"The AE Data Philosophy," Lumina repeated aloud, hoping to get any initial grasp on where my enlightenment centered at its core.

I had just gotten through explaining the source of this new information, but now I had to explain the whole principle to Lumina as well. I wouldn't normally go this far anyway, but she really was interested to hear every detail about what makes up our whole universe, and I wasn't about to deny her that answer. "Correct. The AE Data Philosophy is more of a philosophy than it is a theory; because in this philosophy, it merely serves as a means to better explain the role of all existence and its definitions through mediums of perceptions. It isn't about establishing or believing in one universal truth, but instead, provides a means by which to help us understand anything at all. What I call data, another may call light, or heat. All could be correct, and so, I do not consider this a theory in place of a philosophy."

"But what exactly is AE data? Where did you even get the acronym from?"

"I actually don't remember what it stood for at the time, nor do I care. You can call it XT data or ABC principles, or whatever. I use AE because it rolls of the tongue better, and also because that's what came to mind first when I had meditated on it not too long back."

"Okay."

"The principle is based on a multi-level ascension within the detail level and all possible definitions of data and information, through which existence itself can be defined, acknowledged, experienced, and therefore, self-sustained. The very first building block of this is AE data, or more specifically known, A1E data, one being the very first plane of existence for all information, the first format of fundamental information; polarity."

"Polarity?"

"Polarity; the principle of existing in a binary-only state. True or false; yes or no; on or off; existing or not existing."

"I don't understand."

"In a sense, if we remove the quantum aspect of binary digital data for example, A1E data can be represented as a digital collection of ones and zeros. Even if you have a massive block of ones and zeros, these numbers on their own don't really mean anything outside of, ones and zeros. The data cannot be in between, only one or the other; such is the state of polarity, and the basic principle of A1E data."

"But we're not made up of numbers."

"To a partial degree, yes we are. Numbers are not constructs of physical matter or energy; they are instead figments and ideas, representative variables meant to sort and categorize details later on. All existence has this. We are of course much more than A1E data, but we also contain within ourselves A1E data; everything does, including thoughts and ideas."

"..."

"Look at it like this. Say you have a have a simple switch, a level in front of you which can only go in two directions, left and right. Since it can only be one or the other, the initial default of this switch, we'll say for now, will be set to the right. Standing in front of this switch, you have the power to alter this switch from right to left, or back from left to right again."

"Okay."

Just keep up with me Lumina. I'm only getting started. "If we try to examine the specific data of this level while the lever is in the right position, the A1E data that can be extracted from this switch will have many aspects of polarity defining its current state. The most obvious factor is that out of left or right, the switch is in the right position. Fundamentally, if you look at the binary representation of this principle, what result do you have in detail?"

"Right, the position of right I mean."

"Exactly. Now tell me this. How do you know the lever is in the right position?"

"Because, you just told me."

"You're in front of the lever now, observing and examining it. All you can tell is that it is in the right position?"

"Well, yeah."

"What if you removed the polarity altogether? If there is no longer a right and a left, and the lever is in a position, which position would that be?"

"Uh, I don't..."

"I'm not trying to break your brain. I'm just trying to let you understand the basics of polarity dynamics. How can there be a right, if there is no left?"

"Oooooh!"

"If you have polarity, you have the ability to make of it, definitions; details further down the line. Without this polarity, the very idea of anything does not apply, and so, existence cannot comply either. Having no possible point of data without polarity would be meaningless enough to equate to zero, since the data point is alone and arbitrary, disconnected from everything else. But if you have sudden polarity, you have an additional interpretation of definition to this data point. What does it mean to be one if there is no zero? How can something be on if there is no off?"

"This isn't what I expected."

"There's much more, so relax for now. Based on this rule, you have to understand that it takes beings such as us, people who are at least A3E data to make the determination of these details. Without an observer, data is just raw data; it still exists in the case of polarity, but has no representative value otherwise. In our example, where the switch is set to the right, the interpreted detail of this is two statements, each stated differently though meaning the same end result. On one hand, the switch is set to the right position. On the other hand, the switch is not set to the left direction. Aside from these conclusions, the mere prospect in assumptive thought itself, that the switch can only be right or left, is a thought that is also in itself information. I don't know if I would call it A1E data exclusively, because this is merely a means to make sense of the data brought about from the polarity. However, there is another polarity aspect to the thought itself."

"There is?"

