My Friends the Smokers

Once upon a time there was a man, a very successful business man that was well connected with many governments and business leaders. His lifestyle included a multitude of comforts and had many luxurious belongings. He was envied by most people and involved in nearly every sector of industry.

He tried his best to live a healthy life but was a heavy smoker for many years. He often said it was a habit that he enjoyed very much and believed it was helping him to succeed and be more productive. It seemed that everything he became involved in flourished, even his personal life. His success, power, and influence were growing exponentially.

Ironically, many of his friends in governments and other businesses were smokers too, whom also were prospering and enjoying success. Those that didn't smoke soon became jealous and began smoking with hopes of succeeding as well. This network expanded rapidly and people almost everywhere were enjoying the benefits of their progress and new developments for humankind.

All of the smokers began smoking even more and did so almost everywhere they went. Some began using tobacco to make new products that helped industry and civilization become more advanced offering numerous conveniences. It was surely a time of tremendous growth and prosperity which offered many comforts to the masses.

After years of good health, the man became plagued with a deep cough that was intermittent initially but became more frequent with increased intensities. He was told by his contemporaries to seek medical advice and did so reluctantly. His doctor performed some preliminary tests and genuinely tried to assess his overall health.

After a short time, the man met with his doctor again to discuss the findings. The doctor told him he had pulmonary emphysema with some precancerous cells in his lungs and if he doesn't stop smoking he will likely get cancer and die prematurely. The man quickly asked the doctor if there was any good news. The doctor said yes, if you stop smoking, your lung tissues could repair themselves and you may be able to live a longer, healthy life.

This troubling news was very difficult for the man to accept. However, deep down he knew his lifestyle was not sustainable and that one day, something would need to change drastically. He shared the alarming news with his friends that were heavy smokers and they too had trouble believing it. Although they confided in him that they also were experiencing similar respiratory and related health problems.

The man could simply not imagine the thought of quitting his habit. It was such a powerful part of his life and others. He truly believed that without it, his businesses, progress, and success would no longer be possible and everything would collapse. To him, there was really no choice but to find a substitute or somehow mitigate the effects of smoking.

Soon, not just the elite but many ordinary people throughout the world began smoking or using tobacco for their own comfort and benefit. The amount of smoke that was being released into the environment was increasing at unprecedented rates. It was also having profound effects on the health of people that didn't smoke, animals, plants, and almost all other forms of life on earth. In addition, the combustion by-products from all the smoking was polluting the land, air, and seas even where no one was smoking.

The man and many of his smoking friends in government and business decided to meet in Kyoto, Japan to talk about the crisis with hopes of identifying a protocol for change. There they committed to reducing their use of at least seven different brands of tobacco. However, economics, politics and enforcement stifled any change. They later agreed to meet in Paris with laudable intentions of reducing their smoking to 50% of their current consumption by the year 2030.

This elite group of smokers began to have regular meetings around the world to talk about the growing crisis but only promises were made and rates of smoking continued to increase globally. Alternatives such as electronic cigarettes and chewing tobacco were proposed but they presented new problems and still had deleterious health effects. All of which only increased the demand for more tobacco worldwide.

Tobacco prices spiraled while the 'Organization of the Tobacco Exporting Countries' (commonly known as OTEC) influenced the global markets and maximized profits. That pressured producers to grow more tobacco whom cleared vast tracts of land for farming the product. This in turn created profound ecological problems by destroying and fragmenting the natural habitats of numerous species of life on earth.

Many traditional farmers switched from growing food to tobacco as it was far more profitable. Tobacco became more coveted than any other commodity and was influencing almost every aspect of humanity. Governments imposed taxes on the sale of tobacco which raised prices further. This growing revenue source deterred any attempts to reduce tobacco consumption by the heavy smokers.

The man's health and outward appearance began to deteriorate. He was losing weight, not sleeping well, and his appetite was diminishing. He made several attempts to reduce his consumption of tobacco but couldn't deal with the changes that resulted. The fear of recession and having to modify his lifestyle overwhelmed his thinking and made him very uncomfortable. All the conveniences and comforts that tobacco offered him were just too enticing for him to give up.

Soon all of the heavy smokers developed more serious health problems and so did others in their vicinity, even if they were not smokers. All the smoke began to change the environment everywhere. New diseases were emerging among humans and almost all other life on earth. Many people became sick from something related to the changing environment. Increased numbers of species of life on earth were becoming extinct or endangered.

The chemistry of the atmosphere was changing faster than what life could adapt to. All the smoking lowered its oxygen levels and increased the carbon dioxide content. Not only did this make breathing more difficult but affected the behavior of people. They were becoming more anxious, irritable, and had difficulty concentrating. This caused many social maladies among families, nations, and governments. Territorial disputes were increasing at many levels, resulting in more conflict and wars throughout the world.

The smoke in the air began to block sunlight which affected photosynthesis globally. With plants fixing less carbon, levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere were increasing even faster. Since more farmers were cultivating tobacco and growing conditions became limited, food supplies began to dwindle as well.

All the emerging diseases pressured Big Pharma to develop more novel therapies quicker than ever before. Many medicines were approved without adequate testing and safety assurances. One vaccine in particular that was administered to most of the human population had questionable effectiveness despite manufacturer claims. After a short time, many of the vaccinated people developed a range of brain disorders from the lipid nanoparticles used in them to trick the immune system. Unfortunately, these nanoparticles also cross the blood-brain barrier where they affect neural activity.

