My recently published short film, The Fall, is a metaphysical parable that arose from my anguish during the time of Covid. The insanity around the pandemic brought to a head the pervasive wrongness of the civilized world that has often made me wonder, “What the heck am I doing here? Who marooned me on Planet Crazy?”
Dear Charles, once upon a time there was a group of Christians ( about 24,000) from 1939-1945, who witnessed the worst of humanity. They consciously chose to risk their lives, the lives of their families and friends and everything they had, to save the Jews who were being slaughtered in a systemic and government approved genocide. They were and are called the Righteous. There was nothing different or special about them. They came from everywhere in Europe and all walks of life. These Righteous Among Nations only had one thing in common: they knew the difference between right and wrong. It’s they who have given me hope to carry on and even teach the horrors of modern humanity in a museum of the Holocaust. And you, young man, not only give me hope, but probably saved the life during the recent pandemic of this almost 80 yr old woman. It was one word that kept me from putting my life in danger; it was one word that I myself couldn’t come up with when I intuitively knew getting the jab was wrong. And that word was DISSENT. Thank you for that word and for possibly saving my life. And of course, thank you for being one of the modern day Righteous.
"When one awakens to it, it seems so monstrous, so inconceivable, so intolerable that one cannot understand how others so readily accept it as normal. The result is a profound sense of alienation." I daresay this is exactly how so many of us felt, and may still be feeling. Thank you that all of us are likely feeling less alien because of your work.
I appreciated this film, Charles, and its message of the 'trust-fall'. It seemed to me to correlate with your talk on synchronicities. My readers and I have been finding them coming thick and fast in recent days, little reminders that this is an illusion and we can change it, and we're not alone. Here's the episode I did on your talk: https://thirdparadigm.substack.com/p/the-space-between-stories-charles.
Your interpretation of what is happening and what needs to happen is inspiring!
While it doesn’t sugarcoat the insanity we see, it offers one avenue for understanding, and more importantly, a sense of togetherness, in doing whatever we can to uplift and transform it
Indeed, Charles, we are here doing our soul work, each alone making our choices, and together making our choices. Many souls, and many angels watching over us in other dimensions.
I love this so much. When I watched it the first time it instantly reminded me of your ending passages in your book The More Beautiful World Our Hearts Know Is Possible. A very beautiful and resonant visual piece that allows me to remember why I am here and continue to be present even in those moments where I feel despondent and treading water in the face of all that is happening in this world. When I am present with myself while interacting with others then the true connection happens, the hope and light returns and we inspire one another to be our true ourselves in preparation for what is to come. I love that the film ends with the baby's cry, new life coming into this world. People ask how we could possibly dare to bring children into this world at a time like this, suggesting that it is a selfish and inane decision to do so, but it is not just the parent's choice. There is a spiritual contract created between parent and child, an agreement reached before the baby is even conceived. The child is also the one who chooses to come into this world because they know that they have gifts which can help to heal this world. Whenever I spend time with my young nephew who is about a year and half old I know what a bright light he is and remember that he chose to be here. And I am so grateful that he is here. And I am so grateful that we all chose to be here at this time. We're not alone. Thank you.
There's another interpretation of what the fall represented.
Before eating of the tree of knowledge, man and woman were in paradise.
There was nothing to worry about. One could live without needing to plan for much besides what to eat. This was a state not unlike what animals live in. There's some planning and thinking, but there is no need for higher level consciousness. You could also say that some tribes live this way, like the Pirahas of the Amazon who count one, a few, and many. There was no need to think about counting accurately.
The symbolism of eating from the tree of knowledge was when humanity started to need to know more things in order to survive. This came from moving from living as foragers and hunters and small agriculture into a system that required a lot more planning and preparation.
The Ishmael books by Daniel Quinn explain this in a similar way. Modern agriculture is what complicated life and as a result, we have a lot more things to think about. His stories also add how there's a side effect of this increase in cognition. We lost a lot of the wisdom of nature and life as agriculture is more like the caged domesticated version of nature.
PS. I am writing a book for children about the Righteous and would humbly welcome a visual artist to bring some of the stories to life. My purpose is to illustrate that we have choice and HOPE. My email is truthandbeauty401@gmail.com
Dear Charles, this piece is my personal favourite of yours. You've managed to hold a mature softness of care while not turning away from the terror of what can, in some modern human minds, become inexplicably normalized - seemingly without any modicum of awareness at the harm being caused to all life. It's really the frog in the water, isn't it. But that mature softness of care is also fierce, and we are here to rise to the occasion. I think the Fall is a leap of faith into recognizing our Interbeing, as originally conceived by Master Thich Nhat Hanh. Thank you for leaping :)
Thank you for the interpretation… that helps as my first impression of the film was that is was so deeply desolate and there appeared no glimpse of hope for humanity’s devastating story separation and trajectory of doom. I had not seen the fall as leap of hope but rather a sacrificial falling into the despair - which i did think was an unlikely narrative from you….I shall watch it again now with fresh eyes. I loved the animation by the way.
