from Letter Twenty-Five "Future-Future"

“How can you vigilans do without names? I just don’t get it.”

That’s quite true. [You touch my shoulder gently. My body
suddenly remembers a more intimate touch from you. But you stare
firmly at me.] You don't get it. You cannot get it. Humans could
not understand this without awakening their deep appreciation. It
simply would not make sense to the mind-rooted awareness.

As I explained, the practice of not-naming, began in my grand-
parents’ time. Over the first few centuries, vigilans gradually found
themselves wanting to use names less and less, even though we pos-
sessed them. Finally, the practice was simply discontinued all to-
gether. Using the deepened sense of appreciation, we innately know
who we are meeting or referring to. It is a spontaneous function
that we don’t even think about.

“But how do you refer to one another? What if I wanted to ex-
plain to you that I just met this old guy in the year 1001 AI? How
would I name him to you?”

You would not need to name him. You would only have to in-
troduce me to his presence, the image of his soul that lodges within
your own aura, and arises as you speak of him. I know this is most
confusing to you. There is really no way I can explain it to your
mind. You will have to read between the lines for this, once again.

“But you yourself have used the names ‘vigilan’ and ‘human’ to
refer to our respective species.”

True. Normally, we would not use these labels amongst our-
selves. I have been aware that you would need them for your com-
prehension in these letters, however. Just the same, I have not ob-
jected to your giving me the name ‘Orange’.

[Our new friend speaks up.] “While vigilans in your time, found
it useful to drop naming. In my time, we find it quite disagreeable
and even repugnant. When you name someone, you reduce him or
her to an object. It would take the soul out of us, and block the im-
age of presence. If you don’t use names, you get to know people so
much better. Of course, this assumes you are also actively applying
direct consciousness. Naming stops you in your mind, and keeps
you there. It is a box the spirit has trouble climbing out of, once it’s
been put there.”
 

Copyright © 2009 by Robert Potter