This site is revised and updated, and it replaces
all the pages previously hosted on bestweb.net.
read Jonathan's most recent Feature Articles
go to revised Mandelbrot Cosmology pages

"Life offers a diverse array of experiences
and a variety of distinct areas of endeavor,
but it appears that there's a common thread
which weaves it all together."

                - Jonathan J. Dickau

This web-site is dedicated to the search
for that Common Thread, and it is currently
undergoing both design changes and content
revisions, so we can demonstrate this more clearly
and better document the extraordinary progress Jonathan
has made in his search.  We apologize for any technical errors
which remain in these works.   Some are being edited, and the author
asks that experts in those fields touched by his work please be
patient with him and offer corrections, where possible.

Jonathan's Search
(an explanation of purpose)

        For quite a few years now, Jonathan has been seeking to discover the secret inner workings of reality, with an emphasis on integrating knowledge he has obtained from various disciplines and understanding the root cause of all things.  While this pursuit (finding the origin of the universe) properly pertains to Cosmology, Jonathan's inquiries have not been limited to those studies which are considered germane to that topic.  In his view, a true Theory of Everything must consider far more than some scientists are prepared to settle for describing, touching all areas of life, and it is his belief that such a view is indeed emerging, despite the fact that many people's minds are still closed to that possibility.  Is there a consistent view, which embraces both the knowledge of Science and the wisdom of Spirit?  A fairly large segment of the scientific community believes that there is no place for such questions in the world of Science.  If the human race is to survive, however, we must learn to integrate the messages of humanity's highly evolved souls with the knowledge obtained through Science and Mathematics.  Humanity must develop inner wisdom great enough to accomodate the outer knowledge we are accumulating, in Jonathan's opinion.  Only a thoughtful and enlightened view of the blessings afforded us by the advances in Science and Technology will assure that they are used for our benefit.  A sort of compassionate, but skeptical, open-mindedness is something helpful we can all strive for as we continue to learn and grow, but there is also something more to be sought.

        Jonathan believes there is a Common Thread running through the views of reality held by ancient teachers and those of modern scientists, which can be discerned, but requires a particular kind of attention to discover.  Studying the parallels between inner and outer evolution reveals that they have many of the same recurring messages about the nature of reality, and of life itself.  Does the creative process remain the same in all cases, both the universal and the individual?  Is there a law governing process itself, which dictates the nature of all creation?  Jonathan believes that there is indeed an underlying pattern, or an arrangement of patterns, which governs both the great and the small, and determines the course of evolution of all things.  He has spent a great deal of his time attempting to delineate some of this internal structure of reality.  By placing greater attention upon this underlying patternwork, the 'Common Thread' which weaves us all together, we may find wonders unsuspected.  Nor do we have to go anywhere to begin our quest.  Each of us is already woven into the bigger picture, and we have a privileged place in the greater scheme of things.  Humans living on the Earth today have acquired many advantages, especially in the areas of access to knowledge and self-determination.  If only we could set aside some of society's pre-conceptions.  We are largely free to choose our own course of action, on many levels, and we have learned how to understand a great many things including how to mold our surroundings, but we still need to be mindful of the fact that our actions are part of a greater reality.  What we do touches others, and other sentient beings (other humans, plus ?) have the same fundamental rights of self-determination that we do.  Jonathan reminds us that we are actually part of something much grander than ourselves, something unimaginably grand.  That means we're simultaneously both greater and smaller than we imagine ourselves to be.

        It is liberating to study what others have learned, and anyone can benefit from expanding their horizons by reading or hearing the opinions of others, but there is no substitute for actually learning and understanding things yourself.  That is; we must all learn to think for ourselves in order to truly understand, and Jonathan is therefore an advocate of independent thinking.  He firmly believes that people should think for themselves, rather than believing anything merely because someone else says it's so, even though society may strongly compel us to view things a particular way.  Jonathan has sought to garner personal experience and to formulate his own opinions of others' ideas and findings, independent of what critics and cynics would have us believe.   Some people have found his insights rather refreshing, and others find his views comforting, natural, or appropriate, but he sometimes evokes controversy, as well.  Jonathan displays an ability to make sense of difficult topics, but not usually in a conventional way.  To a group of believers he will often appear like a skeptic, but to a group of skeptics he will come across unequivocally as a man of faith.  The truth is that his personal experiences make it impossible for him to be totally skeptical of the extraordinary, but also prevent him from being a sincere believer in things and people evoking great faith from many others.  He feels it is always wisest to suspend judgment, and allow for the possibility that things are not what they seem, seeking continually to learn what is real for yourself.  What Jonathan's experiences suggest, however, is that there's much more of a common thread in diverse areas of life than most people would believe.  It is the pursuit of these recurring patterns, and the understanding thereof, which has become the theme of this web-site, and which is likely to remain a major pursuit of Jonathan's for some time to come.

                - Thank You for visiting here, and making Jonathan's Search part of your quest!

Greetings,

        Welcome to all others who are seeking to find or reveal answers to the fundamental questions which unite us.  I invite you to learn or share, and I honor every person's insight as a piece of the puzzle whose placement serves to enlighten all of us, and uplifts us a bit from the mire of confusion.  I believe we are entering an age where the realm of Science will help us to answer spiritual questions, and the insights of Spirit will provide uniquely helpful ways to interpret what we are learning from scientific study.  Likewise there is a revolution taking place from within Science itself, where the Hard Sciences are giving us new views about things which unavoidably pertain to living beings, and the Life Sciences are giving us unexpected insights into things from other disciplines which previously were thought to be unrelated.  We cannot avoid having issues that cross the boundaries, so we must acknowledge the existence of common threads where they exist, and learn to weave our own threads of action and thought into the fabric of life more skillfully.  Humanity has already entered into an era where much more is expected from each of us, and life is moving and changing faster than ever before.  It is our challenge to evolve inwardly, with enough swiftness to cope with change, so we can benefit from new knowledge.  Paradoxically, this comes about largely through a process of calming and fluid motion, rather than through heightened chaotic activity, and by stepping back to see the big picture rather than pursuing the details into infinity.  On the other hand, we must continue to deal with every necessary detail in a timely manner.  To do this we need to rise above the complexity somewhat, and learn to cultivate both greater understanding and deeper wisdom.  I wish each one of you good luck in your cultivation.

                                Jonathan J. Dickau
                                jond4u[at]optonline[dot]net, and
                                jonathan[at]diverseprod[dot]com

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