ACTIONS CANNOT BE SHUNNED. BUT WHO IS THE ACTOR?

Actions can be classified as gross and subtle. Gross actions are those which are physical in nature and thoughts are subtle actions. But are the actions done by us really ours?

We humans by default live a body centric life. The purpose of living a body centric life is to protect, preserve and proliferate the body. So, it can be said our actions emerge from these 3P’s.

Our actions are then regulated by three institutions, called family, society and laws of the land. And regulation of our actions happens via human’s three foundational dependencies, called attachment, validation and fear, amongst which validation plays a key role when the actor is unknown to his real self.

So, when action is concerned,

Originators : Protect, Preserve and Procreate.

Regulators : Family, Society and Laws.

Dependencies : Validation, Attachment and Fear.

Intensity of the dependencies varies with the type of regulator. Let’s discuss each of these regulators :

1. Family : Family in this context can be defined as individuals connected by shared DNA with innate attachment driven by the originators of our actions. The stronger the attachment, the greater the need of validation for our actions. Likewise, the stronger the attachment, greater the fear of detachment – because detachment brings the fear of losing the validation that reinforces our actions. The intensity of these dependencies varies from person to person, depending on their psycological makeup, shaped by past memories and traumas.
2. Society : Validation from society is not driven by attachment but rather from fear. Fear of being ostracized from society. To seek validation from society, we conform to the actions which are in accordance with societal norms. The greater the fear of being an outcast, the higher is the degree of validation we seek.
3. Laws : Compliance with law is primarily fear driven. The greater the certainty and severity of the punishment, the stronger the governance of action by legal norms. Fear of punishment is not standalone, but is amplified by social and familial validation.

From above, it can be inferred that we always need security for our actions and we fear losing that security, because those actions had never emanated from the source within but are borrowed due to conditioning. Validation moves our “self” worth up few notches. This “self” is not ours but is a conditioned or say programmed self that we borrow from the society and this the only reason that it need validation all the time. Actions which never emanated from within are always subjected to skepticism.

How can this self be an original self?

Observe the intruder (borrowed self) thoroughly, who always seeks validation, still remain queasy. Be constantly aware of the actions, both subtle and gross. This awareness will make us understand the futility of dependencies on which we live. With this understanding, our intellect can freely pan out, without any interference of the intruder. This free intellect very well takes care of the external happening, leaving the internal state of mind resting in its own blissfulness. Let the internal state be only the witness to the external happenings without meddling in its affairs.