THE ULTIMATE SICKNESS: Causes, Symptoms, Aspects, Effects, TREATMENT, Part Ninety-Eight

TODAY'S CONSIDERATIONS

THE ADDITIONAL, VERY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES WHICH CAME VIA THE VISION 

Elements of the vision continued to flash into consciousness for months after it initially came. The flashes almost always happened when in a theta state, dozing off or coming out of a deep, delta-level sleep. It was early on during some of those episodes that a backwards or reversed version of the vision began to play out. 

It became clear that after "going back the way I came in" from the Absolute on Leg Two of "the journey," I was now "going back" to the relative the way I had "come in" the first time when the consciousness was subjected to all of the insane programming and conditioning and acculturation and domestication and brainwashing and indoctrination that now happens to all persons. 

Yet it was clear that going back to the relative on the Third Leg was different because I was no longer being subjected to programming, conditioning, etc. 

The vision made clear that on the third leg, the unblocked consciousness that now knew and understood the Awareness (which was now aware of itself - aware of Its Original Nature which is my Original Nature) would not be anything like the specks of consciousness which had been blocked and which led to a miserable relative existence. 

It was clear that (a) things were going to be different from the way they had been prior to completing the seven steps to reality and that (b) "Reality" (the absence of "learned ignorance") was going to be overlaid on the relative so that whatever happened would happen spontaneously and would happen as naturally and sanely and reasonably and logically as the relative existence of every living thing of the planet except for the non-realized (still-trapped-in-ignorance) human masses. 

Suddenly, a phrase that had only seemed to be understood took on a whole new level of meaning, namely, "as if living." 

It was seen after the vision that "as if living" is a style of living that the Realized exhibit, seemingly living just like most live but without personal attachments, delusions, and emotional intoxication. 

The vision made clear that it is the manner in which the Realized "finish out" the manifestation, meeting “responsibilities” and providing for the space (for the composite unity consisting of an elemental plant food body with air being circulated and with conscious-energy also being circulated) while knowing full well that what is called "this world" is nothing more than an imagining in the distorted perceptions of persons. 

It was seen that "as if living" consist of a lifestyle that is unencumbered with attachments and emotional intoxication and belief in the lies of the culture; a lifestyle free of game playing and image perpetuation; and a lifestyle unmarred by the emotions and emotional intoxication experienced by persons. 

It was seen that as if living makes possible a lifestyle during which those freed of learned ignorance can witness feelings rise and fall without experiencing any emotional intoxication and without reacting, over-reacting, or setting off a chain of reactions (as happens with persons). 

The vision made clear that as if living was going to provide a lifestyle free of the misery that is generated by the desires and fears of personas.

During the part of the vision in the cave when this came To your left and to your right drift millions of forms, and on closer inspection, You see that they are . . . You! Each looks to be a - clone maybe a transparent clone but a clone nevertheless - of You! what was finally understood was the non-religious, non-spiritual meaning of "atonement."

The vision made clear that it could more rightly be spelled, "at-one-ment." 

The vision made clear that atonement had nothing to do with "a reconciliation between humans and an imagined external power" (now seen to have been delusionally conceived by men and bearing the image of men and - in some cases - women and monkeys and elephants, etc.)

What came via the vision instead was a full awareness . . . of the at-one-ment, of the Oneness, of the unicity, and of the true unity beyond the misperceived multiplicity.

The difference in "love" and Love was made clear. 

That moment in the cave made clear that, indeed, Love is knowing that I am everything.

The dissolution of every one of the symbolic birds along the way in conjunction with the final dissolution at the end of the vision made clear that "wisdom is knowing I am nothing."

And it became perfectly clear as the Third Leg of "the journey" unfolded that, indeed, it would be between the two - between Love and Wisdom - that the remainder of my life (that is, the remainder of the relative existence) would move. 

Part of the days and weeks after the vision first came were spent in silent contemplation, and during those periods of silence, more and more became clear. One morning, "beginninglessness" came into consciousness and was understood immediately because the vision had already brought a reminder of the lesson taught in 4th grade science, namely, that "nothing is created and nothing is destroyed - all merely cycles." ]

Then this came: 

Whether the particles involved with the formation of "this universe" had "escaped from" or moved beyond the confines of an existing universe and manifested in an area that would be called "our universe" is not relevant. 

What became clear was the high level of ignorance at the root of centuries of religion-based theories about "creation" and "this world" and dogmatic arguments about who is supposed to "have dominion over it" (still on-going even today) and at the root of their arguments about whether or not everything revolves around the earth which was believed to be at the center of everything (a belief which was also based in xenophobic arrogance).