Super antibiotics were introduced to overcome the reduced effectiveness of traditional ones. Drug and medicine use was increasing dramatically. People thought they would mitigate some of the effects of sickness and disease, but actually made the population less healthy. This combined with the toxic environment was seriously compromising people's natural immunity by overburdening its capacity to respond to new diseases.

Sexual orientation and gender identity were also becoming more common within the population. It became difficult to distinguish the sex of some individuals from their physical appearance. Additionally, sex drive and reproduction were diminishing throughout human and many other forms of life. Feminization of numerous species was being caused by all the endocrine disrupting chemicals used in many medicines, plastics, household goods, and personal care products.

New technologies were emerging very quickly throughout this period of great progress. One notable area was in communications. Huge amounts of information was being converted into discrete digits, usually binary and sent very rapidly around the world through cables, fibers, and electromagnetic signals. Vast amounts of knowledge became available to the population throughout a network of electronic devices which were also tracking their activities. People were able to make quick decisions with little thinking and more time was being spent in this virtual reality than in the physical world.

This convenient technology made life easier for the masses and they soon began using it for almost everything. Realizing its powerful influence, some of the heavy smokers started controlling, manipulating, and selling what information was found by users on the network. Additionally, a growing amount of it was not truthful and many people had difficulty knowing what is real and what is not.

This new form of communication was constantly upgrading with new devices which required increased amounts of semiconductors, rare elements, and other raw materials in limited supply. This created tremendous amounts of electronic waste as well. The energy required to maintain this network was also increasing dramatically. Critical thinking and creativity were waning while intelligence was originating from this limited digital source, not a conscious mind.

As the number and intensities of these electromagnetic communication signals increased, their effects on biological systems became more evident. They were altering the way in which all life uses ions, voltages, and fields to communicate. Neural activity was most impaired affecting heart function, brain waves, muscular contractions, vision, and hearing. These effects were more profound in developing fetuses and young children with increased long-term consequences.

Perhaps the most serious concern was the effect of these electromagnetic signals on earth's natural magnetic field. Both constructive and destructive interferences were intermittently increasing and decreasing the planet's natural protection from solar and cosmic particle radiation. At times, this would increase field energies dramatically affecting all digital information, both stored data and that being transmitted.

Huge amounts of data saved on computers, servers, and at data centers was often deleted entirely and information transmitted through wireless connections frequently vanished completely. Both of which created chaos in most of the human population that relied heavily on this technology. At other times, it would allow dangerous levels of radiation to reach the earth's surface causing damage to almost all forms of life.

Although some businesses controlled by the heavy smokers were booming, the world economy was struggling. Governments were spending huge amounts of borrowed money that was never paid back. They then borrowed more just to pay the interest. This catalyzed hyperinflation which severely limited buying power of the masses.

Established financial institutions became less secure as more of them closed or defaulted. Government corporations began not insuring many deposits that were historically safe investments. More people had less money while less people had more money. Stock markets were dangerously inflated but continued to flourish as the heavy smokers controlled almost all of their activities.

Other than tobacco, few commodities became attractive investments anymore. Less tangible assets such as securities, cryptocurrencies, and other virtual investments were more desirable. There was a looming fear of not having enough money to live comfortably. This affected both consumer and corporate spending which further worsened the economy.

Unequivocally, capitalism was failing. Its predominance was severely damaging social, political, and environmental matters almost everywhere. The fundamentals of competition, profit, and excess were not sustainable. There was an urgent need for a new system of collaboration, conservation, and common ownership.

The man's wealth was increasing steadily while his health deteriorated exponentially. This affluence comforted him and seemed to offset some of his health concerns, however his physical condition worsened uncontrollably.

He consulted with many medical doctors and renowned scientists from around the world for help with his ailing health. They offered numerous alternatives ranging from other plant-based products to smoke sequestration. However, all of them created new problems and could not stop his rapidly declining health. The experts unanimously agreed that his only hope was change and stop smoking.

Now with severely limited lung capacity, it was difficult for the man to move about and had to breathe purified oxygen from cylinders throughout the day. He remained indoors most of the time with sophisticated filtration systems to clean the air in his environment. He only removed his breathing apparatus to eat, sleep, or smoke.

The desperation obscured his thinking so he sought advice from his colleagues. One of his heavy smoker friends suggested taking a vacation to a cleaner, quieter place to rest and contemplate. Without much thought he proceeded to pack suitcases full of money, medicines, and tobacco.

After hiring two assistants he chartered a jet to a small island nation in the middle of the Pacific. From there they traveled by superyacht with abundant supplies to a remote, uninhabited island. Upon arriving, they quickly set up a temporary camp just offshore where they ate and rested. Within a few hours, the man's perspective changed. He began to feel as part of nature.

The next morning brought dark clouds and gusty winds which awakened the man from a deep sleep. While his assistants were still resting, he grabbed some tobacco and crawled to the beach. Along the way, he was shocked by what he saw strewn about. There was trash of all types ranging from plastic bottles and fishing nets to broken electronic devices and cigarette butts.

The man wondered how all this debris could have gotten to this remote place. He immediately thought other people that came to visit left it there. However, that seemed very unlikely. He then suspected it washed ashore from developed countries far away. Nevertheless, it was very disturbing to the man.

With weakened spirit he struggled to the open area where the sea meets the land. There he saw more rubbish being driven by the waves onto this peaceful refuge. At that moment the man dropped his head in shame and wept profusely.

