Understanding our inner-selves

A wise man once said, “Who is right? Maybe all of them are wrong!” He could have been talking about the different interpretations of our local Bible scholars, who might also be right — at least from their own points of view.

This kind of reasoning led me to look for my own answers to life from more up-to-date sources of information, such as science and the “Nova” television program about fractal mathematics. Although mathematics is beyond my understanding, the main idea of fractals is based on “an endless repetition of self-same similarity,” which rings true to me when I think about how planets, stars and galaxies are similar structures that follow similar orbits. The same is true about different species of life that are replaced by similar offspring that have similar patterns of behavior. It seems that all things are connected by ever-changing similarities.

Of all the mysteries concerning our existence, the origin of energy is the biggest mystery of all. The common “substance” of our existence is energy, which contains the underlying power and principles of both the physical universe and the realm of life; energy is converted into matter through the intelligent principles that govern the laws of physics, and the energy of life is expressed through the emotional principles of a will to live that is governed by fear and desire. Both the physical universe and the emotional realm of life utilize, as the program says, “an endless repetition of self-same similarity.”

Throughout man’s history, religious faith has helped us reconcile the mysteries of life; however, modern science has found many answers to life that are based on evidence and some well-thought-out assumptions. One idea speculates that life was formed when a certain combination of chemical elements were stimulated by the energy of the sun, and through evolution the sensitive awareness to light and heat that energized the first form of life must have evolved into the simple-consciousness that enabled primitive life forms to survive and multiply. The survival of the fittest brought about the development of natural ecosystems and the emergence of many different species of life, including primates. Eventually, an ordinary member of a human-like group of primates realized that he or she had a mind of its own, and the recognition of its own individuality was a mental turning point that transformed its simple consciousness into the self-consciousness of a human being.

Evolution is an ongoing process, and the very first human being was joined by other members of its group who were also in the process of achieving self-consciousness. After a long period of human progress, mankind became the dominant species of life on Earth; however, the most important thing about achieving self-consciousness was the development of the human inner-self, which is produced by our self-consciousness, the use of reason and our awareness of passion. Reason and passion are the life-blood of a human inner-self that is made up of memory, imagination, intellect and will, which are stimulated by the pleasures and pain, and the joys and sorrows of human life. Reason and passion are higher characteristics of intelligence and emotion that enable human beings to make choices that are based on value, and what we value is determined by our mental knowledge and emotional experience.

Unlike our physical body that is governed by the laws of physics, our non-physical inner-self is governed by the emotional nature of life, and when a person dies the inner-self continues to exist as a soul in the mysterious realm of an afterlife. In order to continue having physical experience — which is what makes human life worth living — the soul needs a human body and the sense of sight, sound, taste, touch and smell. Therefore, the inner-self of the first human being established a mutually beneficial trade-off with a newborn hominid. The agreement required the new soul to implant its basic consciousness into the blank mind of a newborn babe, and in return, at the end of the baby’s life, its inner-self would become a part of the soul. In other words, our soul provides the self-consciousness that is necessary to develop our inner selves, and when we die the knowledge and experience of our inner-selves revert back to our souls, which is somewhat like a silent partner.

More simply put, a symbiotic relationship between body and soul begins at the birth of a human being when a disembodied soul awakens the baby’s consciousness by entering the baby’s body with its first breath of air. The baby immediately becomes aware of physical pain, but it also becomes able to experience physical pleasure and the emotional joys and sorrows of human life. The development of the baby’s inner-self is strongly influenced by the historical time and place of its birth and the cultural status and genetic code of its parents, as well as its own personal interests and preferences. At the end of the baby’s physical life, the intelligent knowledge and emotional experience of its inner-self becomes a part of the soul’s living memory, and the soul is then able to continue the process of reincarnation — which is an “endless repetition of self-same similarity.”

Although we don’t understand the ultimate business of our soul, understanding our symbiotic relationship generally explains how our human lifetime of experience contributes to something that is greater than our self. In addition to solving many mysteries, our use of reason opens up endless possibilities for us to consider. The intensity of our passion determines what is worthy of our pursuit, and what we pursue enhances the quality of our life and insures the future progress of mankind.

Art Carney is a Wasilla resident.