http://www.hinduwebsite.com/hinduism/essays/siddhas.asp
Friday, August 16, 2013
The Siddhas are the inhabitants of Siddhaloka, wwhere all are born with fully developed mystic powers. There is aother planet inhabited by the Vidyadharas and Caranas, who are very expert in singing.
"Then Lord Brahma, by his ability to be hidden from vision, created the Siddhas and Vidyadharas and gave them that wonderful form of his known as the Antardhana.Purport: Antardhana means that these living creatures can be perceived to be present, but they cannot be seen by vision."Srimad-Bhagavatam 3:20:44
"It is said that the demigods never touch the surface of the earth. They walk and travel in space only. Like the great sage Narada, the Kumaras do not require any machine to travel in space. There are also residents of Siddhaloka who can travel in space without machines. Since they can go from one planet to another, they are called siddhas; that is to say they have acquired all mystic and yogic powers. Such great saintly persons who have attained complete perfection in mystic yoga are not visible in this age on earth because humanity is not worthy of their presence."Srimad-Bhagavatam 4:22:48
"Beyond the region of ignorance [the material cosmic manifestation] lies the realm of Siddhaloka. The Siddhas reside there, absorbed in the bliss of Brahman. Demons killed by the Lord also attain that realm.Purport: Tamas means darkness. The material world is dark, and beyond the material world is light. In other words, after passing through the entire material atmosphere, one can come to the luminous spiritual sky, whose impersonal effulgence is known as Siddhaloka. Mayavadi philosophers who aspire to merge with the body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as well as demoniac persons who are killed by Krsna, such as Kamsa and Sisupala, enter that Brahman effulgence. Yogis who attain oneness through meditation according to the Patanjali yoga system also reach Siddhaloka. This is a verse from the Brahmanda Purana."Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi 5:29Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. Excerpted from various texts and purports of HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada.
Although theSiddhas (the liberated beings) are formless and without a body, this is how the Jain temples often depict theSiddhas
Ultimately all Arhatas and Tīrthankaras become Siddhas. A Siddha is a soul who is permanently liberated from the transmigratory cycle of birth and death. Such a soul, having realized its true self, is free from all the Karmas and embodiment. They are formless and dwell in Siddhashila (the realm of the liberated beings) at the apex of the universe in infinite bliss, infinite perception, infinite knowledge and infinite energy.
The Acāranga sūtra 1.197 describes Siddhas in this way –
Siddhahood is the ultimate goal of all souls. There are infinite souls who have becomeSiddhas and infinite more who will attain this state of liberation. [d] According to Jainism, the Godhood is not a monopoly of some omnipotent and powerful being(s). All souls, with right perception, knowledge and conduct can achieve self-realisation and attain this state.[e] Once achieving this state of infinite bliss and having destroyed all desires, the soul is not concerned with the worldly matters and does not interfere in the working of universe, as any activity or desire to interfere will once again result in influx of karmas and thus loss of liberation.
Jains pray to these passionless Gods not for any favors or rewards but rather pray to the qualities of the God with the objective of destroying the karmas and achieving the Godhood. This is best understood by the term – vandetadgunalabhdhaye i.e. we pray to the attributes of such Gods to acquire such attributes” [f][3]
Although theSiddhas (the liberated beings) are formless and without a body, this is how the Jain temples often depict theSiddhas
Ultimately all Arhatas and Tīrthankaras become Siddhas. A Siddha is a soul who is permanently liberated from the transmigratory cycle of birth and death. Such a soul, having realized its true self, is free from all the Karmas and embodiment. They are formless and dwell in Siddhashila (the realm of the liberated beings) at the apex of the universe in infinite bliss, infinite perception, infinite knowledge and infinite energy.
The Acāranga sūtra 1.197 describes Siddhas in this way –
Siddhahood is the ultimate goal of all souls. There are infinite souls who have becomeSiddhas and infinite more who will attain this state of liberation. [d] According to Jainism, the Godhood is not a monopoly of some omnipotent and powerful being(s). All souls, with right perception, knowledge and conduct can achieve self-realisation and attain this state.[e] Once achieving this state of infinite bliss and having destroyed all desires, the soul is not concerned with the worldly matters and does not interfere in the working of universe, as any activity or desire to interfere will once again result in influx of karmas and thus loss of liberation.
Jains pray to these passionless Gods not for any favors or rewards but rather pray to the qualities of the God with the objective of destroying the karmas and achieving the Godhood. This is best understood by the term – vandetadgunalabhdhaye i.e. we pray to the attributes of such Gods to acquire such attributes” [f][3]
Sidda
The siddha pranali business and the spiritual form of the soul
To speculate on what your eternal position with Krishna is, or to have some one tell you what it is, is a sign of a prakrta-sahajiya. You will know when you get to that platform. It is irrelevant in the practice of bhakti yoga to speculate on this. Srila Prabhupada says: "That will be revealed when you are liberated. Why you are bothering now?"
The Spiritual Form of the Self
by Sriman Muralidhar das
Following is a critique of the philosophy of the Radha Kunda babajis who teach that when a disciple comes to a guru he should be "given" a spiritual body of a manjari. In this article, the author carefully presents the teachings of Prabhupada Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur who taught that this "siddha pranali" system of worship is a concoction and a deviation from the ways of devotion taught by Sri Rupa-Sanatana.
A significant aspect of the siddha-pranali doctrine as it is generally practiced nowadays is the proposition that a guru will assign a spiritual body to their disciple. Followers of this doctrine think the spiritual form of a liberated person is given by their guru to a devotee.
For example, in a book about manjari swarup written by Kunjabihari das Babaji he wrote:
"In the Lord's abode, there are an unlimited number of forms, all suitable for rendering service to him. Every one of those forms is non-different from him, being expanded from his effulgence; each one is eternal, full of consciousness and bliss. They are the crowning, central jewels of the spiritual world - its very life. These unlimited spiritual bodies are the perfected forms of the liberated souls which are awarded to an individual, according to his taste, when he reaches the state of absolute liberation. This state is called attainment of the spiritual body. All these spiritual bodies are eternal for they exist even before the liberated souls enter them and will continue to exist ever afterward. However, prior to the entry of the liberated soul they are in an inactive state."
