Erich Fromm envisioned it in 1947 when, in his “Man for himself”, described as the fourth malignant character type, the Marketing-oriented one. Since then, his theory got reinforced through several means, even scientific ones. But it’s not just that his vision was crystal clear. It slowly became a de facto standard.

The more carefully you look around, the more you will realize its presence. More to that, you will realize its presence even within you. Since it is most desirable to act and live according to this principle of “I am as you want me to be”, you will most certainly discover it even in your own tendencies.

Egalitarianism also got heavily involved in this. Fromm himself foresaw it when talked about equality being in fact replaceability. It turned into undifferentiation, and then into indifference. All that is unique or special in man, is undesirable, and not needed. At best called weirdness.

We are told that in order to be successful (for whatever that means), we need to learn how to market ourselves. And then you realize that you are not making friendships any more, but you are networking. This one being now (academically) hyped through the theory of scale-free networks applied onto human relations. The extraordinary model of computer networks being used to state examples for human relationships. The inanimate being a seemingly valid model.

After being affected, learning, and continuing to live in it, this perpetual neutral attitude is leaving out all that man has born with, all that is originally within, in his unique individual being. Superficiality replaces all. The sole stable one is the ever changing behavior. Thoughts, beliefs included. One has only characteristics that can be sold. Ephemeral ones, of course. As it is enough to act like it is expected, doesn’t have to be like that. And it is not only the surroundings that doesn’t care if one is really like that, but being comfortable with the looks only. Even the person itself projecting that image doesn’t care. It suffices to look like it.

To always be like is expected, one has to exclude all contrasts, all possible contradictions within. Thus the only solution is to get- and stay empty. As all traits of character have to be removable. If there is an inner conflict between the originally inner trait and role to be performed, those original traits have to go. It is not the role that goes, it is the inner trait. It is the way to getting freed of individuality itself.

All we need to do with those moments is forgetting them. More to that, everything around us is arranged to help us in forgetting. Almost effortlessly we can get back to our comfort zone. Forgetting and feeling comfortable again.

All that is there is showing us our dual nature. We have the comfort zone, the one that we are used to. Our individual life, our comparative reality. Filled with anchors, hanging on to our identity. With the need to permanently define and redefine ourselves. And there is our life manifesting in a different direction, our existential reality, the so called “inner life”. Where we have less to hang on to, and what is showing up unexpectedly. Quite disturbing. Showing our inadequacies.

The contradiction in which these two “lives” that manifest in us are contradictory only at first. Obviously they are part of our nature and it is desirable to find our peace with both, to find the balance between our natures. They are both part of our human nature, having this contradiction as its major trait.

Our forgotten hidden nature comes to the surface with the taste of discomfort. It was neglected, it was buried and forgotten, so when it shows up, it is always unexpected. It brings contradictions, it conflicts with our life so far. But only through facing the discomfort, through accepting it we can get started in the search for ourselves.

“In this search perhaps there is a risk of oscillating between an imbecilic bliss (which would be deliberately ignoring the discomfort) and a kind of masochism (giving it undue importance – has it not been called by some, metaphysical anguish?).” (1) I have found these excellent thoughts of Jean Vaysse to be sharply pointing out a warning to be considered here. If you just take a moment to remember for ex. the Stakhanovist practicer of esotericism (or what). Whose behavior may be understandable at the first encounters with inner nature. Strange in its struggle and definitely counterproductive (sic!).

What to do then? By “doing” we can only mean finding a proper approach. Understanding brings change. Jean Vaysse continues like this: “The only right attitude, a difficult one to be sure, is somewhere between the two – the recognition of the precise nature of our uneasiness and our inner conflict, such as they are, in the hope of resolving them.” (1)

The first encounters with our forgotten nature are never easy. As you’ve seen before, my take on this is that it is voluntary, it is a possibility. It can be approached by choice, by decision. Forget deliverance as something to be blindly hoped to happen. If a man wants to be fully himself, the possibility is there. But There Ain’t No Such Thing As A Free Lunch.

1. in Jean Vaysse, Toward Awakening, p. 10-11.

Defining a goal as we are commonly familiarized with ‘goals’ leads us until a turning point. Reaching that moment/place requires complete reevaluation. Few of the habits gained so far will prove to be of any help here. “After this we must understand that in the way of development, man must become a different being, and we must learn and understand in what sense and in which direction man must become a different being; that is, what a different being means.” (1) This is how Ouspensky defines this turning point. Stating that man has to become a different being gives a sharp outline of the extraordinary transformation to be realized.

Remember, we are talking about a possible evolution. That suggests that it is not necessary and by no means obligatory to approach it. But also, that this is as far as natural growth goes. Nature stops here, leaves you all by yourself. You’ve got so far all you need to live your life. From here, if you want, you can enter in the realm of consciousness and of will.

The possible evolution also suggests that we have the capacity for development. As long as the possibility is there, the ability is there too. Not being part of the natural processes any more, this leads to assuming the decision, to choice and effort. Although the concept of effort has to be completely reevaluated at this point, effort is the only reliable ally. Nothing comes effortlessly, naturally any more.

