What is Our Responsibility to the world as “spiritual” human beings?
Should we be helping to improve the world? Does Consciousness Evolve? 

Yesterday a friend asked an interesting question (via text):

D:
By the way, while I was eating a quick meal, I just watched this video, I don’t know if this is a synopsis of his philosophy, but if it is…

*The Evolution of Consciousness, Sri Aurobindo*

My take on it would be that I don’t disagree with him that in this dreaming there is a flowing of the two poles of duality, and that their movement is always a dynamic tension towards a resolution, although, of course, the absolute needs no resolution . The other factor is that he doesn’t seem to really address the fact that this is dreaming and that the absolute has no needs in and of itself and in my opinion, this is more it’s play or Leela. Also, well, I agree with them that there may be a process of evolution, which is the flowing of the Tao seeking to release itself back into perfect perfection, sort of in line with the Hindu philosophy of a Yuga, and the birth of a universe and it’s collapse into a singularity basically being an exhale and inhale of big M mind breathing, but he also seems to suggest that there is a lot for the individual to do, rather than the perspective that the individual is nothing but an expression of the Tao, and therefore is going to move as the Tao moves, in other words there’s no individual to do anything. The individual is simply going to flow It’s natural way towards that resolution.. and of course this is all within the dream anyways, which is ultimately irrelevant from a certain perspective. And I agree with Paul completely that it’s all just dreaming, and that those meanings are subjectively given not by us, but by the dreaming itself, which I guess you could say is us, but anyways that’s my quick shit take on it lol

I said:
“Yeah, sounds about right. But a philosopher like [Aurobindo] generally, especially in a religious climate like India, especially in a historical period, has to give a sort of purpose and spiritual significance to things.

That’s the only problem with Non-duality it ruins you for all of that. 

It’s such a huge burden [meaning a spiritual path, or a sense of responsibility for improving the world], and I am no longer wanting to carry such heavy baggage”

D asked:

Interesting. I remember Paul once sort of lovingly and jokingly said “ trust me, the world is better off without you trying to save it” lol. And I would think about that from time to time. Inevitably, we all have our seat assignments. Sometimes those assignments are to chill out on the beach. Sometimes, perhaps the president of the bank of India (wink, wink). Sometimes the assignments are to be one of two cats or dogs hanging out with a young zen adept, other times assignments are to consult the head of a Chinese warrior state, or possibly to be beheaded for ones unwillingness to do so when it was not appropriate lol. But I’m curious to hear a little bit more about what you mean about that burden, are you talking in terms of giving energy and attention to the action figures drive to help the world changed and evolve? I mean honestly in my opinion none of us are doing any of it anyway so the energy is going to execute whatever it wants to execute and the idea that we have a say in it is kind of laughable at this point, but I wanted to hear your opinion on that a little bit because Paul often talks about our Attention being the volume knob on this situation and I’m curious to hear your feelings about the interplay between the things the action figure is compelled to do, and the awareness and attention given to those doings.

It sounds like your question is something along the lines of, “what is our responsibility?” – in the grand scheme of things. And you are wondering how one’s “seat assignment” plays into this.

Yes both Francis [Lucille] and Paul [Hedderman] talk about not being world-savers, and Francis goes so far as to suggest that the most evil people in history — the Hitlers and Pol Pots, etc. — were world-savers. They had plans for the world, thought they could improve it, knew better than God, were ‘playing God’.

And this is a point of contention with the ignorant: for example, I have seen that it will inspire angry reaction on social media (especially when there is turmoil, and in a politicized environment) if one is to suggest for example, as the spiritual teacher Roberts Adams would, that “All is well and unfolding as it should” (which by the way is a dualistic saying, using words like “should” — since that’s how we have to talk sometimes to the action figure in order to ultimately connect with what is ‘above its pay grade’ so to speak). It angers those who think we need to do something.

And it’s not saying ‘do nothing’ (unless you’re meditating, haha) — and this is a point that is difficult to explain (or impossible) I have noticed, to the human character — including folks who like to see themselves as “spiritual”  given that the human being is interpreting it as what pertains to the human qua human, and what to do, externally. It’s not about doing or not doing. It is about what you are and about what truly Is.

It’s not about acting or not acting (as in Bhagavad Gita sense), it’s about knowing. 

The deeper meaning — also suggested by the oft-repeated fact that we are ‘in this world but not of it’, and that our real, or ultimate goal in life (if it can be said to have a goal) —  is Self realization, and that Self is that in which we appear, and not something we become or make happen.

To phrase it like Vernon Howard did in his little book Your Power to say NO – which happens to be sitting beside me:

5. Your purpose in life is to make contact with Eternal Truth, to acquire higher wisdom. Let nothing block this purpose.
6. Remember that there is something wrong with an angry demander. You do not required to serve his demands.
7. Your inner level always duplicates itself in the outer world. To raise exterior conditions, raise your inner level.
8. Conquest of the invisible world of thoughts and emotions produces a happy person. He is the same as a healed person.

