“The science or study of being, that department of metaphysics which relates to the being or essence of things” (OED). In IRL, the ontological level of the foundations of all knowledge makes two statements about the underlying structure of all beings, as data patterns prior to interpretation as information and knowledge. The first is the Principle of Unity, which states that Wholeness is the union of all opposites. Secondly, the underlying structure of the Universe is an infinitely dimensional network of hierarchical relationships.

In Panosophy, Presence, which literally means ‘before being’ or ‘prior to existence’, is the Absolute, which presents the entire world of form as a Gift of the Divine. The Presence of Wholeness is thus ever-present, as many have sensed throughout human history. For, none of us is ever separate from the Divine, for an instant.

An assembly of seekers of the Truth who gather around a spiritual teacher for reflection on the ancient wisdom. Sanskrit sat is also seen in Ghandi’s satyagraha ‘truth force’, bodhisattva ‘one whose essence is enlightenment’, from sattvam ‘essence, being’, and sattva ‘harmoniousness, peacefulness, composure’.

When we say “yes” to what is, rather than being in denial, we know the Truth that sets us free.

Defined in 1872: “The ontogeny of every organism repeats itself in brief … it’s phylogeny, i.e. the individual development of every organism … repeats approximately the development of its race.” (OED) In other words ontogeny generally recapitulates phylogeny, a principle that embraces both the evolution of species in the biosphere and of civilizations in the noosphere. However, if ontogeny always recapitulated phylogeny, no new species or civilizations could ever appear.