"Yes. You see, in order to have this hypothetical switch, the switch must also exist in the first place. In digital terms, it would exist in ones and zeros as a means of bits of data being set and stored in a specific manner. But what if the switch or bits of data were not brought into existence after all? You would normally only be able to ask such a question if the switch were at first acknowledged beforehand, which means, the existence of the switch itself, and its polar opposite, not existing, is also a unique data point of A1E data, this time brought about by the mere thought needed to observe the scenario."

"I'm getting a bit confused here."

"It's okay. The important takeaway from this, is that A1E data is similar, but can exist by many different mediums. It can exist within a thought process, such as the idea of having the thought and not having the thought, agreeing to a decision or not agreeing to a decision. The polarity factor actually still co-exists within the higher level data planes in which we define and reside in. This is known as ascension of information. To what I presumed previously, it should not be possible for the information to ascend in the reverse direction."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning, A1E data exists within A2E data, as simply an integral layer of A2E data. Furthermore, A3E data contains within itself, A2E and A1E information, and so on. However, A1E data, sitting on its own does not contain A2E data, while A3E data would not contain A4E or A5E data, and so on. The reverse flow of this ascension is not so."

"Wow!"

"Of course, if I believe that to be the case, I at least have to wonder how I was able to experience any amount of A5E data in the first place, as I have not ascended there; plus it messed with my earlier idea that A5E data cannot directly interfere with this world. There is some inconsistency if this is the case, and that puts the reverse ascension theory to this whole philosophy in jeopardy, but I'll ignore it for now; lord knows I don't have this entirely perfect, nor will I dare claim I know more than a fraction about the fundamentals of this universe."

"Agreeable, but I have to say, this is the very first time I've ever heard you say anything this complex before."

"I guess. Do you understand polarity yet?"

"I get the basic idea of it, yeah."

"Alright, then the rest is a bit easier. A2E is a data ascension layer above A1E data. Remember, A2E data still also contains A1E data as part of its core definition at the same time."

"So what makes it different?"

"One, zero; left, right; red, green; exist, to not exist. Tell me something; what do those words sound like to you?"

"Polarity of some sort."

"Polarity is part of this system, this data tier. However, how would you ever know what something means to be green or red, to understand any difference at all in a zero or a one, or to know what left and right means without the context of anything else at all?"

"... You wouldn't."

"Bingo. A1E data, when sitting totally alone doesn't have meaning to anything else; this doesn't mean it isn't there; it just means it has no representative value to it; only the polarity itself exists. So, in order to define these representative values and meanings, there must be observers, at least to a level which can analyze both the data and the differences of all information capable of being observed, in a comparative manner to which was previously recorded. It's almost the same principle of training a basic A.I. program; it must assess all that is in front of it by learning the data itself and also all differences between the values, including defined details of these differences. If the entire world were just white and never anything else, yeah, there's still the principle of it being totally black through polarity, but with nothing else to compare anything to, white means nothing to the observer."

By now, I had to keep going on even if she wasn't getting it yet, but I slowed my pace a bit. "With these comparisons made, we can define the details of the information we sort around us. The exact values of color specified by sets of code, or sets of light values I should say, is A2E data. All of the ones and zeros, when put together and represented into something more, over and over again eventually get turned into something that holds meaning to the observer. In digital, this is still nothing more than sets of polar ones and zeros, but as an end result, the sequential pattern of them may be used to eventually display an image on screen. That image itself, recognized by the observer, is A2E data."

"Then what is A3E data?"

"A3E data, the third ascension layer is actually very similar to A2E data. The main difference is that further definitions are applied, in which all physical matter, and all energy acting on this physical matter is assessed through the same process in comparative observations as A2E data, but with more variables and vectors. This entire planet, the sun, the air I breathe, even this body my soul resides in; all of this is made up of A3E data. More details are confined to it, such as the texture of my skin compared to all other possible textures, or the water that I drink, seen either as digital code or as a molecular level of understanding, including the exact arrangements and constant movement of its quarks and strings."

"I heard about quarks and strings before; wasn't that Einstein's theory?"

"It was a small fragment of his theory." Why did she have to bring that up? "I don't doubt all of the things the scientist had to say. The only thing I'm certain is false is his idea that space and time are linked together in a perceptual system, or any system for that matter. Basically, the theory of relatively, which, until I see it proven in outer space at the near speed of light, I will constantly reject." I only get ticked off when people claim the theory to be fact when it is still just a theory. The Altiri never report any difference in atomic time when they travel with their ships, all synchronized or not, so it can't make perfect sense. Still, I give credit where it is due. Brian Greene pushed the ideas forward in modern time more so than Albert Einstein did himself during his time, an honorable trait for Einstein in science. Additionally, the guy was also onto something at least, when getting into the perceived difference of experienced time, and sometimes of reality itself.

