Freeing Ourselves from Illusions
It is part of reality, in the actual current situation, that we are confused by illusions we have acquired.
We live and function inside a great mass of illusions. This mixture of illusions, the pseudo-reality that surrounds us, is certainly held together by distress patterns. However, it isn’t composed only of them. It includes certain other factors, such as oppressive structures, false information, and lack of information.
Ignorance is part of this matrix of confusion and illusion. It has been a big factor in the past. When we didn’t have enough information about what was going on1 in reality, we often came up with2 frightened guesses. In some cultures, if the corn crop wasn’t adequate one season, the priests sacrificed fourteen virgins on the stone altar instead of seven as they had done the year before.
Misinformation becomes part of it. (Patterns, of course, are involved in this, too.) It becomes pseudo-survival for large numbers of people in the oppressive society to lie. The deliberate spreading of misinformation becomes a socially enforced role for some people.
The oppressive societies operate only on the basis of gaining acceptance of these illusions.
I propose that we agree that all our efforts are actually directed toward becoming free of this great mass of pseudo-survival illusions. To attain this freedom is a universal goal that we share with every single other human being. This is the great commonality among us.
In order to become free of the pseudo-survival illusions that have glued us into non-survival behavior, I propose certain common moves:
When it is done thoroughly, the discharge and re-evaluation process does kill off illusions, does do away with3 them finally. It’s part of the reason we urge people to clean up an incident completely, at least once. That way they can actually experience this thoroughness. There is no distress left, no nonsense left, no pseudo-survival illusion left, if you actually clean up an incident.
Another principal tool for eliminating this pseudo-reality is the spreading of accurate information. To make a revolution, people have to have the real picture.
What else need we do? Organize. To organize well is necessary. Most of the critical problems that we’re facing, in terms of our survival and whether this world will go on being a world of life or not, depend on group action for solutions. Organizing is crucial. People must be able to move in concert to do what we’re going to have to do.
The last thing on this list of things to do is act. Just simply act. This requires recognition that we have the power of decision, that we always have the power of moving.
Harvey Jackins
From “Common Goals for All Humans”
on pages 33 to 38, and page 51,
of The Rest of Our Lives
1 “Going on” means happening.
2 “Came up with” means made.
3 “Do away with” means get rid of.