Today's Considerations
Maharaj originally offered a version of the Ultimate
Medicine which was a Hindu / non-duality compound; he abandoned that version,
especially after Westerners interested less in Hinduism and more in “spirituality” began visiting the
loft. At that point, he began offering a version of the Ultimate Medicine which
was a spirituality / non-duality compound. Eventually, that version of the Medicine was cast aside
after it was seen that the side effects – sending forth an army of arrogant
“Spiritual Giants” - were as detrimental as the Sickness
itself.
The same experiments were being conducted here at about the
same time they were happening in the loft. Religious and then spiritual / “mythical”
sounding pointers were also being offered here as possible versions of the Ultimate
Medicine. Use of the religious version of the Medicine was inspired by the
lingering effects of childhood programming which had obviously not been totally
expunged; the spiritual / mythical version of the Medicine was inspired by
adulthood re-programming.
Eventually, those were both cast aside after it was seen here, just as Maharaj saw there, that the side effects of improper versions of the Medicine were at least as detrimental
as the Sickness itself. Thus, the same understanding which is being shared in
this series came into clarity, so this December it will have been ten years ago that
the following was posted on this blog:
“The Realized have transcended both the false self / selves and even 'the True Self' and even ‘the
Supreme SELF,' so all that happens among the Realized merely happens
spontaneously.” That is, after Full-Realization, all identification will be
transcended, including the supposedly noble or aloft or other-worldly ones.
Certainly, those that came for satsang years ago, as well as
those that come for retreats, have been guided through all seven of the steps of
a “path” which can shift persons from identification with the body and mind and
personality to an understanding of the Absolute. Yet most seekers realize after they
leave that abidance as the Fourth Step “No-Knowing Stage” will do quite fine
for the remainder of the manifestation. That is why Maharaj endorsed "self"-inquiry over "Self-Inquiry" by saying: “You do
not have to know Who You Are; you only need to know who you are not.”
That is why Maharaj also said: "I got involved in
spirituality, in the business of spirituality; finally, I lost that love
of Self also. I have no more love for the Self."
And what a hornet’s nest that stirred up. Same here: “How
dare you suggest that being free of ‘ignorance and insanity,’ and being in
touch with reality 24 / 7 is enough when the most important part of this deal
is that seekers be in touch with Reality 24 / 7.”
After seeing the side effects on those who assume a
spiritual persona as an identity and who allow spiritual thinking and mythical
thinking to displace logic and reason (which, in turn, moves them out of touch with the
AM-ness as they start identifying with “A Supreme Self” or some other such “new
and improved” and “unique” and “superior” and “elevated” and even “exalted” Self)
begin believing that they are "different-from and better-than others"
. . .
(A) just as much as those who join the military to kill “others” who are
imagined to be “the enemy” and imagined to be “a danger to our country”;
(B) just
as much as those in positions of authority who are gunning down members of minority
races who are deemed to be “the bad guys”;
(C) and just as much as those who are
joining a religious army and killing those deemed to be “infidels” or deemed to be “members
of the wrong religion” or deemed to be “members of the wrong sect."
So again, the postings in this series are being offered with
this aim: Maharaj said that his every endeavor was aimed at relieving the misery
and suffering which are generated by the “ignorance and insanity” of the Ultimate Sickness. Ditto. Now, the endeavors here are aimed - as was eventually the case with Maharaj -
at relieving a Sickness which is not rooted in a “sick spirit” but is rooted in
a sick mind that has been totally warped and distorted and perverted by totally warped and distorted and perverted programming, conditioning,
acculturation, domestication, brainwashing and indoctrination.
And what are the
signs of a sick mind? (1) The presence of dualistic beliefs; (2) the presence of the belief that ego-states
(i.e., in false “I”’s) are real; (3) the use of ego-defensive mechanisms to
protect false identities which are thought to be real; and (4) the presence of thoughts
and talks and behaviors which are controlled by fallacies in reasoning.
As noted, an improperly-diagnosed sickness will never receive
the proper medicine. Seeing “ignorance and insanity,” especially one’s own, is
the only way that one will seek - and maybe find - the proper version of the Ultimate Medicine for the
Ultimate Sickness.
Thus, this is about understanding the contributing factors
to the Ultimate Sickness in order to be able to spot them when they manifest as
distorted thoughts and delusional speech and senseless behaviors.
“Some of the Reasoning Fallacies Which Are Rooted in the
Ultimate Sickness and in Its Accompanying Ignorance and Insanity and Which
Result in Relative Instability and Chaos"
40. Abandoning Discussion: Refusing to complete the discussion
of issues to resolution; refusing to communicate; walking out; even throwing a punch.
41. Affirming the Consequent: Justifying one’s behavior simply because a
personality-based desire exists. (“I want it; therefore, I can take it.”)
42. Appeal to Pity: Trying to get one’s way by identifying
with a self and then practicing self-pity; suggesting to others that one’s condition
is the most pitiful and thus warrants special consideration and treatment.
43. Personal Attack: Believing one’s status can be elevated
by reducing the status of “others.”
44. Apriorism: Refusing to accept facts as facts; closing
one’s eyes to evidence which disproves one’s beliefs; being prejudiced to the
point of being unable to consider an opposing perspective; an inability to differentiate between facts and non-facts and between truth and lies
as a result of believing that one already knows everything.
45. Demand for Special Consideration: Convinced that they
are “different from ‘others’,” those being driven by the distortion generated
by this reasoning fallacy believe that they deserve to be treated in a way that
is different from the way that those “others” are treated.
46. Forestalling Disagreement: Attempting to manipulate
others’ beliefs and trying to force them to accept one’s own beliefs instead; trying to
block people from the very outset from disagreeing (e.g., saying “No one would be so insane as to
believe . . . . ”)
47. Impossible Condition: Giving people several choices
while none of the options are plausible (“Either do it my way or get out.”)
48. Inconsistency: Making incompatible statements; being incapable
of being consistent at all times (and, therefore, being trapped in duality and
“being unstable in all ways”).
49. Lip Service: Saying one is for something while one’s beliefs
and behaviors contradict her or his words.
50. Non-Exhaustive Classification: Contradicting oneself and
not recognizing it, such as: “I don’t mean to tell you how to run your
business, but . . . .” (When you hear that lead in, know that you are
about to be told how to run your business.)
51. Non-Exclusive Classification: Using generalizations to
justify specific behaviors.
52. Pointing to Another Wrong: Attempting to avoid accepting a fact or truth by deflection (“I’m driving dangerously? You’re the one who
nearly killed us last year on vacation.”)
53. Post Hoc: Reaching erroneous conclusions. For example: “My
father was insensitive. I’m insensitive. There’s nothing I can do about it” or “Hey,
it’s just the way I was raised. So get off my back.” (Recall the professional
football player mentioned here who beat his child so badly that the youngster
required medical care for his bleeding cuts and abrasions and lacerations but who
minimized the effects of engaging in child abuse by saying, “I was whipped the same way when I was a kid and I turned out fine,” ignoring the fact that the one abused has now become an abuser.)
54. Red Herring: Changing the subject in order to deflect
attention to another issue and away from one that is making a person feel
uncomfortable.
55. Trouble with Conditionals and Alternatives: Giving false
reasons to explain events (“If life treated me fairer, I’d have a better job,
better attitude, etc.”)
To be continued.
To be continued.
Please enter the silence of contemplation.
[NOTE:
The four most recent posts follow. You may access all of the posts in
this series and in the previous series and several thousand other posts as well by clicking on the links in the "Recent Posts and Archives" section.]
