Nature's Obligations
» Sunday, January 31st, 2010 at 07:27pm |
We have heard it said, "Ignorance is bliss."
But I say, "Ignorance is the inability to recognize misery."
For it is true:
Without the ability to recognize a thing as it is, according to the attributes of its character and upon the conditions of its function, no remedy can be made.
Furthermore, it will be found that, through Vanity and Egotism coupled with Ignorance, we have a strong tendency to deny, excuse, or justify that which runs contrary to what we often term Happiness.
But Happiness is a result of Natural Law, which is the Effect of a Cause.
That Cause is founded on specific conditions, which are established only by undertaking and fulfilling Nature's Obligations, specifically the first.
For Nature holds us responsible for two Obligations in Life, the first lending to the second.
It will be found that it is upon the Ignorance of Nature's Obligations which can be held accountable for much — if perhaps not all of the recurring problems, crimes, and miseries that plague a Family, Society, Nation, or Civilization.
Would we all be given definite Knowledge of Nature's Obligations early in Life, hold ourselves accountable for undertaking them, and personally dedicating our lives to working out the problems back of them, the Moral fabric of Society would refine and enrich itself through Cause and Effect.
Thus, here they are...
Nature's Obligations
NATURE'S FIRST OBLIGATION is the commission to take responsibility for and work-out the Destructive Impulses of our natures, through which the conditions of the mind are finally prepared for Prosperity and Love, back of Happiness — the essential prerequisite in successfully undertaking Nature's Second Obligation.
NATURE'S SECOND OBLIGATION is the commission of starting a family and raising children so that they are fully prepared for Life by the age of Maturity, yet it is only by first accomplishing Nature's First Obligation that it truly becomes possible to successfully fulfill Her second — for without Self-Mastery (or at least an adequate understanding of the operations back of Morality), no child will have learned Personal Responsibility and Self-Reliance by the age of Maturity, the keystone of Nature's Second Obligation.
It will be found that a child's Self-Reliance at the age of Maturity is in direct relation to the State of Marriage of the parents.
And the State of Marriage is in direct relation to the dynamic established in the Marital Union.
The State of Marriage could be said to be the "blending" together of the collective attributes of each individual spouse's Character to makeup a third, invisible Moral Character, which is that force back of and responsible for the formation of the children's Characters.
Should a child move through Life on the "default" he adopted through the influence of his parent's State of Marriage, he will unconsciously reproduce that exact same dynamic in his own marriage through his own Character and by attracting a woman who corresponds with it, whereby it will be reproduced in his own children (should they also refuse to seek Knowledge and work-out their crimes under Nature, and Nature's Great Creator).
And on it goes, if uninfluenced or unaffected.
Furthermore, it will be found that our irresponsibility in taking on Nature's Obligations is the reason why superstitions are born, procreate, and survive centuries after their births.
Not only that, it will also be found that back of many of the common superstitions still running rampart today, is due, in no small part, to a fear of or misunderstanding of Sex.
The Danger of Dogmatic Abstinence
There is perhaps no greater barrier in the preparation of a man's Moral Development for fulfilling Nature's Obligations than Dogmatic Abstinence — that impish child of Jealousy and Lust, perhaps the vilest combination of Destructive Impulses the Soul is susceptible to.
Yet the common justification the dogmatist gives us in defense is:
"If you have something special to share, shouldn't you save it for a person you truly care about? After all, if you share it with others, it's not special anymore."
According to the facts and operations of the Human Soul, it will be exposed that the truth is just the opposite — for it will be found that, under such Dogmatism, the secret motive and focus of the relationship falls not on the dynamic within the Union itself but on Sex and Obsession, no matter how it is justified to the contrary.
Furthermore, through this secret motive it will be observed that nothing aids in the fostering of Jealousy and Lust in the Soul more than Dogmatic Abstinence, those enemies of Marriage and assassins of Love.
Let it be known with absolute certainty:
No marriage can or will truly succeed until both spouses have mastered the Destructive Impulses of both: Jealousy and Lust.
Without this accomplishment, there can be nothing resembling harmony in the Union. Either both will not see it — or one partner will not see it, while the other is "forced" to compensate for their partner's ignorance.
This, the only outcome of Dogmatic Abstinence:
One believes in an illusion, the other avoids addressing it and instead caters to it, at their own expense.
