Genghis Khan

Music can make a considerable impact on the way a person feels and thinks, and subliminally effects a person's mood and brain function. Music can set the mood, and add a dramatic flare to the moment which can often times make the experience of the present far more vivid and memorable. Think of how music is utilized in cinema. It adds a dramatic effect to the scenes as a method of expressing the emotions in the film. Sad moments in a film are far more effective when accompanied with the appropriate music. When building suspense, the feeling can be transmitted through the notes and rhythm. To me, music is an incredibly awesome, mysterious, and magical phenomenon which has existed as a feature of every society and every human life for as long as human history has been recorded. Music is essentially the use of sound to program and manipulate human minds. Churches sing hymns. Grocery stores play music to subliminally effect your mood. Performing bands cause people to dance, and various genres can arouse a vast array of unique reactions. Even the little intro in Actualized.Org is deliberately placed there to prepare your mind and set the mood. Music is a tool of mind control. It seems to arouse something in the human brain. It appears that our ability to perceive music must stem from our ability to perceive emotional inflections of human voices. In music theory, the seven modes, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, and Locrian all arouse a unique human emotion. These modes originate from the ancient Greek philosophers Plato, Aristotle, and Pythagoras. In those times music was used to treat anxiety, depression, and heal the soul. Needless to say, music has a tremendous effect on humans. "Musical training is a more potent instrument than any other, because rhythm and harmony find their way into the inward places of the soul, on which they mightily fasten, imparting grace, and making the soul of him who is rightly educated graceful, or of him who is ill-educated ungraceful." ~Socrates “Music directly imitates the passions or states of the soul…when one listens to music that imitates a certain passion, he becomes imbued with the same passion; and if over a long time he habitually listens to music that rouses ignoble passions, his whole character will be shaped to an ignoble form.” ~Aristotle "Any musical innovation is full of danger to the whole state, and ought to be prohibited. When modes of music change, the fundamental laws of the state always change with them" ~Aristotle "They were men of genius, but they had no perception of what was just and lawful in music...And by composing licentious works, and adding to them words as licentious, they have inspired the multitude with lawlessness and boldness, and made them fancy that they could judge for themselves about melody and song...in music there first arose the universal conceit of omniscience and general lawlessness; freedom came following afterwards, and men, fancying that they knew what they did not know, had no longer any fear, and the absence of fear begets shamelessness. For what is this shamelessness, which is so evil a thing, but the insolent refusal to regard the opinion of the better by reason of an over-daring sort of liberty?" ~Plato What kind of music do you listen to? How many of you are musicians? What role can music play in Self-Actualization? Music has a considerable influence on identity, personality, emotions, mood, outlook, and mindset. You may find that the music you listen to every day is adversely affecting the mood of your life, for better or worse. In my personal experience, my personal development skyrocketed once I seriously took upon the discipline of musicianship. To me, music is utterly fascinating and nothing else has ever been as fulfilling. I've noticed that my meditation has gotten deeper and easier after I began practicing my instrument habitually. As my meditation, mindfulness, and patience develops my musical ability increases. As my musical ability increases, my consciousness seemed to have increased. I find myself being far more playful than usual, more laid back and present, more productive, staying up through the night, but with no stress. I lost the ability to take life's problems seriously. I can't live life stressed out as I once have, I just simply let go and I'm happier than I ever was. Simply sharing an experience. Positive changes to myself have coincided with the study of music. Perhaps finding a passion provided relief. Please share any thoughts on how music affects us.

https://youtu.be/7TO_oHxuk6c https://youtu.be/KtJRVL0sE10 The ancient greek philosophers based the seven modes on the Greek Lyre. The Greek Lyre was the instrument used to administer musical therapy. One of those is the harp but it is very similar to the Lyre. I also listen to that flavor of music. Metal, to be exact. But I often bounce around between different genres to keep it interesting.

@White Very insightful actually. Thanks for your information. Spiral dynamics makes much more sense when one takes lines into consideration. Your statement may very be accurate considering my own introspection. I'm not 2nd tier, but as you said, I'm capable of 2nd tier cognition, when analyzing the world around me. So I've gained a sophisticated perception of knowledge itself and how to treat it. As in I'm construct-aware. However my cognitive ability to penetrate the perception of a 2nd tier perspective has not been integrated with my entire psyche. I could consider that I have green values based on what I emotionally lean towards. I'm orange in approach when it comes to professional life, through and through. Behind all this, I have blue tendencies, which must be dug up, obviously. Do you think I am unique in this regard? Or is it simply the result of an unconscious mind striving to be more conscious and aware of the truth of this reality and is a commnality among people working towards a larger perception of reality, and in turn, of themselves? Your advice is valid. I found the scientific paper on the wilber combs matrix. It will take time to read through it.

