PLAYING THE GAME

(Essay 10 in the Perennial Psychology Series)

‘False teachers and deceived seekers vainly pursue the desert vapor - and wearied return, the dupe of their own imagination.’

Shahabudin Suhrawardi

‘Show a man too many camel’s bones, or show them to him too often, and he will not be able to recognize a camel when he comes across a live one.’

Miraza Ahsan of Tabriz

Reality is not only different from what we think it is, it is different from what we can think it is. As discussed, one of the principal understandings of the perennial psychology is that the ordinary person is subjected to social conditioning and cultural programming to the degree that they do not fully realize themselves. This is not meant as a criticism but as a sincere observation – and a very necessary one. Unless this awareness can be grasped, there is no hope in progressing upon a self-developmental path. This awareness is the very foundation upon which everything else is built. Just as one would not build a house upon sand, nor would one build the Self upon the false.

            People have been conditioned to respect, and believe, in social authority figures. What would happen if one day a leading expert made a global announcement, supported by the United Nations, that it has now been affirmed that human beings have always been insane. How would you react to it? Moreover, how could you disprove this? How can any of us prove the species sanity? Everything people know, or believe they know, is based on relative comparisons. Human systems of knowledge are based on relative understanding. It was once consensual understanding that the earth was at the centre of the solar system and everything else revolved around this planet. It was also once thought that the earth was flat! We may laugh about these ideas now, yet they were taken seriously in their time. General knowledge is a subjective thing. It is based on relative truths – not on Reality. For this reason, it has been said that humanity is ‘asleep;’ occupied only with the transitory and fleeting things of the world. The Persian poet Hakim Sanai,[1] in his work The Walled Garden of Truth, said that – ‘If you yourself are upside down in reality, then your wisdom and faith are bound to be topsy-turvy.’

            The perennial wisdom tradition recognizes that there are external influences and forces active in the world that seek to keep humanity ‘asleep’ and distracted from a life of inner development. Partly, this is the game. It is comparable to the children’s game of hide-and-seek. The whole human race is like an organism, and within this organism there is disequilibrium. Because of this disunity it is not possible for the organism (humanity) to develop in the normal way. At the same time, there is something that infuses this organism and is responsible for its development. This component facilitates the possibility for a certain kind of development to what (for want of a better word) we may call a ‘higher level.’ The perennial psychology represents an aspect of this component. This potentiality allows for development to occur deliberately; that is, upon a conscious level rather than by chance. For this reason, some have referred to this process as ‘conscious evolution.’

            In this regard it has been said that humanity has both an origin and a destiny. The Higher Knowledge deals with participation upon this path toward a known destiny. Until a person can know of their place within the cosmic scheme, they shall remain within the lesser state of relative and limited understanding. In past times, the genuine wisdom teachings were kept away from general circulation - away from the ‘ordinary person’ – and for good reason. It was considered inappropriate to expose unprepared people to such knowledge. Rather than helping, it would lead to imbalance, and personal as well as social difficulties. Long preparation was usually required before access to such wisdom teachings was allowed. This gave rise to what we know today as initiation periods and similar such lengthy preparatory processes. This has been necessary as an unprepared mind can be affected by fantasies of grandeur, superiority, or other such unhealthy traits that can cause harm, or unbalance at best. When a person is deemed ‘mature’ then there is no prohibition – higher knowledge is freely open to them. It has been, and always will be, a matter of capacity. This is neither arbitrary nor unjust. However, things have now changed. A different energy has entered the equation which makes long, preparatory phases now unnecessary, as I shall discuss in more detail later.

