THE APPLE DOESN’T FALL FAR FROM THE TREE
by J
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree it seems. An old saying handed down from generation to generation. We all know what it means; that we are the same as our parents right? If we really go into this, deeply inquiring about it, in honest, loving self examination, we will begin to see. See, in many cases reluctantly, that we are programmed to be someone whom others, be they our parents, teachers, or society in general, (all outside influences) have taught us to be. This begs the question, is this programmed person our actual real Self? As a child, we had very little control over what went into that programming. If we are not our real Self, then who are we?
Some of this programmed scripted self will be useful to us. We all were taught, that to cross the street when cars were coming is not a wise course of action. This, obviously is useful, as well as many other examples of our programming. That said, how much of the programmed self do we choose? How much of it is what someone else decided was good for us? What degree of the programmed person we are, did outside forces decided we should be, do, and have in out lives? Looking at this from a computer perspective, who wrote the programmed script? Do we agree with that script, that programming? Do we choose it?
Now let us come full circle; “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” All of this seems very simplistic, very basic, right? Ah, until you try an break free from this scripted false self. Then it becomes very, very complicated, not to mention difficult. Why is that? Why do we not just drop the programmed part of our selves we do not agree with? Like a hot piece of iron? We will get into that, but let us consider in many people this inability to break free of the programmed self creates an underlying tension. An uneasiness in all who will not, or cannot see this. Even if they do see it, there is an enormous resistance to successfully breaking free of it. Why is there resistance? Not only is there resistance, this resistance creates an underlying dis-ease ultimately resulting in disease, or self-centered, self destructive behavior, brought about by unhappiness over all, due to following a script you are not. If one is okay with the scripted self they are, one should be peaceful, contented, happy, most of the time right? If peaceful most of the time, every cell in the body would react in a positive way.
Let us consider people diagnosed with a terminal disease in medical cases where the patient has lived. Faith healing or whatever the reason, they lived, countering the doctors prognosis. There are similarities in these cases. Of course the cases are different, but many of them had some of the following. Many of the them had faith, hope and most of all love. They had joy in their being. They were positive and had an acceptance of what was. They were contentedly peaceful. Where is this peace to be found? It seems that whenever unhappiness occurs it is preceded by excessive thinking mixed with strong emotions about the past or future (projected memory). This is the egoic minds programming, controlling us with unbelievable power. In many people it has them believing they are the programmed person they were taught to be.
Let us consider the indoctrination in the extreme. Controlling from birth the child’s programming, basically brainwashing them. The person is then so completely controlled they become whatever the programmer determines that they should be. Some people subjected to this of course break out of this extreme programmed scenario, it is conceded. The majority however do not. These people seem happy and contentedly running on a very apparent auto pilot program, like a computer program, programmed into their life, controlling them. Why are simple minded people happy? Because they were intensely and deeply programmed to be so? In a very real sense, they are not even really there at all. They are in a state of unconscious dreaming, like sleep walking, as are most people at present. The extremely indoctrinated are but an obvious example of it. The main and only difference actually, is that it is simply more obvious than most other people. This seems to be because most other unconscious people are the majority, the status quo is accepted and then embraced. But in a very real sense there indoctrination is, well, different, and that is all. Most peoples indoctrinated selves are simply not as isolated. Not as blatantly obvious. Their indoctrinated selves are of a greater collective, emanating from many different sources. Where as the extreme fanatics programming is derived from a much more narrow source. The life they live and are indoctrinated into are primarily what they are exposed to. This articles aim then, is to awaken the reader to the reality of the indoctrinated self. This of course would be the first step in the development of the programmed self and subsequently the breaking free of this indoctrinated scripted self.
What then would be the goal in all this? To be happy? Let us together, go into that. Consider that if you are living out a life that was preordained for you, a life you did not do a thorough examination of, determining which part of the script you choose and which part you do not choose. Are you then the real you? Then one must ask, “Who is it within me that determines all of this.” Is there the thinker, and is this thinker a tool? Is there a separate Self? Which one is real and which one is the pseudo self? Wouldn’t the pseudo self be the memories and or projected memories stored in the brain like a computer program? Is not the real Self outside of those memory images? There for the purpose of serving our needs, not controlling us, fostering an identification as us? Should thought, and memories, past and future, be a tool, serving us?
Let us now return to the idea of happiness. What is it to live a good life? A good quality of life generally, is to feel happy and safe right? When we are feeling happy is it not when we are engaging the part of the script WE choose? And that feeling of happiness, is it not found here, in the present moment? In this very moment, outside of time bound memory images? We may have pleasant memories or future projected memories, which bring happiness, but are they not happening in this very moment? Doesn’t happiness, peace, and contentment happen now? Does not everything happen now? Isn’t all freedom, all reality, happening in the present moment? In this here and now? Is discontentment usually associated with excessive thought, combined with excessively emotionally charged thinking? Pulling us into concern over the past or future, worries? Joy, a peacefully, being contentedly here in this moment. Engagement of life now, seeing, hearing, smelling, feeling, tasting, each moment as it arises here, is where happiness, our happiness exists.
Stop reading and close the eyes for a moment. Be just this moment. This is a peaceful feeling of a contented bliss. Can you feel it? When it is strong we feel light as air, and time seems to stand still. This feeling tends to ebb and flow. This peace, is pure beauty. It exists in the moment. Moving with effortless ease in a continuity. At times it is overwhelming. An unidentified oneness with all that is. Outside of time. This is the timelessness of here, the joy of the present moment. A carefree energy flowing through everything. It is this moment of acceptance, the peacefully being in the zone. Then how do we keep this? How do we stay in the present moment? How do we reclaim our energy from our egoic mind/programming? How do we rekindle the loving, peaceful, joy, which is our actual Self? You say, “Okay, I have experienced a beautiful sunset, where I do not think about it and am just there. I have experienced being in the zone in my favorite sport, not thinking, just being there. I have experienced my child being born. How do I keep this then? How do I free myself from the programmed person I was taught to be?