Individualism and identity

[Jeremy]

--- in asc2k@yahoogroups.com, valarie vousden <vjvousden@...> wrote:

> do you think god could ever be one single entity again when we all
> enjoy being what makes us so unique? that's still a seperation of a
> sort but quite enjoyable.

this is a great philosophical question and i'm delighted to see the
group address it. this is really the crux of my own seeking as well.
understanding the dynamic between the separated self and unified self
has to be what it's all about - otherwise, what would be the purpose
of the seeming duality (indeed, asking a question along these lines
was the first post ever on this list!).

in my exploration of this topic what appears as a useful label for
this whole complex of concepts is that of *identity*. what we are
asking ourselves to juggle in our consideration of these ideas is that
of a necessarily conflicted identity: that of being two different
identities at once. the conflict doesn't exist in that we are all one
and simultaneously separate - that's heady for non-metaphysical types,
but it's pretty easy to see once it's given thought. the catch is:
"how do you become the one creator without losing your unique,
separate identity"?

seems to me that much of our experience takes place in the shadow of
that overarching question. we have some sort of basic fear of losing
ourselves within the all-encompasing existence of the creator, loving
though it may be. defining who we are as unique beings - standing out
from what we understand as the background "creation" - is something
we're enculturated and expected to do. figuring out "who we are" is a
big deal, i would argue, *precisely* because it demands we address
this paradox: who are we relative to what? the boundaries of our
skin? how arbitrary is that!?

the key imho is that our identity doesn't need definition - we don't
need to "do" anything in order to "be" who we are (whatever that is).
our experience is simply a fractal subset of a greater experience.
the usefulness of unity works both ways: we provide the creator with
experience, and the creator provides us with the choice on how much
unity we will introduce into the paradigm of separation and duality.
our need to see these two activities as separate is the faulty premise
that causes us to conclude that our identity cannot co-exist with unity.

as we move forward on our paths, i think the knowledge that our
uniqueness is a big reason why we're part of the creator begins to
sink in. the more we know our true selves, the more we manifest the
unique portion of the creator that we are. that, after all, is what
makes us unique - not our separateness from creation, but our
membership in it. our individuality represents a unique level of
fractal position within the creation.

i don't think it's about duty or morality, as zee seemed to argue
(although i liked her idea that time separates choices from
consequences, enabling our free will as uniquely understood in 3d). i
think it's about identity. duty and morality, to me, have negative
connotations that imply the range of acceptable choices is limited.
the acceptability of an action doesn't concern me so much - since
that's guaranteed by the creator. what concerns me is the
*usefulness* of a given identity complex an entity carries with it at
any given moment. again, how one defines / regards the self
determines the actions towards others that are positive or negative.

usefulness, to me, is mostly synomymous with potential, as articulated
by ra. archetypal study is of great usefulness in this area, since
the archetypes represent, as ra states, "the builded structure of
energy expenditures". there is a vocabulary of sorts within the
archetypes for understanding the dynamics of unity within third
density. polarity - the 800 pound gorilla in the law of one - is
concerned with the degree to which an entity has tuned the identity to
manifest the creator in maximally useful ways (the pole chosen is not
so important in an absolute sense).

to me, personally, the individual is the smallest unit at which
identity can be authentically and consistently understood in our
density. it happens to be the only unit we have available with which
to do work on the self. that is why individual freedom - and the
catalyst experienced by the lack thereof - is so vital: it's the
closest we get to authentically integrating the individual and the
unified creator. it is clear that our experience of individual
identities is everything to this logos. for that reason,
individualism is inseparable from the law of one. that we each are a
unique portion of the creator is not simply a byproduct of our
individuality: it's a deep truth that belies the entire mystery of
creation!

so it's not so much god being re-united at some distant point in the
future (though i've always thought that one reason seventh density
takes so long is that the dissolution into unity takes a level of
grounding and understandind that is prohibitive to third density
beings to contemplate) but rather about experiencing moments of
greater or lesser articulationg of one's true identity, which just so
happens to be the creator. :-) indeed, i think ra was expressing
this precisely when they talked about their exercises in becoming the
creator in the myriad of experiences we have in third density. the
work on identity always takes place at the fringes, where these
contemplative activities reside.

hope this convoluted post helps. it's all just my opinion, btw.

l/l

jeremy w.

p.s. i've written more about individualism and collectivism within the
context of the law of one here:

http://blog.6thdensity.net/?page_id=390

[Adam West]

hi there,

"> do you think god could ever be one single entity again when we all
> enjoy being what makes us so unique?"

god 'is' one single entity and you are it! it only appears that you are
separate from god, or that you are not god; that you have no memory or
experience of being god is a necessary feature of a purposeful design. the
subject object dichotomy is merely a cognitive and ontological fallacy
predicated upon our momentary unenlightened state.

the realisation of infinity or enlightenment is not a change in our
metaphysical nature, rather it is the conscious experience and remembrance
of what we truly are and have always been. it is this progressive movement
from epistemic limitation that constitutes our very purpose for undertaking
this joyous exploration of self imposed limitation and its progressive
destruction; the joy of re-discovering who we are is ineffably satisfying.

learn to meditate and mindfully explore the totality of your experience,
in time we will all taste the reality of our empty intellectualizations.

in kind regards,

adam.