            The perennial path is directional, not random. Its efforts are regenerative; that is, renewing the manifestation of perennial truths according to the time, place, and the people. Within each society, or culture, it is necessary that those who approach the perennial path have a stabilized secondary self. In other words, the conditioned self (or personality) is harmoniously integrated into the social milieu. This is the same whether it applies to a secular, religious, technological, or agrarian environment. A socially unbalanced aspirant may find that exposure to perennial impulses only confuses them in terms of social role or position in life. This can lead to emotionally exaggerated experiences, such as are more common with pseudo-spiritual gatherings or false ‘cultural tribes.’ People who are in need of therapy, social acceptance, friendship, or tribal togetherness, should seek out these experiences first before considering an approach to a genuine perennial path.

            Social harmony is a normal requirement and state; it is not to be falsely equated with that of ‘higher’ experiences. Mental balance and the ability to fit into one’s social environment are like essential nutrients and should not be confused with any show of higher ability. The first place to start from is a place of groundedness. Once this is achieved, then a person is able to begin recognizing the game for what it is. And what is the general narrative of this game?

The general storyline is that a person goes to school and is conditioned into obedience as well as accepting certain information as being ‘accepted knowledge.’ Lesser forms of this accepted knowledge are stratified into rote learning and examinations. Other forms of this programmed learning are coded into the specific local culture and broader society. These codes are often sanctified into norms, values, and other systems of social management. A person is expected to abide by these codes in order to gain and live a fulfilling life. Adherence to these consensus codes also allow a person to gain access to most of their social support infrastructure. To go against the codes – i.e., the programming – may result in ostracization, marginalization, criticism, oppression, or incarceration. A general line of this code says that a person needs to get a ‘good job’ to be a contributing member of society. This job should also economically support the system. We commit our lives to working in order to provide for the time when we are no longer employable – usually referred to as retirement. In these latter years of life people are then encouraged to find those pursuits that keep them comfortably occupied without, it is hoped, placing too much burden upon the social system. Eventually we die, and all remaining death taxes are paid. In other words, most people reach the end of life’s journey without ever realizing that they have been upon a journey. As the writer Frank Herbert (author of the Dune series) once remarked - ‘The mystery of life is not a problem to solve but a reality to experience.’ However, experience upon this consensual storyline is incredibly limiting.

            It is for this reason that many people seek for extra-curricular stimulation, such as in the form of entertainment, sports (including extreme sport), adventure, travel, or various forms of intoxication. In general, though, people are not encouraged to seek those experiences that may develop and extend inner perceptions further than society wants them to go. The individual, however, is allowed to pursue extreme external paths and is often actively encouraged to do so. Yet there is a noticeable absence of support for the seeker’s path of internal self-development. And there is good reason for this. Knowledge gained through genuine insight and perennial gnosis provides a person with a perspective vis-à-vis their common reality not available for most people. This new perspective does not conform to the cultural conditioning that socially manages peoples’ lives. Hence, a person must be prepared for this. Part of the initial stage of the seeker is to guard against the forces of discouragement. In this respect, one must be weary of the devil’s tools:

Once the word spread that the devil was pulling out of his business and was arranging to sell-off all his tools of the trade to the highest bidder. The night of the sale all the tools were arranged for the bidders to view. What a motley crew it was! There were sinister tools of hatred, jealousy, envy, malice, treachery, plus all the other elements of evil. Yet besides these there also was an instrument that seemed harmless, a wedge-shaped instrument that appeared worn out, shabby, and yet was priced so much higher than all others. Someone asked the devil what the name of such a poor-looking instrument was.

‘Discouragement,’ answered the Devil.

‘And why is the price so high for such a non-malicious sounding instrument? asked the bidder.

‘Because,’ spoke the Devil, ‘this instrument is more useful to me than any other. I can enter the consciousness of a human being when all other ways fail me and once inside through the discouragement of that person, I can do whatever I please. The instrument is worn out because I use it almost everywhere and as very few people know about this I can continue to successfully achieve my goals.’

And as the price of discouragement was so very, very high even today it remains a tool in the property of the Devil.

There is a related saying that is relevant here: ‘The devils are losing but have not yet lost. And the angels are winning but have not yet won.’

