TODAY'S CONSIDERATIONS
Again, certain excerpts from the book A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE via the Non-Duality Teachings and the Nisarga Yoga will be shared:
Perspective, therefore, is what begin to come prior to full realization but for the most part, comes completely only post-realization. (Moreover, it does not actually come in all of the cases of realization which are claimed).
Prior to realization, there is no distortion-free perspective at all.
In a relative existence which is marked by duality, the things considered to be "good things" are totally blown out of perspective and there is talk of "the most wonderful thing that has just happened" or talk of "the most wonderful person that I met that I feel I'd like to spend a lifetime with" or reporting that "the new person I'm dating and I tried to write a pro-con list about each other, but we both found only pro's and not a single con." Distortion. Distortion. Distortion.
Conversely, the things considered to be "bad things" among those lacking clear perspective are totally blown out of proportion and then there is talk of "the worst thing in my life just happened." Distortion and instability and fluctuation and even chaos become the abnormal "norm" in the absence of clear perspective. Those with no clear perspective abide forever at the extremes of duality rather than within the envelope of stability and sanity and logic and reason.
Furthermore, those who only complete two of the three legs on "the Advaita / Nisargan journey" have no clear perspective either, believing that they have now "moved into the Absolute" rather than having followed "in reverse the path by which they came" and then having "come back" to the relative while staying in touch with Reality (a.k.a., "THAT") and in touch with reality (a.k.a., the AM-ness).
It is also to be understood that perspective in some ways is a combination of art and science.
(Recall that Maharaj said that someday science would advance far enough that it would support all of the non-dual teachings. Science is one antidote for the absence of perspective.
If one does not understand (or rejects) science, then the one in such a state of ignorance might claim that a hurricane hit a particular city because of the negative karma of the people there; or one in ignorance might offer a distorted, no-accurate-perspective, no-science-involved view that certain natural events in the U.S. - tornadoes, an earthquake, and a hurricane - were "signs from God."
As Maharaj noted, science and facts are at the core of the light-bringing understanding which non-duality offers, science being a part of what some realized teachers use to support the "philosophical," non-dual pointers that they offer.
TO REVIEW: DEFINING PERSPECTIVE
Some definitions of perspective were mentioned early on with a note that they would later be discussed in more detail. The following are now offered for consideration:
Perspective can be seen as a combination of "the art and the science of so delineating all that is witnessed in order that all shall seem to grow smaller when receding from the eye." (Molehills, therefore, are no longer mistaken for mountains.)
Perspective is "a way of regarding situations, facts, happenings, etc, and judging their relative importance accurately" (concluding usually that they are all much ado about nothing); and
perspective is "the proper or accurate point of view" or "the ability to see objectively and sanely and wisely";
perspective is "a particular way of viewing things in a manner that is always diametrically opposite of the way that the masses view things";
and perspective is "a 'point of view' which is taken from a particular or unique vantage point."
Among the realized, that "vantage point" is the platform of pure witnessing. From there, all can viewed in proper perspective. If something is in perspective, it is considered as only a small part of a complete situation so that one has an accurate understanding of it and is no longer "fooled" or "foolish" or "a fool." (And only if the functioning of the totality is understood can the "complete situation" be viewed in proper and accurate perspective.)
Where the Nisargan (Natural) Yoga understanding has been combined with full realization, then the following perspectives have happened with some few on the planet:
natural events are understood to be natural events, not supernatural events that are used by some "power from another world to send signs via disasters";
and
natural events are not believed to be tools used by some "accountant-type power in the universe" who (or that) keeps track of every human's activities on an other-worldly balance sheet and who tracks which people are doing "good things" and which people are doing "bad things" and to whom "disasters must therefore be sent in order to re-balance the karmic energy in the universe."
The perspective here is that such magical thinking is evidence of ignorance, or insanity, or a desire to employ a shrewd means for manipulating and controlling people, or all three.
