I am still mulling over some of the ideas that flooded my mind since reading David Hawkins' book titled "Power versus Force".
So, for starters, I believe in the idea of "Seek and you shall find." By which, I mean that we are subject to confirmation bias. Any given action has no specific interpretation that is universal. Any event can be interpreted in many different ways. For example, if I give my child a $10 bill for running an errand for me, did I pay her for her services rendered? Did I pay enough? Too much? Should a dependent child be given money to support the family? Isn't that part of being a member of the family? Is cash too impersonal? Is it some form of proof that I'm teaching my child responsibility and value of work? Whatever perspective you choose to see the basic act, that act will be confirmation that what you thought you observed is what happened.
If we are a reporter of events and come across a burning building caused by an arsonist, do we look for the arsonist? Do we try to understand the arsonist's motivation? Or, like Mr. Rogers' mother, do we look for the helpers? Do we focus on how people are always present to help others in their time of need? People will see, in any event, what they seek to see.
David Hawkins' book talks about a number of things, with a focus on kinesiology (the study of human movement). While the book's focus is on that study, it observed that there are, using David's phrase, "Levels of Consciousness" that people can be categorized. I spent a fair amount of time on the table listing those levels and observed a few attributes. At the lowest level, humiliation and elimination, a person views themselves in the world so low that they feel the world would be better off without them. As a person's level of consciousness increases, they go through various stages:
- "I'm not fit for society, but not so worthless I need to be eliminated."
- "I'm worth being someone's doormat."
- "I may not be a contributing member of society, but not someone to be overlooked."
- "HEY! I exist, and deserve to be recognized!"
- "I'm here. I'm normal. I don't need people to accept my existence/value."
- "I've got enough value in myself that I'm willing to trust others."
- "I see harmony in this world and can forgive others to help promote that harmony."
- "I can do more than just forgive. I can understand other people's perspective."
- "The world is beautiful in its completeness. Everyone is part of the whole."
- "There is no such thing as everyone, because there are no parts. Rather there is just ALL."
The table (summarized in this list) has a perspective the book does not address. At the lowest and highest levels, the sense of self is non-existent, while the middle, the sense of oneself's individuality is greatest. Mind you, there is a completely different view of the 'non-self' between the highest and lowest.
Okay, so what has my mind been stuck on? "seek and you shall find"... If I choose to view the world as any of the levels, I will find proof of it wherever I look. So, why don't I simply choose the highest level and see the unity without parts? I try. Unfortunately, I have developed habits over my life that makes me see other levels unless I make a conscious decision to seek the highest level.
One side effect of knowing this (Nothing is obvious to the uninformed.), is that I can see other people and their level of consciousness. It has impacted my conversations with people as I now try to talk to them in the level they see the world. This has added a layer of complexity that I had not considered before. How do I describe something when I know the other person will only interpret/perceive it in a way I do not intend? How can I, knowing what I want to communicate, say something which presumes a perspective the other person doesn't have?
Another thought process I have been having is: why do I spend my time and energy on issues that, in the greater scheme of things is not important? For example, if I believe global warming is counter productive to humanity's current way of living, what do I do? Do I stand up and encourage change: either to reduce global warming or to build solutions to adapt to it? Or, do I simply take a more "enlightened" perspective and realize it is part of the greater whole and is simply part of the big picture... Human's are only one of a series of creatures who have ruled the earth. We are not going to be the only one in the future. Be at peace with knowing that humans are not separate from the whole, but simply a piece of God's overall plan... Just an indistinguishable perspective of the oneness of all... For that matter, why should I care about who is going to run this country?
