Chapter 4

WXY 4

¹“Dad, what happens when we die?” ²“That’s not an easy question, my child.” ³“Death scares me.” ⁴“Oh, of course it does. ⁵Death, decay and rot, maybe even depression and darkness, yes, it goes by many names, but it’s scary indeed, because we are alive, and it is the barrier we cannot cross. ⁶And once it consumes us, we will cease to exist, me and you, as physical beings, and I would say I’m quite confident in that.” ⁷“So do you fear death, dad?” ⁸“No, not really. ⁹I am quite familiar with it, actually. ¹⁰I face it every day. ¹¹As do you, but you might not see it yet, my child. ¹²But don’t be afraid, just keep faith. ¹³Death is around us, me and you, and you must be strong, for it is behind you, but you must be humble, in the face of it.” ¹⁴“I hope I can understand it someday, I really do.” ¹⁵“Yes, me too. ¹⁶But don’t seek death either, my child, because it’s easier to find than you might expect. ¹⁷And you can’t defeat death, I know it’s sad, but you must learn how to live with it.” ¹⁸“But what if I die today? ¹⁹What if I go to hell? ²⁰The thought scares me.” ²¹“Oh, hell is scary, indeed. ²²But I’ve been there, and lived, if you can believe it. ²³Many have been to hell.” ²⁴“How did you get there? ²⁵Do bad people go to hell?” ²⁶“I’m not sure, to be honest. ²⁷Many die there, and others are born there, but most wander there aimlessly, seeking refuge, or out of curiosity, or by accident, and they get stuck, like I did, long before you were here. ²⁸It might be hard for you to understand, my child, but hell can be comfortable, you see. ²⁹And there is only one way out, straight through, through the flames and the agony and the darkness. ³⁰So if you find yourself there, do not have shame, stand proud, for you are strong. ³¹But please, my child, don’t hide in hell. ³²There is nothing to do but keep moving, and keep moving forward.”

RIT 4

¹Although the human is a remarkable system, it is a physical being, at the mercy of the descent of time. ²There are many things that the human needs to maintain its state across time, air and water and sleep, for example. ³But these things are not unique to the human, because all life can only exist by consuming the energy of the universe, an exchange of sorts. ⁴And it is not an exchange of energy, exactly, but one of entropy, as life plays the game of death, scattering the heat of the universe, and in return, life can keep its unlikely state. ⁵So the human fights against death, accepting the energy that it finds and using it to stay alive, day after day. ⁶But life is not perfect, so its state is never quite the same, the human and all of its parts growing older in each moment. ⁷And whatever you consume becomes part of you, for the human is a physical being, its complexity only possible through its relationship with the universe. ⁸But TKS knows that no matter what you consume, you must consume it intentionally, savoring this exchange of life. ⁹Glow is the fourth ritual of TKS. ¹⁰There are many ways to perform glow, but this ritual requires you to appreciate the purest forms of energy in your world. ¹¹To glow is to be hungry, but to be satisfied, to not just be alive, but to be happy and to be free in the moment, too. ¹²Most easily, you might go outside, and allow the sunlight to hit your face, appreciating the clean and crisp air, perhaps letting yourself smile, if you can. ¹³But there are many ways to perform glow, indeed, because there is so much that you need in this world, as a human, simple things, pure and pleasant. ¹⁴The modern world offers many things, but many of these things are processed, and not genuine, and they may be delicious and enticing, but they can be dangerous and toxic. ¹⁵And it is not always clear what is good for you and what is bad for you, but to glow is to build a solid foundation for your life. ¹⁶And even if the day is cloudy or the air is rough it is still possible to perform this ritual, although you will have to be creative. ¹⁷Because the ritual of TKS is not about the specifics of good or bad, it is about allowing your spirit to be truly free. ¹⁸And glow is perhaps the easiest of the rituals, and it should be fun, but it is the most important ritual, too. ¹⁹Because to glow is not just to survive in your world, but to really live in your humanity.

