The most common cause of failure in life is ignorance of one's own True Will, or of the means to fulfill that Will. [...] A Man whose conscious will is at odds with his True Will is wasting his strength. (Aleister Crowley, Liber ABA, Part III) How can you be successful and live a good life? Well, don't waste your strength. That's simple volitional logic. But what is success? Success is subjective, and yet... you cannot define it for yourself. You can't determine what success means to you, just … [Read more...]
Don’t Be Yourself
Don't be yourself. Who are you anyway? A fabric of personality biases? Your body's twitching sensations? Your opinion of someone else's opinion of you? Your confidence that breath is the key to the universe? You are nothing. So don't be yourself. And don't fool yourself. You are a shell at best. Or a vessel. "Shape clay into a vessel; it is the space within that makes it useful," said Lao Tzu. "Let the True Will exert its force through your eternal vacantness," say … [Read more...]
Is Self-Control Natural? On the Dilemma of Discipline Vs. Spontaneity
The Dilemma of Discipline Vs. Spontaneity The dilemma of being human comes from having a prefrontal cortex in an animal body, from having both animalistic desires and the power of will to control those desires. I believe that almost all human beings make some sort of a distinction between the self that wills and acts, and the subconscious self that manages our hearts and glands and nerves. Such words as self-control and self-consciousness suggest this division of our being into two parts … [Read more...]
Solving the Problem of Acceptance
The Problem With radical acceptance, you accept your past, future, and present. Your past involves your childhood, bad memories, and traumatic events. Accepting your past makes sense because it creates peace of mind and allows you to look ahead. No problem here. Your future involves your plans, goals, and ambitions. Accepting your future makes sense because it creates outcome independence and regulates your fear of failure. No problem here. Your present involves your bodymind, physical … [Read more...]
Will Vs. Flow: Can You Force Yourself to Do Something?
A common distinction between Western and Eastern philosophy concerns the importance of will. While Western philosophy emphasizes the power of will, Eastern philosophy highlights effortless action. Force versus flow You can force yourself to be courageous in the face of fear, to work without procrastinating, to persist despite exhaustion, and to suppress adverse emotions. But what does it actually mean to force yourself to do something? Consider first that you can't force your body to do … [Read more...]