[Valarie Vousden]

adam west: "learn to meditate and mindfully explore the totality of your
experience,
in time we will all taste the reality of our empty intellectualizations."


i know that you are right. we ask questions and beat our head upon the
(illusory) wall only to one day be on the other side of it all saying, what was
i doing?? it's already happened, hasn't it? this is the past alrieady and all
things have already happened. we are just seeing it happen linearly with no
recall of what's already been. so yes, meditation will be useful. and living in
the now and enjoying it for what it is because it will all unfold as it already
has done so why fret it?

good advice and thanks for setting my thoughts on that path. i need to learn
to stop questioning, questioning and just live in the now because all is already
known.

sol, student of life,
valarie


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[redstr718]

i am enjoying everyone's posts
i have a few thoughts/analogies on this topic...

--- in asc2k@yahoogroups.com, "jeremy" <asc2k@...> wrote:
> the catch is:
> "how do you become the one creator without losing your unique,
> separate identity"?



i am enjoying everyone's posts
i have a few thoughts/analogies on this topic...


i think it is automatic, we are not able/allowed to go back until we fully
"know" our
unique, separate identity" when each of us has "filled our hard drive full"
what is there left
to do? we will automatically "plug in" to the "network"/onesource and
download/add our
"data"/selves to it. it is our "programming"

focus on "filling you hard drive", because until you are full, "plugging in" is
not even an
option.

shout out!! to adultswim's ghost in the shell:stand alone complex on cartoon
network,
they explore this topic so beautifully.

"relative" is what it is all about!! without polarity how could we relate to
anything or
anyone? ignorance is bliss, but "the creator" did not want to be ignorant so
here we are,
the mind of god choosing polarity in order to experience all pain all pleasure
all hate
all love all greed all generosity .......
be thankful and appreciative for the ability and opportunity to experience the
negative as
well as the positive

another working analogy... (tool for communicating loo)

we are a paint by number kit. sometimes we look in the mirror. often we are
confused,
and or do not like the image we see. we do not recognize ourselves without all
the
"colors" and this can be disturbing. hopefully, we recognize that the pattern
of the real
picture is in fact there in the form of lines and numbers, but if we want to see
the picture,
we must paint carefully. the lines are the law and the paint a gift. the
better we follow
the lines, the clearer the real picture becomes. we all have different skill
levels, but
everyone can improve with practice and patience. as the artist we have the
freedom to
ignore the lines and numbers and distort the intended image at will, and while
this my be
fun, it distracts us from the "real" picture which happens to have a perfect
balance of all
the colors and is most harmonious. if we are astute, we will see our brothers
all have the
same pattern yet appreciate each one's unique interpretation regardless of their
accuracy. once we see and recognize the real picture, then all the fear is gone
and we
can have fun, playing with/distorting our own picture while teaching and sharing
with our
brothers.

just because we remember/go back to the creator does not mean a loss of
individuality; i would bet that the creator will let us out to play or how else
will we be
co-creators? there is no end and no beginning, just cycles and rhythm. if you
play hard,
you will sleep deep, so that you can get up and play hard again. (or take the
day off,
remember it's your choice! i personally like to mix it up)

loving you all so much
*cha*

[Strider]

--- in asc2k@yahoogroups.com, "jeremy" <asc2k@...> wrote: the catch is:
"how do you become the one creator without losing your unique,
separate identity"?


hey jeremy,

last night, i dreamed i was a mouse.
this morning i woke up and realized it was just a dream.
what happened to the mouse?

peace/love
strider

[Jeremy]

--- in asc2k@yahoogroups.com, "strider" <axelrodhooverhead@...> wrote:
> last night, i dreamed i was a mouse.
> this morning i woke up and realized it was just a dream.
> what happened to the mouse?

dude, it was *your* dream. how should i know? ;-)

- j

[Strider]

--- in asc2k@yahoogroups.com, "jeremy" <asc2k@...> wrote:the catch is:
"how do you become the one creator without losing your unique,
separate identity"?

>
> --- in asc2k@yahoogroups.com, "strider" <axelrodhooverhead@> wrote:
>
> last night, i dreamed i was a mouse.
> > this morning i woke up and realized it was just a dream.
> > what happened to the mouse?
>
> dude, it was *your* dream. how should i know? ;-)
>
> - j
>
good morning jeremy!

it also was the mouses's dream. and it sure seemed real to the
mouse/me when the cat almost got me!

gads! just thought of something. where did that evil monster cat come
from? and, what the heck was it doing in my beautiful mouse dream?

but then, as you say, it was "my" dream. guess the cat was just
cat/me, dreaming that it was chasing mouse/me.

but, the question reamains. what happened to mouse/me and cat/me when
i/me woke up? did they lose their "unique and separate identies?" if
they were just dream things, was there ever anything "real" to "lose?"

but then, i clearly remember being mouse/me. it seemed so real! and,
the details of being mouse/me are still vivid in my memory. so, dream
or whatever, i guess i haven't really "lost" anything at all, have i?

gadzooks and zounds! if all of that was just my dream -- mouse/me
playing with cat/me -- i guess it must all have been just me all
along!

this is getting too complicated. think i'll go watch fox news.

peace/love
strider