Meredith, thank for discussing so well the “aftermath” of disclosure: how ontological shock does not have to mean ontological collapse of self/world. Whitley Strieber has also been emphasizing this point—once “the government” decides to say: “They’re real,” there’s no taking back that statement. Everyone will have to digest it as best they can. I’m Catholic, so I’ve been wrestling with how to “frame” ETI for a long time. Pope John Paul II stated: “They are children of God.” That is, they are creatures, aspects of creation like all those other aspects (galaxies, black holes, subatomic particle, the human “unconscious,” and so on) that were unknown in Biblical times. Today, we are faced with the fact that plants are somehow conscious, have intentions, and possess astonishing intelligence. This is not what I was taught back in the day! Ontological/theological resilience requires a way of accommodating an unanticipated Otherness without concluding they are “demons,” that is, entities somehow belonging to the Biblical order of things. By regarding the Others as demonic, we conclude that they have supernatural power against which we are powerless, but Strieber emphasizes that this is not the way to go. I agree with him. Who/whatever They are, they are entities with powers and limits, entities that we are going to have to contend with as best we can. And yes, prayer may well be a factor if this process is to be successful. We may recall that in the mid-19th and 20th centuries evolutionary theory was supposed to render God as unnecessary. But now we know that we still can’t figure out how ”life” got started in the first place. Seems like a miracle. As does our incredibly fine-tuned universe. Whoever They are, they have an origin story, a history, and intentions. Recall how native Americans were astounded by the Spanish arriving with their sailing ships, rifles and cannons, razor sharp swords, and horses—as if they were beings from another world. Yet, in the end, they were human after all. The Others we may be about to confront are evidently not human, but neither are they gods or demons. The fact that some of them seek to create alien/human hybrids suggests that we are somehow related to them. We humans need to assert our own value, worth, and purpose in the face of those whose reality may soon be disclosed “officially.” It’s too bad that there has not been a longer-term preparation process of preparation for this moment. This has been left to the sci-fi writers, filmmakers, theologians, philosophers, scientists, UFO researchers, experiencers, and others who have attempted to make sense of UFO sightings, abductions, and the high-strangeness associated with all of it. Thank goodness for them!
Michael, to extend your example of native Americans' first experience of European technology, they didn't initially even see the Spanish ships although anchored well within sight. They were blind to what had no definition. Whatever the source of the phenomenon we're currently experiencing, it may be so foreign to our ontological assumptions, so alien, that initially we can't even see what's well within sight.
Thank you for this reminder, Charles. I recall reading about this years ago—that native Americans could not “see” the sailing ships not far offshore. Our perceptual abilities are tied to adaptive survival demands—everything else tends not to show up for us. And yes, how much are we failing to notice?
The UFO phenomena doesn't speak only about aliens, it speaks about human fragility. What happens when the rationalist, who lived all his life in the comfortable secular bubble, meets the bizarre?
UFO disclosure will not trigger a paradigm shift, it will trigger a shift in perception. This is why it is so dangerous.
There is more going on than NHI beings and their advanced technology. Many of us also experience paranormal entities like shadow beings, cryptids and shapeshifters. This may be hard for some nonexperience people to deal with. It makes some of us wonder what we are dealing with. I try to view it all with curiosity and wonder while trying to avoid fear. Some call this the hitchhiker effect which is very real. I believe based on these encounters that it all is somehow connected. Disclosure may be a harder bill to swallow than most people realize. There is also an invisible intelligence that interact with many of us experiencers. It makes me wonder about the true nature of what we consider reality is. I believe we are encountering interdimensional beings beside what we consider alien beings. There are also portals that are very real, where they go I can not say for sure but it seems like Star Trek's transporters may be similar- matter to energy to matter. I appreciate being able to openly talk about this after many years of silence. I have felt the need to try to inform others so they can prepare themselves.
Coincidental (?) but of the three mechanisms to reduce stigma noted in Preparing for Disclosure: A Public Health Framework for Paradigm-shifting Revelations, the third (after mainstream media/public discourse and institutional permission-giving) was community-level contact through conversation groups. Something like a Discord server?
The same report stated: "Stigma around serious engagement with anomalous experiences and paradigm-shifting information is the primary obstacle to disclosure preparedness."
