Section Beta: The Feeling System  Lesson One: The Emotional Nature of Humanity  Reclaiming The Lost Emotional Sense  With the understandings of the major spiritual, mental and physical components of human nature, we can now rebuild a most accurate conception of human emotion. For each of these pieces of the human being affects the feeling system in very significant and inescapable ways. With clear understandings of the nuances of the system, humans can reclaim the tremendous value that now lies outside their grasp. This is a statement of significance in that it goes directly to the heart of human potential. It is also a direct threat to the "victim" mentality that allows us humans to lay aside our responsibility for our own circumstances.  Emotion is energy in motion. It is the very stuff that creates physical events. When thought is enveloped in emotion, it attracts a like experience. As long as humans continue to misunderstand the nature of the emotional system and its modern constraints, they will continue to live with unintentional, but very real circumstances. Such a reality will mirror the contents of mind. It will either rejoice and celebrate with successful beliefs, or it will painfully reflect the problems of limited beliefs. Before humans can truly begin to explore this creative power, they must understand the nature of the feeling system. For if it is not working toward human intention, it will be working against everything but self-preservation. This major problem lies in the realm of mind. It all hinges upon the mind's contents, the belief systems chosen and housed therein.  There are changes occurring in the political/economic realm that appear to be altering the mindset of victim-hood. However, it seems that some of these changes lack the necessary amount of compassion for those who are most affected by these "changes" and without such, there can never be true growth.  We know now that humans each have unlimited freedom to choose the contents of their mind. We know that the mind is self-designed to create an accurate portrait of the world. We know that mind is a storehouse of information drawn upon for life's need-meeting challenges. We also know that certain external ideas can be chosen inadvertently, that stifle self expression, ignore individual need fulfillment and limit life to the choices of others. We know now that the mind can become frozen rather than the intended fluid state of continuous self-development.  QUESTION: On the presumption that we can and do create our own reality, is it also possible to create the reality of others without their acquiesce. I would presume not and would further presume that the ability to do so would only be in place by mutual agreement and as a consequence of a non-awareness of true human potential. Would this be so?  We also know that the spirit has encoded the body with feelings to identify beliefs and to distinguish those that work from those that do not. We know that the feelings signal these imbalances so that they can be acted upon with corrective responses. We know now that if the mind doesn't make the needed changes, the body will do whatever is necessary to preserve itself, through fight or flight responses. We know that the need for self development is in direct conflict with the need for self-preservation. We also know now that for this reason, humans are no longer attuned to the emotional feedback system the way "The Creator" intended.  It is not just enough to survive. There has to be an emotional investment made toward spiritual growth. Our worldly institutions perceive such an idea as a threat for it shifts the perception of control from outside ourselves to within and to appreciation of our true nature.  We are beginning to understand how the mind as converter, draws to us those events which our thoughts and beliefs design . We are beginning to understand that emotion is the energy which carries thought into physical reality. In any individual's life, there will be a percentage of negative emotion that directly corresponds to the percentage of his or her destructive beliefs. Likewise that same percentage of unpleasant experiences will be attracted into the life of the individual. As long as the emotional signal is not allowed to do its communicative job, its creative power keeps humans trapped within a base level of existence a good percentage of their life.  The bad news is: We create our own reality. The good news is: We create our own reality. By our belief systems, we are entrapped and by our innate and natural belief systems, we can set ourselves free.  In order to gain control at a higher level than base self-preservation, the human task is threefold: 1) Humans must learn how to clearly interpret the feeling signals; 2) Humans must learn how to avoid inappropriate self-preservationary responses; and 3) Humans must learn how to actively choose the spiritually intended corrective response. Then, and only then, will the feedback system of human emotion be allowed to impart its spiritual wisdom. Only then can humans be restored their birthright of all six senses. Only then will humans be re-placed upon their intended evolutionary path. Only then can humans begin to be fully human.  Here is the essence of the Lessons and the goal of their intent. It requires a "reprogramming" of the way we look at our own true nature. It requires a stretching of our imposed envelope. It is a risk only in the sense that we will begin to think in expanding ways and evolve in a world that offers little support during our individual time of growth. But once we can put the outside world's limitations aside, we will discover the strength that comes from the primary source of All That Is.  The Interpretation of Emotional Signals  There are a few critical understandings necessary for accurate interpretation of feeling signals. First, that feeling signals always identify contents of mind which are not successful at meeting human needs in the immediate situation. This appears to be a straightforward statement, but truly grasping it and acting upon it will require tenacity and commitment. For there are an incredible number of well established beliefs that are never even examined, since they are completely accepted as fact. Many of them severely limit the choice of need-fulfillment activities. In fact, many of the most cherished religious dictates (with their misconceptions regarding man's evil nature) do just that.  