"You, as a spirit can create realities throughwhat you call your imagination. You can close your eyes and imaginean apple tree, climb it, get an apple and eat it. If you have agood imagination, you can even taste the apple. Spirit and your imagination aren't bound by logic.
"Many, let us say, of your tribes and cultures,some as large as nations, live according to ideas of thousands ofyears ago. If someone of note said something centuries or millenniaago many follow that idea without questioning it, even though theidea or practice is no longer relevant to the time-space they nowlive in. The idea is a rule, held in place with the logic that ifyou disobey, something bad will happen to you.
"You also use logic to create abstractions ofphysical reality in the form of mathematics. Your engineers haveused logic to create what you call computers that use logic intheir hardware and software to conduct physical tasks, communicate,and bring you music, and pictures and stories on what you calltelevision. Your computers don't think or feel: they do immensemanipulations of logical elements you call bits; they are theultimate form of logic.
"Spirits don't need to create the abstraction;they can simply create the reality. Logicand language are, therefore, just a method of dealing with yourlimitations of physical reality.
"Spirit (or yoursubconscious) operates in a pre-symbolic non-symbolic realm.It creates ideas your brain circuits and your brain ware (allthe stuff you have learned from your family or school) translatesthe idea into speech or symbols you draw, write, ortype.
"Questions! We have given you a lot, of whatyou say on your planet, to chew on. For those of you who are herefor the first time, let us say, the first three rows are for thoseof you who think you may have questions. If you have a question,please raise your hand, and our assistant will give you amicrophone."
A man in a business suit raised his hand,waited for the microphone, and asked, "Some of our country's mostimportant documents, such as the Declaration of Independence andour Constitution, depend on logic. Our society couldn't run withoutthose guides. Aren't they our highest thinking?"
Herondus answered: "Those are, indeed,important documents for your civilization. The logic is in theexpression of the ideas. The pre-symbolic thinking that the authorsdid before writing those was on the conceptual level: the meaningof rights, equality, freedom, etc. They added the logic as they putpen to paper."
A woman with long red hair raised her hand, wasgiven the microphone, and asked, "When I am thinking a problem out,I talk to myself, and logically discuss about what I am going todo. Isn't that my highest form of thinking?"
Herondus answered: "Your subconscious is givingyou the ideas that your brain and brain ware converts to sub vocalspeaking. The subconscious thinkinghappens during the sub-vocal dialog between parts ofyourself."
About ten people asked questions and receivedanswers. Then, Herondus said, "We do not want to get, as you say,too technical about what is what kind of thinking. We want toemphasize that what may seem logical to you is not necessarilytrue, because what you believe is logicaldepends on your education or training, your brain ware.
"Once, in your space-time, the idea of a roundearth was unacceptable: there was a set of logic that assuredeveryone that the world was flat.
Herondus looked at his watch and said, "Now, wewould like to take a ten-minute break, and, when you come back, wewill take you on a meditation."
All was quiet until the man doing thechanneling opened his eyes and looked blearily around theroom.
Everyone then hurried from the room or begantalking to friends. I excused myself and went to the bathroom. As Iwas returning, I ran into Tina and Elise in the ballroomlobby.
"What do you think about Herondus?" Tina askedwith an air of excitement.
"Frankly, I am a little overwhelmed. He hasgiven me a lot to think about. Can I get a recording of thesession?"
"It will be available from his website in abouta week. The web address is on the meeting flyer," AddedElise.
"We should go back in now," saidTina.
In a few minutes, Herondus beganagain:
"On your planet you have the idea ofSuperheroes, which appear in comic books, TV, and in your movies.Many of them have magic shields to deflect gunfire, laser beams,and other projectiles. Many on your planet use logic as yourshield, to give you a certainty against all ideas that do not agreewith your beliefs.
"Your radio and television politicalcommentators can project great certainty that opposing viewpointsare wrong through logic, although their opposing counterparts canspeak with equal certainty that their opponents are idiots. Thesecertainties prevent real discourse or dialog where one partyattempts to understand the viewpoint of others.
"On an interpersonal level, you may often findthe people who demonstrate great certainty about what they know,are using that certainty as a shield to prevent anyone from knowingwho they really are. Logic can be a great shield to prevent someonefrom finding out that deep-deep down inside you have some shame orthat you believe you are not good enough.
"We will continue dialoging on that subjectthroughout this weekend. But now, it is time for ameditation."
The lights came down and Herondus led everyonethrough a guided meditation: Going to a meadow, sitting under atree, and then proceeding through and exploration of thesurroundings. I fell asleep after the first few minutes.
At the end of the session, as we were standingup ready to leave, it was apparent that Tina was leaving withElise: the wingman thing was in play. I said to Elise, "I wouldlike to have lunch with you to discuss your research. It could beimportant to some work I am doing."
Tina smiled her approval.
Elise replied, "It will have to betomorrow."
"I can do that," I said.
Elise gave me her card, and I said I would callher at home in the morning.
As
