This brief, but major, APOETESSAY summarizes the core dynamic of my writings on breath and covenant.

These words theorize (mostly poetically with nudges from the sciences and concepts of webs and networks ) the nature of existence as it evolves from physicalities&energies to self-consciousness and the inevitable constructs of “the Divine” from religions and spiritualities. No, I will not attempt to draft a connecting line to all dimensions and histories of these realities. Nor will I attempt to draft connecting lines to all issues of physics, cosmology, psychology, etc. I intend to make a clear-uncluttered case for this though. Simplicity, as much as I can do it, is key to expressing the concept of THE HOLD. — Briefly, THE HOLD is that holding place-presencing ( intersection-juxtaposition ) where existence/awareness could go either way — because they are either way. Integral to that hold’s energy is that each is implied in the other– and like all plus&minus polarities there is Reciprocillation as THE HOLDING dynamic between the networks of attraction&repulsion. I’m no mathematician, but I’m assuming in this analysis that any and all formulas with an equal (=) signification are, in fact, holding in place the dynamics described by the interacting polar components. This dynamic R is what breaks symmetries and boring dualities — thus activating living systems and creativities — while, also, maintaining THE HOLD of it all.

Mathematics, as any reasoning thought to thoughtful reasoning, is a holding process in an essentially polarized/mirrorized existence.  And, to show both my hands early in this, consciousness is an evolved awareness from nature’s “holds” to mentally deliberate “holds” that generate decision — one way or another, while simultaneously holding those histories in Memory while living the future. Our “R” networking brain creates our mind-self-consciousness within a space-time-presencing field of our action/decision — in a manner beyond what snakes and sloths are incapable of doing. I describe this more below, but the issue of poetry ( arts, thinking, and poetries ) has a similar function–as we humans attempt to grasp universals from our mortal selves: transcendentals from immanences and their shared field of play.  Poetry expresses (ideally) the reciprocal hold/bond webbing of the self with the networking webs of existence — planetary to universes. (My breath aligned with Breath itself!) Thus, there’s a sense of the lived mechanics of life merged with metaphor hoping to grasp such a hold and comprehend it. There’s ever the debate, Yeats to Eliot, about composing poetic structure so the “Unity of Being”/”Spiritus Mundi” plays louder than the “self” of the poet/composer. I’ve argued in ALTARPIECES that the elimination of the self/poet ( as a living representative of humanity ) is not only impossible — but the greater accomplishment is to manifest what holds for both ways ( the ever-lasting role of metaphor) of how that  covenanting-entanglement happens. In actuality, the manifestation of the “R” dialogue that “holds” both in reciprocal tandem — is the ultimate achievement. For me, poetic achievement it at its best when this is accomplished. The work of critics is to make their own determination by analysis that the poem (formula-metaphor) “holds” both ways (Self&Being) as THE HOLD.

It is conceivable in this scenario that an inflationary universe could reach a hold position — from which it could either proceed forward or go back and start all over again, as it were. Breathing gives the fundamental ( cyclical ) example. We can at any time hold our breath and in that hold decide to exhale or inhale from that diaphragmatic pivot of conscious energy. This functions like the bottom base of the pyramid in the Quintetion, where the pyramid could develop either way from it. It is that fifth dimension ( instrument ) of the Quintetion breathing sequence, which is the incubation-hold-pause — that usually progresses to the inhale of AH-HA. But that HOLD always holds both possibilities. Just visualize two pyramids base to base, or point to point. In either case, this creates a palindrome, which reads the same from both ends — with the center of their meeting always in the hold position and as THE HOLD. Also, visualizing a pendulum swinging though that mid-point as it oscillates the reciprocal mirroring of both dimensions in unison. Behold! The Still Point of the Turning World! The goal of meditation. Get it! Hold it!

The mysterious feature is how there is this reciprocating hold networking as if from a mid-point. ( I’ve symbolized/defined it as an “A” in palindromes such as MOMAMOM. Here it is the “R.” See the glossary about this A. As physicists measure things — it could be some millionth of a second that manifests the hold. Or, what seems more likely, a holistic presencing at work throughout.) Easy to see this — be this — in breathing and conscious awareness holdings. Alas, we do know how to hold our breath and manage it. Even in various plays of our 3-D world, animals, creatures of land and sea and air, and insects and snakes, etc. can be seen to make awareness pauses midst alternatives and decide which way to go.( For feeding, mating, or to escape predators, usually. ) But the quantum-atomic-particle world so constantly&complexly on the move — is not so easy. Particles are waves and waves are particles. (And Schrodinger’s cat is in suspenseful hold of being both alive&dead, until it’s made to move one way or the other.) But this HOLD is what the physicists-cosmologists-scientists are attempting to discover/ describe by TOE&GUT: namely, what holds all forces and laws of existence together in unison….as THE HOLD. So we ask, what is THE HOLD that will keep the universe’s increasing inflation from dwindling off into a  nonexistence that’s lost its hold? And if existence has no boundries — as Hawkings and others surmise — what keeps the saddle ( that holds ) on the galloping horse that goes wheresoeverhowsoeverwhysoever? Alas, the human race, so conscious of its ability to hold and know itself within that hold in space and time (THE HOLD manifests both together) invariably has created the concept of “God-Deity-Divinity” as THE HOLDER. The Tertium Quid of all Polar Quiddity. Some go so far as to conceive us and existence as on strings like puppets in THE HOLD OF THE GREAT PUPPETEER. (Another version of String Theory, perhaps.) I prefer to conceive THE HOLD with no strings attached. And never out of breath.

