	PREFACE
	The Format of the Narrative and its Functions
	The document is two narratives in one—a short narrative within and part of a longer one. The long narrative is the entire document. It is arranged in two columns. The text of the left column is a brief statement of the main ideas; the text on the right supplements the main ideas. The short narrative is the part of the document in light blue font; it appears as distinct segments of the left column. This is the core of the narrative. Readers who find details of this (long) version distracting may read the précis version which reproduces precisely the text of the short narrative. The left column text in black font is a supplement to the short narrative that is intended for readers with an academic interest or orientation. This material is not merely intellectual. It is critical in making the ideas instrumental in realization of Being—in the endeavors of the individual and civilization. In the document hyperlinks are blue and underlined except in tables of contents where underlining is optional.
	Preface to the Précis Edition
	This work presents essentials of a universal journey of realization. It is a précis of a more Complete Edition of ‘Journey in Being’ that provides flesh and substance—the précis provides understanding, the complete version provides explanation, application and instruments for action. The précis emphasizes the stable core of the journey; the complete edition supplements the core with revisable and in process elements. The aims of the précis are ease and speed of comprehension, criticism, appreciation, and revision. This précis may be read as a stand alone account or as preliminary to the complete edition. The complete edition has further context, explanation, significance, application, charting and accounts of a journey in process, and sources. Readers who wish to follow upon and perhaps to use the narrative in the universal journey are encouraged in that endeavor.
	On Publication of this Work
	Maturity of the Main Themes The journey of ‘Journey in Being’ remains in process. However, I have decided to publish this work because I am satisfied with the integrity, maturity, and significance of the main themes.
	Suggestions on Reading the Narrative
	Many ideas of this work may be new to readers. The central ideas as well as details may be unfamiliar. It may therefore be useful to first read the short version which provides an overview of the narrative and focuses on its the central themes. The short account appears in light blue font in the left column of this document. The short version is also available as a précis version of this essay. The Introduction to this work discusses its kind, nature, and aims. Especially since the work does fit into any standard category, its understanding will be enhanced by this information. Readers are advised of the importance of this discussion in the introduction.
	Definitions and Capitalization in the Narrative
	DEFINITIONS are marked by SMALL CAPITALS which are also occasionally used for the first occurrence of significant undefined terms. Non-standard capitalization, e.g. Being, indicates a specific meaning introduced in the narrative. This is an alert to avoid confusion with other uses. The specific meaning of a term in the narrative may be one of a number of common or specialized meanings or, alternatively, a new or variant meaning. Some concepts have capitalized and lower case forms to distinguish the primary meaning in this narrative (capitalized) from other meanings (lower case) that may be useful in understanding or appreciating the development.
	Acknowledgments
	My main personal acknowledgements begin with my parents. My mother showed me the value of enjoyment and inspiration; many years ago she listened to my teenage reflections with patience and love. My father emphasized the value of discipline and hard work. Though my father aspired to be a strict disciplinarian, the home and place of my childhood was nurturing of my thought. I have had no dearth of criticism, rational and otherwise, from acquaintances. Criticism, even criticism that is antagonistic or self-serving in intent, has always been a spur to improve my thought. Perhaps the single greatest personal encouragement for this work came from my friend Joan Elk. Irene and Gail Samuelson provided encouragement and a place to write for a year in the 1980's. With regard to this work, I have had no personal mentor. However, modern sources of information have been crucial. These sources include books and journals in print, libraries—especially university libraries, the media, the cultural environment including universities, and—since the 1990's—the Internet. The section Influences and Sources is an acknowledgement of general influence.
	INTRODUCTION In this work is shown that the Universe and, so, human realization have no limits. The narrative squares this assertion regarding limits with cumulative human experience and science and develops consequences for human being and civilization. The consequences include that ‘ultimate’ realization for limited forms of being is a process without end. The document develops foundation and a map for this process and reports achievement so far.
	A Journey in Being
1	JOURNEY IN BEING aims at grounding in our world and realization of ultimates. Since the ultimate is incompletely known, creation in ideas (e.g., perception, thought, willing, and intending) is essential.
	Ideas are innately incomplete. The modes of transformation must be ideas and action.
	It is essential to empower ideas and action in interaction.
	To this end the narrative blends precision and brevity.
	World Views and the Ultimate View of the Narrative
2	It is a convenient simplification to assert that there are two standard world views today (1) A secular view whose material foundation lies in science and cumulative human experience (2) Religious and related trans-secular views that assert—but do not show—a realm beyond the secular world.