1. in P. D. Ouspensky, The Psychology of Man’s Possible Evolution, p. 8.

Here it is what did in fact provoke me to hit the keyboard. Part of the media in the country where I live in picked up the story pertaining to a study by the Harvard Medical School Center for Mental Health and Media. They have studied “the effects of video games on young teenagers” as they say on “real children and families in real situations”. The results were intriguing compared to previous assertions on the topic: video games are means to diminish stress, and do not increase tension or aggressive tendencies.

It is intriguing, it is the opposite of how we were told before, it has news value in media. So far, so good. But then almost instantly a so called authority on matters of child psychology reacted. Until it is still hot, you might say. The guy is not young, belongs to the (media created) image of psychology guru. Meaning that whenever the issue of protecting children from any form of aggression shows up, he is there, bringing you the wisdom of unquestionable authority in the field. But this time I just found it quite hilarious.

The major argument against the Grand Theft Childhood research was Tom and Jerry. That it all started with Tom and Jerry. Tom and Jerry are the roots of all evil.

Now should I be concerned about letting my child watch Tom and Jerry? Is Tom and Jerry dangerous? Will Tom and Jerry “led to violence through easy identification with the aggressors” as the wise man says?

“The symbols (the Signs) serve the purpose of expressing the ideas behind them, the wise words of explaining the Signs. When symbols are comprehended, words can be forgotten, and when ideas are comprehended, symbols can be forgotten. However, if hanging onto words, symbols will never be comprehended, and if hanging onto symbols, ideas will never be comprehended.” (in Wolfgang Bauer, Fundamentals of the Book of Changes, Introduction to the I Ching by Richard Wilhelm, p. 13.)

I very much like the simplicity and clarity of it.

Then you might be in trouble. Might be. But that rarely occurs. I mean the trouble. There are so many ways to avoid getting in trouble. Eventually you can just walk away. But there is no need for that. The maximum you can get these days around those guys is boredom. So you walk away because of this.

On the other hand, here is my first axiom regarding the idea of a guru:

A person whose presence makes you feel uncomfortable.

I propose this to be your tool to test if it’s worthy to stay around him. It is hard to define exactly what this discomfort is like. The only thing you know is that you can’t explain it. I tend to be a non-believer when someone talks about feeling so good, so comforted around a guru. Whether that is the first time they’ve met or being around him for some time.

You might feel uncomfortable like this by simply reading something, or other indirect influence. But this axiom is valid only if you are affected by a living person, directly. All the rest pertains to the dead guru syndrome.

New Year’s resolutions are a sort of a custom. And such, lack of actual determination. You make those because everyone makes them at this time. Sure it is wonderful to give yourself a new chance. But are you really doing that?

1. The timing of these resolutions can be very much okay. But also it should be okay at any time of your life. If you prefer, at any time of the year.

2. The nature of the resolution is with great probability okay too. Supposedly we all know where we need to change, what we desire to change in ourselves, in our lives.

3. The will to carry them through is to be seen here.

All the enthusiasm is wonderful at this time. It gives the new hope. And seemingly, it gives some sort of energy to start the change. But it doesn’t last for too long. And then what? I think you know what follows from this point. Essentially, you slowly start explaining yourself why you don’t have the mood for it right now, postponing it, twice, and then forgetting about it.

Even the best reasoning weakens your will

What happened here? Instead of carrying through your commitment, you are using your energy to figure out the best explanations for why you should postpone or stop it. In the backgrounds, invisibly you are weakening your determination, your own will. These kind of explanations are rarely new to you. And now you have to wait a whole year to make new ones…

The will to carry through commitments is a rare bird. We all should be extremely careful when making resolutions. It is nice and easy to make them, it is tough and hard to keep them. Enthusiasm is not enough. It helps you with the decision, but soon it vanishes.

Will needs to be cultivated.

Determination empowers will. Some people seem to have it without doing too much for it. Others need to cultivate it. Cultivating it takes time. Not just one year.

Start with only one goal. One step at a time. Be clear and sincere with yourself when deciding. Start with something so easy to achieve that it makes you smile. If there is the slightest chance to be overwhelmed, find and easier one. You will be amazed how difficult it is to hold up your determination in carrying through the easiest commitments. You can even carry through a nonsensical action. I was once told about a will exercise to break a picker at noon, every day, for a month. The idea is to get in touch with your will. To bring it to the surface. Once you get along, you can go for the big commitments. But your will is fragile at first, approach it slowly. Never hurry, never engage in a commitment that overwhelms your actual power of will.

Remember not to give in to the temptation of New Year’s exuberance for resolutions. Even if everybody does that. If you will give up, it will weaken your will as any other unfulfilled commitment. Even if it feels so good to be in the collective enthusiasm. Enjoy the fiesta, but do not hurry to precipitated resolutions.

The “eternal present”

When it comes to spirituality, the importance of the present moment is often overemphasized. I am sure you’ve heard it yourself may times. “Be here and now!” “It is just the present moment that it is important!” And other similar statements that slowly become part of the common knowledge. But what to do with the past and the future? Are those sequences of time completely irrelevant? How to disregard them? Is that possible? Remaining focused only on the present moment, all right, and then what? What then? The flow of time is involved again and again. Hard to get rid of it, isn’t it?

