99 steps to reclaiming your individuality Step #19

Illumination, dispelling the darkness with reason:

Reason has a unique quality, it does not need to be privileged to the truth to reveal the truth. Grasping this principal, and utilizing in our lives, can greatly speed our journey to self realization. Our journey begins as it always does when seeking to grow in self awareness, with the acceptance that "We can of our own selves do nothing"  Every thought ever thought, has been thought before. Every pondering pondered. Aspects of our natures would wish you to believe that this was not so,  but it is truth. We see the evolution all around us, and we think this to be new, and it is with regard to the physical elements that ground us in our conscious awareness, but the journey we take is inward. For the outward (external) is a manifestation of the recycling of the creative force that dwells in us all. We choose how it manifests, and if it does so negatively in our lives, then we must be responsible for the correction first, then the external will be modified. Connecting with that source is natural, even though the source itself is supernatural. We do not have to concern ourselves with this aspect within the realm of this course, for once again, it must be reasserted that this is a journey of discovery. And this will not be the last time you will be reminded of this fact, so please accept an apology for this beforehand. The supernatural as concerns us, in this course, is nothing more that the realization that a cause will have an effect and vice-versa. When we agree to accept this principle, which it is almost certain that we already do, then we are ready to begin the experiment.

Reason is not new to you, it was one of your earliest conquests. You merely under use it, refuse to use it, or choose to avoid it by sway of an emotional intervention. There can be any number of reasons why you would choose to avoid reason. You could pause now, and reason why this is, and that would be perfectly acceptable. Each of us will draw different conclusions, because as already affirmed each of us is uniquely configured. For this exercise experiment with common examples and see what the result is..

Each one of us at one time or another has been faced with the dilemma that if we precipitate an action, then an unfavorable resultant action may be the result. But if we do-not complete-it the results may equally be unfavorable. The classic damned if you do, damned if you don't. How could reason alter this?  Reason is an independent voice. In neither seeks truth or justice but simply weighs the facts. If you agree to use it. then you have voluntarily placed your self in your neutral state, and the perfect state to be in to provide the best possible solution. Secondly you are surrendering this dilemma to the supernatural, effectively opening all possible channels of resolve. And it is quite likely that when you resurface you will not only have gained the conviction to move forward with resolve, but also gained insight into how to equally resolve any resultant repercussions.

Reason is the internal illumination of ourselves. Reason brings out the best in us, because its job is not to judge us, but judge the facts on our behalf, and then on our behalf also, present those facts illumined so we can extract the truth as much as is conceivably possible to any situation with which we choose to apply it.      

99 steps to reclaiming your individuality Step #18

Observing emotions, the alternative perspective:

Understanding our emotional nature is key to a healthy individual makeup. When-ever emotions are discussed or referred to, it is usually in a repairative or subjective manner. We seldom observe our emotional state and more often tend to recover from it. Now by emotions very nature, to effectively control emotion, would in essence be to rob it of its intrinsic value. Certainly one of the most serious flaws in the way we treat symptoms of emotional disorders in today's society, is by attempting to medicate them away. Emotions are a rich and essential part of the human experience. And again, in the pattern of our progress in this course, we seek to observe not alter this rich experience of life.

What we must learn to do is acknowledge them for what they are, and then accept their inherent homogeneity in the totality of our nature(s) plural. When we do this, they no longer have the sense of acting externally on us, but we gain a sense of experiencing the moment through the lens of our emotional natures, which ever one we happen to be experiencing at the time. The caution here is to understand their intrinsic nature, and understand that like everything else in our make-up as individuals, there are polarities, and there are extremes.

We have consistently through this course, so far, always arrived at a point where we are simply asked to observe! Why? Acknowledgement or awareness in any circumstance, in any situation grounds us to the reality that we are being acted upon, and have a choice to approve of this action or behavior, and choose also to alter it, or decline it. Never in any area of our life is this as critical an awareness and practice, as it  is when dealing with the emotional natures. Mastering this skill, if nothing else, will guarantee you a life of total self determination. But also we should stay grounded in the truth  that if it were as easy to control the emotions as deciding what we wanted for dinner or the choice between a hot or cold beverage, our society would not be as rife with emotionally distraught people as it is today, or over the course of history for that matter. Emotions as previously mentioned are an intense part of our conscious awareness as humans. Their omni-faceted natures intersect the complete spectrum of our consciousness, both physically and psychologically. This complexity should not dissuade us from gaining mastery over their control, but simply prepare us for the challenge that will lie ahead.

