“It must have happened sometime around 12.000 Year ago. Around the end of the ice age. When humanity transitioned from hunters to Shepherds and from foragers to farmers. At the end of the paleolithic and at the beginning of the neolithic. When nomads of all tribes came together, building the great temple of Göbekli Tepe. It must have been around that time, that humanity sold its soul to the Ego. It was back then, that people decided to control the world around them. To take things into their own hands. It was then, that the ego drive took fully over. When it became out of control.
Before we started to plow it, we used to honor the earth. Before we sacrificed our animals, we have hunted them with respect. Before we prayed to the gods, we prayed to the whole, to life itself. But when we made the ego our highest god, we lost our love to the earth. Did we knew back then, who we were? Did we forget what our name is? Did we lose our connection to the universe?
You could perhaps argue that it started even earlier, in Africa, when man first saw himself. At least 70.000 Years ago. Before we set out to conquer the world. Around the beginning of the Cognitive revolution. When man first spoke 'I am'. When the first thought arose in our consciousness. This was, when the first split occurred. The split between Myself and Yourself. A split of words. A separation of ideas. First there came 'me' and 'You'. And soon after came 'good' and 'evil', 'Yes' and 'no'. This is how we were split up in words. This is how we got caught-up in our Dual thinking.
You could argue that the split happened even earlier. In nature. When human split from primate, or when amphibians split from the fish, or even before... Before the split of predator and prey or male and female... Perhaps even before the split of energy and matter or time and space.
No, the actual split happened at the very beginning of the universe. When the song of the big bang echoed throughout infinity, when Existence split from Emptiness... That's when the first split occurred. A split in universal consciousness, throughout every level. But even though there is a pattern of fragmentation trickling down into every level of reality, nothing is ever separated. No thing can ever exist on its own. All parts can only exist with the whole and the whole can only exist with all parts. We are just giving every part of the whole a different name. But each part remains connected with the whole. The very idea of separation is only an illusion.
Because everything is still connected. The connection was never severed. It only appears that way. Matter appears to be split. On all levels we see things, as if they were separate. But the separation itself is the illusion. Because, zoom far enough in and you won't find any dividing line. Everything is entangled. Things appear to be different, because they are unique on every level but follow patterns of form.
We think in images. Mental images, that we have created to simplify that, which we find in the world around us. And we assign a word to that image. This image is however very limited. It can never accurately represent physical reality. No thing can ever be separated from its environment, because All that is, can only ever exist as a whole.
Separation itself is part of a universal pattern. A pattern of consciousness. Which reflects both in the mind, as well as physical reality. And yet... So is unity. Think of birds flying or fish swimming in synchronicity. Think of ants and bees working together. Think of the collective unconscious. All of our minds are connected and yet each of us also has their own personal mind.
So everything is in some way separated and everything is also united? Doesn't that seem like a paradox?
It seems to us like a paradox, but not because there is a contradiction in reality. It's because there is a contradiction in our thinking. It's not that this paradox shouldn't exist... It's more like, if this paradox were real, the world couldn't exist. All contradictions, all paradoxes can only exist in our thinking. There are no paradoxes in physical reality.
If there were, then reality could not function as it does. So if to us there seems to be a contradiction between concepts, the answer can't be that the world doesn't make sense, it's that we are not thinking correctly.
You see... Mind and matter are in opposition. The mind lives in illusion and matter lives in truth.
Because we are lying to ourselves on the inside, we are fighting against the outside. We are in constant conflict. With life itself and all of its challenges. Instead of just accepting truth and aligning the inside with the outside, we prefer to have our way instead. Or rather, so that the Ego can have its way. This is where we create all conflict. Because we are unable to accept this simple truth, that WE ARE ALL ONE.”
The Mysterious Stranger looks intensely at the young man in the red T-shirt. Waiting for his reaction.
“Sir, this is McDonalds,” says the teenager at the cash register.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
There is a short moment of awkward silence between the Stranger and the cashier.
“I'll take two cheeseburger,” orders the Stranger with a humbled voice. He's Showing up two fingers.
“What took you so long,” asks the Seeker, as the Mysterious Stranger walks with a brown bag out of the Restaurants door. Its raining outside.
“Well,” admits the Stranger. “He asked me, what I'd like to order.”
The Seeker sighs annoyed, as they bite into the cheeseburger. “Did you seriously just destroy the entire immersion of a fantasy story for the sole purpose of telling a joke?”
“Yes,” speaks the Stranger with an overly dramatic voice. “And I would do it again.”