Mathematics, syllogistic thought, and poetries are, to me, expressions of what holds with living facts — as our consciousness can hold them and know them. . . and reciprocally/covenantally,  live them in an ever-constant left-right, both sides of the coin spinning,  decision making scenario of complexio oppositorum. Einstein’s famous formula reverses like and image in a mirror with the inherent-reciprocal inclusiveness of every plus and minus: as mass&energy in his formula– each of which can flop on either side of the coin and “=.” Yes, THE HOLD is rather magical and mysterious. And it seems the web-juncture of THE HOLD is where space and time are jointly created by the very fact of an energy that holds the action so both maintain the action and the holding of it.

I’ve written much about covenant, reciprocity, entanglement, reciprocillation, and breathing as related to the give&take “R” take&give embodied in each. It seems to me that it is the reciprocillation itself that’s THE HOLD: fueled by the great trinity of lungs-diaphram-air. This seems so in existence, as we live and grasp it  — and can see that  this makes self-consciousness possible: meaning it has evolved from mere creature awareness in the flow, to a creature that knows how to hold its own in the flow as its own holding. Indeed, a creature manifesting and managing reciprocillation.  It is an immanence achieving a transcendence of the flow by experiencing a “self” that holds as a “self” midst the flow of alternatives — which the self knows it chooses consciously. Give evolution many millions of years with that experience and you arrive at the very self-conscious-consciousness that humanity has attained.  Memory is THEHELD OF THE HOLD. The sequence of breathing has been critical to in-forming our consciousness. Perhaps, self-consciousness of one’s own breathing is the keystone to the archway/threshold beyond the jungle. One must factor it in every formula/concept. My site category — The Breath of Life — takes the stance that our breathing ( as AIRS — aspiration/inspiration/respiration/spiritualization ) is a reflective product ( strangely mirrored for sure ) from the fundamental laws of existence: in which I include reciprocillation. I’ve no proofs or formulae that can hold this above theory and metaphor.

 But, remember, the scientists are all in the realm of hypothesis, theory, and formulae that are lovely, but many such can’t make it , as yet,  in the real world. — So, THE HOLDING OF THE HOLD IN THE HELD — thus described — is why I stamp inside the covers of my books the classic phrase TO HAVE AND TO HOLD. Be it a thought, a home, a love, a dream, a memory, a book — whatever — to know that one has it and that it holds true is to feel “held” — and in control of one’s breathing; as at one with BREATH itself. This is the power of meditation, faith, science, literature, the arts, covenants, etc. And it is this HOLDING PATTERN (as it were– a framed painting, structured verse, DNA, or sonata) that “holds its own” even through the oscillations and breaking of symmetries to release new manifestations of existence. Water is a good example — keeping its hold as liquid-solid(ice)-gas. And breathing, as we know, is different sitting in front of a TV, sleeping, exercising, or running a marathon. One sees in this how the breaking of symmetry happens — while in THE HOLDING OF THE HOLD OF THE HELD.  All creatures (and mechanical systems as lungs, tornados, and black holes ) breathe, but only humans do marathons, create breathing mechanisms, and know that when breathing ceases so do we.  Indeed, when planet Earth can no longer breathe — it, too, will cease to be. The “holding pattern” of reciprocillation between polarities manifests THE HOLD of life on to itself. This is, in poetic-metaphoric fact, the quintessential union force holding all other universal forces together. Perhaps this is the “dark energy.” Perhaps this is the Higgs-God-Particle that holds reality into structures and stable processes.  Perhaps, cries the poet, this is The Breath of Life.

Perhaps our Existence breathes so — (so we breathe “R” breathe we so) — as so breathes Existence.  As the universe breathes so do we!!  We are, after all, creatures of this creation. Spiritus Mundi Humani “R” Humani Mundi Spiritus. I was thinking of this when I chose iUniverse to publish my trilogy.– Alas, if what I’ve said in this APOETESSAY  “holds,” then it’s graspable as a deep breathing exercise, a drink of ice water, and a creative thought — the peace of “home.” In Breath We Trust!! Without its “hold” — midst inhales&exhales and all the oscillations/collisions of galaxies and universes and magnetic realities of this planet — we’ve nothing else to hold on to. And, remember, this is a poet’s composition. But no mysticisms, ancient tales, or occult constructs here. THE HOLD is real-time-breathing — an every day quotidian holding hands with quantum theories and all current queries of quintessences. Someday the math will come that holds THE HOLD. But one doesn’t need the math to know when one’s in THE HOLDING OF THE HOLD OF THE HELD.  Under this tree, I/We compose “Poetries of a New Spirituality.” Alas, to consciously hold (O the holos&holies&web-complexities) one’s breath is to know its hold . . . not just to live it in the now — but as a past with a future. — So, why is there anything rather than nothing? Answer for now: try to stop breathing and see what happens. And what was the Great Before — before every ever-after? A God concept has been the easy hypothesis: most created — old –dogmatisms crumble under modern scrutiny, however.  Our telescope sciences are seeing mysteries, issues, and vastnesses never seen before. We may never know THE HOLD that holds it all through reciprocillation. But whatever, its first-most articulation must have been an “Ah-Ha” of “Let There Be Breath” — followed by one whale of an exhalation.

—mdok–6/18/19