The Ten Commandments

In the beginning, there existed only matter, void, and force.* Nothing more, nothing less. In the end, there will exist only matter, void, and force. Nothing more, nothing less.

Nothing comes from nothing; everything that can come into existence must do so from something already existing—from some combination of existing matter, void, and force. Matter is the lack of void, void the lack of matter. Matter and void must exist alongside each other; one for solid material entities, and the other for motion—for movement, unification, and dissolution when force acts upon matter. Force combines matter and void into complex entities, for without force, there would be no material aggregates or higher beings. Matter, void, and force are indestructible, and are only ever rearranged to compose new complex beings. What we claim to exist now exists only insofar that matter, void, and force exist to arrange and sustain simple beings as complex entities. From simples, aggregates can emerge when constituent particulate matter is imbued with a force. Everything complex can be reduced to its simples by threatening the force that holds its constituent particulate matter together.

We call these forces Light and Dark. Light is what unifies and creates. Dark is what disperses and destroys.

* The principles of matter and void are directly derived from Epicurean philosophy, which extols that matter and void are expressly the sole existing beings, and since nothing can come from nothing, everything must be an amalgamation of matter and void. Force, as described here, is not featured in Epicurean principles.

Upon examination of the life cycle of a candle, we find that the forces of Light and Dark converge. Even the mental concept of a candle is maintained by Light, for if the force of Dark were to predominate and wink out all Light, our mental unification of the concepts composing a candle would dissolve. We would forget the candle ever existed and, upon viewing a candle in real life, would no longer recognize it as a substance existing with being. A candle would become an unnamable, uncategorizable, unimaginable entity. Such is the nature of the force of Dark to corrupt the corruptible.

Those on Planeta Nox are so keen to worship Light and decry Dark, for they assume Light is the solution to eternal dark—creation to counter corruption. Nay, the candle, the Source of all Light, is to be exalted equally with the smudge, the Source of all Dark. Such as it is in the nature of Dark to corrupt the corruptible, it is in the nature of Light to create the creatable, and thus both forces must exist alongside each other for life—the life of the candle and the life of ourselves. Worship Light and Dark, if you may, but decry neither and give neither preference over the other.

Once upon a time, there existed two planets in harmony. Both bodies enjoyed equal light and dark—equal day and night. That is the extent of facts agreed upon. Our world of eternal dark, Planeta Nox, maintains that the world of eternal light, Planeta Lux, stole our Light force; the world of eternal light claims we stole its Dark force. This is known as the ‘Great Reversal,’ the exchange of suns of the exchange of night. Now there exist two distinct bodies, us on Planeta Nox and them on Planeta Lux, with eternal darkness and eternal lightness, respectively. The forces of Light and Dark—of creation and destruction—out of balance, both face grave struggle with sustaining existence, temporal passage, and what it means to know and remember.

This is a matter of Light and Dark; of life and death.

Here on Planeta Nox, we despise how Lux has seemingly eternal matter and little void. In a world of Light, they have such complex creations, but few possibilities with such fleeting void. Their abundant matter is like brass, sustaining the creationary light of their candle. Our source of creation diminishes at their hand. Planeta Lux stole our Light; Planeta Lux stole our life. Thou shalt not surrender to the brass; thou shalt not capitulate to Planeta Lux.

Darkness and destruction prevail on our earth, but fear not, for in such oblivion have we the greatest freedom to entreat Light to create. We depend on both Light and Dark, for sustained existence cannot persist with one lacking the other. But a severe imbalance of Dark destroys, and Planeta Nox must regain Light. We will not be destroyed; we will find our Light. All hail the flame of the candle; all hail the force of Light. Enlighten the candle and enlighten your mind; enliven the candle and enliven your matter.

There exists only matter, void, and force. A candle’s wax is a complex being composed of simple particulate matter, held together by the force of Light. But wax is not completely solid—it is not solely composed of matter—there must exist some void within the porous wax to allow for movement; this is why wax melts into itself.

Human beings, then, like all other substances, while composed of matter, also retain void. We depend upon Light to be sustained as a complex aggregate of matter, but also require a degree of Dark to break down what can then grow and be renewed. Void and Dark are prerequisites for the internal operations of the body, but they require the presence—and optimally a balance—of matter and Light.

As wax depends on surrounding void for its location and movement, and on surrounding matter for interaction, so, too, be like wax; positioned in space and able to interact with the matter and void encircling you.

As heated wax is liquid and unrestrained, but cool wax more solid and self-contained, so, too, be like wax; able to be heated and cooled, more supple or more strict.

Be like wax; matter, void, Light, and Dark. Neither hard nor soft, graceful, mobile, free at will.*

*The Epicureans very much desire free will in their philosophical school of thought. They attribute free will to the presence of the random ‘swerve’ of material atoms, but this random, uncaused swerve violates their principle that nothing comes from nothing (there is no origin or cause for the swerve). Thus, we have here introduced the forces of Light and Dark, as almost omnipotent entities—checked exclusively by the other (Light tempered by Dark and vice versa)—to permit randomness and free will. Light and Dark have always existed—nothing created them—and they do not require a cause to act; they simply are uncaused in their causal authority.

