The previous series of figures should convince the viewer that the combining of the opposites in the first two figures cannot possibly foster a "viable" synthesis or create a reality which has any basis in truth, yet your perceptions may try to tell you that what you are viewing is feasible and real. This will be true to the degree the image or idea presented convincingly conveys some evidence of viability or realness to your perceptions, yet it is what we call an "optical illusion". Its reality IS that it is an "illusion" or a "deception".

Our perceptions and our minds are daily subjected to hundreds of obscure suggestions and ideas wherein such influences (dialectics) are present. It has become a psychological weapon, a method of "brainwashing" on a mass scale. Our senses are becoming numbed by the constant barrage of confusing and conflicting information we are subjected to through the news and entertainment media, political propaganda and religious rhetoric regarding social issues, environmental problems, economic conditions, the purpose of military operations, moral standards and ethical principles, etc.

It is little wonder that today’s youth have become virtue-ally neutralized with regard to traditionally conceived notions of right and wrong. They are forced to navigate in a sea of confusion without a compass or a sextant. What they "figure out", by trial and error, will ultimately determine the nature and quality of our future world. If they somehow manage to ascertain that it is their responsibility to learn and know the nature of the wind that fills and propels their sails and that it is up to them to cultivate some intention of finding a port which will welcome their best aspiration’s then there is hope for humanity. If they are unable to discover this responsibility on their own, then they can only expect through their irresponsibility to revert to primitivism and thus create, by omission, a world of ever-worsening hell for themselves, at least until God or Mother Nature decides that the human experiment was a tragic mistake and endeavors to cleanse Him/Herself of what remains of us.

If there is anyone reading this who is moved beyond the state of mild bemusement to a condition of genuine concern, it is you whom I now address, for I am pleased to finally have your attention. Since this treatise is written only out of a desire to assist those who are sincerely disposed to be concerned, I put the following questions before you: To whom do you entrust your mind? Who is truly responsible for how and what you think? What sacrifice might you be making by allowing your mind to be filled and influenced from someone else’s reservoir of thoughts, ideas and beliefs (especially when you examine carefully the choices offered in todays media)? There are no guarantees that a particular belief will benefit you in any special way or assure you any special privileges! Rational knowledge is largely speculative and theoretical and must be put to the test before it can be proven beneficial.

There is no room in wisdom for beliefs or speculations, for wisdom is the result of your own personal experience in the process of eliminating beliefs and speculations from influencing your life. This does not, however, mean that they are not the stepping stones leading ever toward your goal. Wisdom is what remains when beliefs and assumptions, the stepping stones, have been transcended or left behind. Wisdom is the true awareness of what works! The birthplace of true ethics.

We might begin to sense a relationship, at this point, between beliefs and illusion, rational knowledge and reality, and wisdom and truth, and thus confirm that our challenge is three-fold. Our journey in search of truth is such that we must "climb the mountain" ourselves. There are no cable cars, helicopters or free rides of any kind.

The gift this book hopes to offer you is the seemingly cruel realization that you, and only you can make the climb. When "you" have realized this fully, you will have found the beginnings of wisdom. But this is only the start of the journey. Once you have recognized the illusion, it will fall away of itself because it will have nothing to cling to in you. Beliefs die painlessly when "killed" by truth, unless you are inclined to cling to them. It is past perceptions of reality that puts up the fight because they have a life of their own which are sustained by the beliefs and speculations of others.

Hence, we come to the importance of "right education". Education which has its roots in "truth", not the misguided knowledge and beliefs of the status quo which is influenced and guided by the "Power Elite" to serve their own purposes.

We are here defining the task of the next generation of "pioneers". Pioneers who will be simply re-pioneering the truth and wisdom of self-realization, self-responsibility, and self-reliance, but within a new context of living, a new "cultural paradigm". Who will these "pioneers" be? How will they reveal the truth which is theirs to bequeath to humanity? How will they expose the "illusion" that presently obscures mankinds vision? How then, will they set about to dismantle the perceived "reality" that now holds humanity in its vise-like grip? How will they redesign and rebuild the infra-structure, which will somehow embrace "truth", in a manner which can be expressed socio-economically and culturally?