By simple tools of analysis, evaluation and assessment we can begin to unpack the ominous seeming complexity of the realm of emotions. One well incorporated strategy is the basic 1 - 10 scale.  When we experience emotional stimuli we can start our assessment by attempting to gauge the strength or intensity of those stimuli by rating them on a scale of one to ten What this does, is like in previous exercises, disconnects us from the intensity of the emotion and returns authority to ourselves. Once this is done a few times we will find that the numbers we record will decrease on the scale the more incidences we record. This decrease is not occurring by any increase in tolerance, character or stamina but simply because we are preventing the escalation by mere awareness as previously noted. Secondly and most importantly we should begin to recognize that for example, an angry outburst that we would rate a seven, and a minor grievance we would rate a two, are originating from the same source emotion, and we can if we so choose, effectively control the outcome, and this realization further empowers us, not the emotion, and once this is realized the intensity of the emotion is corralled. Once again, without force without coercion we regain authority and in that authority regain our individuality.

99 steps to reclaiming your individuality Step #17

The Temporal illusion of time:

Each one of us was born at a time, will live for a time, then pass on out of time. Time is the grand illusion, our entire lives beginning to end, curtain rise to curtain fall are its willing and sometimes not so willing captives. A lot of conflict arises when we attempt to posit, ponder or contemplate life without its restraints. This shouldn't be. Time simply is, and is not! When we can finally accept that, then we are free. Individuality poses the same paradox and the same dilemma Created by an exchange of energies, which originated in a stream of energies, which causal nature is said to have occurred from a single energy. The rhythm of life.

Who are you? When did you, become you? What you, chose the attributes that constructed the you, that is you? And is the you, that you are, the you, you wanted to be, or is the you, you are, the you , you are supposed to be? And if so who determined you to be it? The you that is you of course. As humurous a display of linguistic word play, that, that was, it is well worthy of a little reflection. In life we have been conditioned to address the tangible with more authenticity and credibility than the intangible, why? Because we are sense primary logicians. But you might ask, "If this be true, then how do you account for the predominance of supernatural assumption that still goes on in the world today? Quite simple, The them that is them, or the you that is you, thought that there must be more. To reclaim what we once had, or to claim what is ours, we don't have to change our beliefs. Nor do we have to adopt new beliefs, we just have to accept that if something comes along, and it is unknown to us, are we willing to accept it. When we do this, time no longer becomes our keeper, it becomes our teacher.

How can a teacher that teaches nothing, teach? A valid question, and one you must consider wisely. What is the definition of learning? To gain knowledge of something, that up until that time we had little or no knowledge of before. What are the prerequisites to gaining that knowledge?  Willingness, inquisitiveness,  and allotment of time. I will ask the question again; Who are you? Take as much time as you need now, feel free to use the above variables of willingness and inquisitiveness. feel free to take as long as you wish. then finally... Feel free!

Now back in step five it was asked of you to construct a list of what you felt were the elements of your inquisitive nature state. How many of those elements did you  reaffirm in this exercise, how many additional  ones will you add now. This is your true inquisitive nature state, and quite incredible isn't it! The potential that was always there, the ability that was always there, the part of you that was always there, waiting for you but to ask to assist. And it is there in us all, because the you that is you, is quite remarkable indeed.

If on the other hand the exercise left you confused or frustrated, we have work to do. Because discovery is always a positive motion. We will now see that we have a blockage in the free flow of our nature states. And we will also know now that it is easily repairable. For if we seek to understand the inquisitive nature state, and we know that this is done in the realm of the neutral state, if we are not accomplishing our goal, then where is the issue arising? The hesitant state. And since we have a list of the emotional states that arise from this nature state, which one is the impediment? The miracle that usually occurs here is that the simple act of discovery, most time will clear the blockage. Try it, you have time.