	These two views are often held to stand in opposition. It is also standard that they exhaust the kinds of world view that are possible. It is crucial to recognize that the worldview of the narrative—its metaphysics—introduced and developed below is new and that it includes what is valid in the common worldviews and goes immensely beyond them. It is neither included in nor entailed by the standard views. It is also crucial that the view of the narrative is demonstrated and therefore ultimate in depth or foundation. It is also ultimate in implicitly capturing the variety of the Universe. However, it demonstrates that no limited Being can capture this variety explicitly and therefore discovery and becoming are ever open.
	The main narrative develops this world view to which an introduction now follows.
	Fundamental Principle of Metaphysics
3	The Universe has no limits—this crucial result, the fundamental principle of metaphysics, is demonstrated later.
	The name of the principle may be shortened to fundamental principle or abbreviated FP.
	Consequences for Identity
	From limitlessness (Power), the Universe must have Identity—and its Power and Identity are and must be conferred on all elements and individuals.
	While in limited form realization of Power and Identity must be endless process in variety, extension, and duration.
	There is choice whether to intentionally engage in this process. However, there is no choice but to be in it.
	On the Title ‘Journey in Being’
	As conceived in the narrative, Being is crucial in proving the fundamental principle.
	Being will emerge as essential to understanding the nature of the Universe and the individual.
	‘Journey’ connotes process without definite end—commitments arise and may be revised or abandoned in process.
	‘Journey in Being’ is an appropriate name for endless realization grounded in the present.
	Contents of the Narrative
4	The contents are Ideas, Journey, and Reference. The ideas occupy a number of divisions that begin with Being. Journey and Reference are each a single division.
	Ideas—the work first develops ideas or concepts as foundation for a journey in Being. The divisions Being through Transformation focus on ideas.
	Journey—the next focus is on realization—taken up in the division Journey. The initial goal of this endeavor is to make some significant beginning from our world toward realization. Its eternal goal is realization.
	The final division, Reference, assesses the contribution and identifies main influences of the narrative
	New Meanings in the Narrative Use of ‘meaning’ in this section is informal. Formal discussion of meaning is taken up later in the narrative.
5	When understanding grows new meaning is acquired.
	The worldview of the narrative (based in the fundamental principle of metaphysics developed in detail later) introduces and requires new (sometimes variant) meaning for its concepts and conceptual system.
	The entire system of meaning is new and stands as a whole.
	This general alert on meaning aims at enhancing clarity and understanding; readers will be alerted to particular meanings as they are introduced.
	A Personal Perspective
6	I cannot pinpoint precisely when or why I undertook this work. One source is a passion for ideas.
	I knew from the beginning that I wanted to do the greatest thing.
	The years and ways led to metaphysics and metaphysics informed my life which became a personal journey in being.
	This work is dedicated to what is important to me: people—especially friends and family, ideas, and Being—nature, travel, and the background Universe.
	BEING
	Experience
7	EXPERIENCE is conscious awareness no matter how primitive the consciousness (this meaning will suffice here; the Complete Edition of the narrative extends and secures the concept of experience).
	As medium of knowledge and illusion (and error), the fact that there is experience is given.
	Experience is the place of the most direct knowledge of self and world.
	Though not the entire world, experience is the theater of the individual’s world.
	Meaning
8	A CONCEPT is any experiential content. The constituents of referential MEANING are a concept and its REFERENCE (object).
	In order to refer, a concept must have and refer in virtue of some iconic semblance to a referent.
	Meaning is stabilized in context. It derives flexibility from adaptation to change and changeability of context.
	The decomposition into concept-icon and reference is essential to meaning and understanding meaning and its use as a methodical instrument—especially the method of analysis and synthesis of meaning and Being whose development begins here and is continued later in the narrative. This method is of direct importance in the elucidation of meaning and meanings. It is also important to resolution of many confusions of meaning and resulting paradoxes.
	Existence
9	EXISTENCE is most effectively defined via the analysis of meaning: the phrase ‘X EXISTS’ shall mean that there is a ‘thing’ that corresponds to the concept X (this means that knowledge is conceptual; it does not mean that existence requires being conceived or known).
	The analysis of experience and meaning enables clarification of the nature of problems of existence and their resolution.
	‘X exists’ indicates present tense. Here we shall also use a tense-less sense in which ‘X exists’ means ‘X has existence over some ranges of locations and times’.
	BEING is that which exists.
	First Comments on Metaphysics
10	Conceiving METAPHYSICS as precise knowledge of things as they are, significant parts of the developments so far—the concepts and givenness of experience, existence, and Being—are metaphysical knowledge.