What to do with your past and the future?

This concept doesn’t lead you too far. If that would be so simple, I guess there should be so many people fulfilled in their spiritual quest. If you just count those who were telling you to do so… All right, then this is what I suggest: let’s switch to a different perspective. Let’s reduce the triadic approach (past-present-future) to a dual one: there is the present and the non-present. The non-present can contain both past and future. But the two protagonists are enough for now. Now let’s see about those two in details.

1. The Present

Being focused on the present is being focused on activity. Acting is possible only in the present moment. And the syndrome accompanying the emphasized present moment is called restlessness. Maybe not a syndrome, just an attribute.

2. The Non-present

Being oriented towards the non-present means being oriented towards the concealing and unfolding of events. Towards what happened and what might happen. This, as the other side of being focused on the present, of being active, is on the contrary, being passive. Drawing away from activity. Being inertial.

As they are, in their natural state, both orientations are contributing to the paradox of being obliged to play whether as active or as passive players. None of those two are leading naturally to a neutral state. Remember, we are in the context of self development possibilities here. Meaning we should have an other option, there should be another possibility to transcend the paradox.

Being focused exclusively on the present doesn’t seem like a viable solution. Even if you hear it all the time that the “eternal now” is all that matters. The rejection of sinking into an inertial state is more accepted, as on the levels of social or physical health an active attitude is more desirable.

The potential of a third approach

Now we seem to get back to a triadic approach. Not to the one of the three time sequences (past-present-future), but to one that presents the potentiality of a third state, beyond present and non-present. This third state should be the solution for the paradox of restlessness versus inertia. As it is not possible to get out from the context of time perception, both present and non-present will remain. Seemingly the solution is to get an equilibrium between those two sides. But how to get there?

There isn’t much left but to accept.

The magic word is acceptance. Since fighting any of those two would not lead anywhere, but increase their effect on us, there isn’t much left but to accept. Fighting restlessness will obviously lead to more agitation. Rejecting the non-present, rejecting the past, trying not to remember, avoiding it, but nevertheless denying the inevitability of what future holds, leads to fear, despair, depression etc.

This kind of acceptance is not easy to realize. It is not easy to understand it. There are so many facets of it that needs to be considered. Still, there isn’t much left in terms of options to handle our time. Consider this an experiment to approach your time in different manner. Just a possibility among many in your self-developmental quest.

From the start, I will give you a clear hint on where we are heading to. Think of the Zen teachings, think of the Zen anecdotes. Zen has given us a fascinating methodology on how to handle the absurd. There are obviously many other ways, but I guess this is one of the most well known ones these days.

One of the few essential experiences

I said that facing the absurd is an essential experience for us. There are few experiences of this kind, which we could call essential ones. Like death. We all have to face death at some point. We may think of death as the utmost in terms of what we have to face. It is truly unavoidable, it is a great suffering, it is the unmerciful end. Death causes the greatest fear of all. But it doesn’t cause despair. That is the scope of the absurd.

Absurd leads to despair. Despair is the sense of being annihilated, the dissolution of our being. Think of the small stupid situations of our daily lives when we find ourselves in completely unreasonable circumstances. Those events might have reasons and reasonings for others, from other perspectives. But not for us.

However, the absurd might show up with greater intensity. Usually when we face the loosing of something important, may be even what represented the meaning of life for us. Or there are situations of facing great unfairness, injustice. In these situations, when we vehemently protest, we usually find ourselves exclaiming: “This is absurd!”

Learning to deal with the absurd is vital

Being cheated, being betrayed often leads to suicidal endings. The inability of facing the absurdity of the circumstances sometimes leads to tragic endings. But form the perspective of the absurd, as an essential existential experience, that showed up in our life, the suicidal ending is a completely wrong answer. The inability to accept the unacceptable is obvious here. But what is also obvious is that the major reason that led to this was not knowing how to face the absurd.

Why this isn’t then part of our mundane training? It would save us from lots of catastrophic endings. A possible answer is that it is way too uncomfortable to even bring it in discussion. On the level of personal development, personal accomplishment, the goal is to be reasonable, to achieve what is there to be achieved, relative to those who have already achieved what had to be achieved. There is no place here for anything that is unavoidable, inevitable. Everything has to be under control, under personal control.

Is there an easy way?

It seems that dealing with the absurd was banished to the other side, to what is generally called spirituality. Let spirituality deal with it. And spirituality does that. Every form, or frame, or methodology of spiritual development urges you to learn how to deal with the absurd. The most famous one nowadays seems to be the Zen way to do this. But Western traditions, usually the esoteric ones, are doing the same. In the tradition of Alchemy there is what is called Nigredo, a first phase leading towards future purification and transformation. The Christian tradition is also familiar with the Dark Night of the Soul.

Regarding the Zen approach, I would say that the point is often missed. We are extremely amused by the stories there. It can be funny, no question, but there is way more to it. Learning to face the absurd is a bigger task than even learning to face death. And just imagine how difficult is for a Zen teacher to find a way for his disciple to realize it, to learn it. Seemingly it takes time, a great deal of time.

