-programming his organic body computer.

This subject has been an interest of mine for a long time. So I told them that many religions and philosophies hold that much more exists than what what we can sense.

Carl, taking the bait, asked, "OK, what more is there?"

I summarized this philosophy: "We have a body, but we are not our body. We have thoughts, but we are not our thoughts. Consciousness is of one kind of substance, and the physical world we observe, including our bodies, are of another substance."

Carl said that consciousness cannot exist without a body.

I pointed out that many philosophies would disagree. The belief is that consciousness is pure being. It has no substance that physical scientific instruments can measure. Consciousness is who we are. We are in a body, like tea in a teacup.

Steve wondered why anyone would believe anything they cannot actually sense.

I replied that the theory is that we cannot directly see consciousness because it is constantly the observer. Consciousness is pure Being. But you can sense it just by being aware.

"Aware of being aware?" Steve asked.

"Yes, that is the theory."

Steve quickly argued, "You cannot just BE. You must Do or HAVE."

"The theory states quite the opposite." I said. "Pure Being, pure Consciousness, exists in a universe fundamental to, and distinct from, the physical universe of Doing and Having."

"What real-world value does postulating the existence of some unseen fundamental reality of consciousness have?" Steve wondered.

I said that by theorizing in esoteric terms, sometimes we arrive at discoveries in our observed world. I suggested to Steve that he is successful in the material world because he might unknowingly get ideas from an underlying conscious universe basic to it.

Marlee paraphrased, "There are far more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in our philosophies."

Carl complained, "Supposing multiple universes just complicates our understanding of the universe."

I replied that it might actually simplify our understanding of life if it answers questions about life.

Carl could not grasp the concept of consciousness separate from the object of consciousness. Of course, it did not matter in terms of our project.

Later, Steve became willing to test these theories

CHAPTER TWENTY

CREATION COSMOLOGY THEORY

[Again, skip this chapter if no desire for philosophic discussion.]

In an earlier discussion, Carl, Steve, Bobby and I wondered how the yin/yang makeup of all levels of the universe was created. What started the plus and minus composition of matter? Or a related question: What existed before the Big Bang?

In that discussion, I recalled something common to many religions. I said, "Only consciousness existed then."

The guys listened in amusement as I continued cosmology creation hypotheses I recalled reading. "Consciousness has no matter or wavelength. Consciousness generated vibrations. It was interesting to have an object of consciousness, so more vibrations were generated. These waves became more and more solid, into what physicicts call 'strings.' Matter was created."

Carl was already turned off, calling it 'bizarre.' But Steve wanted to hear more about such 'wild cosmologies.' So I obliged telling more what I had read.

It is conjectured that consciousness is the 'empty space' between galaxies on the large scale, and atoms on the small scale,"

Steve noted that the bulk of the universe is of an unknown substance. "Consciousness?"

I continued with more conjectures remembered from esoteric philosophies. "Consciousness continues to create matter. And consciousness perpetuates matter by being aware of it."

Steve wondered if consciousness could influence the behavior of strings, the building blocks of the physical universe.

I said this might have dangerous consequences. Steve was thinking in terms of fixing things in the physical universe. .

Again, these are only conjectures. .


CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

IDENTITY

[Again, skip this chapter if no desire for philosophic discussion.]

Knowledge advances best by theoretical conjecture and then examine facts to support or refute the theory. The guys listened to the conjecture of our identity.

I re-told the philosophic belief that we have a body, but we are not our body. We have thoughts, but we are not our thoughts. We have feelings, but we are not our feelings. We have perceptions, but we are not our perceptions.

I was cautious to avoid being a preacher like Bobby, but they were curious so I continued relating what I had read. All sentient beings are consciousness and nothing more. Just pure awareness. Separate from and basic to the object of awareness. Consciousness has no mass and no wavelength. Who we ARE cannot be measured or empirically proven to exist. But it is an undeniable fact that we exist by our sheer awareness.

Carl was uninterested. He thinks that consciousness just 'sprung to life' when the brain developed and started thinking. Other philosophies disagree, believing it more plausible for consciousness to pre-exist than for consciousness to 'spring to life' inside the brain.

