The Grand Tapestry

Transfiguration, by Alex Grey

One of our many favorite passages from The Risen:

In spite of our current self-imposed limitations, through imagination we are able to continuously find transformational ways to locate, engage, embrace, communicate, and commune with others—wherever, whenever, and however they may be. We are “beings in movement” and “becomings in transformation.” These transformational movements are the creative methods of interweaving of all things living—and remain aware that there is nothing that is not living. Note that “creative” is used here instead of “manifesting” for one of the very few times in this book. In this instance, creative means “fun,” or more succinctly, “to enjoy.” That is, to join with the drawing forth of joy from where all pleasure surges forth, and to permeate our life with that joy.
    Keeping the Risen concept of weaving in mind, what we have before us, and are integrated in, is a Supreme Tapestry. There appears to be a Very Grand Design which we all follow, either in awareness or not, co-creatively or not— “creatively” again meaning “with fun.” The Grand Design is a work of perfection intermingled with imperfection, solutions with problems, brilliance with faux pas, and stillness within movement. As we weave we are free to make it up as we go along in any way that pleases us, while simultaneously staying within the Grand Design as imagined by Higher Imaginals, of whom we are an inseparable part. The Higher Imaginals are many things, but for our purposes here it suffices to say that they are unimaginably advanced, evolved individuals—or Most High Selves of Authenticity. Because It is infinite in concept and execution, it’s not possible to stray from the Great Design—so it’s not possible to be judged for appearing to do so, or even for wanting to.
    Although provocative in an illustrative way, the idea of a tapestry is a limiting concept and can be misleading. An earthly tapestry is a two-dimensional representational projection onto a three-dimensional object, used to portray three- and four-dimensional worlds—the fourth dimension being time. With the mind’s eye, it is possible to expand this concept by seeing a tapestry as woven not in a flattened manner, but as interwoven from all directions and by all beings, simultaneously. Picture this happening as guided by some kind of Great Designer who is presently unknown to us from within our limited dimensional awareness. Proceed further by seeing the interweaving occurring within different kinds of time, which gives rise to movement, which is change. We begin to comprehend the idea of a living work of art, which is Life as we know it, and as we don’t know it. Lastly, imagine that we are each a Great-Designer-In-Progress.