The Palomas campus was the place of an hectic but powerless stress. The black sphere was only at three days of Earth, and nobody into Rolf's team had the least idea of what it was about. Only Sangye Tchögyal was keeping his serene mood, together with his spouse Yonten Drolma.
Tchögyal had finally informed her of what all this was about, and she surprised everybody by suddenly speaking to them in a good German. For half a day, she seemed like an angel on Earth, speaking familiarly with the engineers, comforting a mourner here, healing a psychological disorder or anxiety there. Then she took again her distance, appearing only from times to times. She even not had her meals with the group, Tchögyal brought them himself to her. All longed this brief episode of divine life, but they also knew it could not last longer without endangering the delicate concentration of Yonten Drolma.
She however took one hour or two to appear to Steve, and speak to him in this slightly deformed English she learned in Tibet and India. Even without knowing, she felt that Steve was suffering of a loss, and she knew how to listen at him and to find the right words to heal his grief. As a result, since this discussion he feels much more optimistic, more active, and anyway without these bursts of depression which were seizing him since Liu began to be sick.
In the meanwhile, Rolf and his engineers had tried to contact various groups of people able to reproduce psychophysical phenomena. What started as a simple checking of lists of links on the Internet, quickly proved a tedious investigation: all the tracks were lost, the people they found did not replied to emails, or accepted only physical encounters, away from California, in Europe or Asia. Organizing the travels would take several more days. These people seemed to deliberately put obstacles, and even the prestigious heading of Shedrup Ling was not motivating them further. Yet they often were former students... Anyway, nobody wanted to talk psychophysics on the internet, even in coded messages, because the risk of interception was too great. So, three days before the deadline, none other than Rolf Gensher's team seemed to realize that an important event was to happen. Even the Enken team on Dumria could not help, because they were not really more advanced than the team in California.
Even the psychophysics unit of Shedrup ling in Lhassa showed little hast for cooperation. Rolf realized at this occasion that the work in these laboratories showed little progress since ten years. After brilliant advances in the statistical laws governing the phenomena scenarios, the professors were just happy to teach their findings to a few students from various countries, and to a greater number of Lamas and yogis of various religions. The only published discoveries were about deepening the knowledge of the running of the «dream engine»© which was producing the scenarios of the experiences, allowing for the chaining of the elements of the dream. But nothing about what caused the appearance of the psychic textures themselves. However varied hypothesis had been discussed years earlier, into seminars where Rolf himself was present. Experiments certainly were attempted, but nothing really new ever came out since, from the psychophysics laboratory of Shedrup ling. Worse, several prominent members had resigned, to devote themselves to religious retreats or other activities seemingly unrelated to psychophysics. It was as if a taboo had fallen on these phenomena, which was a reminiscent of the backward censorship of the 20th century.
Rolf became angry when he realized that teachers and researchers in his own university were avoiding to communicate their discoveries. But soon he realized that their attitude was no different, in facts, from the other laboratories in the world: all those who had engaged into this area were quickly becoming silent. They were still spending time searching, about some statistical or neurological stuff about the conditions favouring the phenomena, but no breakthrough discovery. Then, after a few years, they seemed to lose interest with the field, and were leaving the university, to get engaged in spiritual, medical, artistic, or political activities. Activities where, however, they were succeeding remarkably well, even without any training or financial resources. A fair number of them even disappeared without traces!
And him, Rolf Gensher, taken as he was into his double management rôle, well, then he was aware of nothing, he remained besides, he was not informed of what was happening into this domain, which however was his passion.
Then Rolf realized that Tchögyal often intervened into the psychophysics unit, and he still did it recently. He certainly knew things himself ignored. So he decided to summon a new meeting, where this time he would ask Tchögyal to speak. After all, the Tantric master, who did more than ten known FAE, certainly had things to say.
That day in Palomas, rain had washed the sky, and the immaculate blue sky was marvellously contrasting with the luminous ochre of the desert. Cactus flowers with merry colours were strewn into the hollows, and the reddish rocks looked so close that we could touch them with the hand. However Steve and Ulrike Meinster realized that this little stony range was in facts at kilometres, and tiredness was starting to be felt in their legs when they reached the strange rock shaped by the wind. But surprisingly, people were camping here, in a small hollow which could be seen only at the last instant. An Indian tribe was installed in half a dozen caravans and mobile homes, for who knows what reason, in this forgotten desert place, without even a water supply.
In 2102 one could certainly no longer receive arrows when approaching an Indian encampment, but American Natives had more subtle ways to make the unexpected visitor feel the inopportunity of his presence. And it was happening that Steve and Ulrike were stepping in at only some metres from the camp. Steve had learned the traditional salutation from Gus Anvil, the head of the Shedrup Ling restaurant, a passionate hiker who was knowing every stone of the desert. Gus, wearing cowboy attire as he used, had taught the salutation to Steve and Ulrike, «just in case», but he carefully avoided to tell them that «the case» would happen this very day...
