How do you do, introducing the person I didn't know I wasn't

Stop for a moment and have a go at living for just 5 more minutes, without identifying a single thought that relates to yourself as an individual. In starting to explore this concept of meme's, it is funny even to look at the name and see me...me.

This draws a deep need for awareness to be able to explore the way in which I use me, my, I.

It begs the opportunity to challenge every use of these words, and every context they are clothed in. It delivers the perfect opportunity to question and explore every statement made, to get to the bottom of what constitutes ownership over the words that flow from the mouth, and the thoughts that congregate in the mind.

In essence 'I' am calling upon 'my' mind to challenge the illusions that have been held in place with the "I, my, me" words. In doing so, "I" hope to achieve an awareness of the globalised separation that has occurred in every individual on the planet, and change of behaviour that needed to prevent the ongoing global sin that is 'the education of every new mind that enters', and thus perpetuating a self destructive spiral -starting with 'myself'.

Have a go of looking at the following questions. Then try writing up 10 of your own questions. Each question you type up, put " " around each "I, me, my" word everytime.

Here are the questions:

Is it really "my wants" that 'I' instinctively and blindly submit to everyday. Is it really "my favourites" that 'I' choose when obliging these 'wants'

Is it really 'my pain" that 'I' indulge in when presented with an opportunity to share another's perspective.

Are these really "my goals" that 'I' have set and follow every day.

How much of what "I" am doing is culturally, or socially induced? How much of it is second or third generation conditioning, so well hidden, that it operates completely below the radar all of the time.

Memes and Temes

One of the things brought up by Linda Watts at the integral theosophy weekend, was that of Memes, and Temes.

Upon doing some surfing, I came across this article by Ethan Zuckerman who is writing about

Susan Blackmore which I feel describes the idea beautifully. I have put the link to the page at the bottom. Ethan and Susan, I hope you don't mind that I didn't ask you first.

Susan Blackmore is one of the major promoters of memetics, a field that’s misunderstood and sometimes disliked. Her talk is designed to defend the idea of the meme. She begins, “Cultural evolution is a dangerous child to let loose on the world.” In doing so, we’ve become “Earth’s pandora species” we have loosed the second replicator, the ability to replicate behaviors, not just via genetic material. “That’s the view that comes from taking memetics seriously.”

Memetics is founded on “the principle of universal Darwinism”, which she believes is “possibly the best idea anyone ever had.” At root, what Darwin said was that if you have variation, selection and heredity, you must get evolution, or, as Daniel Dennett puts it, “Design out of chaos without the aid of the mind.” Important in this formulation is the word “Must” – if you’ve got those preconditions, you must have natural selection.

She points out that Darwin didn’t know about genes – he talked about natural selection in other ways, including the natural selection of language. Richard Dawkins make the argument that there are other forms of replication on the planet – information copied from person to person by imitation. That which is imitated is the “mimeme”, shortened to “meme”. Before criticising memes, it’s worth going back to that simple definition – “information copied from person to person.”

She goes through the room and identifies a few memes – sunglasses worn on a chain around the neck, women wearing earings. Those individuals didn’t invent those behavior – they’ve simply imitated it. She shows a wonderful meme – toilet paper folded in a hotel. She’s documented this in a jungle camp in Assam, as well as in almost any hotel you enter. “It’s supposed to tell you the place is clean, but it really tells you that other people have touched your toilet roll, spreading germs.”

“All these memes are trying to get copied, using you and me as copying machinery. We are the meme machines.”

She believes that humans are basically a war between genetics and memetics. Genes want us to be efficient and reproduce. Memes want to be reproduced, and make us do silly things, like copying wearing feathersor face paint. Eventually, the memetic drive demands a bigger brain that can copy and adopt these memes. “Language is a parasite we’ve adapted to.”

Somewhere in externalizing these memes through technology, we’ve created a new type of memes – technology-enhanced memes, which she calls “temes”. These temes are “forcing our brains to become tene machines.” We will start putting in implants and taking drugs that force us to stay awake – we’ll believe we’re choosing to do som, but the temes are making us do it.

