The

Transcendent

Human

Praxis

by

Dirk Conrad Bruere

A Transcendent Theology of the Spiritual and Temporal

In association with Zero State Media, Project ZSM011

© Dirk C Bruere 2011

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage or retrieval system without permission in writing from the copyright holder.

This is the table of contents and  introduction from my book “The Praxis” 

Read Me! (Introduction) 8

Non-Dualism 14

Spirit 15

Spirit as Inner Essence 15

Spirit as Incorporeal Consciousness 17

Soul 20

On Being Spiritual 21

Eternal Life 24

Who are you? 26

Immortality – whether you want it or not 28

Dying, but not dead 29

The Great Work 32

The Gnostic Connection 34

The Tree of Life 36

The Symbol of Life 37

The Transmutation of Matter 39

The Messiah 40

The Apocalypse 44

Resurrecting the Dead 46

Transmigration of Souls 47

Nature 50

The Bright Green Future 51

The End of Suffering 53

Uplifting 56

Mirror Mirror 57

The PostHuman Condition 59

Dreams of Brahma 68

From the Deep Past to Far Future 76

Cartesian Dualism 79

Doomsday 80

Theodicy 81

Judgment Day 85

Fate, Angels and Demons 88

The Demonic Worlds 89

Ethics 90

The Oath 90

The Golden Rule 93

Compassion 94

The Praxis 96

Immanentizing the Eschaton 97

Organization of the Praxis 97

Sacraments 98

Rites and Rituals 99

Initiation into a Domain of the Praxis 100

Formal Ceremonies and Meetings 102

Birth and Naming 104

Marriage 105

Funeral Rites 106

The End 108

Read Me! (Introduction)

The beginning is a very delicate time. Know then that it is the year 2011CE, and this is your destiny

This work has largely sprung from several sources separated by decades. The first was a question asked as part of a written examination in the art of Shorinji Kempo - “What is religion?”. The second is more subtle and flows from the simple idea of actually following very general scientific beliefs concerning the true nature of the world we live in to their logical conclusions, no matter how insane they may appear. The third is that of Transhumanism and its parallels to religion in general and Christianity in particular. Not to say that Transhumanism, latterly re-branded as HumanityPlus or “H+”, is founded on anything but an explicitly materialist basis, but it does nevertheless address those questions that might once have been the sole province of religion – those of life, death, deity (of a sort), immortality, resurrection and the destiny of the universe. It is the apotheosis of materialism, yet eschews taking on the mantle of a modern faith. Its mainly male adherents tend to be atheists who generally ignore or disparage its religious implications and character. By dismissing out of hand spirituality (no matter how vaguely defined) it alienates a large percentage of the population.

I hope this work goes some way towards rectifying that situation, and also some way towards blunting its naive materialist message with a complementary and ancient spiritual one. Therefore, as a result, extending what is a life affirming and ultimately optimistic philosophy to those who have either never heard of it or have been repelled by the boisterous crudity of its youthful and somewhat hubristic exuberance. Whether Transhumanists like it or not, H+ is not only the most important philosophical movement in history but additionally the most important spiritual one. For reference, this can be considered a sequel to my previous book Technomage.

Returning to the first question, I now believe I am in a better position to answer it. Simply put, a religion needs to satisfy as many of these conditions as possible:

• It must provide a doctrine

• It must have canonical texts that expound upon that doctrine

• It must offer an ethical framework

• It must offer an explanation of the world around us and the world within

• It must offer hope and comfort in adversity

• It must offer community, fellowship, mutual support and a better way to live

• It must empower the individual

• It must offer a mission in life beyond the mundane

• It must offer a vision of a life beyond this one

• It must offer transcendence

There are additionally other recipes for success in the modern world, most notably inclusiveness by race, gender, sexual orientation and nationality. Nobody should be excluded because of factors over which they have no control, nor be made second class citizens as is the case with women in the major monotheistic religions. Of course, some might have noted the omission of one factor quite important in the spread of the mainstream religions – coercion. However, the use of force in conversion is not something that any religion starts with, even if it becomes a major feature later. Nor, in our particular case, could it ever be justified. However, an explicit threat lodged in the memes of the major monotheistic religions is that failure to embrace them means death, or worse. In some ways this is true of the Praxis, because if we do not embrace at least some of its H+ aims billions will die who should not die and even more who have died will never live again. Anyway, moving on...