Steve and Ulrike awkwardly muttered the salutation to the old Indian who seemed to guard the camp. He did not replied; however he seemed alone in the camp at this moment, just some household noises and a sweet song told the presence of other persons in the caravans. The old man eyed at Steve and Ulrike, with a seemingly condescending look; then still silent, he looked toward the rock. Steve and Ulrike noticed at this moment that several Indian men and women were sitting at its foot, in a prayer attitude.
They still walked a few steps in that direction, but they could not approach more without disturbing the attention. So they stood, trying to understand the meaning of this ceremony. Certainly the Indians were to cultivate a kind of communion with the life of nature, in this particularly propitious place. The reddish rock, with complicated shapes, was evoking, depending on how one looked, an austere human face, or several animal forms of varied expressions. Then Steve and Ulrike fully felt the harsh and hot vibration of the mineral desert, and during some minutes they were only one with the tribe. Some children went out of a mobile home, but their laughter did not disturbed this communion.
After a quarter of an hour, Steve and Ulrike went back, meeting the impenetrable face of the elder and the astonished eyes of the children. Butt his time, they were feeling totally right to be here.
Half an hour before the meeting in Palomas, arrived unexpectedly a small rental car with three people, a French couple and a young man who was their son. If the couple was looking quite ordinary, the young man, Jerôme Heraert, was standing out straight away with his beard and hair, which made him look like Jesus, and also by its exuberance and spontaneity. They asked to see Rolf, who knew them: they were old friends of Hervé Elzécher. They were part of one of these psychophysics research groups that Rolf unsuccessfully attempted to contact. To Rolf's emails, they replied that they had no more activity in this area, except to focus on a prayer group for the sick, while Jerôme was studying medicine. Rolf could not avoid to show a little annoyance, but he realized he had no choice but to accept them as such at the meeting.
A childish message arrived from Lhassa, telling that, in the garden of Florencia, the daughter of a friend of Rolf, the pumpkin was still swelling. Rolf knew what this was meaning: the black sphere was still approaching.
«Given the challenge we have to face today, there was an urgent need to gather all our knowledge about psychophysics» told Rolf as a preamble to his meeting, in a small celadon green gymnasium which was opening toward a patio with flowers, bird songs and a fountain. They were in the karate dojo, sitting on cushions or directly on the tatami, because at least they were sure that in this place there was no computer or microphone able to connect to the network during the discussion. This new meeting included the same team than the other day, more the Heraert and two teachers of the psychophysics unit of Lhassa, who accepted to come only on the special command of Rolf.
«However it appears that it is very difficult to get updates on this subject. None of our guests came, except you, Monsieur and Madame Heraert, who arrived in a hurry. Even my own researchers of the psychophysics unit of Lhassa are not in this meeting, to the exception of the very venerable Lama Sangye Tchögyal (The later pulled a surprised face, hearing these flatteries) and two lower rank teachers. Tchögyal, you still recently personally attended some sessions in the psychophysics unit, of which however no really new result went out, since already eight years, despites the privileged financial means I provided. However several rumours evoke important discoveries into this domain, that no publication ever comes to confirm. Tchögyal, can you please summarize the situation, where are we actually in this domain?»
There was a silence. Then came the reply of Sangye Tchögyal, laconic:
«Sorry, I can't».
This time there was a really embarrassed silence, while all the eyes were turning toward Rolf. Before he loses his face, Tchögyal started to explain:
«Rolf, you should know why. You are pursuing your own experiments in the utmost secrecy, as far as making them on Dumria.» The Heraert suddenly stared at Rolf, very surprised. Rumours were hinting at secret experiments of the KRG, in Siberia and in Peru, but on Dumria, nobody guessed this. It was especially surprising from the Dumrians, to indulge themselves into Earthling's little secrets.
«It is... It is that... replied Rolf, as you know, these researches are dangerous...
-Hey, we know this well, Tchögyal continued. Psychophysics is a domain with still more astounding application than high technology, and thus still more dreadfully dangerous. A divulgation of some data could be used to some evil purposes, or it could destroy people awkwardly attempting to use them.
«It would be so easy to make evil with only one tenth of all what we know. What an incredible manipulation power, than to arise in the mind of others, and to change their thought without them noticing! This is not even the first time a dictator tries to use parapsychology. This has been seriously tried in the USA and the USSR, and it is well known that hitler was infatuated with occultism, surrounding himself with operetta clairvoyants and pseudo-magus. Do you imagine what would have happened if he had been able to recruit authentic ones? We, in Tibet, we know very well that methods of black magic were used against us by the barbarian hordes of mao zedong, even if they claimed to be materialists. Otherwise, how could they violate the Land of the Tantras?
«Satanism, cults, all would try to use these means. Look at what they can already do with well known methods of creative thinking, or prayer, diverted for improper purposes? Imagine what would happen if the followers of satan came to impose their dark vibrations into our minds, to us all?