As all of the unlimited souls are servants of the Lord, each one of them has a spiritual body in the Lord's abode just suitable for rendering service to the Lord. When an individual becomes qualified for direct service to the Lord by the grace of the Goddess of Devotion, then the Supreme Lord awards him that spiritual body.
According to this school of belief, a devotee must be “awarded” or “given” a spiritual body (siddha-deha) by their guru so they can practice the meditation that they are assisting Sri Radha in the divine pastimes of the spiritual world. If some disciple has not been given a spiritual body by their guru then how can the disciple engage in the practice of raganuga bhakti?
Yet it must be pointed out that according to the Vedanta Sutra (4.4.1) and Sri Sanatana Goswami (Brhadbagavatamrtam, 2.2), a soul never gets given a spiritual body at any time. The spiritual body is an eternal and inseparable facet of the individual soul, the jiva-atma. The spiritual form of the self is eternally and inseparably connected to the individual self. My spiritual body is inseparable from me and, though dormant, my spiritual body has been with me for all of eternity. When a soul desires to render service to the Lord in his spiritual form then the dormant spiritual body becomes fully manifest. This is clearly stated to be the case in the Vedanta Sutra and in more recent texts such as Sri Sanatana Goswami's book Brhadbhagavatamrtam. It is utterly wrong to think that a soul can be given a spiritual body. In the commentary by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana to verse 4.4.1 (sampadyavirbhavah svena sabdat) of the Vedanta Sutra, Baladeva has written the following:
"The individual soul who, by means of devotional service accompanied with knowledge and renunciation, attains the effulgent Supreme, becomes free from the bondage of karma and attains a body endowed with eight virtues. This body is said to be the soul's original form. Why is that? The sutra explains, “svena-sabdat” (because of the word“svena”). The word “svena” here means, “in his own original form”. For this reason it cannot be said that this passage means, “the soul arrives there and then accepts a form which is an external imposition”. In that way it is proved that the form here is the original form of the soul."
In this section of Vedanta Sutra, the topic being discussed is: “When a soul attains liberation does the soul attain a body that is different from himself, as the bodies of demigods are different from their inner self, or does the soul manifest his original identity which is not different from himself?” In Baladeva's commentary, he emphatically declares that in his sutras Vyasa himself is saying that when a soul becomes liberated they realize their inner identity and see they are a purely spiritual self with an eternal body of full of spiritual consciousness and bliss (sat-chitananda).
Baladeva quotes the Chandogya Upanishad:
"Thus does that serene being, arising from this body, appear in its own form, as soon as it has approached the highest light, the knowledge of Self. He, in that state, is the highest person (uttama purusha). He moves about there laughing or eating, playing, and rejoicing in his mind, be it with women, carriages, or relatives, never minding that body into which he was born."
Chandogya Upanishad 8.12.3.
Baladev Vidyabhusan then quotes from the Padma Purana:
anur nityo vyapti-silas cid-anandatmakas tathaaham artho 'vyayah saksi bhinna-rupah sanatanah
"The soul is atomic, eternal, is present by consciousness everywhere in the material body, is by nature full of spiritual bliss and knowledge, has a sense of individual identity, is unchanging, is a witness within the body, and is different from the Supreme."
Srila Baladev Vidyabhusan states that the spiritual form of bliss the liberated being attains is the original form of the soul that lay dormant within when the soul was in illusion. The Vedanta Sutra tells us that the spiritual body of the liberated being is the soul's original form. This form is a form of eternity, knowledge and bliss, as is mentioned in the verse above (cid-ananda-atma). It is not that the soul attains liberation and enters into a spiritual body or a form of existence which is an external imposition, an external state of being different from the self itsef. Not at all. The liberated soul realizes the spiritual nature of one's own inner being.
Srila Sanatan Gosvami has also presented the same conclusion. In his commentary to verse 2.2186 of Sri Brhadbhagavatamrtam, Srila Sanatan Gosvami quotes Shankaracarya's verse, “mukta api lilaya vigraham kritva bhagavantam bhajanta”, which he translated as “Even the liberated assume a form and worship the Lord in his pastimes”. Srila Sanatan Gosvami then quotes Srimad Bhagavatam 6.14.5 “muktanam api siddhanam narayana parayana”, that is, “The liberated and perfected souls are engaged in Narayan's service.” Then Srila Sanatan Gosvami asks himself: “If liberated souls didn't have forms then how could they engage in the Lord's service?” The answer:“Bhagavati layam praptasyapi nri dehasya mahamuneh punar narayana rupena pradurbhavah”. Even those who have merged into the Lord have dormant human forms.
The statement of Srila Sanatan Goswami is clear and unambiguous. Even those souls who have never known Krishna and are merged in the formless light of Brahman have dormant human forms.
In another part of Brhad Bhagatamrtam, the commentary to verse 2.2.207, Sri Sanatana Goswami also wrote:
"O great sage, among many millions who are liberated and perfect in knowledge of liberation, one may be a devotee of Lord Narayana, or Krishna. Such devotees, who are fully peaceful, are extremely rare. Impersonalists generally imagine themselves perfect and liberated, and among them a very few may actually attain impersonal liberation. But those rare souls, like all others, are eternal servants of Hari, the all attractive Lord. Out of millions of such rare liberated impersonalists, one very fortunate soul may realize this natural fact. Since intelligence is dormant in the “merged” soul, it can be reawakened. Even the liberated souls who have merged into the formless divine light of the spiritual sky retain their eternal spiritual bodies, complete with spiritual mind and senses. Nothing, not even liberation, can ever deprive a jiva of these assets. Thus when a liberated soul gains the favour of the Supreme Lord's personal energy, his spiritual body and senses are reawakened for hearing and chanting the glories of Lord Hari and acting in other ways for the Lord's pleasure."
The spiritual body and senses are reawakened, so that the soul returns to his original state of pure siddha perfection. This soul in its pure state, still merged in Brahman, can develop a mood of submission to the Absolute and begin moving towards the gates of the spiritual world. Or, awakening with a false sense of ego, the soul may descend into the world of duality, birth and death. Again and again the jiva may attain Brahman and then fall again, developing an “exploiting” mentality that drags the soul back into samsara. However the soul who enters the kingdom of Narayana attains real immortality.
