Tuesday, January 18, 2022

Living Forever

"Most creatures aren't prepared for when they die. Come closer, I have poor vision ...said the spider to the fly."

What would u do if u could live forever? Think of the vast amounts of knowledge and wisdom one could acquire with a long life. The key to immortality has been coveted by mankind since ancient times. The oldest story I know of is the "Epic of Gilgamesh." It's the tale about the king of Uruk who went on a quest to become immortal. The story goes back to 2100BC. The funny thing about Gilgamesh is that he gets advice from an immortal being on why he can't become immortal. The underlying message in the story isn't that all humans die, which is what most people say. What I got from it is that Gilgameshs' punishment was dying. The technology used by the beings he called gods which made them immortal could've been used on him. The reason they weren't sharing it is because, he terrorized the villagers and destroyed a bunch of stuff. 


The Sumerian Kings list has the names of rulers of ancient Mesopotamia who lived long lives. Some of the rulers in the list lived thousands of years. This seemed like science fiction to historians in the past, but as our technology advances the question of "can we live forever," is becoming a reality. Research into the subject over the millennia has ended in rumors, legends, deaths and mysteries. If u look back at the history of people who researched immortality either through alchemy, science or medicinal plants. Most of them had unusual circumstances surrounding their demise. The fact is, investigating how to live longer can shorten your lifespan.


To know if immortality is achievable we have to look at nature. Are there any creatures in the animal kingdom who aren't marked by death? The answer is "yes." I present to you Turritopsis dohrnii, more commonly known as the immortal jellyfish. This incredible creature cheats death by reverting back to a juvenile state once it grows old. In layman's terms this Jellyfish has a real case of Benjamin Buttons. Right now I'm sure you're thinking... No way a creature exists that can live forever. You would be incorrect. Aside from dying by predation or some other external means the immortal jellyfish could theoretically live forever. Research into their genetics and if the secret of their cells can be applied to primates is still ongoing. 


The whole concept of mortality came up in conversation when I was talking to my dead cousin. I had recently heard about this machine called the Integratron which was designed to make humans immortal. The machine was created by a ufologist named George Van Tassel. His story is quite interesting because he got the schematics and design for the machine from extraterrestrial sources. They gave him the knowledge on how to build the device because they felt that human lives were too short. For mankind to reach higher states of consciousness we needed to live longer. Aside from the unique properties of the structure which was constructed entirely of wood using no metal or nails. It was built in a location that maximized the Piezoelectricity from the earth around it. Unfortunately George died when the project was ninety percent complete. All his research and some parts of the machine were confiscated by the government. Rewind...let me give some context to that initial statement.  


My cousin Andrew Ghomes (rest in power Andy) died at the young age of thirty-eight, February, last year.
He was like a little brother to me when we were young. Around the time he died my ability to process emotions had already ceased functioning. I understood the words that he was gone but the mind didn't acknowledge it. My rapacious hunger for wealth and knowledge kept me trapped in a vicious cycle of trading and creating. Those two activities consumed my every waking moment for months until I would fall into a dreamless sleep. Not anymore. 


Now I dream. Usually I don't remember my dreams and the ones I do remember are fragmented pieces. Recently I had this dream that was unlike any I've ever had before. I'm walking through this store named the Burlington Coat Factory shopping with my cousin Andy. Normally in dreams I can't read writing on the walls or tell time on a clock. In this dream everything was technicolor clear. I could read the name of the store clearly in bold, black letters on the wall. This place had levels like a mall with escalators that looked like they reached the sky lights on the ceiling. There were departments for clothes, shoes, coats, and all types of accessories. 


Andy and I walked down different aisles talking about various items we passed. My mind was distracted by the size of the store. As I was formulating the question of what store location we were in. Andy asked me "What's the use of making a lot of money if you don't live long enough to spend it?" I said, "leave it to your wife, family or kids."  We laughed as we made our way to the men's clothing. Andy was looking for jeans to go to a birthday party for a friend. Along the way he told me the story of a guy in New York who won a million dollars on a scratch ticket. Then he died of cancer one week later. After Andy finished we both agreed that "health is wealth."  


