Paul Jones7 said:I mean, just because everything already Is, it doesn't necessarily follow that this specific manifestation of Life—you know, us—doesn't have its own concrete goal or purpose, something that isn't just fulfilled by the mere fact of existing.
So, maybe the goal isn't to hunt down some essence; perhaps it's more about celebrating that essence—trying to manifest its purest form—which, I guess, requires a higher level of awareness.
The whole concept of "purpose" is actually quite anxiety-inducing; it tends to fuel that restless drive in people who are constantly searching or running away from themselves, creating this heavy pressure that prevents them from just soaking in the moment or enjoying life as it unfolds. There isn't some ultimate, pre-ordained purpose waiting at the finish line; rather, an individual has to carve out their own meaning as they navigate through life. At the end of the day, the mystery of existence remains just that—a mystery—no matter how many mountains of philosophical speculation or deep thinking we pile up.
in that case, the goal isn't to hunt down an essence; perhaps the true aim is to celebrate that essence, to manifest its purest form, which would necessitate reaching a much higher state of awareness.
For most spiritual seekers, finding that "essence" is the ultimate prize, though they usually view it as something supernatural. Personally, I've always had a hard time with that idea of the "supernatural." If an essence truly exists, it shouldn't be some separate object hovering above creation; it has to be an intrinsic part of creation itself, given the premise that everything belongs to the same unified system—the Absolute, or Being. If something is outside of nature, then by definition, it doesn't exist within nature.
That’s why I find that regardless of which spiritual tradition or religion you look at, there is always this inherent, subtle duality creeping in. It seems clear to me that such ideas breed anxiety, which then triggers even more dualistic pairings and those somewhat pious explanations designed to transcend the very duality they created through linear reasoning. It reminds me of a dog chasing its own tail in endless circles. 🙂
I tend to believe that humans are inherently limited; we can't be aware of everything simultaneously, nor can we magically grasp the fundamental mechanics of the cosmos through experimentation. We are confined to what our intellect and sensory perceptions allow, which means we are ultimately left with our own subjective experience of reality. So, what is left once you strip everything else away? If there aren't higher planes of existence, magic, or mystical energies, then all we really have is this immediate experience, right here and now. There is a certain beauty in being conscious of the moment and recognizing that we are simply a part of the natural process—one that is always at one with nature, regardless of the identities we construct for ourselves. From that realization, a greater sense of moral responsibility emerges in how we live actively, knowing that everything is fundamentally interconnected. To me, that feels like a healthy balance.
And that, in my view, is what true higher consciousness looks like. It moves beyond concepts of the "supernatural" or the conventional moralizing that tells us we must achieve something specific or else we are failures or slaves to fate. Everything is already present; we should simply work with what we have been given through nature, evolution, and the unfolding of the cosmos. Humans might be "slaves" to various things, but it is far better to accept that reality than to delude oneself into thinking one is something more than the illusory identity shaped by brain chemistry.🙂