	So far, this knowledge is not of the Universe as a whole. So far, it shows few ‘things’ that we know to have Being.
	The development will fill in these lacunae. It finds directions of perfection and other directions in which, for limited forms of Being, knowledge will ever remain in process.
	Development will proceed self-consciously with metaphysics and method emerging together.
	Being
11	BEING names that which is.
	Being and world are known in experience (awareness) which is theater and core of our being.
	As such, experience is so immediate its Being needs and has no proof—i.e., proof or foundation in terms of the Being of something else.
	The power of the concept of Being is neutrality. The power of experience is immediacy and centering (of our Being in the world). It is important that no commitment be made at outset to the nature of Being (beyond existence) or to kinds of experience (especially human experience).
	Universe
12	The UNIVERSE is All Being.
	Creation is a form of Being.
	The Universe contains all Creation
	But is not created.
	Law
13	A pattern or LAW has Being.
	(A Law is a limit—it allows
	Some patterns, not others).
	The Universe contains all Laws.
	The Void
14	The VOID is the absence of Being.
	There is a Void. A simple argument for this lies in the meanings of ‘meaning’ and of ‘existence’.
	The Void contains no Law and so has no limits.
	Therefore the Universe—all objects, patterns, and Laws—emerges from the Void.
	METAPHYSICS
	Fundamental Principle of Metaphysics
15	The Void is ever present with every part of the Universe;
	Therefore the Universe has no limits.
	This is the fundamental principle of metaphysics,
	Also called the fundamental principle (FP).
	The Meaning of the Principle
16	The meaning of the fundamental principle includes that
	But for the freedom of concepts (i.e., assertions or propositions) to have conflict—e.g. disagree—with facts or one another, every concept is realized.
	When the fundamental principle is thus expressed in terms of concepts its form is one of factual and conceptual realism.
	That there will and must be phases of ‘something rather than nothing’, i.e. phases of manifest Being, is a trivial corollary.
	Using the Principle
17	The fundamental principle has many implications that are momentous but relatively trivial to see or prove.
	‘Something rather than nothing’ is a first example. Other examples are that the variety of the Universe is far greater than that of our cosmos and that the Universe has Identity and ultimate power that are conferred on the individual.
	Any difficulty regarding such conclusions is in their interpretation—their significance, squaring them with common sense, science (fact), and logic (which includes mutual consistency); and questions of how they may be realized in action. There may of course be doubt regarding the fundamental principle itself. However, the principle is internally consistent and consistent with science and fact; it is therefore not absurd; and therefore action under the principle may fall under ‘existential attitude’ and ‘fundamental principle as hypothesis for action’, discussed in the Complete Edition of the essay.
	The fundamental principle harbors many further conclusions that are significant for which difficulties in intuition, demonstration, interpretation, and realization are anticipated. The range of application, revealed below, is that of the human endeavor. This reveals an opportunity for an immense and significant program of program of development.
	An Interpretation of Scientific law
18	Every valid law or theory of science or realm of experience of the world has interpretation as a compound fact
	Regarding some limited domain
	But implies nothing about the existence or non-existence, magnitude, or nature of what is external to the domain.
	This interpretation is superior to the interpretation of law as universal hypothesis and shows explicitly the absence of conflict among science-experience and the fundamental principle.
	Universal and New Conceptions of Realism and Logic The conceptions of Realism and Logic developed here are new, related to but a final boundary of logic, and are of ultimate significance.
19	If every concept of a system asserts a fact
	Conflict among concepts and between concepts and facts may the system non factual.
	The logics—classical and modern—help prevent such conflict.
	The logics have limited domains of validity.
20	Conceive REALISM (LOGIC) as the constraints for
	Concepts to have reference.
	Valid facts, sciences, and logics are part of Realism (Logic).
	Realism (Logic) is not a limit on the Universe.
21	The object of Realism (Logic) is the limitless
	Universe in all its detail.
	This assertion incorporates science and logic but its
	Revealed Universe is greater than theirs without limit.
22	That the Universe is the object of Realism (Logic) has immediate and immense implications.
	Any difficulty is in the interpretation of implications.
	But Realism (Logic) harbors immensely more,
	Beyond the intellect of limited forms.
	Metaphysics so Far
23	Knowledge of the Universe so far combines the empirical with the rational.
	This knowledge by abstraction is perfect, complete in foundation and far exceeds expectation.
	However, while beings are in limited form, this knowledge is ever in process. Given the case, this in process aspect cannot be other than ideal.
