To have no personality

[Chrysaetos]

Originally Posted by Starbuck

Are you sure? I would say newborn babies can act and behave very differently straight after birth, regardless of external influences.

Yes, every baby has a different body and they all respond differently to those experiences. A newborn baby only reacts to physical pains and needs. One could say these experiences are already shaping a personality. It would be hard to speak of a starting point of personality, and there are various definitions. I would say personality requires more then just physical differences, pains and needs. It requires a mental uniqueness, and some clear awareness of surroundings. Babies are only concerned with simple basic needs.

I guess there's no clear cut answer here..

[andrew g]

Ive just been reflecting on this, and thought Id share some thoughts....

I see is as pretty apparent that each human individuation has a clear individuality or personality. Then if we look at dogs and cats, I think we can still still a pretty clear individuality/personality. Then if we look at mice and rats I might be wrong, and it might be just because I dont have much familiarity with mice and rats, but I think the individuality is a little less clear. If we then look at the insect realm, its even less. If we then take a look at the plant kingdom, it becomes very hard to assign an individuality/personality. If we then look at rocks and stones......

Now, I understand that not everyone is into the idea of a soul, or atman, but what I think is that the degree to which there is an individuality depends on the degree to which there is an individual soul. My vague understanding is that the plant realms, the insect realms etc have a group soul. Perhaps the dogs and cats have some kind of individual soul, and I would say that humans tend to have individual souls. It also seems to me that there is a direct link between self-awareness and individuality.

I would say that our individuality shines forth always from the moment we are born, but the learned conditioned patterns from parents, society etc... somewhat mask the light of our individuality. However, I would still say that even with this mask on, the unique light of individuality still shines and can always be seen. It shines through our eyes and our beingness. As the conditioned mask comes off, the light is allowed to shine more brilliantly. Its as if we allow ourselves to become that unique light itself.

[Silver]

Originally Posted by andrew g

Ive just been reflecting on this, and thought Id share some thoughts....

I see is as pretty apparent that each human individuation has a clear individuality or personality. Then if we look at dogs and cats, I think we can still still a pretty clear individuality/personality. Then if we look at mice and rats I might be wrong, and it might be just because I dont have much familiarity with mice and rats, but I think the individuality is a little less clear. If we then look at the insect realm, its even less. If we then take a look at the plant kingdom, it becomes very hard to assign an individuality/personality. If we then look at rocks and stones......

Now, I understand that not everyone is into the idea of a soul, or atman, but what I think is that the degree to which there is an individuality depends on the degree to which there is an individual soul. My vague understanding is that the plant realms, the insect realms etc have a group soul. Perhaps the dogs and cats have some kind of individual soul, and I would say that humans tend to have individual souls. It also seems to me that there is a direct link between self-awareness and individuality.

I would say that our individuality shines forth always from the moment we are born, but the learned conditioned patterns from parents, society etc... somewhat mask the light of our individuality. However, I would still say that even with this mask on, the unique light of individuality still shines and can always be seen. It shines through our eyes and our beingness. As the conditioned mask comes off, the light is allowed to shine more brilliantly. Its as if we allow ourselves to become that unique light itself.

Ooh, very nicely put andrewg. Sorry to say (:o>) I agree~I mean, what do you say to people who have a feeling that they've been here before OR like myself and plenty of others, they feel as if they zoomed in here to this present life from some other place, suggesting they've lived before? And along with that, one would have to assume you had a personality of some sort wherever one came from previously? Or if it's a first time around, well, I just cannot shake the feeling and belief that we are unique from our source, some how, whether via DNA, which I believe very well may be a way for our 'creator' to assign us this very necessary uniqueness, which plays out as a personality, if you will.

[Chrysaetos]

Every living being that is separated is individual. No matter human, tree, dog, spider or tiger. They do not have to be self aware to be an individual. Individual = one.

Personality is a mental mask shaped by surroundings. To have a personality one needs some strongly developed awareness. A dog clearly has a personality. But I don't think insects have, they seem to be very basic. Just like a human baby.

Plants are out of the picture, as they don't even have a brain and a nervous system. But plants remain individual. Invertebrates and plants are not self aware, but yet this does not remove their individuality. Every tree is unique. If there would be ''soul groups'' then cutting down one tree would also damage another one. But nope, all trees are individuals fighting for resources.

[Silver]

Originally Posted by Chrysaetos

Every living being that is separated is individual. No matter human, tree, dog, spider or tiger. They do not have to be self aware to be an individual. Individual = one.

Personality is a mental mask shaped by surroundings. To have a personality one needs some strongly developed awareness. A dog clearly has a personality. But I don't think insects have, they seem to be very basic. Just like a human baby.