Will stop here for now, saying that I am sometimes criticized by my readers that I am too serious. This time I might have really gone too far. So, to end this article in a lighter tone, here is a Zen anecdote:

Ikkyu, the Zen master, was very clever even as a boy. His teacher had a precious teacup, a rare antique. Ikkyu happened to break this cup and was greatly perplexed. Hearing the footsteps of his teacher, he held the pieces of the cup behind him. When the master appeared, Ikkyu asked: “Why do people have to die?”

Ikkyu, producing the shattered cup, added: “It was time for your cup to die.”

Some say it is the magic recipe. A good laugh a day keeps the doctor away. Or an apple. Just being able to laugh means that you have a sense of humor? Consider this guy over here propagating the mechanical laughter. Creepy. Laughter doesn’t imply the comic. Laughter can be pathological, laughter can be hysterical. But when it implies comicality (as the aesthetical category), it has a social value, a social function.

Aristotle in Poetica has the following definition on this: “Comedy is, as we have said, an imitation of characters of a lower type- not, however, in the full sense of the word bad, the ludicrous being merely a subdivision of the ugly. It consists in some defect or ugliness which is not painful or destructive. To take an obvious example, the comic mask is ugly and distorted, but does not imply pain.” (Part V.)

Considered a gospel by many great artists, it is also helpful to see here, that comicality must not imply pain. But it is not too gentle either. It simply acts on an other level. When the sense of humor notices something worthy to be expressed, it never hurts, but it warns. Thus, it becomes constructive, thus it contributes to the development of others.

Being entertained by disgust

Due to the overwhelming presence of the ugly in our current era, the predominant aesthetic category of our times is disgust. Accordingly, humorous entertainment tends to be focused on disgusting matters. Rarely considered or used as social warning. Mostly as a perversion. Louts are laughing on everything. But Aristotle warned that in the true sense, one should not laugh on everything.

Laughing is relaxing of inner tension

Laughing occurs when there is an inner tension. When the inner tension needs to be released. Laughing eliminates the surplus of energy. That tension is created by impressions that can not be reconciled. Every joke, at its core, imitates the occurrence of this tension. The punchline produces the release of that tension. Thus, you can get rid of the accumulated conflicting impressions.

Psychoanalysts consider humor a form of sublimated aggression. Which correlates here. Aggression can turn into violence when the inner tension is unbearable. But as you see, also a joke can help with that in a friendly, peaceful way.

What to do if a joke is not at hand?

More to that, a joke does not give guaranties to the sublimation to occur, or to the relaxing of the tension. It might be too late, it might be unfitting, inappropriate etc., maybe having the effect of increasing the tension. So, the outer source for that to happen is not always available. Still, there is hope. Our own sense of humor can save the day. In that case, we need to do the job ourselves. We need to make an effort. A conscious effort.

“The sense of humor is often mistakenly considered as given. It is confused with the ability to laugh. Although the relation is close, they are not the same. The sense of humor can be caught in action in rare moments. And it doesn’t imply laughter. As an example for this, in a recent reading my attention was drawn to the fact that Christ never laughed. There isn’t any evidence, not even the slightest one, that Christ laughed even once.” (in P.D.Ouspensky, In Search of the Miraculous, Ch. XI.).

And on the other hand, there are people so deeply involved with their own negative emotions that they never laugh. So sour, so severe and serious in a sick way.

A good, developed and polished sense of humor can be even more than just a tool to get rid of accumulated conflicting energy. By facing greater oppositions, existential paradoxes, meeting and facing the absurd can become a spring-board for spiritual evolution. More on that soon.

The truth about not knowing

Just consider how ravishing it sounds in its simplicity to acknowledge the state of not knowing. But this works only if one says it about oneself. It never works if someone else does the honors. Can you imagine that? How would you react if somebody would tell you that in fact you don’t really know anything. Anything at all. Truth hurts. Mostly when someone else tells it to you. So, at least that much knowledge was left there. Knowledge of being insulted.

Awakening is the preferred term to denote the radical change required in terms of spiritual development. Usually it is pointing out the first phase of the unfolding of such a process. Then, it might point out different stages of the process. The concept can be tricky, as there is no linearity involved, not in the time and space as we know. But in the subjective time and inner space.

Letting go of the so obsessively embraced identity is a requirement. Mistaking ourselves for the things we gathered around us, holding on so tightly to our imagined self, sometimes even to our sufferings - needs to end. Some say, the ego needs to be destroyed. This one still goes beyond my understanding. I don’t get the combative mood here. I don’t see anything that needs to be destroyed.

Awakening doesn’t only mean that one realizes the worthlessness of the accumulated knowledge. But going even further. Realizing our nothingness. Also, realizing our absolute helplessness. When you start to understand yourself, at certain moments you get horrified. Then you decide to get rid of that horrifying part of yourself. But you can’t. Slowly you start to accept your helplessness, your nothingness. Only then you can see how you really are.