	The Universe is revealed as a place of ever fresh adventure.
	Objects and Identity
24	From FP every concept within Realism (Logic) has an OBJECT.
	This dissolves distinctions of kind and abstraction—unifies all kinds and abstracta in Realism, i.e. in the one Universe.
	IDENTITY is (sense of) sameness of self or object. Identity is an aspect of objecthood; self is an aspect of certain objects—Individuals or persons.
	Practical objects are included as concept-objects according to ‘good enough’ instrumental andor value criteria.
	REALIZATION This division develops consequences of the metaphysics for identity of the Universe and the individual, for the variety of Being (and therefore of experience), and for the nature and necessity of a journey in ultimate realization.
	General Cosmology—Universe, Identity, and Power General Cosmology is commonly identified with but includes and is far greater than modern physical cosmology.
25	The Universe has Identity in acute, diffuse, and non-manifest phases.
	This Identity has continuity across the non-manifest.
	The Universe is ultimate POWER (power is defined as degree of limitlessness).
	It is in the nature of the limitlessness of the Universe that its Power is conferred on the individual.
	Journey, Individual, and Eternity
26	All individuals inherit (realize) the ultimate—the Universe and its Power.
	For limited form, ideas—knowledge, understanding—must be essentially incomplete. For limited form, realization is given as an endless journey in interwoven ideas and action—unlimited in variety, magnitude (summit to dissolution), and extension-duration of Being.
	Demonstration—there is no limit to realization since a limit would be on the Universe. However, the concept—definition—of limited form is that it does not know-realize All Being in an instant.
	For unlimited form realization is a single acute act of Being and perception.
	General and Physical Cosmology—Variety of Being This section is about general and physical cosmology and their mutual study.
27	DURATION is difference as change in the same object (the concept of sameness as an aspect of identity is developed in the Complete Edition: Objects and Identity); EXTENSION is difference coordinated to distinct objects. Duration and extension are precursors to space and time (these ideas are developed further in the Complete Edition: General and Physical Cosmology—Variety of Being).
	The variety and extent of the Universe are unlimited.
	Cosmologies, Laws, and cosmological systems have no limit to their variety, number, and extent. They are relatively stable against a void and transient background.
	Mechanism is, roughly, structure and regularity of behavior that permits understanding and predictability.
	Experience and Being What is the relation between Experience and Being?
28	If matter is an exclusive substance, mind is impossible and must therefore be material.
	Experience is essence of mind; its primitive form is effect; higher forms are built of the primitive.
	The metaphysics makes substance untenable, thus enables the interpretation: MATTER as FIRST and MIND as SECOND ORDER BEING.
	From FP, experience and Being are coextensive and are the place of significance.
	Consciousness, Life, and Mechanism
29	On Earth we find life to be organizations of matter; we normally associate mind—consciousness and primitive experience—with life.
	What are the general relations among these aspects of Being and mechanism?
	Adequate address of the question will require simultaneous ideal generalization of all pertinent concepts.
	Under mechanism (1) Life has material form (2) All experience has material embodiment, and (3) Higher experience or consciousness associates with life.
	METHOD This division reviews, criticizes, and further develops the concept of metaphysics and the universal metaphysics of the narrative and its method. It and it addresses the question of doubt regarding the universal metaphysics and action under doubt.
	Metaphysics
30	Metaphysics is Realism (Logic).
	The narrative so far provides demonstration of a perfect, unique, and ultimate UNIVERSAL METAPHYSICS.
	We may therefore call it the metaphysics.
	Trivially, from demonstration of the metaphysics, metaphysics is actual and possible.
	Doubt and Doubting
31	Doubt arises over ‘ever presence’ of the Void and so over FP.
	The path to certainty requires us to admit and investigate doubt.
	Our most certain—but significant—endeavors harbor uncertainty.
	This uncertainty is occasion for an EXISTENTIAL ATTITUDE that encourages outcomes of greatest ideal value.
	Further Demonstration of the Fundamental Principle
32	It is useful to consider alternative demonstrations of FP.
	An improved proof. If the Universe were in a void state there would be no Laws and so every state would emerge. However the void state is present with the manifest Universe which is therefore limitless.
	A heuristic alternative. As absence of Being, there is no distinction between existence and non-existence of the Void which may therefore be taken to exist.
	A second heuristic alternative. Apply Ockham’s Razor to the question ‘What does not have Being?’ The minimal hypothesis is that no (Realistic or Logical) concept lacks an object.
	Doubt and Existential Attitude
33	Because doubt about existence of the Void remains, need for an existential component to Realism (Logic) remains.
	Even if FP is certain, there is no guarantee of realization to any particular limited form.
