Here’s our key

A philosophy

You and me

Just need Infinity

Have any of us who’ve heard the song, Infinity 2008, by Guru Josh Project ever really grasped the mind-shatteringly deep message behind that recurring chorus? 

Guru Josh Project was onto something here. And the fact they call themselves “guru” might be for good reason. Just for a moment, consider these lyrics—as I tenderly do—as a possible new religion.

Hear me out. 

Let’s begin with the infinity symbol. It’s cyclic. There is no beginning, there is no end. Curiously, the sign forms two shapes which reflect each other. 

∞

Although the infinity symbol was introduced by the English mathematician John Wallis in 1655, the exact origin of this symbol specifically is not known. It may have derived from the Roman numeral for 1000, or from the Greek symbol for omega, or the lemmiscate from geometry. But regardless of where it originates, the fact that its origin is not definitive emphasizes its very nature. No beginning. No end. Indefinite.

In this vein, another song comes to mind. In 1991, R.E.M. released “Losing My Religion.” Although the title itself is an expression from the South, meaning losing one’s temper, patience, or composure—and not a literal loss of faith—its lyrics prompt me to reconsider the meaning of religion. R.E.M.’s lyrics here express feelings of doubt, frustration, and longing. Perhaps the singer’s grappling with the pain of unrequited love, whether given to someone or to the world through his creative expression. Or the song may also convey a sense of difficulty in maintaining confidence when faced with challenges.

But there’s something especially intriguing about the theme of ‘losing’ that R.E.M. explores. Perhaps it’s about losing a sense of self or our beliefs. I think the lyrics are deliberately ambiguous to allow us to project our own experiences and emotions onto the song. My personal takeaway is a feeling of emptiness and a longing for openness—ideas that lead me to crave a simpler kind of religion.

With the complexity of our human nature and emotions, we need simplicity to religiously (excuse my pun) reground, recenter, and rediscover ourselves.

Religion (from the Latin “religare,” meaning ‘to bind’ or ‘to link’) originates from the idea of re-ligating—connecting to our center. Yet, as humans, we often find this so difficult that we turn to external sources to give us a sense of reverence. But what if the true focus was already within, infinite and boundless? So, I ask you Dear Sage, could we use this one symbol, INFINITY, with all its implied notions, to start our own (private) religion?

I like it. I’ll take it. And I’ll call it Infinitism. 

So here, I present you with the solemn tenets of this new holy order: 

• Birth vs death, being vs not being, sameness vs difference… We might consider these the root of our agonies. Good vs evil. Spirit vs science. Mind vs body. What if we eliminate the “versus” altogether and use “and” instead? Beautiful and ugly. Fullness and emptiness. Effectiveness and ineffectiveness. One and the many. All these seeming oppositions—all these apparent “separations”—might just as well be perceived as an illusion. Everything/everyone is interconnected. Is One and the same. For a deeper dive head over to—>  One and The Same. 
• Nirvana, Heaven, Paradise… they don’t have to be places we hope to get to. They don’t have to be something we dream of reaching one day. They can exist here, right now. A very appealing concept I might say. 
• Living in the idea of Infinity means there doesn’t have to be a beginning or an end. Infinity implies that everything we strive to be, we already are. And if not fully realized in this moment, we have been, can be, or will be in the scope of multiple lives. I personally have never been a fan of limits.
• We can think of ourselves—and everything—as being empty. Honestly, I feel lighter already. But empty of what? Empty in a way that frees us from rigid definitions or separations. A bird embodies every aspect of the Cosmos—not just its feathers and song, but the wind, the sky, the trees, all other species in its surroundings. The only thing a bird is truly empty of is the ability to be anything other than itself. The same might be said for us.
• And just as we can see a bird as part of Nature and Time—-and not just as a bird—we can also understand the deeper reality and interconnectedness of all other things. When we view a person without considering their culture, ancestry, education, or society, we are not truly seeing them. To see deep is to acknowledge the infinite essence within is all, beyond the superficial and fleeting impressions.
• Essentially, we are enough as we are. We can evolve and discover our many facets, knowing we hold the Universe and its infinite possibilities within us. By practicing awareness, we realize we’re already where we need to be. How nice, no?, to allow ourselves that peace and joy right now?
• We can surf life’s waves and sail through its rough oceans of delusion and illusion, birth and death, confidence and insecurity. But know it’s all part of Infinity. We can ride through it all in our humble boat, and wear a serene, compassionate and understanding grin 😁 . Or try to, at least. Ahoy, to better winds ahead!
• And let’s not forget, it’s from the storm that the rainbow emerges. And that ONLY through our suffering can we reflect on what is actual Paradise and our sense of self. 

Did I convince you? Doesn’t Infinity say it all? Doesn’t it invite us to be fearless… to be free… to help those who need our help, because they are just like us, all one and the same? And doesn’t it urge us to become enlightened right now, to live infinity-minded in a world of pain and bliss, and perfect imperfection? 

When I feel empty, centered and free—infinitely free—within myself, in spite of all my limits, negative experiences and feelings, that feeling feels Godly. And when I feel enthralled—blissfully, grinningly content, and perhaps even enlightened—thanks to the simplest or deepest of pleasures, that feeling, too, feels quite Godly. 

So, might this mean that God is freedom? And might all these feelings just be another way of seeing Infinity? And when this centeredness and openness originate from being self-loving and all-loving, might this realization be what they call spiritual fulfillment? 

Okay, so:

Here’s our key.

A Philosophy. 

Cuz freaks like us

Just need Infinity