The heavens thundered and the man looked up to see bolts of lightening illuminating the dark skies and littered coastline. It suddenly began to downpour so he strained to roll himself under a nearby palm tree for shelter. There he reached for his tobacco but the severe winds prevented him from igniting it. In frustration, the man surrendered and prayed sorrowfully.

His entire life seemed to flash through his consciousness in rhythm with the forces of nature. All of his business achievements and successes were fully revealed to him in a divine vision. Every technology, convenience, and product that he developed had a dark side which he now could see.

While inventing and creating so many man-made things, he ignored discovery in the natural world. The man desperately looked for just one accomplishment that had some benefit to this place but nothing was found. The realization that he was the author of this sad story devastated his soul.

Even the air was different on this island. It was now the dry season but weather was changing everywhere in the world. Prostrated and out of breath, the man felt close to death. Upon that thought, he realized only then would he change and stop smoking. Paradoxically, that comforted him with a sense of accomplishment. After one more breath, the man gave up the ghost and expired.

Like dominoes, most of the heavy smokers around the world began to perish. Their descendants continued to smoke but consumed dramatically less tobacco. However, that did not slow all of the on-going global devastation. For the first time since modern man's origin, human population was declining and at a rapid rate.

More aggressive types of cancer, infections with increased virulence, and a multitude of immune disorders were taking many lives, predominantly human life. Ecosystems throughout the world were stressed beyond historical boundaries and the delicate nexus between all living systems was progressively collapsing. Combined with lower birth rates, lack of clean water, and insufficient food supplies, humanity was approaching extinction.

Throughout this period, ethics and social perception were also changing. What used to be right was now wrong and that which was wrong seemed to be right. People were more selfish with an overbearing sense of ownership. It seemed as though everything was becoming a business, from government and religion to marriage, relationships, and even science.

Many people were relocating to distant places seeking asylum and healing from their troubled conditions. Some isolated areas were healthier than more developed regions but the unfriendly footprints of humankind were present everywhere. Refugees would either find remnants of things from the world they were escaping or often, bring their own comforts and conveniences.

Passenger travel was increasing dramatically despite the shrinking population. Some of the surviving heavy smokers continued to control this industry while establishing many new regulations and restrictions. Safety was touted as being paramount but accident rates were higher than ever before.

One noteworthy tragedy occurred when a passenger jet crashed somewhere in a remote rainforest of South America. Most of the passengers onboard were en route to Rio de Janeiro for business and pleasure. There was also another group of thirteen handicapped and sick children on-leave from a Children's Hospital in New England. The latter were accompanied by one medical doctor and three nurse aides.

After three days of trying to locate and access the crash site, a search and rescue team found the bodies of all crew members and passengers onboard except the children and one semiretired scientist. Mysteriously, there were no clues to where the missing passengers were located. Several experts suspected they were attacked by wild animals living in the jungle but there were no remains or signs of struggle within several square kilometers of the wreckage.

One investigator found what appeared to be pawprints of a big cat, likely a jaguar, relatively close to the crash site. However, frequent rains in that area probably washed away closer evidence. Three colleagues of the missing scientist continued the search after authorities halted their own efforts. Four days later, communication from the new search team was lost and they too became missing. The bodies of the three along with the thirteen children and one scientist were never found.

Coincidentally, several similar accidents occurred in other remote areas of the world where few, if any people are known to live. In each case, some of the victims were never found. Various rumors emerged including alien abduction, attack by deadly animals, and cannibalism by native savages.

Humans were changing the earth so profoundly during this time that it was named the Anthropocene, from Ancient Greek meaning 'human' and 'new' or 'recent'. So much so that is was eventually accepted as a new epoch in the geological time scale. It began around the middle of the twentieth century AD with what was known as the Great Acceleration. It ended rather abruptly less than 100 years later which was termed the Anthropocene Implosion. This entire epoch was the shortest one ever recorded in the history of the planet.

During the Anthropocene Implosion, extinction of species and population declines were occurring more frequently and in greater numbers than ever before in the history of life on earth. The most dramatic losses were among the human population in urban areas. However, there were some species that thrived in the wild. They ranged from simple bacteria and viruses to higher forms of life. These exceptions were either highly adaptive or could easily develop symbiotic relationships with other organisms and their environment.

The vast majority of the remaining human population believed these were the 'End Times' and lived in fear with little hope. Some found comfort in the possibility of a new world where humans transcended intellectual thinking and received divine guidance. A few courageous groups took action and sought to find a place for doing such. A place where technology did not influence biology.

One group in particular ventured deep into the jungles of Brazil determined to find somewhere that was not tainted by modern human activity. This elite team of three men and two women were all well trained in survival techniques. However, after several encounters with very dangerous animals living in the region their resolve began to weaken.

One of the men was stung by many Bullet ants while inadvertently disturbing their nest. The pain was so severe that he went into shock and lost consciousness. His unresponsive state seemed to attract other predators to the location so the team remained stationary with heightened vigilance. There was an increasing sense of tension in the jungle and every sound seemed to be magnified.

Suddenly, three savage men appeared from nowhere and everything froze. After an extended period of dead silence and motionlessness, one of the savage men slowly approached the unconscious man. With all eyes upon him, he placed his hands on the incapacitated man's chest for a few moments, then slowly moved them to his shoulders and neck.

With one hand he reached into a pouch on his waistband and took something out of it. After rubbing his hands together for quite some time, he placed his hands upon the unconscious man's head. The jungle again became silent and still. Suddenly, the unconscious man awoke and broke the silence with a loud cry.