Hello again, Meredith! I thought that I would use the opportunity you offered us at the very end to introduce myself a little better and explain what drew me to Maze to Metanoia. Like I've mentioned before, the first certain contact that I had that I am aware of took place when I was seven years old in the late summer of 1972. My parents had sent me to bed - I'm guessing that it was around 8:30-9:00 pm. For whatever unknown reason, I felt drawn to look up outside the window above my bed. It was then that I saw what was clearly a UFO, but not the typical saucer shape that we are all familiar with. Mine was cigar-shaped and looked like a cross between the Goodyear Blimp and Captain Nemo's Nautilus submarine from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. It had almost a Steampunk kind of vibe to it. It was dark grayish in color and looked like it was covered in what appeared to be long planks. There was a single row of translucent windows that wrapped around the central perimeter of the craft - except for the rear. I believe that it was purposely engineered to resemble a blimp with fins at the rear - not unlike the supposed "drones" that were flying all around New Jersey a couple of years ago that assumed shapes resembling other aircraft. There were two dome-like structures - one at the top and one at the bottom of the craft that had alternating red-orange and yellow-white panels where each had a single light rotating synchronously very quickly. Inside the craft, I could clearly see three silhouetted humanoid figures that seemed to be wearing some kind of what appeared to be astronaut helmets. One sat at the rear of the craft and seemed to be in charge, while the other two had seemingly been working instrument panels at waist level below the panel of windows. The two that were working instrument panels then both came over to the leader and nodded, bowed, or saluted in some way that seemingly indicated that whatever they were trying to do had been accomplished. By that time, the craft - which was slowly making its way just above the treetops in my yard had continued on its silent east-west course toward the sunset. I moved to the other window in my bedroom and watched it as it continued to move west. Clearly, I had had some kind of out of body experience, as I was able to see the craft from multiple different angles that would have been otherwise impossible to view. After the encounter, I ran downstairs to tell my parents about it. They both thought that I was joking or something, and sent me back to bed. The next day, my dad had gone to work and I was in the kitchen with my mom. The radio was playing. It was our local station that was located just up the hill from where we had lived. The news came on and one of the stories that was reported was of multiple people calling in a UFO sighting in the area last night. My mom's jaw just dropped as she looked at me, and I remember telling her, "I told you so!" Ever since then, I have had many paranormal experiences, apparently manifesting psychic abilities as well. That, in a nutshell, is what eventually brought me to Maze to Metanoia. I could literally go on and on, but we'll save those stories for other times. Thank you for making this a welcoming space for experiencers!
Meredith, thank for discussing so well the “aftermath” of disclosure: how ontological shock does not have to mean ontological collapse of self/world. Whitley Strieber has also been emphasizing this point—once “the government” decides to say: “They’re real,” there’s no taking back that statement. Everyone will have to digest it as best they can. I’m Catholic, so I’ve been wrestling with how to “frame” ETI for a long time. Pope John Paul II stated: “They are children of God.” That is, they are creatures, aspects of creation like all those other aspects (galaxies, black holes, subatomic particle, the human “unconscious,” and so on) that were unknown in Biblical times. Today, we are faced with the fact that plants are somehow conscious, have intentions, and possess astonishing intelligence. This is not what I was taught back in the day! Ontological/theological resilience requires a way of accommodating an unanticipated Otherness without concluding they are “demons,” that is, entities somehow belonging to the Biblical order of things. By regarding the Others as demonic, we conclude that they have supernatural power against which we are powerless, but Strieber emphasizes that this is not the way to go. I agree with him. Who/whatever They are, they are entities with powers and limits, entities that we are going to have to contend with as best we can. And yes, prayer may well be a factor if this process is to be successful. We may recall that in the mid-19th and 20th centuries evolutionary theory was supposed to render God as unnecessary. But now we know that we still can’t figure out how ”life” got started in the first place. Seems like a miracle. As does our incredibly fine-tuned universe. Whoever They are, they have an origin story, a history, and intentions. Recall how native Americans were astounded by the Spanish arriving with their sailing ships, rifles and cannons, razor sharp swords, and horses—as if they were beings from another world. Yet, in the end, they were human after all. The Others we may be about to confront are evidently not human, but neither are they gods or demons. The fact that some of them seek to create alien/human hybrids suggests that we are somehow related to them. We humans need to assert our own value, worth, and purpose in the face of those whose reality may soon be disclosed “officially.” It’s too bad that there has not been a longer-term preparation process of preparation for this moment. This has been left to the sci-fi writers, filmmakers, theologians, philosophers, scientists, UFO researchers, experiencers, and others who have attempted to make sense of UFO sightings, abductions, and the high-strangeness associated with all of it. Thank goodness for them!
Michael, to extend your example of native Americans' first experience of European technology, they didn't initially even see the Spanish ships although anchored well within sight. They were blind to what had no definition. Whatever the source of the phenomenon we're currently experiencing, it may be so foreign to our ontological assumptions, so alien, that initially we can't even see what's well within sight.
