Make Goodness the Criterion

Overview

Having ensured that my world can persist and coexist, the next issue is how to inhabit it on a regular basis. This is handled by interactions between the two sorts of affirmations: of goodness and of myself i.e. between adjacent Levels. A conception of these interactions was offered earlier: summarized in the Reminder dropdown.

■ G"7 ↔ G"6 is about great dreams interacting with the two essentials of life: activity and receptivity. So I must Take the Step rather than living in a private fantasy world.

■ G"6 ↔ G"5 is about embracing vitality in a way that also allows me to attain equanimity. This is only possible if I an Master of Myself.

■ G"5 ↔ G"4 is about using equanimity to build character, and that means playing the hand I am dealt and Living Here & Now within my circle and in my current society.

■ G"4 ↔ G"3 is about building character in a way that deals with pain and suffering. This requires me to recognize and Meet Needs, my own and those of others too.

■ G"3 ↔ G"2 is about overcoming pain through finding strength. Rather than withdraw, avoid or give up, my response has to be: Yes! I Must.

■ G"2 ↔ G"1 is about finding strength and using ultimate values. This is the basis for all creative endeavours, and it demands saying: Yes! I Can to challenges as they emerge.

Take the Step

G"7-Nourish Great Dreams ↔ Exercise Vitality-G"6: This is about great dreams interacting with the two basic qualities of living: receptivity and activity. It demands that I take that step and make my dreams more than fantasies, I have to move beyond my dreams into the turmoil and drama of everyday life. Because there are two Centres in Exercise Vitality-G"6, this will occur in two ways.

■ G"7B-Nourish Great Dreams ↔ Prove Yourself -G"6E
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In regard to proving myself, I must deliberately assert both myself and my dreams in a positive and fearless way in order to find the right challenges and handle them well.

The Channel R"G7B ↔ R"G6E is named: Be Assertive.

■ G"7B-Nourish Great Dreams ↔ Offer Yourself -G"6A
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In regard to offering myself, I must not take endorsement of my dreams for granted but find ways to fit them with the interests and ambitions of others. As they will have their own way of proceeding, humility is required.

The Channel R"G7B ↔ R"G6E is named: Be Humble.

Master Myself

G"6-Embrace Vitality ↔ Attain Equanimity-G"5: This is about focusing intensely as I go about life in a way that allows me to attain equanimity. This is only possible by being Master of Myself, because proceeding in the right way depends on control of my impulses and instinctive reactions.
ClosedNote Four Possible Channels:

■ G"6E-Prove Yourself ↔Find Personal Contentment-G"5E
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Proving yourself is a primary source of self-esteem. It is important for all of us but can be overdone by those who have not got over childhood rejections. The capacity to experience personal contentment is also gratifying quite apart from the contentment itself. Combined, these two states provide for self-respect.

The Channel R"G6E ↔ R"G5E is named: Respect Yourself.

■ G"6A-Offer Yourself ↔ Radiate Serenity-G"5A
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When you offer yourself under the influence of radiating serenity, or vice versa, you do not complain or criticize but simply handle your relationships and pursue your given tasks with care and patience. The dominant feature here is the active exclusion of your ego.

The Channel R"G6E ↔ R"G5E is named: Be Selfless.

ClosedThe other two Channels are not viable:

Live Here & Now

G"5-Attain Equanimity ↔ Build Character-G"4: I have to Live Here and Now—which may refer to the era in which I am born, the parents that I happen to have, the society within which I find myself, or to some other environmental condition. Using equanimity to build my character means playing the hand I am dealt in life. Because there are two Centres in G"5: Attaining Equanimity, building character generates two requirements. 

■ G"5A-Radiate Serenity ↔ Build Character-G"4B
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In regard to radiating serenity, I have to accept people and social realities without demanding that they be other than they are. The alternative leads to conflict and turmoil. But the influence of building character means that integrity must be sustained and life challenges accepted. This involves affirming the highest and upholding what is best in others and situations. I must nourish the emergence of new potentials aligning with my great dreams.

The Channel R"G5A  ↔ R"G4B is named: Uphold the Best.

■ G"5E-Find Contentment ↔Build Character-G"4B
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In regard to finding contentment, the only realistic option that I have is to adjust myself so that I can effectively engage with my environment. But adjusting does not mean adapting expediently and abandoning my values and dreams. That would be a failure in integrity, and it would make a mockery of heroism and talents. Using critical perception, it is often possible to perceive surprising qualities. So I must seek out what is good in people and situations, and focus my efforts around that.

The Channel R"G5E ↔ R"G4B is named: Seek the Good.

Meet Needs

G"4-Build Character ↔ Overcome Pain-G"3: Meeting Needs demands recognition that I am a person of flesh and blood with feelings and frailties—and not a machine or an instrument. Building character in a way that deals with pain and suffering involves recognizing that I have needs and so do others. Two Centres in G"3: Overcoming Pain generate two aspects of a good life.

■ G"4B-Build Character ↔ Handle Personal Pain-G"3E
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In regard to handling my own pain: caring for myself, being self-reliant and assuming responsibility all flow from a determination to build my character. Attitudes of entitlement and willing dependency reflect a rejection of the necessary heroism of everyday life. Imagine the consequences should most everyone become parasitic on those who are self-reliant.

The Channel R"G4B  ↔ R"G3E is named: Meet Your Needs.

■ G"4B-Build Character↔Feel Others' Suffering-G"3A
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In regard to feeling other's suffering: you must be aware that suffering flows from unfulfilled wishes and needs. It is not possible or even desirable to be responsible for meeting the needs of others, but it is often possible to attend in some ways to their wants before egotistically considering your own, especially when yours are less pressing. The helpfulness found in all components of building character is relevant.

The Channel R"G4B ↔ R"G3A is named: Put Others First.

Yes: I Must

G"3-Overcome Pain ↔ Find Strength-G"2: Overcoming pain through finding strength is about saying to life: "Yes I Must". Two Centres in G"3: Overcoming Pain mean that there are two interactional processes.

■ G"3E-Handle Personal Pain ↔Find Inner Strength-G"2B
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In regard to handling your pain, if you are going to put others first or rise above situations, then you will need to find inner strength. This alone enables you to tolerate that pain, and its accompanying fear and distress. Hardship has a different meaning for everyone, but the requirement to endure it is common to us all.

The Channel R"G3E  ↔ R"G2B is named: Endure Hardship.

■ G"3A-Feeling Others' suffering ↔ Find Inner Strength-G"2B
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In regard to feeling the suffering of others, the biggest difficulty is that suffering is often persistent and you can often do very little about it. That is not pleasant and the instinct to turn away or give up must be handled by finding strength. What you can then do is stay connected despite feelings of helplessness. This enables sympathy and maintains the potential for doing what you can.

The Channel R"G3A ↔ R"G2B is named: Stay Connected.

Yes: I Can

■ G"2-Find Strength ↔ Use Ultimate Values-G"1: The interaction of the balanced Centres G"2-finding strength and G"1-using ultimate values generates the ability to say "Yes I Can" to life's challenges.
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Ultimate values control the use of purpose and therefore lead to and shape endeavours. Together with inner strength, it is therefore possible to ensure that something happens. Good thoughts and fine speeches are not enough: everything must eventually be translated into action. All positive and creative efforts are built on the application of willpower

The Channel R"2B ↔ R"G1B is named: Apply Willpower.

While egoism is necessary to ensure personal survival, bringing goodness to life requires altruism. However, everyone has only a limited amount of personal energy. Depletion of this energy is particularly likely at those Levels where there is the option to give ourselves wholly over to altruism.

Originally posted: 26-Jul-2013