She refers to the Drake equation – an equation intended to calculate the possibility of extraterrestrial life. She offers her own equation, less dependent on human intelligence, and more dependent on replicators.

N = P x fR1 x fR2 x fR3 x L

The number of planets with communicative life is a function of the number of planets, times the fraction with the first type of replicators, times the fraction with the second type of replicators, by the fraction with the third type of replicators, times the lifespan of planets with third-level replicators. This last term is key, because every step is dangerous. The big brain required for second-level replication – memetic replication – is dangerous. It makes childbirth more dangerous and takes up 20% of body’s energy for 2% of the body’s weight.

“Temes don’t care about us – they simply want to create more of themselves. Don’t think we created the internet for our own benefit – think about temes spreading for themselves because they must.”

Will we survive as a species? The question is whether we survive this third danger point, the world in which temes reproduce themselves with no regard for the consequences for us.

http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2008/02/28/ted2008-memes-and-temes/

http://www.susanblackmore.co.uk/

This fascinates me. I now look at myself, and hardly recognise what I see through my conditioning, filters, and subconscious acceptance of promoted ideas. I feel not unlike a puppet. What a fabulous self assessment, self development opportunity I have before me.

Integral Theosophy

I have just completed a weekend workshop called integral theosophy facilitated by Victor MacGill, and Linda Watts. For me it was a most thought provoking event. In my line of work as a coach educator, I am also a facilitator. It was interesting to watch the group dynamics of our well learned, intensely thought provoking people, each with their own filters, and learning agendas, all keen to further their journey. Here were all were in a course we all knew little to nothing about. We spent a large amount of our time simply trying to find our feet, so as to figure out how to relate to the concept and draw this mysterious idea into a place where we could once again be comfortable that we viewed the world from a place of understanding.

For me, being the rookie on the block, I found it to be right up my ally. The concept to me has acted as a catalyst for many different directions. Firstly, I thoroughly enjoyed the concept of looking at the evolution of civilisation, and the parallels of consciousness, via a colour coding, that gave me foundation to see what aspects of me as a being existed. It starts off from the animal individualistic man that focused on basic needs, instinct and impulses, who has no ability to cognitize the sacrifice made by others when he takes what he instinctively needs. Here sense of self evolves as an individual, being I am this individual, with a heirachy established through physical size and strength. Conflict is generally between nature, and the individual. This entity evolves through eventually developing an attachment to those around him, thus creating a sense of family, a first cognitive sense of belonging to something greater than himself. His sense of self is defined more towards the immediate group being 'I am my family'. Heirachy revolves around the provider, and head of the family. Here the value of the family is greater than the individual, in the eyes of those who can see the bigger picture. Something that has enough value, that one would eventually be willing to sacrifice ones self, to save the whole family.

Conflict arises due to a limiting of immediate resources to cover previous basic needs...food, shelter, warmth, and reproduction. With a growing family, more food is needed, so eventually supply becomes an issue, and a family is forced to move to go to where food is more readily available. Similarly, if a family has a sickness, or loss of female life, to the degree that the future of the family is in jeopardy, then the female resource being limited, requires males to go forth and steal them from other families. Here in evolves the next step of war. It was interesting to note that we identified that here was value within these aspects of ourselves when exposed to certain environments, and situations today. So these different aspects of our make up are not replaced when we evolve, but that they are stored, and lesser used, they become less apparent, but are always there. Each aspect has the capacity within each of us, to dominate our entity. But when through conditioning, it is not utilised for great periods is stored in such insignificant space, it feels as if it is no longer there. The next step in evolution is the warrior stage. This evolves over time via the warring families realising their capacity to conquer, and with growing size and strength, eventually become nations, conquering others for natural resources they no longer have. Here the strongest individuals rise to the top. Here they create a sense of group value that goes beyond family, but for which the individual is willing to sacrifice themselves for the perceived greater good. Here the patriot is born. That individual who is seeded with a bond to his group that surpasses any individuals within it. The force for sacrifice is not survival, but for power, wealth and pride, . Those at the top with the power gain greatly the wealth by creating a sense of pride amongst those that come below them.