Elsewhere in Brhad Bhagatamrtam, Srila Sanatan Goswami gives a beautiful description of souls entering the spiritual world of Vaikuntha. The form of one's self that someone contemplates during one's life of devotional practice, the stage of sadhana bhakti, is the form you will have in your state of perfection. And that state of being of a soul is capable of further transformation and development.
Srila Sanatan Goswami describes souls entering the spiritual world:
"Some came with associates, some with paraphernalia, and some with both associates and paraphernalia. Some merged their associates and paraphernalia in their own selves and became like penniless solitary sages plunged in the nectar of meditation. Some moment by moment manifested different wonderful and charming forms, each opulent with different and wonderful ornaments, features and pastimes. Some were humans, some monkeys, some demigods, some demons, and some sages. Others carried the marks of being initiated in the orders of varna and ashrama. Some were like Indra, Chandra or the other gods. Some had three eyes, some four heads, and some four arms, some eight arms, and some a thousand faces. I will tell you the reason for this great wonder: How can they who taste the nectar of devotion to Lord Krishna not be handsome? The glories of Vaikuntha's residents, who are all beyond the material world of five elements, the glories of Vaikunthaloka and of Vaikuntha's hero, Narayana, cannot be described with the examples drawn from the world of five elements. "
Friday, August 9, 2013
Beginning Your Memoir Despite Family Guilt and Critic Voices
When we write memoir, we reclaim our own voice, we stake a claim to our version of the story. Every family has multiple story lines. There is the “official” version, controlled by the most powerful people in the family, usually the parents or those who have the most to lose. The “lesser” points of view—most often held by the children or those lesser in power—are often not believed or accepted as true.
When we first decide to write, we feel good about it—we have memories and stories that form who we are. We want to explore ourselves, to capture times long gone and preserve them in story form. To leave a legacy about our lives. But other voices compete with our writing—“what will people think; you should be ashamed; you will embarrass the family. Don’t air dirty laundry; you know only part of the truth, so be quiet. Your mother will roll over in her grave if she found out you wrote that.”
We all know these voices. They make us throw down the pen, sit back and turn on the TV. We don’t want to lose our family. We don’t want to make them angry. Writing a memoir is an act of courage, even defiance against powerful family dynamics. We need to find a way out.
As a family therapist, I have worked with many families, and because of my background, I’m in a position to help my coaching clients understand the source of their resistance to writing their stories, and the source of the critic voice inside.
When we write memoir, we reclaim our own voice, we stake a claim to our version of the story. Every family has multiple story lines. There is the “official” version, controlled by the most powerful people in the family, usually the parents or those who have the most to lose. The “lesser” points of view—most often held by the children or those lesser in power—are often not believed or accepted as true.
Who decides what version of a story to believe? Who is not listened to? Whose point of view is unwanted? The answers to these questions will be decided by family dynamics and power.
In most families there is a “scapegoat,” or a clown, or the most sensitive. People in these roles may hold a unique, and unpopular, view of the family stories, and those with the most power may try to suppress it.
A memoirist must begin by writing her story in a protected bubble so the story can evolve. Take care of your writing environment, and protect you from forces that will derail your efforts.
1. Figure out the power dynamics in your family. If the critic voice stops you, write down what it says. Try to find the original source of those voices in your background.
2. Begin with an image—a photograph is often a good prompt. Write in your own natural voice.
3. If the voices say: “I don’t know how to write; my family will hate me; how do I know I am writing the truth.” don’t stop. Write anyway. Your critic/family protector will try to silence you. If you were silenced when you were growing up, you will need to work through it now.
4. DO NOT hit the delete button when you feel critical after writing. DO protect your writing from curious family or friend invaders. Treat your work like a young plant that needs protection.
5. Find supportive people to write with. Write in cafés, in writing groups where you feel support or at least no attack.
6. Remember: if you’ve been abused, neglected, forgotten, or silenced, you likely learned not to value your own point of view. Writing your own story can change that. Keep “telling it like it is.”
7. Write for five minutes. Another 15 minutes. Stretch your ability to stick with a story. When you feel like stopping
, write for five minutes more. We are tempted to stop as we get close to the core emotion of a story.
, write for five minutes more. We are tempted to stop as we get close to the core emotion of a story.The Dynamics of Competitive Mentality
Life is not a competition. Not at all. Life itself is abundant and rich and overflowing. Take a look at a tree full of ripe fruits or a field full of grain. Just by looking at it, it makes you feel rich and abundant. And you feel that there is more than enough for everybody. But usually, the abundant mentality stops there.
Many of us were born and raised with a strong belief system that says that there is never enough of what we need or want. For many, this is also more than a belief—it is a fact of life. There is not enough food, not enough money, not enough love, etc. You learn to think that if you don’t make sure to take your part, someone else will take it.
That is where you start to believe that life is a competition. You have to be better, stronger, faster, prettier, taller, and skinnier or whatever else you can be more than others.
But the fact is that there is more than enough of everything we need and want. There is more than enough food, so nobody would have to starve. There is enough medicine to save millions of lives, and there is enough money. If all the money in the world would be balanced more equally, everybody would be very rich!
I know this may sound simple and easy, and that there are many reasons why I am wrong, but please put aside judgments and opinions for a moment.
Start to think like you care for people instead of compete with them. Would it not be fair if all human beings had equal rights? That everyone would have the right to get food, shelter, medicine, and basic education? I am not talking about equality here—like the communistic idea that everybody should be earning the same, regardless of what they are doing. I am talking about getting basic needs covered. If basic needs are covered, people can choose how to live their lives instead of having to fight to survive.
With competitive mentalities like “survival of the fittest” and “dog eat dog,” we justify that people are starving to death. We think that if someone wins, someone has to lose. It is now time to change this into a win-win mentality. That means we think, talk, and act in a way that we want everybody to benefit. It is a way of thinking that includes all human beings. This way of thinking comes from the understanding that we are one.
We are one human race on one planet.
When I see myself as a part of this world, I feel that the world is my responsibility. I understand that what I am thinking, saying, and doing will affect the world. What I think, say, and do to the world, I do to myself because I am a part of the world. That makes it more difficult not to care about what is happening because I know that it directly affects me.