            The modern seeker needs to be aware of the confusion and turmoil present in the outside world, yet at the same time has to be free from its negative influence. A genuine seeker is fiercely orientated to the positive in life. This is because they know, without a doubt, that the angels are winning – even if they have not yet won. And with this knowledge, they can play the game of life.

The Game of Life

It is hard to admit that life is something other than what we think it is. Because of the suffering and the pain that many people experience in life, it is even harder to consider that life can be called a game. Games are for play and fun – are they not? Yet the verb ‘to game’ also means to manipulate, influence, manoeuvre, or exploit a situation. It also means to try to turn the situation to one advantage or the other. Games are not only the fun type, they are also the strategic, intelligent, puzzle kind. Life is not a linear journey. Within its many twists and turns people often participate in manipulative and exploitative strategies (as well as lots of fun). This is usually how things get done – by getting ‘one over’ on others; by ‘getting ahead’ and all the rest. Life, in general, programs us to better ourselves by bettering others. And this then becomes incorrectly defined as social evolution, or the ‘evolutionary edge.’ This is a term that has been misapplied from a basic understanding of the narrative of natural evolution that has been taught and propagated. As such, people often feel vindicated to apply it to human social behaviour.

            Yet it needs to be understood that these strategies are all forms of gameplay; as such, everyday life is a game. Like all games, it depends on how we choose to play it; and the rules we abide by. So, let’s begin by stating at the offset that life is a game – and that the game is rigged. To be awake and aware is to admit that we are playing a game. And the aim of the game? The aim of the game for the aspirant/seeker is to participate and to be immersed in the game with full awareness of it. For it is the nature of the game itself to make all participants forget they are in a game. It is similar to entering a fog or cloud where previous visibility is taken away. Life is presented to us like a theatre play where all the actors on the stage do their best to convince the audience that it is all so real. As Shakespeare famously put it:

All the world’s a stage,

And all the men and women merely players;

They have their exits and their entrances,

And one man in his time plays many parts

(As You Like It, Act II, Scene VII)

We each play our part – or parts – yet for most people it is unknowing participation. Notice how children immerse themselves in playing games. They are absorbed in their invented, make-believe worlds; sometimes populated with invisible friends. As adults we may laugh at this. They are ‘only children!’ we say to ourselves, not fully realizing that they are not so different from us. Many people also have fantasies - these are called ideologies, theories, hypotheses, truths and half-truths.

People convince themselves that this ‘game’ called life is actually something objectively real. And everything within our societies and cultures aim to persuade us in this. Yet there is still something deep within each person that senses that this is not quite right. Each of us may feel the pressure, the unspoken rule, that whatever we do, we should not give ‘the game away.’ Once the realization dawns that life is a game, then comes another responsibility – how to continue playing the game once it is known that it’s a game? This is the paradoxical nature of awakening from the slumber within life. This is why so many fully realized people are often laughing. As discussed previously, humour is a major component upon the perennial path. Any half-decent seeker needs a good dose of humour. The more the fog lifts, the more that social and cultural conditionings become like a surreal joke. It’s both funny and yet not so funny at the same time. Laughter sometimes is a healthy antidote to the parody we find ourselves in.

The next question that arises to the awakening modern seeker is, how to find enjoyment whilst playing the game? Many people are subconsciously afraid of this notion of enjoyment. It is as if the human being has been conditioned not to truly enjoy satisfaction. To play the game and know it is a game can be a fascinating journey. Things can quite literally be seen in a different light. What we are ordinarily presented with, as part of the ‘game rules,’ is a world in black and white. This is like the famous checkerboard scenario where pieces are moved between the black and the white squares. This is the play of the game – the good vs. evil; the hot vs. cold, and all the rest of these dualities that form the basic game-fog. Part of playing-along-with-the-game is to pretend that these dualities are not part of the unity. That is, they are explicitly separate. And that life is composed of these separate parts being stitched together.