One that comes to mind is the suggestion that we are all born sinners (flawed, in other words) and are doomed to eternal punishment if not baptized, circumcised or whatever, and equally punished if we foul up in the course of living our lives in this physical environment. Imagine a parent putting a child under that kind of pressure from birth. "Mess up, kid, and you're grounded until legal adulthood and beyond! Oh, by the way, you're basically no good to begin with.  While feelings cry out that "the emperor is naked" the beliefs continue to present him as adorned in his royal robes. At present, beliefs are given supremacy. For there is a steadfast belief within Mass Consciousness that ration and emotion are opposing forces. It is common "knowledge" that emotion has no place within a modern reasonable mind. But we know now that ration and passion operate in concert and that one without the other is severely handicapped. All the logic in the world cannot accurately judge the contents of mind without the emotional signal of spiritual intention. Until the role of feelings, as well as the spiritual needs themselves, are well known this will continue.  In a dualistic world, we are conditioned to choose between two opposites instead of considering that both might be essential for balance. Imagine having to decide which was more valuable to us, our left hand or our right, our hands or our feet. Inner guidance (emotion) may have value for no other reason than its singularity and pureness of source. Outside guidance (beliefs) are often more accepted than considered and most of them are planted in us before the age of reason, but many are later rejected on an emotional level.There is nothing wrong with the concept of "beliefs". The point is whether they are imposed from without or discovered within.  Humans have indeed been quite arrogant in their "logical" assumptions and insistence that man-made dictates can somehow overrule those of The Creator. Although the individual and social pain continually points out these errors, this ignorance continues. The logical flaw is the idea that external dictates can ever overrule internal ones.  Again, too often religious personalities and institutions give us their respective interpretations as to what "The Creator" wants. This suggests that the almighty "Creator" doesn't have the wherewithal to communicate to us directly but has to have a bureaucracy in place to spoon feed us into a state of spiritual enlightenment.  Validity and Judgment Of Knowledge  To be very clear upon the nature of internal and external dictates, perhaps a discussion of epistemology, (the study of knowledge), is in order. It is critical that humans understand the difference between two types of knowledge. First, there is natural knowledge which is a universal objective, physical fact. This category includes the spiritual wisdom, and factual information about the nature of man and the universe. This type of knowledge is permanent and unchanging in its validity. This type of knowledge exists within the consciousness of All That Is, it is evident in the creation, and is encoded within the human body. This type of knowledge is an internal dictate. This is the knowledge we tap into, I presume, when we meditate or make contact through some form with the All That Is. It enables us to have spiritual insights into our particular problems and challenges, or comforts us in time of need.  Second, is man-made or cultural knowledge which is subjective, local, consensual and subject to change. This type of knowledge exists within the Mind Of Man.It is an external dictate . Cultural knowledge is not true, valid or real in a universal sense; it is relative, as time is relative. But cultural knowledge is very useful for humans to agree upon doing things in certain ways.  It is acceptable knowledge as long as it not only preserves our physical and mental well-being, but also creates an environment where we can naturally grow in these areas and also spiritually evolve.  For example, think of traffic patterns in most cities. It is quite handy that everyone knows to stop at a red light. Drivers share the knowledge that green lights mean to go, and that red lights mean to stop. All (non-colorblind) drivers know the physical difference between the colors red and green. This is natural, internal knowledge, universal among humans due to their visual sensory apparatus. But the fact that the green light means to go, is purely consensual and contingent upon learning. This is external, cultural knowledge. It is only by agreement that this meaning exists.  In England, where they drive on the left side of the road, the government decided to form a committee to study the process of switching to driving on the right side of the road, in order to comply with the driving patterns of most other countries. They decided to make the change in stages, starting with trucks. Is it wrong to drive on the left and right to drive on the right? That depends on which country you're in.  We know now that the emotional system feeds back information to balance body and mind. The mind holds both kinds of knowledge. Natural knowledge relates to body as cultural knowledge relates to mind. The emotional signals in effect serve to separate those aspects of cultural knowledge which conflict with natural knowledge. It also means that with the flexible nature of cultural knowledge, that some pieces can conflict with others. Such conflicts become particularly apparent as humans travel about operating within the many diverse cultures that now exist.  (The experience of "cultural shock" results from such conflict). Knowledge that might apply in one place may be quite useless even detrimental, in another.  A country like the United States (and there is no other country particularly like this) is made up of many diverse cultures. Europe also has many cultural diversities, but in the age of nationalism, this led to much conflict. The consequence of emphasizing the negative aspects of the diversity of cultural knowledge, has too often resulted in physical and emotional suffering, not to mention out-and-out conflict. Natural knowledge does not suffer from such consequences when spirit is involved in making us aware of it. This is the difference between our inner wisdom and our outer information.  