FROM A SITE VISITOR: [Received 25 October]: What did you mean in today’s post when you talked about varieties of determinism rather than choice and logic and reason? Sounds interesting in a way but I have no clue what you’re talking about, Thank you, Stephen.
FROM ANOTHER SITE VISITOR [Referring to the book CASTING LIGHT ON THE DARK SIDE OF RELATIONSHIPS]: My girlfriend read your book and found herself having a VERY strong reaction to it--she found it biologically deterministic but is willing to consider its questions.
FROM ANOTHER SITE VISITOR Hi floyd, In the above discussion, you mentioned that the cause of all is all. let's take this scenario. Person "A" killed person "B" with a knife.what's the cause, is it the knife, or the metal that made knife,or the current consciousness that used knife. There is no single cause. If the Person "A" reads the above point that cause of all is all ,then he does not feel guilty and can go on with unmanifesting the consciousness. Please share light on this. Raja
F.: [Raja’s e-mail is along the lines of several received from those who erroneously believe that to understand the chains of events that lead to any happening can be used as justification to behave in ways in which the Realized would never behave.]
Raja, after so many months, what is this talk of “going on with unmanifesting the consciousness”? The consciousness is manifested. It is either functioning as pure, unblocked consciousness or not. Next, as mentioned to you months ago, you love to dream up scenarios, but they are not leading you to Realization and they never will.
This topic, and others that are undertaken as nothing more than entertainment, are not for you. You still want to talk “trigonometry” without having yet mastered “addition and subtraction.” As suggested to you many times, go back to the basics because your words indicate that you have not grasped even the most fundamental understandings.
The Realized understand the functioning of the totality, a piece of which is being explained in this series. The Realized are at one with all, so any talk of “killing another” would simultaneously be committing suicide…to kill self. Yet there are no “others”—there is no duality, so the issue is moot for the Realized.
Why do some kill? Because of a chain of events and because they are not Realized. They are still trapped in false identities which they are trying to maintain or defend with a “fight-to-the-death” mentality. They are emotionally-intoxicated (a condition again that can only be "experienced" by an ego-state).
Why have you not killed? There is a chain of events that has resulted in raja not killing. There is a chain of events that has resulted in some persons killing. It is the non-Realized who might use “causes” as an excuse or justification to harm; it is the Realized that comprehend the endless succession of events that lead to all happenings. It is the Realized that reach an understanding of how the totality functions and why the totality functions as it does.
That said, what has any of your fascination with scenarios got to do with raja finding out all that he is not, finding out Who/What He Is, and dwelling as the natural state…the no-killing state…the no-dreaming state (which includes not dreaming up scenarios rather than answering the basic Advaitin questions first).
Back to the same suggestion offered time and again to you: stop with the dreaming—including the dreaming up of scenarios—and stay with the I AM for now. Later, you can come out and play along with the “entertainment” part of the teachings, including this current series. But until you know who you are not and until you see all of the distractions that are causing you to behave as you are behaving, focus on “the work,” not on the play.
Now, yesterday’s post ended with this: If one would move beyond the levels of determinism that rob the non-Realized of choice and logic and reason, then they must understand the varieties of determinism that control the non-Realized on the planet. So what are the various types of determinism that drive persons to think or talk or behave the way they do? The list includes, but is not limited to:
biological (or genetic or natural) determinism, social (or environmental) determinism, archetypal determinism, physical (or chemical or body type) determinism, psychic (or psychological) determinism, and personality (or ego) determinism.
BIOLOGICAL (OR GENETIC OR NATURAL) DETERMINISM
First, since some persons find the notion of “biological determinism as a controlling or influential factor” to be an insult to “advanced” humans (or would that really just be to those offended persons specifically?), two questions will be answered:
"Isn’t it possible for humans to transcend certain biological drives and think, talk, and act in ways that are rooted in logic and reason and sensibility?" Unequivocally, yes. “Does that happen with any regularity on this planet?” No.
As an example of biological influences (and overcoming the influence of biological determinism), consider the human sex drive:
Of course a person can transcend biological-psychological influences, as well as the sway of the sex drive, and can then exercise reason and choose not to engage in an act of unsafe sex (an act that could easily be an example of assisted suicide if the potential lethal consequences of that act are considered nowadays).
Too, 50% of all married men and 60% of all married women will never have an extramarital affair, biological urges notwithstanding. (That might be a result of overcoming biological urges or it might be the result of an absence of opportunity.)
Also, even among the scientists and sociologists and others who have studied this subject in detail, there is no consensus regarding the role of the genetic aspect in determining behavior. Members of those groups continue to debate “the ratio of cause” that should be assigned to genetic vs. environmental influence on human behavior vs. biological influences on human behavior.
But since the term “biological determinism” arose after a reading of the book on “relationships,” consider the factors being discussed in this section in regards to "relationships," realizing also that some understanding of personality determiners, in addition to biological determiners, would be relevant to the discussion.
If one were to study the typical beliefs about relationships as associated with personality type, it would be seen that the nine basic types all have different agendas about “love,” about “relationships,” about relationship fears, and about relationship desires. Under duress (or under the influence of religious or spiritual-based arrogance and a sense of “better-than-ness”):
Type Ones seek “perfect love,” their definition of what that should look like based in the totality of their experiences. They can become quite critical when a partner fails to meet their standards or expectations or definitions.
Type’s Twos seek unlimited love. They can never get enough now to make up for the perceived or actual shortage then.
Type Threes can be exploitative and sporadic…wanting someone on day one but being ready to reject them on day five hundred or day two-fifty or day thirty or even on day two.
Type Fours typically imagine idealized forms of “love” (which can never be attained in actuality).
Type Fives can be withdrawn and contentious when in a "relationship."
The discussion of the combined effects of biological and personality influences on behavior in "relationships" will continue tomorrow. Please enter the silence of contemplation. (To be continued)
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON TODAY’S POST:
TWO OTHER OFFERINGS ARE AVAILABLE:
More and more seekers are requesting an understanding of how a personality formed in childhood is still determining and controlling everything that is thought or said or done in adulthood. Others have inquired about an opportunity to speak one-on-one about the seven-step “path” to Realization.
Thus, two opportunities are being offered from now until Dec 15th at 50% off:
PERSONALITY TYPING:
Here’s what is included in the package that is available for the next two months (the service available to international visitors but these price being only for the Continental U.S.):
A copy of the personality test (B) Priority mailing of the test (C) Analysis of the test results (D) a one-hour telephone session to discuss the results (E) the cost of the telephone conference. Cost is US$95.
ONE-ON-ONE SATSANG VIA TELE-CONFERENCE
For the next two months, a tele-conference to discuss any aspects of the Advaita teachings one-on-one will be offered. [Rich from the
To arrange either package, >Click ARRANGE PACKAGES provide all of the information requested, and in the message box at the bottom, indicate that you want to make arrangements for the PERSONALITY TYPING or for the ONE-ON-ONE ADVAITA SESSION or both.
