Excerpt from A Guide To Awareness and Tranquillity

by William Samuel

About Religion and Science

THE MANY PATHS OF RELIGION

Most of us begin an investigation and study of Reality because we are dissatisfied with the half-truths we hear pouring out of the world's institutions, or because we fail to understand the Truth they may be talking about. Something within drives us on if we are sincere, and we progress through the sundry phases of one or more conventional denominations, usually religious, ever searching and finding. Those who persevere may move into (and through) some of the stages of mysticism. This may be a personal philosophy, but it is usually the accumulated thinking of an organized body held together by the particular literature of an enlightened leader.

Throughout this literary evolution (how else can we speak of it?) there is an accompanying experience appearing as "states and stages," as levels, each one, in its own view, more arcane, more profound and more absolute than all others. At the same time, however, each is more complex and more difficult to understand. Finally, despite the bewitching, egobuilding satisfaction we enjoy from a rare knowledge of the "Absolute" (unknown by those unfortunate unenlightened, of course!), the glaring absence of Tranquility forces us to the simple admission that there is nothing permanently satisfying in these highest orders of religion, or "non-religion" as some are termed. Furthermore, it becomes apparent that whatever morsels of peace we have found along the way become more ephemeral by the day. Ultimately (if not here, then "hereafter") we awaken to find the whole business is, and ever has been, human intellectualism carried to its fullest development—an art form even its perpetrator knows is an empty facade, a worthless misperception of Reality.

Today, a growing portion of intellectualism's burlesque resides within the "metaphysics of the Absolute" wherein even the use of the term God may be anathema. Within this "highest" strata of human intellectual achievement exists the growing New Theology which says "Humanity is God" at its one extreme and "The individual-I-am is God" at the other extreme—both as far from the complete truth as a personal idea can get. This is the sundering dualism already manifesting itself as a human society divided and at loggerheads, either proclaiming or disclaiming the actuality of God—while the god either side speaks of is not God at all, but its own misinterpretation.

Most of us appear to reach one or the other of these pompous extremes (wittingly or unwittingly) only to discover the emptiness of it all in the agony of the effort and the bitter vomit of the attempt. In retrospect, however, we discover that everything has happened as it should have happened and all has been as it should have been; because, out of that dark agony of intellectualism (if not before) comes the Christ-birth of the Truth that leads us to the actual surrender of that devilish intellect! And out of this surrender comes Tranquility, fabled Peace beyond belief! Still remaining on the new scene, however, is this simple, childlike Awareness-being-us, very busy being aware. Personal judgments and opinions have vanished; the significance of religion and all other intellectualism is seen in perspective, and God, as God is, appears, leaving neither sight, sound, nor feeling as anathema.

*******************

THE FAILURE OF RELIGION

Religious intellectualism is bound to fail us and thereby appear to fail the world. It does not touch the hem of Reality.

Even though most of us go through its processes to see for ourselves, we ultimately discover that no metaphysical ladder reaches the knowledge of Truth; that systems intended to help the climber, teach the climber, heal the climber, or even to help the climber climb out of himself, are all absurd. The only legitimate "system" is one that disavows the possibility of a real climber at all, one that proclaims the already—perfection of Isness to be the only fact, right now. Even that is meaningful only if the evidence of this fact is actually beheld, understood and experienced, here and now, without ceasing! The totality of Reality—the allness of Isness—does not allow the presence of an unreal ("seeming") is-notness, a separate phantom-ego who must struggle to be bound back to a perfect Only.

But these are just so many words, even to the most sincere, until the time we are willing, or forced, to make the surrender of the ego. The simple ones who love Reality enough to do it, quickly find themselves in the presence of landscape, flower, child, teacher, book, morning sun, birdsong, stillness or turmoil proclaiming in clear and unmistakable terms the whys and wherefores of ISNESS as ALL OF ISNESS being the wonder of the Awareness-reading-this!

*******************

SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS

Arrogant intellectualism reaches its peak with the highest states of mysticism and metaphysics. During the time one's status is determined by his works, by his imagined ability to heal or correct the human picture—such metaphysical mastership breeds the deadliest of all personal misidentifications, the opinionated self-righteous. These high priests and practitioners of scholasticism's full bloom are blindest to the tender simplicity and all-inclusiveness of Reality.

Ah, but with the breakaway from the ego, with the surrender of the pompous personality (ours, not the other fellow's), the bonds of intellectualism begin effortlessly to fall away, to fade away like the morning mist along the river bank. The educated mess of the pseudo-personal mind is left behind, let go, lost. Then commences the inspirational instruction of the Heart. This still small voice teaches us directly and honestly. It tells a simple story, a tender story, a warm and gentle story of present health and sufficiency. It tells of unebbing strength and power; of happiness here and now; of tranquility, peace and deathless life.

