The Darkening Shroud

"... the soul's seeing is [thwarted] by the passions and by the darkening that Matter brings to it, by its [descent] into Matter, by its very attention no longer to Essence but to Process - whose principle or source is, again, Matter, the Kind so evil as to saturate with its own [corruption] even that which is not in it but merely looks towards it. For, wholly without part in Good, the negation of Good, unmingled Lack, this Matter-Kind makes over to its own likeness whatsover comes in touch with it."

- Plotinus (Enneads I,8 - words in brackets redacted; emphasis mine)

The soul, our soul, should be able to see. Yet it sees not, feels not and is instead mesmerized by the colors and senses of a world of matter, which instead of the light we think it is, really is a world of darkness. Instead of the pure essence of God (Good) emanating through us we wear a "darkening" shroud that shields our eyes, deafens our ears, numbs our souls, and makes us forget who we are and from whence we come.

Christians have long spoken of a "fall of Man" from which all sin and evil have proceeded. Buddhists wisely see that the problem is not a matter of blame or past action, but of the very nature of existence itself.

Plotinus sees the problem perfectly - the Creation IS the Fall! There is no distinction between the two "events", they are identical. To be created is to descend into the privation of matter and to struggle with its darkening shroud.

There is no blame, no judgement, no wrath, and no sin - there is the perfect Essence of the One God and there is process; there is BEING and there is becoming being. Yet between the essence of being and the process of becoming, there is no conflict for process is privation of essence, a fall into nothingness.

God does not exist. God is, God be, but God does not exist. To exist is to be limited by the merciless and cruel vicissitudes of process. God transcends even existence. Essence is not existence and existense has no essence. Look closely enough at the rock and it is nothing but colliding electrons, perhaps even waves of energy. The greatest of software is really just a series of yes and no.

To exist is to be in process - to live and to die; to be healthy and to be sick; to be loved and to be rejected; to have peace and to have war. One day this, the other day that. Constant, merciless change is what process is all about.

Existence is insatiable desire. Solomon speaks "the eye never has its full of seeing nor the ear its full of hearing." Process never says "enough" - it is always trying to become something, never just being. Process is always trying to get richer, live longer, become more knowledgable, become more powerful, become more saintly, become more popular - but for what it knows not and cares not for there is no end to it, just process. Process is its own goal. All this leads inevitably to a lost life of addiction and frustration.

Do not confuse "existence" with essence - they are different! One can exist but have no essence and essence need not exist. Before you existed, you were and long after you die still will you be! In existence there is time, there is evolution, there is dichotomy, there is insatiable desire, and there is conflict - no true peace or joy is possible.

Your center, your source - your very essence - immersed in its descent into matter - has forgotten because, as Plotinus says "this Matter-Kind makes over to its own likeness whatsover comes in touch with it." You are still there - but do you realize it? Has the world of senses mesmerized you and caused you to forget the essence of God - not up there and over here - but inside your very center for the Kingdom of God is within.

Seek not to climb the highest mountain nor dive down to the deepest depth. The only thing necessary is to turn to the light. When the light switch is set to "on", the darkness has dissipated - not gradually, but in an instant. Essence can never be destroyed because only that which exists dies.