This writer suggests that we should "politely" begin to ignore "politics" and "politicians" and direct our attention toward that last bastion of free spirits and creative thinkers, the artists and the entrepreneurs who still have some sympathy or sense of obligation to those who are hopelessly ensnared in the "establishment". It may be that the "true" artist and the "real" entrepreneur seem to worship different gods, or is it that they worship the same God from different perspectives. Be that as it may, it could prove to be they whom the establishment educators, social engineers and economic experts will eventually rally round, by "popular necessity".

The idealists will follow the God of "truth and wisdom", whom the true artist, through "appreciation" for the "subtleties of divinity", seeks to honor and reveal to others through his creative expressions. And the pragmatists will gravitate to the God of "wealth and prosperity" whom the real entrepreneur, through the "work is worship" principle, seeks to honor and reveal to others through his creative expressions.

It must be expected, as history has shown time and again, that many will resist the influences that these "pioneer warriors" will introduce. The impetus for these "resistors" will be to maintain the "status quo" at all costs. Whether it is in their best interests or not, the protection of "what is familiar" will become a desperate priority for many. They may fail to recognize that the new "currents" flowing in their lives are divinely inspired and are present for the purpose of teaching us new "strokes" in the sea of life, new survival approaches which will increase man’s skill, adaptability and confidence in creating his own destiny.

It is interesting to note that many artists seem caught up in the rather "Bohemian" perception that entrepreneurs are simply greed-motivated materialists and many entrepreneurs view the more unconventional artists as indolent "airheads" who think the world owes them a living. They may both be correct, in many instances, yet it is becoming noteworthy that the aims and goals of these apparent "opposites" are sounding more and more the same, and all that differs is their means of achieving them. Often the entrepreneur is attempting to secure sufficient wealth for the primary purpose of providing the "liberty" which he views as a noble truth and his spiritual birthright. He prioritizes his endeavors in this sequence, no doubt, because his practical sensibilities tell him that freedom and security can only be achieved by first attending to the practical necessities of his life.

The idealistic artist, however, insists upon having his "liberty" immediately and thus his priority is, quite often, freedom in the here and now. Security comes only if he is sufficiently talented and fortunate to be recognized in a manner that his lesser priorities of financial gain and security can be met through his artistic endeavors.

Thus it would seem that the artist and the entrepreneur are diametrically opposed or polarized from each other, yet often, in a spiritual sense, their goals may be similar. It is their methodology that differs. Their polarization is the result of an illusion and their common objective is the reality each perceives. Much of the conflict and confusion in our world today result from our focus of importance on polarities in methodology rather than recognizing and accepting mutual aims.

Both the artist and the entrepreneur envisage lives of harmony, security and comfort that can only be achieved in a state of freedom. Their priorities in how they achieve freedom, however, are reversed.

This same observation could be made about priests and politicians (church and state) and their presumed aims for the citizenry. We are told that liberty is their objective for us all. Freedom from tyranny! The tyranny of what or whom? From ourselves....or from our self-appointed benefactors?

(ATTENTION! Dialectical materialism....Double-think!) The "illusion" here would seem to be that we need "organized religion" and/or the "state government" to liberate us from something we were, in fact, quite free of before either "organized religion" or "state government" ever existed.

BINGO!! Illusion defined. The reality perceived here is that as long as "organized religion" and "state government" does exist, there is no way we can ever be entirely free. "True" religion (faith) comes from the heart of a sincere "devotee" and "True" government comes from the disciplined will of a genuine "subject" to the "Kingdom of God".

From the condition of our world and its citizens at present we must presume that no such possibility as yet exists, anywhere. So the promise of liberty is an empty one....as empty as our famed Statue of Liberty is hollow. It's quite an amazing experience to approach this magnificent artifact which was meant to edify man’s love of freedom and be filled with its awesome presence and significance. One is taken aback upon entering the cavernous void of its interior to discover that its awe-inspiring outer countenance is but a thin skin of copper about the thickness of a penny and supported by a precarious looking maze-like framework of iron. The mind becomes filled with sorrowful and terrifying memories of recent refutations headlining our nations media force that simply make a mockery of this "great lady’s" reason for standing as a beacon for those seeking liberty at the gateway to our shores.