It became clear that if all cycles - which all does - then so must universes cycle as well. 

Then the words of Maharaj were recalled: "Entire universes are imploding and exploding every moment . . . " and ". . . universes come and go . . . ." 

It was also recalled that he said that which "he" is had always been and had, therefore, been present for the imploding and exploding of all universes. 

It was clear that none of that need be understood in order to realize, but it did make clear that one point must be understood if one is to move beyond the third step where the false identities of religious and spiritual roles are played: 

Since no creation ever occurred, no "Creator" exists; therefore, in this case, "a negative" can be proved, scientifically. 

What cannot be proved is that which is dreamed up by men who present only "their faith" as evidence of their claim that what they have conceptualized into their imaginings-based dogma is true. 

By the age of 5 and 6 and 7, I was questioning the lessons about God and Jesus and Heaven and Hell and creation and Adam and Eve and mass-murder-by-way-of-a-great-flood and all the other tales being set forth by Miss Myrtle (the Baptist Sunday School teacher of children).  

Finally, with the vision, scientific proof came that the doubts of a 5 or 6 or 7-year-old had been based in fact:

if all is energy-matter, and if neither energy nor matter can be created or destroyed, then nothing has ever been created; therefore, there is no Creator.

End of the story, and the end of ever again having to consider the stories . . . the myths . . . the superstition-based nonsense dreamed up and passed on by hundreds of sky cults over the millennia, many of which are still quite active around the globe even today, thriving with 97% of the earth's population believing their dreamed-up fiction. 

The vision made clear that the early doubts of a 6-year-old had been spot on. 

As for "beginninglessness," the vision made clear that because All has always been, infinitely, no beginning happened and no end will happen. 

The only thing that will come to "an end" is the composite unities - things that have come together during the relative existence but that will most assuredly come apart eventually. 

In fact, it is happening even now with this elemental plant food body: elements are coming together, elements are coming apart. "Skin" comes and goes monthly; "stomachs" are being replace throughout the month. Plant cells convert to humans cells, they are cast off, and more cells take their place . . . or not. Cycling. Cycling. Cycling. 

The vision made clear that infinity is infinity and was “as infinite” before the manifestation of the consciousness as it will “be infinite” following the unmanifestation of the consciousness. Thus is explained the "beginninglessness" (and also the "endlessness") of the energy-matter that is at play during the relative existence but that will return to the universal pool from it came and to which it has always eventually returned. See? Cycling. 

The second part of the vision made clear the role of the brain in Realizing and the role of "the mind" in preventing Realization. 

The vision made clear that "intellect" (meaning "that which provides a capacity to understand") is a requirement for Realization but that the content of "the mind" will prevent persons from moving beyond even the second step on the seven-step "path." 

The vision made clear that - with obvious exceptions of deformities - the brain at the outset is typically natural and normal; moreover, it is required throughout the manifestation for normal and natural functioning. 

UPCOMING SERIES: 

Every time I've been involved with the purchase of a house, I've gone to a title company for the signing of all of the necessary documents and the closing of the deal. They have always provided me with an amortization schedule listing every payment amount that I will be required to send to the lender for either 180 months or for 360 months; the date each payment will be due; 

how much of each monthly payment will be applied to reducing the principal owed and how much will be applied to the interest being charged on the loan; and what the ending balance will be on my account after each of those payments is made.

They are very clear and forthright when identifying the steps I must take for the next 15 or 30 years in order to purchase the home being financed. In short, they tell me all of the steps up front that the process will require before I even begin. 

Likewise, before beginning a trip along a route I've never traveled, I can visit a website and put in my current location and my intended destination and they will provide a printable, step-by-step guide for my journey, identifying and numbering each step on the journey, town by town and mile by mile, which the journey will entail. 

Yet who that is a religious leader or guide will tell you in advance how many steps are going to be required on the journey they are endorsing? Hardly any, but their steps (depending on how long a follower lives) can number in the hundreds of thousands or in the millions. The main point: their plan for your journey is never intended to end during your lifetime. You will always be required, per their plans, to do this each day - or even five times per day - and do that several times a week and also do this each week and do this annually and do that throughout all of the days and weeks and months and years of your life.

Or who that is a spiritual leader or guide or guru or sponsor will tell you in advance exactly how many steps are going to be required on the journey which they are endorsing? Few, but depending on the method being used by any given leader / guide / guru and depending on how long a follower lives, the actual number of steps required will be in the hundreds of thousands or in the millions, but never really just "12". Their plan for your journey is never intended to end until the relative existence ends.

