Parmenides was right when he said that Love is the first of all Gods for Love upholds its own manifestations. All the effects exist not only within the first cause; the first cause experiences itself through its effects. So even though the effects do not realize they are the cause; they very much are upheld- and part of the first cause itself which self-experiences itself through its effects (hence explaining the filter called Māyā which may or may not be a Self-induced necessity). I don't know the answer to the latter. All I know is that all is Love in reality and that we are Love experiencing itself; we have given ourselves the name Life this although we are Love in reality.
~ Wald Wassermann