The entire group gathered around the revived man and tried to comfort him. One of the indigenous men quickly gathered some dirt from the area near the Bullet ant nest. Another native brought some water which they mixed with the dirt to make a mud. After the two women removed the injured man's shirt, the natives applied the mud to his chest, shoulders, and neck where he was apparently stung.

The lead native then placed some leaves from another pouch on his waistband into the injured man's mouth while he grimaced with pain. As everyone watched anxiously, the man slowly calmed and began chewing the leaves. Although no words were spoken, the thinking within the group then changed dramatically. Fear and uncertainty shifted to trust and collaboration. Perhaps that shift in consciousness was exactly what the explorers were searching for.

After a few more minutes, the injured man began to move and tried to get up but the indigenous men signaled him to lie steady. The man's condition continued to improve so the group remained patient and rested there for quite some time. As dusk was approaching, the natives cleared the mud from the man's body and helped him to stand upright. The lead indigenous man pointed to the area where they were first seen by the explorers and they all walked in that direction into the jungle.

After struggling through the thick rainforest for fifteen minutes or more, the savages stopped at a somewhat cleared area with several large trees bearing unusual looking fruits. One of the savages picked a number of them and offered some to the explorers. They all relaxed a couple of minutes there and enjoyed the juicy but slightly bitter tasting fruits.

Less parched and refreshed, the group continued on their journey together. After a short period of time, one of the women explorers asked her colleagues if they had felt any different. They all agreed and seemed to have an enhanced perception of everything. The colors, smells, and sounds of the jungle became more vivid, almost enchanted. The other woman said she felt like she was dreaming and wondered if there was some kind of mind-altering phytochemical in those fruits they just consumed.

Captivated by every leaf, branch, insect, reptile, bird, and living creature, they continued walking for what seemed to be hours. Even the earth, stones, groundwater, and air appeared to be alive. Their sense of time was also altered as it was still twilight when they finally arrived at a small village with thatched abodes and outdoor cooking areas.

Upon entering this commune, the explorers saw a number of indigenous-looking people, mostly women wearing native garments. Around the back of one of the huts, they were baffled to find a group of Caucasian children playing with several small monkeys. As the team looked at each other in amazement, four older Caucasian men appeared from the hut and one said "greetings comrades" with an American accent.

All of this confused the minds of the explorers and they began to doubt their senses again. Was this place just an illusion and they were hallucinating from those fruits? Trusting their instincts, they shook off that disbelief and engaged with the strangers. While asking each other many questions, the explorers were bewildered when they learned that these men lost track of time and couldn't remember how long they were in this place.

During the dialogue, several indigenous women approached them with bowls of food which they graciously accepted. While eating, one of the four older men told the explorers he was in a plane crash and thought he died with all the other passengers that were onboard with him. The next thing he remembered was awakening in this commune surrounded by natives caring for him. The other three men were his friends who stumbled into this place while looking for him after authorities halted their search efforts.

One of the explorers then asked what they knew about the Caucasian children they just saw there. The men said they believed they were here before them but weren't sure how long. They also noted that all the Caucasian children in this place were quite sickly at one time but are now remarkably healthy and seem to be quite happy. The same explorer then asked the men "how many Caucasian children are in this place?" Without hesitation, one of them responded "thirteen."

The explorers then turned away and spoke amongst themselves. One of them remembered reading about a similar crash in the region where a group of ailing children and one senior citizen onboard remained missing for quite some time. They were never found by local authorities and assumed to be dead. After a prolonged delay, one of the women said to her colleagues "maybe they are dead." Another in the group retorted "then where the hell are we, heaven?"

Fear and uncertainty returned to the explorers while they struggled to make some sense of this magical place. As their food digested, they began to think more clearly and discernment gradually replaced the doubt. The elder of the four men then appeared in front of the explorers and laughingly said "surely you are not in heaven, but you are very close."

Having captured their full attention, the elder continued with a spellbinding discourse telling them countless things. He said he felt as though he was a scientist since childhood and studied earth science, biology, chemistry, and physics at the finest schools and universities graduating with honors. Then working in many different industries as a research scientist, he assisted in the development of a multitude of products and technologies.

The more he learned, the more curious he became and was fascinated by a growing number of disciplines. Always searching for something that seemed to elude him. He eventually abandoned traditional laboratory work and began traveling the natural world looking for a different perspective of reality.

His awakening in this place was more than just a physical one. Here he found contentment, serenity, and a deeper understanding of the world that he once struggled with. He learned to listen more, think less, and recognize action in inaction. He also sensed that everything we do, everything we say, and everything we think has a purpose and effect.

He then proclaimed "in the restless, transient world we left behind, everything is finite but here, where the mind is quiet, one can see the infinite. In this place you will learn the things you have taught others, know the path by walking it, and find the truth by speaking it. All of your evil deeds will flee from you like ripples from a pebble cast into a reservoir of still water."

In the midst of the sermon, clouds above a small opening in the jungle canopy revealed a full moon which aligned directly behind the man's head, creating a halo all around him while he spoke these words, "here, there is no space, no time, no fear, no anger, no war, no religion, no sickness, no money, no crime, no business, no modern technologies, no plastics, no pollutants, no waste, and no disquiet."

His crescendo was "but what need have you, comrades, to know all these things? Just understand this, that we stand here, in this place, only by divine grace." The explorers marveled at the man's words and wisdom in this unbelievable place they found. Seeming to read their minds, the elder then said "we did not find this place, it has found us."