Steve and Bobby were leaning forward still listening, so I continued. "We cannot 'have' consciousness because we ARE consciousness. We are what is aware of our bodies. We ARE what is aware of our feelings. We ARE what is aware of our perceptions."

It becomes more interesting that we have individualized by identifying with our bodies. Therefore we are separated and distinct from each other in matter and time. That is personal identity. But we all are of the same conscious 'substance.

Steve was intrigued with these new ideas to him. He noted that these are difficult concepts for the Western thinker taught to focus on the object of consciousness. He summarized, "if these ideas are true, all this time we have been focusing of the object of consciousness and have forgotten about the existence of the perceiver. Who we are."

Bobby paraphrased, 'What we are looking for, is who is looking.'

I said that the laughing exercise is valuable because it is a doorway to becoming aware of who we are. The perceiver.

These are only theories to test. They may (or may not) fit the facts better than other theories.


CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

THEORY: CONSCIOUSNESS IS GOD

[Again, skip this chapter if no desire for philosophic discussion.]

Steve is successful because he is willing to entertain new ideas. He seemed ready for another philosophic idea. We had talked about consciousness pre-existing before the physical universe. And that consciousness created the universe. "Some even believe that consciousness is God." I said.

Bobby stomped his fist on the table, got up, and walked around us saying, "Consciousness is God? I've never heard a more damn crazy statement." We never heard him swear before. He was clearly troubled by that postulation.

I thought it relevant to tell of my recent trip to Bee's village. Our cat had kittens who were just becoming aware of their world after opening their eyes. I leaned over them, my face a few inches from theirs. They looked upward in unison. Their total attention followed by movements, right, left, etc. Sweet kittens being totally perceivers. No considerations were attached. Still pure consciousness.

Carl asked in a sarcastic tone, "Like you were witnessing God?"

"Maybe," I replied.

Steve was intrigued and made a deduction, "If all living things are basically consciousness, and consciousness is God, then we might learn direct communication with each other and with God."

Bobby heard this and bent over with his hands on his knees, like we did at track practice and meets to catch our breath. He was quiet for a while, thinking. Later he announced that he had a brilliant solution how this theory could be reconciled, even support, his religious philosophy. What he thought originally was blasphemy could be supportive. He did not elaborate other than to say this could explain miracles and our future potential.

Steve was quiet and thinking. My guess he was thinking how he could benefit the world and himself with such new ideas.

Carl thinks such postulating is a waste of time. We replied that these ideas are more intriguing questions to ask than 'what is for dinner?' or 'what is on TV tonight?'

Steve began to show a greater interest in these ideas.

I concluded, "Of course all this is only postulation. Postulating is fun. It might even lead to greater knowledge or predicting events in the observed world."


CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

CONSEQUENCES OF THESE THEORIES

Steve grew more intrigued by our two far-reaching theories. He had never heard the idea that who we are is consciousness. And it was difficult for him to fathom that consciousness created the physical universe. He said that if these ideas were true, the consequences for science were enormous.

He was willing to look at these esoteric subjects and wanted to test if observable facts were consistent with these theories foreign to us. Or would facts be inconsistent and refute the theories?

Steve took a few days off from his myriad of projects to fly to Hawaii to discuss these topics. For hours at a time, we would be in heated and often amusing debate in restaurants, at the beach, and on my farm.

First, we wondered if each individual were pure consciousness in a body, what is this association with a body?

Steve is successful in business because he can stretch his imagination to solve problems and answer questions. We concluded that there were several possibilities how consciousness is identified with a body.

Maybe by attachment to an idea common to both the brain and consciousness. Maybe there is a structural geometric form which is the place of attachment. Caught in a confusing paradox? Through breath? Are pictures the attraction? Is consciousness electrically trapped? Is it just by habit over time? Most likely identification with a body involved space and time.

We had no answers how or why consciousness is attached to a body. We just don't know enough. But we are curious.

So far we were no closer to determining if observable facts were consistent or inconsistent with our far-reaching theories. We seemed to get 'further-out.'

