Matter

If you but seek’st enlightenment; first it’s opposite must comprehend. But what is the opposite of spirit? Tis matter whose coarseness is most vivid.

But what is matter?, we might ask. Everything, that you can grasp. Anything, that you can see, can touch, can hear, or taste, or smell, belongs indeed to matters spell. Anything solid, liquid, fiery, or moving, is matter in its forms you spooking.

But he who all these knows, indeed he knows, what to enlightenment is opposed.

Yet, if you know them to their border, and in your mind can put in order; their spell will cease to reach you then, their trouble for you will come to ‘ts end.

Life (and Feeling)

Next we have the life, that ‘s more than matter. That, if compared is refined and better. Be’t plant, polyp, giraffe, or man, the life within is all the same. Makes grow, what starts as smallest thing, takes in, excretes, and dies at end. It feels, that is it’s central mark, if you seek to explore it, here embark.

Mind

Yet higher still a thing is mind, be it cruel, or be ‘t kind. It thinks and thinks, is glad or sad, becomes enraptured or else becomes mad.

Perception

Perception still another thing, distinguishes between a cube or ring, distinguishes: tis good, tis bad; distinguishes a rat from cat.

Consciousness

Yet, what it is that knows these all. Whose vision may go beyond each wall. Tis consciousness spelled out as name. And of this whole set, deserves best fame. It measures universes space, and calculates an aeons days. It knows the life without, within; can know a thought, be’t brilliant, be’t dim; can see, can know perception’s workings…and with each knowing, will be growing.

……