With competitive mentality, I do not mean the drive you have to do your best. That you want to do your best is a fantastic asset and a driving force in your life. Wanting to do your best is a great motivation! If you do your best, you are the best. That means everybody is unique and exceptional, just by being who they are. Do your absolute best; strive to do what you love with the highest quality ever seen. But do it from a place inside where you want to come out with who you are—and not to overrun others. If you do what you love doing, you are competing in a natural way; you are on top because you are giving your very best.
You hear athletes talking about “the flow.” That means the space where their performance comes easy and seems effortless. You can also reach that space with your work, and that is actually what life is meant to be: not a struggle; not a competition—but a flow. This flow is an energy that comes out of you because you want to create. So, remember to make your competition a heart-filled one and not a horror-filled one.
When you do your best, you are the best!
, you are the best!
Copyright (c) 2005 www.financial-freedom-made-simple.com
Is Fear Good For You?
Everyone has fear. What you do with that fear is what is important. How you look at fear will determine who you are. Read to learn more about how fear can be good...
So you want to know “Is Fear Good For You?”
I don’t know who you are or where you are from but if you are asking this question I can assume you have some kind of fear in you right now. And I want you to know….
….You are in the right place.
As you read you will start to discover that fear can actually be a good thing and you can use it to help you grow and overcome things in your life Right Now!
Is Fear Good For You?
I can remember a time when my husband and I went to this beautiful waterfall in Costa Rica. There was this big wall right beside the waterfall that you could climb up on and Jump in. My husband and I climbed up and as I looked down I was so scared to jump in, I wanted to climb back down.
Fear makes you feel alive. Fear not only keeps us alive, it makes us feel alive. What’s more exciting, sitting at home in front of the television or jumping off a rock wall into a waterfall!?! What do you think would make you feel more alive? There is nothing more exciting than confronting your fear head on and embracing it. Facing your fears is a natural and positive drug. The adrenaline your body produces when you venture outside your comfort zone actually creates a high.
So I was standing on this wall looking down and I knew I had to overcome my fear and just JUMP so….I did it! And I felt so alive and Free!
Is Fear Good For You?Hy husband and I just moved to Costa Rica where we will be living for 3 months. Because of the business we are in we were able to do this. However, We sold all our things, we left all our friends and family, to have the adventure of our lives. But I was scared. I thought about not doing it. I was so nervous about giving up our “things” about being in a different country, about leaving everything I knew. Let me ask you, what if I looked at fear as a bad thing? What if I let fear control me?
Fear is a sign you are doing something awesome. Fear lives in that unknown and so does possibility. Ask yourself what you want to do before you die? How many of those things scare you just a little bit? That’s good. Fear is a sign that you are about to experience your greatness. Nothing great can be accomplished without facing a fear. As Mark Twain said, “courage is not the absence of fear, courage is the mastery of fear.” There is nothing scary about sitting at home being comfortable every day. But doing what most people would never do, that inspires fear. That makes fear worth pursuing.
I am so glad I didn’t let my fear overcome me. I embraced it and now I am here, in Costa Rica, jumping off waterfalls. And you can be too!
Fear builds confidence. When you do something that scares you, you become stronger. Self-Confidence comes from having successfully surviving a risk. Doing something risky, something that scares you, will make you stronger and help you grow in confidence. Each step outside your comfort zone and into fear builds your self confidence. As you push yourself more and more into what you are fearful of and you overcome it, you will grow and be stronger than you can imagine.
Set Yourself Free!
Buy Now you may start to feel excited and confident now having answered your question…
“Is Fear Good For You?”
Yes! It is. So set yourself Free and get out there! Start Living!
To all your success,Caitlin Russo
So you want to know “Is Fear Good For You?”
I don’t know who you are or where you are from but if you are asking this question I can assume you have some kind of fear in you right now. And I want you to know….
….You are in the right place.
As you read you will start to discover that fear can actually be a good thing and you can use it to help you grow and overcome things in your life Right Now!
Is Fear Good For You?
I can remember a time when my husband and I went to this beautiful waterfall in Costa Rica. There was this big wall right beside the waterfall that you could climb up on and Jump in. My husband and I climbed up and as I looked down I was so scared to jump in, I wanted to climb back down.
Fear makes you feel alive. Fear not only keeps us alive, it makes us feel alive. What’s more exciting, sitting at home in front of the television or jumping off a rock wall into a waterfall!?! What do you think would make you feel more alive? There is nothing more exciting than confronting your fear head on and embracing it. Facing your fears is a natural and positive drug. The adrenaline your body produces when you venture outside your comfort zone actually creates a high.
So I was standing on this wall looking down and I knew I had to overcome my fear and just JUMP so….I did it! And I felt so alive and Free!
Is Fear Good For You?Hy husband and I just moved to Costa Rica where we will be living for 3 months. Because of the business we are in we were able to do this. However, We sold all our things, we left all our friends and family, to have the adventure of our lives. But I was scared. I thought about not doing it. I was so nervous about giving up our “things” about being in a different country, about leaving everything I knew. Let me ask you, what if I looked at fear as a bad thing? What if I let fear control me?
Fear is a sign you are doing something awesome. Fear lives in that unknown and so does possibility. Ask yourself what you want to do before you die? How many of those things scare you just a little bit? That’s good. Fear is a sign that you are about to experience your greatness. Nothing great can be accomplished without facing a fear. As Mark Twain said, “courage is not the absence of fear, courage is the mastery of fear.” There is nothing scary about sitting at home being comfortable every day. But doing what most people would never do, that inspires fear. That makes fear worth pursuing.
I am so glad I didn’t let my fear overcome me. I embraced it and now I am here, in Costa Rica, jumping off waterfalls. And you can be too!
Fear builds confidence. When you do something that scares you, you become stronger. Self-Confidence comes from having successfully surviving a risk. Doing something risky, something that scares you, will make you stronger and help you grow in confidence. Each step outside your comfort zone and into fear builds your self confidence. As you push yourself more and more into what you are fearful of and you overcome it, you will grow and be stronger than you can imagine.
Set Yourself Free!
Buy Now you may start to feel excited and confident now having answered your question…
“Is Fear Good For You?”
Yes! It is. So set yourself Free and get out there! Start Living!