The Seeker and the Stranger are walking on the pavements of the eternal city. Dark clouds in the sky. The rain gets heavier with every minute. People in Grey suits or dresses are carrying umbrellas. The spotlights of the silver cars are shining on the wet pavement. The occasional homeless person, sitting under a doorstep. Some shady figures dealeing in the dark allies.
“Okay you know what,” speaks the Stranger. “How about we just call this a 'filler episode'. Let's just say, it's not canon.”
“Seriously,” asks the Seeker annoyed. “Is that really your lame excuse?”
“Hey, almost every third One Piece episode is a filler,” reminds the Stranger.
The Seeker shakes their head. “That's why you need to read the manga!”
The two figures keep walking through the city of Irkalla in the forgotten Kingdom of Kurnugia. The land of no return. The circled city, down in the deep. Where the sun never shines and the rainy days never stop.
There is an awful silence between the two. The Seeker thinks back about how they got there. The last thing they remember is being in the land of truth and then...
“You know... I have been thinking of this a whole time already,” says the Stranger suddenly, after a long time of silence, tearing the Seeker from their thoughts. “And I just can't keep it to myself any longer. You know... What's the deal with family guy?”
“What the hell?” wonders the Seeker, both confused and surprised.
“Like, why are people even watching this series. I mean, nothing about that show is even remotely funny. It's just Peter Griffin being a dumbass, selfcentered asshole, who abuses everyone around him. Like what's the joke? Making fun of mentally retarded people? Quagmire going giggidy? Look! Meg is being abused again, haha... Like there is neither brain nor is there any heart involved in making this show. In what way is that entertaining? I don't know about the writers, but they don't even seem to care about their own characters. Family guy is written without a heart.
Now compare it to more intelligent shows like Rick and Morty, One Piece or Avatar. That's the real good shit. You can see, the people who write it really care about their own story. They try their best to be original. And they care about the characters, because they allow them to change, to evolve. Growth is such an important part of any story. It's what makes it so fun to watch.
That's why we play video games. To level up. And when our characters grow, then so do we. And when we watch a show, then it's so fun to see, how characters develop. It's like their growth is reflected back on us. That's what I love so much about stories. From the ancient myths, to the classic fables and poems. Be it contemporary cartoons or games, mangas or comics. It's all so much fun.
I really don't understand authors, who don't care about their characters. Don't you want to see Peter Griffin becoming a better person? Don't you want to see Meg getting a better life? But their authors seem to be too afraid, to make any changes. The same with the Simpsons...
When did it happen... Like when did the Simpsons turn into shit? When did it jump the shark? When the authors stopped caring for the show, that's when it lost its spark. When it was too far removed from reality. When the Simpsons were no longer true to their Characters. When Flanders became flanderized.
So TL;DR bring old Simpsons back. Like when things were still allowed to change. When Lisa decided to become vegetarian. That kind of stuff.”
The Seeker looks confused at the Stranger. They are surprised by that long rant.
“You really just went completely out of character,” says the Seeker flabbergasted.
“Well it's not canon... Isn't that what people do in fillers anyway? Being out of character?”
The Seeker sighs, shaking their head. “Okay... I get it... But please... just try to do less, pop-culture references, next time... okay?”
“Yeah okay,” agrees the Stranger. “Do you also want to go out of character for a moment? Since this is filler, it's of no consequence.”
The Seeker suddenly stops walking on the pavement. As the Seeker stands still, they are taking in a deep breath.
“You know...,” says the Seeker with a slight grin on their face. “I don't really like family guy either.”
Suddenly everything around the Seeker starts fading away. Like vaporizing fog. Everything turns white, as the Seeker awakens from their dream.
They are lying in the green grass. The Mysterious Stranger sits next to them in their blue hooded robe. The Sun is rising from the east. Shining directly at the next archway portal... Checkpoint 4.
“Ah, you are awake now,” notices the Stranger. “Do you still remember how we broke the fifth wall?”
The Seeker blinks with their eyes. They still can't put together what is happening. Were they in the in-between all this time? Was it all just a dream? What is happening?
“We- We broke through the fifth wall?!” asks the Seeker still in the process of waking up.
“Yeah,” confirms the Stranger, pointing at the archway. “We are out. We made it out of the land of truth. Right over there, is the fourth checkpoint. Are you ready now?”
“I have been waiting for that damned checkpoint, since the last two episodes,” groans the Seeker slightly irritated. “Will we now finally go to the next level?”
TO BE CONTINUED