Reflections: Thinking About the Future

From dimino to reverse dimino: Transition is a familiar phenomenon

Thinking about the future involves thinking about the past and present, as well.

We might ask ourselves, what we really know about transition, as a past or present phenomenon, in contrast to what we could know about it in the future? What is its signification to us in terms of our future healing, health, happiness and wholeness?

We do know that transition is a familiar phenomenon and always has been.

There is a multiplicity of transitions that we encounter every day and while we perceive them as happening, we do not necessarily comprehend them fully.

Examine a few of these transitions in the light of a dimino phenomenon that occurs, with the possibility of a 

reverse dimino phenomenon occurring as well, at some point in time or space.

Reviewing this for a moment, with the dimino phenomenon, a dimino stands and remains standing, while a domino falls in terms of a chain reaction. The dimino always stands alone or independently and stands the test of time, as opposed to the domino which falls when one domino falls, as each one of the dominoes is dependent upon another. This is what I have called the dimino effect versus the well known domino effect.

Look at the phenomenon of transition or change from a number of different directions.

First, look at the phenomenon of the transition from life to death and then, consider the possibility of a transition in reverse or from death to life? Is there something that occurs that represents a reversal to the other stage? Or, is there a cycle?

We do not consider the phenomenon in this kind of transition as being cyclical from our western perspective, while in eastern thought, it could be perceived that way. The phenomenon of the transition from life to death and the transition from death back to life is considered a natural phenomenon in the east. Thus, there is a reversal.

Consider for a moment, from our western perspective, the transition phenomenon that happens in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

"He is risen."

This entails the mystery of His crucifixion and resurrection. It is accepted by Christians everywhere, as a reality. We do not see this as being reversed at any time or in any place, in the history of humankind.

Once Christ has risen, He is permanently resurrected. He has risen one time for people everywhere. His work has been fully completed for all time and eternity. This resurrection and redemption cannot be reversed and it is never considered in terms of a reversal, by Christian thinkers.

The re-birth phenomenon is also accepted by Christians everywhere and interpreted as an experience that a person goes through, once having been awakened to the reality of the gift of salvation, so freely given through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This phenomenon is not ever reversed either. "Your sins are forgiven." Once one's sins are forgiven, it is eternal forgiveness, based upon God's love for humankind.

The re-birth phenomenon is accepted in eastern philosophical and religious thought and is considered as feasible by them, because it is believed that a human being can have an actual divine awakening, through some kind of an enlightenment experience. This would not be reversed, at any point in time either. It is perceived differently than in the west.

What about the phenomenon of change with respect to science?

We are all familiar with what we refer to as the scientific phenomenon of a metamorphic change or transition. 

For example, a rock which is subjected to heat, pressure and water can be changed with respect to its physical constitution into something that is more compact and distinctly crystalline in nature. We can observe and document a change in physical form, structure and substance. We do perceive these kinds of changes as reversing either.

We frequently use the term metamorphosis to depict the transition or developmental change that occurs when a butterfly emerges from its cocoon, or when a pollywog becomes a frog. These phenomena do not reverse any point in time, or in any part of our world.

The expression metamorphosed was also used by Shakespeare to depict the change that took place in a human being.

"You are so metamorphosed, I can hardly think you my master."

This phenomenon of transition or change would not have been reversed either. Once a person has changed, this change is permanent.

Darwin' theory of evolution depicts the phenomenon of humankind evolving or going through a transition, with respect to various kinds of life, from plant life to animal life and then, progressing to human life. Darwin did not propose a reversal in his theory of evolution.

Then came de-constructionism.

Current thought tries to expand upon Darwin's theory of evolution by proposing that the opposite is true, also. If humankind has evolved, is it possible that they can de-evolve also? Is there such a thing as de-evolution? In this case, it would be proposed that there is the possibility of a reversal of the initial phenomenon.

Christians do not accept the Darwinian theory and perceive the creation of man in terms of God as the Creator of man, animal and plant life.