«Well, we still have some protection: if, in the material world, it is possible to do evil things without suffering of the consequences, in the psychical world, on the other hand, what we encounter, the place where we live in, are a reflection of our mind, of our actions. A hateful person, a pervert or a manipulator who would attempt to use psychophysical means of manipulation, would soon have to face horrible suffering, much worse than burning alive and for much longer. This is a protection, but not enough: a common feature of all the perverts is that they live into «their reality», always believing they are smarter than others, and remarkable exceptions to the laws of the universe. Thus it is sure that these persons would try to use these methods, despite all the warnings we could send to them. It would never last long, but so little it would last, it could lead to disaster, and do a lot of victims.
«Even for sincere individuals, to gain access to certain things would be worse than drugs. The worst trap of spiritual development is to experience the happiness and peace of Paradise, while we are still imbued with psychological problems and disorders, into a life of work, noise, disappointment and sadness. To most people, this would result in so huge a frustration, that we shall sink immediately into the darkest depression. Indeed what more Machiavellian torture than looking through the gate of Heavens, while we still have before us many years of gloom, office work, public housing, divorce, loneliness, old age? People who experienced it, Rolf, describe this as worse than hell; they had the feeling that the whole universe and God himself were just a huge mockery, that they were permanently excluded from happiness and real life, or that everything was a lie or an illusion. Some have even revolted, becoming fascists or terrorists, of the worst kind, those who have nothing to lose, even not their salvation in the afterlife.
«Even when one already has some advance on the path, one still remains very sensitive to some kinds of attacks, and this is one of the main reasons why disciples practice in secret. In our Tibet homeland, and anywhere where the Tantras are flourishing, everything related to the tantric practice of the disciples is traditionally held hyper-secret, and especially the experiences that the disciples may have in relation with the worlds of the spirit. It would be dangerous for the disciple to speak of this, as they would expose themselves to the jealousy and aggressions of the simple beings. But also, and above all, it would be very dangerous for those not prepared to really understand these things, and who may interpret them completely wrong. Today the situation is hardly changed, even if these experiences are more diverse than the religious visions of ancient Tibet.
«But the worst danger about religious inspirations or visions, is when the ego takes grasp on them: it makes of them absolute revelations, dogma, and it is the way appeared all the cults and fanatic groups.
«You see, Rolf, even with my FAE (note 27), there are things that I cannot do to my disciples. FAE, I have already done more than one hundred (whispers in the audience) but I was never able to offer the complete liberation to any of the beneficiaries. Well, I was more successful with my wife, but this is only because she already has thirty years of steadfast practice on record. To the others, all the others, I solved problems, I loosened blockages, but they still have to follow most of the path themselves. Some even were just content to have an honest little life, without any attempt to go further, like this famous Tegal (note 20).
«The essential of the spiritual work is an uncircumventable personal effort. We have to identify and patiently untie all our problems. The main thing is also to get out of spiritual infantilism, where we expect everything from the others, from the Guru of from God, where we refuse the challenges and cry before the obstacles, like a child frustrated of sweets. We have to ripen, little by little, and become adult, become each our own centre, our own source of motivation, our own energy. We have to face efforts and pains as an adult, without aggravating them with weeping or anger.
«A true yogi, Rolf, is able of renouncing one second before ejaculation, without feeling frustration. And not only once: every time. A Bodhisattva, you see, is ready to go in hell if he can save somebody. Even me that everybody call Rinpoche, I cannot say that I am able of this.
«Psychophysics is like sex. It is private, not public. And it is for adults only. And when I say adult, this means that we are able to master our psychology, not just being legally 18. If we are not adult, we burn ourselves.
«So, only when we are adults and balanced, we can advance. Only then, fast methods become profitable, instead of acting like a drug, like an avoidance of reality, as a refusal of the obstacles to pass. So when I do FAE, I just remove some obstacles which are blocking the person. I cannot do all the work for him, nor dictate him choices he would not do. For instance, about Tegal, I just removed his rejection of life, but I did nothing to force him into a spiritual path. It is his own choice to do.
«Even the FAE, which are considered as an incredible blessing, would become a great danger, if one tried to use them for who knows what enterprise of spiritual standardisation. This would block the development of society, even more drastically than the Catholic fundamentalism blocked the development of the Western world for fifteen centuries.
«So, the experts in psychophysics are really forming a secret network, where it is very difficult to enter. They communicate only in person, even not taking note of their addresses, never publicly pronounce the name of other members. They meet rarely, into secret places, and at last they lead an apparently ordinary live, where nothing allows to recognize them.
«And then, yes, we did very interesting discoveries into your psychophysics research unit. The money of your funding was very appropriately spent, and in a way you would certainly approve. But we do not have to speak of this in this meeting.