@White That's probably too pricey for me. I did find a free test and the results were quite interesting. Of course the results can be attributed more to the test than myself, depending on it's design. But I'll share them because as it turns out, I happen to be blue. 26% Blue 20% Orange 20% Green 13% Yellow 20% Turquoise Judging from these results, I must have a very conflicted mind, or perhaps very flexible. Maybe it represents the differing aspects of my psychology. It may be worth taking into consideration that Yellow is the weakest of my attributes. This suggests Yellow stage thinking is something I lack, revealing where work needs to be done. @Leo Gura I agree. My perception of these stages should be concise enough to measure myself after viewing your in depth explanation of each stage. Personally, I find your manner of speaking and approach to these topics very illuminating and easy to comprehend. I trust these videos are being released consecutively? Not to be pushy, but the anticipation is killing me!

I can definitely appreciate the spirit of positive blue people in my life. They have strong integrity and never deviate from their principles. They really truly believe in their religion and country and are totally immersed in striving to be an impeccably "good" person. I find it rather charming but they don't see past their own biases to understand that people who disagree with their ideology are actually trying to be the best person they can, just as they are. Personally, I find it rather difficult to follow this mindset myself but that's only evidence that I'm not blue. Does there exist any test to determime what stage one lies? Asides from examination by someone who is well versed in psychology and utilization of this model?

In the Spiral Dynamics theory, each colored stage represents different modes of thinking, or perspectives of the world with different sets of values and behavior. For each stage we find clear examples in the real world, except for the higher stages. For example, the Blue stage is exemplified by religious fundamentalism, the Amish, authoritarian states, and ideological puritans. Orange is exemplified by shrewd businessmen and corporations, self-interested strategic planners, the Industrial revolution, etc. Green is exemplified by organizations like Greenpeace, hippies, environmentalists, world peace movements, egalitarian and altruistic ideas, etc. After Green, one reaches the 2nd tier, and there is stage yellow (systems thinking), followed by the turquoise stage (holistic thinking) and at this point there appears to be difficulty in pointing to a clear example of somebody who personifies the yellow stage. It is even more difficult to find someone who is at the turquoise stage. So in this thread I would like to see if anyone can point me to any famous person who is a good example of a systems thinker (yellow), or a holistic thinker (turquoise).

It's important to remember that what we perceive Trump to be may simply be a result of his public image, and not what his mode of thinking may be in private. The same applies to Obama, who may appear more "high minded" than Trump, but in private he may or may not operate in a fashion that more closely resembles stage Orange. It's easily possible that Trump gives us this perception because his public image is crafted to appeal to an Orange constituency. Another factor to point out is that thinking in terms of systems (in the sense of calculating decisions based on examining systematic repercussions) is essential to run a modern state, and most heads of state are surrounded by advisors, minimizing any rash political decision. Why wouldn't it be possible for a politician to engage in systemic thinking within their political career, but not in their personal life? For me, there's so many factors involved that it's very difficult to determine if someone is 2nd tier, unless they have a collection of written work to indicate it.

Some of these have confused me a bit. Obama? How can a modern politician be 2nd Tier? Gandhi also confused me a bit, he was the same man who said, "Your Petitioner has seen the Location intended to be used by the Indians. It would place them, who are undoubtedly infinitely superior to the Kaffirs, in close proximity to the latter." May I ask, what is the common criteria to determine, or at least estimate, whether a celebrity is on the 2nd tier of the Spiral Dynamics model?

A kindly old man who performs good deeds can also be well read, and a genius in science and worldly knowledge. Why not take both? They don't contradict eachother. A mad scientist versus an Indian guru. Not everyone will fall into either extreme.

Bump again

"Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you bearing a pitcher of water... follow him into the house where he entereth in." — Jesus, Luke 22:10 As we all know, the symbol for the Age of Aquarius is a bearer of water. Jesus Christ is often regarded as the harbinger of the Age of Pisces, the previous age. The world is steadily changing around us, old worldviews and old lifestyles are becoming obsolete while new ideas are arising. This rise of a New Age (no pun intended) can be correlated with the recent New Age worldview. These beliefs include but are not limited to astrological signs, channeling a higher power to gain knowledge, meditation, the belief that all is one (monism), the belief that mankind can achieve Godhood, esoteric ideas (reinterpreting ancient texts) to unify all religious beliefs into one, the belief that we need a one world system for the coming Age of Aquarius. By one world system I mean the political, cultural, and social movements to establish a one world government, one world ideology, one world race one world economy, and one world culture, to unite humanity in a way which is unmatched in human history. These beliefs are being reflected in society, and are in fact, already permeating in mainstream culture. The economy is global, the races are diluting and mixing, cultures around the world are diluting into one, fundamentalist religion is decaying (some religions quicker than others but the trend is still consistent), and the world is drifting towards a one world governance. The new age world view is coincided with and works hand in hand with Freemasonry, and Theosophy movements. They also teach that each age is sparked by a New Age teacher, Jesus Christ being the harbinger of Pisces, and a new teacher will arise for the age of Aquarius. Now why do I present this idea for speculation on this forum? Well the short answer is because this forum is part of the movement. The people who push the New Age movement believe in ascended masters, enlightenment, gaining a deeper understanding and full worldview, and they seem to be people who have pursued self-actualization and truth through studying many worldviews and learning from masters. They believe all prophets and teachers from Buddha to Lao Tzu, to Christ, are all worth studying and taking into account, and is eerily similar to the approach that is seemingly promoted on this forum and Leo's videos. The stated goals of H.P. Blavatsky, in The Key To Theosophy were to unite humanity in brotherhood, promote study of ALL world religions, and unlock the mysteries of nature. This is quite similar views to what I often see in Leo's videos and on this forum, especially regarding attaining higher consciousness and of course, Spiral Dynamics. I want to know what you people think about this movement that is gaining momentum the way Christianity was gaining momentum 2000 years ago. Is it a sign of a new collective human consciousness? Personally, I'm not sure what to make of it. My view on this stuff is very benign.