The perspective here is that there is no difference at all in Human Form "A" and Human Form "B" or in "Speck of Conscious-Energy 'C'" and "Speck of Conscious-Energy 'D'";
yet there is no denying that
there is a major difference in the way that the relative existence plays out for the realized that are abiding naturally - as their original nature - vs. the way that the relative existence plays out for those who are trapped in ignorance and darkness and who are being driven by their distorted perspectives (including the non-realized masses as well as many of the non-realized persons who are claiming to be realized).
TO REVIEW THE "EMOTE" VS. "FEEL" DISTINCTION
Another perspective that differs from that held by the masses (and by many "Non-Dualists" as well) will manifest if the Advaita teachings are understood and then combined with an understanding of what Nisarga Yoga offers:
One will feel, but one will not emote.
While many might assume that there is no difference between feeling and emoting, the two have nothing in common in terms of the Advaita understanding. Here, the differences in emoting vs. feeling and in emotions vs. feelings are explained this way:
"feel" = to perceive; the quality of, or an impression from, something perceived through feeling; an instinctive aptitude.
"emote" = to express emotion, especially in an excessive or theatrical manner; to display exaggerated emotion, as in acting; to behave theatrically; to give expression or emotion to, as in a stage or movie role; to behave in a histrionic manner;
to be driven by the hidden agendas of ego-states / personas and, therefore, to fail to be in charge of one's thoughts and words and actions; to behave unreasonably or illogically or irrationally or even insanely.
There are several reasons for the differentiation here between feelings and emotions.
The realized feel but do not emote because that is the way it is when reality has been overlaid on the relative, when abidance is happening as the original nature rather than as the ever-in-motion consciousness, and when an understanding of the Oneness leads to feeling Real Love.
Another different perspective is this:
The non-realized emote but do not feel.
To feel requires an understanding of the Oneness, which the non-realized do not understand; thus, the non-realized emote and become emotionally-intoxicated, but whatever they seem to be "feeling" is really nothing more than a displaying of the extreme sensitivity that results when an ego-state takes itself, and its agendas, to be real.
Note: An ego-state is that “state” in which a persona seemingly exists, where persons take false roles to be a real identities. An ego-state is always identified by placing a word after “I am” (such as, “I am a spouse”; “I am a lover”; “I am an employee,” “I am a teacher,” etc.)
In order for emotional intoxication to happen, there must first be the assumption of an ego. "Ego" from Latin, means “I.”
Specifically, it is the pronoun used to point to a false self, a false "I," by those who believe any false identity to be real. The term "persona" can be used interchangeably, but the terms "ego" and "egotism" are not interchangeable. As noted, "ego" refers to the false "I"; egotism, on the other hand, is one of many ego-defense mechanisms used to defend an assumed ego (or false self); other defense-mechanisms include projection, rejection of others, justification, victimization, blame, rationalization, grandiosity, excessiveness, and many more.
A person / persona being driven by one or more of its false identities will spend almost every waking hour emoting, that is, in a state of hypersensitivity and hypertension, forever anticipating interference, hurts, attacks, assaults, or threats against the false roles that they take to be real. They will forever be in a struggle to uphold the false images that they are projecting and wanting others to accept as authentic.
The "corrupted" or blocked consciousness - when in that incapacitated state - functions erroneously as the supposed knower of concepts, thinker of thoughts, accepter of lies as truth, emoter of emotions, experiencer of pain and suffering, accepter of ideas rooted in myths, and the believer of false beliefs.
Also, the non-Realized, being emotionally-intoxicated, are driven to act . . . and to act in what is often an extreme manner.
When an ego-state thinks it has been offended or is being interfered with, then it will act. Only an ego-state can drive a person to be emotional and to succumb to fluctuations between happiness vs. depression or anger or fear or rage. For the most part, only witnessing happens among the realized.
When actions happen - as they will throughout the waking hours - they will always happen spontaneously but they will never be taken from a state of emotional intoxication. So, ego-states emote. The Realized feel. That is the distinction.
Moreover, when persons are programmed and conditioned to accept roles as identifiers of who they are, they live the rest of their lives as if they are on stage, in the spotlight, and the center of attention. In accepting the lie as truth, they will live in a state of emotional intoxication, their ideas and subsequent behaviors will be histrionic, and they will be plagued by over-acting and over-reacting.