Belief can be placed in any kind of knowledge, but generally the difference between their natural and cultural essence remains unnoticed---except to the watchful eye of the emotional system. The reason these two types of knowledge are pointed out, is to impart the understanding that cultural knowledge is included in the flexibility and fluidity of the mind---not as enduring and "sacred" as natural knowledge.  Because cultural knowledge comes from outside of ourselves, it can be manipulated by the source; and beliefs can be instilled that allow the source of the knowledge to introduce an element of control. Natural knowledge includes an opportunity to exercise free will in a creative manner, with a feedback system that guides us in our spiritual evolution.  Human judgments abound regarding which cultural knowledge is the best, the moral, the Godly, the right way to think and act. But Spirit totally disregards such human judgments and wholly accepts all free choices. Indeed, free will is logically inconsistent with a judgmental God. Spirit "judges not" what humans choose to create as knowledge and belief. But it does judge whether or not those ideas meet human need.Natural dictate is the only legitimate judge and spiritual need fulfillment is the law upon which its decisions are based.  If societies placed more emphasis on "natural knowledge" than is placed on "cultural knowledge", there would be less need for societal controls and human relationships within such societies would be more harmonious and pleasant.  Human judgments must be cast aside for the feedback system to operate unimpeded. This new belief should be emblazoned upon the sky. The only true quality determination or judgment that can be placed upon any belief is the pronouncement of Spirit communication through the feeling system. It has been the relinquishment of power to external judges that has perpetuated manipulation by others, brutal self-preservationary acts and loss of personal freedom.  When we surrender our power to others, we surrender our lives and put them in the hands of those whose belief systems may be quite in contradiction to natural knowledge. If we surrender to Spirit, we retain our free will and are encouraged to create our own reality along spiritual guidelines. Is this latter not the quality we attribute to the noble among us?  Humans do not realize that they have free will to think whatever they want to, or to actively manage that responsibility. As a result, there is a tangle of both workable and destructive pieces of "knowledge" within any given individual. The most destructive beliefs are those which attempt to defy nature through dogged faith in ideologies which deny human needs. Less insidious but also destructive, are those cultural beliefs which conflict with one another. Conflicts can peacefully coexist as knowledge within the mind until an external situation arises in which they are called into the same context. But this peace is illusory, for in the meantime, they have a powerful influence upon the limits of thought, action and creation of life events.  I believe that as we grow in this awareness of "free will" and realize its compliment to our creative capacity and responsibility, we move away from outside restrictions in our thinking and become more comfortable with our inner guidance. This is a natural process and happens while we're hardly aware of the subtle changes going on in ourselves and the world around us. It happens while we're keeping our eyes on the prize and it's happening on this planet now.  For example, if a person believes himself to be good in certain of his beliefs, and evil in others, then he has conflicting directives through which his Will Energy will create the life events. He will have a mishmash of conflicting experiences, that will take him one step forward and two steps back. He will also be plagued with conflicting feelings that signal the presence of these beliefs, and lots of negative emotion when the intent to remove them is not carried out. As mentioned, this is very common.  Much of the uncomfortable feelings we have in our lives arise when we try to grow beyond our preprogrammed belief systems. All societies suffer from mental inertia because a belief system at rest, tends to stay at rest. Most of the members of the society devote a certain amount of energy toward maintaining the status quo. So the strength for growth has to come from an inner source.  If any of you recognize yourselves in this situation, and accept this, regardless of any feelings of inadequacy, or personal guilt, or tendencies to deny it, you have already taken a dramatic step forward. And each step will be rewarded by your own emotional system with feelings of joy. Acceptance , is the first step, then, of course, to commit to a process of purging all such beliefs from the system. It is critical to sort through the contents of mind and separate the wheat from the chaff.  Some of this "sorting" can be done with more ease than we suspect. We open ourselves to signals from our surroundings each time we examine a new principle or belief. Ever buy a new or used car and suddenly begin to notice how many other cars of this make you see on the road? Our attention becomes attuned to a new belief and examples of its merit crop up all over the place. Eventually, the old "car" and the old "belief" are just memories we recognize occasionally.  You will have the innate feeling guide to help you. This is the gift of the emotional signal. You will also have ration(ality) to help you see the cause and effect relationship between useless beliefs and outcomes, so that you can discard them. Ration(ality) will also identify conflicting but related beliefs and help you assemble them all into one over-arching, spiritually intended belief upon which you can successfully operate. But without the fundamental understanding and respect of emotion's judgmental function, its message is surely lost and ration(ality) is left to run circles around itself.  Beliefs As Gems and Slivers  It is essential to understand that every painful problem boils down to belief systems, pieces of knowledge that drive thoughts and actions. There is no evil force, there is no need for suffering, there is no karmic explanation necessary for when bad things happen to good people.It is all brought about by belief. Thoughts empowered by emotion create events. You get what you concentrate upon ---there is no other accurate explanation.  Up to this point, this is probably the most important paragraph in the Lessons. It nails down the essence of our ability to create our own reality and it eliminates much of the provincial wisdom of the day and the destructive consequences.  