To all your success
,Caitlin RussoThe Narcissist's Inner Judge
The narcissist is besieged and tormented by a sadistic superego which sits in constant judgement. It is an amalgamation of negative evaluations, criticisms, angry or disappointed voices, and disparagement meted out in the narcissist's formative years and adolescence by parents, peers, role models, and authority figures.
These harsh and repeated comments reverberate throughout the narcissist's inner landscape, berating him for failing to conform to his unattainable ideals, fantastic goals, and grandiose or impractical plans. The narcissist's sense of self-worth is, therefore, catapulted from one pole to another: from an inflated view of himself (incommensurate with real life accomplishments) to utter despair and self-denigration.
Hence the narcissist's need for narcissistic supply to regulate this wild pendulum. People's adulation, admiration, affirmation, and attention restore the narcissist's self-esteem and self-confidence.
The narcissist's sadistic and uncompromising superego affects three facets of his personality:
1. His sense of self-worth and worthiness (the deeply ingrained conviction that one deserves love, compassion, care, and empathy regardless of what one achieves). The narcissist feels worthless without narcissistic supply.
2. His self-esteem (self-knowledge, the deeply ingrained and realistic appraisal of one's capacities, skills, limitations, and shortcomings). The narcissist lacks clear boundaries and, therefore, is not sure of his abilities and weaknesses. Hence his grandiose fantasies.
3. His self-confidence (the deeply ingrained belief, based on lifelong experience, that one can set realistic goals and accomplish them). The narcissist knows that he is a fake and a fraud. He, therefore, does not trust his ability to manage his own affairs and to set practical aims and realize them.
By becoming a success (or at least by appearing to have become one) the narcissist hopes to quell the voices inside him that constantly question his veracity and aptitude. The narcissist's whole life is a two-fold attempt to both satisfy the inexorable demands of his inner tribunal and to prove wrong its harsh and merciless criticism.
It is this dual and self-contradictory mission, to conform to the edicts of his internal enemies and to prove their very judgment wrong, that is at the root of the narcissist's unresolved conflicts.
On the one hand, the narcissist accepts the authority of his introjected (internalized) critics and disregards the fact that they hate him and wish him dead. He sacrifices his life to them, hoping that his successes and accomplishments (real or perceived) will ameliorate their rage.
On the other hand, he confronts these very gods with proofs of their fallibility. "You claim that I am worthless and incapable" - he cries - "Well, guess what? You are dead wrong! Look how famous I am, look how rich, how revered, and accomplished!".
But then much rehearsed self-doubt sets in and the narcissist feels yet again compelled to falsify the claims of his trenchant and indefatigable detractors by conquering another woman, giving one more interview, taking over yet another firm, making an extra million, or getting re-elected one more time.
To no avail. The narcissist is his own worst foe. Ironically, it is only when incapacitated that the narcissist gains a modicum of peace of mind. When terminally ill, incarcerated, or inebriated the narcissist can shift the blame for his failures and predicaments to outside agents and objective forces over which he has no control. "It's not my fault" - he gleefully informs his mental tormentors - "There was nothing I could do about it! Now, go away and leave me be."
, go away and leave me be."
And then - with the narcissist defeated and broken - they do and he is free at last.
Monday, August 5, 2013
The Black Death And How It Changed
During the Dark Ages, religious dogma was law, science was heresy punishable by death, and technology was seen as the handiwork of the devil. History and the public consciousness remembers the Dark Ages for the above traits, as well as the Crusades, which were little more than thinly-veiled examples of European imperialist goals. However, there is one other major event from the Dark Ages that, in its own way, had a major impact on modern culture. In fact, one widespread bacterial infection has, arguably, had an even greater effect than most other events of the time.
One little bacterial infection wiped out nearly half of Europe, leaving it wide open for the subsequent invasion of the Genghis Khan’s Mongol hordes. That same pandemic infection also left Europe in such a weakened state that it took most of the larger powers almost a century to recover, with some historians believing that the continent never fully rebuilt itself. One little bacterial infection turned into a massive pandemic, spawned a number of heretical Christian groups, indirectly caused the formation of the Inquisition, left the Old World crippled for decades afterwards, and may have caused a wholesale slaughter of cats. Amazing that one little infection could be so easily remembered in history as the Black Death.
The Black Death was perhaps the greatest disaster to have befallen Europe since Rome was sacked by the Huns, who were followed shortly by the Visigoths. The most persistent impact clearly was the decimation of Europe, with estimated death tolls ranging from a third of the population to more than half the continent. The horrors were recounted by numerous sources from the period, which paint an unpleasant picture of a once-powerful continent brought low by “an act of God.” However, more than the death toll and the strategic impact, one might contend that the Plague left Europe with a climate of fear and anxiety that haunted Europeans for years, especially since lesser outbreaks occurred for centuries afterwards.
Art and literature are permeated with references to the “sweeping death” by the generation that survived it, leading some early Renaissance works to be dominated by “Le Danse Macabre,” the dance of death. The clergy of the time, seen by the people as unable to fulfill their promises of banishing the plague by the power of God, lost much of their hold on the European people. In addition, the ranks of the clergymen were easily ravaged by the Black Death, forcing the Vatican to install ill-mannered and poorly-trained replacements. This action caused the people to lose even more faith in the church, with power moving into the hands of heretical groups. As the plague rescinded and the heresies’ rise to power slowed, Christian authorities established the full wrath of the Inquisition.
In what some might see as a fine example of dark humor, the Black Death also showed just how quickly the mob can resort to ridiculous measures when gripped with fear and anxiety. At a time when faith in God was still strong, despite wavering faith in His clergymen, cats were seen as the agents of the devil. There are hundreds of reports of healthy citizens attacking and slaughtering cats, their fear and anxiety having made them susceptible to the suggestion that cats carried the “miasma,” the poisonous air that carried the plague. Naturally, with a stark drop in the cat population, the rat population increased, and with those rats, so came the bacteria that caused the plague.
Perhaps the greatest effect of the plague was that it was critical in the social reforms that would come in the years to follow. The Catholic Church, having lost much power because of it, had fractured enough to allow for groups to challenge its power. The people became less willing to follow the edicts of clergymen, as well as political figures who had close ties with the Church. In fact, one might argue that there is a mild correlation between the rise of more secular authority figures and the Black Death’s onset. Many historians have even gone so far as to argue that the basic principles of capitalism were formed when the various aristocrats of Europe were forced to compete with one another for the services of surviving peasants and serfs.