Is there any worse misery in Life?
Deliberate Promiscuity
The desire for promiscuity is in direct relation to the Moral Character of a man:
There is no greater urge for promiscuity than in those of very low Moral Character. Though the desire is surpressed and compensated for, often through acts of crime and violence, it is the most pronouced, even though there may be no outward sexual expression.
Though the actual urge for promiscuity is less in the libertine than in the dogmatist and their Moral Character is more evolved than the devoutly religious, the the desire is acted upon readily and given outward expression through any available channel, where it often reaps havoc in relationships.
Finally, there is little to no urge for promiscuity in the those of high Moral Character. When no woman is present who he knows would harmonize with his Individuality or he deems himself not yet prepared for Love (upon the awareness of any lingering dominant Destructive Impulses), the Sex urge is transmuted in such a way as to give the best benefit to others, that Great Force known as Altruism.
It is upon these exact grounds, that, if promiscuity is deliberately used as a "training room" to identify and control the deadly combination of Jealousy and Lust within one's Character, with the intent of developing Moral Character — perhaps in the same way that it's necessary to take several falling and shaky steps before we learn to balance — it serves a man two Constructive purposes:
- The experience and skill to establish a harmonious dynamic is gained throughout the process of failing through a list of relationships, thereby learning the essential lessons to attain the ability sought after, thus truly preparing him to lead in marriage and please his wife, and
- The Knowledge necessary to identify a woman of high Moral Character and who harmonizes with his own Individuality — instead of opting for the instant gratification by defaulting to the first option.
For it will be discovered that, through constant association, the true Character of a person often eludes us the more familiar we become with them. Close association often has a strong tendency to cause us to lose the capacity to make distinctions based on the the facts of their Character.
Instead, they become recognized as "so-and-so":
"That's just how they are," we say, without truly questioning or identifying the impulses or true motives back of their actions.
For it is a fact:
Without points of contrast, and based on direct experience, a thing cannot be truly known.
Therefore, it will be found that the majority of "virgin marriages" go down in misery — except either one or both will not recognize their misery, due to the "missing points" omitted from their experience necessary to make the contrast and see the truth.
Denial is not too far behind.
Which is why Ignorance is not bliss; it is only the inability the recognize misery.
For if we find ourselves in a marriage to a woman, and that is the only or limited sexual experience upon which we have to make our distinctions (which is none or next to it), how is it possible to truly know whether it is, indeed, a happy marriage or not.
It might also be wise to note that by observing "virgin marriages" (after the one-to-two year novelty wears off), the man tends to drop the act he unconsciously put on to win her and becomes self-righteous, which causes the wife to become disagreeable yet she submits to maintain as much harmony as possible, only to succeed in brewing silent animosity for and toward him.
The End Result?
True Love between husband and wife — or that dynamic, when established, where neither has a desire to control the other, both consciously and unconsciously — only truly accomplished through the attainment of Self-Mastery, is the foundation of successfully fulfilling Nature's Second Obligation.
It is the fundamental condition necessary for the raising of children, whereby the child is fully prepared to leave the family with a strong sense of Personal Responsibility to his Brothers of Society, and with complete Self-Reliance.
All this due to having had the opportunity to associate with and model those of high Moral Character, and, through association, absorb the Essential Attitude into their own Souls.
Only thus, can Nature's demands and purposes be fully satisfied.
For we as men, and in direct correspondence with Nature's Obligations, have two critical roles to play in Life:
- Husband, and
- Father
One unto the other, both backed by our Moral Characters, that definite determinant by which we succeed or fail in fulfilling our Personal Responsibilities, under Nature and God.
For it will be found:
The man of low Moral Character will make for a poor husband because he will be incapable of satisfying the needs of his wife, and a poor father by encouraging his children's social Irresponsibility and by tearing down or undermining their Self-Reliance instead of helping them build it up within themselves...
Just as a man of high Moral Character will make for a great husband by fully satisfying each and every need of his wife, and a great father by actively aiding his children in developing their sense of Personal Responsibility and Self-Reliance.
Thus, if we hurry into marriage before we've developed our Characters and learned how to satisfy women as a sex, and in so doing also gained enough Knowledge to identify a Moral woman (what I used to refer to as a "Quality" woman) — or stated differently, one who has gained an adequate amount of Self-Awareness and learned to exercise a suitable degree of Self-Control over her dominant Destructive Impulses — whereby a high Moral State of Marriage is established in the Union, we are almost destined to fail at fulfilling Nature's Second Obligation, having already failed in Her First Obligation.