The only thing that stands between the truly desired events and what actually does occur, are the conflicting ideas within the realm of mind. This is why the rational examination and housekeeping of the beliefs is an essential commitment. At this point, it may be useful to coin terms for those beliefs which are productive and good for the spirit and those that frustrate it.  This is why we all don't go out and walk on water, or heal the sick, or multiply loaves and fishes. We may be convinced that such is within our grasp to do so, but our early programming and current collective mindset set up an ongoing "conflict" that thwarts our Spirit-given potential.  The negative debilitating beliefs act as slivers within the system, festering until they are removed. They make their presence known through emotional pain.Slivers are those beliefs which deny human need, or those that conflict with each other. Slivers are the necessary risk that comes with the benefits of the free mind.  Had we not been created with a "free mind", we would simply be programmed computers, capable of carrying out any directed task but lacking the ability to expand our horizons. Our existence would be that of limited bliss---sort of the state we are told we enter after physical life ends, provided we were "good". Because we are more than "programmed computers", we can and do experience emotional pain as a part of our growth process, but eventually we will be capable of minimizing this as we learn the pleasure of exercising our true, divinely instilled nature.  The other category defines the positive, productive, creative tools which facilitate human spirit and successfully meet needs. These are the gems. They are to be creatively mined, safeguarded, shared, polished and occasionally, re-cut. Creating and accumulating gems is the very reason for mind's function as a receptacle. Gems are identified by the successes they bring and the spiritual validation of pleasurable feelings. All facts within the category of natural knowledge are gems. But anything goes within cultural knowledge, the mind cares not what you put into it. The gems are those ideas that do not conflict with spiritual, natural knowledge. Or they are the local consensual knowledge which are meant to undergo continuous refinement.  You might even say that these "Lessons" are gems because they are undergoing "continuous refinement". They are like foundation blocks upon which to erect our particular states of expansion. Each of us is building our "house" if you will, designing it, creating it with those materials we elect to attract and adding additional rooms as our consciousness expands.  Slivers can be touted as grand gems within the mind of man---and many are. As the world exists today, there are wonderful, diverse gems of various cultures that are extremely successful at meeting some of the human needs. But there are also many conflicting and unnecessary slivers, often embraced as part of a package, that thwart or deny other human needs. There are then quite elaborate explanations and rituals devised to vent or vilify the emotional frustration resulting from the inadequacies within these packaged doctrines. (We will later be discussing the individual and social symptoms at length).  Although not specifically described above, no doubt many of these "slivers" are elements of control. After all, you can't maintain a "package" without the bindings that keep the outer wrap in place. Our institutions (political, religious, economic) maintain a constant vigil against a deterioration of our "wrappings". The task now is for each individual to separate the slivers from the gems within their own life and to make the necessary external contributions to mass consciousness The latter will be the optimal way to use the self-preservationary response. As slivers are discarded within individuals, they will then make active responses in an effort to remove them from social systems. Political action, negotiation, persuasion, conflict resolution, even simple communication are examples of such responses. As the slivers are removed, freedoms are gained. The self-preservation is then a healthy one because it preserves spiritual need, not slivers. When the need for freedom and control is validated, respected, and accommodated, the spirit sings its approval.  It's always amazing how the light from a single candle can spread light throughout an entirely dark room. It would suggest that the negatives in a society would have little success in withstanding the spirit influences for very long. That said, there is still the difficulty in lighting the candle when darkness has become something we're so used to experiencing.  It is not necessary to reinvent civilization simply to remove the obstacles that are presently imbedded. As this process unfolds, there will be a renaissance within individuals and within societies. Self preservationary responses will give way to developmental and expressive actions. As the spirit achieves its order, there will be a reacquaintance with many "latent" human potentials and abilities.  The first area of change will be noticed within ourselves and as our perspective begins to shift, we will tend to see instances of like-kind in our surroundings. Those around us who are not experiencing this "shift", will find more of a problem in relating to us in the present than they did in the past. Consequently, our lives will change in more ways than we expect.  This is the task at hand. If it sounds simple, that's because it is. But it does require a commitment through the acceptance of judgment only as deemed by spirit---not by man. (This was the central message of Christ, to "judge not"). This commitment to spiritual intent will ensure the restoration of Grace that has been given humans by All That Is. The function of the emotional feedback system is to assist each individual in the process. The feelings---when fully understood---shall be the inner guide. If the commitment is made to honor this internal judge, above all others, our discussion can continue.  