	An appropriate existential attitude will be potent in realization.
	In absence of certainty, the dual of doubt is attitude.
	Fundamental Principle as Hypothesis
	An alternative to certainty is to regard thought-action based on the limitlessness of the Universe as an experiment.
	Truth, Assertion, and Declaration
34	What attitude is productive of the greatest outcome? Is it to treat FP as hypothesis or as fact?
	We assert the truth of a state of state of affairs. Some social states are conventionally true by declaration, e.g. ‘I crown you king’.
	However I do not make universal gravitation true by declaration.
	Can the—greatest realization of—FP be made future true, by present declaration?
	Ideas, and Metaphysics, and their Method
35	Development of the metaphysics begins with analysis of and synthesis of meaning.
	From concepts to system—analysis-synthesis of Law and Void enable deduction—synthesis—of FP.
	Brief assessment—the method is Analysis and Synthesis of Meaning.
	From FP, a limited form experiences all knowledge only in process via participation and immersion.
	Applied Metaphysics
36	Conceive Applied Metaphysics as extension of the above method to practical / imperfect knowledge.
	A first, perfect extension: by FP all concepts are realized—this extension, since it asserts realization of concepts without connecting the concepts explicitly to their objects, falls short of all empirical knowledge. It is so far known to be empirical only for the perfect objects.
	Analysis-synthesis of meaning may be seen to include methods for science and mathematics.
	The general theory of objects may be extended to practical cases. In general the knowledge is good enough (for common situations—i.e., in the Normal context). In some cases the knowledge is perfect according to some value (this may include the good enough case). In some cases the extension is (1) empirical (2) is such it is inherent in the nature of Being that knowledge cannot be made more precise without changing the conditions of existence of the context, and (3) in this sense the knowledge is perfect.
	CIVILIZATION
	Civilization as a Vehicle of Realization
37	Civilization and individual are VEHICLES and ideas and action are MODES of realization. The individual fosters civilization—the individual is a focal point of Being and transformation or becoming; civilization nurtures the individual.
	In its internal and external endeavors civilization provides disciplines or means.
	‘SCIENCE’ and ‘YOGA’ will stand for the instrumental and intrinsic disciplines of Being-becoming, respectively.
	The matrix of civilizations across the Universe is Civilization.
	Civilization and its Disciplines
38	A DISCIPLINE systematizes knowledge or practice in some area or endeavor.
	Disciplines provide methods for known kinds of problem or context.
	Disciplines, too, emerge and develop… some approaches to their development were seen above.
	All this and more fall under the earlier general analysis of method.
	Growth, Processes, Aims, and Ways of Civilization
39	Are there ways (method), goal, and significance for the entire endeavor—process—of Civilization?
	The metaphysics shows an ultimate goal (realization) and frames the endeavor and its significance (in this account metaphysics refers to a system of understanding of Being developed explicitly from the fundamental principle in the Complete Edition of the narrative)…
	…From disciplines to civilization and from civilizations to Civilization and the ultimate.
	In the universal, however, there is only imagination, action, experiment, criticism, and attitude—i.e. existential attitude in the face of doubt and absence of resolve.
	Civilization, Human Being, and the Universe
40	For the journey, it is essential to recognize, accommodate, and deploy the tension between human freedom and received human nature (and situation).
	Understanding and transformation of civilization must be integrated with participation-immersion and illuminated by the metaphysics.
	As an institution, religion is a multi-dimensional phenomenon. No simple statement of the form ‘this institution is X’ is adequate to capture of all dimensions of the institution.
	A preliminary conception of religion that captures an ideal is just this: religion is an attempt to know ‘truth’—i.e., to understand the Universe in ‘our time’ and to live accordingly.
	Ideal or Ultimate Religion
41	An ultimate and powerful conception of RELIGION is use of all dimensions of being in understanding and realizing All Being. It is this idea, not the word ‘religion’ that is significant.
	The process of Religion as conceived here is identical to the process of Civilization conceived ideally. The ways of transformation (below), especially catalysts, occasion finite—more than just incremental—and embodied step change; reason and memory occasion continuity.
	This ideal recognizes and fills vast realms not recognized in or touched by the standard paradigms. The ideal is a shell to be given substance in individual, group, cumulative, and charismatic endeavor and reflection.
	For limited form, the ideals of this conception occasion endless process; the metaphysics shows that the individual—limited form—touches the ultimate in process.