Just as a wick is soft and mobile, albeit still a solid, be like a wick; be dynamic and adaptable in yourself. Just as a wick’s existence depends on matter, void, Light, and Dark, your existence, too, depends on these; be grateful to the Holy Trinity: matter, void, and force, for your existence.

Just as a wick calls upon itself the power of Light to cast its flame, utilize intentionally what Light you can to self-maintain, create, and warm.

Just as a wick calls upon itself the power of Dark to temper its flame, utilize intentionally what Dark you can to self-maintain, uncreate, and cool.

Just as a wick sustains a flame, be courageous to sustain your own Light—your own source of creation.

Just as a wick chars, curls, and darkens when burned by flame, be humble and subservient to the forces of Light and Dark that create and destroy you.

We claim to be sustained by our breath. In actuality, we are sustained by our Holy Trinity: matter, void, and force. Together, these comprise what we know as our breath—our life-source.

In lighting a candle, we may attribute the initiation of a flame to a breath, but it is really a balanced composition of the Holy Trinity that is the breath of the flame—the breath of our existence. Matter, void, and force all ignite the candle, each component as important as the others.

With every breath you take, acknowledge the Holy Trinity within you. Feel the matter moving through the void with the power of force. Feel the Light flush the flame with increased vigor, and feel the Dark dim it; a flame dancing with matter, void, and force. Feel this with your flame, too.

With every breath of a candle, acknowledge the Holy Trinity outside of you. Revere matter, void, Light, and Dark, for these are the source of all existence, and these will be the sink for all existence.

When Light and Dark do not exist in an equal ratio, change occurs. If creation and destruction were in stagnation, then there would be no net creation and no destruction, only matter sustained and frozen in space. Without motion and change, matter and void would have no meaning.

We must acknowledge that there is a balance among Light and Dark—among creation and destruction—as matter, void, and force never perish, but are only ever rearranged. Locally, however, there are imbalances of Light and Dark. When we see a glow alight the wick of a candle, Light and creation are prominent. When we see the glow wink out, the equilibrium is shifted toward Dark and destruction. But Light should not be idolized as Dark is condemned; creation is not always favorable to destruction. A fully created world is one without opportunity and growth, and a fully destroyed world is one without the seed for such. Venerate instead balance and equality, for there must be an equivalence between matter and void and Light and Dark to support motion, change, and glow.

It may seem that Light—creation—can only propagate more Light, and that Dark—destruction—can only beget Dark, yet Light must exist against a background of not-Light—of Dark—and vice versa. Just as a flame is only bright insofar that there is darkness by which to compare the intensity of light against, Light can only create and renew when there also exists Dark destruction and decay.

Just as the flame of a candle flickers and wisps into the air, it may appear that Light exists only against an onslaught of attacks by Dark, and Light must constantly wisp and gasp to avoid suffocation. Nay, instead of assuming Light and Dark to be forces opposing in intent, understand these forces as opposing only in outcome—an outcome of creation or of destruction—and with the mutual intent of dynamic change. Thus, both Light and Dark must exist alongside each other.

What is the causal relationship between Light and Dark? Just as a flame reaches its peak, the candle begins to melt; at the height of creation, destruction is wrought. When there is too much Light, Darkness hearkens. In the world of eternal light, then, Dark will persist. In the world of eternal dark, Light will persist. The only solution to rebalance the forces, then, in eternal Light is more Light until we pass into the range of Dark and destruction. And so, this applies to the world of eternal Dark; more Dark is needed to cause Light and creation. Thus, in Planeta Nox, idolize not Light over Dark, but both, and so in Planeta Lux.

In the end, there will exist only matter, void, and force. Dust is matter reduced to its constituent parts, entirely free from the forces of creation and destruction, excluding ambient force. The process of disassembling from complex to simple requires Dark to predominate over Light—destruction adverse to creation—but heed established dust as a source for additional creation, growth, and renewal when Light advances. As individuals, like a candle, we will be reduced to dust, and only then will we be endowed with the great pleasure of opportunity for new creation, change, and growth.

In the beginning, there existed only matter, void, and force. Nothing more, nothing less. In the end, there will exist only matter, void, and force. Nothing more, nothing less.

Nothing comes from nothing; everything that can come into existence must do so from something already existing—from some combination of existing matter, void, and force. From simples, aggregates can emerge when constituent particulate matter is imbued with a force. Everything complex can be reduced to its simples by threatening the force that holds its constituent particulate matter together.

We call these forces Light and Dark. Light is what unifies and creates. Dark is what disperses and destroys.

If in the beginning, there existed only simple matter, abundant void, and ambient force, then in the end, will there exist only simple matter, abundant void, and ambient force? Will matter become a burden; will we surrender to void? Will we return to the beginning, only the simple left undestroyed?

All must hail thy forces.

Light is life. Dark is death.

Who will let there be light?

Who will breathe our next breath?