Changing the focus from what is seen to the seer

We use the term being awake generally to indicate that we are not sleeping. Awakening from sleep goes naturally, meaning that you are not commonly aware of how that happens. There might be exceptions. If we consider conscious dreaming, we might realize that it is possible to wake up voluntarily. How does that happen? The methods indicate that if you wish to end your dream and wake up, then you should focus your sight on one spot. That is supposed to make it happen. It is interesting to see, that what in fact makes the awakening happen is the change of focus not necessarily of your “eyes”, but you are in fact focusing on yourself. On your self. Reorienting your focus and amplifying your self awareness. Remembering yourself in a dream causes the awakening.

Why should it be different if we consider the spiritual connotations of “awakening”? Changing the focus, orienting it towards a less altering identity. Towards a self that seems different from the ones so deeply identified with its surroundings. To a more objective one. Seemingly the end of comparative reality can come to an end only through self remembering.

The two most obvious activities of the mind you notice when starting to practice some form of meditation, is the wandering imagination (1) and the inner speech (2). These two can be present simultaneously or just one at a time. But while they are there, they are filling your mind, they are generating mind activity. It is important to realize that neither one should not have any negative connotation for you in this context. The inner wanderings and ramblings just need to be brought under voluntary control in order to be able to stop them at will.

The beauty of Yoga consists in helping you understand that every part of your being can be trained. Not just your physical body. Thus, in order to be able to practice your chosen form of meditation, you can train your mind to become a helpful instrument.

1. Stopping imagination at will

Imagination doesn’t just provide the essential material for your dreams, but it controls your involuntary actions more than you realize. In your day-to-day life when something imagined becomes a belief, it will then influence even your physical health. Learning to direct imagination towards a desirable direction is widely accepted as a form of mental health care.

Here, we need to get neutral about this. It is not our goal to turn towards a positive mental stream, but to understand and learn the way to bring imagination under control. When you are able to stop any imaginative activity on your mind-screen for an indefinite time period, then you have gained control over your imagination. And once more, this does not mean you should not learn to have a positive imaginative mental attitude. This is just simply different. You are simply learning to stop imagination at will.

Imagination is calibrated by attention. Attention is usually pointed where the eyes are looking. Traversing a rift on a plank is usually safe just until you stare at center of the plank. If you move your eyes, your attention follows and your imagination brings in the belief of falling. So, three factors are involved in the process: imagination – attention – eye focus. What the yoga technique suggests is to reverse the order here. Learning to keep the eye perfectly motionless will keep the attention focused. When the focused attention is maintained at will, as long as you want it, uninterruptedly, then imagination can be maintained still. It can be stopped at will.

This technique is called Trataka. It consists of fixing the focus of the eyeballs on one spot. You may use whatever you want to be the object of this training: a spot on the wall, an object, the top of your nose, some prefer the light of a candle. But you are there only when there are no movements of the eyes. Not even micro movements. It should be maintained until the eyes begin to water, at which point you may close them and relax. Too much tensed effort affects you like in any sort of training. So be careful, but persistent. You have to learn to get control over all the reactions that will manifest.

2. Suspending the inner speech

Thinking is generally considered a process of inner verbalization. We use words, sentences to think, although this is going on soundless for the outer world. All thoughts are followed by a soundless form of speaking, the inner speech. Those of you who were trying some form of meditation practice know that the inner speech is very much present when you wish to calm your mental fluctuations. In fact, most of the mental fluctuations are manifesting through this inner speech. Even thinking about your actual meditation is a sign of a fluctuating mind. So, learning to suspend the inner speech at will, indefinitely in time, is essential for every meditation practitioner.

Any kind of soundless inner speech produces micro movements in the muscles of your tongue. Even if you try your best and it is completely unnoticeable for you, with the help of some sophisticated machinery, those micro movements would be clearly observable. And also, those movements are perfectly corresponding to the regular tongue movements as in loud talk. The interesting part is, that we are so used to this interaction between our tongue and the inner speech, that if we impede or inhibit the movements of the tongue, our inner speech will be impeded and stopped. This is what is used in yoga. Operating on the reverse as with the stopping of the eyeball movements.

Yoga calls this technique Khechari Mudra. The complete execution of this technique is difficult, also not entirely relevant here as it concerns breathing exercises. What is important to remember is, that by placing firmly the tip of the tongue on the palate you are making the effort of inhibiting all tongue movements. Through constraining the tongue in a firmly fixed position, your are also impeding the inner speech to manifest. Thus, you are stopping the mental fluctuations and - through serious and persistent effort - are training the mind to become a helping tool.

… levels that share common informational value …

Now a few final thoughts. Using these two techniques will improve your meditation. But the other reason to share those was to demonstrate how self-evidently yoga operates with vertical thinking. Acting upon interconnected levels generates efficient change. Recognizing the connected levels that share common informational value is the core of vertical thinking. Inner transformation is relevant only in terms of this verticality, on the axes of material and formal causes. Acting upon one level always affects the other.

Obviously autodidacticism is very much present on many levels of our modern lives, in many forms. Learning languages for example, although you know that a teacher or a native speaker must show up at some point. I am not talking about this kind of self-education.