Interpretations of The Fall
Dear Charles, once upon a time there was a group of Christians ( about 24,000) from 1939-1945, who witnessed the worst of humanity. They consciously chose to risk their lives, the lives of their families and friends and everything they had, to save the Jews who were being slaughtered in a systemic and government approved genocide. They were and are called the Righteous. There was nothing different or special about them. They came from everywhere in Europe and all walks of life. These Righteous Among Nations only had one thing in common: they knew the difference between right and wrong. It’s they who have given me hope to carry on and even teach the horrors of modern humanity in a museum of the Holocaust. And you, young man, not only give me hope, but probably saved the life during the recent pandemic of this almost 80 yr old woman. It was one word that kept me from putting my life in danger; it was one word that I myself couldn’t come up with when I intuitively knew getting the jab was wrong. And that word was DISSENT. Thank you for that word and for possibly saving my life. And of course, thank you for being one of the modern day Righteous.
"When one awakens to it, it seems so monstrous, so inconceivable, so intolerable that one cannot understand how others so readily accept it as normal. The result is a profound sense of alienation." I daresay this is exactly how so many of us felt, and may still be feeling. Thank you that all of us are likely feeling less alien because of your work.
My son remembers that journey and talked about it from a very early age.
Thank you, Charles. I needed this today ❤️
Wow.. thank you for sharing the truth and the hope.
An angel fell down from the sky some day
and landed right in your heart
and this you have just recently realized—
that you are the only chance it’s got
to survive down here
that your honest and sincere engagement
is its return ticket to the sky
Charles, the film and the message is profound and powerful -especially with your so beautifully written and expressed explanation. thank you
I appreciated this film, Charles, and its message of the 'trust-fall'. It seemed to me to correlate with your talk on synchronicities. My readers and I have been finding them coming thick and fast in recent days, little reminders that this is an illusion and we can change it, and we're not alone. Here's the episode I did on your talk: https://thirdparadigm.substack.com/p/the-space-between-stories-charles.
Your interpretation of what is happening and what needs to happen is inspiring!
While it doesn’t sugarcoat the insanity we see, it offers one avenue for understanding, and more importantly, a sense of togetherness, in doing whatever we can to uplift and transform it
Indeed, Charles, we are here doing our soul work, each alone making our choices, and together making our choices. Many souls, and many angels watching over us in other dimensions.
I love this so much. When I watched it the first time it instantly reminded me of your ending passages in your book The More Beautiful World Our Hearts Know Is Possible. A very beautiful and resonant visual piece that allows me to remember why I am here and continue to be present even in those moments where I feel despondent and treading water in the face of all that is happening in this world. When I am present with myself while interacting with others then the true connection happens, the hope and light returns and we inspire one another to be our true ourselves in preparation for what is to come. I love that the film ends with the baby's cry, new life coming into this world. People ask how we could possibly dare to bring children into this world at a time like this, suggesting that it is a selfish and inane decision to do so, but it is not just the parent's choice. There is a spiritual contract created between parent and child, an agreement reached before the baby is even conceived. The child is also the one who chooses to come into this world because they know that they have gifts which can help to heal this world. Whenever I spend time with my young nephew who is about a year and half old I know what a bright light he is and remember that he chose to be here. And I am so grateful that he is here. And I am so grateful that we all chose to be here at this time. We're not alone. Thank you.
There's another interpretation of what the fall represented.
Before eating of the tree of knowledge, man and woman were in paradise.
There was nothing to worry about. One could live without needing to plan for much besides what to eat. This was a state not unlike what animals live in. There's some planning and thinking, but there is no need for higher level consciousness. You could also say that some tribes live this way, like the Pirahas of the Amazon who count one, a few, and many. There was no need to think about counting accurately.
The symbolism of eating from the tree of knowledge was when humanity started to need to know more things in order to survive. This came from moving from living as foragers and hunters and small agriculture into a system that required a lot more planning and preparation.
The Ishmael books by Daniel Quinn explain this in a similar way. Modern agriculture is what complicated life and as a result, we have a lot more things to think about. His stories also add how there's a side effect of this increase in cognition. We lost a lot of the wisdom of nature and life as agriculture is more like the caged domesticated version of nature.
PS. I am writing a book for children about the Righteous and would humbly welcome a visual artist to bring some of the stories to life. My purpose is to illustrate that we have choice and HOPE. My email is truthandbeauty401@gmail.com
Dear Charles, this piece is my personal favourite of yours. You've managed to hold a mature softness of care while not turning away from the terror of what can, in some modern human minds, become inexplicably normalized - seemingly without any modicum of awareness at the harm being caused to all life. It's really the frog in the water, isn't it. But that mature softness of care is also fierce, and we are here to rise to the occasion. I think the Fall is a leap of faith into recognizing our Interbeing, as originally conceived by Master Thich Nhat Hanh. Thank you for leaping :)
Thank you for the interpretation… that helps as my first impression of the film was that is was so deeply desolate and there appeared no glimpse of hope for humanity’s devastating story separation and trajectory of doom. I had not seen the fall as leap of hope but rather a sacrificial falling into the despair - which i did think was an unlikely narrative from you….I shall watch it again now with fresh eyes. I loved the animation by the way.
Hope does spring eternal.