ANNOUNCEMENTS
[Walter Driscoll asked to interview me in order to preserve on video some of the latest modifications and evolutions in the versions of the message offered here since 1989. He would label the discussion, "Unlearning with Floyd Henderson."
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1. [See the offer in gold text following this post for details on how you can watch a retreat on video which includes a detailed discussion of all seven of the steps on the path as used by Maharaj]
2. Here, with those who are still driven to talk about "god," the "Son of god," the "Holy Spirit," "Buddha," "Krishna," etc., etc., etc., the invitation to them is to view those as verbs, not nouns. See the green text after today's post for the full meaning and implications of that.
3. A new video ("Number Ten: Awakening Together Satsang, March 2018") has now been added in the far right column of this page, offering the opportunity to view a recent 2018 satsang session with Floyd being interviewed by Regina and Jacqueline of "The Awakening Together Group." (See the details in the blue text after this post.)
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CAUSATION and RELATIVE EVENTS AND BEHAVIORS:
“Evil?” or “Ignorance, Stupidity, and Insanity”?
[The final pointers from yesterday’s post regarding the consequences of not treating the Ultimate Sickness]
Earlier the activities of one nation that have occurred
around the globe for centuries was used to illustrate
(1) the many links in a long line of causation and to show
(2) how ignorant and arrogant and insane it is to classify retaliatory attacks
against that nation as being rooted in “evil” rather than seeing that such
attacks are the end product of a long line of causation that has invited
resentment and hatred as a result of that nation's having abused its power -
and having abused people around the globe - for centuries.
In the end, those persons presently attacking that nation (and its citizens
whom they see as “others”) are equally driven by ignorance and insanity, and a
review of the thousands of years of interactions by the members of all of those
opposing religions is also a review of mass killings and war and chaos and,
yes, extreme insanity.
Too, it has been shown that the members of the three major religions involved in the present-day
fighting and killing (namely, Jews, Christians, and Muslims) have had 1,400 to 5,000 years to stamp out what they call “evil”
without one iota of success. Now it would seem that
1. if persons are certain that the cause of all that they do not approve of is “the
evil in the world”
and
2. if they believe that their religion is the means by which evil can be
eliminated, then
3. it would seem that at some point they would look at what they believe to be
the solution
and
4. would begin to see at some point that the plan is not working.
They might not see it after practicing patience for one-hundred years or maybe
for five-hundred years, but if they were sane, would they not begin to doubt
the plan after one-thousand years of failure, or two-thousand years of failure
or three-thousand years of failure?
What about after four-thousand years of failure? If not then, surely after
five-thousand years of failure they would see a pattern . . . a pattern
sustained by blind, unquestioning faith that has been shown to be futile,
useless, fruitless, ineffectual and, in fact, a total waste of time and energy
and resources.
One definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing over and over and
expecting a different result, even though the desired, different result has
never, ever manifested.
And that includes making excuses for a supposed deity
who tolerates the actions and behaviors of “his children” that result in such
widespread pain and misery and suffering.
Here, the invitation is to stop doing the same thing over and over and expecting
a different result, to stop making excuses for what should be deemed
inexcusable behavior by a supposedly all-powerful deity who is supposedly in
charge of “this world,” and to try something different:
try addressing ignorance and stupidity and insanity, and let that begin, as
Maharaj said, “with yourself,” not “with all those others” and not by trying to
change “the world” and not by killing those who refuse to change. Of course,
that is just a suggestion.
Next . . .
THE ROOTS OF HUMANKIND’S PRESENT CURSE:
PERSONALITY-BASED INSANITY, NOT EVIL
No child is “born bad” or “born evil.” Contrary to the
teachings of some religions, there is no “devil within” that needs to be
exorcised. What needs to be exorcised, in many cases, are the effects of being
raised in a dysfunctional home and influenced by the leaders of dysfunctional institutions.
That, in turn, triggers the formation of what sages have warned about for
centuries, even for millennia, namely: personality. If there were no
personality formation, there could be no development of personality disorders.
If there were no personality disorders, then there would be
none of the serious personality disorders that can lead to a disintegration of
psychic health which can result in the kinds of sociopathic or psychopathic
conduct that have been witnessed when, for example:
a. Adam Lanza walked into a school and shot elementary-age children or
when
b. the Tsarnaev Brothers set up bombs to kill and maim people they did not even
know.
The invitation is to understand that the prerequisite for such acts is not “evil
in the world” and it is not “evil in a person.” The prerequisites are:
1. Manifestation.
2. Being raised in a dysfunctional environment (and all home environments now
are dysfunctional, the degree of dysfunctionalism being the only variable).
3. Identifying with self instead of “another” and then forming a primary
personality style in response.
4. Being driven by personality's hidden desires and fears.
5. Developing the master and secondary addictions of humans. (The primary
addiction among humans is to control; the secondary addiction is to power in
order to be able to control.)
6. Developing a sense of having no control and no power.
7. As a result of stress and a sense of personas feeling threatened, psychic
deterioration can lead to fear, anger, resentment, and rage; to a host of
personality disorders; and to all sorts of neuroses and psychoses.
