Cosmology of Experience
- Max Friend
- Jan 17
- 2 min read
Introducing the Six Principles
We live in a fragmented age. We tend to keep our lives in separate boxes: our intellect goes in one box, our ambition in another, and our heart in a third. We have "science" to explain the structure of the world, "will" to drive our careers, and "love" for our private moments. Rarely do these forces speak to one another.
But the soul does not experience the world in fragments; it experiences it as a whole.
For a long time, I have sought a map that connects these disparate parts of the human experience. I was looking for a cosmology that could reconcile the cold, hard laws of reality (Structure) with the fiery, uncontainable drive of the spirit (Force). I wanted a system that honored the stillness of the Sage and the dance of the Lover equally.
The result of this inquiry is The Six Principles of Being.
A Map of the Soul
This series of essays outlines a spiritual architecture that moves from the static to the ecstatic. It is a synthesis of Eastern metaphysics (Vaishnavism, Kashmir Shaivism, Buddhism) and Western existentialism (Stoicism, Nietzschean philosophy).
The cosmology is arranged as a journey through three distinct phases:
The Phase of Mind (Principles 1 & 2): Here, we explore how Organization and Intelligence create the "clearing" in which reality can be seen. We look to the archetypes of Kṛṣṇa (Structure) and Buddha (Discernment).
The Phase of Force (Principles 3 & 4): Here, the static mind ignites into action. We explore the collision between the unstoppable Will (Śiva) and the immovable wall of Necessity (Kāla). This is the crucible of the soul.
The Phase of Spirit (Principles 5 & 6): Finally, we explore the transmutation of force into Devotion (Rādhā), leading to the ultimate Unity of the lover and the beloved.
Why This Matters
This is not merely a theological exercise. It is a guide to living.
If we have Will but no Structure, we are chaotic. If we have Structure but no Will, we are stagnant. And if we have both but no Devotion, we are merely efficient machines in a cold universe.
The Six Principles suggest that we are not here to simply survive the mechanism of existence, nor to conquer it. We are here to transmute the friction of being into the gold of love. We are here to learn Amor Fati—to love the very fate that binds us.
I invite you to walk through these six principles with me. It is a journey from the blueprint to the building, and finally, to the hearth fire burning inside.
Welcome to the Six Principles of Being.