In the end, countless changes can be attributed to the Black Death. Some, like Europe’s overall military frailty at the charge of the Mongol Hordes, are direct, while others, such as the Reformation and the Renaissance, are more indirect. However, one effect cannot be disputed. The fear and anxiety caused by the Black Death had permanently changed the economic, social, and political landscape of Europe, such that Europe might have evolved differently had it not been for a simple bacterial infection.
One little bacterial infection wiped out nearly half of Europe, leaving it wide open for the subsequent invasion of the Genghis Khan’s Mongol hordes. That same pandemic infection also left Europe in such a weakened state that it took most of the larger powers almost a century to recover, with some historians believing that the continent never fully rebuilt itself. One little bacterial infection turned into a massive pandemic, spawned a number of heretical Christian groups, indirectly caused the formation of the Inquisition, left the Old World crippled for decades afterwards, and may have caused a wholesale slaughter of cats. Amazing that one little infection could be so easily remembered in history as the Black Death.
The Black Death was perhaps the greatest disaster to have befallen Europe since Rome was sacked by the Huns, who were followed shortly by the Visigoths. The most persistent impact clearly was the decimation of Europe, with estimated death tolls ranging from a third of the population to more than half the continent. The horrors were recounted by numerous sources from the period, which paint an unpleasant picture of a once-powerful continent brought low by “an act of God.” However, more than the death toll and the strategic impact, one might contend that the Plague left Europe with a climate of fear and anxiety that haunted Europeans for years, especially since lesser outbreaks occurred for centuries afterwards.
Art and literature are permeated with references to the “sweeping death” by the generation that survived it, leading some early Renaissance works to be dominated by “Le Danse Macabre,” the dance of death. The clergy of the time, seen by the people as unable to fulfill their promises of banishing the plague by the power of God, lost much of their hold on the European people. In addition, the ranks of the clergymen were easily ravaged by the Black Death, forcing the Vatican to install ill-mannered and poorly-trained replacements. This action caused the people to lose even more faith in the church, with power moving into the hands of heretical groups. As the plague rescinded and the heresies’ rise to power slowed, Christian authorities established the full wrath of the Inquisition.
In what some might see as a fine example of dark humor, the Black Death also showed just how quickly the mob can resort to ridiculous measures when gripped with fear and anxiety. At a time when faith in God was still strong, despite wavering faith in His clergymen, cats were seen as the agents of the devil. There are hundreds of reports of healthy citizens attacking and slaughtering cats, their fear and anxiety having made them susceptible to the suggestion that cats carried the “miasma,” the poisonous air that carried the plague. Naturally, with a stark drop in the cat population, the rat population increased, and with those rats, so came the bacteria that caused the plague.
Perhaps the greatest effect of the plague was that it was critical in the social reforms that would come in the years to follow. The Catholic Church, having lost much power because of it, had fractured enough to allow for groups to challenge its power. The people became less willing to follow the edicts of clergymen, as well as political figures who had close ties with the Church. In fact, one might argue that there is a mild correlation between the rise of more secular authority figures and the Black Death’s onset. Many historians have even gone so far as to argue that the basic principles of capitalism were formed when the various aristocrats of Europe were forced to compete with one another for the services of surviving peasants and serfs.
In the end, countless changes can be attributed to the Black Death. Some, like Europe’s overall military frailty at the charge of the Mongol Hordes, are direct, while others, such as the Reformation and the Renaissance, are more indirect. However, one effect cannot be disputed. The fear and anxiety caused by the Black Death had permanently changed the economic, social, and political landscape of Europe, such that Europe might have evolved differently had it not been for a simple bacterial infection.
Precognitive Dreams
Precognitive dreams are dreams that appear to predict the future through a sixth sense; a way of accessing future information that is unrelated to any existing knowledge acquired through normal means.
Let me give you an example of what many people would deem as precognition, but is actually quite simply explained. Mary has a dream that she is pregnant and three weeks later discovers that she is pregnant in real life. This is not really a psychic dream because Mary had access to plenty of subconscious insight: her body gave her subtle signals, and she knew she had been trying to conceive.
We all have intuitive dreams like this. They express our innermost hopes and fears based on subconscious information that we may or may not be repressing. There is nothing paranormal about Mary's dream.
Indeed, to be deemed a truly precognitive dream with paranormal roots, we need to access unpredictable information about the future. And that is one reason why precognition is hard to prove. Here is another - and it's all about numbers.
The Sinking of The Titanic
When the Titanic sunk in 1912, hundreds of people came forward with reports of psychic dreams about the demise of the great ship. Amazingly, it was possible to validate at least 19 of them, including one date-stamped letter.
Does this prove that psychic dreams are real? Alas, no. According to Robert Todd Carroll, author of The Skeptic's Dictionary, having dreams that predict the future is all a numbers game: there are 6.5 billion people on this planet, each having an average of five dreams per night. In turn, those dreams support multiple dream themes, such as sinking ships or airplane crashes. It is therefore highly likely that many thousands of people will dream about a sinking ship on any given night.
And let's not forget the element of subconscious insight. The Titanic was the world's largest ship on its maiden voyage, and was in the headlines even before the tragedy struck. What's more, the media had fatefully called her unsinkable.
Famous Precognitive Dreams
How often have you dreamed about your own death? You could say that this is an unlikely event, made even more unlikely if you then go and die soon after. This is exactly what happened to Abraham Lincoln.
Abraham Lincoln
In 1865, two weeks before he was shot dead, Abraham Lincoln had a psychic dream about a funeral at the White House. In the dream, he asked someone who was in the casket and they replied, "the president of the United States". He told his wife about the dream but neither of them took it to heart - for on the night of his assassination he gave his bodyguard the night off.Mark Twain
The American writer, Mark Twain, and his brother Henry once worked on riverboats on the Mississippi. One night Mark had a dream about his brother's corpse lying in a metal coffin in his sister's living room. It rested on two chairs, with a bouquet and a single crimson flower in the center. He told his sister about his dream.
