SELF-EXPLORATION in Human Values YASH PAL, June 18, 2022September 2, 2024 Self-exploration in human values is a process of dialogue between what you are and how it contrasts with what you really want to be, it is a process of self-evolution through this self-investigation. It leads to knowing ourselves better, thus leading us to know all things around us correctly. [br] [br] Useful Qualities for Self Exploration Many paths seem to be about following either something or someone else. They often require you to take on certain assumptions (read-beliefs) to proceed and they often use passive practices ( meditation for example ) for exploration and change. [br] For ourselves, we have found that it is best to find someone who can help you to follow yourself and who can offer you the tools to do this for yourself both directly and actively. The main requirements we have found to facilitate our approach – that is soul transformation ( spiritual growth ? ) coupled with an intent to move all soul parts into complete freedom are as follows. [br] Strengthening Intention and will The stronger your intention the more you will proceed in alignment with your desire. If your intention or will to proceed is ambiguous or small then the will and intention of those who present the practices or techniques you use will take precedence over your own. When this happens then you are relying on and following someone else’s will and not in fact your own. After you have held to a strong intention for some time ( two or three years ) then at some point, absolutely everything that happens in your life manifests as a result of this focus. [br] Everything that then arises in your life is part of the process to move you completely into full alignment with your intention and is absolutely positive particularly when it is presenting you with what you need to deal with within yourself ( that you don’t like or don’t want to accept ) so that you can then bring yourself into alignment with your goal. [br] Developing Faith in Yourself Faith in yourself to keep going. Faith in your ability to achieve everything or if that is too much then faith in the possibility to develop the ability to achieve everything. As you are God or have the ability to be God then it is better to develop the ability to have faith in yourself as having faith in either someone else or worse an external God not only helps to maintain separation but also reduces your ability to be responsive to yourself. [br] Self Responsibility This will help you understand that only you are responsible for yourself and only you are responsible for what you achieve in your life. No one else is to blame for what you choose to manifest and experience and no one else is to blame for what you choose to NOT manifest and experience. When you pass the responsibility of finding yourself to others then how will that give you the ability to be responsive to yourself? [br] Self Respect and Integrity We have found that we have become incredibly strong. If we feel that someone is not treating or dealing with us correctly, we make sure it is changed or we cut from these people or beings. In short, part of what is required for this path to work is that you have to look at all your interactions and actually deal with all those that are dishonoring. [br] Now, we simply won’t take any shit from anyone. We won’t accept anything less than respect but at the same time, we won’t give anyone any shit either or treat people disrespectfully. [br] Self Honesty Self-honesty is a very important attribute to either cultivate or enhance. Self-honesty requires that you make changes if you are not moving closer to your goal. Self-honesty means that you cannot hide behind yourself and blame stagnation on others or on factors out there. Self-honesty means that you will be honest about all parts of yourself whether you like these parts or not. Self-honesty means that you will always try and look at the illusions you are presenting. [br] No Preconceptions or Expectations As these keep you within the boundaries of what you think you know or believe rather than what it is possible to know or directly experience then it is not possible to move beyond what you believe or know without letting these go completely. Try and proceed then, as if you know nothing but are open to everything. [br] Courage We had not thought of this until recently. But after watching many, many people run away from themselves, or fool themselves by avoiding areas ( either consciously or otherwise ) then we have to say that this path does require a high level of courage, either initially or again it must be developed. Too often people cling to what they think is the truth regarding spiritual growth. [br] To really work to have no preconceptions or expectations requires that you let go of everything that you think is right so that you can find out what really is. That is you must have the intention to step completely into the unknown and make this intention manifest all the time. This for most people is a very difficult area to master as it takes much courage to put down everything that you think you know to stand in nothing and see what arises. [br] Dedication and Perseverance These ensure that when you experience the unknown and the hardships of change you keep going. [br] Humility and Humour Humility helps you accept when you make mistakes and humor so that when you do you neither take yourself nor your path too seriously. [br] Purpose of Self Exploration Self-exploration is the process to find out what is valuable to me by investigating within myself, what is right for me, true for me, has to be judged within