As is the case with a terminal illness, their various treatment plans for the Ultimate Sickness offer no effective and finale healing (or restoration to sanity and freedom from learned ignorance) but are merely stopgap processes instead. Their plans include no cures at all for what truly ails you, and some even admit that the most they can provide for anyone is "a daily reprieve."

Daily reprieves do not address the core causes of anyone's problems, and like addictive opiates, they only mask the symptoms (humans' pain and suffering) rather than eliminating the actual causes of humanity's misery and suffering.

Some of you know that I told a doctor a few years ago who was passing on a not-especially-pleasant diagnosis that

"My perspective is this: quality of life is key, and if that can't be, then I'm prepared to bid farewell to the remainder of an existence which can't offer that." He was shocked and said that "not giving up" and "being willing to fight for my life" and "staying positive" were vital to recovery. I chuckled and then smiled and said, "We'll see what happens, Doc. We'll see."

That discussion was about physical, plant food body issues, but on the journey when freedom and peace and unconditional happiness were being sought, similar circumstances prevailed in every venue I visited and with all the person I visited who were offering one method or another which they said would take care of what ailed me. They all lied.

I reached a point where I refused to associate with any who were offering hollow promises and daily reprieves and more concepts and ineffective treatment plans which were being touted as "the best means" or "the only way" available for addressing the kinds of boredom or depression or joylessness or chaos or misery and suffering which are commonplace among the masses.

I saw that some among the self-identified "non-dual teachers" (or Advaitin or Advaita Vedantin or Neo-Advaitin or Neo-Vedantin or Pseudo-Advaitin teachers) were claiming that their teaching method only required one step. 

I saw that Maharaj originally discussed seven different, sequential steps when using the Direct Path, SELF-Enquiry Method he initially recommended but that - later on - he made clear that taking only four steps using the Direct Path, (false) self-Enquiry Method would be "enough."

No matter what way is being presented, you deserve to understand upfront - just as when one buys a house - what the entire process is going to entail; however, most seekers - religious, spiritual, or otherwise - are most likely to find someone offering a process which is, again, never intended to end. Most, instead, will endorse a method which only promises (but does not actually deliver) a 24-hour break from symptoms and which calls for daily work and daily reading and daily this and daily that for what ails persons; yet they never offer a complete cure.

Many plans are also steeped in irony, so if one is suffering from the effects of a Dependent Personality Disorder, rather than addressing that mental disorder, their treatment for dependency is to recommend that you find . . . a new dependency! "Be dependent on the group or on a particular person or on God." What?

How about being independent? How about being free, once and for all? How about then just being? "No! That won't work. No way," they say. "The way you are wired, you will always be dependent on something, so find something good to depend on instead of something bad."

Were that plan recommended in the case of a physical sickness - "Just accept that you'll never be cured and that we don't have a viable treatment plan and that all you'll ever have is a short respite" - the wise would seek a second opinion, or a third, or a fourth.

But with the Ultimate (Mental) Sickness, most seekers go along with the "as-long-as-you-live-method" being offered by most preachers and priests and rabbis and ayatollahs and imams and sponsors and gurus and a host of other cult and sky-cult and cult-like leaders.

Having tried most of the religious approaches and a variety of spiritual methodologies and a variety of supposedly "non-dual" methods, I came to a point where the seeking shifted and the search became one for something outside any and all of the established venues and beyond what was generally being offered. A vision also came which redirected the search to the inner resource and another level of clarity came.

Here, that had to be the case. All else had failed. Having tried their methods of accumulating and learning more and more of what they were teaching, but receiving no relief from the Sickness, I was prepared for a different perspective, a perspective which offered for consideration the notion that - rather than learning more - maybe I needed to learn a helluva lot less. Then the turning point came with the realization that "In fact, maybe I need to un-learn everything that I have ever been taught"

and that

"Maybe I need to see that it was all nonsense, all BS, and that - for a real change - I did not need someone who (like all the others) wanted to teach me more when an 'un-teaching process' was what was actually being called for."

Eventually, I found that, and all seeking ended. Nowadays, I share what I found with the few that are interested in a similar, simpler, finite treatment plan for the Sickness so that the treatment can be received and so that the remainder of the existence can then be spent in mere beingness rather than in being entrapped in religious or spiritual workaholism and in all sorts of dogmatic and / or spiritual going and doing and zooming and toiling. 

To be continued. 

Please enter into the silence of contemplation. 

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