This is especially important for us men, as women tend to adapt themselves to their men much more readily and perhaps to a much greater degree than the reverse.
However, all is not lost if this path has not been followed.
There is an alternative:
It is found in both partners cooperatively deciding to undertake Nature's First Obligation together (the Pursuit of Self-Mastery) by working through their Sins in a spirit of mutual effort, with an understanding of the Dangerous Dynamic, until that which I refer to as True Love (where there is no desire to control each other) has been established in the Union as the State of Marriage.
Only then can a man raise the Left Pillar upon which rests the Headstone of Happiness, that Gateway to the Greater Life!
| Published by Jay Julio under Women and Relationships |
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The Sins of Man and Nature's Penalties
» Tuesday, January 19th, 2010 at 11:39pm |
The dogmatist says:
"If you sin, you are an evil, wicked, and unworthy wretch destined to burn in hell for all eternity! But lo! Do whatever I tell you to and refuse to pursue what I don't have the courage to attempt for myself — for if you should achieve what I haven't, I would greatly envy you — therefore, I will fabricate a terrible punishment and implant it in your imagination, then offer you an equally phony way to escape it... all as a means of stopping you from enjoying what I don't."
But the Master says:
"If you sin — or allow a Destructive Impulse into your mind — it's outward expression will not only tear down your fellow man through association by default, but more importantly, it will evoke an equal or even greater penalty, through Nature's Laws, upon yourself... and stop you from living the Greater Life, of your own Volition."
Yet if any Destructive Impulse we admit into our minds and, as a result, give it opportunity to produce itself through an outward physical expression, whether unconsciously or deliberately, just why is it we often welcome and encourage it, despite the torment it brings upon us?
It will be found that almost every Destructive Impulse appears to carry with it an initial short-term benefit — which, when matured and has grown to fruitation, carries a much greater long-term penalty.
For example, we know that the desire to get revenge on someone who we feel has wronged us often appeals to us. Furthermore, we justify it with the archaic aphorism, "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth."
But to anyone who's witnessed another spend endless time plotting and committing vengeance has probably observed the great misery it brings, perhaps initially to his victim (only to do him a service by forcing himself to grow stronger), but much more notably on him who admits the Destructive Impulse of Revenge into his mind — for he slowly destroys the conditions of his own mind which set the foundation for his own Happiness in the process.
The same can be said of Lust:
There is the initial satisfaction of sexual pleasure in the short-term, but he who over-indulges in the sex act also brings the Level, as he suffers a great dissipation not only of his vital energies but the Great Creative Force within himself, a necessity in the pursuit the Greater Life.
The dogmatist, who simply passes down the dated tenets of the Dark Ages, tells us we should not sin because it's "bad". Instead, we should mimic the outward expressions that come naturally to him of high Moral Character. The reason given for this act of Dishonesty is to avoid a conjured punishment that has no basis upon the facts of Life.
But the Master, who has observed the effects of the continued admission of the Destructive Impulses (or Sins) into the mind, knows better:
He proclaims that every Destructive Impulse penalizes the one who admits it, and in so doing, also destructively influences those who merely come into contact with him; therefore, it is to the individual's best benefit to workout his crimes under Nature.
Not because he "must" or because he "should" nor because he is condemned if he does not, but because it is the only way by which he may truly profit in Life.
For it is true:
Where others can avoid the one who harbors a Destructive Impulse of which the outward expression they find repulsive, he who admits it out of habit must bear the yolk and burden — if and until he can deliberately workout his crimes against himself, and thus, lift Nature's Penalty in correspondence from his own Soul.
Only thus may he erect the Gateway to the Greater Life.
| Published by Jay Julio under Spirituality and Soul Growth |
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The Essential Attitude in the Pursuit of Self-Mastery
» Wednesday, January 13th, 2010 at 10:46am |
To the best of my knowledge, Self-Mastery is the foundation of Mastership, wherein the dormant potentialities or spiritual faculties and powers of man are unfolded and placed at his conscious, deliberate command.