All of these things overwhelmed the explorers and they began to feel weary. While they were thinking about where they could rest, the elder invited them to stay for the night. Before they humbly accepted the offer, one of the other older men suddenly appeared to show them their hut. The team wondered how these men always seemed to know what they were thinking and before they could speak, the elder said "we can communicate differently here. I will give you more understanding tomorrow."

After an incredibly deep sleep, the team awakened early in their one-room dwelling and realized one of their men was missing. Almost immediately, the elders appeared and told them not to fear as the lead native was out searching for him. One of the explorers said "we've tried calling his phone but there's no response." The elder then said "surely there is no cellular network in this place." The explorer quickly responded "but he has a satellite phone."

The elder told them there is no satellite signal here either as the jungle canopy serves as a natural Faraday cage that shields it from most electromagnetic radiation. As the explorers stared at the elder in awe, he said "your colleague is fine, our friend has just located him not far away." One of the explorers then said "how do you know that?"

After a brief pause, the elder lectured them again saying "know that this place is not for everyone and your friend may not return. Here, one has access to the source of all knowledge. When you have this, you will be awake, even in sleep, and the ever-changing, transient world that you left behind will be seen on a small mirror in the window of eternity."

He continued by saying "even telecommunications in the finite world is limited at relativistic speeds. Here, when you allow the infinite to find you, you will realize that everything is connected and simultaneous without space or time. Scientists refer to this as quantum entanglement, psychologists call it synchronicity, but the learnèd know it as pure consciousness. Nevertheless, when you have this knowledge, you will be able to see without light, hear without sound, and know without thinking."

The explorers were astonished by all his teachings and the authority that he spoke with. They wondered if the people in this place have a language of their own and do they actually speak it. The elder then said "the natives here surely have a language of their own, although they talk very little. We understand some of the words but use a more direct path of communication."

He told them that in the world we left behind, most people communicate only through the physical world. There, a thought in the mind of a being is manifested in the brain which signals the vocal organ to produce sound waves or electromagnetic signals in the ambient environment. Those waves are received by another being's auditory organs or electronic device which in turn send a signal to the brain where it must bridge back to the mind outside the physical world.

He further explained how an enlightened person can shortcut this process by remaining outside the physical world from mind to mind directly. That path is instantaneous and without translation or interpretation errors. He concluded by saying "all beings have the ability to do this but technology has hindered its development. By focusing the mind without distraction, one can master this practice. The yogis have been doing that for millennia."

One of the explorers then said "I always thought that was possible but never really believed it. So are you able to read the minds of others?" The elder told them "only when the mind is open can one communicate in this manner. Opening the mind is essential to both receiving and sending thoughts."

As the group was digesting all this, the missing explorer suddenly returned to the encampment and everyone welcomed him back. They asked him where he went and why he left. He said "The mysteries of this place troubled me greatly, so I left to try and make some sense of it all. After finding a quiet clearing not far away, I sat down, relaxed, and the solitude overwhelmed me. The sounds of the birds and wind in the trees comforted me as something popped into my mind telling me to return to this special place."

The message from the explorer was no coincidence. It delivered timely proof of the teachings. The elder then said "However, be wary that a thought in the mind is uncensored truth without diplomacy or kind words. Right thinking is essential for communicating in this manner."

The elder continued by telling them there will be great suffering in the world we left behind and many humans will perish. Unfortunately, a multitude of other forms of life will also die and eventually become extinct. Some humans may survive but they will have profoundly different behaviors and thinking.

In awe and bewilderment, one of the female explorers humbly asked the elder "Who are you sir and how do you know all these things?" The elder surprisingly addressed her as Pam and said "My name is Karl and know that when the mind is focused, beyond the senses, transcending all thought; there are no boundaries. The past, present, and future are all one. Only in the physical world do they become separated."

In a trembling voice, Pam said “That is my name! I now feel compelled to return to the world we left behind so we can warn others of all these things.” Karl told her, “That will only frustrate you. They have had many signs and warnings, why would they heed to you? No amount of money or technology can save them. Our only hope is in the few with open minds.”

Pam then said, “Maybe we can reach those few?” Karl responded “You can reach those who are willing to listen from anywhere by focusing your mind as I have told you. Allow nature to take its course, you cannot stop it. Natural Selection will continue to plague those who refuse to listen and save those who do.”

The other female explorer then asked “Maybe you could just bring us to a place outside the jungle canopy where we could connect to the Internet? Then we might know what’s happening in the world we left behind.” Again, without being told, Karl addressed the woman by her correct name and said “Elsa, that we could surely do but know that connecting to the Internet while having access to the source of all knowledge is like holding a small vessel of water while being surrounded by water on all sides.”

As the group was pondering his words, Karl continued by saying, “The fate of humankind and much of life on earth is in the hands of those few. Only they can change the course of destruction."

One of the male explorers addressed the elder “Kind sir, most everyone back in the world we left behind believes that the doom you speak of is inevitable. However, your vision of hope will give them renewed strength. We can certainly try to reach those few but what is our message and how can they possibly help? All of their ways only seem to be making things worse. The more we progress, the more we destroy."

Without being told his name, the elder replied to the man by saying, “Joe, there are many things they can do. I will now tell you just some of them but know that as they begin to listen more, many other ideas will be revealed to them.