This game is played throughout all social institutions and is conditioned also through schooling and education. The first rule the system teaches us is that this game is not a game! Life is presented as if painting-by-numbers. Certain pieces, or segments, have a specific number and the person is told to paint – or colour-it-in – according to the number shown. So much of human life revolves around such similar number systems. Children are given grades at school which then follow them into higher education and, if they choose, further into university. University grades – or work apprenticeship results – then follow the young person into their career and are carried around for the rest of life. Social status is a graded form of compliance that psychologically marks people throughout life. These ‘social grades’ decide what clubs or cultural memberships people are allowed access to, which designate their social groupings. Membership clubs form a part of this participatory game; all the time adding to the illusionary ‘reality’ of the fog.

In a similar manner, it can be said that the ‘game of life’ is like a pack of cards. Each pack is divided into four classes (or suites) and within each class there is a hierarchy of numbers/status, finishing with the royal flush, including the ace. Each card (and/or figure) has its numerical value and its role. As each card game begins, the players decide upon the game rules. Each game has its rules and within each game the cards have their role and their function. The participating cards of the game are known; yet no-one can know just how the game will unfold. Yet there is one card that does not play by the rules and which always brings uncertainty – the joker. Every set of cards has a joker (or two!) in the pack. Sometimes these are taken out before the game begins so as not to disrupt the gameplay. The game does not know how to deal with the joker in the pack.

Likewise, social and cultural conditioning prefers a gameplay where the participants have known or fixed roles. Within this game, to ‘find yourself’ means fitting into a role that is socially acceptable. The game of life cannot tolerate non-participation. Within these rules people generally learn from others who tell them who they are. The problem with this is that the information on ‘who we are’ reflects the personality (the social persona) rather than the genuine self. This then strengthens the social personality which feeds the ego and ‘fixes’ the ego as a serious part of life. Individuals then seek to reinforce the personality rather than seeking for the essential self. In the end, people forget to seek for who they truly are.

This game of life is a game of the conditioned self where the main participant is the social persona that is driven by the ego. The ego generally wants simple questions and answers, which turn out to be meaningless. The ego is not seeking for the grander ‘metaphysical’ answers to life’s questions, for such answers are inevitably contrary to its own dominance. The ego, along with the social personality, has a vested interest in winning in the game of life. The true self needs to be cunning here. The real question is how to play the game of life without giving the game away and also without losing.

The perennial psychology can assist in playing the game of life. It can assist a person in developing finer faculties of perception. When such faculties are cleansed, the person develops the capacity to perceive what may be called the ‘metaphysical background’ of the world. The perennial tradition of inner gnosis functions to allow a deeper knowledge of the metaphysical experience of the world and the person’s relation to it. We may not be able to get out of the game completely, yet we can change our point of perspective, and hence our view of reality. This then completely alters the gameplay!

The person of today is called upon, in this struggle against the generalized oppressiveness of everyday life (i.e., the game), to nourish, strengthen, and enrich the luminous spark that is carried in the innermost being. Conscious awareness (cognition) is what determines the difference between people – not social or cultural markings. A person’s level of consciousness, and hence perception, determines the ability to break away and act free from the automatisms of the world. This is playing the game – having the capacity to perceive and thus operate beyond the automatisms of the conditioned world. Intelligence and consciousness are two distinct things. A person can be seemingly intelligent and yet consciously asleep. For the majority of those participating in the game of life, certain inner faculties of the human being have atrophied; and they need to be awakened. This is the function of the genuine perennial tradition. A poem from Jalalludin Rumi states:

A man, never having seen water, 
is thrown blindfolded into it, 
and feels it. 

When the bandage is removed, 
he knows what it is. 

Until then he only knew it by its effect.