We all stand witness to our nation’s Attorney General authorizing the inhumane massacre at Waco, Texas, of nearly a hundred men, women and children for exercising their Second Amendment and Fourth Amendment rights of this country’s Constitution and Bill of Rights. (No apologies and no remorse were ever shown, even though it is now public knowledge this was a "set-up". See Addendum. *Authors note) There was also the Randy Weaver Massacre in Idaho; the Gordon Kahl Incident in Arkansas; the Oklahoma City bombing; our representatives in Congress "kiting" checks for personal use to the tune of millions of dollars; voting themselves an outrageous pay raise in a "sneak" midnight session. Let’s not forget Congress voting in a lame-duck session to adopt the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT) which is a key legislation that will lead to the loss of American sovereignty under the United Nations, (all of the above, implemented or flaunted, "against" the wishes of their constituencies). How about a president who is raising his people’s taxes beyond all sane proportions and then "giving" it away to our traditional enemies in foreign aid while ever increasing numbers of Americans are winding up homeless in the streets. He has relinquished his authority over our armed forces to the United Nations and is rapidly introducing socialist and fascist governmental reforms, along with foreign troops on our soil to enforce them. He also is being accused by seemingly responsible parties of every conceivable heinous violation of the traditional laws of our land to the point that he must beg contributions from sympathetic supporters in order to maintain his legal defense fund....and on, and on.

Is there anyone out there who is caused to wonder, as I have been, whether our love of liberty is equally as "thin-skinned" and precariously supported as the Statue of Libertys despite the power and majesty of this statue’s unmistakable outward suggestion and the unequivocal craftsmanship that went into its creation.

When we examine each of these observations from a perspective which differs from the one we have been "taught" and grown "accustomed" to, from within a "new paradigm", we can see quite obviously that polarization, or diametrically opposed ideas, concepts or viewpoints are present. Thus it also becomes apparent that thesis and anti-thesis are, actually a dynamic context that not only manifests naturally throughout the universe, but is also a condition which is "master-minded, introduced and controlled" by an invisible, but powerful, "High Cabal" for the purpose of "steering" the social, economic, political and cultural destiny of our entire civilization toward their own ends.

Thus the artist and the entrepreneur, the priest and the politician, the conservative and the liberal, even the pro-lifer and the pro-choicer, etc., etc., ad nauseam....are each like the cell polarity in the common electrical storage battery generating the "power" (synthesis) necessary to force the change the "Power Elite" is hopeful will lead to their absolute dominion over us.

We, of course, are hopeful that the force of this "power" will lead mankind to greater understanding, tolerance and harmony, which will ultimately free him from the complex contradictory confusion caused by the illusions which are responsible for the endless conflicts in our present reality.

Reality, we are told, is that which conforms to what is true, and, in an ultimate sense, this is so, for as Ernest Hemingway paradoxically put it in his fascinating novel, ISLANDS IN THE STREAM: "Not all things are true, yet everything is truth". This might seem a bit cryptic to one who has not pondered the issues being discussed here. Ultimately truth and reality go hand in hand since it is found that there are certain cosmic or divine laws which govern All That Is. We must also consider, however, that it is also true that deception and illusion exist.

Regarding the case in point (the conditions in our society), reality, while not the truth it is true because it represents "how it is". In this case, "reality" is governed by the deception which induced the "illusion" and is thus in conformity with the "truth" that an illusion exists, but not necessarily in conformity with the ultimate gestalt of divine truth.

This may all sound like paradoxical double-talk but it is, in fact, one of the final barriers separating the intellectual (analytical) and instinctual mind and the intelligent (knowing) intuitive mind, the mind that perceives the subjective nature of illusion and communicates it objectively into cognizant understanding. Once an individual has this faculty developed and trusts it, the world seems to become a different place. One begins to "see" things taking place around one that were never noticed before, things that others do not seem to see. One is beginning to witness the "meaning" behind the actions and not just the actions themselves. It is important to note that a "choice" must be made at this point. It is a moral choice, because one gains an advantage over those who do not "see" and they suddenly become quite manageable and easy to manipulate.

