Er... Merry,
are you alright?
Yes.
I thought you
were talking... to a table.
Now why
would I want to do that, Zie?
I dunno.
Maybe I was mistaken...
But you don’t
think so, do you? You’re pretty sure you just saw me talking to a table.
Er... I
guess so.
So that must
make me kind of clinically insane, no?
Well, it
would, wouldn’t it? I mean, unless there’s a pretty good reason for it –
talking to a table would definitely be a good indicator that there’s something
wrong with your mind.
Unless the
table’s a transmitter.
Oh – I never
thought of that.
But I’m not
saying it is – but if it were a transmitter – there wouldn’t be anything untoward
talking to it – just like talking into a microphone.
Yeah I guess
so – but it isn’t is it – it’s not a transmitter?
No, not as
such, but it’s nice to consider the possibility that talking to tables is not a
sure sign of insanity.
Well what
then – if you’re not insane – which you don’t seem to be. Can you explain?
Norms.
Norms?
Ok guys, we’re
learning about norms today.
What?
It’s not a
table.
Oh come on
Merry – of course it’s a table.
Well
obviously it is – looking at it in 3D – but step outside 3D and you see
something else.
Like what?
Norms. That’s
one level of seeing things beyond 3D.
Er...
They’re
beings.
What kind of
beings.
They’re
norms – that kind of beings. You’ve got to want to tune into them. You’ve got
to want to know more by sensing, seeing, feeling them yourself.
Ok.
All you need
to know is that norms make things seem normal.
Right.
They make a
table seem like a table, a chair like a chair, a wall like a wall.
They do?
Yep – they make
things normal.
But why?
Why what?
Why do they
need to make things normal?
Because
otherwise things are completely weird – you’d never be able to interface with
anything. Every thing is and would be an island of weirdness – unapproachable.
They pull things from the quantum soup of infinity – where things are undefined
– things in waiting – drawing them down into 3D.
Oh my God.
Well yes, it’s
kind of "Oh my God". Creation – that’s what they’re up to – continual creation.
But...
surely things are, you know – things, independent of these norms.
Nope.
Without norms you’re completely stuck.
So how come
no one knows about them?
Everyone
knows about them, but everyone chooses to ignore them. That’s how 3D works.
But why do
we ignore them?
Because
noticing them makes you feel incredibly bored and detached from reality – so most
people will do anything to avoid that feeling of normness.
So how come
you don’t?
Because it
doesn’t affect me. In any case – until you learn how to handle the norms you’re
kind of trapped in 3D. You can make things comfortable for yourself – you can
gild the cage, but it’s still just a kind of fancy cage.
Oh my God –
we’re all in prison.
Kind of yes,
kind of no.
Well, which
is it?
Well, no in
the sense that you freely entered and
you can freely leave whenever you choose, but yes, it’s prison in the sense
that most of you seem to have forgotten who you are – and take things at face
value, as if they’re real, as opposed to what really is.
What really
is what?
Not what –
these things you take for real – they’re really just norms.
So that
table’s a norm.
Yep.
And you can
see it.
Yep.
And talk to
it.
Yep.
And it can
answer you.
Yep – though
it doesn’t have to answer me as such.
Then what’s
the point talking to it?
Well, I
might want to move it, or change it in some way.
And you can
do that?
Of course.
But that’s
freakin weird.
Yes, from
the 3D line of thinking – things are supposed to be whatever they are – and you’ll
always ignore any shifts – rewriting over whatever you just saw a moment before
in order to sustain the comfortable illusion that things are things.
You mean to
say that things are always shifting around?
Well, they
don’t bother to maintain their full thinginess when you’re not observing them –
so they only need to be fully things for a fraction of the time.
And the rest
of the time – that table just disappears, you’re saying?
No, it kind
of retracts into a residual outline of what it is – a kind of lowburn night
light – to save energy and allow the norm to get on with other more pressing
stuff.
Oh.
Actually,
things can really vanish almost completely – and people don’t even notice –
once they’ve grown accustomed to particular things. It’s amazing how the mind
fills things in. It’s a bit like the adult elephant.
How do you
mean?