 

99 steps to reclaiming your individuality Step #16

Deconstructing the myth:

Our lives are but a sequence of memories. That statement is pretty much agreed upon by all. What constitutes a balanced life, is when we accept this truth, but at the same time, we are not enslaved by it. Equally, we have all overtime, created a construct of who we think we are, and again and most critical; what constitutes a balance here, is when we accept this truth, but at the same time, are not enslaved by it.

Most streams of self help, or self empowerment advice focus on the erroneous pendulum logic ideology. If its wrong make it right, if its black turn it white, if its left, then make it right. Obviously when there is a void in our lives, or discomfort, or a sense of something missing we should seek to find a solution. Many opinions flourish as to the correcting of these absent variables, but few seldom consider the most obvious of solutions, which is simple awareness. Why is this obvious solution for the most part, always overlooked? Because it is often buried behind the fortress of a well armed and well armored formidable force. The self!

The self, not to be mistaken with the individual, which is the nourished collective of the many selves, is a complex construct we have been creating since our first breath. To give an example of what often-times occurs in the mechanized self, we first have to Analise the relationship of the many selves. As previously mentioned throughout what we have been discussing in this dialogue, we are not one self we are many. What most-times occurs in many life-events is the expressing of the emotion (nature) as a manefestation of the individual self .This emotion (nature) unseats the rational individual and for as long as the event occurs, rules the actions of the individual. In order to disagree with this premise, you would have had to have lived an incredibly sheltered life. We see this scenario played out in our lives several if not several dozen times a day, through our own shortcomings, through the media, through our interaction in our social circles and community, there is no doubt, about this truth. What is the simple solution?  "Awareness".

When we address the needs of our individual natures, consciously, we establish not only a connection with ourselves, but by our action assume authority. When we do this consistently, we prevent not only the usurping of that authority by emotional outbursts, we receive supportive feedback from all of our emotions (nature states), thus giving ourselves an internal support structure to fortify our interactive decision making. truly an incredible sensation, the first time you experience it.

So again our goal is not attack, not surrender, nor denial, or any attempt to force change, but to simply accept truth and let change be the result. Our life is a beautiful myth, it will be to us, upon its completion, the greatest story ever told. Shouldn't we then think for such an important task, for an exclusive one of a kind adventure, that we should indeed be the authors of it.  And then in that great universal library of time where all the mythologies are proudly displayed, there on that shelf will be the story of you. 

     

99 steps to reclaiming your individuality Step #15

The pendulum logic of the adversary:

Society, which in essence, is the purpose for the writing of this, often is our mirror, our standard, our barometer of our health as an individual. Even though this sounds like as yet another paradox, we should be coming to a illumined realization of the profusion of paradox's that inhabitant the normal state of our existance. It was once quoted that we are never direct doers of anything, but deciders. This is true of the individual but not of everyone. Our culture today for the most part, is only too happy to infer or imply that we should simply do it, but with the caveat that it be of-course based on decisions they (the overlords of society) deem the appropriate course of action. Equally if one asserts that individuals should control the course and direction of their lives, then those same overlords label them any one of a plethora of subversive associations like: Anarchist, rebel , anti-social etc, etc. Thus the cycle of pendulum logic is initialized. Swing to the left, swing to the right. The myth and misuse of surrender has plagued mankind and society for ions. If we are to reclaim our individuality we must first have a definitive grasp on its (surrenders) application in our life and what authority delegates it.

