YOUR PARENTS…YOUR GOD(S)

[For the international visitors to this site, reference is made to a bridge that collapsed in the U.S. this week and the subsequent thoughts, words, and deeds that have followed.]

Regarding one character in a Michael Connelly novel: "He was long past believing in God—the horrors he had seen documented had little by little sapped his stores of faith.... And in those seemingly final days, as his own heart withered and tapped out its final cadences, he did not grasp desperately for his lost faith as a shield or a means of easing the fear of the unknown. Instead, he was accepting of the end, of his own nothingness. He was ready. It was easy to do."

F.: Some of the e-mail which arrived this week compared those rushing to God for comfort around a fallen bridge with other persons who, in the post-9/11 days, filled religious building for a few weeks and then emptied out just as quickly—all to demonstrate to their god their “faith as a shield or a means of easing their fear.”

Other e-mail came from some religious persons who have visited the site in the past to try to spread their particular religious beliefs. Their e-mails generally had a tone of, “See what we tried to tell you non-believers. Maybe now you’ll understand that our God will not be mocked.” (According to them, any investigation by engineers trying to determine "cause" would be useless. Their god caused the bridge to fall as part of a "divine plan.")

Other e-mail, along with a stream of comments from U.S. citizens who have been afforded an opportunity to express their faith to a national audience, have revealed their programming and conditioning with comments such as:

“He works in mysterious ways.”

“It’s all according to His Overall Plan.”

“We must turn to Him during these times" (meaning to the very one who, according to some believers, is the same one who orchestrated the event).

“There are things we can’t always immediately understand about the way that God governs, but the meaning behind this will be revealed.”

“You cannot escape the effects of bad karma” (a claim which reinforces the dualistic beliefs in “reward vs. punishment” and “singular and direct cause and effect”).

In reference to a relative missing for 24 hours: “We have been praying all night and all day, and I know God is going to bring her back. She’ll be coming home.”

Others were less devout:

“Where is God now?”

“God’s ways might seem to be very harsh and cruel at times.”

“I’m very angry with God right now.”

What could account for such diversity in persons’ concepts regarding their God?

While experiences as adults can continue to condition persons, the beliefs that shape their concepts about god are rooted in childhood. The diversity in all of the nonsensical beliefs about god is understandable if you realize that the believers' concepts regarding “A Universal Authority Figure” are usually based in the personality traits of their "Earliest Authority Figure." Usually, that would be parent(s) or guardian(s).

Was your earliest authority figure cruel and cold and hard and perfectionistic and rigid and punitive? Was that authority a strict disciplinarian that punished you for even the slightest of mistakes? Guess what kind of god you will conceive?

Was your earliest authority figure co-dependent with you, blaming you if he/she was sad or unhappy? Guess what kind of god you will conceive?

Was your earliest authority figure unpredictable and unstable? Guess what kind of god you will conceive?

Was your earliest authority figure capable of doing really insane and destructive and harmful things at times, things that made no sense at all? Guess what kind of god you will conceive?

Was your earliest authority figure weak and a pushover who gave you anything you wanted if you asked or begged? Guess what kind of god you will conceive? Does a “Celestial Santa”-type concept sound familiar?

Was your earliest authority figure there for you at times but unavailable for you at other times? Guess what kind of god you will conceive?

Were both parents completely absent, either physically or otherwise? Guess what kind of concept of god you will conceive?

What mental and emotional chaos is generated by the childhood nonsense that is carried into adulthood and held to be sacred truths and absolute facts. It is that nonsense that prevents persons from “being accepting of the end,” from “being comfortable with their own nothingness” and the nothingness of those they see as “others”; from “being ready” for whatever happens, from “accepting everything as easy." (Tomorrow, the discussion will continue with the topic: “A UNIVERSE OF ACCIDENTS OR A UNIVERSE OPERATING ACCORDING TO PLAN?”) Please enter the silence of contemplation.
While non-duality’s “not two” teaching eliminates the possibility of “one relating to another,” every aspect of the relative existence is marred by “relationship problems” until Full Realization happens. The following book identifies the roots of “relationship problems” and provides a holistic treatment plan for healing, for applying non-duality principles, and for ending such relative problems.
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CONSCIOUSNESS IN MOTION: A Journey into the Dark Abyss of the “Mind,” Part Five, The Conclusion

F.: Via the recent posts, you have been given brief access into the machinations of three “minds” that are preoccupied with the relative and plagued by dualistic thinking and beliefs. What you have seen by looking into the darkness of those three “minds” (which have been blocked from the light of truth and awareness by enculturation and conditioning) is how the consciousness functions (or malfunctions) when it is warped and becomes attached to the phenomenal.