myself. Through self-exploration, we get the value of ourselves. The purpose of self-exploration is [br] It is a process of dialogue between “what you are” and “what you really want to be”: It is a process of focusing attention on ourselves, our present beliefs, and aspirations vis – à – vis what we really want to be ( that is to say, what is naturally acceptable to us ). If these two are the same, then there is no problem. If on investigation we find that these two are not the same, then it means we are living with this contradiction ( of not being what we really want to be ) and hence, we need to resolve this contradiction and this conflict within us. It is a process of discovering that there is something innate, invariant, and universal in all human beings. This enables us to look at our confusions and contradictions within and resolve them by becoming aware of our natural acceptance. It is a process of self-evolution through self-investigation: It successively enables us to evolve by bridging the gap between ‘what we are and ‘what to be. Hence, self-exploration leads to our own improvement, our self-evolution – we will become qualitatively better. It is a process of knowing oneself and through that, knowing the entire existence: The exploration starts by asking simple questions about ourselves, which gives us clarity about our being, and then clarity about everything around us. It is a process of recognizing one’s relationship with every unit in existence and fulfilling it: It is a process of becoming aware of our right relationship with other entities in existence and through that discovering the interconnectedness, co-existence, and others in the entire existence, and living accordingly. It is a process of knowing human conduct, and human character, and living accordingly: It is a process of discovering the definitiveness of human conduct and human character and enabling one to be definite in thought, behavior, and work. It is a process of being in harmony with oneself and in harmony with our entire existence: This process of self-exploration helps us to be in harmony with ourselves and with everything around us. It is a process of identifying our innateness and moving towards self-organization and self-expression: This process of self-exploration helps us to identify our swatva and through that acquire swantantrata and swarajya. [br] Swatva: Innateness of self – the natural acceptance of harmony Swatantrata: Being self-organized – being in harmony with oneself Swarajya: Self-expression, self-extension- living in harmony with others Swatva Swatantrata Swarajya: The Swatva is already there, intact in each one of us. By being in dialogue with it, we attain swantantrata enabling us to work for swarajya. [br] Self-exploration Process Self-exploration is an ongoing process that includes collecting information about your inter abilities and skills, values, personality, and career readiness. [br] Interests: Interests are simply things you enjoy. [br] It is a process to find out what is valuable to me by investigating within myself. Since it is me who feels happy, Successful, Unhappy, and Unsuccessful. Therefore what is right for me is to be judged by myself only. This whole process is called Self-exploration. According to Merriam Webster: -The examination and analysis of one’s own unrealized spiritual or intellectual capacity self-exploration. Through self-exploration, we get the value ourselves. It is a process of focusing attention on ourselves, our present beliefs, and aspirations vis – à – vis what we really want to be ( that is to say, what is naturally acceptable to us ). If these two are the same, then there is no problem. [br] If on investigation we find that these two are not the same, then it means we are living with this contradiction ( of not being what we really want to be ) and hence, we need to resolve this contradiction and this conflict within us. It is a process of discovering that there is something innate, invariant, and universal in all human beings. This enables us to look at our confusions and contradictions within and resolve them by becoming aware of our natural acceptance. [br] The process of self-exploration is as follows: First of all, we have to keep in mind that: Whatever is being presented is a PROPOSAL Don’t assume it to be true immediately, nor reject it without proper exploration. Verify it in your own right, on the basis of it being naturally acceptable to you, [br] Not just on the basis of scriptures Not on the basis of equipment/instrument data Not on the basis of the assertion by other human beings. [br] Therefore, it is essential to carefully ponder over these in your own right. Neither accepts these as true immediately nor rejects them prematurely without proper exploration. [br] Don’t just accept/reject these only on the basis of the following: Because something like this / different from this has been mentioned in the scriptures, Or, because it has been preached/denied by some great men, Or, a large number of people possess such a view / a different view, Or it is claimed to have been verified through some physical instrument or, claimed that this is beyond the domain of verifiability by physical instruments. [br] Then what to do: Verify on the basis of your natural acceptance Live accordingly to validate it experientially If the proposal is true in behavior with humans it leads to mutual happiness If the proposal is true in working with rest of the nature it leads to mutual prosperity [br] Remember, it is a process of self-exploration; therefore, it has to be authenticated by us alone by means of verification at the level of natural