your true self and other things

a place of arrival and departure

your true self and other things

IF YOU had nothing but time and health, what would you do? Do you know why, beyond being driven by society, you get out of bed in the morning? Your ego will have plenty of answers-- what about the real you?

THE FIRST helpful step is to take an inventory. Run who you think you are through a series of filters and separate that which glitters from the gold. List your wants as opposed to your needs. Look closely at the most joyful experiences in your life-- things you were doing or being-- examine them in detail, and then list those things in your life or the world that you hate. Read again the Serenity Prayer here and list those things, both about the world and yourself, that need changing-- or don't because you truly value them.

YOU MAY have trouble coming up with much useful information when you do this. Not surprising. Most people have so rarely tried to look beneath their ego-armor, and are so totally sucked-in by the whole materialistic ego-manipulative culture, the list will be almost predictable. Loves: money, power, sex [these are essentially interchangeable in the United States], prestige, popularity, respectability (if you're a conformist), and freedom (if you're a non-conformist). If you're an addict, what won't show up on the list in direct form, but which should be at the top, is whatever your addiction is-- sex, shopping, power abuse (increasingly popular in the managerial classes), gambling, boozing, smoking, chewing gum, and hard drugs... and soft drinks, to which every American seems to be addicted. And remember, the never-ending more society promotes, even creates addiction.

IT SEEMS to be easier for us to learn what we don't like as we go through life (especially since we have to do so much of it), so this part of the inventory will be easier. There is an interesting side effect to this list-- if you want to know whether or not you're an addict, look at what you hate that has to do with preventing you from doing what you really love most (which may or may not appear on your "love" list). If most of what you hate are the common sense responsibilities of living life (you may exclude paying taxes-- most governments are simply stealing your money to maintain control over you, not to serve you), you are likely addicted to one of the "maladies" listed above-- though you can't be castigated for wanting to escape this ego-driven, deadly, lunatic show.

IF YOU'RE still having trouble finding yourself, go get a copy of Alan Watts' wonderful book The Book on the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are.

NOW THAT you've established what it is you love and hate (after some of you have spent a few years in treatment [make sure you go to self-help groups run by others who are/have recovered from your special malady; most shrinks will try to help you fit back into this insane crap we call society]), it should become clear to you that many of the things you love are endangered, while more of the things you hate eat more of your life. Being your true self means doing something about that. The other most noticeable thing will be between the lines in your list-- how much you've been encouraged to and have had to compromise to survive in this "culture".

COMPROMISE IS another deadly enemy of self. Some is necessary in order for groups of individuals to interact in some harmony-- though conformity is never absolutely necessary. Harmony itself is an interesting word and should be re-considered as a social concept. It is, literally, different vibrations producing a pleasing overall effect-- and sometimes even a little dissonance is rather attractive. Think of yourself as a unique tuning-fork. You vibrate at your frequency (though this, according to some, changes at different levels of spirit-consciousness)-- how are you going to vibrate at a different one? Maybe you can saw-off a piece, or put some kind of clamps on it. You might get something closer-- closer to what something outside yourself wants you to be-- but without question, whatever that sounds like will be far inferior to the pure tone of what you really are... or is it were? That is compromise, as it applies to the self.

an ego-driven manipulative society has a vested interest
in destroying your true self and making you pure ego-- pure conformity--
the goal is the subjugation of all personal acts which are not
"productive" to the ruling hierarchy

WE HAVE wonderful, if not miraculous differences between us-- and we were created to be that way. Rather than compromise-- mangle, deform and deny our true selves-- rather than accepting a society which demands an absurd, mal- adjusted population trying to fit a currently-decreed "acceptable" (and false) image, we should be daily creating one which allows like-minded or like-spirited cultures to form and live in harmony within themselves, and within the greater whole which a non-manipulative democracy should easily be able to allow. If the well-being of the whole seems threatened at any time, let's first look at the well-being of the parts, then at the motivations of those who consider it threatened, and, if necessary, turn down the volume of our songs a little, soften the edges for a more comfortable fit, as we meaningfully live through our incarnations in this life-- which should be far more full of wonder and growth than our manipulative ego-bosses allow it to be-- and to whom we stupidly acquiesce.

I can never be what I ought to be until you are
what you ought to be. This is the interrelated structure of reality.
Dr Martin Luther King Jr

WE ARE SPIRITS inhabiting human bodies, and we come here to learn and grow. There are different visions of how this works, though most exhibit remarkable similarities. The Celestine Prophecy puts forward the notion (not a new one) that we choose our parents, even choose to be (say) an addict in order to finally overcome that aspect in our spirit-character. In this scenario, we as spirits choose parents for the gifts they will give us in our upbringing-- and the defects which will impell us to attain the spirit's next goal while in human form. Redfield (author of The Celestine Prophecy) suggests this is how we may find our "missions" in life. Some believe the soul evolves through reincarnation, where the spirit's karma plays a major role. Some believe our spirits originate from different planets, galaxies, universes, even dimensions.

IT'S PROBABLY not possible to be "ego-less" while inhabiting the human body-- at least not as long as standard equipment is the current model of the human mind. It's a great instrument, but devious and sometimes unreliable. It may be possible to reduce ego to near absolute zero if, like the buddhists, you aim for a state of nothingness-- or nothing but your spontaneous "suchness" (a word coined by Alan Watts in his Zen writings)-- meaning something akin to essence of self.