One of the most important changes is how they produce and use energy. The first law of thermodynamics states the conservation of energy. Taken literally, we must strive to follow this fundamental of nature. By doing less and becoming more efficient, they can conserve energy and learn to accomplish more. Less is more.

As I have taught you with communications, they must also use more direct means for energy production. The rest of nature does not burn fossil fuels or use solar panels to produce energy. Each time we transform energy into another form, much of it is lost as heat which further increases global temperatures.

Plants store trillions of watts of power on earth through photosynthesis. We must better understand this natural phenomenon and learn to mimic nature for our energy needs. They can also use solar thermal power directly or by concentration to do many of the things they currently do with electricity and other forms of energy.

Wind and hydropower can be used without turbines to supplement solar energy when or where it is lacking. Most importantly, they must reduce their energy consumption. Transportation and computing consume enormous amounts of power. Becoming more local and less global will help tremendously. They should also strive to perfect natural intelligence and their ability to communicate directly, both of which have no limits. Then, artificial intelligence will seem moot."

As the elder paused for a moment, the explorers looked at one another and without any discussion seemed to understand each others thoughts. Then, one of them said adamantly “Dear sir, our delusions have been dispelled. Our minds stand firm and their doubts are ended. We will surely do your biddings.”

Yet another explorer addressed the elder most respectfully and said “Sir, many of the things you say sound like verses from the scriptures of different beliefs. Surely, you must be a prophet. Please tell us more as your words are like nectar to our ears.”

The elder responded “So you say, but know that I am just an ordinary man that has opened his ears to the voice of truth. Anyone can do the same. The more one listens to the truth, the more one speaks the truth. Your own words are proof of this.”

Suddenly, the skies darkened and loud thunder brought heavy rain to the encampment. The entire group quickly took shelter in a nearby hut. Karl then said “let us take food and drink to comfort our souls.” Several native women then appeared with a variety of juicy, flavorful foods and large pitchers of a sweet beverage. When the explorers saw this feast before them, they folded their hands and bowed their heads in silence. Even the thunder ceased. After a prolonged pause, the elder gave thanks and they all relished the offerings.

The long day and satiating meal exhausted the explorers so they returned to their hut to get some rest. There they earnestly attempted to focus their minds beyond the senses as the elder had taught them. However, their fatigue gave way to a deep sleep until late the next morning.

After awakening, one of the explorers said “Last night, in the room, I saw something incredible. It was Karl, sitting in the full lotus position with eyes closed while hovering above the floor about a half meter! I don’t think it was a dream, it seemed so real, I felt fully conscious.” Another explorer then said he had the exact same vision. However, the other explorers did not see any such thing and thought maybe it was just a dream they shared. One of the witnesses to the spectacle said “Or maybe just some of us are beginning to communicate more directly.”

When the explorers went outside, Karl was standing there to meet them. He said "I sense you all rested well. Did you have pleasant dreams?" One explorer responded "Some of us had a vision last night that was so real, we don't know if it was a dream or reality. Were you in our room last night?"

Karl responded “Know that the dream, wake, and sleep states are all real. They are just different perceptions of reality that appear to be separated in the physical world. However, when you transcend them all to the meditative state, you are no longer an observer in the process of observing, but become a part of that which is observed. This state beyond the senses is the Absolute Reality or Pure Consciousness. If you saw me last night, that is where you were.”

He continued by saying “Space and time are similar perceptions that lose meaning in this supreme reality. There the past, present, and future exist as one merged with space. This union of spacetime exists in the unified field of Pure Consciousness.”

In the wake of these profound words, Karl paused while the explorers remained speechless. He then closed his eyes and bowed his head. The entire group followed this ritual and remained silent for an indefinite period. Although this new doctrine was abstruse, some of it seemed familiar to the explorers and as they meditated together it became more clear to them. By listening more and thinking less in the meditative state, their awareness and understanding improved tremendously.

One of the explorers then asked Karl about time travel and if it were possible. He said "It certainly can be done but one must leave their body while in the meditative state. Then one can access the Absolute Reality where space and time are unified. However, one must be wary that a person may leave his body permanently when doing this. Then the body which remains in the field of perceived time dies."

The explorers remained in this community day after day, learning and practicing what the elder taught them. They quickly developed new ways of thinking, listening, and communicating that transcended anything they had done in the world they left behind. Newcomers arrived to this place occasionally. They too were searching for something that eluded them. An unspoken respect and understanding pervaded this growing society.

Karl would often lecture on a variety of subjects that revealed philosophical, theological, and scientific mysteries. Notably, they all had a recurring theme that unified everything. He said “At the most fundamental level, there is only one force which connects all things in the unified field. The intellect of modern humans has certainly evolved tremendously, however that faculty tends to distract us from this more important fundamental force. Surely, the intelligent mind has developed many remarkable inventions, but they have also created the majority of problems in the world we left behind.”

Karl continued by saying “There is an urgent need for a paradigm shift that will enable humanity to evolve further and avoid extinction. That shift must be from relying on our limited thinking minds to the infinite potential of Pure Consciousness. To accomplish this we must struggle to transcend the thinking process of the intelligent mind and allow the fundamental force to connect us with the unified field of Pure Consciousness. The more we become part of all things, the more we will have respect for all things.”