That contaminated, conditioned consciousness then becomes impure, adulterated, limited, unstable, shifting, and ambiguous. The Absolute, by contrast, is uncontaminated, unconditional, unconditioned, unqualified, pure, unadulterated, unlimited, and unambiguous.

By witnessing the movement of the corrupted consciousness, you have been given first-hand access to the narrow spaces between the synapses that have been cluttered with distortion and warping and contamination and duality. You have been given concrete examples of how confused and befuddled and perplexed persons are when trapped in duality. You have also seen that persons who are so very “sure” about so many things have no opportunity at all to Realize.

Quite to the contrary of “being sure,” the true “journey” to Realization begins when a person is finally not so "sure." Then, the "journey" continues with the questioning of all ideas and concepts and beliefs. Realization itself happens when the last thing that any person was “sure of” is abandoned and discarded completely. The result is (a) no “one”—no who—that could be “sure” and (b) no concepts that anyone could be “sure of.”

Also, note in the examples the way in which the “minds” generated thoughts that were so erratic and self-contradictory that some might conclude—after seeing all of those distortions and vascillations—that all three persons are suffering clinically-diagnosable insanity. (Actually, their distortions are rooted more in personality disorders.) Yet all three appear to other persons to be functioning very well in society, to be at peace, to really have it “together”; thus, they are admired by many for their “religious work” or “deep spirituality” or “fine service to our youth.” So much for appearance.

Those three cases do not involve persons who are locked away in a mental institution. They are all persons operating in institutions that are highly respected in the U.S. culture (specifically, a profit-making business, a school, and a church) but where is any real basis for that respect when their corrupt “minds” are racing with a madhouse rapidity and generating distorted views?

For their societies to assume that those three persons “really have it all together” shows how deficient persons are at distinguishing between appearance and reality. You, too, have likely said at some time, “He/She fooled me. I had no idea she/he was like that.” Most persons can maintain their public façade quite adequately, expecially in cultures where play-acting and “fronting” are deemed preferable to reality.

What you have been allowed to witness, via those three examples, is the racing consciousness in movement. It has also been demonstrated, via those three cases, that the longer dualisitic beliefs dominate persons, the faster the “mind” will race. You have seen the depth of disintegration to which the corrupted consciousness can sink as all three of those persons are plagued by the shiftings between what they deem “good” and what they deem “bad,” between what they “love” and what they later “hate.”

Now, the suggestion is this: You have just been given a glimpse inside the “minds” of persons who are trapped in personality and duality. Now, the invitation is for YOU to find the ego-states that are talking. Find examples of the instability of their dualistic thinking. Find the way that each gave religion a chance or used their religion and spirituality to justify their behavior. Find all of the unstable nonsense as revealed in their unbalanced psyches and their unsteady prattle.

Then, see that a “mind” trapped in duality exacts a heavy mental and emotional toll. Understand that dualistic thinking is a progressive illness. See that those same types of results await all who refuse to recognize the degree to which the consciousness has been warped. Then, the invitation is to cast aside ideas, emotional intoxication and beliefs and complete the seven-step “path” back to Reality. Please enter the silence of contemplation.
(TOMORROW: A GOD OF WRATH WHO BREAKS BRIDGES AND KILLS PEOPLE)
READINGS RELATED TO THE CONTENT OF TODAY’S POST:
While non-duality’s “not two” teaching eliminates the possibility of “one relating to another,” every aspect of the relative existence is marred by “relationship problems” until Full Realization happens. The following book identifies the roots of “relationship problems” and provides a holistic treatment plan for healing, for applying non-duality principles, and for ending such relative problems.
THE 15% OFF SALE ITEM FOR THIS WEEK IS CASTING LIGHT ON THE DARK SIDE OF RELATIONSHIPS. FOR INFORMATION:

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CONSCIOUSNESS IN MOTION: A Journey into the Dark Abyss of the “Mind,” Part Four

F.: The Realized are “sure” about nothing. Quite to the contrary, among the Realized there is no who to be “sure” of anything and there can be nothing to be “sure about” after having reached a state of zero concepts. Contrary to the Realized, persons are sure about everything, including their concepts, their beliefs and (especially) their perceptions—no matter how distorted those perceptions might be. For example, in Case #1 a man was seen who is sure that his problems have been caused by his wife, who is sure his family is another source of his troubles, and who is sure that his job and peers are also at fault.

