Being God - Why I Wrote This Book and the Ten Principles That Guide My Life
Paul von Bergen’s Being God blends science and spirituality to expose the roots of our global health crisis - and offers simple principles for living a healthier, more meaningful life.
I wrote Being God because I was searching for peace of mind, for purpose, and for a sense of belonging in a world that often feels disconnected and overwhelming. Like many people, I’ve wrestled with meaning - grappling with mortality, identity, trauma, love, and responsibility. At its heart, this book is my way of making sense of both the science of our existence and the sacred mystery of consciousness. It’s a journey from atoms to awareness - from stardust to soul.
The inspiration didn’t come from a single lightning bolt moment. It came from years of living, struggling, awakening, stumbling, healing, falling apart, rebuilding, and learning from giants - from ancient wisdom keepers to modern thinkers, from spiritual teachers to neuroscientists, from my own kids to dying grandparents. As I say in the book, nothing in it is brand new; it’s a melting pot of ideas interpreted through my experience as a seeker, father, entrepreneur, teacher, and flawed human just trying to live well.
Spiritual and Wellness Insights Along the Way
Spirituality, to me, isn’t a religion or dogma - it’s the lived experience of remembering we are connected to everything. We are not isolated beings chasing pleasure and success; we are the universe experiencing itself. Once I truly understood that my body is made of atoms formed in dying stars, that I am more bacteria than human, and that consciousness may not simply reside in me but flow through me, everything changed. I began to see life not as a race, but as a sacred unfolding.
Wellness, then, became more than fitness or green juice. It became a daily practice of connecting with body, mind, nature, purpose, and others. It meant learning to regulate my nervous system, to feel deeply rather than numb out, to unravel inherited trauma, and to cultivate presence. As I explored in the chapters on cellular wisdom and the nervous system, our health is shaped not just by what we eat or how we move, but by how we love, how we process fear, how we breathe, and how consciously we live.
Ultimately, this book is about remembering who we are - energy, bacteria, cells, mammals, humans, wisdom, revolution, and God. It is about becoming an active participant in our evolution rather than a passive consumer of life.
The 10 Commandments - My Guiding Principles for Life
In the final section of the book, I offer ten guiding principles - my version of “commandments” for living a meaningful, connected, and intentional life. These are not moral laws handed down by some external authority; they are practices for inner alignment and conscious living:
Be the Change - Take ownership. Don’t wait for the world to fix itself; begin with yourself.
Just Get Started - Progress doesn’t happen through perfectionism or procrastination. Begin, even if it’s messy.
Know Thyself - Do the inner work. Understand your conditioning, triggers, shadows, and gifts.
Feel Deeply - Don’t numb. Emotions are energy in motion. Let them move through you.
Practice, Practice, Practice - Every change in your life must be trained into existence. Consistency is sacred.
Pay Attention - Presence is power. The more you notice, the more alive you become.
Be Kind - Compassion is not weakness; it is evolution in action.
Love Irritation - Friction is feedback. Use discomfort as a portal to growth.
Make a Difference - Use your time, privilege, and unique essence to contribute to something beyond yourself.
Die Well - Live in such a way that when your time comes, you can meet death with peace, gratitude, and as few regrets as possible.
These commandments are daily reminders of how I choose to show up - imperfectly but consciously.
My Hope for Every Reader
I didn’t write Being God to preach, convert, or claim I have the answers. I wrote it to offer a hand in the dark and whisper, “You’re not alone. You are powerful. You are connected. You are made of miracles.” My wish is that this book helps you see the wood for the trees - that it helps you remember your origins, rediscover your purpose, and reclaim your divinity, not in a religious sense, but in the sense that you are a conscious creator of your life.