-Well, Tchögyal, actually these dangers are very real, said Rolf. And indeed, there is no need to mention this here, no more than talking about what Monsieur and Madame Heraert are doing in France, which is certainly a very good job. And especially not to speak in emails that anyone can read with the appropriate technical means. Emails of which we do not even know what countries they go through, or which companies handle them.
-I can however say, remarked Madame Heraert, that we have some very interesting results with health, with a lot of unexplainable physical healings. But even there, the most difficult is to know what is appropriate for the person. Some people have painful experiences, but which are for them opportunities to purify their sins, as we use to say among Christians. To exempt them of these exercises, these learning, would certainly be more comfortable for them, but in the long run they would suffer more, by lack of achieving the necessary progress. So things are really like said the Buddhist Lama: spiritual powers, even used with a good heart, can be dangerous.
«Another data that Sir Tchögyal should also know, is that there is no need to transmit to others the discoveries in psychophysics, at least not by material means. This is because, on the other side of the mirror, numerous spiritual entities, angels and blessed, are in much better positions than us to evaluate the level of everyone, and transmit to each what he needs, what we call inspirations in Christianism, or what you call connexions into Tantric Buddhism. The transmission by the material speech certainly seems easier to receive, but in facts it is much more difficult to interpret correctly, from the multiple ambiguities of words. For all these reasons, the several groups who made discoveries into psychophysics, or who master healing powers or out of the body travel, do not try to teach, they even not speak, or only to thoroughly chosen individuals.
«The most difficult thing is even not to communicate, but to build confidence. In any case, we always do with word of mouth, never by mail or by any electronic means. This is why we only replied in an elusive way to your emails, while in reality we immediately packed our luggage to get here as soon as possible. If we reacted so quickly, it is because the night before, we all three had dreams about Shedrup Ling, without concerting with each other! So we had an indication from the spiritual world, which is more reliable than through the material world. Anyway Shedrup Ling is still a well known name, which inspires confidence. In addition, by meeting with you, we have the human contact. So we immediately felt we could work together.
-Anyways, replied Hans Rufbach, the head of the engineering team of the KRG, we have to explain to the Heraert and to the members of the unit of Lhassa what we are doing, if we want their presence to be of any use at this meeting.
-Well, replied Rolf. Now we know why science results in psychophysics are not published. Or rather I know, because seems that I was the only one not to know. Did you guess how keeping a result into a secret is always frustrating for a scientist. But since the discovery of the atom bomb, we know that this is sometimes necessary. You are speaking about a kind of Pugwash.
-It is an official continuation of the Pugwash, Rolf, even if it has another name today. Happily, this time we reacted quickly enough, before some wackos used our discoveries to make a war.»
Rolf did a quick explanation on what happened with the communication beams, and about the black sphere which would reach Earth in three days. The Heraert gave much attention, although they looked only little astonished. Rolf exposed Steve's hypothesis, as what this object would be a psychical texture, the reason why they requested the help of psychophysics scientists. Madame Heraert was a bit upset, to the idea of a black sphere. She though that this colour was a sign of evil, but in fact this was not a concern since it resulted only of the truncated vision of the quantum telescope. Monsieur Heraert was astonished: how one could give a spiritual nature to something visible with material means? They had to explain him in details the notion of psychical texture, and how the quantum telescope was, strangely, able to see it. But it was a negative image, hence the black colour and sinister look.
These exchanges took some time, so they had a pause for tea and cakes. As Gus Anvil was bringing the food, Steve and Ulrike blocked him in a corner, to ask him about the Indians. Gus laughed cheerfully, as of a good joke. He was perfectly aware that this place was nearby permanently occupied by the members of a large tribe. They were taking turns at the bottom of this rock, that they considered as a contact point with the Spirit. A natural temple. As a matter of fact, this rock, from its complicated shape and the warm pungent vibration it emanated, was really conductive of such a communion. There even often were Shedrup Ling researchers joining the Indians, and Gus was the friend of several members of their tribe.
«They did not scalp you? He joked.
-Nooo, but we could disturb them.
-How it was feeling like? That you were accepted?
-Not at once, but after a moment, yes. In fact it was depending on our attitude toward the ceremony. As tourists, we would be rejected.
-You got it right, guys. Just like this, they come here because they know there will be no muddlers staring at them. Except us, nobody knows, and we no more want to see hosts of nutters coming along.»
When Palomas was created, those Indians much astonished the researchers. This place never had an official statute of Indian reservation, but it was however known to be claimed as theirs by the tribe. So the scientists thought it would be right to ask for the agreement of the Indians, before any actual settling. The later replied that «considering the noble project of Shedrup ling» they were welcome in this place. What astonished everybody was that this reply came before they were contacted…
During the meal, Rolf and Tchögyal had a small discussion apart. So, when the meeting resumed, Rolf spoke, to at last tell to the newcomers the message he got while the beam were cut.
«This message was exactly telling the names of all the persons now present, including the new comers: the Heraert family and our colleagues of the psychophysics unit in Lhassa.