Indeed; the question does remain; is perception just as subjective as reality? If two people experience time in different rates to each other, does it mean that time actually slowed down for one more than the other? Or, is it an error in easily tricked perception? The other factor, reality, is of course more important to most. Most do not care if they lagged behind in time by 0.0212 nanoseconds. However, try telling someone that everything they've ever known is merely the imagination product of somebody else, and see what happens. The priority just isn't the same.

"Okay, okay. No need to get all bent out of shape about it again." Lumina has heard my rants about this more than once. She never actually accepted the idea of general relativity herself, but I still use her to vent to. I tried venting to others about it in high school, and was promptly called a weirdo for it.

Anyway, where was I...? Oh right. "Stating that A3E data is all physical isn't accurate. Light and radio waves for example are part of A3E data, and yet they are not physical. What separates the A2E data from A3E data is mostly, the evolution beyond mere A2E data segments, in which all the data is further sorted into means of interaction. The term yellow does not interact with the term 45 degrees starboard, at least, not in any direct interaction. When there is enough assortment of matter and energy however, even among the exclusively natural universe, these assortments of data begin to affect each other. Stars can crash into other stars and eat planets. Walking meat bags such as my own body, can kick a can down the road, exerting all kinds of forces on that tin can. That is the essence in difference between the two."

"Next up is A4E."

"Yes, but keep in mind that I sometimes refer to these existences as planes, as in, the A3E plane (our world), or the A4E plane, which in this case would be the Astral World."

"The Astral Plane is A4E data?"

"That and more," I clarified, ever continuing the lesson. "A4E data exists in a means which either is of the A4E plane, or connects integral entities to it. Remember when I told you about data points of A3E specs? What if I told you that there are two types of the same of almost every emotion, and that one of these types if part of the A3E system, while the other part is part of the A4E system?"

"I'd say, it makes less sense."

"The human body also has within it, a human brain. This brain, is capable of experiencing and even producing a wide variety of sensations, some hormonal, and others emotional. Before I expand on that thought, you need to know that emotion which is defined and pushed forward, is not the same as an emotion experienced with the full potential. There exists real emotions, and also simulated emotions."

"Simulated emotions?"

"Yes. We know already that living sentient people also possess souls. But where do you think those souls are at the moment?"

"... According to our science, it should be linked between the Astral Plane and the physical world."

"Precisely. The exact location of our actual souls, at least during this time, while we are alive, is in a special state within the Astral Plane. At the same time, the soul controls our very own physical body as a vessel. Like a vessel, it is only a vessel. The virtual machine paradox I presented to you earlier can be used in this analogy as well. The body, including the brain itself is not actually aware of this extra presence; the soul. It, acting like a virtual machine, thinks it is the host for all it knows. In actuality, the body, the vessel, is making use of virtual control nodes for the master soul."

"Our souls are capable of feeling and experiencing emotions, just as our brains are capable. However, if the body is merely made up of more limited virtual components of our souls, then it means, feeling emotions while controlling these bodies, means the same thing as experiencing simulated emotions. It's all still very much real, but there is still a difference in data composition between the two. Happiness, sadness, anger, and fear. Even souls of the A5E can sense all of these emotions within themselves, but having a higher ascension level of emotion also means having no limiting boundary of ascension to its predecessor. Thus, emotions felt by the brain for our souls, are simulated emotions; A3E data, which does get recorded and copied directly onto our soul; but it is still in all aspects A3E data."

"Whatever music you've been listening to, to think about all of this, I want some."

"Maybe you can meditate with me in the future."

"Only if it embarrass you somehow."

"Focus... Given what we just covered, this means that emotions directly experienced from the soul, or rather from where it resides, from the Astral Plane, can be considered as A4E data. I also consider and categorize the feeling of love itself as a kind of A4E data, but only because, I don't think any living entity without a soul could ever experience or understand love."

"Starting to sound like a bit of guessing."

"You'll see more of that the further in we go. The A5E plane is very mysterious after all, even to me. Most of what I do know is fairly theoretical on the A5E; I could be wrong about it. If I am, I'll go cry about it some other time."

Lumina simply shrugged her shoulders, waiting for me to resume.