Our example today surrounds our association in, and our understanding of our role in society. We are for all intents and purposes social beings. What ever the complexity of that integration is, we all are. How we interact is as unique to the individual, as is their own makeup as an individual. (Though seemingly from the similar habits of many, one may conclude different) When we begin to work freely consciously between our nature states, which is our natural and healthy state, we will begin to realize that what we experience in social settings when we are cohabitively relaxed, is not a bartering or an exchanging of elements or energies, but a perfect symbiosis of them. Allow me to unpack my assertion for better clarity. We have been culturally indoctrinated to believe that society is a give and take proposition. We give something, we receive something.  We ask a question, we receive an answer. We offer something, and we accept something. All basic principles and gestures right? Then why you might ask is "Greed" such a pervasive adversary in our culture and in every past culture since the beginning? Society is not based on a give and take principle, but a "willingness" to give and take principle. What has always derailed societies and will continue to derail societies is this false assertion of give and take. The surrendered individual will be burdened with the guilt of obligation to the furtherment and prosperity of the society they inhabit. This occurs through state taxation, moral obligation, and the assurance of the security that membership in the society offers. Now all these variables are intrinsic necessities of a functioning society, and it is not our intention to renege on our obligations, but simply bring them into the light of reason.

We will often demonize the Ego, and blame societies inadequacies on the selfish natures that are often placed under the heading of that ambiguous entity. The Ego is merely a polarized aggregate of the individual stuck in the endless loop of the "Hesitant Natures" that were discussed in the previous lesson. And the adversary (anti-individual-result) uses these ploys in society to elicit that which is seen as all the negative attributes of a otherwise healthy society. So the Ego in essence is the victim, both taunted and seduced, victor and victim villain and hero, and with no-one to break the cycle it is kept in a trance of self indulgence, and obligatory pandering for necessity.

This may give you some insight into why it is crucial for us to become impartial observers.first and foremost. The only way to break a cycle is to have the capacity to stand outside of it, and the only thing that will prevent you from achieving that is to authorize any of the "Hesitant natures" to participate in the exercise. Again this should not be difficult, because as we learned in the previous lesson, our goal is the free flow of the individual through all of its "nature states". This momentum alone when conditioned will have us aligned with the most effective nature to utilize in any circumstance. It also assures that if we succumb to the cumulative persuasions of the ego state, we are not stuck in the endless loop, but ferried to an area where we can formulate resolve. The individual then gains equilibrium, and the pendulum no longer provides the transportation.                                 

99 steps to reclaiming your individuality Step #14

Navigating emotions, the double edged sword:

If we have been open and receptive to the scope of this project, we will have set aside preconceived notions, defensive prerequisites and affirmed to ourselves this is about discovery not change. So inasmuch, we are not concerned with negotiation, because we are not being asked to surrender anything. It is also hoped that the reader will have had the opportunity to put into practice some of the fundamental elements the previous steps have outlined. Without these steps being utilized continuing would be pointless because, like stepping stones each may be different, but each one is essential to the sequential progress of our journey.

Today we will focus on the region of our natures that presents the most challenge in our daily lives, the grouping we have agreed upon to be known as the "Hesitant natures".  Each one of us will have assembled the subset of natures we have placed in this category, they should include (as outlined in the example) the  more irrational emotions, anxieties, fears and deep seated resentments and convictions, in short we are entering the throne room of the EGO. It has often been cautioned by scholarly advocates not to approach this facet of our nature naively, which is good advise. But we are not there to challenge the authority of the King, so we should be allowed audience today. It is also hoped that we will have had an experience, where-upon having found ourselves engaged emotionally in this nature state, that we also, at any point during, actively reflected on our involvement, or questioned the emotional response, and sought to investigate its trigger. If we consciously sought to do this then we have started the process of  un-autonomization, and will over successive attempts change the process of how we consciously move in and out of these nature states. A huge awakening of our overall individual nature indeed.

Continuing on let us use for an example the emotion of "Anger" or "ANGER" or "A@#$N!@G%E#@R" !! these emotions work on the cumulative principle. Although knowing the antecedent behavior of this nature's characteristics would be valuable, this is not our intention at this time. What we are interested in is the unconscious trigger. What moves us from a state of conscious control to emotional surrender? This is where it becomes challenging, for the more we become an impartial observer, the more we witness that the terms like "You have every right to be angry" literally mean "You have every right to be angry" and not "the totally irrational behavior you just demonstrated was justified". What is critical here is to diffuse anger not suppress it. And we do this by following some very old and well documented advice "We count to ten" , "Take two" ,"Walk away". Why? It gives us a chance to regain control and move our conscious awareness to our "Neutral nature state" where we can assess, consider, and construct a path forward. Still angry, but still in control. When we collapse into a state of emotional free-fall, the only tools we have to work with are the tools within that nature state we are in. Anger escalates, or what is more often the case oscillates between a volley of anger-fear-timidity or rage, and either blows itself out, crash lands, or ends in serious upheaval. If we can diffuse this before it closes the gate and leaves us as the helpless victim of circumstance, we become an angered individual instead of a victim of an angry outburst. This is again just one more example where simple awareness alone can keep us in control and increase our control of any situation.