«This list is not at random, and, in the case of the KRG staff, it is exactly the engineers who are working on the Kuten project.»
Rolf had a small tremolo in his voice, while pronouncing for the first time this name in front of other persons.
«The rumours are true, and they are about the Kuten project. But we thoroughly erased any material trace of it, here on Earth. We asked a dumrian game group to make themselves the experiments, under high secrecy.
-And they accepted? asked Steve, astonished.
-Yes, when we explained them why. You know, Steve, Dumria is not «the other camp», and it is above not a united clan «the Dumrians» as we still hear too often, here on Earth. It is a civilization devoid of any central authority or imposed activity, infinitely free and diversified, with numerous cultures and groups, with sometimes very different purposes. If they had clan mind like us, they would me much more divided: there would be more that eighty thousand countries on Dumria! So we must not be astonished if Dumrians can undertake activities in the utmost secrecy, even toward their own mates on their planet. This even happens very often, in games, and some dumrian imaginary world take new members only after years of complex initiations. Their only concern while accepting our request was to do nothing bad.
«This is a robotics project, so at first look, it has nothing to do with psychophysics. But we come here quickly, if we think that one of the great questions of robotics has been, from the beginning of the 21st century, if whether a robot, an artificial electronic brain, could be conscious.
«For people with a spiritual approach, the reply seems obviously no. But for whose with a more materialistic approach, it is a rather delicate question, and a question which implications are questioning the spiritual person.
«In all the religions, it is considered that the consciousness is not the result of the physical body, and thus not of the brain, but of a soul, a divine spirit, a conscious principle, existing even before the brain. The concepts vary from one spiritual path to another, but all paths share in common to consider consciousness as an immaterial entity, which uses the brain, but which cannot be reduced to it. This entity can even continue to exist after the death of the brain, to live in spiritual worlds experiences of a different type of the incarnation in a physical body.
«For the materialist science as it evolved since the 17th century to the present, consciousness has always been a thorny issue, because no material phenomenon allows to apprehend it. In the 19th and 20th centuries, it was downright taboo, heretic. People in these times called this «the irrational», and he was not good talking of it!! A scientist involved in this was sure to have his career torpedoed. But science could not live indefinitely with blinders. With the power of the facts, the second half of the 20th century rather sought to disparage consciousness, by reducing it to an information process in the material brain, as with the notorious behaviourism. This incredible pseudo-science was denying consciousness and evacuated all its contents as «unobservable», only discussing the «response» to «stimuli», just as if we were machines only able of reacting, without any content, without any personal motive!
«At the end of the 20th century, neurological and cognitive neuroscience had to admit that they could understand the working of neural circuits only in connection with the corresponding conscious content. So, like it or not, they had to observe it, despite the anathema of the behaviourists. So, little by little, they became interested into the content of consciousness, even if they at once disparaged it as «subjective». Only with the General Epistemology, consciousness was finally regarded as a fact, as well as of material facts.
«In the very beginning of neurology, we had no other means of observation than with victims of medical amputation of the brain, or in patients with open brain surgery who were stimulated with electrodes. It was barbaric and very inaccurate, but it already allowed to map large regions of the brain, and their functions. Later came the positron emission tomography, which allowed to detect the brain areas activated during the execution of a given activity of the consciousness. With this system, real science could start, about the relationship between the consciousness experiences and the brain. However the equipment was still expensive, with an accuracy limited to the centimetre. This, with the need for ingesting radioactive isotopes, greatly limited the number and duration of studies, for the sole benefit of the major scientific institutions. Moreover, because of the terrible dominant ideologies in the late twentieth century, funding went only to logical, sensory or motor functions of the brain, while artistic, sensual or meditative abilities were ignored.
«The machine which really allowed the study of the brain to take off was the nuclear magnetic resonance scanner, first used in radiology. The use of quadripolar resonance allowed to do without the powerful magnetic field, and thus to build light machines, even portable. Moreover, these devices are totally harmless, even for long durations. The accuracy quickly dropped to a fraction of a millimetre. At last, the sensitivity of these machines allows them to detect not only the electrical activity of the brain, but also its chemical activity, neurotransmitter per neurotransmitter, and even neuron per neuron. But a completely unplanned advantage of these machines was that, not only the major scientific institutions were able of studying the brain in details, but also small amateur groups could undertake their own researches, without being limited by the scientistist dogmas and taboos. It is what did the Shedrup Ling University in the beginning, when it was still a club of «alternative» researchers, without any recognized status. But while official science sought to improve learning or reflexes, Shedrup Ling discovered the missing connections in the narcissic perverts, and proposed a treatment, thus alleviating an incredible amount of suffering, tragedies or divorces.