The phenomenon of emergence, as we know and understand it, is relatively easy to comprehend. We can perceive something emerging from what appears to be nothing or something and coming into existence.

The possibility of reversing the emergence to de-emergence represents a question that one may or may not be able to answer, at this point in time. Can something emerge and then de-emerge?

One can do that with laughter. Laughter can emerge from people in terms of time and space and then, disappear or de-emerge. So can a smile on one's face.

The phenomenon of the transition from non-existence to existence remains a mystery. The transition from existence to non-existence is still a profound mystery, as well. While there are many theories based upon personal experiences globally, no one has yet come up with a perfect theory with respect to these kinds of transition or a potential reversal.

Are these transitions cyclical in nature, too?

In the east, one might say yes. In the west, we would probably say no, but then there is the middle road as well. Yes, no and maybe so.

In the east, the question of the transition from non-existence to existence, as well as its opposite, can be considered in terms of a spiral phenomenon that occurs.

There is the possibility of the transition from a higher plane to a lower plane or the reverse, in terms of the next cycle of life that occurs, contingent upon one's actions in the previous life.

Here, it is assumed that good actions or behavior in one's life will result in a higher plane of existence in the next life, while not-good actions will lead to form of punishment, where one takes on a lower plane of existence, in the next life. One may have to go back to an earlier form of animal of plant life.

Christianity perceives good and evil in terms of the possibility of forgiveness for sin, in the light of heaven or the darkness of hell. For the Roman Catholic religion, there is the possibility of purgatory.

In the east, we see the non-existence to existence phenomenon happening. It is an upward spiral, or a downward spiral depending upon how one's life is lived.

A person might return to his or her next life as an animal or a plant, because of something that he or she has done, with respect to that animal or plant in this life. If one steps on a spider in this life, then one might become a spider to be stepped upon, in the next life. In the next cycle, the person's status could be reduced.

If the action has been particularly good, that status might be improved. For example if one is kind to the poor in this life, he or she might be elevated to royalty, in the next life.

The phenomenon that occurs in the transition from the nectar of a flower, to the substance that we know as honey, is an acceptable phenomenon to us. We can actually observe the transition of the nectar of a flower, as it is collected by bees, eventually becoming a substance we know as honey. We do not perceive this as being reversed.

What occurs is a change or transition in its essence. The element of its being undergoes a phenomenon, through which its substance becomes increasingly evident.

Consider the possibility of the healing power of the nectar in a flower, versus the healing power of the substance we know as honey.

The phenomenon of  this transition, when considered as a whole, could lead us into a whole new realm of discovery and awareness, with respect to healing, health and wholeness.

What we do not know at this point in time, is the ideal stage in the actual phenomenon of transition or change, at which there the optimal benefits can occur. We also do not know the actual stage where the most harm can occur either.

The changing of the seasons also represents another transition or change, that we do not ever question, but we never consider the seasons with respect to a reversal either.

In summary, one might suggest that there are many phenomena happening that do undergo reversal, while there are also those that do not undergo reversal. Perhaps these could be placed upon some kind of a continuum, as well.

Comparing these phenomena and others, may awaken us to the reality that transition stages or phases are important in terms of healing, health and wholeness, in the life of human beings. We can also see how much we do not know about transition and change in terms of actual scientific discovery.

What we need to know is whether or not the dimino phenomenon of transition is a part of a process, that can bring something from non-existence into existence and then, change it again or reverse it back to a stage where it is of benefit to humankind.

Is there actually a reverse dimino phenomenon?

We may not ever have more than a partial answer to this question.

Again, this appears to be heading into the issue of the transition from essence to substance or from substance to essence. That takes us back to the phenomenon of non-existence to existence and existence to non-existence. The one thing that we do know is that change is a familiar phenomenon with respect to the past and the present.

With respect to thinking about the future, this one thing is certain. Transitions will continue and will remain a familiar phenomenon to humankind.