The prophecy may not intrinsically be true, but powerful people hold this ideology, and therefore, have the ability to make it true. New Age beliefs are the pantheon of a new religion, setting the stage for widespread conversion. Again, if people believe in it, it might as well be considered a real prophecy, since it is based in humanism, and human advancements towards specific goals.

Bump

Why look at this as one or the other? Both self inquiry and meditation come hand in hand when achieving enlightenment. Meditation helps achieve a relaxed and cool state of mind, which is fundamental in doing proper self inquiry. In conclusion, doing both techniques at the same time will create a process in which both practices compliment eachother.

@Leo Gura That's true too, i would also suspect things like GMOs, and other garbage in the food. I'm just not convinced it's some kind of incurable genetic disorder that can only be eased by pharmaceutical stimulants, and that this genetic disorder is also an epidemic among kids across the country in every school. That i know is bullshit.

Far away from the city is certainly more peaceful. If you like being alone most of the time rather than with people then go for it! However if you like being around people all the time then be in the city.

I can link some studies that link sodium fluoride to ADD and ADHD. It's a industrial biproduct dumped into the public water and in toothpaste. It builds up in the brain and can cause some serious problems. It is my own certainty that if ADD is real it's solely from sodium fluoride, and i don't drink it. I urge you to do some research on fluoride. Leo is right about diet being a factor http://www.newsweek.com/water-fluoridation-linked-higher-adhd-rates-312748 http://www.healthnewsreview.org/2015/03/water-fluoridation-and-adhd-newsweek-wades-into-the-quagmire/

Could you please elaborate on the feeling one would have around an enlightened person? I'm interested in finding someone who has attained Enlightenment. What do you mean by vibration?

Aren't there signs at the external level to tell if one is enlightened?

That might outnumber the other common locations.

Indeed there's a reason Leo said it requires atleast 1000 hours of deep contemplation. But once enlightenment finally occurs there's no more struggle

There's no YOU to have free will. You are not mastering an instrument because you don't exist. You are just a thought, thoughts are just sensory phenomena just like sight and sound, which is just colors and vibrations, the thought that you exist is not exempt from that. This text on this screen are just colors contrasting in random patterns rationalized by other senses called thoughts. That's all it boils down to, is random phenomenon.

Florida, The U.S. of A. I imagine a meetup in the United States would be the most convenient way to meet up, atleast for me but I assume there's plenty of Americans here

One apparent obstacle I found in personal development, in terms of trying to achieve amazing things with my life. Which is my established goal, though vague. I pondered about what the greatest things someone could achieve would be and in truth, in all practicality, there isn't much. Look at history, when one could band together some warriors, conquer and pillage, and become a legendary king (Such as Genghis Khan, my username). Obviously, that kind of success is inappropriate and somewhat impossible in this day and age. Nor is there really a cause to fight for. There's nothing huge I could make for my life, no huge ambition. But to focus on the topic, it is in my opinion that this inability to achieve something truly fulfilling can be attributed to modern society. What am I to work towards? Most people in their free time just sit around and watch television in their past time besides working. I can try to make money, but all I get out of that is a bigger TV, but still the same empty existence of working every day and just trying to relax in my past time. This society is a sort of open prison, all I can do is work towards earning green paper and obtaining cheap pleasures, which is all I've ever had offered to me to look forward to. I have to spend the first 12 years of my life in a school indoctrinating me into this system with other people in the same zoo. The catch is, if I don't like playing by these rules I get put in a cage. I'm told that I get ahead by going to college but it looks to me that all that will accomplish is massive amounts of life long debt. So my only option is to work, retire, and die. I cannot help but question this system I am living in. I was simply born in this world, knowing nothing, and I have to live this life and I just want to know what is going on. Am I ruining myself seeking for answers? I'm in this personal development field to find a way to get the most out of life and not be trapped in the void of empty existence. I want to be an inspiration to other people with something to be proud of, but how can I do so when there's nothing to gain in this system. It's not as easy redrawing the world in your own image as it once was. It all just seems to fake and manufactured, it's just not right and it's hard to accept. So my question is, how do I do it? It feels like I could either be a pessimistic asshole or an ignorant tool, either way I'm screwed. Is the answer to all these problems the pursuit of Enlightenment? Is that the way out of this whole predicament?

"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees" We must transcend these programmings and limitations we built for ourselves and take full control and independence and overcome fear and carve the world out in our image rather than sit complacent.