Now that #8 — “Conquest of the invisible world of thoughts and emotions produces a happy person. He is the same as a healed person.” — and how it is interpreted or agreed to, is going to vary with every teacher and every student. But any spiritual non-dual teacher — let’s say any truly wise person (or more accurately, a message coming from Truth) — will see and reflect the truth of #7 — “Your inner level always duplicates itself in the outer world. To raise exterior conditions, raise your inner level.” —  which is at the heart of what you are asking about.

Almost everyone in the word is desperately fighting a battle to raise their inner condition (unknowingly) by trying to change the outer conditions. They genuinely believe happiness is in, or comes from external objects, conditions, and activities. Thus, naturally it is assumed that if some “bad” outer condition arises, it must be changed in order to be happy or OK. Even if it requires force. And maybe things do need to be changed in the world or in the bodymind. But what is a separate issue from what is being pointed to here.

 

 

“It’s not about doing or not doing” is simply reflecting the fact that the action figure, the character, and the seat assignment, are appearances – “on a screen” of Consciousness, so to speak, only. And temporary.
The dream figure cannot change the fact that they are in a dream. They can only realize what they are, by seeing what they are not. That’s the liberation from the need to be liberated – which is one way of seeing it or talking about it.

As a metaphor: how would you explain to a dream figure in s dream that they are just a dream figure, and not real? They would not, could not accept it or understand what you are talking about.

What you are never changes, does not evolve, and does not need to be made better. Only realized.
A side-effect as it were, is self-improvement and world improvement. But again, it’s not a prescription for passivity. It is not any kind of prescription and is not about outcomes.

That being said – that Reality-Consciousness does not evolve (which is obvious) – that which is not obvious or clear is that the individual apparent human aciton figure does evolve. You can see figure in the world that are less mature or more mature, spiritually speaking. Are they beig run by a 3-year old head, or by a wise heart? Ultimately, it doesn’t matter – this being dreaming – ad what matter is where you are coming from. That is what makes a difference in how this apaprent world “manifests” to you.

Energy and attention places in one direction or another does make a difference in one’s experince. Nama and Rupa always apply, and one can be more or less wise in following a false lead or a true lead. 

For example, when the medical folks found a tumor on this body’s kidney, they responded with fear and urgency, worried it was cancer, and wanted me to have a surgery as soon as possible, and possibly remove the entire kidney, to be safe. They said the chances of it being benign were about 10-15%. My intuition, said, “No, that is not the lead to follow” given the totality of the situation I could see , sense, and be rational about. And it’s my body, nbot theirs. (I won’t go into the details because it’s quite involved). And in the long run, my intuition turned out to be correct. I did not respond to their worries and sense of urgency, delayed the surgery, and nothing bad happened, and nothing changed. Then after I did have the surgery, not only did they only have to remove 15% of the kidney to get the growth out, it turned out to be entirely benign. Not only was my delay vindicated (and I learned something), but I saw more clearly, that everything is OK no matter what (that was my intuition even before the diagnosis from the lab was heard). 

If I had put my energy and attention into what their head and what my head or ‘lower’ impulses said, to be fearful and urgent and start a battle and spend my time and energies in cancer research and action towards fighting cancer, that may have “made it real” – Nama and Rupa. And, meeting a cancer patient at the garden, who was in the process of having more and more parts of her body inside chopped out with surgeries because of cancer, I decided firmly and absolutely ‘No’ that is not who or what I want to be.

But, we will never know what that alternate universe would have been. Only I know what I know, and cannot objectify or justify scientifically. Does it matter (to you, or the head)? No. Life goes on, and I enjoy moments, very grateful for being alive. A new vigor and energy of appreciation is here, for this gift of life: a burden of fear of cancer had been removed that had been there since earlier in life, when both my brothers died of it. 

So there ‘s a real sense in which it *doesn’t matter what happens* and it doesn’t matter what you do – in the grand scheme of things it is all part of a pattern, so to speak, and is only an illusion that there is some kind of local individual separate will or doing.

That being said, you can become more decisive by sticking with an initial decision and letting the chips of the universe fall into place (the infinity either self-adjusts or is determined in a sense). Have faith in the Infinite.

Regarding energy and attention, most people’s energies are compleltely expernally directed, since that is the only recognized way of being in the culture for the most part, currently.

And, all of this being said, there is great power in (for the action figure) ‘being of service’ if that is correctly understood – it gets one out of oneself, and out of the self-obsession (of self-centeredness) – and even if it’s temporary, that is of great value. But, that’s a whole other topic…

Basically, I recommend following one’s deeper intuition (not impulses) —  what they sometimes call ‘the heart’ —  and not the head. All will be allright if you do that. That is my expereince.

 

Ultimately, as I keep saying, Non-duality is not spiritual, and is not a path, although spirituality owes all it’s depth to non-duality – all of the essence, the essential Truth and Being, to the non-dual truth. It is at another level, so to speak, and spirituality and paths are for the human action figure. All well and good, and probably necessary, at least in some circumstances. But really, there is nothing to do and nowhere to go… for Reality-Consciousness. What you Are.