Now that we have illuminated & clarified the major differences related to how the three Zones of Being are internally known & perceived, it is time to examine how they differ in “the real world” – namely the different ways that the members of these Zones “wake up;” how they quite distinctively interact with (& quite distinctively thereby affect) their surroundings, as well as how those same interactions ultimately generate a unique set of affects &/or consequences. Initially, we look to how enlivening each of the three Zones differently affects one’s body and mind …

*Concerning the body, whereas Zone 1 advocates experience radical vacillations between moments of feeling energized & times they feel fatigued (or even exhausted), Zone 2 acolytes focus much of their attention on getting “proper rest & recuperation” – on “recharging their batteries” via soaking in regular stints of relaxation, inactivity, leisure, &/or “self-help.” In bold contrast, Zone 3 participants are re-energized by their loving deeds – with the more selflessly (i.e. humbly &/or intimately &/or self-sacrificially) they serve others, the longer & more potently they are able to do so.

*Similarly, while Zone 1 affiliates repeatedly swing between moments of good health and times of suffering (physical pains, illnesses, &/or impairments), Zone 2 disciples expend large amounts of energy on “being healthier” (e.g. physical fitness, proper sleep, good nutrition, regular stretching, etc) – a choice that is not “bad” per se, and yet one which is both innately self-centered (and therefor profoundly weakened) and inevitably frustrating. Zone 3 enthusiasts, on the other hand, find themselves always at Peace – reveling with others Joy-fully in the times they feel vibrant, and serving others far more powerfully in the moments they are in dis-ease.

*As far as the mind is concerned, representatives of both Zone 1 & Zone 2 find themselves repeatedly mired in dualistic worldviews that are ever-ladled with judgment, conflict, & discord – with Zone 1 confederates drenching their minds with the discordant concepts of “right vs wrong” or “us vs them” or “friend vs foe,” & Zone 2 crusaders soaking their spirits with the abstractions of “fake vs real” or “bad vs better” or “ignorant vs intelligent.” Contrastingly, Zone 3 contributors intentionally set these dichotomies (and all those like them) aside in favor of seeing the familial beneath the adversarial and the friend within every enemy – and then acting accordingly thereafter. These are the people who have come to understand that truly Peace-full thoughts can only arise while acting Peace-fully.

*In addition, the three different Zones of Being manifest unmistakably unique character traits. Consider: While Zone 1 proponents get agitated or annoyed and Zone 2 devotees become disappointed when things don’t go their way, Zone 3 enliveners remain grateful regardless (for the ever-present opportunities to serve others, and for simply being alive at all). While Zone 1 backers get angry and Zone 2 followers get annoyed or become frustrated with those behaving aggressively, Zone 3 adherents remain forgiving towards them regardless. While Zone 1 servants feel saddened by and Zone 2 accomplices feel pity for others’ tragedies, Zone 3 supporters exude compassion for them regardless. And while Zone 1 satellites are fearful of the unknown and Zone 2 crusaders deal cautiously with the same, Zone 3 participants remain ever-courageous in their Caring.

*Zone 1 advocates are those who use the perceptions of their own ego to determine & validate what they believe to be real. These are the people who regularly retreat to the conventional and the familiar and the comfortable and the pleasurable; a mindset that inevitably breeds discontent, discord, and despair. Zone 2 acolytes similarly rely on their own senses & opinions to construct a self-centered worldview, and yet tend to focus the same more on finding their own “center” (&/or “dissolving into self”) than on discovering the center of their surroundings or “the truth” of the Cosmos in general. These are the people who vacillate between feeling lost &/or confused and then feeling “awakened” &/or certain after periods of “growth” or learning; a mindset that inevitably leads to distance, subservience, &/or meaninglessness. Zone 3 assistants, in sparkling contrast, are simultaneously aware of two salient facts: A) that the human body does not posses the requisite equipment needed to perceive its surroundings with any real objectivity, and B) that their lives can become potently “real” regardless – by harmonizing their own individual subset of the Whole with all other facets nearby; doing so in every moment they boldly choose to replace their own desires with actions that boldly attempt to make others’ lives more Peace-full.

 

 

*Zone 1 affiliates tend to see others through lenses that are egocentric; thereby believing that the vast majority of other people are “normal” or ordinary, and that only a handful of individuals are truly exceptional in any tangible way (e.g. exceptionally talented or exceptionally moral or exceptionally evil or exceptionally kind etc). They also believe that “the downtrodden” (those suffering from poverty &/or oppression) and “the ignorant” (those who are less intelligent &/or who have been psychologically indoctrinated) have essentially no hope of awakening to a more informed way of being. Much like Abraham Maslow, these people believe that “the meek” cannot hope to “inherit the earth” (i.e. know real Peace & Joy) until they somehow become stronger &/or wiser and thereby satisfy their more primal desires beforehand. Zone 2 disciples tend to agree that the majority of their brethren are “standard” or typical, and yet choose to perceive their world through lenses that are Self-centric. These individuals believe that Enlightenment is attainable by all – even those most wretched &/or pitiable, though they also believe that the attainment thereof is extremely difficult (seeing it as the pinnacle of human existence; a state of being that has left the ego fully behind) and thus is actually attained by very few. They believe that “the downtrodden” and “the ignorant” can attain Enlightenment, and yet have a far more difficult road thereto – one that more often than not demands assistance. For them, “the meek” can one day “inherit the earth,” though only with help (from others or “from above”).

 

 

In bold contrast, Zone 3 enthusiasts are Whole-centric; seeing all sentient beings as being equally wondrous, and treating them all accordingly. These are the ones who look past judgments of “good” or “evil” & “smart” or “stupid.” These are the ones who see beneath others’ behaviors to the beautiful essence that ever resides within – and then respond in kind. These are the ones who know that, when it comes to the actions of others, there are only those founded in fear (to be gently understood) and those soaked in Love (to be boldly admired). These are the ones who remember that all sentient life comes into the world innately Enlightened (i.e. fully comprehending his or her profound interconnection with all others). They also know that, while most have indeed forgotten this great Truth they once knew as infants & toddlers, there is no end-destination on the path back thereto. These are the ones who understand that Enlightenment, like the Universe that encapsulates it, is ever-dynamic and continually transient – that to become viable it must be chosen and re-chosen in each moment anew. Zone 3 standard-bearers are the ones who seek neither to feed the ego nor destroy it, but rather understand that the ego is an inherent part of the experience – that as long as any person resides in a healthy human body (where the more primitive, fear-based portions of the brain are constantly analyzing input ¼ of a second before the neocortex – the portion thereof which houses the ability to countermand self-preservative instinct and “choose Love anyway”) his or her True Self will never experience a lasting departure from the self-focused “gravitational pull” of the ego. And yet, these people also understand that this dynamic is actually the greatest of blessings, for they have come to remember that it is the most difficult deeds that are the most potent, and that thus provide the greatest solace while actualized. This is why they exude gently compassionate encouragement to “the downtrodden” & “the ignorant” instead of pity or sympathy; knowing as they do that those who are less fortunate &/or more suffered have actually been offered a far more efficient path to Peace than their more “blessed” compatriots – needing to enliven far lesser acts of generosity during their times of trial to far more purely reawaken the Bliss of their innate Oneness. In essence, those in Zone 3 are aware that “the meek” have actually already “inherited the earth” – and that they need but act accordingly (by being kind when least inclined) to fully reclaim the same.

 

 

Filed under: Enlightening Enlightenment by Scaughdt