	TRANSFORMATION
	Approaches to Transformation An earlier title to this section was Transformation and Method. However the metaphysics has revealed closure in depth (the question of substance) but ever openness in variety. Therefore while there is a place for a methodical approach there is no overarching method. The new title of the section is intended to reflect a balance between method on one hand and imagination, experiment, abandon, and dissolution on the other.
42	The Way of the Journey is:
	Analysis and Synthesis of Being—of received ways and forging of ways at the front of ways-in-process.
	Of and in the disciplines and the metaphysics under mutual illumination, guidance, and inspiration in the journey.
	The essential aspect of synthesis is experiment—action that modifies Being.
	The Way of Transformation: Analysis and Synthesis of Being
43	The way—method—of understanding Being above was an implicit analysis and synthesis of ideas and meaning.
	Similarly the way of transformation is analysis and synthesis of Being. Just as in knowledge, so in action and transformation: the way and the process arise together in interaction. We receive from the tradition but there is no ‘way’ that is an absolute given in that it is received rather than discovered or uncovered.
	We may arrive at analysis of Being by study of tradition—analysis and experiment with its ways—and by imagination, criticism and experiment which include discovery of the metaphysics of the narrative and illumination by it.
	Ideas and action—learning: imagination, action and experiment, criticism, review, correction, and charting or planning—are essential modes of becoming (synthesis). The vehicles and foci of transformation (synthesis) are individual (being) and Civilization. An outline of synthesis focusing on individual and civilization follows below.
	Analysis of Ways of Transformation
44	Analysis of ways reveals knowledge, morals, practices, and method:
	PRACTICES and PRACTICE IN ACTION; and the instruments of exploration and technology;
	Catalysts of transformation; and
	Learning: imagination, action and experiment, criticism, review, correction, and charting or planning.
	Description of the Ways
	Core knowledge;
	Practices and practices-in-action; catalysts;
	Retreat and return
	Cumulative learning; charisma; self-consciousness or reflexivity for the ways.
	Synthesis of Being
45	Ideas and action—imagination, criticism, and experiment—are essential MODES of becoming. The VEHICLES and foci of transformation are individual (being) and Civilization. Descriptions of the elements follow:
	Ideas;
	Being (individual)—transformation; and
	Civilization (community)—organic and technological growth.
	Transformation of the Individual Being
46	Synthesis I—Transformation of individual human being.
	All times and places—Yoga practice and action; death and crisis.
	Here and now—home, town, and country: ideas and experiments, health, routine.
	Cultural milieu and community—care and sharing; charisma and initiative; moral behavior, honesty; and abandon.
	Nature, psyche, and Universe—gateway to ultimate, immersion, inspiration, and catalysts such as fasting, isolation, meditation, and exertion that pushes any apparent limit to capacity.
	Civilization of the Universe
47	Synthesis II—Civilization of the Universe: Transformation of communities (of individuals).
	Organic—Civilization as matrix—individual transformation, sharing; communication and charisma.
	Artifact—or artifactual Being. Ideas regarding artifact—artificial intelligence and life; ontology, cosmology, cognitive science.
	A Vision For Our World The vision of this section has two components that correspond to two interacting purposes. The first component is as an outline of the process of realization for our civilization as it is today; this emphasizes concrete and practical as well as ideal concerns. The second component concerns the relation between our civilization and Being—between civilization and Civilization.
48	A vision for our world—the aim of the vision is participation, especially but not exclusively in light of the metaphysics as framework. So as to remain light, dynamic, and responsive to process these comments are kept brief. The following are significant:
	Political-moral-economic principles and action—participation and immersion.
	Culture—humanities, ethics and history; science, art, technology, and symbol—participation and immersion.
	Religion—Being in all its dimensions in realization of All Being.
	JOURNEY The subject of this division is the journey of realization presented in concrete form. The division assesses progress so far and develops a program for the journey that is informed by principles developed above. In its beginning the journey is, particularly, a personal journey. It has grown into an attempt at realization and sharing of and contribution to a ‘universal journey in being’.
	Charting the Journey—Dimensions Defining the dimensions is simple—focus will be on the elements of Being laid out earlier which emphasize vehicles (individual Being and civilization) and modes (ideas and action) of transformation. Transformation will emphasize Being itself and an instrumental approach. The instrumental approach—technology—requires cooperation and is therefore placed under discussion of civilization. The process is informed by and informs Method (which includes Analysis and Synthesis of Being). Reflection on the elements of the journey-in-process is more important than having a checklist of elements. This section reviews the main dimensions of a journey. The next section Assessment of Progress states and assesses progress so far. The dimensions and assessment ground the plans in the section Wide Perspective Plan. The narrative then continues (in the Complete Edition) with a detailed program in the sections The Individual in Community and the World and Civilization of the Universe: Being, Artifact, and Technology.
