FIRST, THE CAUSATIVE CORE OF LIFE
THEN, THE REST WILL WORK!
"Everything in the real world has a cause (and normally a sequence of causes or steps). If something isn't working to get to the end of the causal chain where we get the results we want, we must keep looking for the earliers cause in the chain and then fix that. Yes, it is true that something later in the chain isn't working and needs to be fixed too, but if we fix that later cause and fail to fix the cause of that cause, we will continue to get the same undesired results! Make sense?"
The BuddhaKahuna
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The Diagram Of The Causative Core Of Life
WHICH IS FIRST, THE CHICKEN OR THE EGG?
To answer this, we must be able to see that if one is a "chicken" in life, one does not perform well in life. As such, one lays lots of eggs (bad results and unbecoming behaviors).
A person will quite naturally start off as a chicken, afraid of his/her not surviving. We evolved to, and because of, watch out for dangers and to adjust quickly in order to save our hind ends - to survive. Therefore, we have a built in danger scanning system that is always operating. That system works well, if it (like all our other physical systems) is in balance. And we don't feel bad emotionally when we are in balance.
But we learn as a child, mostly, without question, certain life operational beliefs that are not true. In particular, we "see" at a child's level of understanding that we are dependent and powerless and that we must depend on the big people, and their approval(!), for continued existence. Life is precarious living that way, so we are very incentivized to develop beliefs about what will work to assure "survival", but we do it at a time when we are not very knowledgeable nor logical.
BADLY NEEDING AN EXTREME UPGRADE!
The problem is that we do not later update or upgrade the beliefs for our current increased level of power in life as an adult and for the new circumstances in our lives that make the old behaviors and beliefs relevant only in childhood no longer valid.
At an even greater level, we must adapt our beliefs about what works in life now to fit the circumstances of that are in life now.
Our bodies/minds have not evolved physically hardly at all in the last 10,000 years, so we are geared to function as was appropriate for life 10,000 years ago. It is no longer true that we must react so strongly and be so paranoid about dangers, as we have few.
We need no longer obey the impulses that helped us survive (especially for frequent famines): eat all the sugar that is available when it is available (it was in limited supply in those days), eat all the fat we can and consume as many calories as possible to store in our body (it self regulated to adjust on its own), running like hell from other people not in the tribe or attacking them to save our lives, having to have adequate worth to the tribe so that we will not be kicked out to die in the savannah, etc. and etc. It even turns out that we no longer need to obey impulses, as many do not fit what works today - once we learn to discern what those are, we can develop the skill of managing them on purpose.
While we are all "human" and don't quite adapt to the ideal level, there is particular impairment that can keep one from living life well if one does not upgrade and correct the rules by which one operates: beliefs. Beliefs are "if this...then that will happen" - if they are wrong then the right results will not come about. One can verify the level of quality of one's beliefs by the result one has in life and by one's level of emotional well-being (and lack of anxiety).
To function well today, we need to upgrade our beliefs sufficiently. If we don't, our lives will not work and we'll be unhappy.
Most people fail to do this upgrade and correction process to a high enough degree, so most are not as happy as they could be. They are unconsciously living a life that is far, far below the potential of life and happiness. There is no one I know of who could not get alot of benefit from upgrading their beliefs. [While you are likely not at the extremes, do read the next section about the extremes, for you are likely affected (to a lesser extent of course) by the same factors in life!!!]
THE PROBLEMS AT THE EXTREMES
While I want to see everyone living at their full life potential, I am very concerned about those who have not upgraded their beliefs sufficiently to avoid extreme anxiety (and fear) in life.
Extreme anxiety is a trap that locks us into being so preoccupied with the believed "dangers" of life such that they have little capacity left to function well in life. It can even paralyze us.
Those people in extreme anxiety cannot focus or give attention to much else, for the anxieties are filling up their minds so that they cannot be used to develop more skills and knowledge. They cannot make decisions, for they are often frantically worried about how things will work out - they can't stand "loss" as it appears to them to be the same as danger. They cannot even differentiate, most of the time, about what is a small "loss" and what is a big loss - it is all the same, just as a ghost in the closet to a child is that same as an actual threat. They must control to the point of no failure, always being tensed up ready to defend, cover up, put a mask on (a pre-tense). They have not gained the power to choose, for they are always attuned to the believed possible dangers of other people and of circumstance, so they "believe" they are at the mercy of others and of circumstances. Other peop/e and circustances control their lives, they believe. They have no real concept of personal power or the idea that they are in charge of their lives - they don't even begin to undersantd the idea of no real threats being in their lives and their power to run their life. To them, it is an "intellectual" concept, held in their minds as not being true and just made up and inconceivalbe.
