Everything that Exists is of Infinite Value
Everything that exists is of infinite value because each thing can be viewed as being "unique." When something is "unique," it is not replaceable. All of the treasures in the universe can not be used to buy an unique object back once it is gone. When we can not buy something with all the treasures in the universe, we say the thing is of "infinite value." This means that everything that exists that is viewed as being unique is of infinite value.
By the phrase "intrinsic value," we mean that the value of the object resides within the object itself - it does not depend on how the object can be used. When an object is viewed as being unique, it's value stems from the fact that it cannot be replaced. Thus, all unique objects are intrinsically valuable because their value resides within them.
There is another way to view objects that does not look at them as being unique. This is called valuing from an "extrinsic" perspective. When we extrinsically value objects, we see them as being members of a larger class where each object can be substituted for another. From the extrinsic perspective, the worth of each object is determined by which object ranks highest in helping us obtain some goal. When looked at from the extrinsic perspective, one house can be substituted for another and one car can be substituted for another based on how well they perform some function.
Actions and ideas can be replicated and compared so they are not usually viewed as being unique. Hitler, as an existing person, was of infinite value, but his actions and ideas were horrible. If it is possible to separate a person from their actions and ideas, which in this case it is very difficult, it is possible to say that even Hitler was of infinite value.
The universe is unique in that it contains everything within it. This makes the universe the most valuable thing that exists since it is greater and contains all other unique objects.
The universe cannot become nothing. To say that nothing exists is a contradiction. It is impossible for our minds to logically think of total nothingness because it is a logical contradiction. When we try to remove everything, the void still remains so something always exists everywhere.
To summarize what has been said so far, there are different levels of value. On the level of intrinsic value, everything is of infinite value. However, we also live on the level of extrinsic value, and it is on that level where we have the problems. By being grounded in infinite value, we can find firmer footing when we are struggling with problems that exist on the extrinsic level.
Paul Ferrini, in his excellent book called The Twelve Steps to Forgiveness, gives a superb description of the difference between extrinsic and intrinsic valuation. He does this when he compares the "Thinking Mind" to the "Feeling Mind."
The "Thinking Mind" divides the world up into polarizing categories. When we use the "Thinking Mind," it is similar to putting a transparent overlay with boundaries of the bodily organs on top of a photo of the human body. The "Feeling Mind" peels that transparency off to reveal that there are no real boundaries that separate the various organs. In addition, the "Feeling Mind" also climbs inside the photograph to feel the body in its entirety from the inside.
Paul Ferrini uses the "Third Person" analogy to describe this "Feeling Mind" and this relates directly to what we have been saying about intrinsic value. When two people are having a dispute, they often seek a third person, be it an arbitrator or a therapist, to help them resolve the dispute. The third person helps to solve the problem by carefully listening to both sides and by coming up with a solution that allows both parties to have their needs heard and met. The third person shifts the focus from the "Thinking Mind" that only sees polarizing positions to one that looks for common ground. Instead of looking at the situation from an "either/or" perspective, the "Feeling Mind" views it from an "and/both" one.
The Tapestry Analogy is one more metaphor that might help to clarify the "Feeling Mind." We can think of everything that we experience as being contained within consciousness. From this perspective, consciousness can be thought of as being like a tapestry. When there is a problem between us and another person, we no longer need to spend our energy blaming the other person. Rather we just note that we are receiving a communication that there is a tension in a certain section of the tapestry, and we can work on finding a solution that reduces the tension in that area. The best solution is one that improves the situation for both parties involved as this strengthens all parts of the tapestry rather than strengthening one part while weakening the other.
When I apply this tapestry analogy to my own life, I come up with a 3D surface map chart where the elevations in the chart represent various levels of tension. When constructing this 3D chart, I have grouped the objects in my life into three categories based on the amount of importance I should give each group. These groups are represented by three concentric circles. In the inner circle, I place the various people that I know with the one's that are most important to me closer to the center than those that are less. If there is tension related to a particular person, there is an upward peak on the surface map chart. The second concentric circle represents things and actions, which should be less important to me than people. The third concentric circle contains ideas.
When there is tension in any area of the 3D chart, it does not indicate that should hate that part of my own consciousness. Rather, it indicates an area where I need to work on reducing that tension.
Here is an example of the 3D surface area chart that I am talking about, but it does not have the three concentric circles or the individual objects mapped out. The chart just indicates how such a graph could be used to clearly illustrate different levels of tension in one's life.
Our goal should be to try to smooth out the tension across the chart, starting out with what is most important to us. The goal should be to love our own consciousness enough to try to fix tension spots when they arise and to forgive ourselves when we fail. By learning how to forgive and accept ourselves when we fail, we learn how to forgive others as well. Every tension spot is a potential learning situation where we either learn how to fix it or learn how to forgive when we do not.