Your Self: The Static Vs. The Dynamic

(More excerpts from the Shikastan Situation)

One of the biggest disconnects you will feel is between your self and what you are.  Depending on the peculiarities of your situation some of you will break down unable to  cope between the incessant demands of your self and the apparent person you have become.  That’s a worst case rendition.  Most of you will live in an uneasy silence vacillating between the demands of either but invariably choosing what your external persona demands.  Some of you will react with hate – typical Shamattis – to your self’s demands, feel that it is hypocritical – that the “good” you think or feel is of no account as you are daily confronted with the “selfishness” of your own choices. 

At certain moments you may suddenly find yourself looking at yourself from the outside, detached and feel distaste at what you are.  Further, any thought of bettering yourself is usually clouded by indecision, a “what’s the use” echo which hovers in the background of your thoughts, a dogmatic defiant assertion of self “This is how I am”, and other such self limiting tactics.  Naturally, such thoughts will depress your self.  The manifestations of this depression may be a lack of energy, a dull depression accompanied by a feeling of helpness and the plaintive “what can I do”.  Or you may decide to ignore the depression altogether – as one resident put it “i cannot afford the luxury of depression”. 

To understand the gravity of this problem consider this: I have only met one person so far who is actively listening to her self though of course it is far from perfect.  Ironically, even I, spend most of the time listening to my worldly persona.

An attempt to repair this disconnect has been the prime mover behind almost all the religions that have emerged from the fabric of the Shikastan experience.  One of our recent emissaries – locally referred to as The Buddha – coined a term for it, intended to resonate with the populace: Nirvana. 

However, inspite of his sincerest attempts to seed the instructions to ensure a flexible, open disposition by adherents, the religion like all other religions on Shikasta, suffered the usual dogmatic degeneration that any instruction manual  - verbal or written - on Shikasta acquires.  Nirvana is treated as a reward by adherents, which will be acquired through elaborate mental and physical exertions.  The belief being that only the very “worthy” will be able to achieve nirvana. 

The message – as with every other religion – is shrouded in mystical symbolism, elaborate rituals, and dogmatic tradition, fiercely guarded by a priest-class, that is actively combative of any investigation beyond the established forms and rituals.  Or even if investigation is permitted it is as a means to further consolidate and establish validity for the priests themselves or the traditions or both.  In the event these investigations do turn up contrary information (which invariably it will), the usual practice is that the investigators break away from the main body and establish their view as the “correct one” forming a separate sect that will eventually evolve into a priestly class that fiercely guards the established tradition, which will prompt fresh investigation, etc, ad nauseum. 

Another emissary when commenting on the priests and the keepers of the law had this to say: “You have taken away the key to knowledge. You didn't go in yourselves, and you kept out those who were trying to go in.”

Which sums up the actual situation.  There is of course Shammat’s hand in this but the fact is they cannot operate unless ground is provided.   [To understand the factors that permit ground to be acceded in such a manner, refer to Johor’s report on the contaminated Effluon 3 that Shammat impregnated the planet with in the early days of the Shikastan phase]. 

Which, in turn, brings up the essential point: It is customary for agents to rely on the planet for a basic understanding of situation of its people.  On Shikasta however, the planet is totally unaware of the scum of life that exists on its surface.  It has, to quote the archives, “other ideas about itself”.  Thus, an essential ingredient in your psychological makeup is a wary watchfulness against slipping into dogmatic formulations that if left unchecked will evolve into emotional crutches and entomb you in a “fixed” view.

For more clarity refer to Robert Pirsig’s exposition on the static vs. the dynamic.  The book in itself – Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance – has acquired iconic status in the philosophical literature of the period but it is advisable to avoid the commentaries before reading the book.