We try to teach these people how to run their lives, but it is as if they are resisting us or not thinking enough to "get it" or "too lazy" or "flaky". However, they are so impaired by the constant anxiety thoughts and the effect of fear on one's ability to think and with their conflicting needs that they cannot function well r have sufficient brain attention to actually think things out well enough.
Trying to teach these people how to function in the outer rings of life, above, leads to frustration and poor results. This was true in the extensive ineffectiveness in teaching Barbara and in working with Daniel. They masterfully (for they got good at it) covered up the fact that they didn't do their work and they justified that their fears of "doing good enough", being worthy or good enough were 'stopping them' from doing writing, reading and learning - that they were the victims of all of that.
And, by chance, they are actually correct, not that the "thing" out there was the cause with the power over them, but that their fears were immobilizing them.
The point here is that it was useless to try to educate them in the outer layers/rings without solving the very thing that was keeping them from functioning and learning.
Ironically, though, if we focus where we should, on correcting the beliefs, they never seem to be able to concentrate on or finish working on the beliefs. The very things that they falsely fear based on their false beliefs keep them from focusing the attention and effort necessary to actually correct the false beliefs(!). They can even become masters at having psychologists all fail them by the psychologists not being good enough to solve their problems for them.
If you're a coach or a psychologist, be aware that you are likely to waste your energies with a person at the extremes (even though they are the most in need!). Direct them instead to a venue that controls their attention and what they do, since they cannot do it on their own. And make sure the venue lasts long enough to go into depth and to do completion, for they are incapable otherwise of completing. And make sure the venue is complete and deep enough.
While the classes at The Option Institute are all good and deeper than most "seminars", they are not sufficient for anyone who really wants to dive deep and make the most effective change. The best, relative to beliefs that people are stuck in, that I have found (and I've look at alot!), is The Hoffman Institute, where you will do "immersion learning" and do it intensively in a relatively short and rapid time, with proven expertise and competence. The latter will cost about twice as much, due to the level of staffing and personal attention, but I estimate it will have much, much more than twice the value - the change can be priceless, for it changes the very essence (core) of one's life!
And I recommend this for virtually ALL people who cannot yet certify that they have upgraded their beliefs to a highly tested quality that works in life - i.e. to the point where the are highly sane and unconditionally and deeply happy.
THE KEY POINT
Do this completely and well (doing just enough otherwise to maintain life's basic needs) first. Complete this and then do the next ring out and on out through the rings.
I guarantee that this will be the fastest way of reaching the greatest life, and also the surest path. (Also, at some point, get a complete orientation from a thorough reading list of articles on The Only Sure Path To The Greatest Life. Interestingly enough, a highly anxious person will hardly even start the path, much less stick to it.)
WHAT TO DO NOW
While I think that most people will do well if they start with the Beliefs page and follow the process from there on their own, I recommend going directly to the high intensive work on your beliefs, knocking out at least the worst ones that you still hold onto from childhood, through using an expert intensive workshop for at least a full week.
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A NOTE ON THE FASTEST WAY OF LEARNING AND PROGRESSING
As you progress out the rings, completing each one at a high level, you will travel faster if you use the highest and best intensive trainings and coaching. Coaching is recommended for every one, even people at a high level, but I recommend that you do it mostly after you've done the relevant basic intensive learning and established the new important beliefs.
An intensive that "puts it all together", where you are directed and concentrate on focused learning and problem solving at the same time, is far better than less comprehensive ones or ones at lower levels.
While I still favor Landmark Education's seminars, I find they are good for an initial surge of philosophical gains but not for "sufficient" completion of one's correction of one's belief. They are highly helpful, but not sufficient to arrive at a high enough level that is worthy of your life. People simply do not "put together" all the pieces and necessary understanding into a sufficiently complete, workiing whole. (Landmark has changed its name to Landmark Worldwide.)
Lifespring provides a unique experience that is quite life jolting and awakening, so it, at some point, is something you should consider taking. (I found it the most touching and affecting experience of my life up to that point!)
When you take any of the intensive seminars, including Robbins or other highly successful people's, be sure to set it up so that you can assimilate it further and implement everything by scheduling at least two days right after it to review your notes, to more fully understand the materials, and to plan and schedule any followup!!!!
(If you care to see the list of most of the seminars I've taken, see About Keith.)
REQUEST FOR INPUTS
If you are a profession in the field or you are a person who has experience a highly effective, complete intensive that worked, please let me know, so I can pass on the word and support such things!!! (Contact)