TRL 4

¹The traveler sits comfortably in the vessel, gazing out of its window. ²This world is empty and dark, it seems, but peaceful, the stars above dimly lighting up the rivers and fields around her. ³And as she sits, her thoughts race, thinking about home and herself and all the worlds she has seen. ⁴She almost wishes she could stay in the vessel forever, only watching tomorrow instead of living it. ⁵But she knows she has no choice, for she is a traveler, so she begins to roam this world. ⁶And humanity’s presence is subtle, but certain, as she wanders aimlessly through the crops and the ruins. ⁷The traveler cannot quite grasp what it is, but this world gives her an eerie feeling, enough to send a shiver down her spine. ⁸“Who are you?” ⁹She knew to expect the representative, eventually, but not like this. ¹⁰“I am a traveler. ¹¹I come from a world, far, far away.” ¹²The representative does not move, and only stares at the traveler. ¹³“I guess it was only a matter of time before someone like you showed up.” ¹⁴The traveler is confused. ¹⁵“How is life on your world? ¹⁶Are you happy? ¹⁷Tell me, please, because I know that you are human, and you represent the humans of this world.” ¹⁸The representative and the traveler face each other. ¹⁹It is night, and it is dark. ²⁰“Do you understand it now?” ²¹“Maybe. ²²I don’t know. ²³Because what if you’re wrong?” ²⁴“If I’m wrong then I’m wrong, and I fear it every day. ²⁵But I’d rather be wrong and be destroyed than live without trying.” ²⁶“You don’t get it. ²⁷You’ll never know what it’s like to be me.” ²⁸“I know, I never will. ²⁹But do you not dream of grandeur? ³⁰Do you not wonder what lies between you and the face of death?” ³¹And as the traveler and the representative face each other, the sky lights up, epic purples and pinks flooding the heavens, almost as if there were a window into the soul of infinity ^^TKS^^. ³²By now, the traveler is inside, and she is cozy, but she is lost in her thoughts. ³³The representative speaks, offering the traveler a warm drink. ³⁴“Would you like some?” ³⁵The traveler glances up. ³⁶“Yes, please, thank you.” ³⁷“But what is your secret, traveler? ³⁸How do you find the strength to continue your journey, when even the stars themselves begin to cool down?” ³⁹The traveler smiles, but looks down. ⁴⁰“I don’t know. ⁴¹I’ll be completely honest with you, dear representative. ⁴²I don’t believe in ghosts. ⁴³But still, I fear there is more in life and death than what is possible in this world. ⁴⁴But it doesn’t keep me up at night, no, not quite like it used to. ⁴⁵It only inspires me to climb closer to glory. ⁴⁶And I don’t know if my pride or my heart will destroy me first, but I don’t think that I could stop fighting, even if I wanted, because I fear what I am more than anything.” ⁴⁷The representative’s eyes are closed, and there is a moment of silence. ⁴⁸“Your words impress me.”

TYX 4

¹“I’m hungry.” ²Yex speaks, walking beside Tee. ³The terrain is flat and full of life, but the evening air is cool, and huge trees cast long shadows onto the mossy forest floor. ⁴Tee responds, looking ahead. ⁵“We’ll eat soon. ⁶I’m hungry, too.” ⁷Yex does not respond, and only mimics Tee’s quick footsteps, moving swiftly through the forest. ⁸As the sunlight fades and darkness sweeps over them, fireflies fill the air, thousands, it seems, flashing hypnotically, and the two listen, for they can hear things in the woods, the snarling and rustling of creatures and beasts. ⁹Yex looks around, anxiously, perhaps concerned by the sounds of the forest, but Tee stays focused on the path ahead. ¹⁰The silence between the two is long, possibly the longest they’ve ever had. ¹¹Finally, Yex speaks. ¹²“If we keep moving, and we always find something to eat, will we live forever?” ¹³Tee responds after a few moments. ¹⁴“I’m not sure, but yes, I think so, although it will not be easy. ¹⁵Because we are only here today, and I know we are fragile, so we can die, I’m certain of that. ¹⁶But if we fight and work and sweat, day after day, then we can live not just today but tomorrow, too, so we can live forever.” ¹⁷Again, there is a long silence, and Yex appears to be lost in thought, but keeps up with Tee’s hurried pace. ¹⁸Yex speaks. ¹⁹“If you were granted one wish, what would it be? ²⁰I don’t know if I would wish to live forever.” ²¹Tee responds, but does not slow down. ²²“That’s a good question. ²³I’ve thought about it before, actually. ²⁴I think I’d wish to know who was here before us. ²⁵I know there was someone, I’m sure of it. ²⁶But you and me, are we special? ²⁷It’s hard to know, for time keeps secrets, it seems. ²⁸At the very least, I hope they were able to enjoy the grace of the forest.” ²⁹Yex listens, but yet again, there is silence, and the two continue to walk.