"That being said, because these higher emotions, the soul itself, and the existence of the Astral Plane and all of its ties are considered A4E data, we can also categorize psionic information as A4E data as well. Some could look at it and say it is A3E data, but psionic information is known to transmit using the Astral as a medium, and by extension, requires the interaction with the soul itself and its emotions to be interpreted. Maybe psionics is more of an in-between, something between the A3E and A4E, but I cannot be too certain."

"And then the A5E is the final plane?"

"Yes. I want to point out that the numeric structure on this could be different than what I'm naming it. The final plane could actually be the one-thousandth plane for all we know. The final plane might be the A5E, or the A99E. For now I'm going to refer to it as the A5E, to make it simple."

"Okay."

"It's very hard, even now, to try and express what make the A5E data plane so different from our own, and what separates it from the Astral World. The Astral World is like a phantom version of our physical one, but the A5E is a connection to this world made stronger, ignoring the required laws of physics, of gravity, of time, and of individual control. After the Astral Plane, our souls free themselves from whatever additional astral vessel or other vessel previously holding it back, unlocking the full potential of the soul, and leaving behind anything unnecessary."

"Once this is achieved, all existing data and information, which was previously limited in possible comprehensions and observations by lower data tiers, becomes available to such free souls of the A5E. One main difference is that the data detail level of A5E data is far greater in composition to that of A3E data."

"What do you mean by that exactly?"

"There are many ways to explain this. One such way it to examine the prospect of quantum binary data, while comparing it to ordinary binary data. Quantum computers impose further possible meanings of ones and zeros by including the additional combinations of having both sides of polarity at the same time, sometimes in one state of superposition, or in another. In the end, when you have a state of superposition, where both sides of polarity could be active at once, at the very least, you have an increased amount of data integrity per bit, where one Qubit represents more data than an ordinary bit."

"What's the other way to explain it?"

"Similarly, one could imagine the possibility of higher data expansion by comparing a singular source of light and color through multiple means of definitions. Humans use the eyes to see light and color, but computers have to use bytes of data, often representative of hexadecimal values, or RGB. From the perspective of a computer in a hexadecimal value, where the max of each three colors is 255, it means that the maximum, factoring all possible permutations is 255P3. I bet it's at least a million possible color combinations combining red, green, and blue. However, the human eyes can see a wider range of color than this permutation, even if we can only identify such a limited level of such, and all of this is not even really factoring light intensity either. The important takeaway is, between the amount of possible maximum data that can exist in the RGB digital spectrum, is much less than the possible maximum data that can exist from the scope of human-eye observation of spectrum light. So, what do you think happens when our souls, freed from the limitations of our bodies, getting to traverse the A5E plane, comes across a random star, and views its color spectrum using the new senses available for observation?"

"The data level is higher?"

"Exactly. Not only is the data level higher in value, it also add new possibilities of observable information. In the case of flying around in space as a soul, looking at a star will provide an amazing amount of additional light spectrums that could never-ever be seen by the observation possibilities form within the A3E plane. Instead of seeing a thousand different color spectrums between red and violet, you'd see a billion more spectrums. And, since souls are part of the eternal universe, in the A5E, you could get right up into such a star, listen directly to the explosive reactions inside, and feel the warmth of non-lethal gamma radiation."

"That's something else."

"Furthermore, souls of the A5E have the power to not only converse with each other, but also passively observe in full detail, anyone they want of the world in the lower data ascension planes, even though they cannot directly interfere in doing so. In a way, it means countless lives in the A5E plane are watching all of us, selectively or not selectively, through any span of time they want." At least I've by now gotten used to the idea that there is no such thing as real privacy. Everything we do, everything we think, and everything we feel, is all sharable by any A5E being at any time.

"I'm speechless."

"Blows your mind, doesn't it?"

"How are you not blown away by that?"

She doesn't seem to realize that I already was blown away once I realized this. There is a reason I waited a month to tell her about all of this; it was a lot to take in. "Anyway, the A5E is a wonderful place. We all go there after we die and move on past the Astral Plane. It's not some white puffy cloud in the sky with a golden gate. No, it's something beyond incredible, far better than I can even begin to imagine. All I've said to you is only scratching the air around the surface of it all."

"Yeah, but... What is there to do in the A5E?"

"Are you kidding? Anything you want. Obviously, you couldn't just go around killing other souls; souls are eternal anyway, so it wouldn't be possible in the first place. You could instead befriend the other souls that you meet there, journey with them, maybe even combine with them for all I know. But, if you were really that board, that's where the whole idea of Enclosed Space comes in."

"Enclosed Space."