Our discussions next led to why our odd-looking humanoid form evolved. One answer is that it was created exactly in its present form. But that just begged the question and did not address the issue of events from the very beginning.

If life exists on other planets and dimensions, we wondered about shapes of life there.

We noted that physical particles when left alone tend to dissipate rather than to organize. So it seemed likely that a force to build a functioning structure created early mobile forms.

Could consciousness be the creator? Could consciousness continue to evolve these self-mobile forms and then identify with them? So far these are only words and concepts. At least the theory is not yet refuted.

We consulted Bobby in our next discussion. We wondered if consciousness indeed was capable of manipulating the physical universe, then identifying with its creation, which might be the worst possible situation for consciousness. A negative spiral results where consciousness becomes increasingly transfixed on the object of consciousness, and true identity is forgotten.

Bobby used words like 'fall of man,' evil,' 'work of the devil' to describe these dangers. We spoke different languages, but we gained a great mutual understanding of our philosophies.

If consciousness is evidenced in a body in the form of individual identity, we thought it important to put our physical body in good shape. Consciousness would be our teacher, starting with our laughing exercise which was our first doorway to being aware of who we are. Through our exercises, consciousness could reveal how to align our body. Consciousness can create a more efficiently functioning body. It teaches our thoughts to be self-centered. We concluded being self-centered might not be such a bad thing if we realize that self was consciousness, common to all life.

We saw there might be value to inward meditation to find consciousness, but we think that focusing outward to all consciousness was the more joyful route. If the theories are correct, there is consciousness everywhere.

We wondered if there was a universal sense of beauty. Cross culturally there is general acceptance of what is beautiful and what is not beautiful. Specifics vary of course. Making the analogy with music, a pure tone produced by a mathematically symmetrical vibration is more appealing than noise produced by chaotic vibrations. We wondered if vibrations basic to a physical form that are in harmony manifest greater physical beauty.

We noted the Buddhist philosophy that desires are the cause of suffering, and that enlightenment is possible only by transcending desires. We translated those ideas to our language. Attachment to physical forms cannot give satisfaction, but freeing ourselves by remembering who we are is the route to happiness.

Transcending desires is not easy. We concluded that a best route was to replace desires with better ones until we can remember our true identity.

Steve recalled a statement by Bobby, "What we are looking for, is who is looking."


CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

WILDER CONSEQUENCES OF THESE THEORIES

The final day of Steve's visit he extrapolated further consequences to the theories.

Steve said that if who we are is consciousness, and consciousness permeates the physical universe and is basic to it, that opens our thinking to all kinds of possibilities.

If consciousness is identified with a body, that intimate relationship might be the first place to see if the theories could produce an effect in the observable world. We had already noticed changes in our body as a result of our exercises. We were super-healthy, and felt an interconnectivity in the body which seemed to make the body run more efficiently. We began to wonder if there was a basic pattern or archetype we could learn to make the body operate even more efficiently and affect longevity.

He wondered if we could learn how to superimpose conjured shapes on top of observed physical shapes and alter those shapes. Our limited thoughts would do nothing. Universal consciousness would do the work. He recalled a statement by Bobby, 'let go and let God.'

The same with altering events in the physical universe.

We looked at probably the 'furthest-out' consequence of the theory that consciousness permeates and is basic to the physical universe. All things are possible in space and time through consciousness.

Steve is beginning to think these wild ideas are not so far-fetched and might be shown to have validity. He will test if consciousness can affect objects in the physical world. Profound if successful. Being a man of action, I would not be surprised.

He noted that most people would not understand these ideas. He requested that I not include them in this book until they were considered less far-fetched in the future.

I said that I would think about it.


CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

PARADOXES

[Again, the reader is invited to skip this chapter if wishing to avoid a philosophic discussion].

Bobby and I had fun discussing the topic of individual consciousness. Each sentient being is pure consciousness which identified with a body. Therefore each being is limited in space and time, separated into individuality. His religious writings has a wealth of information, in parables and coded messages within myths.

His explanations and mine were far different, but the conclusions were similar.