When it was
a child it had a strong rope or chain on its leg preventing it from escaping,
but by the time it’s an adult they just keep a small string there – which couldn’t
stop the elephant from escaping if it wanted to – but the elephant already
assumes it can’t – so it doesn’t.
Oh. So if we
started testing these things out – we’d discover...
That there
are gaping gaps – omissions – fake scenery – or you’d discover a norm who’s
hoping you’ll desist and go back to your usual state of complacency – which you
almost certainly will.
Because it
feels weird and disturbing?
Yes, and
because you might become afraid that you’re going insane, or that you’re
existing in an almost completely unmaterial, hollowed out, honeycomb reality –
that could leave you with a sense of vertigo, or a sense of unprotectedness.
People like to imagine they’re held firmly in place by physical things – that they’re
actually walking on the earth, or a bridge, or a concrete floor. Imagine how
you’d feel if you started perceiving the provisionalness of things you’d
hitherto taken for granted. That could be a deeply disturbing experience, could
it not?
You’re
telling me.
You’d want
back into the matrix – the sense that things are what they’re supposed to be.
You bet I
would.
Unless you
were intent on something more.
And some
people are, you’re saying?
Yes, there
are some.
But why?
Because they
know – and that’s enough – they want to get real – they’re no longer content
with the half truth of matter and things. They’ve outgrown the crèche. They’re
ready for big school.
Oh.
Which is
where you enter the conversation.
No, no,
Merry, you’ve got me wrong. I’m not interested in busting out of the matrix. I’m
comfortable living in a world of normal things.
Hum,
interesting that – because I’ve been observing how the norms react when you
start looking at things, of late.
You have? I
didn’t notice I’ve been looking at things any differently.
No, you didn’t
– your mind will try to block out anything that threatens the status quo,
even to the point of wiping your memory in an attempt to keep you safely ensconced
in normality.
Wiping my
memory? I don’t like the sound of that.
But you can
get it back without too much trouble. You just need to start observing the norm
behind, the norm within, the norm attached to the thing – whatever thing it
be – this table for instance.
Hey.
What?
Did you
notice that?
Notice what?
Did it?
Yes. At
least I think it did – when the two of us looked at it just now.
Oh that –
well it would do wouldn’t it.
But I’ve
never noticed that before.
Like I said –
you have – but your memory’s been wiped shortly after, and you’ve been happy to
forgot something that was kind of disturbing.
You’re
telling me.
But now you
know better – you can use that event – the table budging – to tune in, to focus
on the norm.
But how?
Bring up
your deepest sense of boredom and pointlessness and look at the table as if it’s
inspiring you to expire with tedium.
Do I have
to?
Yes, if you
want to smoke out the norm hiding in this tree.
But why
boredom?
Because
unless you’re ready to be massively bored, you’ll fall for the exciting
distraction that the norm will fire at you the minute you get to inquisitive.
What
exciting distraction?
Anything –
something you forgot to do, or an amazing idea, a girl you’ve been thinking
about of late – whatever’s on the periphery of your mind – the norm can nudge
it – bringing it into motion – and that will be sufficient to break your
concentration – detaching it from this table – at which point the norm could go
one step further and project something weird and slightly disturbing to make
you recoil and perform your very own mindwipe – that way all the tracks are
covered and cleared.
But why does
it go to such inordinate lengths to avoid detection?
To remain
anonymous. As long as you’re not even aware that norms exist – you’re powerless
to attack them, in fact you’ll do everything you can to preserve things the way
they are.
And you? You
want to break things up – is that what you’re saying?
Not at all –
I’m just as happy to work with norms as anyone else is – they’re our cousins in
the infinite quantum field of continuous creation of which we’re a part – it’s
just they’re inorganic and have a different function from our own. There’s
nothing wrong with them. They’re not harmful – but I prefer to be in control of
whatever I’m able to perceive and interact with. Besides, I’m physically unable
to be purely 3D the way you are.
You mean you’re
not one of us? You’re not human?
Hum, good
question.
Merry, don’t
freak me out.
Zie, does it
really matter whether I’m human or not?
Er... yes, I
think it does – at least that way I’d know whether I could trust you or not.
Good point.
And you’re saying you don’t really know?
