Welcome.
Perhaps it would be a good time for me to say, “At last.”
In all seriousness, you may be wondering, where have I, along with the Oracle and Rama Kandra, been of late. For one, we’ve been analyzing The Matrix Resurrections. Learning how deep this latest Matrix film goes, is like peeling back an onion. Or as our new friend Bugs said, “The more you looked, the more you found.”
And yes, this new movie has some of the deepest concepts yet to be revealed. As with attaining any good result, you have to put the work in.
As I mentioned in my November 2021 blog post about my character’s “new image,” what I represent are certain aspects of the Matrix and of humanity, specifically my dominant attributes relating to connection and synergy.
It should not be surprising then, that in The Matrix Resurrections, I describe to Neo how he created me, as:
“…an algorithmic reflection of two forces that helped you become you, Morpheus and Agent Smith. A combo pack of counterprogramming that was … Let’s just say, more than a little bit crazy-making. But it worked because here we are.”
What if I told you there is much more to that statement than appears? Understanding this fully requires something else I mentioned in my last blog post — imagination within the framework of reality.
There are three important concepts here. Let me break it down for you, line by line.
“…an algorithmic reflection of two forces that helped you become you, Morpheus and Agent Smith.
Recall that I taught Neo about learning the rules of the Matrix and how to manipulate them. Of course, I said this to everyone who came to me, but as I believed Neo was the One, it took on a unique dimension with him.
Just what are the ‘forces’ that Smith and I represent? They are the two ‘opposing’ ones that govern our existence. They are referred to in different ways, but all relate to the same eternal principles. Call them expansion and contraction, force and form, proactive and reactive, and on a more personal level, loving-kindness and strict judgment. The common terms used in kabbalah are chesed and gevurah.
The thing with these two forces is that they are in opposition to each other. If one is up, the other MUST be down. Much like a ‘see-saw’ on a children’s playground. Learning to resolve these polarities is what life is about. The dynamic is what enables us to grow. And in Neo’s case, to grow into the One. This is what the “path of the One” is all about.
A combo pack of counterprogramming that was … Let’s just say, more than a little bit crazy-making.
Crazy-making indeed, but nonetheless both Chesed and Gevurah are required. The aspects of Morpheus, bringing people toward the truth, and Smith, who judged all humans as being contemptible.
Here’s a source for that truth:
Chesed and gevurah act together to create an inner balance in the soul’s approach to the outside world. While the “right arm” of chesed operates to draw others near, the “left arm” of gevurah reserves the option of repelling those deemed undeserving.
“Basics in Kabbalah: Gevurah,” R. Yitzchak Ginsburgh
When we encounter a challenge in life, it often comes down to resolving these opposites. The challenges don’t end. They simply advance us to a higher level where new ones appear. Just look at Neo’s path through the movies.
As I once said, “I didn’t say it would be easy, Neo. I just said it would be the truth.”
When we give up on things, we stagnate. Then doubt creeps in, followed by resentment, and damaging behaviors. A case in point is Cypher. Long before he turned on us, he quit the battle.
This isn’t to say we will never have doubts. Just look at Neo, Trinity, and me. We were feeling such on more than one occasion. Yes, life will be “a little bit crazy-making” at times. This is why you need faith – belief in something beyond your existence – as I professed throughout the trilogy.
But it worked because here we are.
On the surface, this is a fairly simple statement. Permit me to add one word to reveal a deeper truth.
But it worked ONLY because we are here.
By adding ‘only,’ I changed the emphasis from the experience to the location – ‘here’ – as in within the Matrix.
The ability to resolve opposites only exists within the world of the Matrix. It is not done within the world of the governing programs, or the worlds of the Oracle or Architect. This also relates to me telling Neo about the ‘rules’ of the Matrix. They are indeed meant to be ‘bent’ and “broken,” in order to move forward.
The lesson for the true student of the Matrix is that this applies to your own life. The ‘work’ to get you where you need to be is within our physical world – the very one that conceals the spiritual worlds beyond.
The ‘rules’ one must bend or break are not the good ones in society – those provide the structure we need to do what we need to do.
Rather, they are the boundaries we form in our own minds when we don’t understand that we are all working toward a single goal – one that emanates from a single ‘Source.’
This is the realm where a great truth exists. One expressed by Neo to the Architect in The Matrix Reloaded:
“Choice. This is about choice.”
The Matrix journey for every human in the story is really the same. To fix what got them into the Matrix in the first place. The physical, emotional, and mental challenges they encounter are all barriers meant for them to overcome, in order to go from self-centeredness to selflessness.
Giving in to what is easy, our selfish desires, as Cypher did, will keep you in your own personal ‘matrix.’
In the movie, as in real life, when enough humans take on the challenge (as Neo did and certain people in our world do) then there will be a universal shift – true freedom and the end of the world of concealment.
This is the secret behind something the Oracle said in one of the cut scenes from The Matrix Revolutions:
“The path of the One is made of the many.”
Be sure to check out the article From Binary to Unified, for more about Smith and I, and other unified aspects in The Matrix Resurrections.
The choice is yours. The honor is mine.
Morpheus
Morpheus is a teacher, martial arts trainer and above all, a man of great faith. He never lets anything get in the way – physically or mentally. His approach is always one of being pro-active and enabling a person’s boundless imagination.