The conflict here is the loss of a sense of self. It is lost in the vastness of the group. With this loss ends up coming a sense of questioning, and disenchantment.

This need created the next evolution that of organised religion. This enabled the leaders to almost future proof their power. The base still had a sense of belonging in the group mentality, it gave them a new purpose that went even further beyond their group, but cleverly, through which only the leaders could give them access. The individual was willing to sacrifice self for that perceived greatest of causes, because they were sold on the idea of a significant gain awaiting them in the advent of their sacrifice occurring.

The conflict here, was that purpose of war moved from the whim of the leader, to the attachment of the individual's religion. So the wars became religiously based. In addition to this, having a sense of self, was deemed to be a sin, thus this aspect was attempted to be buried. Hence the conflict began to be an individual one. Individuals began to awaken, and move away from the organized religions.

The next state of evolution came with industry. The individual had the capacity to gain their own creative power. The pursuit of which was engaged at the cost of all others, including the planet.

To keep the masses in control here, as they became empowered, those at the top with decision making power used media to direct the individual. Thus giving the individual the perception they were empowered, yet still able to direct them by controlling what you got them to perceive. If you could control their emotions, you would cloud their judgement. If you could control the flow of information so as to give them singular unchallenged perspectives from a source they had grown to admire, and trust, then you could control their behaviour, and the beauty of it is that they would think it was their decisions.

The next state of evolution was the stage of rebellion against the establishment. This concept really trumpets the individual at the detriment of the organization. The pursuit of free thinking is published to be the righteous ideal, with no regard to the group that orbits that free thinking individual. The issue is that this aspect is all about the individual...all about 'ME'. The conflict here then, is that the support structure that exists both man made and natural, is unable to sustain the detachment the individual has imposed on it. Here the sense of order is lost, man disconnects from his roots.

The next stage is the integral state. Where the free thinking individual is able to see the importance of their role. To see that they do not have to sacrifice the good of the greater, nor themselves to be able to fulfil the needs of the group. The conflict here is that of balancing the higher and lower self of the individual. They battle to balance when to give and when to take, for they still see themselves separate from the group.

The next stage of evolution is therefore that of a sense of self actualisation occurring not through service to the group as was previous, but as a sense of service to self as the group. Not only this, but that there be no label of this group, that it be fence-less, faceless, and expansive to the point of encompassing all as one consciousness.

Here in lies the point at which I awoke in this course with the realisation that I have been trying to become a 'great' individual, that I may be of service to the group. But now I realise, that all of this can be surpassed if I am able to see the bigger picture, lift that veil slightly more and boldly take that bigger step.

Thank you to everyone, who contributed all you thoughts, passions, interludes, and perspectives of this consciousness flexing weekend.

mind mapping

I learnt the technique of mind mapping a while ago under different circumstances and for different application. A few days ago I learnt how to use it to better my coaching, and ability to facilitate. Nowdays nothing gets to occur without me taking a metaphysical view of it. Therefore I took a keen interest to apply this to my self development. One area for me to apply this is in the area of time. So to take an old habit, write it down in the middle of a blank page. Then put a box or circle around it. Next draw lines off the box or circle like the suns rays might be pictured by a school student. Then write at the end of each line, an experience you could do instead of the old habit. These are the opportunities that are on offer, which would equate to the opportunity cost if I chose to continue with the engagement of the old habit. From each new opportunity circle it, and draw more lines off it like a porqipine. Here write the effects on the quality of my life from engaging in this new experience. Then from each of these, write the potentials that could open up to me as a result of these qualities. There is more to come on this. I will post some examples soon.

am I lost or is this spiral a circle

There is nothing like walking through the bush for two hours only to end up coming out into a clearing that looks so awefully familiar that it sets off a sinking feeling of helplessness in the pit of the stomach. As I go through my life, I anticipate that it is a spiral, as I go round, I may see a similar view, but I always hope to be viewing that same point from a different...somewhat higher perspective. It was to my amazement tonight while chatting with my sister, that I learnt an interesting fact about myself. I had this perception about myself that I was half way round the world from where I had started out, but when I looked at myself more closely that indeed,I had not left my own front door with regard to one fundamental area of my life. I learnt that I was still not mastering myself. My objective was to understand the true creative process, yet I still indulged in material creative desires being the desire to create money to enhance my life. When I step back and view where I am at, I can clearly see that I have been completely taken care of. And that my self destruction has been just that. I have been trying to create materially, in direct conflict to my prime directive. I have been attracting all manner of creations. These attract to me when I am not chasing after them via material creation. There is more to be covered here.