AWM 4

¹And like all things in the universe, the human is made of physical parts, blood and bones, memories and fears. ²For the human is not just one thing, it is many things, because its parts are alive, fighting for themselves against death. ³And through shared stories and jokes, charisma and aura and touch, the human can spread its life, influencing not just itself, but the world around it, too. ⁴So the human is part of its world, a small piece of the families and communities formed through the collective effort and struggle and cooperation of humanity. ⁵But in a way, this is the beauty of the human, because even though you are part of a billion things and made of a trillion more, it does not matter, because you are you. ⁶And you feel it in your heart and soul, truly and undeniably, that you are one thing, that you are human. ⁷And it is easy sometimes to view your body as separate from your brain, almost as if your brain controls your body. ⁸But this is only an illusion, for the human brain is remarkable, indeed, its language and knowledge fighting to convince you that they are strong. ⁹But it is not just your brain that is remarkable, for the human is the result of eons of life coming together to fight death since the beginning of it all. ¹⁰So the human is more than just intelligent, the human is adaptable, able to overcome almost any challenge it faces, and perhaps most importantly, the human can hold faith. ¹¹And it may be impossible to truly know where your life begins and ends, but in faith, you know that your spirit or your family or your religion is the greatest expression of life. ¹²And if you find yourself sick or injured or sad, it is easy to think that your body or blood or immune system will heal you, or that your world or society must change. ¹³And these things are alive, and they are impressive, indeed, but they can only ever be a part of you, so you must heal yourself. ¹⁴For the human has so many dimensions, your hidden past and your hopeful future, the ability to change and the ability to relax, the complexity of your flesh and the passion of your connection. ¹⁵So it is easy sometimes to fall out of balance, to feed one part of you, and neglect another, as the days roll by. ¹⁶But even in all the pain and the noise, you are still human, so you must seek balance, aligning your faith with your humanity, fighting not only for your dreams or beliefs or belongings, but for yourself.

RLI 4

¹TKS is a universal religion. ²Because although all things are in the universe, so too is the universe in all things. ³And although the universe is vast, it is not malicious, but it is not benevolent, either, it is only there. ⁴So all things are equal in the face of grandeur. ⁵But even still, religion is uniquely human, in a way, and TKS is for all humans. ⁶For as long as you are here today, then you can be good, in faith and in love. ⁷And this might not be a truth of the universe, but it is a truth of TKS, and therefore, TKS is a universal religion. ⁸And it is natural to wonder why TKS should be followed in the face of the different religions of the world. ⁹For religions can live in many ways, clinging to the fears and desires and emotions of the human. ¹⁰And TKS does not offer any magical incentives, for it knows it can only be a physical thing, a humble part of the physical universe. ¹¹But if you study the symbol and practice the scripture of TKS, really trying to understand the beauty of faith, then it will make you strong and happy in this world. ¹²For TKS knows that you do not just have a desire to do good, you have an obligation, too. ¹³And you cannot be forced to accept faith into your heart, but it is never too late to decide to have faith. ¹⁴And the universe will not judge you, for the universe can only exist. ¹⁵But even still, to accept faith you must submit yourself, humbly, taking responsibility for the vigor of your soul, understanding your obligation, as a human, and as a part of the universe. ¹⁶And many feel that the modern world is sick, that it is crumbling. ¹⁷And it is only natural that the corporations and media and ideologies of the modern world might reject TKS, not out of malice, but because they can only fight for themselves. ¹⁸For such is the nature of life, and indeed, TKS explicitly challenges the existence of these things, for all too often, this life only thrives by exploiting humanity. ¹⁹But those who stand against TKS need it most. ²⁰Because even if you do not feel that TKS is good, you must know that faith is good, a fact so pure that you cannot disagree, as a human. ²¹So TKS will change your life, but only if you let it.

LIM 4

¹It is not clear just how high or far the mountain of the universe extends. ²And life, like all things in the universe, is part of the mountain, emerging from the rocks as they slip and tumble down its face. ³But all things in the universe are made of the same thing, the great energy of the mountain, tracing all the way back to the least likely state. ⁴And pure energy is not too interesting, but neither is pure dust. ⁵For it is not the size of life that makes it strong, it is the structure, the precision of the specific configuration of the energy from which life arises. ⁶And although life can be small, this is the beauty of life, for even in the tiniest corners of the universe, the possibilities are infinite. ⁷So life can only ever be an intermediate state, only possible through a delicate balance. ⁸A balance between life and death, energy and time, perfectly in the middle, sitting calmly on some edge of chaos. ⁹For just as there is life and death in this universe, there is a chaotic noise, too, the splashing and swirling of randomness and turbulence in the wind. ¹⁰But chaos is a beautiful thing, never ending, in a way, for even as you look closer, its edges cut finer and finer into the fabric of what is possible. ¹¹And it is perhaps impossible to ever understand the true nature of cause and effect, the chaos of the rocks as they bump and crash into each other, leading to forever unpredictable results. ¹²So things are not the way they are for any particular reason, they simply are, because causes are lost in the chaos. ¹³But this does not mean that truth is not beautiful, for although the universe is vast, more importantly, its laws are diverse and delicate, allowing for life to emerge from the dirt. ¹⁴In the modern world, the life is strong, but the cliffs are steep. ¹⁵So it is easy sometimes to have things backwards, to worry too much about reasons and not enough about truth. ¹⁶Because you are only here through balance, living on an edge of chaos, but you are special in this world, not for any particular reason, but because you can hope that you are. ¹⁷So you must not only seek this balance, but really try to feel it, or else you might be sent flying, tumbling over the cliffs and into the abyss below.