Why would it seem so difficult to trust that which we are the closest to, the spiritual nature of our being? Could it be that we fear what we know the least about? How far do we need to travel, in physical terms, to make that reconnection? Not far at all. Yet, if that journey were a thousand miles, we would know that it must begin with a single step. The Effect of Mind Upon Emotional Signals  This is not to chastise humans for their continued, but unnecessary, suffering. It is merely to highlight the problem so that it can be corrected. For simply listening to and following feelings is not quite enough. There still exists the interference factor of mind, and its effects must be internalized as well. It would be well to keep this first paragraph in mind as we read further. Also, to keep in mind, is the apparent intent of this source, which is to free us from our mental shackles and help us to soar.  Recall that the system compares internal and external worlds (self and non-self). This means that essentially, it compares the mind, which is the portrait of the outside world (the not-self), with the body which is the vehicle of Spirit (the self). The goal of this system is to ensure that the portrait of mind is an adequate enough representative of the external world, so that spiritual needs can be met.  The primary point and purpose in taking on a physical existence is to assist us in the acquisition of those experiences which will enhance our spiritual growth and aid us in understanding our true spiritual potential.  The problem with interpretation of emotional signals to a modern human, is that the mind is neither here nor there, but it is also both here and there. The mind is both internal and external. It is not only the internal portrait of reality, it is also the external Mind Of Man---the collection of gems and slivers that are handed down as knowledge, tradition and truth. (The mind has become so external, in fact, that children are indoctrinated with life-long beliefs from the Mind of Man before they reach the age of ten years).  There is a particular religious order which brags that "if you give us your children to the age of seven, they are ours." It suggests that a child can be most easily programmed up to the age of reason and, thereafter, reason will defend the foundational knowledge previously planted in his/her mind.  But to the physical defense system, the mind is definitely part of the internal realm of self, and it treats it as such. Thus, it seeks to preserve itself, and therefore any contents within the mind will be defended just as it defends the cells and organs of the body. Such defense is the exact opposite of the spiritual goal of mind which is to continuously develop, adapt and refine itself in accordance with external environmental change. The emotional signals of pleasure and pain then give confusing signals, since there is no clear boundary between internal and external realms, between mind and body. It gives one set of signals for two sets of circumstances.  Such, in fact, is a sort of mental immune system, fighting against those ideas which would be considered threatening to the pre-established status quo. But the physical immune system preserves the physical body so that the "Spiritual Goal of Mind" can have an environment to achieve its goal of "continuous development.  The only solution to this problem is for humans to actively make this internal/external distinction themselves. Then, and only then, can they reclaim the understanding of the signals. This can be done in one of two ways.  which will follow shortly.  Mind & Spirit: The Twin Selves  The first, and perhaps the easiest, is to maintain a clear distinction between the realm of spirit and the realm of mind. This is why such emphasis was placed upon the difference between them in Lessons Alpha 1 & Alpha 2. In this sense, spirit is synonymous with body. If a clear understanding is achieved, then emotional signals that spring from the spiritual realm (the inside) will be interpreted in one way, and those from the mental realm (the outside) in another. This will restore the accurate interpretation of the signals. This is what is apparently meant from the bible admonition to "know thy inner self".  The other way is to conceptually divide the internal realm (the body, "the self") into two sections: an inside self and an outside self. For within the defense system's self definition, there now exist Twin Selves, that correspond to spirit and mind. They are the Genetic Self and the Cultural Self, respectively. They also correspond to natural and cultural knowledge. The Genetic Self---like spirit---includes all innate personality dispositions, physiological functions, needs, instincts, intellectual aptitudes, raw talents and everything else biologically inherent in the individual.The goal of the genetic Self is to self preserve. It is the intended beneficiary of the self-defense system.  Again, if the Spirit is to function within the physical, it must have a haven to do so and a system that keeps this "haven" from breaking down during that period of time the Spirit elects to remain in the physical state.  In contrast, the Cultural Self---as mind---is the collection of mental tools, language, beliefs, attitudes, memories and skills that are learned through experience. The goal of the Cultural Self is to self-develop. The opposing goals of the Twin Selves, will distinctly separate them. This understanding will allowaccurate interpretation of two distinct types of emotional signals, even though the defense system only has one.  By connecting with our "inner selves"', we can become aware of the difference between what is Universally/Spiritually true and what we have been programmed to believe is "true". The former will lead us toward hope, creativity and self-assurance; while the latter has led us toward fear, insecurity and a victimized mindset.  Remember, all aspects of self will elicit the self- preservationary emotional signal, if a need is not met. But using this rational interpretation, each feeling can be traced to its source, and acted upon accordingly.There will be distinctly different choices for signals from each of the Twin Selves.  What we will find ourselves doing, presumably, is letting our inner feelings guide us toward those actions that are meant to evolve us Spiritually, and away from those actions which do the opposite.  In effect, the feedback system now signals balance between each aspect of self. It compares the Genetic Self to the Cultural Self and if the Cultural Self does not accurately reflect the Genetic Self, the painful signal sounds. Or, it can be thought of as comparing spirit and mind, or internal and external worlds. The feedback cycle continues as it always has. But with the rational distinction made between these two aspects of self, humans can compensate for the simplistic nature of the defense system. Although it only has one signal, humans can divide it and recognize that it has two meanings.  