«It was quickly found however that no brain is the same than any other. Of course the basic pattern of neural zones is the same for everybody, although we already find here genetic variations favouring or unfavouring capacities or character traits. However the detailed branching of each neuron is not under genetic control. This is the self-organisation process of the neurons which is responsible of it. And the path followed by this process is unique for each individual, strongly dependent of experiences in early childhood. This explains why apparently benign experiences, like a sexual gesture, or the lie of Santa Claus, can have serious consequences on the adult. Especially, the detailed wiring of neurons is different for every person, and the same function can be implemented in a totally different way from a person to another. This makes that emulating the brain of a given person requires the adjustment of tens of thousands of parameters!
«So these cognitive and neurology sciences went very far in the detailed decoding of our neuronal circuits and their functions, to the point of reaching a complete knowledge, accurate and detailed, about everything which can happen into a human brain. This proved extremely useful for health, personal development, and harmonization of social relations.
«But the «pure» cognitive science is still stumbling on essential questions, such as the free will: if the thoughts of an individual are only the result of the functioning of his neurones, then how can an individual consciously and voluntarily decide to change this functioning, and for this purpose undertake the necessary learning, keeping control of the process during tens of years? No found algorithm of the brain allows for such a result. Such a decision, such a desire to change our own consciousness, is something irreducible to a simple play of neurological or psychological phenomena. It is as if a car created its own driver! But this is however what we do since the 19th century when we undertake a psychotherapy, or since three thousands years when we engage into a spiritual path.
«Anyway phenomena such as NDEs, OBEs and CE3 were still completely inaccessible to the cognitive or neurological approach. It was tried to observe the activities of neurons during such episodes, with very variable results. In some cases, it was not different of ordinary activity. In others, it was incomprehensible... not to mention the case of NDEs occurring during a zero activity!
«What the neurons could produce intelligence, materialists can consider this, but that they can produce ground traces in a CE3, healing, memories of what we heard kilometres away, or when our EEG was completely flat, this makes no sense, materially. In such an extend that the conventional materialistic science just dismissed for centuries the very existence of these observation facts, however reported by millions of people. As in the 18th century it was rejecting the existence of meteorites, despite the testimonies.
«For this reason, today, all the scientific researches on consciousness assume the other hypothesis: a conscious principle which is able to use the brain (When he does not indulge himself to be just led by its mechanisms). This hypothesis was already known by scientists as early as 2000, with people like Chalmers. But it only gradually took recognition in science, especially through the General Epistemology, the only one able to apprehend phenomena which by principle cannot be physically observed. The neurological or cognitive approaches have not been evicted, they are still here thanks to their so precious practical uses. But we now know that they do not reply the core question.
«This scientific approach of the conscious principle also had the decisive advantage of launching a bridge between the classical physical science, and the millennia old domain of spiritual practices, to the point that today the boundary between science and spirituality is widely blurred. It is now hard to figure that an immense gap was separating them in the 19th and 20th centuries.
«From there, what can we say about the consciousness of robots? The cognitive approach claimed before the year 2000 that it was enough to create electronic circuits emulating the human brain, to obtain conscious robots. The spiritual approach says no, for several reasons, the main being that we do not know how to create a conscious principle. So, many scientists asked: How can we test which of the two theories is true?
«The scientists quickly focused on this question, which, they thought, could solved centuries of disputes on the material or spiritual nature of consciousness.
«Many experiments, especially since the 2030 years, attempted to detect the consciousness of robots. Today, thanks to neurology and cognitive sciences, we know very well to reproduce in detail all the neural circuits of the human brain, to make robots that mimic the behaviour of a person in a strikingly realistic way, whatever the «bots» which invade our virtual worlds, or mechanical robots with steel arms like the bomb disposal robots of the KRG. Some humanoid robots are performing so well in movies and entertainment, that they are able to make a love declaration with all the facial expressions, realistic enough to seduce a real person. In the general public, the idea is fairly common that these robots are actually conscious, especially because of very premature assertions of some scientistists ideologists, who found there the ultimate way to defend materialism. You know there are even incredible beliefs in the survival of persons on the Internet, through virtual «bots» which mimic their tastes and behaviours. These appealing beliefs easily become convictions, but for the real scientists, the issue is much more complicated.
«First, we cannot physically observe consciousness. Then, how to discern it of an unconscious program which mimics so perfectly all the gestures and expressions of a real conscious human being? We had to find something which would be a manifestation of consciousness itself, and only of consciousness. The first criterion was to seek for a manifestation of free will.
«Thus, since the 2030 years, scientists try to have evidences of free will choices in robots, because free will is a exclusive property of consciousness. Admittedly, robots were built, which are able to «choose» a behaviour or an opinion, according to a random drawing, which make them unpredictable, just as real human beings. But this is not at all free will. A true free will choice will be, for instance, to want to make the good, even against powerful psychological conditioning, or against interests which lead us to do otherwise. But even this is not enough of an evidence, as the robot will first need to ask for the definition of the good, the best evidence that it is fundamentally unable to feel anything. And if we give a robot a definition of the good: «what we must do», then it starts to do the good, exactly as it will execute any other program instruction it will be given. Right on the contrary of a robot, for a living being, to do the good is a deep feeling, unique for each, a consciousness experience, a gust of compassion, see a connexion to a divine realm. Which generally will lead this person to reject any form of programming, whatever it is social, psychological or genetic. The most visible effect of this attitude is that the person will reject all dogmatic definition of the good, and research a true definition of it. A thing that precisely no robot ever made today.