In what the common knowledge calls personal development, autodidacticism has reached nowadays its all-time high. By now, self-help can be considered not only an ideology, but also a movement. Behind this ideology there is a whole industry. Complete sets of business models are available in the fields of personal motivation, mind shaping etc. Scientific and pseudo-scientific explanations are there to serve the cause.

Authenticity is seemingly not a requirement

Autodidacticism seems to perform well here. Tons of books, audio-video materials, also courses and trainers are available. If those authors have reached the goals of personal success designated in their own methods - seems to be irrelevant. Most of those methods being popularized through global channels, it is somewhat understandable. You don’t really have a connection with the author. Your choice is just to follow the recipes and see for yourself if it works. Authenticity is present here just as the promise of future success and in the false form of convincing marketing. Actually your sole choice is to be a habitual autodidact.

Saturation and isolation

Currently the influence of this conviction is placing its marks on forms of spiritual development. “The Age of Masters is over” states Jodorowsky. And he might be very much right. Not that there is no more need for guidance and authenticity. But the habitual autodidacticism led to a psychological complex. This is what I would like to call the Autodidacticism Complex. The autodidact reaches a level of saturation and isolation where a misconception is installed. The misconception of being able to learn anything on your own. There is no room left for an outer point of support. Maybe support is too much, let’s just say point of reference. There is only space left for yourself.

How far should one go with autodidacticism?

Mirroring the qualm of national consciousness

So far I haven’t seen a better frame that mirrors the actual qualm of the Hungarian national consciousness. The kuvasz, all together with the other nine Hungarian dog breeds, is by law declared National Treasure in Hungary. Still, right now is in trouble, some say close to extinction. The immense dichotomies that have always marked the characteristics of the Hungarian soul are very much present even now in the daily lives of Hungarians. As a natural consequence, this is clearly mirrored in so many aspects, the whole being reflected in its parts. One part of the whole being the fate of the kuvasz breed.

The fanciers and breeders suffer from getting biased in the great duality present even in political influences. The dichotomy is present in many forms, ex. in the form of nationalism vs internationalism. Some say that it is time to bring into the foreground our traditions, thus emphasizing the kuvasz from the perspective of its historical inheritance, being a living treasure. Others say that it is more important to emphasize its utility, usefulness and get in sync with modern times, “get real”. Both perspectives are serious arguments to preserve the breed. The kuvasz itself carries both perspectives, carries the dichotomy, like a true symbol of the Hungarian soul.

Benefits of frustration?!

The tension created by the almost paradoxically different views is seen right now as unhealthy by most of those involved. Understandable to some degree as it generates many frustrations. But a tension can be also seen as tonic, it gives tonicity to the invisible muscles of a group, it keeps the whole thing in shape.

What I have also found to be captivating, is the nature of reactions generated by both poles. The realists are acting in obviously pragmatic terms, returning as often as possible to the ways in improving the kuvasz in its physical qualities (height of whiters, form of head, coat, healthy nervous system etc.). Also acting neutral and often prudish when it comes to more symbolic expressions related to the Hungarian nationalism. Unfortunately the very term nationalism got a pejorative connotation, patriotism being preferred instead. Patriotism being more international, more widely used and accepted. I suspect here some conformism too. The other pole seems romantic and idealist. Mostly acting with intense emotions. And also in unexpected moments, provoking unexpected reactions. There are sometimes some offences taken here, which leads to isolationism.

By all means, this source of tension I sense to be the greatest in this milieu. I personally consider it to be a good influence at its core. It brings in energy to keep the work alive. It pours oil on fire, but just imagine how boring it all would be if everyone would agree on everything.

It is time to get yourself a real dog.

Now that you are reading this - for what I am thankful, - consider a final advice. If you don’t have a dog now – although I know that you have always wanted to have one – I sincerely recommend you to get yourself a kuvasz. The kuvasz is not a lapdog. The kuvasz is a real dog. It has all the ideal characteristics that one should look for in a dog: majestic and impressive in outward appearance, well-shaped, but all the more very intelligent, protective and courageous, strong and harsh if needed, but gentle, loving unconditionally, always ready to even give his life for the beloved ones.

On the photo: Kardosparti Dorisz

It looks like a new religion was born and we did not even noticed it. Such an intensity in believing the infallible efficiency of the success recipe makes it resemble to what we used to know as dogma. The authoritarian presence of the teacher is also there, whether in person or by books, DVDs and nowadays on-line seminars. It is just striking how belief plays such an important role here. Just like in religion, except no god(s) are involved. Same old, maybe better, maybe worse. If this is where the revolt against the older world got us, then we got nowhere.

When I wrote the “How much of a secret is The Secret?” I felt that my biggest concern is “The lack of moral considerations” (see point two here). And this I still sustain. Maybe even more. I suggest you watch the videos (links below) and see for yourself about some secrets in details. See the reactions of “The Secret” ’s preacher to the simple question of “Do you feel sorry for those people?”. Quite shocking. Oh, and there is Bob Proctor involved as Schrimer’s close friend, who categorically denies any responsibility. At least he had the decency to say (under some pressure though) that he is sorry for the money loss of those people.