49	A Universal Journey of Realization—though personal in its beginning, the journey—this journey—aims at shared realization of and contribution to a ‘universal journey in being’. This section is a brief account of this journey in process.
	Being Ideas—ideas are never complete; a text can always be improved; planning is part of ideas and ideation. However, in this narrative relative maturity of ideas is manifest. Further, since ideas are innately incomplete modes of Being, focus must now turn to transformation. Transformation of Being focuses on Individual Being as such and in relation to community and civilization—ideas are an incomplete part of transformation. Essential transformation is in-process and at an early stage in comparison to the ideas. However, we shall recall that ‘In the life of the spirit, we are always at the beginning.’
	Civilization Civilization and Being—focuses on human civilization and on Civilization of the Universe… Involvement, which begins with this work and its motives, is defined by ideas, personal action, sharing, and as a program above. Artifact and technology—a secondary focus will be on use and development of technologies appropriate to (a) transformation of Being and (b) civilization of the Universe.
	Charting the Journey—Assessment of Progress
	Being Ideas—as noted, relative maturity of ideas has been achieved. Two aspects maturity are (1) As developed the ideas are innately reflexive—i.e. they include self-assessment (2) This self-assessment shows completeness of foundation and breadth. Transformation—since transformation is in-process it will be useful to assess work so far. Assessment of progress may identify successful directions of transformation and therefore suggest areas of activity; and it may help clarify what has worked so far and so help hone principles of action. Here is a brief assessment of ‘work’ so far (a) Discovery and development of a dynamic of transformation (the framework of the metaphysics) (b) Yoga in action, self transformation, self healing, and focus (c) Nature as inspiration for understanding and transformation of self (therefore of community)—‘Beyul’ (Tibetan for secret or hidden land) as map of Being.
	Civilization Civilization—significant of background work has been done in developing the concept of Civilization, in investigating social sciences, and on the nature of science and implications for social science and their use. The progress regarding transformation has origin in and has been informally implemented in small scale group settings. Some details of study and progress are given in this document, especially Civilization and Transformation, and in the document Journey in being-detail.html). The next section Charting the Journey—Wide Perspective Plan maps for large scale sharing and implementation for civilization. Artifact and technology—disciplines of interest are social science, history, cosmology, and cognitive science; my preparatory reading, study, and reflection in these disciplines has been broad. have been broad. I anticipate that my experience in design, computation, and programming will be useful in design of artifactual Being (e.g. artificial intelligence). The next section Charting the Journey—Wide Perspective Plan maps implementation for artifact and technology.
	Charting the Journey—Wide Perspective Plan
50	Being Plans for transformation of individual Being are as follows.
	Ideas—topics for study and research— (1) Foundation and development of the metaphysics (2) Study of ways—tradition, analysis and synthesis of Being (which include experiment: ideas cannot be developed in isolation from action) with focus on catalysts of Being in interaction with emotion-cognition (3) Study of artificial Being—stand alone, evolutionary, and symbiotic; general study of technology for civilization (our world) and Civilization (population of the Universe); specific study of cognitive science, AI, A-Life: symbolic, computer implementation, and designs; reflection and research on the ‘computation’ model, its significance, enhancements (quantum, distributed), and alternatives; and study and development of dynamic text—automation of production, presentation, storage and representation of text and concepts, revision, and use of text—i.e. interaction of text and object or world (4) Theoretical and experimental study of transformations (experiments) with organisms, individuals, selves, and dissolution of self—psycho-biology (5) Application—i.e. interaction of the metaphysics with academic disciplines and human endeavor, especially metaphysical thought of the past—e.g. the thought of Leibniz and the speculative systems, Logic, mathematics, the sciences with focus on fundamental physics, physical cosmology, and evolutionary biology, and science and philosophy for (of) society (6) Analysis and synthesis of the realms harbored in the womb of Realism (Logic) as conceived in the narrative (7) Meta-study, i.e. review of all aspects of the process, especially analysis and synthesis of ideas and Being—including formulation in these terms. This ‘study’ will include review of plans and the planning process (in light of the metaphysics and the nature and structures of the journey). Such study is implicit in the previous items but deserves separate mention.
