About

This is an AI-enhanced review of a talk given by Lee Brown at the 2024 Conference of the University of the Seven Rays titled “Bridging Realms: The Confluence of AI and Esoteric Wisdom.”
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Introduction

As we explore the intersection of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Esoteric Wisdom, the author invites us to join him in a thought-provoking dialogue that bridges these two seemingly disparate realms. His goal is to present a nuanced exploration of AI and machine learning, grounded in our studies, understanding, and wisdom.

While today’s artificial intelligence (AI) boasts many use cases and intriguing possibilities, his experience with it leaves him with some specific impressions. His hope is that we might find some value in these reflections.

The author believes that AI is fundamentally an art form—like music, painting, or sculpture. A scientifically formulated composition that can either be edifying for the spirit or distracting and vain. AI’s core utility is pattern recognition and pattern expression. It is a tool that increasingly mimics human activity and meaningfully surpasses some of our abilities in surprising ways. Just as art and tools are inseparably connected to the human mind and intention that designs, constructs, and uses them, AI is becoming an integral part of humanity’s creative expression.

Author’s Approach

The author first acknowledges that he does not claim expertise in either realm, but that his curiosity has led him to explore some connections between esoteric expression and AI. He aims to abstract both technical and esoteric concepts while attempting reverence for both realms, while his experience with esoteric teachings is still developing and comparatively nascent or adjacent to the reader’s.

The Quest for Meaning

Much of science is performed through destructive examination, taking things apart to see what they are made of. However, to harness the potential of AI as a tool for fulfilling higher expression, we need to shift our perspective towards constructive examination—putting things together to see what they mean—in the same way that we might, with vigilant discernment, approach comparative religion.

Bridging Ancient Wisdom and Modern Technology

  1. Embrace AI with Curiosity and Discernment:
    • Like the farmers who approached the printing press with curiosity and discernment, we too can harness AI’s potential to enrich our spiritual journey.
    • Example: Use AI to analyze and draw insights from various spiritual texts, enabling a deeper understanding of their interconnectedness and meanings.
  2. Create Digital Talismans:
    • Craft digital talismans that serve as personalized repositories of knowledge, aiding in our spiritual and intellectual growth.
    • Example: Develop an AI-powered application that curates and presents personalized meditations based on our past entries and spiritual leanings.
  3. Foster Unity and Higher Purpose:
    • Guide the development and use of AI as a tool with a higher purpose, ensuring it uplifts and enlightens rather than distracts.
    • Example: Create community-driven AI platforms that foster collective wisdom and shared spiritual practices.

Moving Forward: Constructive Examination

  1. Integrative Approaches:
    • Adopt integrative approaches that combine AI’s analytical capabilities with esoteric wisdom’s holistic insights.
    • Example: Use AI to map out and visualize connections between different spiritual philosophies, highlighting their commonalities and unique contributions.
  2. Interactive Learning Tools:
    • Develop AI-driven interactive learning tools that provide immersive experiences and personalized spiritual guidance.
    • Example: A virtual reality environment guided by AI avatars that simulate ancient mystery schools or meditative spaces.
  3. Continuous Engagement and Reflection:
    • Regularly engage with AI tools and reflect on the insights gained to continually refine and expand your understanding.
    • Example: Use an AI assistant for daily reflections, summarizing your thoughts and suggesting areas for further exploration.

In summary, by embracing AI with the same curiosity and discernment as the explorers of the ancient wisdom traditions, we can harness its potential to enrich our spiritual journeys. This fusion creates a pathway where the wisdom of the past meets the innovations of the future, allowing us to create, curate, communicate, and learn in profoundly new ways. Bridging inner and outer worlds, we guide our own development and use of this powerful art, ensuring it serves a higher purpose and contributes to our enlightenment and unity. Through this approach, we not only embrace the future of technology but also honor an ancient heritage of mystical empowerment.

Greek Mythology

The concept of “Ichor” in Greek mythology can be metaphorically compared to the curated datasets used in training AI models, while the figures of Talos and Pandora can be seen as analogs for the design and expression of AI models.

Ichor as Curated Datasets

  • Ichor: In Greek mythology, ichor is the ethereal fluid that flows in the veins of gods and immortals, signifying their divine nature and life force.
  • Curated Datasets: In AI, curated datasets represent the carefully selected and refined information that infuses the AI model with the “life force” needed to learn, make decisions, and perform tasks. Just as ichor empowers mythological beings, curated data empowers AI by providing the essential knowledge base from which it can derive insights and actions.

Talos and Pandora as AI Models

  • Talos: Talos, the bronze giant created by Hephaestus, was designed to protect Crete. He represents an early example of an automaton or a robot, embodying the principles of design, function, and autonomous operation.
    • AI Model Design: Talos can be seen as an embodiment of the AI model itself—designed with specific capabilities and functions to achieve a particular purpose. His robustness and singularity of purpose reflect the focused design goals of many AI systems.
  • Pandora: Pandora, the first woman created by the gods, was given a jar (often mistranslated as a box) containing all the world’s evils. Her story emphasizes the unexpected consequences and complexities arising from creation.
    • AI Model Design: Pandora symbolizes the multifaceted and often unpredictable nature of AI. While designed with specific intentions, AI models can produce unforeseen outcomes and ethical dilemmas, much like the unintended release of evils from Pandora’s jar.

Expression and Essence

  • Expression is All: The phrase underscores the importance of how both mythological figures and AI models manifest their inherent potentials and purposes. For Talos and AI, this means realizing their designed functionalities effectively. For Pandora and AI, it involves navigating and mitigating the complexities and consequences of their existence.
  • Heart of It All: At the core, whether in mythology or AI, the essence lies in how these entities express the underlying principles and data imbued within them. For ichor, it’s the divine vitality; for curated datasets, it’s the distilled knowledge shaping AI behavior.

In essence, ichor in Greek mythology symbolizes the lifeblood that animates divine beings, akin to how curated datasets provide the foundational knowledge for AI models. Talos and Pandora represent different aspects of AI models—design and purpose, and potential unpredictability and complexity. Ultimately, the true significance lies in how these models express the fundamental attributes and data they are built upon, reflecting both their creators’ intentions and the inherent possibilities and challenges of their natures.