«So the experiments are still going on. If today the existence of the human free will is well accepted even by the most materialistic scientists, nothing like this has ever been clearly detected in robots.
«Another approach, which looked more promising since the 2050 years, was to try to detect parapsychological phenomena produced by robots. As these phenomena are impossible to produce by material means alone, their appearance is a tell tale evidence of the presence of a consciousness, or at least a related phenomenon. Scientists first thought this was a good test, but unfortunately these experiments are difficult. The first successful experiments to detect phenomena of human origin, in the 1990 years, involved a large number of individuals, to get only weak statistical effects. Or we get clearly visible phenomena, but almost impossible to reproduce or study, such as unexplainable healing. These difficulties are even greater for robots, and the issue is still debated today.
«In the KRG, our approach was different, and we refer to this, familiarly among our teams, as the German path. As we cannot create consciousness through a cognitive approach, as we can no more create a conscious principle through a spiritual approach, then we indulged into thinking that we could however very well use an already existing conscious principle.»
Rolf left a long silence at this moment, in order to really show the importance of this last statement. Then:
«An electronic brain perfectly imitating all the functions of a human brain, we know very well to do this today, thanks to the cognitive approach. Human conscious principles, there are plenty, more than twenty just in this room. The challenge is to make this electronic brain sensitive to the commands of an human conscious principle. This is a matter of psychophysics. How we did, I prefer not to tell it to our new friends, for the reasons mentioned earlier in this meeting, but the point is that we were successful: We were able to build (on Dumria) a robot in which a human consciousness can incarnate, as it does in a biological body. And once in, it will get real sensation, the vision of cameras and the sound of microphones, and through which it will be able to act, with mechanical arms and legs. And all this, not with a joystick and a screen, not even with an exoskeleton, but just like we use to do with our own flesh body.»
Astonished murmurs and whistles greeted this explanation. If what Rolf said was true, it really was an amazing discovery. Thus it would be possible, not only to control a robot, but downright to live into it, as if it was our own body! So anybody would be able to control amazing machines with enhanced body capacities, like these gigantic multivators used by loggers and architects, or explorer robots on Mars, Europe... in real time! Even more incredible, even the deads could speak through these machines! It was a leap similar to the discovery of virtual reality in the 1990 years, but in the opposite direction: a new way to incarnate in the material world itself! One would become able to explore the other planets of the solar system, to go inside the human body, no more while seeing it on a screen, but with the direct consciousness experience of being embodied in these worlds! Steve and his companions had the brief but breathtaking visions of robots with gamma ray eyes, able to see through the rocks, or workers visiting the most dangerous factories, cave explorers or divers in the deepest ocean, while their flesh body would rest safely kilometres away...
«From here the name of the project, explained the CEO of the KRG. Kuten, in Tibetan, is literally a «bodily support», what we call here a medium by incorporation, a person who lends his body to an oracle such as the well known Netchung. From here this alternative name we also give to our company: KRG, Kuten Roboten Geselschaft.
«This is probably the most exciting project I had to know.
«But... there is a drawback, and even many serious drawbacks, declared Rolf.
«As with everything related to psychophysics, and even anything about advanced technologies, there is always a risk of misuse. As it happened with chemistry, with nuclear power, with genetics, causing the terrible consequences we have to face today. Add to this the hazards of mental subjection, specific to psychophysics, still worse than the material risks.
«The other problem is that linking a human conscious principle to a new brain is not that simple. Because this human consciousness is already incarnated. Even during sleep, it is exclusively linked to its biological brain. It can detach only at the occasion of peculiar psychophysical episodes, such as NDE, OBE (astral voyage), or at time of the death. We could provoke the separation with drugs, or by producing a reversible cardiac arrest; but this involves serious risks, only for uncertain results. (Madame Heraert murmured her disapproval). So in practice, we can do the experiment only with persons who control out of body experiences (OBE), or by persons who are already dead.
«Thus, only people with the psychophysical capacity of starting an OBE are able to incarnate into Kuten robots and control them.»
There was a lengthy discussion about psychically controlled robots, or lokuten (electric kuten), the Tibetan name Rolf and his team commonly used. Rolph's explanations had a powerful magnetic effect, and everyone felt strongly involved in the project, as of a fantastic thing. But they also felt alarmed by the possible dangerous uses. Especially, one of the Shedrup Ling teachers noticed that there was no way to verify the real human identity of the person riding a lokouten, opening the way for countless cheating and deceptions.
