An Advaita forum focusing on Realisation, enlightenment, non-duality, Real Love, peace, freedom, Your original nature, abiding naturally, the Oneness, the Nothingness, and Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj.
As for Maharaj, you will find here some of his early pointers for beginners but some of his later pointers that are for seekers father along the "path." During his last years, he said of I AM THAT: "That book and whatever was expounded at that time was only relevant for that period. I am speaking differently today" and am "emphasizing different aspects." What he offered later differed considerably from his earlier talks, making clear that the pointers in I AM THAT will take you to the midpoint of "the race" but that his final talks point the way to "the finish line."
F.: The end of dependence and co-dependence - and the beginning of true freedom and peace - comes with authenticity, and only authenticity can provide access to the various forms of essence that can serve as a foundation on which independence, liberation, freedom and peace can be built.
The essence of liberation is freedom from personality (and, thus, freedom from being driven blindly by fears and desires). Maharaj offered the same pointer, but conversely, by saying that "self-limitation is the very essence of personality."
"Liberation," "Enlightenment," and "Realization" are not three different terms pointing to one condition. Each points to a different condition on the "journey": "liberation" comes with freedom from being driven blindly by the hidden agendas of personality; various "enlightenments" can come along the way on "the path"; "Realization" awaits at the end.
It was noted earlier that "of the nine basic personality types that exist, only one has a propensity for seeking the Authentic Self, specifically, the Type Four (which was Maharaj's type)"
and that
"Of all of the persons on the planet, only 1/2 of 1% are Type Fours; therefore, there is in that fact an explanation for Maharaj's predictions about how few will ever seek, much less find."
It was also noted that "in order to know the Self, one must find all of the false selves that are blocking awareness of the True Self; similarly, to find authenticity and The Authentic Self, one must understand what non-authenticity is and what the not-Authentic-Self is." That portrait of non-authenticity will be shared today.
No tool provides liberation from personality more effectively than the enneagram. Advaitins can talk about the plight of personality; the enneagram uncovers the manifestations and effects of personality in black and white. It not only exposes the false selves / personalities that unconsciously drive thoughts and words and actions but quantifies them with a numeric scale that reveals exactly the degree of influence that each personality is exerting throughout one's relative existence.
In terms of "finding authenticity and The Authentic Self" by way of "understanding what the not-Authentic-Self is," the enneagram personality identification and analysis system offers ...
... a means of identifying all of the "not-You's"
and
... a specific portraiture of "the not-Authentic-Self."
The list of specific "not-You's" that are exposed via the results of enneagram testing include "The Judge" / "The Perfectionist" / "The Reformer of the World"; "The Helper / Rescuer"; "The Knowledge Seeker / The Avoider of Everything";
"The Fearful One Seeking Security and Protection"; "The Escapist"; "The Controller"; and "The Avoider Who Wants to Be Taken Care of and Who Does Not Want to Be Bothered or Disturbed."
As for the "specific portraiture of the not-Authentic-Self," that is provided via an understanding of the Type Three Personality which is the antithesis of an Authentic Self. Again, "in order to know the Self, one must find all of the false selves that are blocking awareness of the True Self," and the Type Three is the epitome of inauthenticity.
[Note that while Threes are the "poster children" for inauthenticity, the "Three" is merely a personality type, so nothing here is a "personal attack" on Threes but is, instead, a witnessing of the characteristics of those trapped in the epitome of the "not-Self" whose every thought and word and deed provides concrete evidence of what non-authenticity looks like.]
Type Three's are most concerned with image, the very basis of the Ultimate Sickness that the teachings try to address. They build an image, work to maintain an image, want everyone to see their image, want all to believe that the image being presented is real, and actually believe themselves that their image is genuine.
They do not spend time visiting the stage in the Theater of the Lie as do other types; Three's actually live on that stage (when they are not living in the mirror in their dressing room). They are consummate actors / actresses, accomplished and skilled and talented at fooling others and themselves.
They are more attractive and charming and ambitious and competent than most in their cultures, all traits that feed their egos and attract the audiences that they must have to feed their Narcissistic Personality Disorder.
They can act diplomatically to try to gain what they want - and what they are convinced they are entitled to - but if that does not produce the results they seek, they can turn in an instant and use heartless words and actions to beat down any who disagree or interfere with their agenda. Their tongues are the knives they take to a fight.
