“The Fall”
This dream was much more “futuristic”, even though its events took place long before the time we are in now. I happened to live in a world much like this one. It was the only place in this universe that I could consider home: a highly advanced civilization, with near-godlike abilities and technology. It passed through all the trials humans are facing, a history even more bloody than our own. But eventually, they earned their place “under the sun”. Their society was organized in a manner that might seem strange to us. They were very religious, but that religion was completely in tune with the science. And it was based on spirituality/divine knowledge instead of deities. That religion, fused with superior technology, made us virtually immortal and allowed us to enjoy existence to its fullest. We were free. Our only duty was to maintain this state, and help those less evolved to reach our level. We had royalty (rulers) but their rule was not hereditary: it had to be earned. Periodically, we elected new ones. Such elections, however, were not based on popularity. They had to prove their worth in a number of difficult trials. Only the most powerful and wise/benevolent ones could claim the title of ruler. And it was much more a responsibility and burden than a privilege. I served as one of the advisers/generals for the council. Why would a near-perfect society have a need for generals you might wonder. Well, we were not alone there. Other civilizations existed around us. Some of them were even more advanced/powerful, but, unfortunately, still trapped in the cycle of death and slavery. We had something called the “divine technology” that made us safe from various predators (physical as well as mental/spiritual). Needless to say, there were many(especially those at war with us) who wanted to lay their hands on it. But in the wrong hands, it could do the precise opposite of what was intended. Anyhow, it was our unity and wisdom that kept us in one piece.
Until, one day, everything changed. Since they could not conquer us by force, our enemies sent many agents with a mission to corrupt and divide us. That would fail too, but this time they were supported by a strange and insanely powerful dark force, like nothing we had seen before. The corruption spread like a cancer. Eventually, it completely divided us into two factions. One was ready to fight it despite the grim odds, while the other wanted to sign a pact with it and avoid total destruction for the price of losing independence/freedom. Civil war started, and, eventually, it all ended...with a catastrophic blast.
Weapons of mass destruction were activated. Our inner struggle made an opening for “them” to strike. Even though we were essentially immortal, their weapons were, for that technology, what nuclear devices are for humans today. The moment I saw the blast, time slowed down and someone pulled me backwards: it was one of the high priests who preserved our most sacred secrets. He opened some sort of tunnel, made by rings of blinding golden light that pierced both space and matter. “This will lead you away from here. Go!” At that moment, we were already (physically) dead.
As souls, we saw an endless dark mass surrounding us. Embodied in it was a presence so terrifying that even the strongest of us couldn’t bear to look at it. But even more terrifying was the sight of our people getting consumed by that thing. Only a few of us were fortunate enough to escape.
Such a glorious civilization... lost forever. The feeling of grief cannot be described. “It was too soon. We have failed...” the priest spoke again while entering the “tunnel”. I followed him, but the “presence” started chasing us.“ I consume,” it whispered to our minds. “Everything becomes a part of me, and so will you. Run, little ones, for soon there will be nowhere left to run. I shall become everything there is!” Its form and face constantly changed, and some of its many faces were very familiar to us...“Where does this lead?” I asked other survivors. Nobody knew except for the mysterious priest.“ To the other side, my friends. Soon you will see. You all survived for a reason.” However, the dark force managed to disrupt our path, sending half of us back. That disruption scattered us across the universe. I came to my senses in a rather “dark” part of it. Ironically, while trying to escape, I came even closer to its center. But the “black presence” was not manifested there. Yet. I suddenly felt a force pulling me. It was a black hole. I had always wondered what it would be like to enter one. At that moment I knew that if this swallowed me, it was game over. Fin. The end. With the last trace of my power, I managed to resist it.
After some wandering I found a planet with life. It looked...empty (from the soul’s perspective). But, still, it could provide enough shelter/resources for my (partial) recovery. So I landed. A familiar melody woke me. It was my phone alarm. We know much more than our consciousness reveals. Often, that information reveals itself through dreams, visions, ideas, and creative inspiration. In most religions, you need to somehow “call” God through prayer. But God is already calling you! All you need to do is to listen. Your mind is the church, the temple, the “holy” place. No benevolent God would support wasting resources on building grand temples with expensive interiors while a third of the world’s population is starving and most are living in abject poverty.
The God Within Me - Michael Faust