*******************

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

QUESTI0N: Mr. Samuel, if these ideas about Identity are so revolutionary and capable of doing so many magnificent things for us as you say, why haven't they been recognized by the sciences and by the churches whose business it is to explore such ideas?

ANSWER: The fact is, they are being discovered and explored in the fields of science and religion, and many changes are being wrought within the appearances of these institutions. (But so what? Our mission is not to make changes in the world's institutions. Our's is to be what we be, then see what this allows us to see concerning "institutions" or anything else that comes to be seen.)

QUESTION: But why is the scientific world so slow to accept this Identity as Awareness?

ANSWER: Suppose one who is not an astronomer happens to discover a new principle of astronomy with which he is able to solve many enigmas, and thereby do wondrous things within his own view of the heavens. Then suppose he sets out to tell the world so it may solve these problems, too. Who does the world listen to in astronomical matters—astronomers or non-astronomers? Astronomers, of course. But how likely are the astronomers to listen to someone unknown in their science and unschooled in their way? There is only the least likelihood that they will pay heed to a stranger. The stranger, therefore, must first be discovered, happily undisturbed by the enigmas disturbing others. He must be found plotting an effortless course through the ponderous mazes so bewildering to those following the programs of officialdom. In short, the stranger must make his mark by living his discovery.

Ah, but then—when finally the astronomers come to the stranger to hear what he has to say, how quickly do they comprehend and accept his message? Not until they check every idea against the great mass of detail they already cherish, detail that stands as the time-honored foundation of the science that gives them their positions of judgmental authority. Their vast erudition stands in the way—a veritable wall against which every new idea is tested!

Now, when an idea happens to come along that tears at the very foundation of the institution, there is an understandable reluctance to accept it, most especially by those who have grown to love their institutional positions of judgmental authority or by those who place confidence in those authorities. So, considering humanity's trust in what happens to be a slow-moving and reluctant institution, is it any wonder the educational foundations and the world at large are so slow to accept the Isness they fear will put them both out of business? One day our over-honored institutions will stop passing out crumbs and get down to the business of illustrating meat.

Jesus used a graphic illustration in this regard. Human officialdom, said he, is "like a dog in the stable; it neither eats the oats nor lets the oxen eat."

*******************

ABOUT GOD AND SCIENCE

QUESTION: Is this philosophy a form of Pantheism?

ANSWER: No. We do not say that the universe is God. We say that the universe is the total of Deific qualities and attributes perceived within Deity's Self-knowing. Deity is infinitely more than the universe and the Awareness that perceives it.

Now understand this: The Identity about which this book speaks is no philosophy. Awareness, this Identity-being-us, is not a philosophy. I suppose an intellectual tag on our words about Awareness might be called such, and the means by which we awaken to the actual Identity and relinquish the pseudo-identity could be construed as a "philosophic system"; but Identity, this Amness-I-am, this consciousness-we-are, is not a philosophy. It is a fact!

*******************

There was a time when philosophers called nature God. It seemed to them as if all the power of man was as nothing in the face of the eternal seasons, the great cycles and tides. Now man stands on the earth's surface willing and able to change the seasons to suit himself. He has the capacity to alter the course of the earth around the sun. He can make the earth wobble on its axis if he chooses, and alter the length of its days and nights. In the face of humanity's burgeoning technology, it is evident that nature is no longer inviolate. Nature, therefore, is not Isness, not unchanging, unalterable Reality. The pantheist is forced to forsake his view—or have a non-absolute Absolute.

*******************

III

The astronomer searching for clues about the origin of the universe looks ever further back in time by looking farther into space. He once reasoned that if he could see far enough, he would see the creation of the universe actually taking place.

Then it was discovered that the most remote galaxies are rushing away from his viewing telescopes at velocities approaching the speed of light; so it has been concluded, apparently, that the view of the "beginning" of the universe is traveling away from the earth at the speed of light, hence will never be humanly perceived, even by the most powerful instruments.

Inevitably, we find every human footstep toward an already present Absolute uncovers ten more steps for the human being to take.

*******************

Technology doesn't disprove the existence of God. It merely demands that false gods be forsaken.

Over and above the natural order of being, beyond the mundane, exists Existence, Isness, the Godhead. Advancing technology, spiraling human power and ability, are unable to touch the fount of Being. Rather, Isness is the warp and woof of technology—if technology is anything at all.

*******************

The appearance of escalating human capability (positive and negative, constructive and destructive) is the inevitable culmination of the human drive to acquire Reality, God; it is the attempt to reach Perfection and conquer the limitations of humanhood.

The greater our concern with this struggle, the less disposed we are to discover and acknowledge the Fact of the Godhead—already here and now.

If you would like further guidance in understanding any of William Samuel's work based on Self discovery - you are welcome to contact me, Sandy Jones -- samuelandfriends@gmail.com - Ojai, California -