An English professor wrote the words, "Woman without her man is nothing" on the blackboard and directed the students to punctuate it correctly. The man wrote: "Woman, without her man, is nothing." The woman wrote: "Woman, without her, man is nothing." The information we see and hear, can have different meanings to each of us, depending upon our perspective. As our perspective broadens, so does the meaning of our existence. If the signal springs from the contents of mind, or Cultural Self, then a self-developmental act is in order.  (Quite often, even the simple recognition that the belief was learned, communicates that mind is the source). Or on the other hand, if the signal springs from spirit, or the Genetic self, then a self-preservationary correction is needed. This is a relatively easy distinction to make, once it is known how necessary it is. Later, there will be an even easier way to make this distinction, but for now this division between aspects of self (or between spirit and mind, if you prefer) will suffice. In most of our conscious activity during the day, our minds are preoccupied with worldly decisions and reflections of those things immediately around us. It is only in our quieter moments, when we are 'off guard' so to speak, that the valuable insights to a situation seep into our consciousness. To set aside a particular time and place for the quieting of the mind would appear to be a key to opening this most important door to our Higher Selves.   The Effect Of Mind Upon Motivational Responses  With the tool of the Twin Selves it will be quite natural to accurately interpret emotional signals. It will be readily apparent which aspect of self needs the corrective attention. But there will still be only one set of hardwired responses to act upon the two different spiritual directives. Recall that the feedback system compares internal and external worlds to signal imbalances. Whether it be an internal mental sliver, or an external cultural restriction, both will signal a bad feeling and motivate a corrective response. The correction will fall into one of two possible arenas.  There is no question that there will be a signal to make a correction in a view or an action. The system for initiating that signal in clearly in place. The process only requires a commitment to listening with inner detection.  The action can either change the internal realm (the self), or it can change the external world in some way.The imbalance will always be an obstacle of some sort to need-meeting efforts. We just learned that for accurate interpretation of the signal, the mind is considered in the outside realm. But in the response part of the cycle, the mind must be thought of as the inside realm. For mental changes can only be made within the mind; the spirit (the other inhabitant of the internal realm) is unchangeable. External changes are effected to the outside world, generally in responses of approach, fight, or flight.  Herein lies the significance of free will and our ability to create our own reality. We exercise these qualities with our "minds" and are most in control when we are in a state of action within versus reaction to the "outside world".  Originally, external responses were all that was needed. Therefore, the body was limited in its hardwired responses. But with the advent of mind, came the necessity for a new type of response. Although it is not hardwired, it is easily within reach through rational choice. For mind not only brought the problem, it brought the solution.  Once we can develop the faith that our problems and their solutions are interlinked, we can move more quickly to the resolution of those problems. We can stop regarding ourselves simply as victims of outside circumstances but instead the sculptors of our life experiences. The Right Response  Indeed, since the advent of culture, there has been yet another response that humans often intuitively choose instead of the fight and flight self-preservationary responses--- a self-developmental response. This is a post-mind response that seeks an internal change. This response actively revises the portrait of reality to accommodate new external conditions. It is a mental shift, resulting in a purposeful addition to the individual mind.  The consciousness of human mind is an evolving state, as is the quality of All That Is. Being its image and likeness, human beings can elect to expand to other alternatives which hold the promise of higher development.  We shall call this response "The Right Response." It can be likened to the righting of a sailboat that has listed too far port or starboard. One cannot always fight or take flight from winds of change, but one can always right oneself. This is the internal corrective response, wherein a change occurs within the realm of mind. The right response is, in effect, a learning experience. It is an outgrowth of human mind, and a very necessary one at that. Using the analogy of the "sailboat", we can consider the "right" response as a course correction which we can elect to make when we receive the feedback feelings which are telling us that we are off our course from where Spirit is trying to steer us. Each of us is equipped with a compass to keep our individual ship of destiny on course. This compass is anchored in Spirit and is an essential part of our being.  Each addition or revision of a mental tool, a belief, idea or piece of knowledge is this right response. Like the fight and flight responses, the right response directly follows emotional arousal when the self is involved (in this case, the Cultural Self or the mind). The term also has meaning in that an internal shift is often the optimal, moral, responsible, and therefore the "right" corrective choice.  There is a form of guidance going on here. It involves putting ourselves in the place of someone else and exercising compassion, possibly. It might involve the practicing of that "Golden Rule" of relating to another as you would have them relate to you.  The root of most human problems lies in the fact that the role and parameters of mind are not considered within the physical defense system. Anything taken into the mind, becomes associated with the self concept and the tools of self preservation. So although a self developmental response is needed, only self-preservationary responses are motivated. Making a right response is exactly the opposite of the motivational impulse, which seeks only to self-preserve.Thus, the reactions of body negate the very spiritual intentions they seek to preserve.  