Ahh, I love these kinds of ponderings. I believe people fit into personality types, and each of those types can be predictable as to what their mechanical flexes are. To achieve consciousness, a person must first be aware of what mechanical flex that they have, and then develop an ability to control mechanical reactions or actions. For example, extroverts will appear more confident in a crowd, while introverts may appear less confident. An extrovert will be drawn to paths in life that involve being around people, organizing, sales, social leaders, while the introvert may be drawn to contemplative studies, caregiving, homemaking. These are all mechanical, the person just follows the path that seems most natural to them. Our own "distinct" path can only be realized if we are aware of our "type" following a path that has nothing to do with consciousness, or choice, we just follow the groove we were created with. Serious work begins when we resist the urge to do what is mechanical, and push ourselves to do something that is truly a conscious choice. Growth occurs, options open up, when we force ourselves to do the opposite, and then observe our feelings and sensations about that. An extrovert goes to a rally or a sports event, they cheer and jump up and feel connected to the entire crowd, an introvert sighs with relief that a social commitment has been cancelled so they can go return to their books, or sewing, or tinkering, alone. Both people think they are following their own path, but in "cosmic" reality, they are just showing true to type, there is no decision making, they just follow the groove like water flowing downstream. The growth occurs when we choose to go upstream, against the flow. Not as a lifestyle, but as an excercise in self awareness. God has created us with more than our type, though. Each person does, in fact, contain all possibilities of being, the artist is capable of rebuilding an engine, the mechanic can learn to play the violin. I do believe that our Creator wants us to wake up and use all of our burners. Some cannot, due to disability, life trauma, or "accidents", those that rise above those challenges usually can because of support, prayer, and in some cases divine intervention. Sit back on any bench in any city park, and just watch people, what you will notice is the majority of people are acting out roles they were pushed into a long time ago, it is what we call the "social order". When we become aware of our roles, we often find ourselves feeling empty, controlled, or life meaningless. At that point we become vulnerable, we seek a leader, a cause, anything to give our lives meaning again. I hope that those who find themselves at that point give themselves over to God, become right sized, and dare to choose something they may never have tried before. Can we all achieve consciousness? I am not sure of that, because Jesus Christ, son of God, the great master and Lord of this world, used the statement "Let those who have ears hear, and let those who have eyes, see." This tells me that not all men have the capability of becoming "distinct". It"s not easy to be distinct, all kinds of hurdles are thrown at us, the hurdle of ego being the biggest, the hurdle of temptation to go back to sleep is always there. Without prayer, these hurdles will defeat our individual purpose. Our purpose can be found in countless books, I have read a lot of them, but always return to the Bible and writings of the masters, such as Saint Augustine, Kierkegaard, Thomas Merton, etc.
Ahh, I love these kinds of ponderings. I believe people fit into personality types, and each of those types can be predictable as to what their mechanical flexes are. To achieve consciousness, a person must first be aware of what mechanical flex that they have, and then develop an ability to control mechanical reactions or actions. For example, extroverts will appear more confident in a crowd, while introverts may appear less confident. An extrovert will be drawn to paths in life that involve being around people, organizing, sales, social leaders, while the introvert may be drawn to contemplative studies, caregiving, homemaking. These are all mechanical, the person just follows the path that seems most natural to them. Our own "distinct" path can only be realized if we are aware of our "type" following a path that has nothing to do with consciousness, or choice, we just follow the groove we were created with. Serious work begins when we resist the urge to do what is mechanical, and push ourselves to do something that is truly a conscious choice. Growth occurs, options open up, when we force ourselves to do the opposite, and then observe our feelings and sensations about that. An extrovert goes to a rally or a sports event, they cheer and jump up and feel connected to the entire crowd, an introvert sighs with relief that a social commitment has been cancelled so they can go return to their books, or sewing, or tinkering, alone. Both people think they are following their own path, but in "cosmic" reality, they are just showing true to type, there is no decision making, they just follow the groove like water flowing downstream. The growth occurs when we choose to go upstream, against the flow. Not as a lifestyle, but as an excercise in self awareness. God has created us with more than our type, though. Each person does, in fact, contain all possibilities of being, the artist is capable of rebuilding an engine, the mechanic can learn to play the violin. I do believe that our Creator wants us to wake up and use all of our burners. Some cannot, due to disability, life trauma, or "accidents", those that rise above those challenges usually can because of support, prayer, and in some cases divine intervention. Sit back on any bench in any city park, and just watch people, what you will notice is the majority of people are acting out roles they were pushed into a long time ago, it is what we call the "social order". When we become aware of our roles, we often find ourselves feeling empty, controlled, or life meaningless. At that point we become vulnerable, we seek a leader, a cause, anything to give our lives meaning again. I hope that those who find themselves at that point give themselves over to God, become right sized, and dare to choose something they may never have tried before. Can we all achieve consciousness? I am not sure of that, because Jesus Christ, the great master and Lord of this world, used the statement "Let those who have ears here, and let those who have eyes, see." This tells me that not all men have the capability of becoming "distinct". It"s not easy to be distinct, all kinds of hurdles are thrown at us, the hurdle of ego being the biggest, the hurdle of temptation to go back to sleep is always there. Without prayer, these hurdles will defeat our individual purpose. Our purpose can be found in countless books, I have read a lot of them, but always return to the Bible and writings of the masters, such as Saint Augustine, Kierkegaard, Thomas Merton, etc.