“I mistrust all systematizers and avoid them. The will to a system is a lack of integrity.” –Nietzsche
“The man who is really serious, with the urge to find out what truth is, has no style at all. He lives only in what is.” –Bruce Lee
I’ve had this realization coming on for a long time. It really began to crystalize last night. I’d started another in a series of almost endless diet attempts. I’m not overweight, I just want to have better mental and physical energy and health. I’ve been seeking this for decades.
But something hit me after waking up from a nap and noticing a diet book on my shelf. It happened to be one I really like, but its prescriptions contradict the foods I’m supposed to eat in the new diet I’d just started.
This morning it fully hit me–diets (externally imposed) are stupid.
I don’t mean the useful principles promoted in the diet. I mean the rigidity of following outside instruction.
We–I–have spent much of our lives adopting the systems and ideas of other men and women. We ignore our God-given Spirit, intuition, knowing–whatever word you want to use.
There is a place for systems. We can learn the basic skills required to do something useful, like catch and clean a fish, build a fire, eat healthily, exercise efficiently, defend ourselves from danger, etc. Even language–reading and writing–is a system. There are systems for everything, and it’s good that there are. They are great time savers, and can become critical when our lives are on the line. A good example of this is something like gardening, which most people know nothing about, but there are systems that can teach a novice the basics in a very short time.
I have successfully used and promoted systems. I will continue to do so, particularly as they relate to our spiritual and physical survival. But once they are understood, we must be willing to let them go–to transcend them. We must have the faith to use our internal guidance. This is the only path to freedom.
Where Does the Urge to Systematize Come From?
The world has a way of breaking down our original “genius.” We are born “fragile.” This must have been purposefully designed by our Creator, who knew we would fall and need to be “born again,” which you could say, in it’s most simple sense, means returning to Him.
In my opinion, being “born again” has nothing to do with accepting and repeating the words of a preacher who often himself doesn’t understand the significance of what he’s saying. Rather, I believe it is about transcending our conditioning of following set patterns imposed on us (typically unknowingly) by parents and other authority figures, be they religious leaders, or even cultural “influencers.”
Speaking of influencers, social media is filled with these people, who have reached some form of “success” by promoting a certain philosophy or diet, etc. They are systematizers. “Like, Subscribe, FOLLOW!”
It’s time we stopped following man (or woman), and began listening to our inner knowing. And we don’t need to follow a system to do that! As I’ve said before, I learned how to connect with the Holy Spirit as a child, when I laid on my bed, closed my eyes, saw the light in my forehead, felt the energy in my body, and noticed the thoughts that were not my own. I’m sure many children experienced the same, and many likely forgot the experience as the world increasingly influenced them.
I’m grateful to people like the late Roy Masters for reminding me of what I lost, but personally, I do not need to continue following his silent prayer (meditation) instructions once I have been reminded to reconnect to the Source of all knowing. Others feel differently, and that’s fine. And for those who have lost their connection, his technique to reconnect you can be incredibly useful. It may even save your spiritual or physical life!
Freedom means what it says. It is a freedom from all systems, because the Spirit is guiding you–the Spirit is the teacher! We can all have access to this teacher, no matter what religion we are. In fact, Christians should readily understand this, and Christ himself told us he was leaving the Comforter for us. Funny how little the average Christian minister mentions the Holy Spirit and how to access the Spirit. Wittingly or unwittingly, they are suppressing your one way to freedom, a freedom that depends on no man, and no system.
Patrick Rooney is the Founder of OldSchoolUs.com. He promotes natural health, success, and freedom during chaotic times. To reach Patrick, email him at [email protected].
Hi Patrick, I want you to know that you’re an amazing writer and also a brave man. I had been listening to Jesse for about a year and then saw “amazing disgrace”. I’m 25 years old, and also has a similar situation when I was a child. I just wanna say that you are an extremely well spoken man, and I can tell you have morals as well. I live in Florida too, I am straight now, as I know you are, so this is just to see if there can be a friendship forged
Thank you, David, for your kind words. I am glad you found the video, and the truth. I am no longer in Florida, but please keep in touch. This world needs people who love truth, and who can work together for good.
Since you started your blog talking about diet systems being externally imposed, Vs following our God given intuition, The first question I’d ask, is how many of us are so close to God, that we will know the perfect diet based on intuition alone. Unless we try a few systems to see what works for us?
When it comes to following religious systems or teachers, I think one big difference between Roy Masters, and many other teachers, is Roy will often bear witness to our own intuition when listening to his conversations with others, and, he’s continually reinforcing a healthier mindset for people who have the stomach for self-reflection.
Good points, David. Very good points. Te diet. That seems to be a valid thing to do. To try ways of eTing to see what works for you. Of course, it can take an adjustment period to “switch” the system over, for instance to develop new gut bacteria or switch from burning sugar to fat, as in carnivore/keto. Interestingly, Roy Masters advised people not to follow diets! Yet, I remember reading an old article of his where he made diet suggestions, so make of that what you will. My experience has shown me over and over what is good for me. In what amount, and what is not. Common sense needs to be employed! Yes, it’s tricky, because we must learn to distinguish what is good for us vs what just tastes good, like chocolate cake! Or a better example might be something like fruit, which arguably can be good for us. At least in small amounts. Yet excessive fruit intake can be a disaster for our teeth, as we know. Again, intuition has to be the overall guide.
Systems have a place, but they must serve intuition. Just as the physical must serve the spiritual. There is a natural order to all creation, and every “machine” has a given purpose and must be held to it.
We still need each other. We can still learn from one another. We just can’t forget to run everything passed our internal “truth detector.” Without that priority, we’re truly lost.
Well said, Brian, and a good reminder. I learn a lot from people, and you’re one of those people.;)
The systemizers have gotten their nose into about everything.
True!