In Case #2, a woman was seen who is sure that divorce only affects children for 24 months, is sure that she was right 95% of the time in her first marriage, is sure that there’s nothing unusual about a Christian praying daily for the death of her child's father, is sure that manipulation can be “good,” and is sure that there's a god who is always focused on her…micro-managing her life and sending men with money to met her financial needs.

Are you beginning to understand why Maharaj predicted that no more than one in a million will ever Realize (including those who sat at his feet)? Remember, too, that the three cases in this series are examples of an average level of warped consciousness. Instances of far greater degrees of warping are witnessed regularly.

After having worked with over 6000 seekers, it can be said that such “mind” clutter (and such movement and instability of consciousness) is far more common than some might guess. Is it clear why so few will ever Realize when so many are so sure that their dualistic views and concepts and beliefs are the “right” ones? Case #3 reveals another person who is sure about things:

CASE #3
“I’ve lost my second job now because of a particular kind of misconduct. [Crying] I can’t believe this. It’s the same thing all over again, but these rules and laws are ridiculous. Don’t the other parties also have to be held accountable? Am I the only one at fault here? I’m so upset I’ve thrown up twice. But you know what? To hell with ‘em all. Ultimately, there’s only God’s will. I’m just a spiritual creature having a human experience, so what the hell. My problems before have worked out and they'll be worked out this time too. My faith is in God: when He closes a door, he opens a window. I really believe all of this is for my own good. I think this is going to lead to something that is greater for me than anything I’ve ever had before. It's a blessing in disguise. I will think positive thoughts and the power of that positive thinking plus my faith in God will make better things happen than I can even imagine.”

If you review all three cases, there are several common threads because the consciousness in all three cases share the common trait of having been warped. Now, all three persons are exhibiting ambiguities, outright contradictions, and instability (all wrapped up in their assuredness that their perspective is "right" and that "it's all those others who are wrong" and causing their problems. Of that, they are sure.) Note too that all three persons have at least visited the third stage of the seven-step “journey” to Reality: the first tried religion for a year but it obviously did not re-purify the consciousness; in the second example, a woman is totally embroiled in her religious ego-state, but playing that role has not re-purified the consciousness; and in the third example, a man has assumed the role of "The Spiritual One" but that role-playing has not re-purified the consciousness.

No surprise. Once again, persons can be witnessed who are stuck near the halfway point on a “path”; who think they have completed their entire "religious or spiritual journey"; who think they have arrived at some religious or spiritual pinnacle; who believe that they have reached their “destination” as far as spiritual journeys are concerned; and who are sure that they understand "themselves" and "others" and god and how the universe functions. In fact, they are completely embroiled in the fakery of their role-playing, are trapped in their attachment to the phenomenal, and haven’t a clue about the reality of the noumenon.

Is the following pointer offered in the book There’s No Such Thing As “Peace of Mind” (There Is Only Peace if You’re Out of Your Mind) becoming clearer?

Consciousness is rooted in the Absolute. The brain is rooted in the elements. The “mind” is rooted in wrong programming, in faulty conditioning, and in the lies and concepts and ideas and superstitions and falsehoods of cultures. Personas are rooted in programmed minds and are sustained by the ego-based lies and by the learned ignorance that are being taught in most modern cultures.

Please enter the silence of contemplation. (To be concluded tomorrow)
READINGS RELATED TO THE CONTENT OF TODAY’S POST:
While non-duality’s “not two” teaching eliminates the possibility of “one relating to another,” every aspect of the relative existence is marred by “relationship problems” until Full Realization happens. The following book identifies the roots of “relationship problems” and provides a holistic treatment plan for healing, for applying non-duality principles, and for ending such relative problems.
THE 15% OFF SALE ITEM FOR THIS WEEK IS CASTING LIGHT ON THE DARK SIDE OF RELATIONSHIPS. FOR INFORMATION:

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CONSCIOUSNESS IN MOTION: A Journey into the Dark Abyss of the “Mind,” Part Three

F.: Case #2 will confirm another Advaita pointer: the ego hates the silence. It has been shown that as soon as an ego-state is taken to be an identity, it promotes itself to “Super” status. Personas—trapped as they are in their “Super” status and egotism—must make noise to create an image and to sustain an image. “The Super Speaker” must speak; "The Super Singer" must sing; “The Look-At-Me Mom Child” must yell for attention; and the adult version of that child must have a car with a sound system that no one can ignore.