"It's almost one and the same exact power of the imagination. In the A3E space, the imagination cannot interact with the matter and reality around us; it doesn't have enough power to do so, probably due to a lack of available data we cannot create from our limited A3E vessels. But from the A5E, this limitation gets removed, and the data needed to make a real Enclosed Space becomes possible."

"So then, our reward for going to the A5E is eternal life and eternal freedom, to do whatever we want, and to generate a simulated world for us to live in if ever we wanted to?"

"In essence, yes. But you have to understand that, given the potential power of Enclosed Space, that simulated world may also, while inside, give us simulated bodies, much like the kind we are in right now. Because of this, Enclosed Space could be used for absolutely anything with the full levels of immersion unlocked; limited only by the stretches of your own imagination. Thus those two abilities are linked; imagination, and Enclosed Space. Enclosed Space reality would be as real as we see the world presently, so, in essence, much stronger than the imagination alone."

"Any world?"

"Any world. It can be whatever your heart desires. It can be something you and I create together at the same time, to live life over and over again in the same space. Heck, if it temporarily restraints our A5E memories in the process, it might actually be happening right at this very moment, only for us not to realize it yet. But, I don't want to get that existential about it."

"Ah, so that's where you draw the line?"

"I can't pretend like this didn't break my brain when I first started to understand it. I don't feel like doing it all over again. One way to look at it is, anything is possible beyond this world."

"Yeah... A space just for the two of us..."

"I do wonder what you imagine when you say that. The best part is, we can leave Enclosed Space at any time we want, unless we lose memory of the A5E on entering, which I don't think will happen. With that said, if one parallel world we create gets boring, we can leave and make another, over and over again."

"... That is beautiful. I can't possibly think of a lovelier setup."

"This initially started because of what I felt, not from something I thought or imagined. However, the details are not too certain. All I can with full certainty is, the A5E exists, and is also a wonderful place. Given how powerful of an engine the imagination can be if given the right fuel, I'd still bet on myself that most of what I just described is how things are."

"I wonder a bit why you obsessed over it though."

"In part, because I wanted to. I also wanted to contemplate what happens to us when we die, to affirm that it isn't a scary process at all. Dare I say, it's quite magical. I also feel better too, like I can really calm and relax myself, and that I can focus more than ever before."

"Really?"

"Yeah. There's something to be said for the embrace of ethereal magnetism after all; the yogis were not totally out of their mind. Having a strong mind, body, and soul has given me more clarity than I've ever had before. And Lumina, you're part of that picture too. I love you. When we reach the A5E plane one day, I'll love you forever in that world too. It also means I'll never look back and have regrets."

"I love you too... You, and all of this universe."

"Exactly. We're all more connected than what it feels initially. In short, I want to thank the angels of love, who dedicate so much of their eternal time to being here for us, despite our current inability to directly feel it, or to go beyond the means of a one-sided conversation. I want to thank some of the currently unnamed A5E souls too, in future reference, for we may meet one day and become amazing friends where we could not in a place like this. And Lumina?"

"Huh?"

"I want to thank you too. The person I am today, is all because of you. Yeah, I had part to play in this as well, but none of it would have ever started if you had not purged me that day. Your decision to send that psionic signal to me, it saved me from a life on Earth far more miserable than this current reality. And also, it put the two of us together, you and me, soul mates to each other, the only two people who could ever love each other to such measures and beyond. No matter what happens, no matter what alters in reality if ever it does, nothing can change the fact that we are always together, always madly in love."

"... Go on..."

"Hah! Have I charmed you already?"

"I've always been in love with you Reed, but thank you for saying that. It's so beautiful of you to feel all of this."

"Thank you. Everything I do is for you, for us... I may have tired myself out a bit, but I still have enough in me for most of tonight. So, what do you want to do now? Stargaze? Maybe a romantic movie? Or... Maybe we could trace on each other's skin, going all the way like we did the other night?"

"Are you kidding? I choose all three."

"Right. Should have seen that coming."

"I want you with me tonight Reed, for as long as you can hold out. Don't think talking about the secrets of life and the existence of the quantum universe is a good enough excuse to get out of our date tonight."

"I would never." Still, I knew she was being serious. It was a strange feeling, to feel like my soul could essentially float from my body at any moment, to all the sudden head deeper into the immersion of this current reality. I guess it's true; all that we can do is what we can do in the here and now; not the future, nor the past.

This is my cue to get going. I have a long night ahead of me, and Lumina is on the menu as usual. I'm sure I'll continue to keep making moments, day by day as we move forward.

This is our story; the end is never in sight, and I don't regret it at all.