Persons "live" on stage, constantly playing one role after another and taking their roles to be their real identity / identities.
Just as an actor can take his part too seriously and internalize the role as an identity, so too can programmed and conditioned persons act out their roles so often and so seriously that they take the drama that they are a part of to be the real. That drama is really the “Drama of the Lie,” wherein persons believe that the play-acting they are engaged in is not play-acting at all, behaving as if the roles they are playing actually define who they are and behaving as if the roles being played by others truly define who they are. It’s all a lie.
Another distinction between emoting vs. feeling is this: the Realized can feel without attachment and without ever triggering a chain of reactions that result from emotional intoxication. Emoting, on the other hand, is what happens with persons—living in their false roles and ego-states—are perpetually intoxicated emotionally and constantly reacting and over-reacting to what they take to be "personal experiences" that are driven by desires / fears.
"AS IF" LIVING
When AS IF living happens - that being the style of living which the realized exhibit - abidance happens without personal attachments, delusions, or emotional intoxication. It is the manner in which the Realized "finish out" the manifestation, meeting “responsibilities” and providing for the space while knowing full well that “this world” is nothing more than an imagining in the distorted perceptions of persons. That emotion-free lifestyle (which is not devoid of an ability to feel) is unencumbered with attachment and emotional intoxication and belief in the lies of the culture.
It is a lifestyle that is free of game-playing and image-perpetuation.
It is a lifestyle unmarred by the emotions and emotional intoxication experienced by persons. It is a lifestyle during which the realized can witness feelings rise and fall without any emotional intoxication, without reacting, without over-reacting, and without setting off a chain of reactions (as happens with non-realized persons). It is a lifestyle that is free of the misery that is generated by the desires / fears of personas.
As a result of assuming false personas as actual identities, the non-realized will be trapped in emotional intoxication and will suffer a relative existence that will be marked by histrionics and drama. The non-dual teachings can address some of the roots of emotional intoxication. For the most part, only witnessing happens among the realized. When actions happen - as they will throughout the waking hours - they will always happen spontaneously but they will never be taken from a state of emotional intoxication.
To summarize: the AS IF existence post-realization can be marked by a full gamut of feelings that are witnessed as they rise and fall; however, only personas (those who are trapped in false identities and ego-states) can experience emotions and the subsequent emotional intoxication that always follows.
THE VOID, THE OBLIVION, THE NOTHINGNESS
Finally, acceptance of The Void, the Oblivion, the Nothingness is not about being “detached.” It is about non-attachment. Detachment does result in the robotic state of having no feelings, which most understandably want to avoid. Non-attachment, though, involves feeling . . . but feeling without attachment to the feeling, without attachment to any circumstances, and without attachment to any false identifications (which leads to emotional intoxication).
The state of non-attachment happens when you reach the fifth of the seven steps on the “journey” to Realization and function as an objective witness to happenings in the relative existence. Another new perspective that comes at that stage in the “re-purification-or-unblocking-of-the-consciousness” process [outlined in the book "From the I to the Absolute"] is this:
“Anything can be . . . but nothing has to be.”
That’s non-attachment, but non-attachment does not imply that no feelings can ever be felt during the remainder of the manifestation. As the consciousness reaches total purity, pure witnessing happens as the unicity is seen by way of a "condition" of complete non-attachment.
It is realization (that is, it is "freedom from ignorance," according to Maharaj) which results in freedom from emotion-driven-instability if the dualistic roots of emotional reactions are seen, if the belief in illusions can be discarded, and if events inspired by delusions and emotional intoxication are transitioned with the abandonment of false identities.
From that, one can conclude that the absence of realization happens when there is no freedom from ignorance and when emotion-and-duality-driven-instability prevail.
A man from Europe wrote this week to draw a comparison between (A) how a demagogue from Austria moved to Germany and was able to fool so many of the German people with (B) how a man of German heritage is now presently able to fool so many of the people in the U.S.