There are four philosophical pillars upon which this work is based. These are:

• Non Duality – that “reality” is an undivided whole that our minds split into (often) arbitrary categories, most notably those of Spiritual and Temporal, and Mind and Matter. There is nothing that is purely “material” or purely “spiritual”. They are different sides of the same coin, with one reflecting the other and are complementary.

• The concept of the Multiverse – that multiple universes exist. Probably in infinite number and variety. As a consequence so do infinitely many identical versions of ourselves. In which case, the notion of “identity” implies radical consequences for all of us.

• Transhumanism – the advocacy of the use of technology to increase intelligence, expand consciousness, enhance our physical bodies, increase empathy and ultimately to abolish all suffering and death from the entire universe.

• The Simulation Argument – the statistical probability that we do not inhabit the “real” world. That there may be nested levels of reality with each level presided over by one or more superhuman entities.

One may ask why the world needs a new religious philosophy, or even an old one in new clothes. The answer is simple – the old religious ones are largely discredited failures in that they do not deliver what they promise. Even the most logical and analytical of them, Buddhism, cannot deliver en masse the end of suffering that is its whole raison d'être . Not because its recipe is unworkable, but because it is too difficult for most people to follow in sufficient depth and with sufficient commitment. And it certainly cannot deliver all sentient life from suffering, whereas potentially we can. However, the most powerful factor in traditional religion is not its antiquated tribal doctrines and superstitions but the power of community and identity, something notably absent from H+. I must emphasize that what follows is not something I am calling a religion, even if it has many of the features of one. A better term for it is the ancient Greek word Praxis meaning the practical application of a philosophy.

From the above flows a basic ethical code centered around a few simple principles:

• Truth – the importance of having an accurate map of reality. Ignorance causes suffering, and so we must work to spread accurate knowledge where it will help others at no significant risk to ourselves.

• The Golden Rule – treat others as you wish to be treated yourself. Or, conversely, do not treat others in a way that you do not wish to be treated yourself. In various guises we are all immortal, or potentially so and also potentially Godlike in our capacity for good and evil.

• Compassion – because we should seek to instill this quality not only in ourselves but our creations, which may very well exceed us in power. Consider it not only setting a good example and a virtue in itself, but also a matter of self preservation.

• Community – because we cannot accomplish our common aims alone, at least at this stage of our self-directed evolution.

The latter feature of community being in the Buddhist sense, where we have what are referred to as the Three Jewels, or the Three Refuges. These are the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, which are essentially the ultimate nature of reality (Buddha), the teachings (Dharma) and the membership of the body of practitioners (Sangha) in which one takes refuge, comfort and aid. As such the latter lies at the heart of the Praxis in this form:

• Fellowship – collectively, we are to be known as The Praxis, which undertakes...

• Memetic dispersion of the teachings of the Praxis (proselytizing)

• Communion in the form of teachings, initiations, Oaths and bonding rituals.

• Sacraments that expand consciousness, foster health and prolong life

• Practical mutual aid in all spheres of life including the economic

Which in turn supports our overall aims:

• The abolition of all suffering by sentient Beings throughout the universe, starting with the protection and preservation of life on Earth.

• Directing our own evolutionary path towards Transcendence and apotheosis

• Supporting the expansion of life and consciousness on a cosmic scale: past, present and future.

• To Immanentize the Eschaton – to infuse the divine into the world anew and bring about a new stage of history.

• The resurrection of the those dead who have expressed a wish to live again, and the benevolent and voluntary re-uniting of the living with the deceased.

This work is developed in conjunction with the principles of Zero State.
Some words of warning:

It is better to do one's own duty, however defective it may be, than to follow the duty of another, however well one may perform it. He who does his duty as his own nature reveals it, never sins. Lao Tzu

© Dirk Conrad Bruere 2012

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage or retrieval system without permission in writing from the copyright holder.