Maximizing their ability to charm and control, they will function as the chameleons of the enneagram. To inspire you to accept them and their agenda and to inspire you to admire them and praise them, they will pretend to adopt your values and beliefs - assuming whatever "color" they are next to so you will feel comfortable next to them. This is part of the picture that shows what non-authenticity looks like.
Threes are the soybeans of the enneagram. Soybeans take on the flavor of whatever food they are placed next to and are, therefore, valued as "filler" or "extenders" when blended with other products. Threes operate that way in taking on the flavor of whatever / whoever they are next too in order to gain approval and acceptance and whatever else they desire.
If they are speaking to one playing the role of "The Helper," they will speak in ways that suggest they are helpers and in ways that endorse helping. With their excellent ability to parrot, to anticipate what others want to hear, and to say what will impress others, then it can be seen that if they are speaking to a Realized teacher, they will appear to be the most Realized seeker of all;
if they are speaking to one trapped in the role of "The Caregiver / The Caretaker," the Three will appear to be the most caring of all; if they are speaking to one interested in authenticity, they will sound more authentic than anyone has ever sounded; if they are with one who can be manipulated with sex, they will be the sexiest of all.
[One female Three was programmed by her father to "use your good looks to find a man to take care of you" and by her mother to "use love (a.k.a., 'sex' in this case) as a tool to manipulate men and they will give you anything and everything you want." For her, that "My-Life's-Plan-Is-A-Man" method has indeed attracted men with money who have been willing to provide for her all of life. This is another part of the picture that shows what non-authenticity looks like. By the way, with more women entering the workforce, more and more men are playing a similar game.]
Being masters at fabricating a false image, Three's become the kings and queens not only of deception but of self-deception, so when they "put a spin" on their actions, not only do they convince others to buy into their distorted version of truth and reality;
they also accept as absolute truth and absolute reality the distorted versions of the facts that they hear coming unconsciously from their mouths. Thus is their ability to whitewash their actions and to make their propensity for using charitable or vulnerable people appear to be something other than manipulation and exploitation and control.
Behind the image-making that produces a person / persona who seems confident (often to the point of seeming arrogant as well) is an inferiority complex; as a result, Threes will be driven to achieve and succeed at levels far beyond those of their peers, making them highly competitive - and most willing to use others - in their effort to feel valuable and to appear admirable.
And they have an uncanny knack for defining their "value" in ways that save face (that saves their image) and that hides the fact that they are exploiting others while suggesting that others are receiving equal or greater benefit from what they are offering, acting as if they are giving as much as, or more than, they are receiving.
Their narcissism will drive them to surround themselves with an entourage - or, even better in their opinion, an audience - of hero worshippers who will offer the attention and the affirmation that their egos need. This provides another glimpse at what non-authenticity looks like.
The Enneagram Institute completes the portraiture of what Threes (non-Authentics) look like after years of living the lie finally takes its toll (and what the end result of years of inauthenticity will produce):
Threes ...
* want to impress others with their superiority;
* constantly promote themselves, making themselves sound better than they really are;
* are narcissistic, with grandiose notions about themselves and their talents and their value and their inflated worth to others;
* are exhibitionistic and seductive (in fact, highly seductive, able to seduce those who have otherwise been beyond seduction for years or decades);
* are arrogant and contemptuous and jealous of others, a result of their competitive nature;
* are exploitative and opportunistic, willing to take advantage of the vulnerable and the generous in order to benefit financially or otherwise;
* feel entitled;
* are willing to do "whatever it takes" to preserve the illusion of their superiority and to guarantee their success and (especially) their financial security;
* are devious and deceptive and untrustworthy and delusional;
* are relentless, obsessive about destroying whatever reminds them of their own shortcomings and failures; and
* can become psychopathic.
If you want to know what authenticity is not, review the traits above. If one is truly in touch with The Authentic Self, then there are no "others" to use or abuse or take advantage of; there are no "others" that will be exploited for one's own personal pleasure or gratification;
there are no self-deceptive "spins" placed on the facts and on the otherwise clear evidence that is laid out for one to see if only objectivity were present; there are no "others" that are thought to deserve to be deceived in order to gain; there is no entrapment in deception or self-deception; there are no distorted views of reality;
there is no buying into the types of lies that Threes (and anyone else trapped in their persona-identifications) will tell themselves in order to convince themselves and others that they are acting with honor in all cases.
If you would understand the symptoms of the Ultimate Sickness, understand the way that Threes (and the way that all non-Authentics) unconsciously function; see the pain and misery that their deceptions generate for themselves and others;
see how their seduction pulls the vulnerable - or the similarly seductive and egotistical - into their games as they use their masterful skill at playing others; then see how they play themselves more than anyone.
