There are more than two options for how to choose a lifestyle. Just because the 2000s productivity books had an unrealistic model of motivation doesn’t mean that you have to deceive yourself into believing in gods and souls and hand over control of your life to other people.
It’s precisely when handing your life to forces beyond yourself (not Gods, thats just handing your life over to someone else) that you can avoid giving your life over to others/society.
Souls is metaphorical of course, not some essential unchanging part of yourself—just a thing that actually matters, that moves you
Then what do you mean by “forces beyond yourself?” In your original shortform it sounded to me like you meant a movement, an ideology, a religion, or a charismatic leader. Creative inspiration and ideas that you’re excited about aren’t from “beyond yourself” unless you believe in a supernatural explanation, so what does the term actually refer to? I would appreciate some concrete examples.
One way that think about “forces beyond yourself” is pointing to what it feels like to operate from a right-hemisphere dominant mode, as defined by Ian McGilcrist.
The language is deliberately designed to evoke that mode—so while I’ll get more specific here, know that to experience the thing I’m talking about you need to let go of the mind that wants this type of explanation in order to experience what I’m talking about.
When I’m talking about “Higher Forces” I’m talking about states of being that feel like something is moving through you—you’re not a head controlling a body but rather you’re first connecting to, then channeling, then becoming part of a larger universal force.
In my coaching work, I like to use Phil Stutz’s idea of “Higher forces” like Infinite Love, Forward Motion, Self-Expression, etc, as they’re particularly suited for the modern Western Mind.
Here’s how Stutz defines the higher force of Self-Expression on his website:
“The Higher Force You’re Invoking: Self-Expression
The force of Self-Expression allows us to reveal ourselves in a truthful, genuine way—without caring about others’ approval. It speaks through us with unusual clarity and authority, but it also expresses itself nonverbally, like when an athlete is “in the zone.” In adults, this force gets buried in the Shadow. Inner Authority, by connecting you to the Shadow, enables you to resurrect the force and have it flow through you.”
Of course, religions also have names for these type of special states, calling them Muses, Jhanas, Direct Connection to God.
All of these states (while I can and do teach techniques, steps, and systems to invoke them) ultimately can only be accessed through surrender to the moment, faith in what’s there, and letting go of a need for knowing.
There are more than two options for how to choose a lifestyle. Just because the 2000s productivity books had an unrealistic model of motivation doesn’t mean that you have to deceive yourself into believing in gods and souls and hand over control of your life to other people.
It’s precisely when handing your life to forces beyond yourself (not Gods, thats just handing your life over to someone else) that you can avoid giving your life over to others/society.
Souls is metaphorical of course, not some essential unchanging part of yourself—just a thing that actually matters, that moves you
Then what do you mean by “forces beyond yourself?” In your original shortform it sounded to me like you meant a movement, an ideology, a religion, or a charismatic leader. Creative inspiration and ideas that you’re excited about aren’t from “beyond yourself” unless you believe in a supernatural explanation, so what does the term actually refer to? I would appreciate some concrete examples.
One way that think about “forces beyond yourself” is pointing to what it feels like to operate from a right-hemisphere dominant mode, as defined by Ian McGilcrist.
The language is deliberately designed to evoke that mode—so while I’ll get more specific here, know that to experience the thing I’m talking about you need to let go of the mind that wants this type of explanation in order to experience what I’m talking about.
When I’m talking about “Higher Forces” I’m talking about states of being that feel like something is moving through you—you’re not a head controlling a body but rather you’re first connecting to, then channeling, then becoming part of a larger universal force.
In my coaching work, I like to use Phil Stutz’s idea of “Higher forces” like Infinite Love, Forward Motion, Self-Expression, etc, as they’re particularly suited for the modern Western Mind.
Here’s how Stutz defines the higher force of Self-Expression on his website:
“The Higher Force You’re Invoking: Self-Expression The force of Self-Expression allows us to reveal ourselves in a truthful, genuine way—without caring about others’ approval. It speaks through us with unusual clarity and authority, but it also expresses itself nonverbally, like when an athlete is “in the zone.” In adults, this force gets buried in the Shadow. Inner Authority, by connecting you to the Shadow, enables you to resurrect the force and have it flow through you.”
Of course, religions also have names for these type of special states, calling them Muses, Jhanas, Direct Connection to God.
All of these states (while I can and do teach techniques, steps, and systems to invoke them) ultimately can only be accessed through surrender to the moment, faith in what’s there, and letting go of a need for knowing.