Weeks later, his brother was killed in a massive explosion on a riverboat. Many others died and were buried in wooden coffins. But one onlooker felt such pity for young Henry that she raised the money for an expensive metal coffin. At the funeral, saw the coffin as it was in his dream. As he stood over Henry's casket, a woman placed a bouquet with a single red rose in the middle.
At face value, these are both compelling cases of precognitive dreaming. But mathematics could still reduce these events to mere coincidence.
The only way to build up a solid base of evidence for psychic dreams would be to consistently record every dream, and have a separate person record all the significant world events of the following day, then compare the data. Even so, matching this data would be a difficult and highly subjective task.
Precognition and Lucid Dreams
Like all psychic predictions, I find the idea of precognitive dreams requires far too much blind faith. After all, many of our dreams are too interpretive and scattered to make sense of the future information we're supposed to be receiving.
However, lucid dreaming offers a unique opportunity to ask for specificinformation about the future. Just like Googling tomorrow's weather, we can become conscious in our dreams and ask unpredictable information, such as:
- What are this Saturday's winning lottery numbers?
- What will be the NASDAQ's best performing stock tomorrow?
- What will be the flight number of the next major commercial plane crash?
If there were any substance to precognition, this would be a fantastic way to build evidence for it. We could limit our dream themes (predictions) to one per night - and ask for clarification in as much detail as needed.
For example, a lucid dreamer could predict the sinking of the Titanic by asking for the name of the ship, the number of people on board, the number of victims, and the time and location that the ship would go down. Having access to such explicit information would leave little doubt as to the existence of precognitive dreams.
Final Thoughts
Currently the only support for psychic dreams comes in the form of anecdotal evidence (which is somewhat of an oxymoron). People have vivid dreams of plane crashes and if a plane crash occurs in the next few days - BAM! They're psychic!
This sort of anecdote doesn't really help us. If anything, it casts more doubt over the reliability of so-called psychic dreams, and may even hinder genuine attempts to investigate the nature of any subconscious sixth sense while dreaming.
If nothing else, we can gain future insight from our lucid dreams by taking advantage of the subconscious intuition principle I mentioned earlier. If Mary had a subconscious inkling that she was pregnant, it would be quite easy to ask her lucid dreaming self whether this was the case. Other lucid dreamers, while talking to their subconscious self, ask for personal insights that would otherwise go under the conscious radar. It's a great way to get to know your subconscious mind.
Fear Of Death And Darkness Phobia
Fear of the dark also known as Nyctophobia is common among young children who often fear that something catastrophic may happen to them in the night. In the darkness, we can’t see very well, and for a young child, particularly one with a healthy imagination, this can be very frightening. A pervading sense can build that something sinister is just out of sight and arm’s reach waiting for its moment to strike.
As a young child, I used to suffer from this phobia, as a result of which my mother used to leave the landing light on for me to provide a calming relief from the darkness. My parents also used to ask me questions to make me elaborate on my fears. By doing this, they showed concern and sympathy, while at the same time making it very clear that they were not afraid. In this way, parents can be of great use to their children.
The fear lessened as I grew older, then went away altogether. Most children as they grow up and the world around them becomes more logical and less fantastic, come to realise that they are quite safe in the darkness and their fears were irrational.
Some adults can suffer from this fear – particularly those who suffer from nightmares or have traumatic memories. Although gradual exposure to darkness can be helpful to nyctophobics, the management of nightmares and bad memories is liable to require specialist help.
Fear of death or Thantophobia is quite a natural phenomenon. None of us know what will happen to us after we die. But to be morbidly afraid of death is unhealthy and detrimental to our lives.
If one fears death excessively, it can prevent them from being able to enjoy life. Often associated with hypochondria, morbid death fear can cause unnecessary worry and anxiety and can prevent the sufferer from being able to live life to the full.
To a point the fear of death diminishes when we see it in its natural context – a dying person surrounded by loving friends and family. However most of our images of death in the modern world have been distorted by our culture’s preoccupation with unnatural violent death: daily news stories of shootings, abductions and suicide bombings. Brutally violent movies and computer games. Also scare mongering news stories regarding types of food once perceived to be healthy, but now putting you at death’s door.
All this negative focus leads to unhealthy consequences. An exaggerated fear of dying and phobias of growing old leads to a reluctance to make a will or make any plans for those we love whom we know will outlive us and a general ignorance of normal end of life options.
As a young child, I used to suffer from this phobia, as a result of which my mother used to leave the landing light on for me to provide a calming relief from the darkness. My parents also used to ask me questions to make me elaborate on my fears. By doing this, they showed concern and sympathy, while at the same time making it very clear that they were not afraid. In this way, parents can be of great use to their children.
The fear lessened as I grew older, then went away altogether. Most children as they grow up and the world around them becomes more logical and less fantastic, come to realise that they are quite safe in the darkness and their fears were irrational.
Some adults can suffer from this fear – particularly those who suffer from nightmares or have traumatic memories. Although gradual exposure to darkness can be helpful to nyctophobics, the management of nightmares and bad memories is liable to require specialist help.
Fear of death or Thantophobia is quite a natural phenomenon. None of us know what will happen to us after we die. But to be morbidly afraid of death is unhealthy and detrimental to our lives.
If one fears death excessively, it can prevent them from being able to enjoy life. Often associated with hypochondria, morbid death fear can cause unnecessary worry and anxiety and can prevent the sufferer from being able to live life to the full.
To a point the fear of death diminishes when we see it in its natural context – a dying person surrounded by loving friends and family. However most of our images of death in the modern world have been distorted by our culture’s preoccupation with unnatural violent death: daily news stories of shootings, abductions and suicide bombings. Brutally violent movies and computer games. Also scare mongering news stories regarding types of food once perceived to be healthy, but now putting you at death’s door.
All this negative focus leads to unhealthy consequences. An exaggerated fear of dying and phobias of growing old leads to a reluctance to make a will or make any plans for those we love whom we know will outlive us and a general ignorance of normal end of life options.
Once Saved Always Saved Copied with permission from:
I used to think that once saved, I would always be saved. This in part because of the scripture in Romans 8:38 Where Paul makes the statement:
(“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord”).
I believed that by Paul making these statements, he was saying I would always be loved AND saved.
What changed my mind?
On October 25, 2002, I gave birth to a stillborn child at full term. During the following months (during my grieving period) after spending several hours in non-stop prayer about the situation, The Lord took me back (in my mind) to the day I was in the hospital holding the lifeless child in my arms.