If that does not inspire one to sincerely seek the Ultimate Medicine, then illness will continue, and it will continue to be spread.
[If you want to find your type and spend two one-hour sessions by telephone or Skype with Floyd explaining the results, visit www.floydhenderson.com]
Please enter the silence of contemplation. (To be continued)
The essence of liberation is freedom from personality (and, thus, freedom from being driven blindly by fears and desires). Maharaj offered the same pointer, but conversely, by saying that "self-limitation is the very essence of personality."
"Liberation," "Enlightenment," and "Realization" are not three different terms pointing to one condition. Each points to a different condition on the "journey": "liberation" comes with freedom from being driven blindly by the hidden agendas of personality; various "enlightenments" can come along the way on "the path"; "Realization" awaits at the end.
It was noted earlier that "of the nine basic personality types that exist, only one has a propensity for seeking the Authentic Self, specifically, the Type Four (which was Maharaj's type)"
and that
"Of all of the persons on the planet, only 1/2 of 1% are Type Fours; therefore, there is in that fact an explanation for Maharaj's predictions about how few will ever seek, much less find."
It was also noted that "in order to know the Self, one must find all of the false selves that are blocking awareness of the True Self; similarly, to find authenticity and The Authentic Self, one must understand what non-authenticity is and what the not-Authentic-Self is." That portrait of non-authenticity will be shared today.
No tool provides liberation from personality more effectively than the enneagram. Advaitins can talk about the plight of personality; the enneagram uncovers the manifestations and effects of personality in black and white. It not only exposes the false selves / personalities that unconsciously drive thoughts and words and actions but quantifies them with a numeric scale that reveals exactly the degree of influence that each personality is exerting throughout one's relative existence.
In terms of "finding authenticity and The Authentic Self" by way of "understanding what the not-Authentic-Self is," the enneagram personality identification and analysis system offers ...
... a means of identifying all of the "not-You's"
and
... a specific portraiture of "the not-Authentic-Self."
The list of specific "not-You's" that are exposed via the results of enneagram testing include "The Judge" / "The Perfectionist" / "The Reformer of the World"; "The Helper / Rescuer"; "The Knowledge Seeker / The Avoider of Everything";
"The Fearful One Seeking Security and Protection"; "The Escapist"; "The Controller"; and "The Avoider Who Wants to Be Taken Care of and Who Does Not Want to Be Bothered or Disturbed."
As for the "specific portraiture of the not-Authentic-Self," that is provided via an understanding of the Type Three Personality which is the antithesis of an Authentic Self. Again, "in order to know the Self, one must find all of the false selves that are blocking awareness of the True Self," and the Type Three is the epitome of inauthenticity.
[Note that while Threes are the "poster children" for inauthenticity, the "Three" is merely a personality type, so nothing here is a "personal attack" on Threes but is, instead, a witnessing of the characteristics of those trapped in the epitome of the "not-Self" whose every thought and word and deed provides concrete evidence of what non-authenticity looks like.]
Type Three's are most concerned with image, the very basis of the Ultimate Sickness that the teachings try to address. They build an image, work to maintain an image, want everyone to see their image, want all to believe that the image being presented is real, and actually believe themselves that their image is genuine.
They do not spend time visiting the stage in the Theater of the Lie as do other types; Three's actually live on that stage (when they are not living in the mirror in their dressing room). They are consummate actors / actresses, accomplished and skilled and talented at fooling others and themselves.
They are more attractive and charming and ambitious and competent than most in their cultures, all traits that feed their egos and attract the audiences that they must have to feed their Narcissistic Personality Disorder.
They can act diplomatically to try to gain what they want - and what they are convinced they are entitled to - but if that does not produce the results they seek, they can turn in an instant and use heartless words and actions to beat down any who disagree or interfere with their agenda. Their tongues are the knives they take to a fight.
Maximizing their ability to charm and control, they will function as the chameleons of the enneagram. To inspire you to accept them and their agenda and to inspire you to admire them and praise them, they will pretend to adopt your values and beliefs - assuming whatever "color" they are next to so you will feel comfortable next to them. This is part of the picture that shows what non-authenticity looks like.
Threes are the soybeans of the enneagram. Soybeans take on the flavor of whatever food they are placed next to and are, therefore, valued as "filler" or "extenders" when blended with other products. Threes operate that way in taking on the flavor of whatever / whoever they are next too in order to gain approval and acceptance and whatever else they desire.