Our conversation continued for what felt like hours.  We chatted about growing up in the projects and how different things were as adults. After Andy had picked out a few pairs of jeans we started making our way to the checkout register. Outside the store window I could see snow on the ground. Andy's voice had become white noise in the background. Above the window was a black and white analog clock. At first glance the hands read three o' clock. After looking at the snow for a moment trying to gauge how deep it was from how high it was against the car tires. I looked again at the clock and it read seven forty. My legs moved on autopilot walking beside Andy as my mind tried processing what happened to the time.


Before my brain could form the right question, Andy's voice commanded my attention. It was like he was speaking through a megaphone. I focused on his face and noticed we had stopped walking. He asked if I was alright. I mumbled something about being distracted while noticing we were in a different part of the store. I was lost. Behind us was a wall sized window. Outside the parking lot was full of cars and shoppers hastily trying to escape the cold. Andy gazed outside at the snow and said "New Year is right around the corner. I got big plans for next year. What u got going on cuz?" I also looked out the window while he asked the question. As I pondered how to explain venture capitalism and crypto to my little cousin. An alarm bell went off inside my head. There was something wrong with this place. 


We walked for a long time but were no closer to the registers. There was snow outside and we were supposed to be in South Carolina? How am I in South Carolina? I fell asleep in bed. Did it snow in Holland? Is Andy in Europe? Where are we shopping? Then it struck me like a bolt of lightening. I was in a dream. I turned and looked at the side profile of Andys' face. He remained staring out the window at the ankle deep snow. My thoughts were racing like a hamster on a wheel trying to figure out how to articulate the words. Finally I just blurted out, "Cuzo you're dead." His head turned slowly as he smiled and our eyes locked for a moment. It appeared as if Andy was about to say something...then I woke up. I don't know if it was a result of unprocessed emotions, eating nachos to close to bedtime or a goodbye from a family member. Whatever the cause, that dream got me thinking about how most people don't plan for death. I've seen a lot of people die. In almost every one of the cases, those people were planning for a tomorrow. The reason many people don't make a Will is because they don't want to think about dying. 


What would u do if u could live forever?
I would learn languages, travel to tropical places, get immersed in exploring cultures from around the globe. That's what would be written on paper if it was an essay. The truth is I would spend the first hundred years or so satisfying all my vices. Then my focus would be on accumulating opulent amounts of wealth. That's necessary to finance language interpreters to help me collect artifacts from remote locations on every continent. After a few thousand years of learning, adventuring, and exploring the far reaches of the planet. I would want to know what's next. Where were all the people going who passed on as I continued my endless existence? In this life I've been afflicted with a terrible incurable curse. It's plagued the alchemists and sorcerers of antiquity and it has been passed down through the generations. I'm afflicted with the obsession to know the "origin of all things." The (root) source of life, consciousness, evolution, interstellar travel, and what makes up the very fabric of reality. 


In Tibet there is a meditative technique that allows one to reach a state of higher consciousness where the physical body disintegrates and turns into photons of light.
It's called the rainbow light body. This practice goes back thousands of years. According to the local Tibetans the knowledge was given to them by extraterrestrials. I watched the episode of Ancient Aliens (I love that show. They always propose interesting alternative theories to conventional archeology and history.) where they show photographs of the last practitioners final moments. The monks body shrunk down in stages until it was smaller than a doll. After that his entire body disappeared. The last photograph is of a beam of light shooting upward where his body used to be. Once disciples achieve this state of enlightenment their consciousness can travel to any of twelve star systems where this ritual is taught. 


What that teaches us is that there are other levels of reality. Some can be reached while in physical form. While others seem to require a transcendence to a spiritual self.  Don't get it twisted I plan on living a very long life. I workout and eat fairly healthy to ensure I live long enough to reach enlightenment. Still. The ideal of being stuck in a meat suit for all eternity and never allowed to explore other dimensions would be a punishment. If I were given the option to take an elixir of eternal life. Or use the Integratron immortality machine when they get it working. There's no question that they have the schematics and materials. Whose to say that it already isn't being rebuilt and tested in a hidden location. Some rich people with enough money, power, and influence want to live forever. Those same people are spending fortunes to make that desire a reality. I wouldn't want to be immortal. To me death is not the end. It's the answer to another unsolved mystery. One that allows me to get closer to the source. And perhaps see some friends and family members along the way. 


Part of the beauty of life is that we never know when its going to end. Therefore if u live every day as if it was your last. You can die with fewer regrets. Food for thought.  

Until Next We Speak, Be Well 

Tha One an Only