One iconic topic was in the field of theoretical physics. Karl said “Modern physics has been moving towards a more comprehensive ‘theory of everything’ which hopes to describe all physical phenomena in the universe, also known as the Unified Field Theory. This singular approach surely has merit but to describe everything in the physical universe, we must consider everything in the universe. That requires a multidisciplinary study of both the physical and metaphysical, natural and supernatural, psychological and parapsychological realms, along with all the other complementary fields that attempt to describe various parts of everything.”

He went on to say “The physical universe is merely a part of everything. Our ultimate goal should be to know the source of everything. Although the human intellect cannot describe or understand that source, one can access it by focusing the mind without distraction and thereby obtaining all knowledge that it can possibly comprehend.”

On another occasion, he lauded the teachings of Karl Marx who showed us that modern human societies are driven by economic forces. Karl the elder added “However, the rest of nature is driven by environmental forces. The human population will eventually yield to the environmental forces and change, or they will perish. Perhaps the few with open minds can save themselves along with some other life on earth.”

After one of Karl’s trenchant lectures on transcending, one of the newcomers asked about how to stop the mind from thinking. She said “These things you talk about are sublime and life-changing but the mind is difficult to control. What is the best way to subdue it?” Karl said “Surely the mind is unruly and easily distracted. Begin by finding peace within and around yourself. Eliminate all fear and anger then quiet the mind and allow the fundamental force to connect with you.

This state is very difficult for the intelligent mind to comprehend as it is excluded from it. Many struggle to achieve it and often give up. However, with patience and practice it can be mastered. When you do find it, the mind and all the senses become blocked while you remain locked in nowhere yet every where. Time ceases to exist. No words can truly describe this unified state. The only way to know it is to experience it.”

Yet another newcomer then said “Your wisdom is divine sir and I will surely practice your technique but we must still use our thinking minds throughout the day. How can we know when to stop thinking?”

Karl continued his discourse by saying “Surely we must use our thinking minds throughout the day but the more time we spend not thinking, the less thinking we need to do. Our thoughts are not like those beyond the thinking process. The senses deceive and the thinking mind lies but beyond them both is truth. Too often, we have good intentions but take bad actions because of our limited thinking. Therefore, before taking action you must connect with the Absolute which is beyond all action. Then the thinking mind will make better decisions. This can only be done by transcending.”

Conditions in the world continued to deteriorate even while the human population was decreasing. However, pests such as mosquitoes, flies, and ants were increasing in numbers which irritated larger organisms and transmitted a host of pathogens. Numerous disease-causing anerobic bacteria proliferating in trash stored in closed plastics and buried landfills contributed to the unhealthy environment.

At the same time, higher forms of life were struggling with insidious endocrine and neurological disorders. A multitude of synthetic chemicals used in plastics, medicines, consumer products, and various industrial processes were slowly building up in most living systems and the environment. Many of them had serious health effects due to their endocrine disrupting properties which altered normal sexual and metabolic functions.

A large number of these chemicals had very similar chemistry to naturally occurring hormones and would masquerade as the real thing creating a plethora of problems within the organism. Some would inactivate and others over-stimulated important biological functions that determine sexuality and regulate metabolism. There was a growing number of sexual variations between the male and female genders within many populations. From the genetic to the psychological level, a host of intermediate sexualities were emerging. Very often, there was confusion regarding sexuality.

Many of these chemicals would also bind to specific receptors within the body blocking important biological processes often causing different types of cancers and a multitude of auto-immune disorders. Others would mimic insulin and various metabolic hormones which exacerbated obesity and diabetes despite diet.

These foreign chemicals could also easily cross the blood-brain barrier. Once in the brain, they altered its biochemical environment which affected many neural processes controlling both mental and physical activities. To the organism this presented a very subtle yet profound distraction. For some this created transient states of mild delirium or brain fog with slight vertigo which impaired cognition and concentration. With long-term exposure, these lipophilic (fat-loving) substances would bind to the naturally high fat content of brain tissue often causing various neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and various types of dementia.

These chemicals were also very stable and difficult to breakdown both in the body and the environment. As concentrations slowly rose within the organism, a natural feedback mechanism would stop the production and release of natural hormones, disrupting the delicate balance controlled by the endocrine system. Concomitantly, their similar chemistry to naturally occurring hormones would trick the immune system and therefore avoid being attacked.

As levels of these pseudo-hormones continued to increase within the organism, the body would try to eliminate them. However, this caused problems in the organs of elimination. In particular, the kidneys, bladder, prostate, liver, and colon. These organs would slowly become irritated, inflamed, or enlarged from chronic exposure to these man-made chemicals. If conditions persisted, the organs would eventually develop tumors and various forms of cancer.

The body would also try and hide these chemicals in adipose tissue due to their lipophilic nature. This was very effective, however it also stimulated the body to produce and store more fat to accommodate the increasing amounts of these chemicals. The organism would then become more obese even if it was not consuming excess amounts of calories.

One major source of exposure to these synthetic chemicals was from the drinking water. Although the amount of surface water on earth was steadily increasing, most of it was becoming more and more contaminated. This prompted many humans to try and purify it using new technologies. The most common one used pressure to force water through plastic membranes which removed most of the dissolved minerals but not the organic man-made chemicals affecting health. Additionally, it was not very efficient and produced about five times more ‘waste’ water than ‘purified’ water.

This water now void of dissolved minerals was very aggressive and extracted many of the chemicals from the plastic containers it was usually stored in. Additionally, the water would continually reflux in the container head-space extracting even greater amounts of additives. This same process occurred with all beverages stored in closed plastic containers and continued after consumption in waste areas, further contaminating the environment.