If they are speaking to one playing the role of "The Helper," they will speak in ways that suggest they are helpers and in ways that endorse helping. With their excellent ability to parrot, to anticipate what others want to hear, and to say what will impress others, then it can be seen that if they are speaking to a Realized teacher, they will appear to be the most Realized seeker of all;
if they are speaking to one trapped in the role of "The Caregiver / The Caretaker," the Three will appear to be the most caring of all; if they are speaking to one interested in authenticity, they will sound more authentic than anyone has ever sounded; if they are with one who can be manipulated with sex, they will be the sexiest of all.
[One female Three was programmed by her father to "use your good looks to find a man to take care of you" and by her mother to "use love (a.k.a., 'sex' in this case) as a tool to manipulate men and they will give you anything and everything you want." For her, that "My-Life's-Plan-Is-A-Man" method has indeed attracted men with money who have been willing to provide for her all of life. This is another part of the picture that shows what non-authenticity looks like. By the way, with more women entering the workforce, more and more men are playing a similar game.]
Being masters at fabricating a false image, Three's become the kings and queens not only of deception but of self-deception, so when they "put a spin" on their actions, not only do they convince others to buy into their distorted version of truth and reality;
they also accept as absolute truth and absolute reality the distorted versions of the facts that they hear coming unconsciously from their mouths. Thus is their ability to whitewash their actions and to make their propensity for using charitable or vulnerable people appear to be something other than manipulation and exploitation and control.
Behind the image-making that produces a person / persona who seems confident (often to the point of seeming arrogant as well) is an inferiority complex; as a result, Threes will be driven to achieve and succeed at levels far beyond those of their peers, making them highly competitive - and most willing to use others - in their effort to feel valuable and to appear admirable.
And they have an uncanny knack for defining their "value" in ways that save face (that saves their image) and that hides the fact that they are exploiting others while suggesting that others are receiving equal or greater benefit from what they are offering, acting as if they are giving as much as, or more than, they are receiving.
Their narcissism will drive them to surround themselves with an entourage - or, even better in their opinion, an audience - of hero worshippers who will offer the attention and the affirmation that their egos need. This provides another glimpse at what non-authenticity looks like.
The Enneagram Institute completes the portraiture of what Threes (non-Authentics) look like after years of living the lie finally takes its toll (and what the end result of years of inauthenticity will produce):
Threes ...
* want to impress others with their superiority;
* constantly promote themselves, making themselves sound better than they really are;
* are narcissistic, with grandiose notions about themselves and their talents and their value and their inflated worth to others;
* are exhibitionistic and seductive (in fact, highly seductive, able to seduce those who have otherwise been beyond seduction for years or decades);
* are arrogant and contemptuous and jealous of others, a result of their competitive nature;
* are exploitative and opportunistic, willing to take advantage of the vulnerable and the generous in order to benefit financially or otherwise;
* feel entitled;
* are willing to do "whatever it takes" to preserve the illusion of their superiority and to guarantee their success and (especially) their financial security;
* are devious and deceptive and untrustworthy and delusional;
* are relentless, obsessive about destroying whatever reminds them of their own shortcomings and failures; and
* can become psychopathic.
If you want to know what authenticity is not, review the traits above. If one is truly in touch with The Authentic Self, then there are no "others" to use or abuse or take advantage of; there are no "others" that will be exploited for one's own personal pleasure or gratification;
there are no self-deceptive "spins" placed on the facts and on the otherwise clear evidence that is laid out for one to see if only objectivity were present; there are no "others" that are thought to deserve to be deceived in order to gain; there is no entrapment in deception or self-deception; there are no distorted views of reality;
there is no buying into the types of lies that Threes (and anyone else trapped in their persona-identifications) will tell themselves in order to convince themselves and others that they are acting with honor in all cases.
If you would understand the symptoms of the Ultimate Sickness, understand the way that Threes (and the way that all non-Authentics) unconsciously function; see the pain and misery that their deceptions generate for themselves and others;
see how their seduction pulls the vulnerable - or the similarly seductive and egotistical - into their games as they use their masterful skill at playing others; then see how they play themselves more than anyone.
If that does not inspire one to sincerely seek the Ultimate Medicine, then illness will continue, and it will continue to be spread.
[If you want to find your type and spend two one-hour sessions by telephone or Skype with Floyd explaining the results, visit www.floydhenderson.com]
Please enter the silence of contemplation. (To be continued)
