If one is not a scientist or an adventurer where is the joy in being a consciousness after we have completed the PMR experience?

Marcia,

Completing the PMR experience is like graduating from elementary school. Those fifth graders may feel pretty big , feel like they have just about done it all, but that is because they know so little rather than because they know so much. The joy of consciousness is in the learning, the growing, the evolving, and the becoming.

If you are pressing for an absolute here and would thus see my answer as step two of an infinite series (which is, as you well know, not a rational answer at all), let me just skip to the end of the: “But what about after that?“ series. Eventually, one would become one with AUM -- that is, share the view from the top -- become a full partner in the firm of MOG & MOG. So, you might ask, is that the end of the line? Is that where it gets boring? No, of course not — there is no end of the line, the joy of learning, of helping others grow, of caring, service and love, goes on indefinitely. AUM (the larger consciousness system) is not a topped-out absolute, nor a comatose moron on a feeding tube. AUM is a real, finite thing — a learning, growing, evolving entity, and as long as AUM remains an evolving system, the fun is never done.

After you give up the conceptual comfort of absolutes -- i.e., deterministic, limited, closed sets, you will find no logic or rational considerations that force an end to the evolution of a consciousness system other than capacity. And then, as was said in MBT, it may be time for a purge of the least significant bits, or perhaps an upload of the result of lessons learned (the accumulated content of AUM’s evolution) followed by a reboot to start over — to complete an even bigger picture of the consciousness cycle. However, now we have reached (or just passed) the limit of logical rationalization. Beyond that limit lies a fantasy that must, by definition, always remain just that.

Tom C

Tom,

It is interesting that it didn't even occur to me that one might think that I meant that the PMR experience is the fun one. Whoa, perspectives are so relative. I'm glad that I didn't have to write a book--or three!

I know so very little and even getting this far has been a difficult journey. Therein lies the basis of my question. There is nothing more that I would rather do than to continue to follow the Fundamental Process and help others. I can see where that produces much joy. However, for several days after finishing MBT I felt that my joy was gone. My issue wasn't with the Big TOE itself (which actually answered many questions that I had), but rather with the eternal pursuit of lower entropy and higher consciousness. Because the Fundamental Process is so strong and it has been such a difficult process to find my way and to grow, I became apprehensive about "eternity" becoming an "eternal struggling search". I was looking for a glimmer of hope that outside of PMR there is more than struggle. Am I going to be pulling myself up by my bootstraps all the way to AUM?

Marcia,

Thank you Marcia for the explanation, language interpretation is tough variable to control. Maybe I will get the question right this time.

Yes it does. You will be pulling yourself up by the bootstraps all the way to AUM. However, that process is not nearly as difficult or full of painful struggle as it sounds to PMR ears. On page 227 of Book 3, I say: "Learning and growing, once past the boot camp phase, should be joyful and fun." PMR is boot camp for most of us. After boot camp, growing up may still be a struggle but a different kind of struggle than what you have been experiencing. A fun struggle, an exciting struggle, a struggle to be effective in helping others grow or to be effective as a facilitator of evolving consciousness. A struggle of love instead of a struggle of ego. Struggling to be all you can be from a position of internal balance and peace — is a challenging, joyous struggle that contains very little pain because that mostly goes away with the ego. Here is a fair but not great analogy: If you are a flabby couch potato, the struggle to become a marathon runner is very difficult and very painful. If you are a champion marathon runner, it is likely that running fast and long is something you enjoy — the challenge of practice and training is fun.

Yes, growth is always and endlessly a challenge, but a joyous one that you look forward to meeting with a light heart and a smile.

So you don't think PMR is the fun one?

Tom C

Tom,

Tom: After boot camp, growing up may still be a struggle but a different kind of struggle than what you have been experiencing. A fun struggle, an exciting struggle, a struggle to be effective in helping others grow or to be effective as a facilitator of evolving consciousness. A struggle of love instead of a struggle of ego. Struggling to be all you can be from a position of internal balance and peace — is a challenging, joyous struggle that contains very little pain because that mostly goes away with the ego.

Thank you for this very kind and loving explanation. What you had to say about it being a struggle of love and what that means really touched my heart. You have me actually looking forward to the struggle after this boot camp.

Tom: Here is a fair but not great analogy: If you are a flabby couch potato, the struggle to become a marathon runner is very difficult and very painful. If you are a champion marathon runner, it is likely that running fast and long is something you enjoy — the challenge of practice and training is fun.

I had to smile at your analogy because although I am neither a couch potato nor a marathon runner, the challenge of the treadmill is one of my favorites.

Thank you Tom for writing MBT and for continuing to help us here with such care. Now with a much lighter heart I will buck up my courage and snuggle down into my boots for the long journey!

Marcia

Marcia,

If you can enjoy running on a treadmill, you clearly have what it takes to find joy in almost any activity. You are, without a doubt, a shoe-in for the gold medal in bootstrapping -- Success is a certainty -- if, is no longer a question, the eventual result is clear, it's only a matter of time.

Good choice to have procured snuggle comfy boots -- could take a while.

Tom

Marcia,

When you take a rest after the treadmilling, or a bootstrapping session, you might find it relaxing to listen to these radio sites, especially the Tapestry one. They are on am, fm, and sirius 137. their web sites will give you an indication if they might be for you.


1) http://www.cbc.ca/ideas/

2) http://www.cbc.ca/tapestry/

SAVOIR

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There is always more.