• David Schirmer Exposed - Part 1
• David Schirmer Exposed - Part 2
• David Schirmer Exposed - Part 3

His own words from his reply video confirms that he considers ‘The Secret’ part of his belief, saying that he was hurt in his beliefs. Much truth has slipped out.

(I first found the videos linked on Steve Pavlina’s blog)

[These days 'The Secret' arrived in my small Easter European country. I've heard it being advertised intensely on the radio, seen it on the local Internet portals. So, I am curious about the local reactions (although I might be able to predict a few).]

Update. Here is Part 4, thanks to the comment left by John:

• David Schirmer Exposed - Part 4

In straight accordance with your age, you are now in a distinct phase of your life where you are redefining yourself. Self-definition is an ongoing process, for as long as you live. Our lives are subdued to a historical presence and an existential reality. The historical presence is also subdued to live in a comparative reality. In every time sequence of our lives, the comparative approach is remodeling our identity. And comparative approach is dependent on the cultural, social and historical context. This dependency is what creates the frames for us, mostly in how we can manage to define ourselves. This self-definition needs to be ever reassuring in order to keep our balance. We live now, so is the actual context in favour of this need for self-definition? With all the progress of the modern world, is it easier today to define ourselves?

What actually started me to be preoccupied about this question was an interview a saw with Alejandro Jodorowsky. If you don’t know who this guy is, you should look around a little bit. The effort is worth it. His true art and expressiveness in all of his endeavours are extremely inspiring for all seekers of genuine self-transformation.

This interview is available here. I suggest you watch it all, for at least his unmistakable style. The part that is really pertaining to this topic starts at about 6:30. He is being asked about his ramifying artistic activities. His reply goes like this:

“Things have no definition now. Why should I have a definition?”

“… Because I’m an artist. I am not a zombie… In our civilization now we are becoming zombies. Doing only one thing, like a machine. But we are not in the old time… of the fixed telephone. We are in the time of the iPod. The telephone isn’t any more a telephone. [pulling out his mobile from his pocket] With that you can send messages, take photos, take pictures, listen music. What is that? What is the name of that? Is a telephone? Maybe not. If you use it like a telephone, is a telephone. If you use it like an e-mail, is another thing. If you use it to take a photography, is another thing. Things have no definition now. Why should I have a definition? …”

Being a fan of his movies (but not only), I consider him one of the very rare artists able to constantly actualize his visions, his message. And I guess, for that he needs to be able to constantly redefine himself.

His analogy with the mobile here, I find to be expressive for our present times, frames - social, cultural or historical. There are so many ways to express ourselves today, that maybe never were. But does this make it easier? Is it easier now to define ourselves?

If you consider blogging, - because this is what most of us are doing here, – this can be another way for self-definition. Blogging exposes our need to write about things we are interested in, for some or many of us even to write about ourselves. And this is not just a way for other people to find out about us, but a way for us to find out about ourselves. Why not, a way to help us defining ourselves, more or less consciously.

One of the most important keys in approaching vertical thinking was given to us by the genius of Jung. It is called: synchronicity. What he really managed to create was a terminology suitable for our Western rational minds. Mainly through clarifying explanations, with terms that got into the common knowledge ever since. So many people have heard of and are using the term synchronicity. But do we really know what that means? I think it is worth the effort to learn some more about it, especially if you are a self development addict like me. Let’s dive a little into the details of the concept.

Jung defined synchronicity as “an acausal connecting principle”. It connects the personal psyche with the material world. So the two protagonists of the phenomenon are the personal state of mind – the inner world, and the material world – the outside.

Synchronicity is considered a phenomenon manifesting meaningfully for the personal psyche. This is the second major aspect to be considered: the meaning it carries. This meaning is not necessarily to be considered as some sign, but as a balancing influence over one’s psyche. Interpreting it is by all means a great help in achieving this balance. Understanding it has a bigger impact than just discovering it.

…an essentially mysterious connection

It was considered by Jung an essentially mysterious connection between the personal psyche and the material world. Mysterious because it doesn’t fulfill academic criteria. Unexplained in terms of science. Jung’s interest in quantum physics led him to the interpretation that at the bottom, the two components (psyche and material world) are only different forms of energy.

The common knowledge recognizes synchronicity when this acausal connection occurs in the same time (or around the same time) in the same place (or closely in the same place), like a response or echo to the person’s state of mind in the material world surrounding him/her. But Jung expanded the concept with two other forms of the phenomenon, less known. Those two are considered in the common knowledge forms of clairvoyance: remote seeing and precognition. To sum it up, here is the list of the three forms of synchronicities:

1. Present time, same or neighboring place
2. Remote seeing: same time, different place
3. Precognition: future time, different or same place

All those phenomenons share the common property of being both mysteriously connected in time and space and connecting the personal psyche with the material, outer world.

In Jung’s words: “Synchronicity . . . consists of two factors: a) An unconscious image comes into consciousness either directly (i.e., literally) or indirectly (symbolized or suggested) in the form of a dream, idea, or premonition. b) An objective situation coincides with this content. The one is as puzzling as the other.["Synchronicity: An Acausal Connecting Principle," ibid., par. 858.]”