	Transformation and action— (1) Ways, i.e. analysis and synthesis of Being… and implementation (2) Yoga, meditation in practice and in action and living (3) Place—a place of normal living, transient or stable, shall be a place conducive to truth and realization; it will be shared with others who share and support these aims… who share in the support of spirit (4) Travel—culture, especially spiritual places-institutions-persons (5) Nature as a gateway to insight and Universe (Beyul) and as place for physical being, immersion in Being—porosity and transience of boundaries, and experiment with self and catalysts (6) Analysis and synthesis in light of experiment and learning.
51	Civilization Plans for transformation of Civilization are as follows.
	Civilization and Being— (1) Our civilization: dimensions including A Vision for our world; participation and immersion; and integration with transformation (2) Shared endeavor, research group—establish or join a research and transformation community (for a transformation community see TranscommunityDesign.html; for a preliminary TransCommunity design see the Excel Workbook Transcommunity.xls or its HTML version Transcommunity.html); publishing the developments; integration with artifact and technology (3) Civilization of the Universe: sharing a common endeavor (above); metaphysics; retreat and return.
	Artifact and Technology— (1) Use of technology in and for Civilization (2) Artificial Being—stand alone, design and evolution, symbiotic—build (hardware-software), experiment, learn; dynamic text—i.e. automation of text and ideas… and text that is interactive with ideas and life via computer implementation (software, intelligent editing, remote interaction) (3) Experiments with organisms—especially the individual experimenting with him or herself—psycho-biology (4) Shared endeavor, research group—establish or join a research and transformation community (for a transformation community see TranscommunityDesign.html; for a preliminary TransCommunity design see the Excel Workbook Transcommunity.xls or its HTML version Transcommunity.html).
	Dedication and Affirmation
52	‘I dedicate my life to The Way of Being— To its discovery, to living and growing in The Way; To shedding the bonds of limited self— That I may see the way so clearly That in living it, especially in difficulty, Force merges with flow… Which will exemplify the way— Truth, power, and care. May I always live and share The Way’ Adapted from the AA 3^rd step prayer.
	The Future of the Narrative The future—this place is held for reports and narratives of the journey (ideas, plans and planning, transformations, and goals) as it unfolds. The main elements for the future are (a) Sharing the narrative is essential to sharing the journey—the journey and narrative shall be open; the sharing will be with individuals and groups in the context of civilization (b) Reports on progress in transformation, ideas, and goals (plans).
	REFERENCE
	Contribution
53	The central achievements of the narrative are the universal metaphysics, the universality of ultimate realization, and method for the metaphysics and realization.
	The ultimate and universal character of the metaphysics provides new and in some ways ultimate interpretations of core human disciplines.
	There are numerous implications for and potential interactions with the disciplines of human knowledge and human endeavors—i.e., for research and action.
	In the main narrative I have not collected together the possibilities for research as a program. However, a collection of topics may be found under the index entry ‘Program of study, research, and transformation’
	Influences and Sources
54	I would like to place on record some influences and sources for this work. The world (cumulative experience, reflection) and the tradition are sources. Breadth and depth are crucial, especially in interaction—each requires the other.
	General influences are defined by the world and cultures in which I have lived. Though diffuse and often in the background these influences are immensely significant. Significant events, spiritual (religious) leaders, and statesmen have been among my inspirations. Music, literature (particularly poetry), and drama including film have been especially inspiring. Good drama makes me want to live and share; fantasy is a source of imagination which when uncritical may be improved by critical filtering. Nature has been immensely inspiring—I have received so much from nature (1) as gateway to the universal and (2) inspiration for my ideas and thought. The core foundational ideas for this work and earlier thought have been conceived in nature. I have learned of the idea nature as map of inner and outer worlds from Tibetan Buddhism and cumulative personal experience in nature (environments less touched by human intervention—that in some interpretations of ‘civilization’ are its antithesis).
	Philosophical thought has been a significant influence. The main influences include ideas on the nature of the Universe from Indian Philosophy. From the thought of the West I have learned much about language and meaning; the nature of Being; and logic, mathematics, science, religion, and epistemology (the study of knowledge). Philosophical ethics—with its frequent striving to be rational—seems often unhelpful in actual situations which seem to not fit neatly into any one rational framework; it is nonetheless suggestive; however it must build, at least implicitly, on some foundation in Being—e.g. in tradition, emotion, day-to-day interaction, and in the moral systems and codes of the past. In my simple reflections on action under uncertainty I have learned much from philosophy but I have also learned about the importance and nature of multivalent thinking from an education in engineering, from economic thought, and finally in living with feeling and reflection.
	Science has served as inspiration and paradigm in many ways, especially in interacting with the metaphysics.