acceptance and experiential validation. The process is shown in the diagram below: [br] Process of Self Exploration -It is a proposal Don’t assume it to be true Verify it in your own right [br] Not on the basis of scriptures Not on the basis of reading from an instrument Not on the basis of others [br] Self-verification But this process is not complete. It will be completed when verification on the basis of natural acceptance and testing in our living ultimately results in ‘realization’ and understanding in us. [br] Verify on the basis of your natural acceptance and Live accordingly to validate it experientially If the proposal is true behavior with human leads to mutual happiness If the proposal is true working with rest of the nature leads to mutual prosperity [br] Results in realization and understanding On having realization and understanding we get [br] Assurance Satisfaction Universality ( Applies to all time, space and individuals). [br] Process of Self Exploration – It is a proposal Don’t assume it to be true [br] Verify it in your own right Not on the basis of scriptures Not on the basis of readings from the instrument [br] Not on the basis of others -Self-verification Take for example a proposal- “respect’ is a value in human relations. When I verify at the level of natural acceptance, I find that it is naturally acceptable to me. Similarly, when I behave with respect, it is mutually fulfilling to me and to others. [br] Thus the proposal is ‘True’. If it fails on any of the two tests, it is untrue. [br] This verification leads to the realization of the truthfulness of the proposal and it becomes part and parcel of my understanding. It is reflected in my thoughts and in my behavior. [br] For Self Exploration we need to expect Natural acceptance: Natural acceptance implies unconditional and total acceptance of the self, people, and environment. It also refers to the absence of any exception from others. Once we fully and truly commit ourselves on the basis of natural acceptance, we feel a holistic sense of inner harmony, tranquillity, and fulfillment. Actually, natural acceptance is a way to accept good things naturally. Learn everything that is good from others, but bring it in, and in our own way absorb it; do not become others. We can easily verify proposals on the basis of the characteristics of natural acceptance mentioned below: Natural acceptance does not change with time: It remains invariant with time. For example, our natural acceptance of trust and respect does not change with age. It does not depend on the place: Whatever we have accepted, in our life, at any time of our age, does not change, even if we move from one place to another one. It does not depend on our beliefs or past conditionings: No matter how deep our beliefs or past conditioning are, as long as we ask ourselves the question sincerely, as long as we refer deep within ourselves, the answer will always be the same.This natural acceptance is ‘ constantly there ‘, something we can refer to as Natural acceptance is always there. Whatever we do, this natural acceptance is within us, it is telling us what is right. Natural acceptance is the same for all of us: it is part and parcel of every human being, it is part of humanness: Though each one of us, may have different likes and dislikes and means to live and to react, etc. if we go deep in our mind the purpose of our work, behavior, efforts, etc. are based on common goals like need to be happy, need to be respected, need to get prosperity. So our basic acceptance remains the same. [br] Experiential Validation Experiential validation is a process that infuses direct experience with the learning environment and content. It may be regarded as a philosophy and methodology in which the direct experience and focused reflection of the individual help to increase knowledge, develop skills, and clarify values. Most of what we know about ourselves is not only through our own opinion of ourselves but also because of how others view us. When what we already believe to be true of us is validated by some situations, phenomena, or outcomes. We may term it experiential validation. Self-exploration takes place in the self and not the body. Svatva, Swatantrata, and Swarajya Related to Each Other This process of self-exploration helps us to identify our swatva and through that acquire swantantrata and swarajya. Swatva means innateness of self – the natural acceptance of harmony. Swatantrata means being self-organized – being in harmony with oneself Swarajya means self-expression, self-extension – living in harmony with others. Swatva Swatantrata Swarajya [br] The swatva is already there, intact in each one of us. By being in dialogue with it, we attain swantantrata enabling us to work for swarajya. Living in contradiction means we are not self-organized and living with pre – conditionings where we have assumed certain things and have accumulated desires without having first evaluated them, then it means we are partantra. On the other hand, when we identify our innateness, what we really want to be, and establish a dialogue with it, it enables us to start living with this harmony, it starts expressing itself through our harmonious behavior and work, and it naturally extends to our participation with the surroundings. This is working towards swarajya. [br] Also, read Basic Aspirations of Human Beings Right Understanding and Relationship and Physical Facilities Understanding Happiness and Prosperity Correctly Understanding and living in Harmony at various levels Understanding Harmony in Human beings engineering subjects human values engineering subjectsHuman values