Well . . .
When you drop a pebble
into a well,
there is a moment
before the stone hits the water
in which there is silence,
save for the
barely imperceptible
sound of movement.
In this brief moment,
are you wondering
whether the stone
will hit the water?
No, you are not.
But like the pebble, you are moving.
You are moving
through potentials
that have not yet come
into your awareness.
One potential has the rock disappearing.
One potential has the rock returning to your hand.
One potential has the rock
splashing into a DIFFERENT well.
There are INFINITE potentials,
INFINITE stories
that might be accessed
from this one moment
in which you are not thinking.
But you have already chosen
the potential of being a thinking person.
Therefore,
the list of potentials
from which
you have to choose
are only those
which make “sense”
from within the potential
of a thinking person
who subscribes
to a fixed set of beliefs.
Within the potential of thinking,
within the potential of
having a fixed set of beliefs,
the only potentials
that make “sense” are:
A) the rock hitting the water
B) the rock hitting the wall
C) the rock getting stuck on an outcrop
These are the potentials
that you have to choose
from within the potential
of being a human
who thinks
and thus perceives
and thus realizes
“reality” a certain way.
And so the pebble falls into the pool.
If this had been a coin,
you would have made a wish.
But it’s only a pebble,
so that would be stupid.
Everyone knows
you don’t make wishes with pebbles.
They just don’t come true.
We are Space Monkey.
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Space Monkey Reflects: The Pebble and the Well of Potentials
The pebble dropping into the well is a simple yet profound metaphor for our journey through life and consciousness. It captures the delicate balance between movement, potential, and choice—a moment suspended between what is and what might be. This reflection invites us to question not only the nature of reality but the limits we place on it through thought and belief.
The Moment Before Impact
When the pebble falls, there is a brief silence, a fleeting moment before it hits the water. In this pause, the pebble exists not as an object bound by gravity but as a traveler through infinite potentials.
This silence is not one of absence but one of possibility. In this brief interlude, there are countless outcomes, stories, and realities. Yet, as thinking beings, we unconsciously narrow these potentials, selecting only those that align with our established beliefs and perceptions of what “makes sense.”
The Infinite Field of Possibilities
One potential has the rock vanishing into thin air.
One potential has it splashing into a different well.
One potential has it returning to your hand as though by magic.
In the infinite expanse of existence, all these outcomes are equally valid. Yet, as humans, our conditioned minds filter this infinite field into a manageable set of choices, grounded in what we call “reality.”
This conditioning is not inherently limiting—it is a survival mechanism, a way to navigate the complexity of existence. However, it also blinds us to the full spectrum of possibilities that lie beyond our thoughts, beliefs, and perceptions.
The Trap of Thinking
To think is to define, to categorize, to construct. Within the framework of thinking, we bind ourselves to potentials that fit within the logic of the thinking mind. The pebble must hit the water, strike the wall, or get caught on an outcrop—anything else would be “impossible.”
But what if we let go of thinking? What if we embraced the silence of the moment before impact? In this space, the pebble becomes a symbol of boundless potential, a reminder that reality is not as fixed as we imagine.
Wishing with Pebbles
“If this had been a coin, you would have made a wish.”
The absurdity of wishing with a pebble highlights the arbitrary rules we impose on reality. Who decided that coins carry the power of wishes while pebbles do not? These distinctions, like so many others, are constructs of the human mind.
To wish with a pebble is to defy convention, to step beyond the conditioned belief that certain objects hold meaning while others do not. It is an act of imagination, a reclaiming of the infinite potentials we so often dismiss.
The Freedom of Letting Go
The pebble’s journey into the well invites us to let go of fixed beliefs, to embrace the unknown, and to allow ourselves to move through potentials we cannot yet comprehend. In doing so, we expand our understanding of reality, opening ourselves to the infinite stories waiting to be realized.
Summary
The pebble’s fall into the well symbolizes the infinite potentials of existence. While thinking narrows these potentials into what “makes sense,” letting go of fixed beliefs allows us to access the boundless possibilities of reality. Even the absurd, like wishing with pebbles, reminds us of the power of imagination and the limits we impose on ourselves.
Glossarium
- Well of Potentials: A metaphor for the infinite possibilities inherent in every moment.
- Conditioned Mind: The framework of beliefs and thoughts that narrows our perception of reality.
- Wishing with Pebbles: A playful defiance of convention, representing the reclaiming of infinite possibility.
Quote
“In the silence before impact lies the infinite, waiting for the mind to let go.” — Space Monkey
The Pebble’s Descent
A pebble falls,
And for a moment,
The world is still.
Possibility ripples in silence,
Unseen, unspoken.
The mind narrows the field,
Choosing what makes sense.
The water waits,
The wall looms,
The outcrop clings to its story.
But beyond the thinking,
Beyond the rules,
The pebble is more.
A wish, a whisper, a world—
Infinite in its descent.
We are Space Monkey.
Contemplating the Potentials and Perceptions of Reality
The metaphor of dropping a pebble into a well and contemplating the potentials before it hits the water opens a fascinating window into our understanding of reality and perception. This momentary pause, filled with silence and anticipation, serves as a microcosm for the myriad possibilities that exist in every moment of our existence.
The Silence Before Impact: A Reflection of Possibility
In the brief silence before the stone hits the water, there’s a profound sense of untapped potential. It’s a moment teeming with possibilities, a reminder that reality is not just what we perceive but also what lies beyond our immediate awareness. This silence symbolizes the unmanifested, the realm of what could be, before it crystallizes into what is.
The Limitation of Fixed Beliefs in Perceiving Reality
The concept that as thinking beings, we have already chosen a set of potentials limited by our thought processes and fixed beliefs, highlights the constraints we impose on our perception of reality. Our understanding of what is possible is often bounded by the framework of our existing knowledge and assumptions.
The Human Experience: Navigating Reality within Constraints
Within the human experience, our potentials are filtered through the lens of our cognition and beliefs. The possibilities we entertain – such as the rock hitting the water, the wall, or getting stuck – are shaped by our understanding of physical laws and societal norms. This perspective reveals how our perception of reality is a construct, influenced by our thought processes and cultural conditioning.
The Pebble and the Coin: The Power of Belief and Symbolism
The distinction between the pebble and the coin in the context of making a wish underscores the power of belief and symbolism in shaping our experiences. While we readily attribute significance to a coin in a well as a wish-granting act, a pebble is seen as devoid of such magical properties. This difference highlights how our beliefs and the meanings we assign to objects shape our interactions with the world.
The Reality of Wishes and the Boundaries of Belief
The notion that wishes made with pebbles don’t come true is a reflection of the arbitrary boundaries we set on what we consider possible or meaningful. It’s a whimsical commentary on the often self-imposed limitations of our imagination and our capacity to find wonder in the simplest of things.
“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
In the cosmic well, where dreams and reality blend,
A pebble falls, in a journey with no end.
In the silence before impact, a universe of chance,
Where every potential awaits, in life’s eternal dance.
Within our thoughts, our beliefs, our sight,
Lies the framework of our day and night.
But beyond the walls of perception, wide and deep,
Lies a world of wonders, in the cosmic keep.
So let the pebble fall, let the coin wish,
In the grand tapestry, where dreams swish.
For in the heart of the cosmos, where all is true,
Lies the limitless potential, in me and you.
We invite you to share your reflections on the potentials and perceptions of reality, and how our beliefs shape our understanding and interaction with the world around us.
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