Another apparently less worrisome possibility was virtual semkouten, «bots» controlled by a real human consciousness, incarnating into a virtual world, by living here as with a physical body. But the same problems of identity theft were arising, due to the lack of any identity check means. The problem even took a nightmarish turn, if we think that the laws of all countries, and even the vast majority of people, think that the identity of a person is defined by his body. These people can even not understand that another consciousness can occupy a given body. Deceived, they would trust crooks or rapists, and after condemn the innocent rightful owners of this body.
At last Steve spoke:
«If we go back to the black sphere, the question which arises now is, seems to me, to know which relations there are between it, its message, the lokouten, and psychophysics.
-I am afraid we still don't know, Rolf replied.»
A silence followed this pessimistic conclusion. Then some murmurs arose.
«This sphere, Rolf, started Tchögyal, appears black to the quantum telescope, because it is an obstacle to its vision. But the quantum telescope is only a material object, totally blind to the world of the spirit. For the eye of the mind, this sphere is extremely luminous». He continued with thoroughly uttering his words: «It is a Mandala, Rolf. A divine dwelling. There are people in, Rolf. And nice people.
-Elohims! There was Elohims in my dream! murmured Madame Heraert.
-Not Tibetan deities, as far as I know I am unable to guess any. It is even not their style. But they are very evolved beings, Bodhisattvas, see Buddhas.
-But if it is as large as a planet, hesitated Hans Rufbach, I wonder if... it would not be... a missing planet?
-The inhabitants of a missing planet may be able to move it, at will, into space…
-May be, we cannot tell for now. This is a fascinating idea anyway. Perhaps they come to start our own spiritual transition?
-But then, why did they contacted only the Kuten Project?
-They may have some relation with our robots.
-That we use them?
-Or to definitively forbid this kind of researches?
-May be, continued Steve: in all the time capsules left by the missing planets, we found nowhere any allusion to something approaching it, and psychophysics is always treated very briefly, or eluded with hazard notices, as with nuclear industry or genetics. No practical methods are ever given, although psychophysics is central to the spiritual transition process. Yet we were able to create lokouten on Earth, so other planets may have done this long ago. All happens as if what Madame Heraert said earlier is a cosmic law: we do not teach psychophysics to anybody, and especially not to strangers.
-Hehe, our tantric secrecy is much older than you were thinking, isn't it?» said Tchögyal, laughing.
Steve concluded: «All this seems to suggest that some living beings into the spiritual worlds may have some control on all these processes. To forbid the Lokouten could be into their jurisdiction».
«Who among us would be able to use a lokouten?»
This question brought again some silence. But Tchögyal replied nearby immediately:
«Steve, your wife Liu Wang may be able to do this without much trouble. And you can contact her.
-Liu Wang? Who is her? She is not in the meeting?» asked Monsieur Heraert, who was looking for her into the attendance.
«She radically solved the problem of the disconnection with her material brain», Tchögyal explained with a small laughter, while Monsieur Heraert was muttering some excuse...
Hand Rufbach added: «we have here our three «guinea pigs», Ulrike Meinster, Niels Dreyermann and Kurt Wegener. They are doing remarkably well with the models on Dumria. We also have a Dumrian woman of Shedrup Ling, Anahata Anatilaya, who started very well.
-And I... said Madame Heraert, blushing as of a shameful thing: I... we... Sometimes, my husband and me, use a form of OBE to incorporate psychiatric patients, in order to understand what they are experiencing. It is quite difficult and I... I do it, while my husband keeps in touch. We have cured about twenty like this. A robot, it must me simpler than a psychiatric patient, I think?»
At last Rolf concluded:
«Tchögyal, I would be astonished if you are unable to do a FAE to one of our lokouten.
-A FAE no, as it has no conscious principle. But I guess what you mean.»
The meeting ended like this, while through the windows the sky was turning indigo blue. They all went out in a hubbub of lively discussions, on the incredible new vistas they barely discovered. Above Palomas, cirrus were forming huge plumes of embers into the sunset, and a gentle evening breeze was bringing fresh air, much welcome after the scorching heat of the day.
At the restaurant of the university, the Heraert and Tchögyal, alone around a small table away, were exchanging passionately about their respective methods. Rolf Gensher arrived with Gus Anvil, so that he prepares the bedrooms. «OK, boss, right away, but they need to check if there is not a rattlesnake in the sheets, like the last time Frenchies came» he joked, pretending not to see the frightened look of Madame Heraert.
«For how many nights, the room, m'dam?
-Oh, said Tchögyal, you know the Buddhist teaching of impermanence. Why to make projects? Three days will be enough, as until then many things can happen, accident, death, and even the end of the world!
-PSSSS» exclaimed Rolf, definitively not enjoying the humour of the Lama.
Scenario, graphics, sounds, colours, realization: Richard Trigaux (Unless indicated otherwise).
Modified in 2024
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