Being relative, without a centre, you are free from the limitations of perceiving yourself as definitive. Hence, you enjoy the ever-changing experiences.

From Duality Hack #5.4 in Alexius’ Duality Hacks.

When you are not definitive but relative, every moment is perfect

The basic self, in its relativity to the moment, is a stark contrast to the special self, which perceives itself as definitive. For instance, the basic self, when insulted, may react with immediate anger, only to transition to a state of gratitude in the next moment when helped by somebody. In contrast, the special self, viewing itself as definitive, consistently suppresses its feelings to align with its preconceived personality.

The special self is scared of the freedom that relativism entails. It makes it impossible to uphold its fixed points of view based on the coherence it insists on seeing. Without this coherence, it is nothing but relative to the present moment. Consequently, there is no past to anchor to or future to aspire for. Each moment is merely a replacement for the previous one, akin to a sequence in a dream, disconnected from the preceding moment. However, by not seeking consistency to uphold specific opinions, every moment becomes the perfect moment.

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

Being in tune with the present experience created by the brain, the basic self does not perceive itself as definitive but relative to the present moment, thus feeling whole. But since the special self insists on being someone definitive, handling everything in its specific way and pace, it is out of touch with the moment as it is, hence feeling incomplete.

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

The special self exploits the moment to establish it as spectacular, whereas the basic self is a humble servant of the moment.

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

Being relative to the moment, you are not above it but in it.

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

If you apply Alexius’ Duality Hacks to undo the belief in being definitive, you become relative, thus free to join the moment as it is.

Relative to the present

Most believe there is a definitive self behind their different approaches to the world. Yet, there is no other self than the basic one created by the brain. It has no centre and is ever-changing with the fleeting experiences developed by the brain. That is why you are bound to feel alienated when you see yourself as definitive but at home if relative to the world. Thus, not approaching it definitively but twofold, feeling as tough as fragile, regardless of what and where you are in the world.

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

You see the nature of the brain in the way it makes your dreams. Consistency is unimportant. It is all about making you feel excited and entertained by ever-changing events. That is why the brain has not produced you with a definitive but variable personality, always relative to the present event.

Therefore, if you consider yourself harmonious or something else definitive, you rule against the brain to separate yourself from it as a special self. However, not you, but the brain is in charge. So, the brain’s stories about you go on unaffected by your perception of being harmonious or whatnot.    

There is one difference: when you see yourself as definitive, you do not feel entertained by the brain’s duality stories. Hence, you always try to make them one-sided. But since you are in a world of duality, it only works in fantasy. Therefore, you never feel fulfilled as the basic self who lives by it.

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

If one’s perception is in sync with the flow of thoughts from the brain, one is relative to the brain, thus feeling free in its ever-changing duality experiences. But if one perceives the flow to make oneself appear definitive, everything has to fit into a box. Therefore, one is not free.

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

The special self is an expert in flattery, which it uses to manipulate others into feeling appreciated. It wants them to become so dependent on the compliments that they are willing to constantly submit to the special self to be recognised as special. However, this does not work on the basic self. It is not definitive but relative, thus without something specific to be approved.

Alexius, in the bliss of nothing

In the eyes of the world, Alexius has been successful. He designed four trendy restaurants and bars that he operated for 12 years. Afterwards, he was a TV producer, a designer for big and small companies, and a public relations teacher. Before that, he was a kindergarten teacher, then a taxi driver, and later a monk who travelled around Europe, giving Satsang without any education or preparation. 

Although he has done many different things, the purpose was always the same: to be relative to the present challenges. Hence, he could help the children in the kindergarten on their terms and provide the people who hired a taxi with a joyful ride. His contemporary restaurants and bars progressed in a way that benefited the community evolving from them. And his TV broadcasts highlighted the content, not the producer – like his designs promoted the clients’ content, not the medium.

So whether Alexius was doing something mundane or living in a monastery, it was always about ignoring the ecstatic voice promising fame and fortune if he emphasised himself as definitive. That was easy because Alexius did not wish to fill his emptiness with something but to be in the bliss of nothing.

Definitive or relative

Per the specific personality, Facebook’s algorithms have calculated based on what you like, you receive updates and ads that establish your particular personality as unique. Therefore, since you become more fixated on your personal views, it looks like you and like-minded ones are the good ones and others are bad. However, Facebook does the same for those you perceive as wrong, so, just like you, they believe in doing the right thing.

Therefore, since everybody is in the same boat, everyone would benefit from not perceiving themselves as definitive but relative so that the boat can be managed in everybody’s best interest.

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

You do not try to be someone definitive in a dream. Instead, you naturally go with its flow. Therefore, if you do not arrange your memories of a dream to seem coherent and meaningful, you are relative, not definitive.

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

The basic self is not a definitive entity. Instead, it is relative to the brain, hence without egoistic drive. The special self is also relative to the brain. But it denies the relation and always looks for something that can manifest it as definitive, hence with a big egoistic drive.

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

The special self looks forward to something specific, making it happy tomorrow. But the day after, it still looks forward to something specific, making it happy tomorrow. And so on. In contrast, the basic self is relative to the present moment, thus feeling the happiness of connectedness continuously.

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

The special self always tries to escape something but does not know what. Neither will it ever know because there is nothing to escape. Every experience is make-believe. However, they seem real when you try to avoid particular ones.

‘It is what it is’

If you wish to improve yourself to become spiritual, you suppress the feelings in yourself that do not fit your image of spirituality. Since that does not result in peace but fear of the repressed, you start looking for something relaxing.

On the other hand, if you do not try to change your appearance but perceive your opinion about yourself as ‘it is what it is,’ you are not someone definitive but relative to the present experience produced by the brain. Therefore, since hating what you dislike feels as pleasant as loving what you like, there is no need to exclude something to improve yourself.

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

If you believe you are someone in a world of duality, you are a product of the brain. It has not equipped you with a definitive but relative self. You feel complete by being relative if your perception of your response to the brain’s duality experiences is that ‘it is what it is’ because that perception is twofold.

But if you instead perceive your reaction to duality as ‘I know what it is’, you feel incomplete since that perception is singular. Besides, nothing works out according to your assumptions because you do not know who you are, so how can you know anything? See a description of these perceptions in Duality Hack #6,5.

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

»The brain is constantly reconfiguring every second of your life. Even by the time you get to the end of this paragraph, you’ll be a slightly different person than you were at the beginning,” says David Eagleman, an American neuroscientist in The Working of the Brain. Therefore, the more you read Alexius’ Duality Hacks, the more you apply them.