Er... at
times I have my doubts.
Good – let’s
keep it that way for the moment – doubts are a powerful instigator of learning
and change. But back to the table – this is your 1st conscious norm
day.
It is?
Yes. Didn’t
you know?
I must have
mindwiped that too.
Never mind.
Let’s continue. Allow yourself to be bored – now tickle the table with your
breath, in a manner of speaking, as you gaze at it. Allow yourself to suspend
judgement – to suspend your disbelief, to know and accept that this table is
only really table because a norm is normalising it – holding it in a kind of
resonance with your C3.
My C3?
Your
consciousness – we’ll use the technical term if you don’t mind.
Ok.
So the norm
kind of attaches the table to your C3 field and hey presto – it’s absolutely
real – so real you can sit on it, stand on it, dance on it, make love on it –
and you won’t fall through – unless you exceed its signal strength and break
the wood.
Oh.
Now, you can
feel the norm’s doing its utmost to distract you – so hold your focus by
calling it out – otherwise you’ll forget what you were intending.
How do I
call it out?
However you
like – the words aren’t important. You could try singing to the norm “hello
table norm, hello table norm, I can see you in the table, I can see your smooth creation of a holographic thingness that is beautifully normal, Mr Norm,
Mr Norm and I am deeply impressed by your splendid abilities.”
That sounds
a bit cheesy.
Yes, but
flattery usual pays – you get them off guard that way. By the way – the minute
you sense the norm – it’s a bit like one of those magic eye 3D pictures – once you
can see it – it’s easy to see thereafter.
Oh dear – I was
never very good at those.
You’re doing
fine – the norm is rising to the bait.
It is?
Yes – you’re
drawing it out of its comfortable state of tableness. It’s unable to hold that
position with all the attention you’re giving it.
Why's that?
Because it
was always going to be overpowered by the beauty, the magic, the magnetism of
your C3.
It was? Why?
Why do you
think? Do you have any idea how powerful humans really are?
Er... not
really. A few 100 watt light bulbs is all I guess we’re able to generate in
body heat and luminescence.
Merry starts choking – a convulsive laughter
that makes it almost impossible for him to breath. It reaches the point that
Zie’s getting concerned. Merry seems to be breaking up – fading out and other
images of Merry seem to be flashing in and out of sight around the room.
Are you
alright Merry? Here – have some water.
Zie hands
Merry a glass of water, which he accepts and drinks gratefully.
Did you see
it?
Er... see
what?
The
composite nature of 3D? As I was fading did you notice other versions of me
popping up around you.
My God – I
did. It was disturbing – why did you do that Merry?
I couldn’t
help it. You just cracked me up – literally.
I didn’t
mean to – I can’t imagine what you found so funny.
Can’t you?
Just imagine the power contained within your near infinite quantum stream of
C3.
Well, I can’t
say I’ve ever really noticed much power. In any case, consciousness is terribly
vague and nebulous. It never really seems to do very much.
Really? What
about that glass of water?
What about
it?
Rewind a
moment, if you would. Replay the sequence of events. Why do you see now?
Merry starts humming something under his
breath – which seems to help Zie concentrate.
Wait a
minute – where the hell did that glass come from?
There you
go! You’ve remembered. Well done.
But where?
Where do you
think?
I...
Of course
your mind doesn’t want you to remember, la la la me me la la me
Jesus
Christ, Merry – what are you doing to me?
Moi? Nothing
whatsoever, I assure you.
I can’t just
materialise a glass from thin air. That’s insane.
Absolutely
insane, innit? So what are you going to do about it?
Shit. I just
grabbed it in the heat of the moment without thinking what I was doing or how.
Very good.
It was like
it was just there the minute I needed it.
Excellent.
Welcome to the weird and wonderful world of C3. Now what about that norm
sitting under the table.
Oh him.
How do you
think he reacted when he saw you grabbing a glass of water from the quantum
stream?
I don’t
suppose he cared, he was too busy being a table.
On the
contrary – he was fascinated and appalled – both in equal measure – and at that
moment his guard dropped.
It did?
... ... ...
... ... ...
... ... ...
... ... ...
... ... ... ... oh my God... ...
... it did.
Excellent.