In these terms, most people live and know reality through its secondary effects. Contemporary humans have been conditioned not to expand and express the interior realm outward upon the physical world. The result is that most people live isolated within the fleshy house of the body. For the metaphysician, this is like living an entire life within a dark room. Living a life cut off from the metaphysical background of reality is an existence where perceptual capacities are underused. Generally, there is no language, dialogue, or narrative in everyday life for understanding or articulating this deeper metaphysical background – a background that permeates the world. Human societies are undernourished in such matters.

            Playing the game is about engaging in ‘boundary thinning’ between the consensus reality and the Greater Reality. The aspirant – the seeker – is one who attempts to reach out in order to catch the glimmers of a metaphysical reality beyond the ordinary everyday. And when they do so, something conscious touches them in return. The aspirant must learn to trust in such responses from the world. A form of feedback from an external impression can be like a thread that connects to essential things. A true seeker strives not to remain unused in life.

The modern seeker is no longer a preacher or a holy hermit living in a cave or some sanctuary away from life. Rather, the seeker of today is the perceptive person whose eyes are turned towards the presence of the Real. Such a person carries the intuitive conviction that they possess within themselves the resources they need -

‘The Gnostic of today could no longer be a preacher of salvation, a holy man living a solitary existence on his mountain-top, nor some illuminated spirit living in a great city and devoting himself to his beloved ancient texts, but rather a perceptive man, his eyes turned towards the present and the future in the intuitive conviction that he possess above all within himself the keys to this future, a conviction he must hold steadfastly against  all the reassuring mythologies, the so-called salvatory religions and disalienating ideologies which serve only to hinder his presence in the true reality. For the important thing today is not so much to discover new stars as to break down the new frontiers that constantly arise before us, or which are delineated within ourselves, so that we may cross over them, as into death, with our eyes wide open.’¹

The modern seeker must live with conviction, and within society. The seeker can find within the things of the world all that they need to begin their destiny – if they are truly looking. The signs are there, deep within the world’s dreaming. There are some things that the seeker is meant to find - certain things to be found and then brought back so that they may be given for others who are in need. This function has always existed like this, and so it will always continue to be.

The seeker is compelled to travel into the world with the deepest parts open in order to touch the metaphysical presence that permeates reality. The seeker must be prepared to be receptive to specific impacts that await. That is why a certain amount of deconditioning (or de-programming) is required. Otherwise, these impacts will not be perceived, and the metaphysical background of the world will remain invisible to the seeker. Preparation is more necessary than protection. Protection is a response to fear, a built-up cultural myth against unknown enemies. Preparation is wise precaution that allows the unknown to operate effectively when it is met.

The seeker travels along the path of the perennial tradition not only for themselves but also for others. The seeker heals themselves so that they may become medicine for others. The seeker carries a medicine within them - in their energy, presence, behaviour, words and thoughts. The seeker allows certain energies to live through them so that those elements from ‘beyond reality’ can manifest in the world of today. This is the path that some of our human ancestors have taken for millennia.

Now we have arrived at the twenty-first century. The world of today appears as metaphysically undernourished. The general standard narrative lacks a coherent story for a thriving human future. The majority of humankind are busy trying to survive against hostile odds. The path of inner development is, unfortunately, a luxury for the few. Yet the truth is that we live within a deeper metaphysical reality – and the onus is upon the few to take up this call.

            A new story is needed for the twenty-first century – a new understanding of what it means to be a modern person within a thriving world. The human species has entered upon a technological era of tremendous potential, as well as many possible dangers. The perennial psychology of today now reaches out to respond to a new time, a new place. The modern seeker is the aspirant of today. They too must understand the importance and the responsibility of the Work within a modern age.

Taken from ‘THE MODERN SEEKER: A Perennial Psychology for Contemporary Times’ (Beautiful Traitor Books, 2020). Available online as print & ebook.

References

¹ Lacarriere, Jacques. 1977. The Gnostics. London: Peter Owen, p128

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[1] Born in 1080 and died between 1131-1141