A major source of the insidious neurological problems were all the electromagnetic signals emanating from satellites, cellular networks, and wireless communication devices. Despite the decreasing human population, these continued to increase in number and intensity. Even when not connecting to them, their energies were affecting the biology of all living things. Larger organisms were at greater risk because of their increased surface area exposed to these signals. Basically, their bodies functioned like antennas that converted the electromagnetic waves into low level, high frequency, oscillating electric currents which traveled from the skin throughout their systems.

These oscillating energies presented a subtle but constant background noise within the tissues of all life. Much like the sound from a swarm of gnats that distract the mind when it is quiet or in deep sleep, a multitude of different high frequency vibrations would disturb the much needed quiescence within all cells. Essentially, all the ions and charged molecules within an organism were constantly being “rattled” by a chaotic symphony of noise disturbing life at its most fundamental level.

This was most damaging when the organism was at rest or at its lowest level of awareness. Then, these distractions would chronically bring the organism back to the physical world, especially when sleeping, dreaming, or trying to maintain concentration.

Although these signals pervaded earth’s entire surface and atmosphere, they were not directly manifested to the senses of living organisms. Rather, they were much like the wind. You cannot see it, you cannot hear it, but you can surely see and hear it moving things all around you. A prodigious force that changes the weather and moves the surface of the oceans and land all over the earth. It can cool and soothe or make you feel bitterly cold and destroy things all around you. It creates currents that you can feel on your skin and disturbs the stillness all around us.

Similarly, electromagnetic signals were prodigious energies that you could not see or hear but were moving things within all life at the most fundamental level. An invisible force that pervaded earth’s entire surface and atmosphere, creating currents on the skin and surface of all life while disturbing the stillness within it. Moderate signals could calm and comfort with music and entertainment but their continuously increasing numbers and energies were bombarding life with subliminal noise. Although these signals enabled humans to quickly move vast amounts of information over long distances, ironically they were interfering with the internal communications of all life.

However, there was one salient difference between these two powerful forces. The wind varies dramatically in intensity and often stops completely in different areas of earth’s atmosphere. Contrarily, the electromagnetic signals never stopped. They permeated earth’s entire surface and atmosphere incessantly and continued to increase in both number and intensity throughout the epoch. Covertly, these growing forces were altering the electrochemical environment within all life on the planet.

Their effects impacted almost all biological functions, most of which could not be perceived by the senses. At the subconscious level, they affected cell repair, cell signaling, membrane permeability, and a host of other important biological processes that ultimately impaired healing, detoxification, and immune response while exacerbating inflammation. All of which had insidious effects on both the physiology and psychology of many lifeforms, primarily humans.

The vast majority of people were losing their ability to concentrate on just one thing and had limited attention spans for more challenging tasks. Stress, anxiety, and panic attacks were becoming more common within the human population. Repetitive behavior and an inability to stop thinking were plaguing others which affected decision-making and normal daily activities. A scatterbrain mentality pervaded the masses, largely due to the effects of these ubiquitous electromagnetic signals.

Many people were using sedatives, sleep aids, alcohol, or other drugs just to relax and get better rest. They did subdue the mind by slowing neurotransmission but dulled the senses creating a stupor. Paradoxically, these drugs made the user’s neurons more susceptible to the background noise created by the electromagnetic signals and distracted the body further by requiring it to metabolize and eliminate them. With continued use, one would not only build up a tolerance to these agents but their presence suppressed the secretion of endogenous endorphins and other neuroactive biochemicals produced in the brain.

Without deep sleep and brief periods of rest, a cascade of psychological disorders quickly emerge in any higher form of life. Clear thinking becomes difficult, followed by a loss of discrimination which leads to confusion, causing one to make hasty decisions. This creates problems that frustrate the individual whom then makes more poor choices. All of which was not only affecting the physical and mental state of many but their spiritual health was also in danger.

Three distinct classes of people emerged in the midst of this epoch. The largest group were the working class. They mostly lived in survival mode, primarily concerned with their own existence from day to day. Their short-term thinking and lack of respect for others and the environment contributed to the declining conditions. Guided by fear, they had little concern about the long-term problems facing the world.

A much smaller elite class consisted of the heavy smokers that controlled almost everything including the electronic media that had profound influence over the former class. Although small in number, their environmental footprint was huge as they used more energy and resources than all of the other classes combined. They also consumed more goods and produced more waste than the much larger working class. Guided by ego and intellect, they were focused on short-term profit and maintaining control of the masses. They touted a green, environmentally sustainable future but were really just creating new businesses that operated under the facade of improving conditions worldwide.

An equally small neopolitan class was slowly growing in number as a few from the other classes became converts. Contrarily, they were perturbed about the long-term consequences of the other class actions and tried to make some sort of difference. However, their efforts had almost no affect on the deteriorating world. They were guided by something beyond their thinking minds and seemed intuitively connected to all things, both living and non-living. Typically, they excelled at nothing but were pretty good at most things. The majority were above-average in intelligence but usually not in the elite category. They recognized their limitations in thinking and listened more than they spoke. Although slow to learn, they were very good at grasping the big picture.

Unfortunately many of them felt helpless and weren’t sure what they should do in light of the growing world crises. Some left established urban areas seeking refuge and occasionally found small villages like those of Karl and the explorers. A few would stay but most would leave after a short while as the conveniences of the deteriorating world remained alluring. However, many of those whom left would often ask what they might do to try and change things back in the world they were returning to.

...to be continued!

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