Too Much Skepticism = Ambivalence?

[ShadowWalker]

I watched the video on True vs False Skepticism and Pyrrhonism sounds very much like an approach that is close to my intuitive way of looking at the world. I'm not claiming that I'm faultless at it, but simply that my default way of reasoning is more or less aligned with it. The benefits are fairly evident and well worth looking into it, but let's talk about some of the risks. It's a subject that's been on my mind lately, even before learning about this philosophy.

True skepticism is indeed a great way to avoid delusion and dogmatic beliefs, but at what cost? Yes, in dualism truth is a matter of context, but beyond inner work, how relevant is this, in a world that does not tolerate ambivalence well?

We all know media is especially guilty at being intolerant to nuanced information, but this also extends to the majority of normal people, and those who've achieved a high enough level of consciousness are not always in the mood for deep evaluation of subtle facts. Marketing is another good example - everything tends to have a niche, or obvious, even exaggerated characteristics. Being refined and well-rounded does not tend to translate into massive success, even if it is a good foundation for sorting out your inner state and dissolving delusions. Even in dating you are far more likely to have an abundance of options if you fit into some type or "brand", that is recognizable to your potential partner. When people can't easily put a tag on you, they don't know what to make of you and in the interest of preserving mental power they tend to unconsciously ignore you or even assume you are malicious or disingenuous.

A couple quotes come to mind:

"The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom"- William Blake

"Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess." - Oscar Wilde

As well as the phrase "extreme views, weakly held"

What are your views and experience? Do you have any heuristics when it comes to choosing whether to apply skepticism and/or moderation, and to what degree?

[Leo Gura]

6 hours ago, ShadowWalker said:

Being refined and well-rounded does not tend to translate into massive success

That's right, which is why true spirituality isn't flashy, grand, or opulent. It's so humble you don't even notice that it's present.

The cost of spirituality is surrendering your materialism. Which means surrendering money, power, sex, mainstream culture, and mindless entertainment. Who wants to make that sacrifice? Only those who really value truth. Which is very rare.

On the other hand, you can successfully temper all this if you want by learning to walk the walk and talk the talk of ordinary people. You will be like an invisible man who puts on a set of clothing to avoid freaking people out.

Balancing theory vs practice is a very tricky issue. I'll have an important video about that in the future. You have to learn to operate at both ends of the spectrum. So you can be deeply philosophical one minute, then totally practical the next, and allow the two to interpenetrate each other as is most optimal for the given situation. It's like juggling, a physical skill set that must be learned by doing it a lot. There can be no rigid formula for juggling. It's an artful dance.

[ShadowWalker]

Fair distinction. I was asking based on the premise that we're engaging in a karmic return to the material world after the realization of absolute truth.

Matt Kahn puts it quite eloquently:

Quote

The personal self is the nucleus of eternal truth. It is the sacred vessel through which Source energy expresses its absolute presence as the individuality and unlimited potential of human form. This means being human is not a substandard level of consciousness, but an opportunity to manifest the ecstasy of your presence as a tangible work of art.

A true master does not just convey truths beyond the world of time and space, but demonstrates the grace of heart-centered consciousness by walking with their own divinity as the innocence and imperfections of an evolving world. To deny the personal self is to develop a spiritual ego, where the uncertainty of life is bypassed for a bigger cosmic picture to hide in.

Quote

Our greatest offering of surrender is not surrendering our humanity, but surrender through the willingness to be human.

I've been thinking about taking the best of both worlds so to speak, by tackling slightly more mainstream topics or stylistics than I am naturally inclined, so that I am relevant to my surrounding and more relatable, yet imbuing the manner in which I approach and present things with the wisdom and depth I've cultivated through inner work. Sounds kind of abstract, but I think you've been achieving this very skillfully whenever you engage a more approachable topic and while I would appreciate tips, I also agree with your references to juggling or riding a tricycle.

Edited May 4, 2017 by ShadowWalker
typo

[Guest username]

@ShadowWalker What exactly do you have in mind?