In "Grow Rich! with Peace of Mind", Napoleon Hill revealed that the Masters from the Great Parent School of Knowledge are aware of all those who have taken on the Pursuit of Self-Mastery, and that their progress is being monitored — through methods unknown to the men of the masses.
He further goes on to say that when a man achieves Self-Mastery, he automatically becomes an Initiate of the Great Parent School and is directly notified by a Master of the School, with the purpose of assuring him he has made the First Great Achievement.
And should he desire Mastership, a Great Master is placed at his side for the Instruction in taking on the Second Great Achievement.
It seems to me that each Great Achievement carries with it a specific benefit, not only to himself, but to everyone who comes within his influence — as we've seen with those Masters who were commissioned to take the Instruction public:
SELF-MASTERY frees a man of his Destructive Impulses, the real cause of pain and suffering in Life, which, in turn, allows him to instill a harmonious union in his Marriage with his wife, and be a true Friend and encouragement to all who are open and receptive to Truth.
MASTERSHIP allows a man to prove to himself, without doubt, that Life continues after Death, along with the definiteness of what events occur thereafter, which he may pass on to those who have Faith in him, giving them Peace in their "hour of need".
Though I have not made either of these Great Achievements, I have accumulated a definite stock of knowledge, backed by direct personal experience, concerning the ESSENTIAL ATTITUDE required in the Pursuit of Self-Mastery, that First Great Achievement upon which Happiness is founded.
I want to share my findings with you by laying down the critical attributes I've discovered to make up this Essential Attitude, and perhaps save you some time — should this be an aim in your life.
It will likely be found that the Pursuit of Self-Mastery or the construction of a Moral Character follows this progression:
STEP 1: Knowledge of Human Nature
STEP 2: Self-Awareness
STEP 3: Self-Acceptance
STEP 4: Self-Initiative
Let's take them up one at a time:
STEP 1: Knowledge of Human Nature
This concerns itself with knowing the impulses which motivate the Soul, and perhaps, through observation, learning to recognize the ways in which they manifest themselves, along with the effects those expressions tend to have not only upon the state of mind and body of ourselves but also, through their Instinctive Channel, upon others.
It will be found that the Dangerous Dynamic often serves as the "Classroom of Morality".
Within, the Wisdom concerning the wicked ways of Man is learned, whereby means of protection can further be constructed.
Laid out simply:
Knowledge of Human Nature involves the understanding of both the Destructive and Constructive Impulses of which make up Man, compounded with the understanding of their corresponding expressions and the Instinctive Responses they naturally elicit from others.
And since the Pursuit of Self-Mastery is a matter of Morality, which could be said to be the act of deliberately stopping off or redirecting the Destructive Impulses along constructive lines, aiding and allowing the Constructive Impulses to better come to dominate one's Consciousness, knowledge of and the ability to identify the Impulses of Man is the starting point.
For without it, is it not impossible to see the truth about others and the ways in which their behavior tends to affect us, with emphasis put upon how it may tear us down unconsciously?
And perhaps more importantly:
How are we to see ourselves as we truly are if we are ignorant of what motivates our thoughts and actions, along with the knowledge of how giving expression to them destroys or builds our lives, and transforms others into Antagonists, where the fault is on us — or Allies, through our sympathetic and cooperative effort?
STEP 2: Self-Acceptance
There is perhaps no greater flaw in our natures than our reluctance — or at least our initial reluctance to acknowledge the negative or destructive tendencies within ourselves, which, through Cause and Effect, stops us from gaining the Self-Awareness required to see ourselves, not as we may believe, but as we are.
It will be found that our inability or instinctive hesitance to see ourselves as we truly are is perhaps the greatest roadblock in the Pursuit of Self-Mastery.
For without knowing our starting point, how is it possible to direct our efforts toward our aim and so finally arrive at the gateway of the First Great Achievement?
Since the crux of civilized man seems to be his desire to separate and label all things as either good or bad and right or wrong, often administering great penalties to those things we term bad and wrong, it will be observed that the result is the fear of making mistakes.
And with the fear of being bad and wrong, two problems arise:
FIRST, in our fear of being a bad person — lest we unintentionally do the wrong thing — we place that great barrier between Self-Ignorance and Self-Awareness in position.
Thus, when fully erected, we prevent ourselves from looking at ourselves, and identifying and acknowledging our Sins — or our dominant Destructive Impulses.
