| It seems that there is a contradiction between the | | | | subatomic level, again there is no substance. There are |
| psychology of transcendence and the spiritual idea of | | | | just probability patterns that literally flit in and out of |
| transcendence. | | | | existence! For example, an electron can appear under |
| Psychologists believe that through the proper | | | | an observing instrument then disappear, then reappear |
| application of intelligence and self-cognition one can | | | | again. There literally is no stuff! This is why the |
| have a full and enjoyable life, with wealth, health, and a | | | | Vedantists say that the world is Maya, or illusory. |
| great relationship, as well as a sense of communal | | | | Yet to all purposes, on the macroscopic level, both an |
| belonging and contribution. | | | | intelligent being and an intelligible world appear to exist. |
| Those in spiritual groups, in particular of an eastern | | | | On this level, personal growth and advancement is |
| orientation, believe that one has to get rid of the lustful | | | | necessary, not because it means anything on a |
| ego that craves only fleeting things and to unify with | | | | cosmic scale, but because there is literally nothing else |
| divine consciousness. | | | | to do with this adventure of life. You can either resist |
| The most popular compromise to resolve this seeming | | | | evolution and suffer all kinds of lack or you can |
| paradox is that you have to build up the self and let it | | | | embrace evolution and the refining of mind and enjoy |
| go. In Vedic philosophy this is expressed as becoming | | | | fulfillment of resources and experiences. |
| a householder in the first stages of life then retiring to | | | | Thus, when you look at things from the view of levels |
| pursue transcendence. | | | | of perception, all contradictions disappear, just as the |
| Yet most believe, because of cognitive dissonance, | | | | contradiction of day and night disappears when you |
| that they should choose one view or the other. | | | | understand that the sun and earth are in a cosmic |
| Thus, there are those who believe that they should be | | | | dance. |
| worldly and experience the world as it appears to be. | | | | It is possible to be engaged in the world and to actually |
| Then there are those who believe that they should | | | | enjoy it and at the same time to enjoy meditation and |
| reject the world and dedicate themselves to getting | | | | contemplation to experience the inner sky of blissful |
| out of the misery of the cycle of birth and death. | | | | freedom. It is by no means an easy path, but after a |
| Here is another way of understanding this paradox. | | | | while, they will support each other. Material success |
| The self is a transcendent consciousness. It is not | | | | and harmonious relationships will give you the |
| limited to a particular body or a particular lifetime. | | | | opportunity to retreat to your inner work. Similarly your |
| Because it is not anything in particular, the "I" is not an | | | | inner work will contribute to your increase of |
| "it." This is why Buddhists say there is "no-self." | | | | abundance and maintaining a loving relationship with |
| Similarly, the world itself is entirely illusory. I don't mean | | | | others. |
| this metaphorically or even psychologically. At the | | | | |