8. A complete loss of the sense of Oneness.
Is it any wonder that non-duality teachers have long invited persons to abandon
body-mind-personality identification?
The act of entering an elementary school and shooting children or of setting up
bombs in public places to kill and maim is not an act of evil but is an act of
sociopathy / psychopathy, and those are the results of personality formation
first and then psychic deterioration later.
[Recall that another name for the Sociopathic Personality Disorder is the
Antisocial Personality Disorder. Psychopaths have the Antisocial Personality
Disorder, so both types behave in aggressive, perverted, or criminal manners
without empathy or remorse.
Some research now suggests that sociopaths develop more often as a result of environmental influences (such as high levels of dysfunctionalism and / or abuse in a family, but not always) whereas the psychopath may experience the same along with more serious chemical or physiological issues as well.
In terms of the enneagram and the understanding it can bring how nine key personality types think, talk, and behave, it is the "Type Eight" that includes more persons with the Sociopathic Personality Disorder / the
Antisocial Personality Disorder and the Psychopathic Personality Disorder; thus, the focus will be there as we begin this section of the discussion.]
As challenging as it is to be around a sociopath, they usually function in
society, whereas psychopaths often eventually fail completely at that. Research
has shown that sociopaths gravitate to professions that allow them to be in
control and to play the role of “The Boss.”
Many develop the God Complex Personality Disorder, so many of them work as CEO's, as some types of lawyers, as surgeons, as police officers or soldiers, as clergy people, and even as chefs.
They want to be in control to degrees that are far beyond
the level that the masses desire. Psychopaths can behave in the same way, but
eventually their mental and emotional state inspires them to “cross the line.”]
The Enneagram Institute (IE) offers this about the Type Eight Personality:
Eights are self-confident, strong, and assertive ... but can also be egocentric
and domineering. Eights feel they must control their environment, especially
people, sometimes becoming confrontational and intimidating. Eights typically
have problems with their tempers and with allowing themselves to be vulnerable.
Thayer is a stockbroker who has worked intensively on understanding her Type
Eight personality. She recounts a childhood incident in which she could clearly
see the development of this pattern:
“Much of my tenacity and toughness comes from my Dad. He always told me not to
'let anybody push you around.' It was not okay to cry. I learned to master my
weaker side early on. At the tender age of eight, a huge horse ran away with
me. When an adult caught the horse, I resolutely dismounted without a tear. I
could tell my father was proud.”
[Note, as alluded to earlier, not all Eights develop as a result of abuse.
It is more about programming and conditioning and domestication. A simple
statement from “Dad” can be the impetus, a statement that takes seconds to say
but that can remain in a mind for a lifetime and can drive thoughts and words
and actions.
Note how little is required to set a child off on the path that
leads to the formation of a Type Eight Personality which can eventually lead to
a person's psychic deterioration that can result in the development of the
Sociopathic Personality Disorder.]
The IE continues: Eights do not want to be controlled or to allow others to
have power over them (their basic fear), whether the power is psychological,
sexual, social, or financial. Much of their behavior is involved with making
sure that they retain and increase whatever power they have for as long as
possible.
An Eight may be a general or a gardener, a small businessman
or a mogul, the mother of a family or the superior of a religious community. No
matter: being “in charge” and leaving their imprint on their sphere is uniquely
characteristic of them.
[F.: Note that Lanza and the Tsarnaev Brothers were about the task of “being in
charge” and “leaving their imprint.”]
The IE: Type Eights often refuse to “give in” to social convention, and they
can defy fear, shame, and concern about the consequences of their actions.
Although they are usually aware of what people think of
them, they do not let the opinions of others sway them. They go about their
business with a steely determination that can be awe inspiring, even
intimidating to others.
[F.: If you have seen the tape of the Tsarnaev Brothers on their way to placing
and discharging their bombs, you do not see “evil personified,” as some
commentators have claimed. You saw the sociopath's and / or the psychopath's “steely
determination.”]
The IE: Because they fear that they will be rejected (divorced, humiliated,
criticized, fired, or harmed in some way), Eights attempt to defend themselves
by rejecting others first.
[F.: Their belief is that the best defense is a good offense, so Adam Lanza and
the Tsarnaev Brothers eventually went the offensive route.]
The IE: The result is that average Eights become blocked in their ability to
connect with people or to love since love gives “the other” power over them,
reawakening their basic fear.
The more Eights build up their egos in order to protect themselves, the more
sensitive they become to any real or imaginary slight to their self-respect,
authority, or preeminence. The more they attempt to make themselves impervious
to hurt or pain (whether physical or emotional), the more they “shut down” emotionally
to become hardened and rock-like.
F.: As Eights become more stressed and more driven by the egotism-supported
ego-states / personalities / personas that they have assumed, they can
disintegrate through several levels.
To be continued.
TOMORROW: The final five levels of deteriorating psychic health among Types Eights when they become more stressed and egocentric.
Please enter into the silence of contemplation.
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THE EXPLANATION
Yeshu'a (Jesus) and Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis were spot on:
"No one shall ever see 'the kingdom of heaven.' It is within"
and
"Heaven and earth shall fade away."
and
"Heaven and hell are not geographic places
"There is no hell."
teachings which become a part of the Papal Magisterium.