This sad condition makes Personal Responsibility impossible, which is why Dogmatism (and its sibbling sister, Intellectualism) is that deadly advocate of Immorality.
SECOND, when we do make mistakes or, through our ignorance, tread upon the rights of others, we ignore them — or if they assert their terms, we justify our crimes with the hope that we will not be held accountable for our transgressions.
Thus, we attempt to convince and prove to others — through the creation of any number of what we deem "logical" reasons and arguments — that they are the problem (only to generate resentment from them) instead of accepting that we were at fault. Then perhaps using that experience as incentive to take greater responsibility for the thoughts we admit into our minds, which caused the outward expression of our crimes to begin with.
Upon these facts, the KEY SHIFT in perspective I've found critical is to start looking at things not as good and bad or right and wrong, but as Causes and Effects.
The effects can then be taken and separated, without judgment, as either Constructive or Destructive, not through condemnation but through the observation of the nature of effect:
Does it build up? Or does it tear down?
And with this criteria in mind, the motive for change shifts from not wanting to be a bad, wrong person to wanting to live a constructive, altruistic life by removing the destructive barriers.
STEP 3: Self-Awareness
Only with the Knowledge of Human Nature as the foundation along with the removal of the "dogmatic stigma" of being bad (or the "intellecualist stigma" of being stupid), does it becomes possible, accompanied by the aid of courage and humility, to begin seeing ourselves as we truly are.
The Knowledge of Human Nature becomes that lens upon which all Self-Evaluation can be made, with definite accuracy.
Human Nature is constant and immutable; the opinions of Man are variable and whimsical, often twisted by a stock of snap-judgments and prejudices.
Self-Evaluation founded on Human Nature is the only path by which a man can begin to see himself, not as others — or even himself — may have come to believe himself to be, but upon the truth of who he actually is, based on the facts of his Moral Character, orchestrated by Nature's Laws.
And through careful Self-Analysis, based upon our understanding of Human Nature and the elimination of Pride, Vanity, or Egotism through their "psychical solvent" — Self-Acceptance — we can begin to observe the current state of our Moral Characters and identify our dominant Destructive Impulses.
It is with these realizations that we can also start recognizing the many ways in which we let them, through their unconscious admission or deliberate expression, tear down our constructive faculties and powers, along with the detrimental Instinctive Responses they elicit from others.
This reveals to us our personal path and individualized effort necessary in our Pursuit of Self-Mastery, the Master-Key to the Greater Life.
And since the Greater Life is found in mastering the dominant Destructive Impulses of our Natures — those things which repel Prosperity and Love, back of Happiness — the solution has been set down and all that is left to be done is to take upon ourselves the Great Work.
STEP 4: Self-Initiative
After the above conditions have been setup in the mind:
- A workable knowledge of Human Nature has been gained, namely the individual identification and operations of the Destructive Impulses of Man,
- Acceptance that the presence of the Destructive Impulses of our natures is a problem to be solved instead of hidden, ignored, and compensated for — or deliberately welcomed and acted upon, with the Conscience put aside — and
- Identification of the dominant Destructive Impulses individual to and prevalent within ourselves, along with the expressions they manifest and the negative effects they have on others through the Law of Transmission...
But one thing remains:
Self-Initiative to work-out this Great Problem, backed by adequate Self-Disipline required to follow this course of action through to completion.
For I wager, through Reason and Intuition (since I have not yet proved it to myself) that to solve this Great Problem and achieve Self-Mastery establishes the fundamental conditions necessary to living the Greater Life:
PROSPERITY is found through the cooperative effort with others in working toward the Service of Humanity.
Yet while there exists a domineering Destructive Impulse in any of the minds of those leading the Act of Service, it will, and must meet its demise due to competition, that bastard offspring of Greed and Envy, of one upon the other.
LOVE is found through the harmonious partnership between husband and wife in taking on Nature's Second Obligation, the Family.
Yet with any dominant Destructive Impulses present in the mind of those making up the Marriage, the marital Union will soon sour, which will be permeated into the children and undermine Nature's Second Obligation, as most often tends to be the case where a marriage is wrought-out with the Impulses of Jealousy and Anger.
This is what I can gather from the facts available to me, but I do not yet know on every account mentioned.
However, I suspect that he who has lived it will vouch for its accuracy.
| Published by Jay Julio under Character and Personality |
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