Contemplate
One-Level Fallacy
The seeker acts as if there is only one level of spiritual teachings. This can come from a need for certainty or from simple ignorance. For this student the map is the territory. There are no alternatives. The world exists without gradation. The spectrum becomes a single color. The spiritual student stops the effort to learn more and and completes the spiritual work with a great lack of depth and detail. Remember that there is always more to learn. If you find yourself at the top with no more to learn, it is time to evaluate your position, have curiosity and a fresh attitude about the spiritual teachings.
The Fantasy Fallacy
The seeker creates an idea of what spiritual freedom is about and creates a code of behavior and concepts around it. The seeker gives shape to an idea that is incomplete or incorrect and refuses to upgrade and complete new inner explorations. The fantasy about spirituality creates division, dogmas and dominations. The student creates a comfort zone created by his/her belief system and accommodates new teachings at the convenience of his/her fantasy.
All About “Me” Fallacy
In the purification stage of the seeker, the teacher encourages seeing the internal conceptualizations that cause suffering and misalignments in the perception of the seeker. The tendency of the seeker is to take such corrections personally and to blame oneself or the teacher. The seeker believes his/her “wrongness” and becomes discouraged to pursue the inner research. The candidate must understand that this stage of purification requires one to admit immaturities and to make the proper corrections without guilt. The seeker needs to be aware of this fallacy and to make the proper readjustment in perception without entering into being “the right girl/boy”.
Short-Cut Fallacy
The seeker believes one can skip to a later stage because this stage can be perceived. It is like a teenager who realizes adulthood is ahead and asks if puberty can be skipped. Certain things cannot be learned without traversing the challenges of each stage. Students who settle for this fallacy merely imitate the real levels of expertise. They do not hold steady when the real pressure of life tests them. The best policy is to pay attention to where you are at and to review your capabilities. Let the next stage come to you and emerge from the center of what you are doing.
Cross-Domain Fallacy
This is the most frequent mistake. A student gains expertise and even mastery in one area and assumes that it transfers to all other areas. For example, an expert speed skater thinks he/she can use that experience to instantly become an expert figure skater. It is important to keep a beginner’s mind, open and ready for instruction in undeveloped areas. If you don’t, then you stagnate and keep the awkward experiences of a novice with a shield of pretense and false pride.
Boot-Strap Fallacy
This mistake comes from the assumption that you can declare yourself complete. Many students decide that they no longer need a teacher. The ego believes that you are powerful and great. The lesson for the stages is to cultivate a teacher or mentor at every stage. Continue to be challenged and to learn.
The seeker must cultivate the stamina, patience and concentration to give room for his deepest desire to experience inner freedom.