Reality Principle

Reality is an individual's perception. Who is to say whose perception is right. Of course, there are folks out there whose mindsets may be completely delutionsal or fanatical and most of the "norm" would see their perception so skewed as to be irrational and not reality based. As far as should haves and could haves, which I agree are counter-productive, does not necessarity mean that a person does not believe in a higher power or higher intelligence governing their lives and world. It would seem that the world is more grey than black and white. It's my belief that no one is ever at the same level of "intelligence" – communion with our higher power, and therefore everyone's reality will never be the same. Perhaps some folks aren't resisting the reality principle, they just have to sift the reality they allow in their lives in order to survive.

Nancy, you are right completely. The reality principle doesn't hold that one cannot argue with is-ness. It holds that arguing with is-ness is difficult. Our perception of Mount Everest does not alter the mountain, only how we see it. In a practical sense, when we step off a high building, we fall down, or, when we move one end of the stick, we move the other end of the stick, too, etc.

I don't know the term "is-ness" – could you clarify for me?

Is-ness, for lack of a better word, refers to what "is", without judgment, filter, rationalization, words or even us as observers. It always refers to the present moment, and is never circumstantial. It excludes other forms of existence – wished for, imagined, past, future, pre-fixed with "if" or similar. For example, we sometimes describe human behavior as inhuman. Is-ness would hold human behavior is human always, regardless of the obervers' reasoning, justification or appropriateness. Is-ness is not easy to put into words, I hope to have somewhat succeeded.

so how does is-ness fit in with the spirit?

Nancy, excellent question! There's basically "nothing in between" … Spirit, too, is what it is "without judgment, filter or rationalization." The primary means of perception being feelings, how does "Spirit" feel to you? The answer to your question is in how Spirit feels, to you. Let me call upon an anecdote to illustrate the point: a visitor to Niels Bohr's country cottage, noticing a horseshoe hanging on the wall, teased him – a scientist (Nobel Prize in Physics in 1922 and friend of Albert Einstein's) – about this ancient superstition. "Can it be that you, of all people, believe it will bring you luck?" "Of course not," Niels Bohr replied, "but I understand it brings you luck whether you believe or not."