The illusion of time

What if "time" was simply the movement of Energy, like sands in an hour glass. The energy of Creation passes through from one plane into the next, as sand passes into one compartment to another. So imagine a time device, that had "sand/energy" passing down from one compartment that represents say 1 trillion years, and this drops into a compartment that is switch-able like an hour glass and can be turned over. Lets say this compartment can contain 1 billion years. The sand/energy in this flows into another compartment that covers the equivalent of 1 million years. Then there is the one for 1000 years, then 100, then 1 etc.

The concept being that eventually the whole hour glass will be turned upside down to allow the original energy of creation to go back to it's original compartment.

If this could be accepted as a concept, then time itself is not an empty concept, but rather it is incredibly valuable creative energy. At this point it brings us to the point to reflect how we use time.

We often hear time is money. Knowing that money is a form of creative energy, this could be a solid truth.

If we then begin to look at our habits with time and money, we will discover how utilize this energy. On another note to explore later...is that 'time' feels like it is speeding up....something that appears to happen to sand when the compartment is almost empty. This quite rightly can be identified as an illusion, but so could be the idea that time is going faster.

Looking at concepts revolving around time...we have a few areas where we 'waste' time. Procrastination, and putting things off to the last minute, or even worse is letting things go past their use by date, or due date. We will then find we manifest penalties, as a reflection of this lost use of creative energy.

If I have a certain amount of 'time' for something, then I need to start seeing this as real energy. If I get that thing done immediately, whatever time I have left before it's deadline, is abundance. This then is how I can experience abundance. Abundance after all, is excessive energy. If I have this excessive energy often, it will be there to move down to the next tier, and manifest. Hence I will experience abundance. So as I have discussed before in previous posts, in order to experience abundance I need to set a limit. Once I have set a limit, then by getting it done early, there will be a gap between it's completion and it's requirement.

So what I need to do now. Identify all areas of my life, where I have outstanding energy debts, posted as both manifested energy debts, and time debts. (things I have not done that I should have completed by now).

The next thing I am going to do, is look at the energy that is in front of me now, that has called upon my attention. I am going to set a deadline, and focus all of my attention and spare energy on achieving these things.

Lastly, I am going to learn the art of discrimination, and become far more selective in how I use my energy/time in the future. I am going to be aware of the opportunity cost before I agree to do anything. It is clear to me that for every action I agree to do, the gains would be equal for 100's of other opportunities that will not fruit as a result of taking up this decision. Therefore, knowing now how valuable this creative energy is that I am submerged in (time) I will be far more willing to say no, and far more will to face conflict from those that demand my time inappropriately, or excessively, in order to get ahead.

it's in our spiritual dna

Something to explore as we ponder the idea of being an evolutionary entity, is that the characteristics and fundamentals of our ancestral beginnings and predecessors' must still be a part of us. There is no doubt that as we transcend towards Demi God status, that our training in compassion as human beings, is a fundamental aspect to the safety of possessing Demi God like power. Prior to where we are now, it has been a fundamental aspect of or safety as humans to have our animal like instincts, and counter-attack aggressive survivalist streaks, or run instincts if the battle looked unwinnable. And before that, there was the meditative nature of being a plant, that gave us a passiveness to our natural animal aggression, which enabled relationships to flourish, and a sense of belonging to exist. Interdependence grew out of this.

And before that, as a plant, there were the basic core foundations of minerals, that were the food for growth. The relationship level, built on a single dependent relationship.

The thing is, we are really an older brother or sister to all of our animal ancestors. We are like the great grand children of our mighty tree based ancestors.

