Hmm so I have been looking at what is standing in the way of naiveté. It’s a little tricky because there are these feelings which seem to be often hiding behind some kind of neutrality. Perhaps because of some dissociation which has been happening to place them there.
Unless I actively pay attention I could say that “I feel ok”, but then when I pay attention to this neutrality I begin to notice the flavour of those feelings, and they are not felicitous and innocuous feelings.
Yesterday I went for a nap and when I woke up those feelings were gone, it was kind of weird actually, for a few hours after it was like someone had just gone and wiped the grime from a window and I was able to experience the world in a very clean and direct way. It was the kind of experiencing where driving to the shops later I looked at a reflection in a puddle and was just utterly delighted at how perfect it all is, I was able to fully enjoy and appreciate what is here without the constant interference of those feelings. So this was very useful to experience even if temporarily because it shows that without ‘me’ getting in the way there is just so much to enjoy and appreciate, it’s like wherever I cast my attention there is something else to marvel at. But those feelings which hide behind the neutrality had to get out of the way in order to allow this simple and earthly enjoyment and appreciation.
Although I am just not sure how to approach those feelings, it seems like I have trimmed all the fat of ‘me’ and now these feelings are what has been left behind, they are like these purely affective structures, it seems I can’t really do much else other than to experience them fully in a non-dissociative way.
And what I am getting at here seems to be what Richard spoke about below.
Frequently Asked Questions What to Do with the Instinctual Passions? :
RICHARD: “Speaking personally from experience, eventually – and ultimately – all the instincts are undone instantly via psychological and psychic ‘self’-sacrifice. This is, purely and simply, altruism at its very best … and altruism’s energy is an instinctual passion (this is indeed hoisting oneself by one’s bootstraps … writ large). However, until the initiation of the process that leads to ‘self’-immolation is consciously triggered – whereupon the ending of ‘me’ happens of its own accord – one can become acutely aware of the operation of the instinctual passions as they are experienced moment-to-moment. It is but the same ‘How am I experiencing this moment of being alive?’ investigation of beliefs and feelings … only extended deeper into one’s psyche.
Strangely enough, it does mean an exploration into the psychic realm … which is why it is essential that one first establishes a firm base – called virtual freedom – to fall back upon when the going gets tough. A journey into one’s psyche – which is the human psyche – is not for the faint of heart or the weak of knee … one must have nerves of steel to go all the way. The rewards for doing so are immense, however, and the ramifications far-reaching.
It means peace-on-earth, in this life-time, as this flesh and blood body.”