Seeing this from a relaxed observer state, is quite simple, enacting it when the situation arises is the challenge. The best way to condition this behavior is to practice on past events, identifying the triggers, associating the range of emotions involved, and finally rewriting the ending. Now you have a choice. And that choice can be used as your own trigger when a future event occurs. With which edge of the sword you strike with will determine your victory. But "You" will be wielding the sword, so the choice of action should be obvious.

              

99 steps to reclaiming your individuality Step #13  

The paradox of persuasion:

At a point in time, its causal nature known exclusively only to us, but yet, communicably not unlike a virus spread in a wave of mass agreement, the normative conscious around us was shifted. And equally similar to the many shifts that have occurred over time from one state of cultural normalcy to another, we stood on a plateau still unaware that it was of our own construct, and were humbled by the realization of how insignificant we were in comparison to how vast the perceived reality around us was.  We all have, or will take this journey, because this is an intrinsic part of our makeup as humans. Our erring in choice comes when we are persuaded  to abandon self in favor of something else, and there is no shortage of these types of persuasions,or those that would seek to persuade us, in this construct we call reality.

Now also, we must, we have or we will come to the realization that all we have, all we know is but a reiterating of what was previously concluded and what was previously known. This of course is aside from technological advances, aside from astrological, scientific, or medical advances. The self and the understanding of the self is much different in these regards. The universal truth is that the journey to self is a processional journey, one that is realized only when the realization comes from within, and this can only occur when the self is rightly ordered, and when we have the capacity to cement this in our authoritative position as an individual. The antithetical expression of this realization, to the abandoned self though, is most often a state of melancholy or depression, or the preoccupation in mundane stimulus or consumerism.

Equally the seeming paradox continues when we also come to the realization that the only way to regain or maintain our status as individuals, is to persuade ourselves that our answer to the question is that we were designed to ask questions. And questioning is our purpose and answers are the effluent effects of our questions. There is no ultimate answer, and knowing all the answers will not bring peace, but only boredom.
This certainly is not a new premise or postulate, it is many a millennium old, and for the same expanse in time reiterated and reiterated a multitude of times, in a multitude of ways..

What we have become in our current society is, again, the antithesis of what we were intentioned to be. We have become a society that expects and receives answers. Again the ubiquitous paradox returns; If we are a society demanding answers, then we must be a society asking  questions right? Wrong! We are given the answers to questions that are originated from the same source that is supplying the answers. An example of this rhetorical slight of hand is when a politician or a propagandist declares, "People demanded we be tough on crime, and we were quick to answer, with building more prisons."  Incrementally we have been downgraded in our society to a drone work force, and being held in that state of equilibrium by the illusion of democratic rule and paltry rewards. The critical error in this ideology is that, when the questions originate from the same source as the answers, the questions offered are usually only to meet the self interest of that body. Increasingly the needs of the society are neglected, there is a growing gap between the needs of the select few who formulate the ruse, and the rest of society, and eventually the society erodes or collapses. Again not a new postulate, but one that has been proven and demonstrated time and time again.

At a point in time we as a society were persuaded that the answers we seek were beyond our capacity, government grew. Tyrannical rule was refined to a palatable state for mass consumption. Obstruction and distraction played devils advocate and the disappearing elephant rouse became the parlour trick of every financier, corporation and government body. The grave problem is that we now have all these suspended elephants looming in every corner of our existence, and the one law you cannot change or manipulate for ever is the law of gravity. So the inevitability we face now is not expecting answers as to why, or shelters capable of withstanding falling elephants, but of the realization, that if we don't change the rules with which the game is played. We will be crushed. Not as an act of intention, but as a result of denial.