We are like great great grandchildren to the mineral kingdom. Does this knowledge somehow change our relationship with the plants, animals etc in our world?

And is it possible that the predecessor to the mineral kingdom would be mind substance, or the original aspect of subatomic particles of energy.

If we look at the qualities of each section of evolution, we may unlock the keys to the next level. Imagine if in the future we could go back in time and tell ourselves now, what the keys were to becoming a demi god. Imagine the favour we would be doing for an animal if we could help it make the jump from animal evolutionary consciousness to human.

So lets see if it is actually that simple, made difficult at the time simply because we could see clearly from the perspective we were viewing from.

Perhaps in my exploration, I am simplifying it too much, but it seems worth an attempt to investigate. In the beginning there is mind substance. Pure energy. The essential element of thought. From this thought is evoked through aspiration to know myself. This would be the beginning of Evolution. Over time I would experience all thought from the perspective of observer in SELF. Once I have completed an evolutionary phase, I would then begin an involutionary stage. This would involve going inward, shifting my perspective from overall mind where I sit as an observer on the outskirts looking into mind, to a perspective within an idea. Basically moving my observing point to enable me to explore each idea from the perspective of another idea. Once I have done this, the next process would be to put all of these ideas into some sort of order, become the most basic idea, and evolve it into my most complex idea, masking my awareness of who I am, thus making the task truly challenging. So it is perceived from within the consciousness that I inhabit, that this is an evolutionary process, but in fact, in reality, it is involutionary. I am not becoming something....I am going back to who I always was.

So here I start in the mineral kingdom, and what is it that I need to do, to be able to move up. What are the qualities that I need to 'evolve' to be able to function effectively at the next level.

A mineral is a life of pure service, yet no feedback as to it's value and importance to those it serves would occur due to a complete lack of awareness of those others because as from the perspective of a mineral I would have no association to anything else. Pseudo Evolution would be automated based on intention, becoming a different perspective of mineral as I thought about it. So what is required to be a plant? Well a plant serves others. So I would as a mineral get my first intention to serve. There are many ways to serve as a mineral. Finding these ways, is what evolution is about at every step, and every stage. Only once I was serving, would I then have the capacity of becoming a plant.

A plant differs from the mineral kingdom in the way it serves others.

It is able to serve without having to sacrifice itself. So in mineral form, the perspective simply gets attuned to the idea of service, although but has no awareness that it is serving. So here it gains it's fundamental urges. There are different urges to establish. These will be there for the rest of my journey. If I took a stab, I would say there are 7 urges to assimilate before being able to evolve into the next stage of evolution which is a plant. 1. Become self aware. 2. Define self. 3. The urge to explore...(curiosity), 4. Urge to think. 5. Urge to meet self identified needs, the urge to reflect, urge to create or self express, urge to be successful, to appreciate, , is there an urge towards self preservation. To become aware of others. To change a behaviour. To Change a line of thought. To develop complex thinking processes, such as lateral thinking. To develop linear thought. There is a hang of a lot more to this topic that needs to be explored.

Distraction

I have been pondering the concept of distraction lately. Mainly to do with looking at the link between concentration as a tool, and the substance of mind as the same creative energy that we are submersed in, to which through the window of our now, and the concentrated connection back through our imagination we are able to connect all the creative pieces together to empower an experiencable result. Wow, what a mouthful. Most importantly though, is the devastating effect that distraction has on this creative process.

If the true creative process involved the key components of concentration, imagination, presence in the present and connection or alignment of these to the source itself...being mind substance; then distraction is the component that is able to break each of the links that bind these creative components together. Distraction breaks concentration. Distraction dilutes Imagination, Distraction removes me from being present, and distraction breaks alignment.

So it seems to me, a great deal of what we are trying to achieve initially, is based on eliminating distraction.

Staying focused on one idea at a time. Cleaning up my imagination, and using it to elaborate deliberately on that same idea that I am focusing on. Staying aware and present, with that energy of this idea, feeling that the energy I am submersed in, is currently adopting the dna of that inner energy.