| abstract
| - The Taakat Dharma is the central texts of the religion of Taakatism. "1. We undertake to never hurt another living being." While some interpret this as encouraging vegetarianism, most do not, and becoming vegetarian is not a necessary step on the path. "2. We undertake to avoid recreational drugs." This is also interpreted differently. Different cultures have different ideas about which drugs are beneficial or not. Medicinal drugs are fine and do not fall under the category of being 'recreational'. "3. If you see someone without a smile, give them on of yours." This can be taken in a literal sense (and there is certainly no harm in doing so as well), but it usually taken to mean a genuine caring for other's wellbeing. On Freedoms of ChoiceSentience is Freedom,yet sentience attempts limitation:endless rules, codes of conduct and ingrained beliefs;There are only two rules, two pillars: Choice: the foundation of the Freedoms. Respect: the foundation of ethical interaction.Freedom is the right to actin accordance with Who You Are,while Respect tailors those actions to the benefit of All.A deep and profound respect for others entails a Love of others, the well-being of others, and a respect for the Freedoms of others.These Freedoms, however, are more than a simple moral code:they entail the liberty of beliefs, and opinions actions, and speech, and Who They Are. On the Sanctity of Life and MoralityThe moral code,though the one-who-unites,the peace-maker, and the civilizer,is the simple understanding that Life is Sacred.All Life is Sacred,and has an profound rolewithin the Whole of Existence,all Life living from each other.The same is true for human culture:Lives that exist communally,applying this understanding to their Lives,will strengthen the community, and each other,with their actions. On the Highest PathAlthough the Highest pathis the best choice in a situation, positively affecting the highest number of peopleas well as the ambient,one must always consider those who would be hurtby this path.The end does not justify the means:for spiritually, and ethically,an enlightenment or betterment of the people is nothingif tainted by one’s actions in order to achieve this end. On the Four Stages of ExistenceLearning:This stage is only ever out-grownwhen ascension has been attained.This stage of life encompassesall of the Change, Experience, Conditioning, and Deciding Action,the discovering of Who You Are,and the relationship one holds with all else.Knowing:The stage of Knowing exists when one knowsthe action to be taken in an event,and on a personal level, where one understands Who You Are. Because every eventhas different (and multiple) solutions,Knowing will occur at different times for different people,even in the same circumstance.This also teaches us tolerance, and diversity.The stage of Knowing can be entered,and left,many times by a single entity,with regard to many different events,in accordance to the understanding, and spiritual developmentwhich that person has.Within the stage of Knowing,there are many levels, including Knowledgeon an individual, or specific event,and the understanding of the Whole,and the interconnectednessof all action, all reaction, and all Existence.Experiencing:Yet Knowing is not Experiencing.Experiencing is having chosen the Highest path,the best course of actionfor a single - or better yet, multiple - events.The Highest path possible, then,is that which benefits the most:the focus and the ambient – the Whole.This requires an impressive Knowledgeof all the players in the event,including those affected by the path chosen.Living:And so as one Experiences the World,one comes to the understanding that the Highest pathis to Experience the world,(choose the best response for the well-being of the Whole),in continuous response to the well-being of the Whole.In short:to Live, and to Love, and to Actin the path of the Highest expression of Life and the World,always. On the Absolutes of ExistenceChange:In the world of the infinitenothing remains the same:Life is ever-changing, and remains ever-changing.In fact, the only constant is change.In the same way that Life is change,so is Death.Death brings a great change within the Self,within the family, and the community.Yet it is only a change.Experience:A Living Being can do nothing if not experience the World.And in this experiencing of Change,one discovers Who They Arein relationship to the World,for there is no individuality without referenceto something else.Conditioning:Every action leaves it’s mark upon us,what we call conditioning:the mind’s change according to an event experienced.This will range from simple disciplinary actionto an epiphany of understanding the why.Without conditioning, there is no evolution,within the mind, or body;and if the purpose of Life is to evolveto a state of understanding(both of themselves and their relationshipwith that which is not themselves),the inevitable conclusionis to experience that which is not oneself,and respond to it. It is recommended to have a massage at least once a week. This is necessary to keep both body and mind not only relaxed, but in good working order, and compliments the meditation you will do. Nothing compares to the feeling of not only deeply and truly knowing yourself, but knowing all. That is, knowing the collective conciousness which we all share. That is to truly know. To see the world through a new lens. All that seems real is in fact merely a tool. To see it any other merely makes it an obstacle. All that we see can and should be used as a tool in our development, and as a vehicle to our ultimate connection to the collective consciousness and single-mindedness. This, in it's innate beauty, is both knowing our separate selves and the ultimate oneness. Both stillness and the ultimate energy at once. This is also the deepest communication with oneself, which facilitates the inner knowing of our true selves. This is the immediate guidance to that which is neither known nor perceived, but at the same time is the ultimate knowledge and perception, due to seeing through a new lens. However, just as we begin to think that we understand the truth, in the same moment we are already deluded. The collective consciousness we all share is both ultimate understanding yet itself cannot be understood in normal constructive terms. As we progress through our