Issued by Benno's Non-SectCirculation noneEnforcement noneObjections received 0
A public service announcement, from an organisation with no public and no service
On the Responsible Use of the Metaphysical Poking Stickplease poke gently
Issued In The Public Interest
Or: we are not currently attempting to solve the universe
✦🦋✦
A note from the archive. Every other document in this collection arrived from somewhere else —
a library, a shipping lane, a department we cannot locate, a fire nobody lit. This one came from
inside the building. We have issued a public service announcement. We have no public. We have
no service. We have, nevertheless, issued it, complete with safety guidance, and the safety guidance is
poke gently. We wish to note for the record that it is also the only instruction this
organisation has ever managed to follow.
Fig. 1 — the subject, photographed at close range, from above. On every other page of this
website, butterflies flee when approached. It is one of our few reliable behaviours. This one was
approached, leaned over, and photographed from a distance of roughly forty centimetres by a person
holding a telephone, and it stayed exactly where it was. No permission was sought. None was
withheld. Reality has proven remarkably patient so far. Click to enlarge; it still will
not leave.
"Take reality seriously enough to care for it —
and lightly enough to dance with it."
Forewordthe universe was consulted
Benno's Non-Sect would like to reassure the public that we are not currently attempting to solve
the universe.
We did consider it.
The universe appeared unconcerned.
Note that the document says Non-Sect. Twenty documents in, the organisation has begun
disagreeing with itself about its own name, in writing, in an official publication. We are choosing to
read this as consistency.
— the archive
The Metaphysical Poking Stickstandard issue · invisible · already yours
Many seekers begin their journey equipped with an invisible tool commonly known as the
Metaphysical Poking Stick.
Its purpose is simple:
To gently poke reality and see what happens.
Examples include:
Five questions · poke one · answers not supplied
The Non-Sect encourages such questions.
We simply recommend poking gently.
Reality has proven remarkably patient so far.
Pokes0Objections0
Reality, at rest, in a meadow, on an ordinary afternoon. It has not been informed that it is about to be investigated.
The stick is invisible · this one is a diagram · poke as often as you like
We have now poked reality several hundred times during testing and recorded zero objections, zero
complaints and one mild sense that we were being humoured. The complaints box remains empty. It has
always been empty. We had assumed it was broken.
— the archive
A Notice Regarding the Universeno assistance was requested
Contrary to popular belief, the universe has never formally requested our assistance.
It appears perfectly capable of existing without our continuous analysis.
This discovery has been received with mixed emotions.
"This discovery has been received with mixed emotions." It is the funniest sentence in the document
and it is also, quietly, the whole of philosophy since about 1650.
— the archive
Browsing Instead of Huntingthere comes a day when something quietly changes
There often comes a day when something quietly changes.
One no longer demands answers.
Instead, one browses.
Like wandering through an old library.
Or walking through a forest.
Or opening Stardew Valley with no urgent objective whatsoever.
One notices.
One smiles.
One continues.
Insights · trying very hard12
Insights · browsing0
Browsing. No objective. The light wanders, and things it was not looking for light up as it goes past.
Two methods · one meadow · leave it running
Curiously, this has produced almost as many insights as trying very, very hard.
Sometimes more.
"Almost as many insights as trying very, very hard. Sometimes more." We have left the browsing counter
running overnight, purely to be fair to the hunting method, and would rather not discuss the result.
— the archive
Field Notesthe following remain unconfirmed
Cats may possess access to dimensions unavailable to tax authorities.Status: unconfirmed
Tea appears to improve approximately 83% of existential inquiries.
Status: unconfirmed
Laughter occasionally solves problems before the intellect has finished describing them.Status: unconfirmed
Looking at clouds is still considered productive by the Department of Wonder.Status: unconfirmed
Reality has not yet objected to being gently investigated.Status: unconfirmed
Five observations · tap one to attempt confirmation
On Light Beingsan official position of cheerful uncertainty
The Non-Sect maintains an official position of cheerful uncertainty.
Should benevolent non-physical beings exist, we sincerely hope they appreciate a good joke.
Should they not exist…
Possibility oneShould benevolent non-physical beings exist…we sincerely hope they appreciate a good joke.
Two possibilities · tap to switch · the conclusion survives both
An organisation which has published a paper proving that everyone believes something has arrived at
"cheerful uncertainty" and stopped there. This is either intellectual cowardice or the most honest
sentence on the entire website. We have declined to determine which.
— the archive
Lord Aberdeenneither confirmed nor denied
The Non-Sect neither confirms nor denies the existence of Lord Aberdeen.
Should you encounter a distinguished individual guarding an impressive collection of ordinary
pebbles, please remain respectful.
Every being deserves a hobby.
Seven pebbles · one ruling · please remain respectful
We have run the archive's own diagnostic on Lord Aberdeen. Inputs: pebbles. Outputs: pebbles.
Transformation: none detected. Constraint: none. Intention: a hobby. The system is complete,
self-sufficient and requires nothing from anybody, which makes it the most successful institution
ever documented on this site.
— the archive
Final Recommendationcarry it responsibly
Carry your Metaphysical Poking Stick responsibly.
❓Ask beautiful questions
🤫Allow beautiful silences
😄Laugh often
🦋Poke gently
"Take reality seriously enough to care for it —
and lightly enough to dance with it."
Should profound wisdom unexpectedly occur, there is no need to announce it immediately.
A cup of tea and a deep breath have proven remarkably effective first responses.
✨
Profound wisdom has unexpectedly occurred. It is sitting there, quite calmly, waiting to see what you do about it.
Both buttons work · only one of them is a first response
— Benno's Non-Sect
"Officially unorganized since the beginning."
Ano'he
Filed at approximately two in the afternoon, outdoors, by somebody who had gone for a walk and come
back with a document. Twenty relics in, this is the first one that arrived in daylight. It is also the
first one that recommends anything at all, and what it recommends is that you go outside and poke
something gently. No corrective action is required.
— the archive