If one chooses to engage in such (Machiavellian) "games", the cost exacted from you is your preoccupation with the maintenance of those "games". The "undiscovered country", which it was hoped would be your goal, will not become evident to you. The mental "Portal" allowing entry will not reveal itself to your perceptions and one simply remains preoccupied at the lowest end of a higher spectrum of mental potential without ever suspecting that one is actually standing at the threshold of limitless growth and expanding awareness. Instead of motivating oneself to engage the great adventure of embracing the appropriate attributes for developing increased mindful awareness one may, at this point, revert instead to the familiar intrigues of satisfying worldly ambitions by disadvantaging those who are not as perceptive and cunning. Thus, a "syndrome" is established, a "paradigm" is built and a "direction" is embarked upon. Such is the condition governing the minds of the agents of the "Power Elite" which we have so often mentioned throughout our present treatise.

Anyone succumbing to these tempting deviations to the degree that they become skillfully adept at what they perceive as "gaining an advantage" in this manner, in the "real" world, are also becoming willing, though perhaps, unwitting cooperators and facilitators who are furthering the secret and insidious agenda of this "Power Elite". They may not realize at first that any and all activity of this nature, for any reason whatever, actually substantiates and strengthens the nefarious "Master Plan" of this "Power Elite", if it is motivated by deception for selfish gain or advantage. They need not be aware of the "big picture", for it is simply the "mind-set" that fuels and empowers the juggernaut which gradually moves mankind in the direction of ever-increasing subservience and imprisonment desired by its designers.

This is not simply speculation as to whether such a paradigm exists. Rather, we are examining an observable process or "ploy", to which we are all daily subjected, that makes such a "reality" not only possible, but highly probable.

I leave it to the reader to examine more carefully the "influences" his or her perceptions are daily subjected to and how he or she chooses to respond to them. This could be treated as an exercise in cause and effect and could signal an "awakening" to where one "fits" into the "big picture"; a determination of one’s position and direction in the overall scheme. Such an exercise will also serve to stimulate one’s intuitive faculties by deepening one’s subjective awareness and encouraging enlightenment. Emergence from the darkness of an illusory, hand-me-down, "paradigm" can be the most exciting adventure of a lifetime if one does not become discouraged and deterred by the inevitable fears that accompany "letting go" of the familiar and "comfortable" beliefs which seem to have sustained us for so long.

It is imperative to be reminded, at this point, that it is not "reality" one is "letting go of", it is simply the "illusion" which is falling away. As the "illusion" is recognized and dissipated, our awareness of "reality" is increased. It may seem new, unfamiliar and uncomfortable at first, but as the process is more fully undertaken and understood, the real adventure begins. It is at this point that the fortunate and wise recognize the need to cultivate compassion and a responsible concern for those who might be "awakened" yet are still struggling and lack the perceptual development you yourself have already attained.

There is a very fine line dividing the separate paths of "good and evil" at this juncture, and one’s "direction" is determined entirely by whether or not one chooses to seek worldly advantages and rewards by way of deception, thus increasing or decreasing the power of the illusion. It has been suggested that there is wisdom in deferring this new found psychological mastery in favor of quietly seeking greater spiritual ascendancy which will assure increased awareness, growth and peace of mind. (Not to mention the added improvement to the world we live in.)

So, we are back to choice, and as we have stressed throughout our treatise, it is we, and we alone who bear the burden of responsibility for the choices we make, no matter how insidiously or unjustly we may be influenced in our choosing. Choices are made on the basis of character. The quality of our choices will be determined by the quality of our character. The quality of the influences which we allow to effect our motivation and judgement is also determined by our quality of character. A quick personal assessment of what is taking place in our lives serves as an excellent barometer for determining whether we need improvement in some areas. A genuinely concerned examination of the conditions in our society and our nation will reveal what has happened to our national character, and this is not very encouraging at the present time. Becoming aware of the problems, however, is almost half the challenge. The other half is determining what we shall do about it, and then taking responsibility for initiating remedial action. We can be completely assured that if each and everyone of us undertook the necessary action to correct the conflicts and improve conditions in our own lives, this action in itself by the gestalt ("hundredth monkey") principle, would transform our nation and our society into a model without comparison anywhere in this world.