The reply: "Is it possible that neither man was able to fool anyone but that both tapped into the dualistic, 'us. vs. them,' trapped-in-ignorance mentality and emotion-and-personality-and-egotism-driven foolishness which were already present and which always determines the thoughts and words and responses and actions of persons driven by their foolishness? Is it possible that demagogues know how to tap into persons' foolish prejudices, into persons' foolish single-issue-obsessions, and into persons' near-limitless arrogance in order to manipulate them in order to get them to do what demagogues would have them do?"
When duality drives the thoughts and words and actions of persons, then those persons will behave in a sheep-like or puppet-like or marionette-like fashion, being controlled by those who are The Masters of Control and The Masters of Manipulation.
Key elements of the Ultimate Medicine offered by Maharaj in his later talks were these antidotes for the Ultimate Sickness: truth, facts, reason, logic, sanity, and wisdom.
Those to whom the Ultimate Sickness has been passed down - meaning most among the masses - exhibit a propensity for lies, fiction, irrationality, distortion, insanity, and ignorance.
Those who Love, as did Maharaj - offer the Medicine in order to free persons of the symptoms of their Sickness; those who hate use the Sickness of the masses in order to use, to dominate, to manage, to exploit, and to stage-manage the masses who are playing their ego-and-egotism-based roles while walking about on the stage of the Theatre of the Lie.
Of all of the pointers that Maharaj offered over the years, the ones most rooted in wisdom and Love actually amounted to "warnings": if you think this way, this will be the result; if you talk that way, this will be the result; if you are driven to behave that way, this will be the result.
The rub with those among the masses is that - once the Ultimate Sickness has been passed down to them - then they will be so asleep and so naive and so controlled by foolishness that they can be charmed by a sociopath or a psychopath and will ignore anyone who comes along and offers the kind of warnings which Maharaj offered.
For example, consider the way that most perceived a man named Ted Bundy. Here are some of the facts available about Bundy on the internet:
Theodore Robert Bundy (born Theodore Robert Cowell on November 24, 1946 and died by electrocution on January 24, 1989) was an American serial killer, kidnapper, rapist, burglar, and necrophile who assaulted and murdered numerous young women and girls during the 1970s, and possibly earlier. Shortly before his execution, after more than a decade of denials, he confessed to thirty homicides committed in seven states between 1974 and 1978. The true victim count remains unknown and could be much higher.
Some examples of the foolishness of those charmed by Bundy include these:
Writer Ann Rule, after certain truths about Bundy were coming to light but before all of the truth about Ted Bundy had come out, was spending time with Bundy and was warned by a Seattle homicide detective, “Just be careful. Maybe we'd better know where to find your dental records in case we need to identify you." She ignored the warning, but she said that its darkness stayed with her and may have prevented her from becoming another of Bundy's victims.
Elizabeth Loftus, who was so fooled by Bundy that she testified in his behalf at his trial for aggravated kidnapping, said: “In court the next morning I sat at a table in the judge’s chambers. On the other side of the table, close enough for me to reach across and touch him, sat Ted Bundy. 'He’s adorable,' I thought, surprised at my first impression, because I’d pictured him in my mind as brooding and dark."
How foolish might one have to be to allow an initial awareness of a person's "brooding and dark" nature to shift as the result of a "positive impression" based in appearance only? Humans who are suffering from the Ultimate Sickness have an amazing capacity to deny truth and to twist the reality of what is being exhibited before their very eyes and then spin the darkest facts into positive illusions.
So the considerations are these:
1. Is the case that there are certain sociopathic and psychopathic citizens or business people or politicians who are so skilled that they can fool even the wisest persons on the planet?
2. Or, is the case that there are certain sociopathic and psychopathic citizens or business people or politicians who can tap into the already-present-foolishness which drives the masses when they are suffering from the effects of the Ultimate Sickness?
The ones who want to fool people must first find people who are already being driven by their foolishness.
Once persons have been exposed to the Ultimate Sickness and once its symptoms have taken hold over their thoughts and words and actions, then the only way to avoid being fooled constantly is to find . . . a different perspective.
To be continued.
Please enter into the silence of contemplation.
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