Introduction

This eternal angst of not knowing… that wonder, and that desire to comprehend is such a compelling and impulsive sensation. Like many of you out there, my desire to know and understand the nature of what is has led me down many paths of exploration.

As I reflect, most of my foundational ideas held for the last 2 decades have not necessarily changed over the course of time, but merely evolved, moving into more understanding and more comprehension of the possibilities in which things could potentially work.

And in that essence of what is, I’ve attempted to model this book in a way that ultimately is symbolic of existence as a whole.

This idea of contraction and expansion contained within life itself, breathing as we inhale and exhale, giving birth from yet another contraction, and all of that.

We’re conceived and then born by conception, and we go through stages of existence, only to then die.

And I would conclude, to then be born again, or in some schools of thought, enter a new chapter fresh and anew.

And this process, this cycle, with each passing, contains new perspective and thus new understanding which is then acquired.

And in this cyclical process, more and more is obtained, though the essence of what is, has and forever will remain the same.

In that, I would hope that you would conclude after this book that it is not my desire to make a specific claim of knowing what is, but the desire is merely to invite more questioning and that wonder of curiosity.

As to place anything in a box, to think we know, to think we can accurately define anything in its completeness, in its fullness, is but a limitation we bring about and onto ourselves.

I bring about this book, to hopefully invite others to interpret their own circumstances, to perceive that reality, within itself, in a new way.

Hopefully, that perception is one of wonder, of even more curiosity, and more fulfilling than the last.

This goal of mine is merely to bring about acceptance of the idea that it is perfectly OK to asks questions, it is OK to doubt, and it is perfectly fine to find certainty in a state of complete uncertainty.

My life story, if you will, is quite difficult to articulate because there are so many different ways to interpret it, which you have, can, and will discover about your own existence, your own life, and your own identity as you read or hear the material presented within, to then implement, and to then return with new understanding, a different perspective, with each passing.

Personally, I’m quite cautious about authoring my own life, and thus placing myself within a box, within a definite definition, and thus consenting to an undesirable limitation.

I can only say, that in my experience, one common theme persistent throughout is that of a curiosity and a desire to simply make sense of this world, this reality, that I find myself immersed within.

May these ideas bring forth and birth something new.

-Jake Laura