Post 18 – A Person, Their Moments, and Eternity

The Eternal Nature of Moments and the Illusion of Becoming

According to the “Original Structure,” every moment is eternal. No moment arises from nothing or vanishes into nothing to make way for the next, as a nihilistic perspective assumes. In this view, a person is the totality of all their eternal moments. But how is this totality experienced?

In ordinary human experience, time appears sequential. One moment follows another, with past moments fading and future moments remaining unknown, giving rise to the impression of becoming and contingency. However, if all moments of existence are eternally present, then nothing is ever lost, altered, or annihilated. This challenges the conventional notion that things emerge and pass away. Rather, every being is eternally what it is, inscribed within the immutable structure of Being. The perception of becoming arises only from the constraints of temporal awareness, not from the nature of Being itself.

This raises an apparent paradox: If all moments are eternally real, does the self experience them simultaneously, or does it exist beyond sequential perception? The key is to recognize that the so-called “empirical self” (the experience of sequential perception) is not a separate, contingent entity but an eternal aspect of Being itself. The self is not divided into empirical and eternal versions; rather, every perceived experience, including the illusion of becoming, is necessarily inscribed within the totality of Being.

Eternity does not function as an overwhelming simultaneity of experiences but as perfect self-coherence, where every moment retains its necessary place within the immutable structure of Being. The temporal flow is not an illusion to be escaped but an aspect of Being that exists in its eternal necessity. Thus, there is no contradiction between experiencing time and being eternally complete; both are necessary and inscribed within the totality of Being.

Reconciling Change and Immutability

A central challenge in grasping eternity is reconciling apparent change with immutability. In temporal existence, we seem to learn, grow, suffer, and experience joy. If all moments are eternal, does this mean suffering, ignorance, or any other state persists forever?

The resolution lies in seeing change not as a transition from one state to another but as the eternal inscription of all states within the totality of Being. Contradiction arises only from a time-bound perspective that falsely assumes contingency. Human consciousness perceives contradiction because it remains conditioned by the misconception of becoming. Yet this experience serves a purpose:

• The perception of loss allows for the recognition of eternity.
• The illusion of change allows for the realization that no true change occurs.
• The experience of contradiction forces thought to transcend itself and recognize the eternal structure of Being.

Thus, contradiction is not an ultimate reality but a necessary misconception—one that, when overcome, reveals the self-coherent nature of Being.

Mystical and Philosophical Parallels

Many mystical traditions echo these insights. Advaita Vedanta teaches that the self (Atman) is already Brahman (pure, unchanging Being), but experiences separation due to ignorance. Meister Eckhart speaks of a divine ground where the soul transcends time and distinction. Buddhism’s Indra’s Net suggests that all beings are interwoven reflections of the whole.

Unlike monistic dissolutions of individuality, the paradigm presented here maintains that each being remains eternally itself within the totality of Being, preserving identity while transcending the illusion of becoming.

Awakening to Eternity: Aligning Consciousness with Being

If every moment is eternal and one’s totality is immutable, how can human consciousness, which seems bound to time, align with this truth? The fundamental error of nihilism is believing that Being is subject to change, rather than recognizing that everything already is—eternally and necessarily.

This illusion of becoming leads to suffering by fostering:

• Anxiety: the fear of losing what we love or failing to “become” what we desire.
• Desire and struggle: the sense that fulfillment lies in another time or condition.
• Alienation: feeling separate from the whole and from others.

If all moments are eternal and necessary, then our perceived struggles are not steps toward a resolution but are themselves part of an eternally complete reality. The challenge is not to change anything but to see reality correctly.

Shifting Awareness: Living in Alignment with Eternal Being

Breaking free from sequential thinking is not an achievement of willpower or intellectual mastery. Rather, it is a shift in perception that unfolds necessarily as part of Being. It occurs as it does, when it does, and manifests in ways such as:

• Recognizing the Eternal Necessity of Every Moment: Joy, suffering, ignorance, and wisdom all have their eternal place. Nothing is lost in time; all states exist necessarily.
• Awareness Beyond Temporal Thought: Philosophical contemplation, meditative practice, and mystical insight arise in conjunction with the transcendence of time’s misconception and the realization of the unity of all existence.
• The Dissolution of the Anxiety of Becoming: One no longer strives to “become” but fully inhabits what one is: an eternal, necessary manifestation of Being.
• Seeing Others as Eternal Beings: Since relationships are not fleeting interactions but encounters with eternal presences, resentment dissolves, and profound reverence emerges.
• Moving Beyond Fear of Death: Death is no longer perceived as an end but as the eternal necessity of a particular state of Being. Nothing is ever lost.

The Joy of Eternal Being

The final stage of this realization is not merely intellectual but existential: a deep, unshakable joy that arises when one sees the eternal truth of existence. Fear, suffering, and striving dissolve into an awareness of the wholeness of Being. This recognition, akin to enlightenment or gnosis, reveals that:

• There is no fundamental separation between self and reality.
• Every being and experience is necessary and luminous in its place.
• Struggle dissolves, leaving only the clarity of what is.

Conclusion: Awakening to What Is

To align with the eternal structure of Being is to awaken from the misconception of contingency and becoming. All moments are eternally real; contradiction exists only from a temporal perspective. Existence is already whole and necessary.

This realization does not mean rejecting life but seeing it clearly. It does not negate individuality but recognizes that the self, too, is eternally inscribed in the totality of Being. While this awakening may not be fully realized within the constraints of temporal existence, glimpses of it can transform perception, easing struggle and allowing for a deeper alignment with what always is.