The very act of "fighting" is an action that puts the body in jeopardy. Flight exercises an act of fear and not just limitation but is withdrawal physically and mentally. A response to a situation that reflects a higher form of guidance can transcend both fight and flight consequences and lift the individual into a higher state of being.  For this reason, with the birth of mind, came a corresponding relationship born between learning and pain. Whenever a learning experience is in order, it will signal the threat of self-preservation through pain. This pain can range from mild, almost imperceptible, anxiety to gripping fear. The more of the self concept invested in the limitation, the more powerful the feeling.  So long as we consider ourselves little more than evolved animal life, we will be inclined to perform as such. However, once we accept the fact that we are truly spirit beings operating in a physical/mental environment, we can feel more comfortable in choosing alternatives that reflect a higher state of consciousness.  It should be completely accepted that a small amount of pain will accompany every discovery of the fact that mind needs some fine-tuning. But with automatic responses, the motivation instead is to escape it, to deny it, and defend the parameters of present knowledge. A perfectly human response, yet completely devoid of spiritual intention. This is how the fluidity of mind becomes stifled and limited to certain versions as dictated by external standards. This explains how slivers in both individual minds and The Mind Of Man are allowed to remain, and are actively defended, often to the death.  Those moments of emotional pain, a feeling that what is accepted, proper conduct is not quite right, are the signals which must be examined and listened to, regardless of the "standards" one is expected to comply with. For example, the refusal to take another human life when expected to, would be acting out a belief which suggests current accepted practices are in conflict with a higher spiritual qualities.  This insight is the major way to accomplish the number two task at hand, learning how to avoid self-preservationary responses when they are inappropriate. A small amount of pain is perfectly bearable, even energizing, particularly if the signal is understood while the problem is still small. And the pain should be acknowledged as an indicator of a sliver, or the need to polish or re-cut a gem. Its intensity will be in direct proportion to the lack. With this strategy, the Right Response can be immediately effected and the problem solved. Instead, caveman-like avoidant responses happen, preventing the needed change, and become accepted as an inevitable part of human nature. Certain social codes and assumptions then pop up which perpetuate the problem.  We know these "slivers" as pangs of conscience. They draw the attention of mind to that of a feeling. They guide us to reconsider our thoughts and actions. If we feel totally comfortable with this mild form of guidance, we should act accordingly.  For example, human error has become something to be ashamed of and avoided at all costs. This is contrary to the learning cycle. For it is through the feedback of pain and pleasure that all learning occurs. Mistakes should be greeted with compassion to self and others who make them. They are the simple message that the portrait of reality does not yet match the requirements to meet an adequate level of the human need in any given external situation. Instead of getting out the paints and making revisions, humans often seek to hide the inadequacies and pretend to be perfect. Punishment is often given for mistakes, both to self and others, and this is quite backward. Compassionate guidance should be offered to add the missing knowledge, belief or skill. Each such addition will be rewarded by positive feelings.  Misdirected actions are little more than exercises of poor judgment. Such actions are often based upon basic insecurities resulting from a lack of knowledge of alternative actions. Punishment is the most basic form of corrective action. It is more traditional than practical. It also tends to relieve the frustrations of the punisher which are, in turn, based on a lack of knowledge.  Such pain that accompanies learning should be welcomed and acted upon with right responses as soon as the feelings are detectable. This is an easy task once humans know the difference between thoughts and feelings, and the parameters and goals of spirit and mind. A concept such as "growing pains" should be utilized in which humans realize that without pain there is no growth. Or as the bodybuilders say: "No pain, no gain".  Pain, in any form, should be considered a positive educational tool, an indication of a need for a course correction. We need not punish the ship to alter its course. We need only to develop the equipment to guide it safely and gently through the threatening waters of life.  This is not to say that humans should endure higher levels of pain than this small feeling of personal anxiety we now can call a growing pain. Nor is this to say that making this right response will always be the spiritually intended corrective action. Indeed, there are still very valid reasons for both fight and flight responses-but only under certain conditions and at certain times. We will be discussing these conditions at length, but first, we turn to the result of these automatic avoidances, which we shall call emotional boundaries.  It need not be a case of either/or (fight & flight versus right and light actions). The guidance given here is meant to expand our thinking with greater alternatives, not simply replace one attitude with its opposite.  Emotional Boundaries  Humans have lived for many thousands of years without understanding their own nature. Thus, their emotional system has worked against them in many ways. Most destructive has been the tendency to preserve, when change is spiritually desired. Self preservation and conservatism is always appropriate when needs of the spirit are at issue. But it is never appropriate in the realm of mind. Yet, one merely needs to look around and one can see abundant evidence of incredible efforts to defend cultural knowledge. Everywhere, and in every time, one can witness passionate efforts to conserve that which is actually personally limiting. Such efforts appear externally as acts of communication, persuasion, political activism, violence, and even war, that seek to narrow the freedoms of others in order to validate the cultural choices of some.  