He revealed to me: The way I felt for this lifeless child, was the same way He felt for us (his children).
During this prayer, (I call it a prayer, but it was more like: I was flat on my face sobbing to the point I couldn’t speak) So in my spirit I poured my heart out to God and told him:
“God, when I whispered in the baby’s ears, she couldn’t hear me. When I spoke the words “I love you”, she never turned her head to acknowledge me. She never opened her eyes to see me. I have accumulated everything a baby needs to survive- food, clothes, shelter, toys, etc., but this means nothing right now because I will not be able to take her home with me.”
The Lord in his wisdom answered me: He made me understand He also has children that he calls out to; however, they close up their ears so they cannot hear him. They shut their eyes so they cannot see him. He provides everything for them, but they do not acknowledge Him~ they are dead in their sins. He cannot take them home with him in heaven because they are dead.
This brings me back to the original scripture, “I am convinced that neither life nor death or anything can separate us….” The Love God has, will never change, it will always be there, even in death, it is just that some people have chosen to remain dead in their sins.
God is a just God that never changes and in his word, he says that the wages of sin is death!
Maybe at one time they did listen to him. They did hear His words and He grafted them into the vine, of which we are the branches. Now, if they have closed up their eyes and ears, and have returned to unbelief, He can cut them out of the vine. He cannot take them to heaven-they are dead.
The good news is God is a forgiving God. In His Word He says that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.
Should We Fear Death
Death is not something that many people want to think about. However, death is a part of living a human life. At least, our current level of science and technology acknowledges that death is inevitable.
Is death something to be afraid of or is death something to look forward to? The answer may depend on who you talk to.
Aside from the obvious religious answers, what body of information exists that can help us to approach this question with some degree of logical thinking? When exacting scientific evidence is lacking, our only option is to consider the anecdotal or subjective experiences that others have had.
Fortunately, there is a body of information that leads to the formation of some interesting thoughts on the subject of death and what it is or what it might lead to. You can find this resource at near-death.com.
Each person is encouraged to draw their own conclusions. Yet, I would like to share some of my thoughts and opinions on the matter.
Many people who have a near-death experience have strikingly similar experiences. There are some who report a horrible experience but the majority report more positive experiences.
Some may have gone to a terrible place, while others seem to leave the pain of the mortal body behind and experience an interesting journey before they revive. Both kinds of experiences have been recorded.
One striking similarity is the ‘life review’ process. This has been reported as a review of one’s entire life where each event is played out before your eyes. People that have experienced this process say that you suddenly become aware of how you affected the people you interacted with during your life.
If you did something that caused them pain, you may become cognizant of those feelings as if you were experiencing them yourself. People report that they feel regretful. The experience doesn’t just extend to that one person, but the effects are like a ripple in a pond and you see how that ripple affects multiple people.
On the other hand, if you did something good you experience that as well. It does appear that the good things involve acting from compassion. For example, one lady said the most significant act of her entire life occurred when she was a little girl. She cupped a flower in her hand and gave it ‘unconditional love’.
Others don’t experience an in depth life review, theirs lasts a few seconds and doesn’t seem to have much impact. Experiences vary someowhat. However, the fundamental similarities remain.
Can a person change as a result of a near-death experience? I was struck by the example of one person who was a self described atheist and hateful person. After his near-death experience he became a minister and a kinder, gentler soul. The change was not only noted by himself, but also by his family members.
Wouldn’t it be fascinating to actually talk to a person who has had a near-death experience? I remember listening to a gentleman named Dannion Brinkley talk about his NDEs (near death experiences). He actually had more than one in his life due to an unfortunate propensity to attract lightning. I found his insights to be very interesting.
If you want to read more about NDEs, visit near-death.com Although it is hard to classify the information there as anything more than subjective, there is a large body of recorded experiences there. Perhaps it will provide you with more insight as to whether death should be feared or not.
Is death something to be afraid of or is death something to look forward to? The answer may depend on who you talk to.
Aside from the obvious religious answers, what body of information exists that can help us to approach this question with some degree of logical thinking? When exacting scientific evidence is lacking, our only option is to consider the anecdotal or subjective experiences that others have had.
Fortunately, there is a body of information that leads to the formation of some interesting thoughts on the subject of death and what it is or what it might lead to. You can find this resource at near-death.com.
Each person is encouraged to draw their own conclusions. Yet, I would like to share some of my thoughts and opinions on the matter.
Many people who have a near-death experience have strikingly similar experiences. There are some who report a horrible experience but the majority report more positive experiences.
Some may have gone to a terrible place, while others seem to leave the pain of the mortal body behind and experience an interesting journey before they revive. Both kinds of experiences have been recorded.
One striking similarity is the ‘life review’ process. This has been reported as a review of one’s entire life where each event is played out before your eyes. People that have experienced this process say that you suddenly become aware of how you affected the people you interacted with during your life.
If you did something that caused them pain, you may become cognizant of those feelings as if you were experiencing them yourself. People report that they feel regretful. The experience doesn’t just extend to that one person, but the effects are like a ripple in a pond and you see how that ripple affects multiple people.
On the other hand, if you did something good you experience that as well. It does appear that the good things involve acting from compassion. For example, one lady said the most significant act of her entire life occurred when she was a little girl. She cupped a flower in her hand and gave it ‘unconditional love’.
Others don’t experience an in depth life review, theirs lasts a few seconds and doesn’t seem to have much impact. Experiences vary someowhat. However, the fundamental similarities remain.
Can a person change as a result of a near-death experience? I was struck by the example of one person who was a self described atheist and hateful person. After his near-death experience he became a minister and a kinder, gentler soul. The change was not only noted by himself, but also by his family members.
Wouldn’t it be fascinating to actually talk to a person who has had a near-death experience? I remember listening to a gentleman named Dannion Brinkley talk about his NDEs (near death experiences). He actually had more than one in his life due to an unfortunate propensity to attract lightning. I found his insights to be very interesting.
If you want to read more about NDEs, visit near-death.com Although it is hard to classify the information there as anything more than subjective, there is a large body of recorded experiences there. Perhaps it will provide you with more insight as to whether death should be feared or not.
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