Synchronicity is never sought nor anticipated, but discovered

The temptation for actively searching for instances of synchronicity is often present where people are looking desperately for the mysterious or uncommon. But Jung warns us that synchronicity is never sought nor anticipated, but discovered. So, the healthy attitude is to discover the phenomenon once it has manifested. On the contrary, the obsession for correlations is there as a form pathological deviance.

It is also elucidating to see how Jung interprets the major influence of the phenomenon on the human psyche:

“As soon as a psychic content crosses the threshold of consciousness, the synchronistic marginal phenomena disappear, time and space resume their accustomed sway, and consciousness is once more isolated in its subjectivity.”[On the Nature of the Psyche," CW 8, par. 440.]

And also gives us the theoretical possibility of provoking the phenomenon:

“Conversely, synchronistic phenomena can be evoked by putting the subject into an unconscious state.” [On the Nature of the Psyche," CW 8, par. 440.]

I am positive that most of you have been experiencing the amazing phenomenon of synchronicity. We all are attracted and even fascinated by the mysterious. And synchronicity can bring us that experience, usually when we less expect it. I tend to see it like a glimpse behind the veil, like we are allowed to have a vision lasting for an instant about overwhelming realities.

… the need for a strong ego …

I often hear that it is a requirement for spiritual development that you have ‘a strong ego’. Sometimes it is even aggravated by making it a necessity of such great importance that it is useless to start any spiritual practice without it. Why is this considered so important? Is it so that there should be no spiritual development unless having a ’strong ego’?

Giving it a second thought, the idea is not completely wrong. You must have seen people involved so much in some “spiritual” practice that they truly needed some grounding. On the other hand, I would not consider that - whatever they were doing - spiritual practice. Rather some form of escaping from their life. Nevertheless, the ’strong ego’ advocacy I tend to see as the other side of the coin. Usually it is propagated by disillusioned former “spiritual practicers”.

Comparative reality vs. existential reality

If spiritual development starts where personal development ends, which I like to call the moment/space of the soul, then this is where the ’strong ego’ theory is no longer valid. Spiritual development is all about neutralizing the influence of what previously you’ve built. So far, you’ve been searching your place in the world, coming up to expectations, building your identity. Your whole existence was marked by a comparative reality. All built up in time with great effort and a lot of energy invested. Now you will hardly let it go. But spiritual development requires you to turn towards an other form of reality, the existential reality.

Worse than the fear of death

Your identity is your own comparative reality. It is your money, your status, your charm etc. that you can hardly let go. Your identity is your biggest obsession. You do not want to live without it even for a second. Loosing your identity seems far worse than death itself. If there is the slightest chance to see your identity saved in some form after death, then you can deal with the fear of dying. But loosing your identity seems far worse. It is the biggest of all fears.

Spiritual development turns you towards existential reality. ‘Existential Reality’ is the label that is attached to the way reality really is. It is a positive existence. The spirit is always expressed or symbolized by light. Light has a positive existence. Darkness is defined in comparison to light. Darkness exists in a comparative reality, doesn’t have a positive existence.

So, just like that, your identity - that you hold on to even more than to life itself,- doesn’t have a positive existence. It must be strange from the point of view of existential reality how obsessed we are with it, how desperately we hang on to it. To something which is not.

A special moment this is. Now is the second milestone of the Vertegram blog, accompanied with some special and well deserved prizes. So, after a short break, back to some graphomania. Turning back the digital pages of Vertegram, it was edifying to see the main streams of thoughts I was playing with. Here are some conclusions and the surprise awards.

From the 63 posts published so far, the majority goes under the ‘Conscious living’ category. Meaning that the main goal of presenting the self development framework based on vertical thinking and the enneagram is still there to pursue. The 190 comments so far are encouraging and I am grateful to you all for those. It is always thrilling to see an idea reaching you and even more, making you say your opinion on it. Even if we disagree at times, but hey, that’s the fun of it!

And now, The Vertegram Awards!

I would like to give some prizes to the most prolific ones among Commenters. So, Ladies and Gents! (”drrrums!”) The winners of the Vertegram Awards are:

The Vertical Amazon Prize

goes to Teodora, for her sobering influence, as she strikes down in an instant when I seemingly tend to ramble.

The Awareness Alarm Clock Prize

goes to Marcus, for his refreshing thoughts, complementing and improving, but most of all demanding awareness.

The Aszú Prize

goes to Paul, for his wise words, thoughtfulness, and authenticity through shared experience.

The Satori Prize

goes to Razvan, for his condensed, still very much to the point observations.

The Lit Lantern Prize

goes to Miklós, for his openness to experiment and share, virtues of a true seeker.

The Godfather Prize

goes to Kulcsi, for his constant watching over the Vertegram blog.

The Positivity In Motion Prize

is a special one, and it goes to Lyman, for his constant effort and support to the personal development blogs and related community.

Besides the well deserved congrats, I am also thanking you for sharing your thoughts on Vertegram. Stick to this good habit in the future!

Cheers!