The ego must be noticed for an ego-state to "survive," so it will generate noise and it will demand attention. Because thought precedes both words and actions, then the ego-dominated “mind” can tolerate neither the stillness nor the silence. Moreover, to reach a point where the presence of noise and the absence of stillness and silence becomes so miserable that a quiet mind is longed for, merely asking for it or wishing for it will never make it happen. [See the book There's No Such Thing As "Peace of Mind" for further explication.]

Note how the shiftings in consciousness and how all of the duality involved in the belief systems of Case #2 reveal multiple ego-states, egotism, a desire for attention, and (even more to the point) turmoil, unrest, ambiguity, bafflement, unevenness, and angst:

CASE #2
“Okay, they say I broke up a family, but I didn’t. He did. I was right 95% of the time in all the arguments we had. I didn’t have a choice but to leave. Yes, I was somewhat concerned about the effects of taking my daughter away from her father, but the negative effects of divorce on a child only last for about two years, max. After 20 years with him, I was so frustrated that I finally starting cutting him to the bone. I told him that I never loved him and that I had just been using him and that I had prayed every day for a year that he would die. Damn fool. On the other hand, he was a good provider and he was very generous in the settlement. I know I should have forgiven him, but he didn't deserve me. I was too good for him from day one.

I do have to admit that he was always a great father to our child, but he wasn't a lovable husband. Okay, love was there. Why else would I have stayed for twenty years? I never had to work. He paid all the bills. The sex was good. But he made me feel like a whore. We really did have a good marriage I guess, but now, I’m much happier away from him. I didn’t get a fraction of what I had coming from the divorce, but that's OK because now I’ve remarried and I’ve found a good man who will take care of me. Dad told me that, with my looks, I'd find a man to take care of me and he was right. Mom told me that love is a tool that can be used to manipulate men, but she meant manipulate in a good way. As it turns out, they knew what they were talking about.

There have been ups and downs, but for the most part the game plan has worked most of my life and now I’ve happier than ever. I have a good Christian man who’s handsome and rich and I have a fulfilling job where I work for the Lord. I always liked singing in front of an audience, and now I sing in church in order to praise the Lord. Today, I know without a doubt that God rules over every part of His dominion, so it’s all been His will, everything that happened. I thank Him daily for the life He has given me. I am truly blessed.” [This case, and many others, are discussed in full in the book CASTING LIGHT ON THE DARK SIDE OF RELATIONSHIPS, below.]

The duality revealed in her comments confirms that the consciousness in example #2 has been completely warped. That also confirms that self (in fact, many “selves”) are driving her thoughts, words, and deeds. Look then at the way her ideas and “beliefs” shift from one diametrically-opposite extreme to another to understand the full effect of the consciousness being warped.

Next, your visit into the dark abyss of the sick “mind” in this example shows you exactly how the warping of consciousness results in confusion, instability, uncertainty, bewilderment, insecurity, unsteadiness, volatility, mental and emotional disorder, and personality disorders. All of those are the result of the warping of consciousness, the subsequent formation of a “mind,” the formation of personality, the assumption of ego-states as identities, and the egotism that follows.

Note again that the ego hates the silence. In fact, it so hates the silence and the beingness that it requires noise and doingness: “The Singer” must sing, “The Speaker” must speaker, and “The Talker” must talk; otherwise, none of those ego-states could “exist”—could “sustain” each self—in the “minds” of those who take their ego-states to be actual identities. This woman must sing, must talk to spread the "good news," must talk to preserve her image as a good mother who did no lasting (relative) harm to her daughter, and must talk to defend her self as a near-perfect wife (with a "95% right" rating).

Case #2 also illustrates that ego is always concerned with physical appearance, and persons become especially attached to body when a culture allows bodies to double as moneymakers. It becomes automatic for persons programmed in such a fashion to define their entire relative existence through projecting externals and maximizing the appearance of the form, the space, the physical. The result is that persons haven’t the slightest contact with that which can only be realized from within: consciousness of Self via tapping into the inner resource; contact with the sixth sense; contact with the intuition; and, finally, the ability to function in ways that are natural as opposed to unnatural and/or supernatural. If the darkness has descended upon the consciousness that you are, to any degree, the suggestion is to try completing all seven of the steps that lead to the re-purification of the warped consciousness. Please enter the silence of contemplation. (To be continued)
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