Imagine a mound of mud surrounded by water. Some water is also part of the mud, but still we can perceive the mud as an object with its own identity. Outside of a certain murky area the water also seems to be its own thing. But, around the mound lurks the murk, and the density and breadth of that area may be changing over time; the mound may also be taking in as well as divesting. It is communicating with something outside of itself. At what distance does the separation become complete? Well, perhaps nowhere unless we reach a desert. But at what point do we no longer recognize the water as part of the mound, despite containing mud, as an individual identity? Maybe the mud itself continues to identify for awhile. I suppose one can separate them entirely given the proper tools techniques and time. But, the water that was part of the mound might hang around the same area for awhile unless there is a particularly strong current, and even then… maybe it retains some sense of coherence and familiarity as it slowly merges with the crowd. Maybe it still has some taste of that muddy personality. Now think of the water as consciousness and the dirt as physical matter. And think of the mud as a metaphor that seemed for awhile like it might be going somewhere…