The Five Basic Problems that are Obstacles to Growth

[Lewis]

Basic Five (5) Problems
There are 5 basic problems that inhibit spiritual growth and are obstinately fixed in human nature; such as:
• Money
• Pleasure
• Family
• Race/Religion
• Ego
The above problems were originated and acknowledged by my teacher’s mentor, Dr. Fredrick Kittner. He saw the great obstacle to true spiritual intelligence, awakening and growth when one or more of these basic problems become obstinately fixed. One or more may rule our life which are driven by our emotions, such as desire and ambition.
We all are driven by our emotions which are easy triggered by external influences. Example: as a child, we see a friend ride a new bike and suddenly are demanding our parents to buy one. A friend may have the latest iPhone and now we want one.
Money can be a problem when it dominates our thinking, feeling and being. We associate money to all of our desires and pleasures. Money is highly desirable and people go to great lengths and dangers to covet it and can be obstinately fixed in their mind. Reason has no power over any desires that are obstinately fixed and have great power over us. The lottery attracts over 30 million people.
Pleasures that are excessive may lead to addictions such as alcohol, sex, drugs, food and shopping. Pleasures at this level are to offset pain. We are escaping from the discomforts of rejection, failure, loss, emptiness, and loneliness. These pleasures temporarily comfort us and ultimately create new problems.
Family: Most are born into a dysfunctional family. The environment lacks love, caring, nurturing, discipline, rules, limitations, guidance, setting boundaries, appreciation and family participation in chores. The home environment is a breeding ground for prejudice, hate, anger, frustration and expectations that are unreachable. We learn how to be and exist in the world and follow by poor effort standards which develop into a poor sense of self or information to succeed.
Race, an individual may be lost in his belief that his race or color is superior or inferior depending on societal views. This problem can be such an obstruction to growth and spiritual development.
Ego can be easily inflated or diminished by the simplest comment such as: a compliment or rejection. Excessive pride is a belief that we are doing something special or we have something that is far superior to others. This exaggeration of power creates the imagination that anything willfully desired is attainable. The opposite of pride and feelings of superiority are feelings of inferiority or worthlessness: The ego is subjected to both polarities. Ego is a poor representation of self. It thrives from the 1st level of knowledge, which is, “hearsay and experience” without clarity or understanding. Ego relies on memory, words, images, beliefs and premises. Ego believes in free-will and is the free cause of his actions.
The purpose and goal of the “Way-of-Spinoza” is to activate the part of the mind that wants to understand, which is our true intelligence. It lives in the now and it endeavors to strengthen itself through efforts of applying its understanding to specific daily issues and problems. There is no problem too small or too big. Clarity of mind can be developed by examining clearly step by step the issues as we factualize the problem. We look at the facts, the feelings and our emotions which are touched by the problems and situation faced daily. Our real sense of ‘Self’ is developed by this effort, the effort to understand our emotions and confusions. The goal is freedom from confusion with clarity of mind. We know the laws that manifest from Him, that is, this infinite being that is the cause of all that is.
• The law of necessity
• The law of self-preservation
These laws manifest everywhere throughout nature and follow from the law of necessity and the law of self-preservation. Free-will is an illusion and the understanding knows that we act from a preset condition and that freedom is attained when our emotions are understood and the necessity that follows from their nature. That is true freedom!
Lewis Almeida

[Author]

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