Plants are out of the picture, as they don't even have a brain and a nervous system. But plants remain individual. Insects and plants are not self aware, but yet this does not remove their individuality. Every tree is unique. If there would be ''soul groups'' then cutting down one tree would also damage another one. But nope, all trees are individuals fighting for resources.

I think this very well may be, but we're getting away from the OP's intention, I believe...talking about human beings...

I think it's very possible, but still questionable if trees for example have a collective soul with other trees and plants. How do we know that for reasons that may escape the average individual as opposed to scientists, that the burning and deforestation of areas of the world don't cause catastrophic hurricanes, etc. in some far-flung region? Etc. It would make a great topic for a separate thread somewhere.

Originally Posted by kadmilos

It may appear that when we all live in the egoless now, that we all behave similarly. Leading to the natural conclusion that a loss of personality is responsible. But this is not true.

We all do math the same way (well we should), because it is a process. I AM is a process of living, so if we are all following that process, we should all be living the same way. However everyone is still surrounded by a unique ever-changing environment specific to them. It shapes them and dictates what sort of life they will lead.

So instead of searching for pop-culture inspired personalities, search for environment inspired personalities instead. Or better yet, just let your own naturally come about, and nothing else matters (like metallica said:) )

What you are is not the individuated expression. The belief that you are is the ego. The expression through this belief forms what we call the personality. In the absence of this belief the identity is no longer attached to, but the individuality plays it's role in the unfolding of life just as does now in the presence of that belief, and this could be seen as a form of ego. (The 'egoless' doesn't believe anything is separate but it doesn't fail to recognize that it appears so and that there is a relationship of self with self) In the ongoing play of that individual expression is thought, feeling, perspectives, likes, dislikes, which continues to express uniquely. (The 'enlightened master' is not devoid of personality, just the expressions that come from personal identification with that form.)

Don't expect us to all behave similarly.
I Am is not a process of living.

[andrew g]

Originally Posted by Chrysaetos

Every living being that is separated is individual. No matter human, tree, dog, spider or tiger. They do not have to be self aware to be an individual. Individual = one.

Personality is a mental mask shaped by surroundings. To have a personality one needs some strongly developed awareness. A dog clearly has a personality. But I don't think insects have, they seem to be very basic. Just like a human baby.

Plants are out of the picture, as they don't even have a brain and a nervous system. But plants remain individual. Invertebrates and plants are not self aware, but yet this does not remove their individuality. Every tree is unique. If there would be ''soul groups'' then cutting down one tree would also damage another one. But nope, all trees are individuals fighting for resources.

Yeah, I wasnt really trying to say that each tree isnt unique, coz I agree that they are, but I kind of think there might be degrees of individuality or collectiveness at a level beyond the form.

[andrew g]

Originally Posted by Silvergirl

Ooh, very nicely put andrewg. Sorry to say (:o>) I agree~I mean, what do you say to people who have a feeling that they've been here before OR like myself and plenty of others, they feel as if they zoomed in here to this present life from some other place, suggesting they've lived before? And along with that, one would have to assume you had a personality of some sort wherever one came from previously? Or if it's a first time around, well, I just cannot shake the feeling and belief that we are unique from our source, some how, whether via DNA, which I believe very well may be a way for our 'creator' to assign us this very necessary uniqueness, which plays out as a personality, if you will.

Yes, I am certainly not one who casts doubts on suggestions of past lives or experiences in other parts of the universe, that whole thing resonates with me very much.

I also cannot shake the feeling that we are unique from Source, and I like what you said about the DNA, I kind of feel that the DNA somehow matches, mirrors and reflects the individual essence or soul or whatever we want to call it. If that is the case, it means there is something quite astounding going on in the universe.

Originally Posted by Phroggy

Don't expect us to all behave similarly.
I Am is not a process of living.

I try not to expect anything, expectations are the leading cause of dare i say "wrong" thinking.

if I Am is not a process/way of living. How is it possible to live not according to the I Am? I would assume it is not possible. but if that is true, everyone starts at the finish line.

Originally Posted by Silvergirl

Our human gods would seem so one-dimensional the way you seem to be looking at it. Something that big (even if only in our imaginations) has to have more facets than just going whiz-bang and here we all are...and if a (and I get that you don't believe in a creator ~ or am I mistaken on that?) creator has the power to do all this, how is it that IF there were a creator or creators, how logical would it seem that this creator is some cold calculating robot or something? Gee hmm i wonder.

Drop the idea of a creator thingy and the whole question goes away.