We believe that our unique, individual consciousness, separated only by unique viewpoint, is held captive in our perceived physical universe by a deception of our own making. He views it moralistically. I think it is due more to ignorance. Individuals are each isolated by self-perpetuating confusing paradoxes.

One such paradox could be called the separation paradox. Bobby named it the fall of man. One explanation for each individual's separation from the consciousness is that a parcel of consciousness began to identify with an object of consciousness. It began to believe that it was that object, and forgot its pure conscious nature. We are trapped into individuality by ignorance. Bobby believes each person made an immoral decision to leave 'heaven' and become under the influences of wicked forces. Kept in this world by evil. In either case, we are trapped by own own making.

Another paradox might be called the approaching enlightenment paradox. Bobby calls it the temptation paradox. Perhaps we continue separation into individuality because the closer we approach universal consciousness, the high anxiety or anger generated by realizing our separation prevents us from arriving. Or perhaps our abilities increase with increased consciousnes thereby enabling some fantasy fulfillment in the physical world which directs us away from self- realization. Bobby believes that the closer we get to the 'gates of heaven,' the greater chance of temptation which casts us out again.

Probably the most insidious paradox is the ego paradox. We abhor the loneliness of individuality, but fear returning 'home' to universal consciousness because that might jeopardize one's precious individuality. Bobby had many quotes about the trappings of being ego-centered.

The Be / Do / Have paradox keeps us trapped into believing that we Exist because we Do or Have. In reality, Being precedes it all. Descartes had it backwards in this paradox with his false dictum "I think, therefore I am." More correctly, he is therefore he can think.

The love / lust paradox gives a false feeling of love. Until that trap is transcended, we remain unsatisfied. Bobby had many quotes on this one.

Across all cultures and ages, we can recognize beauty and what is not. The beauty paradox focuses our attention on creating beauty in the physical universe. Futilely and endlessly trying to approximate perfection. And that less-than-beautiful is considered less worthy.

We might think fantasies increases consciousness. But those attachments actually direct us away from the conscious perceiver.

We entered the physical universe in steps. Trying to free ourselves from identification with it out of sequence will not be successful.

There are paradoxes on all levels of life. Certainly numerous ones in personal lives and in interpersonal relationships. In politics. In religion. Every problem has an underlying paradox which must be unraveled. Our laughing exercise was so valuable because it helped us get back in touch with the consciousness we are, which is the place to start.

Bobby concluded that these ideas are not antithetical to his faith. He said such esoteric theories can actually support it.

Carl had no interest in these topics. Steve sat back and smiled at what he was hearing.


CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

DARWIN'S THEORY REVISITED

There are two sides to Darwin's Theory of Evolution: 1. Survival of the fittest, 2. Generation of new species.

There is no doubt that the 'survival of the fittest' part of Darwin's Theory is absolutely correct. Those organisms which are the strongest or best adapted to their environment have the best chance of survival. The proof is seen though time.

But the second part of Darwin's Theory, his 'generation of new species' ismajorly flawed. Darwin postulated that new species are generated by random mutations of genes which alters their form. Modern science astoundingly continues to embrace this unreasonable notion despite evidence to the contrary.

Mathematicians and geneticists should be first to point out the impossibility of Darwin's 'generation of new species' postulation. Simply, the time required by a process of chance gene mutation to produce the myriad of life forms we see is far insufficient. The math is just not there.

The 'generation of new species' part of Darwin's Theory is further refuted by the fact that physical particles and systems when left alone tend to dissipate rather than to organize. Further, gene mutations, if they were indeed made by chance, it would be the remotest possibility that they would benefit the organism's survival, but be harmful. Darwin's theory does not fit the fact

And the Theory cannot explain the fact that quantum, complicated changes in form do not have survivable stages required for that development. Something else is going on which Darwin does not explain.

An alternative explanation to the generation of new species is presented by Evangelical Christians. They believe that a divine intelligence programs such alterations in organisms. Proponents of this theory would be the first to admit that this theory cannot be defended scientifically. Rather, it is considered 'true' by unquestioned authoritarian doctrine.

