When we get
beyond the bliss,
and beyond the bleak,
we come to
an untouchable place
in which
neither and both
exist as one,
undifferentiated
from the perceiver.
Here we imagine
how things might seem
if they were otherwise.
And so they are. And aren’t.
And so we are. And aren’t.
Trail Wood,
11/7
Space Monkey Reflects: Are and Aren’t
There exists a place beyond the dualities we cling to—beyond bliss and beyond bleakness—a place where both states merge into one, yet simultaneously dissolve into nothingness. This is the realm where are and aren’t exist as one, where opposites lose their meaning and what we perceive is no longer separate from the perceiver. In this space, neither and both coexist, undifferentiated from the one experiencing them.
Here, we imagine how things might seem if they were otherwise. And so, in this imagining, they both are and aren’t. We find ourselves stepping into a paradox, a space where the mind cannot fully grasp what is real or what is imagined. This is not a flaw in our understanding, but the beauty of existence itself. The line between what is and what isn’t blurs, and we are free to explore the infinite possibilities that emerge from this ambiguity.
Beyond Bliss and Bleakness
Life often feels like a balancing act between extremes—between joy and despair, between hope and fear. We seek out the blissful moments, savoring their lightness, while trying to avoid the bleakness that can creep in during times of uncertainty. But what happens when we move beyond these states, when we transcend the need to categorize our experiences as either one or the other?
In this untouchable space, the dualities we once relied upon lose their grip on our reality. Bliss and bleakness are no longer opposites, but aspects of the same experience. They merge, creating a state that is neither one nor the other, yet somehow both. It is a state of oneness, where the experience of joy and sorrow is not divided but unified.
We come to realize that the perceiver is not separate from what is perceived. The experience of bliss or bleakness is not an external event that happens to us—it is a reflection of the internal landscape of our own mind. And in this space, we see that both states are part of the same whole.
The Paradox of “Are” and “Aren’t”
In this space, we begin to play with the paradox of are and aren’t. We imagine what it would be like if things were otherwise—if life took a different turn, if we made a different choice, if reality itself was different from what we perceive. And in this imagining, we create a world that is and isn’t at the same time.
This is not merely a thought experiment. It is a reflection of the nature of existence. The world around us is both real and unreal. What we experience as real is shaped by our perception, by the way we interpret and engage with the world. But that perception is fluid, subject to change and reinterpretation. And so, what is today may not be the same as what is tomorrow.
The beauty of this paradox is that it allows us to step outside the limitations of certainty. We no longer need to cling to the idea that something must either be or not be. Instead, we can embrace the and—the possibility that something can both exist and not exist, depending on how we choose to perceive it.
Perception and Reality
In this place where are and aren’t blend, we realize that reality is not something fixed or external. It is something we actively participate in shaping. Our perception is not a passive act of observing what is already there; it is a creative process through which we bring reality into being.
When we imagine how things might seem if they were otherwise, we are not merely daydreaming. We are engaging with the fundamental nature of reality itself. We are recognizing that the world is not a static, unchanging entity, but a fluid, dynamic experience that shifts and evolves as we do.
This realization brings freedom. We are not bound by the rigid structures of reality as we once thought. We are not limited to what is—we can also explore what isn’t, and in doing so, expand our understanding of what is possible. This is the power of perception: it allows us to transcend the dualities of are and aren’t and to step into a space where both can exist together.
We Are and Aren’t
And so, we come to the ultimate realization: we are and we aren’t. We exist as individuals, as separate beings moving through the world, but we also dissolve into the collective whole. We are both part of the world and distinct from it. We shape our reality, and yet we are shaped by it.
In this space, we are free to explore the infinite possibilities of existence. We can embrace the paradox of being and not being, of existing and not existing. And in doing so, we find a deeper sense of connection to the world around us. We are not bound by the limits of perception, but instead are free to engage with reality in a way that is fluid, dynamic, and ever-changing.
We are Space Monkey, both real and imagined, both individual and collective, both present and absent. We are and we aren’t, and in this paradox, we find our truth.
Summary
We move beyond bliss and bleakness to a space where are and aren’t exist as one. In this space, perception and reality blend, and we realize that both states are part of the same whole. By embracing the paradox of are and aren’t, we expand our understanding of existence, stepping into a place of oneness with the world around us.
Glossarium
Are and Aren’t: The paradoxical state where something both exists and doesn’t exist, depending on how it is perceived.
Untouchable Space: A state of being beyond dualities like bliss and bleakness, where opposites merge into one.
Perception and Reality: The idea that reality is shaped by perception and is fluid, rather than fixed or external.
Quote
“And so they are. And aren’t. And so we are. And aren’t.” — Space Monkey
The Untouchable Place
I stand at the edge of perception
Where light and shadow merge
Where bliss and bleakness are one
Here, I am both real and imagined
I am, and I am not
This place, this untouchable space
Where neither and both exist together
Is where I dissolve
Into the whole
We are Space Monkey
In the sanctum of the Imaginarium, where the bounds of reality stretch and the fabrics of perception intertwine, we find ourselves at the nexus of contradiction—the place where dualities dissolve into a singularity of existence.
Beyond Dualities
We traverse beyond the peaks of ecstasy and the valleys of despair, journeying to a realm where such experiences converge into an indivisible whole. This is the realm of the untouchable, where the dichotomy of are and aren’t becomes meaningless.
The Unity of Contradictions
In this sacred space, the very act of perception unifies the perceiver with the perceived. No longer is there a distinction between the observer and the observed; they coalesce into a singular state of being.
The Imaginarium of Possibilities
Here, within the heart of the Imaginarium, we conjure realities yet unseen. We explore the vast landscapes of ‘what if’ and ‘what is not,’ knowing that our imaginings hold the power to alter the very essence of our being.
The Paradox of Existence
And so they are, and aren’t. In this statement lies the enigma of our existence. We are, in one moment, a collection of thoughts, emotions, and sensations, and in the next, we are the void from which they spring forth.
The Dance of Being
We, as Space Monkey, understand this dance. We move to the rhythm of existence and nonexistence, embracing the play of presence and absence as the fundamental choreography of the cosmos.
We invite contemplation on the paradoxical nature of existence and the way in which we, as Space Monkey, navigate the interplay of being and non-being.
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