Thank you for this reminder, Charles. I recall reading about this years ago—that native Americans could not “see” the sailing ships not far offshore. Our perceptual abilities are tied to adaptive survival demands—everything else tends not to show up for us. And yes, how much are we failing to notice?
‘first drafts of humane ideas are precious’. Beautifully put.
I agree with everything you said Meredith.
The UFO phenomena doesn't speak only about aliens, it speaks about human fragility. What happens when the rationalist, who lived all his life in the comfortable secular bubble, meets the bizarre?
UFO disclosure will not trigger a paradigm shift, it will trigger a shift in perception. This is why it is so dangerous.
I wrote a similar post to yours in my substack.
I'd love if you checked it out.
https://bluelightfraternity.substack.com/p/ufo-disclosure-and-the-collapse-of
This is big. Thank you for sharing!
There is more going on than NHI beings and their advanced technology. Many of us also experience paranormal entities like shadow beings, cryptids and shapeshifters. This may be hard for some nonexperience people to deal with. It makes some of us wonder what we are dealing with. I try to view it all with curiosity and wonder while trying to avoid fear. Some call this the hitchhiker effect which is very real. I believe based on these encounters that it all is somehow connected. Disclosure may be a harder bill to swallow than most people realize. There is also an invisible intelligence that interact with many of us experiencers. It makes me wonder about the true nature of what we consider reality is. I believe we are encountering interdimensional beings beside what we consider alien beings. There are also portals that are very real, where they go I can not say for sure but it seems like Star Trek's transporters may be similar- matter to energy to matter. I appreciate being able to openly talk about this after many years of silence. I have felt the need to try to inform others so they can prepare themselves.
Coincidental (?) but of the three mechanisms to reduce stigma noted in Preparing for Disclosure: A Public Health Framework for Paradigm-shifting Revelations, the third (after mainstream media/public discourse and institutional permission-giving) was community-level contact through conversation groups. Something like a Discord server?
The same report stated: "Stigma around serious engagement with anomalous experiences and paradigm-shifting information is the primary obstacle to disclosure preparedness."
Seems you're on the right track.
Hello again, Meredith! I thought that I would use the opportunity you offered us at the very end to introduce myself a little better and explain what drew me to Maze to Metanoia. Like I've mentioned before, the first certain contact that I had that I am aware of took place when I was seven years old in the late summer of 1972. My parents had sent me to bed - I'm guessing that it was around 8:30-9:00 pm. For whatever unknown reason, I felt drawn to look up outside the window above my bed. It was then that I saw what was clearly a UFO, but not the typical saucer shape that we are all familiar with. Mine was cigar-shaped and looked like a cross between the Goodyear Blimp and Captain Nemo's Nautilus submarine from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. It had almost a Steampunk kind of vibe to it. It was dark grayish in color and looked like it was covered in what appeared to be long planks. There was a single row of translucent windows that wrapped around the central perimeter of the craft - except for the rear. I believe that it was purposely engineered to resemble a blimp with fins at the rear - not unlike the supposed "drones" that were flying all around New Jersey a couple of years ago that assumed shapes resembling other aircraft. There were two dome-like structures - one at the top and one at the bottom of the craft that had alternating red-orange and yellow-white panels where each had a single light rotating synchronously very quickly. Inside the craft, I could clearly see three silhouetted humanoid figures that seemed to be wearing some kind of what appeared to be astronaut helmets. One sat at the rear of the craft and seemed to be in charge, while the other two had seemingly been working instrument panels at waist level below the panel of windows. The two that were working instrument panels then both came over to the leader and nodded, bowed, or saluted in some way that seemingly indicated that whatever they were trying to do had been accomplished. By that time, the craft - which was slowly making its way just above the treetops in my yard had continued on its silent east-west course toward the sunset. I moved to the other window in my bedroom and watched it as it continued to move west. Clearly, I had had some kind of out of body experience, as I was able to see the craft from multiple different angles that would have been otherwise impossible to view. After the encounter, I ran downstairs to tell my parents about it. They both thought that I was joking or something, and sent me back to bed. The next day, my dad had gone to work and I was in the kitchen with my mom. The radio was playing. It was our local station that was located just up the hill from where we had lived. The news came on and one of the stories that was reported was of multiple people calling in a UFO sighting in the area last night. My mom's jaw just dropped as she looked at me, and I remember telling her, "I told you so!" Ever since then, I have had many paranormal experiences, apparently manifesting psychic abilities as well. That, in a nutshell, is what eventually brought me to Maze to Metanoia. I could literally go on and on, but we'll save those stories for other times. Thank you for making this a welcoming space for experiencers!