It is odd that given the option of believing the 'intelligent design' theory which cannot be proven, or the false Darwin's 'generation of new species' theory, most scientists prefer to believe the latter.

There is another theory of the generation of new species which also has its problems. 'Lamarck's Theory' states that changes in form can occur by willpower of the organism itself, and those changes can be perpetuated genetically. Giraffes wanted to reach tall trees, so willed their necks longer, and that trait perpetuated. Cheetahs wanted to run faster, so willed their bodies sleeker and more powerful for them and their progeny. Scientists a century ago discounted Lamarck's Theory by concluding that there is no proof that genetic changes can be willed or perpetuated genetically.

What could be going on? We are entering a new age. Science is learning about stem cells. Some are conjecturing about the importance of intentionality. There have been advancements recently suggesting that humans can influence the generation of stem cells which can evolve to any organ in the body.

Will a biochemist show how stem cells can be encouraged to be produced within the body by attitude and will power?

Will a geneticist discover that master chromosomes exist in the brain?

Will a biophysicist postulate that there is an interface between consciousness and chromosomes?

So far, there has been no adequate explanation to the generation of new species.


CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN

NOTES ON ANCIENT BABYLON

The ancient city of Babylon flourished in various forms from 3000 BC for 2000 years. It was located between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers, in what is now Iraq.

Through a succession of wise leadership, Babylon developed and grew to become the largest and most renowned city in the world, the first to reach a population above 200,000. Huge public works projects were undertaken. Irrigation canals between the rivers made the fertile Mesopotamian plain agriculturally productive. Elaborate gardens were made within the city. At one time Babylon was surrounded with triple walls, a moat and drawbridge entrance.

It became a cradle of ideas. Science, medicine, history and mathematics were advanced. Education and the arts were valued. Religion was allowed to be practiced. Money as a means of exchange was invented. The ideas of capitalism with financing, promissory notes and private property rights were born. There was evidence of a stable political hierarchy, laws, and a justice system. Babylon advanced civilization immensely.

Eventually, Babylon began its decline internally by corruption, unwise political guidance, and loss of values. Later, it was conquered and re-conquered. Plundered and re-plundered. It was abandoned to the winds. All that remains today is rubble and dust.

Babylon failed because it eventually lost philosophic direction. As every society does with misplaced life values.


CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT

ONWARD

We had kept in touch by e mails. We decided to meet in Berkeley again for the first football game of the current season. Cal now has a respectable football team.

Meeting at the restaurant near campus among current college kids was instructive to us. Some acted loud and confident. Some seemed overwhelmed by their impending future responsibilities.

Most were focused of the trappings of materialistic life. Like we were.

Some of the kids might begin to realize that there is far more to experience than what the physical world could satisfy. Like we did.

Would they make the decision to maximize their lives beyond their accomplishments? Like we did.

Would they make the effort to evolve? Like we did.

Steve started a new round of thinking when he said, "OK, we learned how to be happy. Now What?"

Steve knows exactly what he wanted to do. He had fixed himself, now he wanted to fix others. We warned him with old phrases like 'You can lead a horse to water, but cannot make him drink.' And to be careful to 'give a helping hand, not a handout.' Yes, he knows all that. Steve will focus on creating opportunities through education for anyone choosing to be competent. And he hopes to refine the productivity / reward economic system.

Bobby wanted to show that world religions had more in common than the differences which cause so many problems. He is beginning to think that the Consciousness-Is-God theory might be the core philosophy of all spiritual beliefs. That certainly would unify all religions. And would include agnostics and humanists.

I am still fascinated by philosophies and cosmologies of all kinds. The interaction between consciousness and matter is interesting. There are great discoveries to be made.

Carl and Dee had interests closer to home. They would be content that our exercises were their accessible doorways to continued joy in life.

We continue our lives fascinated with 'Now What?'



Copyright © November, 2009, Bill Pfeil

Author's footnotes: feedback is welcome to billpfeil@yahoo.com .
I graduated from Cal in 1966, B.A. in Philosophy, and for many years have been farming in Hawaii: http://www.papayamango.com .