IT DOESN'T matter to what "degree" you are "ego-less". There must be almost as many different levels of spiritual enlightenment as there are human beings-- and many more if you accept the notion that not only humans have spirits. What does matter is that you discover your true self and pursue that which you truly love. To do that is to be your unique self.

THE STRIVING to grow beyond ego is what really matters. The gifts that constitute your true self are not intended to be yours to hoard. The ego guards them jealously and wears them like medals-- and uses them to take. The true self develops its gifts, opens its soul wider thoughout life, and gives its greatest (and smallest) gifts to all who seek. They will find you by your example-- your deeds and the pure suchness of your being.

to study the way of the Buddha is to study oneself
to study oneself is to forget oneself
to forget oneself is to be enlightened by everything

Great Links

These pages rely substantially on some of the material presented in James Redfield's fine book
The Celestine Prophecies-- you already have the link to Sandy Shaw's fine site on the Main Page,
and there is an excellent 32K Outline of the CP on Laura Bryannan's Homepage,
but here are a few more, with some comments:
The Celestine Prophecy [The Park]
this site contains a CP discussion area and a live chat area-- also Friendship, Mentor,
and Wise Elders programs, and a summary of the Nine Insights
www.celestinevision.com
Most of this Warner Books/ CBS sponsored site is about promoting or selling stuff, but this is
Redfield's site, and you can subscribe to the Celestine Journal, and there is an online forum/BBS
dealing with Golbal Issues, Celestine Stories, the Insights, Study Groups, and Personal Perspectives.
A Close Look at the Celestine Prophecy: Notes by Miles Rippenhagen
If you want a nearly word-by-word critique, perhaps to help clarify your thinking, you may
want to use this. For example, he thinks Redfield "completely missed the mark" re control
dramas and manipulation because Redfield says we get a "lift" from it (power theft). Rippenhagen
says it's based "primarily on attempts to meet the needs of security and significance, not to get
some kind of psychological 'high'". Well, I remember when I went through a thankfully short
phase of having to re-write everything I encountered too-- now I usually resist the temptation.
The page is also some 114K.

SpiritWeb's "How to Just Be" Program
a great place to get into SpiritWeb, and appropriate for this section
World Transformation
an absolutely wonderful site for navigating the "positive-vibes" net, from just that
(including "kids stuff") to the big picture, live systems, ideas for social innovation,
personal development, and sovereignty (rights and freedoms) issues.
The links in all categories are amazing.
Innerspace - The Writings of Julia White
This is a great site for expanding self-awareness in the kindest and gentlest of ways-- and it's
a major award-winner. Of special interest are her pages Re-Creating You
("lessons and exercises to help increase your inner understanding and awareness"),
and Excerpts from Animal Walk-- a wonderful place to look at your animal
totems (try to screen out most of your romaticism) for an insightful journey into your true self.
For a look at my totems, click here.
The Four Yogas of Enlightenment
"The path to self- love and radical sanity is found within meditative awareness...
a method for the exploration of consciousness through simultaneous mindfulness and analysis
of consciousness. The goal... is transcendence of the ego, spiritual awakening, and the stabilization
and mastery of transcendental awareness."
Lake Tahoe Wah'kon
"For the serious student seeking to know self", based in part on teachings of the
Osage tribe, it deals with the "great mystery" of the power of thought.
We Walk the Path of Metista
a new site I admire, with great integrity, insight and economy
Spirit of Now
new consciousness, insights, "The Global Brain"; well-written and thoughtful
Enlightenment Online - The Spiritual Search in Cyberspace
see especially "Does the InterNet Have a Buddha Nature"; also great links
Spirit to Spirit - Webletter to your Sacred Self
a very well-produced resource for exploring spiritual pathways... and a place where you can
let your inner self offer guidance-- with a comprehensive listing of links by category
One Light - Spirituality/Metaphysics/Philosophy
beautiful site, great links; see especially Truth as I Understand It
The School of Wisdom
a very interesting, serious site-- but find the list of contents and be sure to read
"The 'Subtle Sybil' Effect" and "Four Steps on the Path of Wisdom"
The Blue Society - Expanding Consciousness to Infinity
Essays in self, truth, and self-actualization
The Rocamora School, Inc.
Good stuff on self-actualization and awareness, though I happen to believe
all living creatures have their special gifts
NewHeavenNewEarth
beautifully designed and comprehensive-- it's really about harmony
Jan's Lightwork Page
channeling nature, Devas, Angels and Spirit Guides - teaching intuitive skills--
a way of life that integrates & harmonizes the energies of mind, emotions and body
under the umbrella of spirituality
NLP and "The Original Belief Process" - by Wolfgang Bernard.
NLP is Neuro-Linguistic Programming, from his site
Neuro-Linguistic Programming and the Existential Quest
Let There Be Light - Always In All Ways
May take a while to load due to all the graphics, but there is much here for many tastes,
and many, many links

Now read this-- wouldn't it be great if this is true?
The Ascension is Life Lived from Joy
A channeling by Laurie Gilmore. I was a skeptic until I read this...
I have so much resonance with it, and even some of the dates
mentioned relate to specific similar experiences of mine.

this page is updated and added to regularly - last update 4/26/98

BACK TO MAIN PAGE