If America's image of itself is at an all time low, it is simply because of how we see ourselves. It is doubtful that we really approve of ourselves succumbing to the hypnotic addiction of dozens of television channels, flogging our senses for twenty-four hours a day with an endless barrage of senseless violence, sex, corruption and humorless inanity. Since there is little else for the advantaged affluent to watch, that is the level of distraction that is anticipated, so a great deal of time is wasted in this activity and a fair amount of remaining time is spent in silent self-recrimination and subliminal guilt. Meanwhile, in graduated degrees, we are witnessing the crumbling decline of our society around us while pointing the finger at leaders, put into office by ourselves, for not addressing the problems we are creating ourselves. Is there any incongruity here or am I being "unmodernly" naive?

This writer saw the demon in the electronic picture box over thirty years ago and I have refused to make a habit of it ever since. I cannot say that I am aware of any great loss, save that I am, perhaps, a bit less informed on certain matters than one might be who sits glued hypnotically, hour after hour, before the dais of the most powerful personality in the home. I must seek acquittal with the defense that it is my preference to be UNinformed than to be MISinformed, for I am thoroughly convinced that it is the American news and entertainment media that are directly responsible for the erosion of the American self-image, national pride and social stability. The indirect forces behind this scourge, however, have also crept from the media into our educational system, our legislative and political system, our legal and judicial system, our health and welfare system, our defense and police system, etc., etc. In other words, not only is America's image, but America as a sovereign entity, as a nation, is doomed if we leave it in the hands of inept "leaders" and "molders" of society in the varying elements of influence they presume to control.

If, on the other hand, there still happen to be a few pioneering spirits with sufficent stamina and determination wandering around amidst this new and unanticipated "wilderness", then I would suggest to them that America is ripe for re-pioneering.

It is possible, of course, that the "new breed" of American is too preoccupied with vitamins and jogging for health, or too full of steroids and "pumping iron" at the local gym, in order to create the "image" of strength and virility, to address any "real" circumstances. This might require "real" health, strength and virility which would be the natural by-products of a mass effort of individual citizens who passionately shared the desire, ability and fortitude to destroy the "illusion" that rules their lives and bring "reality" and "truth" back together in a divinely ordained matrimonial "synthesis", as was originally intended, assuring a "counterpoise" to the prevailing evil.

-END-

ADDENDUM

For those who may have a developing interest and/or increasing suspicions with regard to the hidden heroic enterprises of certain renegade elements at the highest levels of our government we offer this. There are increasing amounts of evidence that reveal mysterious but definite connections between the infamous IRAN/CONTRA scandal involving Reagan era, Defense Secretary Caspar Weinburger, General Richard Secord (Retired), the charismatic Col. Oliver North, and the "Waco Massacre."

There also seem to be mysterious threads leading to the "Ruby Ridge Incident" in Idaho where, presumed, ex-CIA operative, Randy Weaver’s family was murdered by Federal agents in a heinous and unnecessary shoot out that has never been satisfactorily explained to the public but led to a 3.2 million dollar payoff to Weaver. These same threads also weave inexplicably into the "Whitewater Scandal" involving the Clinton’s and their administration, particularly White House Deputy Counsel, Vincent W. Foster, whose murder/suicide (???) Now seems linked to espionage activities (trading State’s secrets to the Israeli Mossad.) Could money-laundering also be a factor here?

The pattern these threads reveal begins to emerge when one discovers that a very talented and enterprising computer "hacker" residing at "Apocalypse Ranch" just outside Waco, Texas managed to access the National Security Agencies (NSA) cryptographic computer files that exposed the C.I.A.’s top secret gun-running operations emanating from a small airport in Mena, Arkansas. More importantly, however, they also revealed that the C.I.A. was also smuggling "tons" of Cocaine back into the U.S.A. from Central America for the purpose of financing what is affectionately known in intelligence circles as "Black Operations." This occurred during Clintons gubernatorial days in Arkansas.

It becomes clear then, that if such allegations are true, and that key people in "high places" could be exposed by this unprecedented intervention, it might follow that, in the interests of "National Security" of course, complete obliteration of any and all such incriminating evidence would be the expedient thing to do, as certainly seems to have occurred on national T.V. before the nations eyes at Waco, Texas.