personal and spiritual development and come to know more and more this collective consciousness, we will notice a few changes. I have decided to go over these in some detail, because that will help you to recognise these states, how they came to be, and where to go from them. Most practitioners will find these stages come in the order in which I have written about them, but for some they may come in a different order. The first stage you may well come across is a feeling of a large, relaxing space, so to speak. This is a reflection of the size and magnitude of the collective consciousness. Our mind is, in effect, coming to terms with this magnitude. This is the initial focus of the mind on it's true nature. It is like a bee landing on a flower from which it has chosen to get nectar, or like a sailor landing on an uninhabited island. It is something that may seem somewhat alien to our minds at first, but it is after all our true nature and so you will, with time, come to see it more as a homecoming experience. The second stage you may come across is that of a deeper and more contemplative thinking than you may have had before. This is your mind exploring this new space it has found. It is like the bee looking for the exact source of the nectar within a flower, or like the sailor finding sources of fresh water and food on the island he has found. In this process, the practitioner will slowly gain confidence and knowledge within this new state. The third stage you may come across is that of a joyful and blissful feeling. This is similar to the homecoming feeling, but more of a floating feeling of blissful awareness. This is the joy of discovering our true nature, and the collective conciousness we all share. This is the feeling of perfect oneness. At each stage, two happenings occur. The first is the arising of a productive mind-state that allows one to become more at one with the collective consciousness, and appreciate it's wonder. The second is the falling by the wayside of unproductive mind-states that cloud this vision. This is like scrubbing the dust off a dusty lens. This is your true self appearing like the sunshine in the morning to awake you from a dream. In this state of restful alertness, your brain functions with significantly greater coherence. This is to become one with the collective consciousness, and to experience life and our true selves as they really are. This is reality in it's most pure form. As outlined above, this awakening comes in stages, and the process may be slow, but even a little bit closer is a huge amount gained. It is important to take each step at a time. This is the best way to turn the conceptual philosophy into an experiential reality. The key is not only to become one with the collective conciousness, but to harness and harmonise it. Through this collective conciousness, we can together spread peace in all directions. There was a time when I was approached by a drunken homeless man. He begged me for money so that he could stay in the same way, so that he could stay drunk. That day he had made a considerable amount of money begging on the streets, and had, through various means, managed to be lucky enough to have several people donate to him. However, he had spent all the money on alcohol in order to keep himself drunk. The question is: Would it be wisest to give him more money to spend on alcohol or deny him such, because we know he will spend it in the same way, and is doing himself harm? What would be the wisest, and yet most compassionate course of action? The course of action I took was to instead spend the money on some food, which I then gave to the drunken homeless man. He was not best pleased in the short term, although he did eat what I gave him. In the long term, however, I saw him many years later, and he had turned his life around. One can be wise, compassionate, and yet have compassion for another's situation. However, one could also say that it is much easier and far more common to have compassion for a complete stranger who has fallen on hard times than to appreciate the good fortune of a friend, or even yourself! Happiness and anger cannot co-exist without undermining each other. This can be both detrimental and beneficial to us, depending which one takes ascendancy. Take for instance a man who let's anger take the ascendancy. He then lashes out at his friends with harsh words, thus eventually destroying those friendships. This then severs those relationship links that are such a crucial component of happiness itself. This therefore leads to a downward spiral. Now, for a second example, take a man who nurtures happiness and suppresses anger or any other negative feelings. The problem then arises that he is denying his feelings, and this will eventually lead to them bursting out, sometimes violently. This therefore eventually leads down the same road. There is therefore an important distinction to be made between denying and suppressing negative feelings and the more fruitful way of developing our happiness in order to diminish our negative feelings. One day, a group of friends were walking home along a road in the evening. Suddenly, they noticed that night had fallen and it had become dark. They walked through a forest on their way back home. As they were waling along this road through the forest in the dark, they suddenly came across a dark, shadowy figure blocking their way. He had a huge head and a thin body. All they could see was his silhouette. They all agreed that it was too dangerous to deviate from the road and go through the woods to try and avoid this mysterious creature. One of the friends suggested they wait until daylight, when they would be able to see. Another suggested they go back to where they had come from and stay the night there. Finally, one of the group summoned the courage to approach the creature. When he got close enough, he realised something, however. This creature was in fact not a creature, but a watermelon tree! The huge head was a watermelon, and the main trunk of the tree had been mistaken for a thin body! The group laughed and went on their way, realising that all is not as it seems to those who cannot see! A fish out of water can not live. However, a small fish can fool a big fish easily. The small fish can fit into smaller gaps and is quicker.
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