There are 'Fundamentalists' in most realms, not just the religious. It is not that this attitude is essentially wrong or bad, it is that without a broader understanding of our spiritual nature, many retreat to the limits of belief that were imposed in formative years - along with the "fear" doctrine that dictates maintenance of the status quo.  For example, nearly every religion espouses to be the one true word of God and that all others are misguided at best and evil at worst. Historical colonialism evidences how some groups exert their power over others and force their choices upon them. The holocaust was an extreme example of cultural ideology enforced as natural law. Yet, in each of these cases, many felt passionate in their beliefs and emotionally empowered to live by them and carry our their dictates. These feelings seemingly guided them to amoral even heinous, actions. This is when feelings can be ineffective behavioral guides.  Although 'colonialism' of the 18th and 19th century appears to have waned, it, in fact, has simply changed form. New economic treaties have begun to spread a financial net throughout the planet. Wealthy nations are creating spheres of influence while keeping the planet's population in a greater state of dependence through the instituting of 'easy credit' and 'mass consumption'. Through getting people into a perpetual state of personal debt, control automatically follows.  But this is due to a perversion of the natural system. These are those very self-preservationary actions that directly conflict with spiritual intention. These are actions that should have been self-developmental, not preservationary. These are actions that spring from passion without ration. Such emotions are signaling that the contents of mind are not adequate and should be changed. They signal that a boundary of the mind has been reached, which needs expansion for spiritual expression. Instead, this limitation becomes a defensible boundary of self, and the actions then seek to carefully maintain these boundaries as if they are sacred aspects of self.  There has to be some type of litmus test that alerts us when we are floundering in the "self-preservationary" state, that helps us to make the course correction necessary to get us back on track toward spiritual evolution. It might be when the collective conscience begins to feel less than totally positive about the future, or when the examples of our appointed or elected leaders are such that we feel uncomfortable with them.  These are actually boundaries of mind, but since they are signaled only by emotion, we call them emotional boundaries . It is crucial to understand the tendency to protect and maintain emotional boundaries. It is equally crucial to resist the temptation to do so. It is an easy out, for defending one's ignorance is simpler and requires less effort than actually effecting the Right Response.  "It says in the bible". As long as we maintain the security of our emotional wombs, we can not expand our potential. Just as nature requires physical birth at a particular point of development and a mother bird literally pushes its young from the nest, so we can only find true fulfillment in passing beyond the edges of our emotional envelope. This requires a willingness to take risk. The young take risks because they feel they are immortal. The old take risks because they are sure that they have little to lose.  The concept of emotional boundaries should become a permanent fixture within each individual mind. The boundaries of self should be continuously expanded---never defended. On the other hand, there should be compassion and respect for the boundaries of others to the degree that many diverse choices and levels of personal growth can coexist. But there should never again be the mistake that boundaries of mind should be preserved, nor that the boundaries of some are the correct boundaries for all. The human mind is in a constant state of evolution, as is the Mind Of Man. And this is as it should be in the highest sense. For to limit the expansion of mind is to frustrate the spirit and stymie the expansion of All That Is.  No religious, political, economic or social system came into being out of the mind that defended the status quo. No great work of art, music or sculpture was achieved by someone who was satisfied with that which already existed. It was only after these radical concepts became the norm, that they ended up being defended by organizations and lost the essence of spirit. I believe it was Pythagoras who said, "Organization is the death of an idea".  On the other hand, if the emotional boundary is one due to a spiritual dictate or need relating to self expression, rather than a mental belief relating to self development, then it is a boundary that should be maintained and protected. These are the healthy boundaries of self. These are the boundaries of Spirit, necessary for the expansion of All That Is. These are the minimum spiritual requirements below which humans cannot dip without serious repercussions. Defending them is true self preservation, as the spirit intends.  If our values are spiritually based, we need not and should not sacrifice them for a new idea, unless we are confident that the "idea" will be a compliment and boon to the "spiritual" principle.  But the majority of requirements and limitations that erect defensible boundaries exist in the realm of mind. These should be avoided so that the continuous expansion desired by spirit can be attained. For true and lasting fulfillment, development, and expression ,the emotional boundaries of mind should be as vigorously avoided as the emotional boundaries of spirit are to be reinforced.  Probably the most dangerous term in any language is "ism", for once a concept has been labeled with that description, it has become defined and defended with moral authority by the very institutions whose "moral authority" is in a state of decline.  With the understandings of the pitfalls to the emotional system, as well as their corrections, we can now proceed to discuss the number 3 task of reclaiming the emotional sense. This is how to go about choosing the appropriate responses to each of the emotional signals.  Table of Contents