You see.
But how do
you know?
What?
That I see?
Because your
C3 has shifted into a completely new configuration, a different position.
It has?
Yes. It was
like a big egg before.
And now?
More like a
star.
Oh wow.
So you’re
going to call out the norm – it’s time.
Do I...
Do it Zie. That
table has to go – so quit feeling sorry for it – otherwise you’ll spend the
rest of your life a slave to things – controlled and herded around by perfectly
harmless not in any way evil norms.
That doesn’t
sound harmless to me – manipulating my reality – controlling me!
Well, you’re
asking them to do it, aren’t you, unless you’re willing to stand up and declare
you’re human.
Of course I’m
human.
Not until
you take back the keys to the kingdom.
Er... which
kingdom are we talking about?
You have
till I count to 3, otherwise, dear Zie, our pleasant time together ends forthwith – 1
No wait a
minute – I can’t handle this...
2
But come on
Merry – it’s not fair I’m...
3
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
za za za – a green flash and the table
dematerialises utterly – as does the room and everything else. There before Zie
is a kind of creature – a blob of energy – pulsating slightly – obviously deeply
uncomfortable – squirming under the brightness of Zie’s gaze – like it’s been
caught with no clothes on...
Which is
exactly how it feels right now. Well done Zie. That was great. I’ve never heard
it done za za za before, but
effective and timely.
Zie is breathless and emotional. This is an
awkward place to be – no thing seems to make sense, no thing seems to be right –
which is logical when you consider there is neither right nor left on this
particular platform, staring at a butt naked norm.
Ok, now
rather than getting upset Zie, take this opportunity to feel how this wonderful
creature that until a moment ago was a table, is able to create a link between
your mind and C3, which is infinitely more than your mind, using the register
of material things to...
Make table
thing.
Precisely.
It makes table thing – in the same way you can make a canary sing, or make a
car move. To thing or not to thing...
That is the
question.
Somehow the
whole of 3D is carried along by this Tom-thingery. No one doubts for a minute
that it’s all there, that it’s all real, and that irony of ironies, our
knowledge of things is the key to understanding life, the universe and everything.
But tell me
Merry...
Yes?
How do you
get things to change around?
How did you
make this norm materialise? How did you grab the glass of water? How do those
clever so called magicians do their amazing tricks?
By sleight
of hand.
Perhaps.
You don’t
think so?
Oh, they’re
good with their hands, without a doubt – but there are more things in heaven
and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy, as young Hamlet put it. Every time
you try to fix what it might be that you’re endeavouring to understand, you’re
shoving a spanner into the wheel spin of infinity, peddling the assumption that
things are best understood.
And what
else should we do with things?
Unfrock
them. De-norm them. Use them as markers as you shuttle back and forth between
3D and the the quantum stream of C3.
Vague,
Merry. Hopelessly vague.
Ok Zie, see
this unlikely looking norm here?
Yes...
He’s willing
to go to the end of the world with you, for you, in order to do some more
applied creation. He wants to do the form thing – but he can only do it if you’re
willing to go along with his minor deception.
Well I’m
not.
Why so objectionable
Zie? Just think how much these norms have benefitted humanity – giving them
things to work with, and as soon as we learn how, we can work with norms to
make things work for humanity, rather than vice versa...
Humanity as
it currently does, working for things.
Precisely –
but you can hardly blame norms for that.
So what
would you do in my place?
I would wish
to delve further into the nature of things, and to better understand how things
and C3 interact, interrelate, intermingle.
You mean you
want to do cheap magic tricks!
Well, I
wouldn’t mind – but I’d certainly like to see whether beautiful humanity can
become a little less obsessed with things – a little more interested in the
wonders of C3. To do so we need to stop thinking that magic is just a matter of
trickery or illusion. So, without further ado – Merry runs forward and appears to grab the norm – the two of them tussle
and the next thing you know Merry is sitting on a table with wings which is
flying up into the air.
Jump on Zie,
if all else fails we can open an air taxi service – you can be my first fare –
where do you want to fly to?
I want to
see norms in their homeland, unencumbered by things.
What a
perfectly splendid idea. Hi ho silver
–and off they fly into the grey blue.