FROM A SITE VISITOR: [Referring to a title that was given to him by his employer and that was later taken away from him by his employer, a “loss” that is still interrupting his happiness years later]: I must say, I am much better off, but, no matter how hard "I" try, I really can't get over losing my district title. I know it's vain and all that. Yesterday, I went to a meeting. A lady got my old title, a title that has now been upgraded by the company…a title I would have, maybe should have, had. Floyd, I've tried rationalization; I've tried to think about all you have said. While I know I am hung up on the status of the title, my mind simply can't let it go.
F.: “Titles”— celebrated when “acquired” and mourned when “lost”—are at the heart of happiness and unhappiness…at the root of elation and sorrow…at the core of mirth and misery. So, too, are the illusions of upgradings and downgradings.
Consider the effects of assigning titles: international wars are preceded by the assignment of titles to land masses; religious wars are preceded by titles being assumed by devotees; and “personal” conflicts happen after titles are assigned: “I pronounce you man and wife,” is often followed by “You are my wife and should do what I expect” or “I will not tolerate such behavior from my husband.”
Of course all assigning of titles is rooted in duality as they are thought to be “good” at one point but can have “bad” effects later. In the case above, when a “district title” was awarded, “positive” thoughts, “positive” words, and “positive” ego-reinforcement must have surely followed:
“I have been promoted. Look at me! Wife, look at what your husband has done! Daughters, look what your dad has accomplished!” When the title was lost, “negative” thoughts, “negative” words, and “negative” humiliation followed. The downgrading of an illusion can be accompanied by quieter reactions than an upgrading, but downgradings are often accompanied by violent reactions as well.
[For those new to this site, here’s the way upgrading and downgrading works: “I am a man” can eventually be upgraded to “I am a husband” or “I am an employee.” Then, egotism will further upgrade those ego-states to “I am a great husband” or “I am a great employee”…all opinions and all evidence to the contrary be damned.
Buying into linear timelines, the belief that “This is a day” can be upgraded to “This is a holy day” or “Christmas (or Hanukkah or Ramadan) is one of the most special days of the year.” Another example is, “This is land that is owned” can be upgraded to “This is
“This world is real” can be upgraded to “A heavenly world awaits ‘good’ people” or downgraded to “A world called ‘hell’ awaits ‘bad’ people.”]
Note also how the belief that titles are real will cause the relative existence to be plagued by the instability of fluctuating between those states of happiness and unhappiness, between states of elation and sorrow, between states of mirth and misery.
Readers are invited to list the times when being given a title made you happy but eventually made you unhappy when the title did not bring all that was expected or when the title was stripped from you.
(For example: “I got the job! I am an employee! I am happy!” can become “This job is the job from hell! I am miserable!” or “They fired me—I am no longer employee.” Or another example might be: “I am officially a spouse! I am overjoyed!” but that can become “This is the marriage from hell! I am miserable!” or “My spouse left me—I am no longer a spouse, so I'm in sorrow.”) Please enter the silence of contemplation. (To be continued)
For more information on books that address all of the seven levels of the “journey” offered via the Advaita Teachings or that discuss in detail each of the seven steps, visit:
http://floydhenderson.com/nothingness.htm
http://floydhenderson.com/consiousnessawareness.htm
http://floydhenderson.com/iamabsolute.htm
http://floydhenderson.com/theessence.htm
http://floydhenderson.com/whenidie.htm
http://floydhenderson.com/liberation.htm
http://floydhenderson.com/peaceofmind.htm
http://floydhenderson.com/spiritualsobriety.htm
http://floydhenderson.com/bullshit.htm
http://floydhenderson.com/twicestolen1.htm
http://floydhenderson.com/twicestolen2.htm
http://floydhenderson.com/spiritjourney.htm
http://floydhenderson.com/twelvestep.htm
http://floydhenderson.com/castinglight.htm
http://floydhenderson.com/boardofdirectors.htm
